Polyhedron #108

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Polyhedron #108

Transcript of Polyhedron #108

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Notes from HORemembering to Laugh.. .

I discovered role playing garnes in 1982,when my brother Martin and I droveback from a family reunion in Durant,Oklahoma. I had heard about theAD&D'game, but was a bit intimidatedby its complexity. Martin, who'd playedin college, explained what characteris-tics, hit points, and character classeswere. I asked questions, and hepatiently listened and replied. By theend of the two-hour car ride, I was curi-ous and ready to try it.

My frrst game was a Private one; mYbrother was the Dungeon Master, and afriend, Daryl, played a frghter. I playeda half-elf magic user/thief named Elron.We had a good time, though Elron,swinging through the trees at the end ofa rope, was squished between the root-like toes of a passing malevolent treant.We all laughed, and Martin urged me toroll up another character.

Eventually my brother tired of run-ning his game. I searched for anothergame, and discovered that some peopleplayed at local science-fiction conven-tions. I soon discovered that our localcons were not especially good gamingvenues, though I did learn to appreciateand enjoy those conventions for whatthey did offer: free munchies, greatauthors and artists, and new friends,

One year, after taking a look at theGuN CoNt Game Fair pre-registrationmaterial in DnqcoN@ Magazine, I madeup my mind to attend. I got a cut-rateairfare, stayed out at Sandburg Hall (on

the University of Wisconsin4Vlilwaukeecampus), and had the time of mY life:four days and nights ofnon-stop adven-ture! I made up my mind then never tomiss such an opportunity again.

The next year at the Game Fair, Iplayed in my first RPGA@ Network tour-nament, The Black Rose. I joined theNetwork right after I got up from thetable. I returned.to Oklahoma knowingthat I had to bring this same excitementback to the conventions at home.

Donald Dennis and I ran our firstNetwork tournament that same fall atSoonerCon, and the response was elec-tric. Everybody'aranted to play, and wealmost couldn't find enough judges. Iactually wore a tie to judge the frnals (atradition that I maintain to this day).

From that point on, the Network was onthe rise in Oklahoma.

The Network was something to takepride in, something to rally around. Myfriends and I ran games at every con-vention that we could, and the dernandfor events andjudges soon outgrew ourabiLity to supply them. We formed thePlayers' Guild of Central Oklahoma,and together the ten ofus organizedgaming at most of the Oklahoma con-ventions those next two years.

I still went to the Game Fair, andeach year Jean Rabe asked me to dosomething new. I judged, and loved it(though I must admit I had that firsttournament memorized by slot one).Then something amazing happened:Cheryl McNally-Frech asked me if Iwould judge the feature, and handed methe round. I was stunned, but I got mYplayers seated, and after a while, I wasrunning one of the best games of mYlife. I don't think I have ever thankedher for challenging me like that, butthanks, Cheryl!

I played in my first masters tourna-ment and had what I consider to be mYpeak experience in role playrng. Sufficeit to say that our team, the Army of thePurple Lace Bloomers, beat up a bunchofawestruck ogres and rescued ourhalfling friends. All six players and thejudge were rolling on the floor withlaughter afterward. No one wanted tovote; we already knew we had eachbeen a winner. When first place wasannounced and my nanne was called, Iwas flabbergasted. The other people onmy team stood up and cheered for me,and I was speechless. Larr'1r, Fran, Phil,Dennis, and Robert, I owe each ofYou aCherry Coke. I stood in the awards linebehind Don Bingle, the ranking Net-work player, and he congratulated me. Ialmost passed out.

As you might imagine, everythingafter that has been pretty much down-hill. I got to work security at GnN CottNetwork HQ, where an older gentlemanwith long mustaches and a glrarledwooden staff sat next to me and chattedamiably with me one Sunday morning.We talked about role playing, the GameFair, the Network, and made jokesabout how serious everyone seemed to

be. The guy turned out to be FrankMentzer, the first Network coordinator.

I have gained many opportunitiesthrough Network membership: a shot atwriting for the Newszine, the chance tobe a club president, and the good for-tune to help others by being a RegionalDirector. Through the Network I havegotten the opportunity to game withwonderful players, judge incredibleteams through club competitions (andeven dance awaltzwith Marshall Simp-son at the Game Fair awards cere-11161iss-f,6 a Clint Heilman rap). I havehad so much.fun and met so many newfriends along the way, I feel the moneyI've spent on membership has been thebest investment I've ever made.

And now I get to pay the Networkback for all the good times I've had, allthe excitement, all the fun. I still can'tbelieve how fortunate I am to have thisopportunity to serve the Network, toactually get paid for doing things IVeloved doing for years.

As I look at the Network, what it hasmeant to me as a member, and what itmeans to so many, I begin to see how Igot here: the Network's commitment toquality. I enjoyed Network eventsbecause they were so much better thanthe ones in which I had played before' Ijoined because ofthe distinction thatwent with being a Network player andjudge. And I continued to renew mYmembership because I believed in thatquality, that dedication to excellence.

I affirm that commitment to excel-lence in role playing games-all roleplayrng games. It has always been andcontinues to be the Network's mission.

As I take on the responsibilities heldby'individuals like Frank Mentzer, KimEastland, Penny Petticord, HaroldJohnson, and Jean Rabe, I am remindedof that mission, but also of the gentle,self-effacing humor with which each ofthem served the Network.

I hope we all remember to laugh atourselves every once in a while...

REHYLoP

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Volume '15, Number 6lssue #108

SPECIAL FEATURE9 Races of Cerilia, Part l-by Rich Baker

An introductory look at the races of TSR's new BIRTHRICHT^ setting

FEATURES13 hwmlunau* o&A

Clarifications and corrections for Meranna: rrm Ln'rxc JuNcr'n

15 Jungle Lore-by Kevin MelkaNew proficiencies for Lruxc JuNcr,s characters

18 What's So Bad About the Dark Side?-by Lester SmithStudents of the Force must walk a nalrow ethical path

22 Author, Author!The new Por,vmnnox Newszine writing guidelines

28 Weeds of Wonder-by Greg FerrisA collection of useful Malatran plants

EDITORIAL2 Notes From HO

DEPARTMENTS4 "Forgotten" Realms Deities-by Eric Boyd

Sebek. Lord of the Werecrocodiles

5 Ravens Bluff TrumPeter

6 Elminster's Everwinking Eye-by Ed GreenwoodThe end of the road in Turmish

20 Video Drone-by Brian and Donna ThomsenThe Crow andDick TracY

24 Weasel Games-by Lester SmithBluffing, an essential element of any weasel gamer's repertoire

25 Living Galaxy-by Roger Moore"Wh; if Napbleon had had aB-527": Alterniverse gaming!

oRDEH

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Forgotten DeitiesSebek

Fall ofthe Gods, had largely died out.All crocodiles are said to be the chil-dren ofSebek. Some sages speculateSebek was once worshiPPed in thesoutheastern Realms as Haaashas-taak, Master of all Lizardkind, but thesame claim is made more strongly forUbtao, Lord ofChult, lending doubt tothat claim.

Like other minor gods, the alreadYweakened Sebek was an easy tatgetduring the Time of Troubles. Malar,the Beastlord, took advantage oftheopportunity and slew the Lord of Croc-odiles in a titanic battle that destroyedlarge sections of the AdderswamP.Malar has subsequently revitalized theCult of Sebek and turned the CitY of

the Werecrocodiles into a growingregional power, filling the void left bythe collapse ofthe city ofLuthcheq.Bands ofwerecrocodiles have beguntaxing all trade in the Bay ofChessenta, and are responsible for thedisappearance of several small compa-nies of mercenaries frghting in the warbetween the Airspur-Soorenar allianceand Akanax. The reptilian lycan-thropes have claimed all of the Adder-swamp and the Bay of Chessenta astheir domain, although none of the sur-rounding cities have commented onthis development. Previous conflictsbetween wererats dwelling in theAdderswamf and the werecrocodileshave been smoothed over by analliance of lycanthrope priests of bothspecies who worship Malar orMalar/Sebek. Malar's domain in theSouth is likely to be strongly chal-lenged in the immediate future by thesurrounding human cities concerned bythe werecrocodiles' increasing militarypower and the effects of the additionaltaxation on trade.

Sebek's Pr iestsAll priests of Sebek/Malar must bewerecrocodiles, and all are specialtypriests. True lycanthropes are l im-ited to 5th level, while thosehumans and demihumans infectedwith lycanthropy are l imited to 3rdlevel. Priests gain an additional Ld4hit points per level.

AB Con 12*, Str 18 (note that a l lwerecrocodiles have an 18 strength,as descr ibed in FR IO Old EmPires);AL NE; WP any; AR none; RAnone; SP All, Animal, Combat, Ele-mental, Plant; SPL nil; PW aswerecrocodi les, 3)suggest ion(W3)(only to convince the victim that thepriest is truly grieving-see theCombat section in the description ofthe werecrocodi le in FR 10 OldEmpires),5) st icks to crocodi les (asst icks to snakes (P )) ; TU ni l ; QSanimal horde (entire horde com-posed of crocodi les).

f

by Eric Boyd

Power: Demi-Plane: PrimeAoC: Rivers, crocodilesAlign: N (E)WAL: NESymbo} Crocodile headSex: Male

Sebek is an ancient minor Unthericdeity, depicted as a crocodile-headedman, who was worshiPPed in the wet-Iands of ancient Unther, away from thecities. This cult has been persecutedfor several centuries, and prior to the

illustration by Phillip Robb

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Discount Merl in 's House O'Cri t ters To Open In March!The biggest "adventure amusementpark" in all of Faerun will open this ^March in Ravens Bluff, a DMI, Inc. (for-merly Discount Merlin Industries, Inc.)spokesperson announced this week'CaUea Discount Merlin's House o'Crit-ters, the new facility will allow adven-turers to gain needed exPeriencewithout the inconvenience of travelingto the depths of the wilderness.

'Why go to the dungeon when thedungeon can come to you?" said Connor-of-Galway, DMI's CEO. "We here atDMHOC (a wholly- owned subsidiary ofDMI, Inc.) offer a full range of adventur-ing opportunities at a very reasonableprice. Our encounters are tailored forrt yo.tu ftom the weekend warrior to themost battle-hardened adventurers."

The facility will have three "slopes"ofmonsters segtegated by power. TheGreen Slope is for beginning adventur-ers, while the Blue SloPe featuresgreater challenges and greater rewards.the Black Slope is for only the most dar-ing or powerful adventuring parties.

Adventuring groups are being orga-nized for t'ne Critter Crusade, to collectfeatured attractions for the GrandOpening. The DMHOC staffhas locatedthe critters, and will provide this infor-mation to brave adventurers' Theseheroes will be immortalized on plaquesnear monsters they capture. Partieswishing to join the 'Crusade must regis-ter this summer at the temPoraryDMHOC Interactive Offices, on the siteof the demolished Chemcheaux complex.

Mr. of-Galway refused to commenton rumors of a wandering trap known asThe Pudding Pit,inwhich clientsencounter numerous slimes, oozes andjellies. Of-Galway would say only, "Wehere at DMHOC pledge to You, the con-sumer: no rotting diseases. And of

course, there's just no excuse forpiercers."

Safety is DMHOC's toP PrioritY, of-Galway said. "We screen all customers,and do not allow them to select a slopebeyond their capabilities. We have certi-fied healers, a full infrrmary, and a vari-ety of health insurance options. We alsostaffa company of giffwarriors orga-nized as oui quick Response Team' The

QRT will scramble at a moment's noticeto extricate heroes who bite offmorethan they can chew. These serwices arevery reasonably prieed."

The site also offers a restaurant andgift shop, where satisfied customers can6uy souvenirs, including T-shirbs andmagically recorded songs to commemo-rate their DMHOC exPerience.

Finally, Mr. of-Galway emphasizedthe wholesome family experience offeredat DMHOC. "Remember, the purpose isto defeat monsters, not destroy them.We're all living beings, and critters haverights too. So we say to overzealousadventurers right there in our contract:If you butcher it, you buY it."

Discount Merlin's House o'Critters opensMarch 1996 at the Concentric conuentionin Chicago. The Critter Crusade is heldthis suimer at Origins (July, Philadel-phia), Dragoncon (July, Atlanta), the-GnN

Cott'Game Fair (August, Milwau'hee) and AndCon (September, Toledo).Sign up onsite or contact the conuentions

for details.

Gnome Declared Out law

Mohammed, a well-known local adven-turer, has resurfaced after his apparentdeath last year. Several citizens saythey witnessed his death, and priestswho attempted to raise him claim theirattempt was unsuccessful' The Trum-peterias learned, however, that severalidventurers hired to investigate the dis-appearance of citY watchmen in thetown's sewers state that the culprit wasspotted in one of the search teams, andthat in front of numerous witnesses hestabbed an innocent svirfrreblin, makingoffwith the dead gnome's valuablesafterward. In view of so many vehementcomplaints from residents, the Mags-

trate has taken the unprecedented stepof declaring Mohammed a villainousoutlaw and subject to capture for extra-dition to svirfneblin authorities.

"We've put all City Watch patrols onalert," said Chief Constable Rolf Sun-river, "Mohammed may have caused ustrouble before, but we're going to bringhim to justice this time." Rumors thegnome may be undead are unfounded,isserted Sunriver, but added that anycitizens found consorting with Moham-med face the possibility of accessorycharges when the criminal is found.

The player character known asMoiammed was declared euil at theWturnn Fntrresv^ conuention this Febru-ary. Since euil PCs are not allowed in theLrwttc Crct'- campaign, the character isno lon1er allowed in play. Looh forwardto his appearance (as an NPC) in upcom-ing LtwNe CIrY tournaments.

A "STERN" Denial(An Open Letter to the MaYor)

Deer Hizonuhr de MaYahr,Jest a szchohrt gnote to be szuhr'b ya

gnow dat I vas not ahround vhenKimshoes blowed up! I vasn't eben dehr!

I grrow dat I had inschPected dabildin jest befohr da laszt auckshun, butI didn't see nuttin vhat coud causzeszuch an hickszchploshun! (szpecially, ifya don't count none o'dem magik tingsvhat vas in da bildin!)

I szchuhre hoPe dis don't mean dat Iam losen dajohb ofbildin inschpecthreon accounta I kinda like it, and Rosie isphroud, and I have onlY been it for aszchohrt time, and I'm leahrnin to hriteand all. Hope yehr bildin comes backhreally szoon.

Yehr fhriend,

Gildedsturn "Sturn" ShaksPearGnome, (Roziecranz's TVin)Bildin Inschpectre

P.S. I didn't hreally rhite dis, but I amleahrnin. I did hrite dis pahrt. (De

szchort pahrt.) ft

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Elminster'sEverwinking Ey

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eThe End of the Road in Turmish

by Ed Greenwood

Our treasure tour of Turmish comes toan end in this column. Turmish is alovely land (though easy to get lost in),and its winding lanes and dense woodsprobably hide even richer tales andtreasures than those contained herein-Adventurers should beware, however,that Turmish has more than its shareof ecbentrics and mighty folk who havewithdrawn from the cut-and-thrust oflife in places like Sembia, Amn,Chessenta, Westgate, and even ThaY.The oldjoke about every second wood-cutter being an archmage is likelYtruer here than in anywhere else inFaerun (except Halruaa). As the old

mines and farms of the interior.Named for Oloegar SambrYntYn, thehalfling who founded it many yearsago (a stout old patriarch who grewponderously fat, and became a great-great-grandfather many times overbefore he died), Sambryntyn is a placeof mills and warehouses and factories,where furniture and clothing is madein bulk, money is lent and exchangedfor bulk goods, and grain is milled andpacked into sacks for distribution allover the Inner Sea lands. Ifa sack or apiece of furniture bears a small markthat looks like a hand projecting down-wards out of a hat, it came from Sam-bryntyn (Oloegar's mark is now usedby all major industries in town).

rivals before their bones were cold. Yetthere remain a dozen or more talesabout eccentric folk known to bewealthy, who spent freely and yet diedwithout a copper in their homes. Theycannot all have been careless tosscoinsthrowing their wealth away; some ofthe suspicions ofhidden caches ofmoney (in hollow walls, down cellars,and up on roofs) must be true. This issupported by finds made by variousfolk rebuilding houses they'd bought(especially humans forced to removefloors of onetime halfling homes sothey could stand up rather thanspending all their days hunched over);sacks of gold and silver coins wereoften hidden between ceilings andfloors.

Sambryntyn also has a larger trea-sure-tale. Somewhere under thewaters of one of the swiftly-flowingstreams that cascade into the valley isa key abandoned by the gold dragonAdamarondor. when he left town (dis-guised as a female human barmaid) tobecome a servant of Divine Azwth(Adamarondor actually serves most ofhis time as a steed and messenger ofThe Magister). The key has been therefor almost twenty summers.

The key is said to look like a long,slender-frngered human hand carved ofivory or moonstone, its palm displayingthe "two pairs of back-to-back half-cir-cles" rune of Adamarondor. Local lorerecords that Adamarondor, who wasn'tbelieved at the time, told the customersat The Adept's Choice tavern about thekey on "her" last night ofwork. Touch-ing it to the right thing in her house,she said, would transform the thinginto a door-opening into a cavernhousing her treasure hoard.

One ofthe tavern patrons decidedto check out the barmaid's wild tale afew days later, and was delighted tofind the key-itself worth about 450gp-just where she'd said it was,hanging on a hook in a closet ofherotherwise empty, abandoned home.

The best sort of treasure is the sort You dont have to gotooking for-and falls into Your hands as a pleasant sur-prise. wnen it does, Iook quickly over your shoulder to be'sure

someone hasnt seen Your treasure' and is preparingto hand you an unpleasant surprise'

-Alairtelle MistrYm,Lady of LlorbauthThoughts For Ladies FairThe Year of the Bright Blade

ranger Halagard once put it, "VisitingTurmish? Then forget not-mannersare made to be minded."

With those warnings in mind, let'us take a last look (for now) at one ofthe most interesting "overlooked back-waters" of Faerun-The Land of Sur-prises, Turmish. Our place-by-placealphabetical tour has brought us to:

SambryntynThis strategically-located town of tall,narrow stone houses and winding cob-bled lanes sees a lot ofpassing tradeto and from rich Alagh6n and the

The slate roofs of Sambryntynentirely fill a small, bowl-like valley(often overlaid with smoke and echo-ing with the clatter of carts and theringing blows of hammers), but it is apleasant place, possessing none ofthesqualid filth so often seen in largercities.

Amid all this cheerful bustle andmoney are inevitable tales about coinsthat have gone missing over the years.Not all of the stories are true; some ofthe moneylenders who vanishedovernight took their funds with them,and others, who were found dead withtheir wealth gone, were robbed by

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,iit

#*The man touched the keY to everY-

thing he could think of in the house,taking several days to complete thejob-and then, angry and discouraged,set out for a drink. He was PromPtlYattacked by someone else who'd heardthe barmaid, but he managed to hurlthe key into a nearby stream (thestreams run into a cistern and then asinkhole under the eastern end oftown, and were then a lot less covered-over than they are todaY) as he fled,before a second thrust ofthe attacker'sknife killed him.

The murderer searched the streamfor days, not revealing why until yearsIater, on his deathbed, when he con-fessed his deed-and that he'd neverfound the key.

The tale spread raPidlY, and manYfolk searched for the key (even divingin the cistern until the town council,fearing for the purity ofthe drinking-water, put a stop to this) or advancedtheories as to the truth of the wholeaffaft or why the door hadn't beenfound. One interesting idea, put for-

ward by the now-dead sage Aladaszs,has gained much popularity over theyears: in human guise, the dragonowned at least six properties in town:perhaps one ofthe others wasAdamarondor's "house."

Unfortunately, the keY has neverturned up, and many buildings inSambryntyn bear enchantments, sothe door (presumably) has never beenfound. Some citizens now dwelling inhouses identified as owned by "Lil-iatha the barmaid" have rePortedstealthy break-ins and tappings late atnight in recent years-so PerhaPssomeone now has the keY and is afterthe dragon's hoard in earnest...

Swordslake CreekThis mining hamlet is named for along-ago massacre of orcs, in which ahuman war-band trying to establish astronghold on a particular hill wereset upon by a host oforcs, and "slakedtheir swords in orc blood from sunsetto sunset." Whatever the truth about

illustration bY Chris Deegan

their valor and the strength oftheirswordarms, it is clear that the humanswon the day and set uP a fortifredcamp here, later a small keep and sur-roonding village-and today, after amind flayer briefly took over the placeand was destroyed in a spell-battlethat shattered the keeP, onlY a fewhomes and miners'suPPlY storesremain.

That mind flaYer, who used thename Alothgos and commandedenough magic to appear in humanguise, is said to have hidden muchgold in his two-season rule-goldarmor, bowls, platters, and coins inplenty belonging to the lord he slew (a

human warrior called Tagarth Iron-brow); none of this treasure was foundafter the illithid's destruction. Mensearched the rubble ofthe collapsedkeep for days, seeking even meltedgold or gold dust-but found nothing.The treasure was gone.

Yet locals believe it is still in "the

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Creek" somewhere-Alothgos is notknown to have ever stepped out ofthekeep after assuming the title of lord,and he kept many bodyservants (someof the prettier young women seldomleaving his side); they don't recall anyexpeditions or visitations, even magi-cal ones. They also recall gold bowlsand platters in use right uP to thenight when the increasingly cruel lordwas attacked by a cabal of mages he'dlevied crippling taxes against (nodoubt to drive them away), and thekeep fell.

Most mages who've heard the talebelieve the illithid used magic to tele-port the gold away or to transform itso that it could be "hidden" in plainsight, appearing as something else.The latter is more likely, given theamount of gold and the brief time theillithid had to spare during the spell-fray, so it's possible that several cart-loads-worth of gold is still hidden in ornear Swordslake Creek.

Tarnr ingThis remote mining and sheep-ranch-ers'village is a quiet settlement today,but it was once a lawless miners' camp(when the mines to the west wer:epouring forth gold) and later home to apowerful school of mages.

Only copper is brought out of themines now (the gold long sincedepleted), and the school of mages van-ished long ago (all slain in a challengeagainst Thay, some sages say). Whatremains ofinterest to adventurers area few wild tales of buried gold (withpossible lesser truths behind some ofthem) and a legacy of the school thatnone have so far been able to reach.

The tales of where miners (or thosewho swindled them) hid gold are manyand varied, and anyone asking in thelocal taverns (The Bent Pick or TheLeucrotta Rampant) can hear a head-full of them for the cost of a fewtankards.

The hamlet was named for a rangerof note, Tarnring "the Tall," who slewor drove out the orcs and hobgoblinswho infested the local mountains,thereby making the area safe for men.On the now-vanished site of Tarnring'sTomb (itself said to hold the ranger'sfavorite blade, a longsword +5defender), a quartet of human femalemages built their school. Their stu-dents came from Suzail, Selgaunt,Tsurlagol, and farther afield. Themages kept their affairs secret and

escaped the notice ofthe Powerfulwizards in Alagh0n who acted soharshly against other mage-schools inthe realm-or perhaps not: somebelieve the disaster in which theywere all killed was not a duel againstThay at all, but trickery arranged bythe wizards of Alagh0n.

Whatever their fate, local legendsays they left all their spellbooks,everyday magic, and magical compo-nents behind in a cavern that even ahundred years ofgreedy visiting wiz-ards haven't been able to reach.

The way to the cavern is well-known: in a rock cleft west of the ham-let stand twelve weathered, life-sizedstone statues of human male wizardsthat powerful archmages have exam-ined and insist aren't petrified beings,but simply statues. The statues standin what seems to be a pattern-and wehave the word of a former PuPil (nowlong dead) that the way into the cav-ern was to stand in exactly the rightspot $oining or completing the pat-tern), and cast a certain spell. Unfor-tunately, the pupil-who only saw thisoccur from afar, when he wasn't suP-posed to-wasn't sure which spell, andjust where the caster should stand' Allattempts to follow these instructionsor to "break" the enchantment andforce a passage or the yielding-up ofhow to make it work have failed... anda lot of very powerful archmages havetried (including, local lore insists,nearly all of the Red Wizards of Thay,one after another).

Adventurers are warned that sev-eral mysterious watchers seem to keepthe statues under constant scrutiny-including a succession of folk who areprobably Harpers, and a magicalpower (perhaps a Red Wizard) who hasinstalled at least two gargoyles toperch motionless on the cliffs abovethe cleft, endlessly watching. There isa recent theory in the taverns ofTarn-ring that the gargoyles serve rivalmasters, and will fight each othershould anyone win past the wizards'puzzle and vanish into the mage-school stronghold by means ofthe gateopened by the completion of the spell.

Ulver 's LanceThis tranquil village is named for awarrior who kept the road through Tur-mish safe in the early days of the realm.He and his company of horse-archersand lancers patrolled the road, battlingbugbears, orcs, goblins, and other crea-

tures who preyed upon the mercantiletraffic passing through the land.

Today it is a place ofwoodcarversand cart-builders, who have little timefor idle tales of past heroism-but arefond of a local treasure-tale: someonein the village has made a career ofvisiting sleeping folk at night, stealinga few coins from each.

Whoever it is has some means-perhaps magical-of making folk fallasleep or stay asleep and ofpassingthrough solid walls, closed doors, andshuttered windows.

Persistent local grumblings aboutthefts came to a head some dozenyears ago, when a woodcutter boastedof falling into a cellar as he walkedthrough the ruins of a burnt house onthe edge of town-and finding himselfin a room crammed with boxes and cof-fers and urns full ofcoins! In proofofhis tale, he spent coins lavishly in thetavern wher'e he told this-but wasfound headless in an alley the nextmorning.

Some of his companions rushed tothe ruin he'd spoken of-and found anempty cellar room marked by manyfresh boot-prints, as if one man hadbeen there doing something very ener-getically not long before. Whether thetreasure was found by someone listen-ing in the tavern and taken away, orhastily moved elsewhere by the long-time thief who'd assembled it, no oneseems to know.

Velorn's ValorThis village is another settlementnamed for the heroism of a warrior inthe early days of the realm, whenorcish warbands threatened the peaceof the realm. Now a market-town forcattle-ranchers, it is notable to adven-turers only because ofa large, plain,battered shield, said to be that ofthewarrior Velorn, that hangs on one wallof the local council hall.

A portable hole was recently discov-ered on the inside surface oftheshield; within it was a treasure map.The council is now debating what to doabout this. The present whereaboutsof the map, and what else might be"in" the shield (still hanging on thewall) is not publicly known.

tr

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Races of Ceril iaby Rich Baker

Welcome to Cerilia, the newest AD&D@game world and home of theBnrnnrcnf : The LegacY of Kings carn'paign setting. In the BIRTHRIGHT set-ling, any player character can choose tobe a ktng or ruler of some hind. Euen asa lst leiel character, Your PC maY bethe Great Patriarch of a ternple, themvsterious court wizard, or the shad-oiy guildmaster who builds his empire

from silk and gold.There is a great literary tradition for

this "top-d.own" look at a fantasy world'Four of the nine mernbers of Tolkien'sFellowship of the Ring are titled nobles.Michael Moorcock's Eternal Championsinclude princes, dukes, counts, and euenan eftLperor. And euen the more recentworhi of Terry Broohs or DauidEd.d.ings build "character parties" out ofhings and princes. The Bnrunrcurcaipaign setting finally brings,thi,s- ̂ -aspect of fantasy literature to the AD&Dganxe.

From this basic idea, an entire cam-paign world unfolded. When ColinMceomb and I were assigned the tashof making this single premise into a liu-ing, breathing world, we spent weeks in

feuered discussions trying to determi-ne-how

to make it worh and how to mahethe setting itself distinct. What was newand d.ifferent about Cerilia, besides the

fact that the players would control the'fortunes

of great empires? How would'the art and rnood clearly show that this

was Cerilia, and. not Toril or Oerth? Forpart of our solution, we fel! back 9n-anbtd world-builders' trick: We took the" stand,ard"' AD&D character races andadded our ou)n new twists.

Of course, that wasn't the only pieceof d.esign worh we did to bring Ceriliato life, but it was certainly one of the-rnajor building blochs of the world. In

^this article you'll get a sneah preuiew ofthe extraordinary races and cultures ofCerilia, as well as a, representatiue NPCof each of these peoples- This month, welooh at the dernihuma.n races: dwarues,elues, half-elues, and halflings. Nextmonth we'll preuiew the uarious humancultures of the island-continent of Cer-ilia. So read on and enjoY!

Half l ing Gui lders,Dwarven Kings, and Elven PrincesDwarves

The dwarves are an ancient race, fatolder than humankind and possibly asold as the elves. For thousands ofvears. their stone cities have stood inlhe frigh mountains of Cerilia. Sincethe coming of mankind, the fortunes ofthe dwarven race have declined, butthe mountains are still home to strongfortresses where the dwarven ways arekept alive.

Cerilian dwarves are closely tied tothe earth and rock of their homes, notonly spiritually, but in a real physiolog-ical sense. Like the great stone giants,dwarven flesh resembles mountainheartrock. Their skin is gray and coolto the touch, and they are nearly twiceas dense as a human. A tYPical dwarfcan weigh as much as 300 Pounds,despite his small stature' A dwarfshair ranges from black to iron gray'and their eyes are dark as chiPs ofobsidian.

Like the dwarves of manY worlds,Cerilian dwarves are miners andsmiths of unparalleled skill. Theirweapons and armor are unequalled inall Cerilia. They have an immensecapacity for toil and hardship- and canwork at a pace that would kill humansor elves. While d*a.rres are capable ofmonumental labor, they approach theirtasks with light hearts and deeP,rolling songs. There's always time for amug of ale and a good storY, and whenthe work is done, dwarves throw them-selves into revelry with surprising witand mirth.

Cerilian dwarves have the standardunderground detection abilities of thestandard AD&D dwarf, and haveinfravision to a range of90 feet. Theyhave no special bonus to attack certainmonsters, but instead gain a general +Lto attacks with any kind of axe or ham-mer, the favored weapons of their race.They have no special skill at fightinggiants, but they do gain a -2 bonus toAC white frghting orogs, ogres, andtrolls. Dwarves resist magic and poisonas described in tlne Player's Handbook'

The unusual density ofthe dwarvenframe protects dwarves from somekinds ofattacks; they suffer oaly halfdamage from bludgeoning, crushing, or

constricting. Dwarves also gain a spe-cial +4 bonus to their Strength scores(count each percentage bracket ofan 18as one point) for encumbrance purposesonly; ahwarf who weighs 300 Poundsand is used to carrYing that arounddoesn't mind another hundred or so forarms, armor, and gear.

ElvesImmortal beings of grace and mystery,elves (or Sidhelien) have dwelled inCerilia's forests and glens foruncounted years. Their soaring towerswere scattered through Cerilia likediadems on a green sea when the worldwas young, before men came to Cerilia'In the blink ofan elven eye, their king-doms were swePt awaY bY a torrent ofhuman invaderi, and many elves stillconsidei humans their mortal enemies'Elven forests are perilous for humantravellers.

Elves are tall and slight of build,ranging from five to six feet in height'Thev move with an easY, inhumancrace and have clear' beautiful flaces'their voices are melodious and perfect,with a mesmerizing quality to themiThe lands of the elves are timeless andmystical; a mortal visitor might-believeth-at he passed only a single night withthe elves, and then return to humanlands to frnd that a dozen years wentbv. or even no time at all. The ways ofuirr", ut" not for humans to under-stand.

Elven hearts are often unfath-omable to folk of other races' They arecapable of towering rage, dark melan-choly, and wild delight' They can shiftfrom mood to mood on a whim or a sin-gle word. Elves love things of beauty,and they build their cities to enhancethe surioundings rather than replacethem. They love to dress in finery of

-dazzling eiegance and quality; even themost common elf dresses like a humanlord.

Cerilian elves are true' immortals,who never die unless slain by weapon.or mischance. TheY do not Possessinfravision, but theY can see bYstarlight or moonlight as well as ahuman sees by day. Elves tesist sleep

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10

and charm as described rn the Player'sHandbooh, and they also cannot beaffected by aging attacks or normal dis-ease-only magical diseases such aslycanthropy or mummy rot can harmthem. Elves don't need to sleeP' butthey can become physically exhaustedand must rest quietly, studying spellsor standing watch, for about as long asa human needs to sleeP.

Cerilian elves have no abilitY todetect secret doors or concealed objects,but they retain their ability to surpriseopponents when alone. An elfhas nosoecial attack bonuses, but all elvespczss without trace in natural settingsand ignore ground characteristics whenthey move or march-an elf can moveovui h"arry snow, soft sand, or a treach-erous mountainside as easilY as ahuman walks across a level surface.

Cerilian elves can choose to be ofanynon-lawful alignment; it's just not intheir nature to place the values ofsoci-ety above the freedom ofthe individual.

Half-ElvesFrom time to time, a particularly beau-tiful human with courage and grace canwalk among the Sidhelien and returnunscathed. Some few humans havebeen accepted as equals in the elvencourts. Mortals, however, quicklYbecome lost in the elven sPell. Theyears reel by in splendor and celebra-tion, while the world outside comes to ahalt or leaps centuries ahead. Moreoften than not, their lives run out in aneyeblink, like moths dancing too closeto the flame.

Half-elves are the children of theseunusual men and women and theirelven hosts. The elves regard them asSidhelien, and they're welcome in elvensociety. Humans are more suspicious ofhalf-elves, referring to them asbewitched or changelings. It is rare forhalf-elves to leave the elven woods.

Like elves, half-elves are beautifuland graceful, but they are well withinthe human ranges ofheight andweight. Half-elves have a 307o resis-tance to sleep andcharm sPells oreffects, and a30% resistance to diseaseor aging attacks. They share their elvenparent's night vision, but have to sleepas much as a normal human. Elvenblood can manifest for several genera-tions after a half-elfis born; the grand-children or even great-grandchildren ofa human-elf match may qualify as half-elves, depending on the individual.

Half l ings

The halflings anen't a numerous people,

but they can be found almost anywherehumans live. Only a handful of humansknow the secret ofthe halflings'ori-gins: Once they dwelled in the spirit-world, a realm offaerie enchant-ment thatexisted parallelto Cerilia. Theywete known ashalflings becausethey were half ofthis world, andhalf of another.Many centuriesago, this realm l:+il=i-lrirrr':='ili.i].,,'i:':]'i:1:i:"1:

was poisoned by the rise ofthe Shadow

Lord, and the halflings fled to the day-light world to escaPe his Power.

Living in the shadow of their largerneighbors, halflings don't see the sensein a government larger than a smallvillage or extended familY, and arehappy to count themselves citizens ofwhatever human land surrounds them.It's not unusual to frnd a handful ofhalfling farmers near a human village,or a neighborhood of halfling craftsmenin a larger town. They usually adoptthe language, culture' and customs ofthe Big Folk around them, while keep-ing a few aspects of their own cultureintact. For example, they will nevertake up arms against each other-halflings feel free to use weapons in thedefense of their homes or families' butconsider frsticuffs the only acceptableform ofviolence against other halflings.

Cerilian halflings stand about threefeet tall, and resemble small humans.They tend to be plumP, and are fond ofcreature comforts. Thev resist poisonand magic as described in the Player'sHandbook, and gain a +1 bonus to hitwith slings and thrown missile weaponsdue to their steady hands and sharPeyes. They can surprise opponents, butno halfling has infravision or the min-ing detection abilities associated withStouts int},e Players Handbooh-

Halflings still retain their ancestors'connection to Cerilia's parallel world,and they can see into the Shadow Landby concentrating for one round. Thisallows them to detect evil, undead, ornecromantic magic with a75Vo chance ofsuccess. Halflings may also note placeswhere the barriers between worlds arethin, using their innate power to eitherdimension door or shadow walk uP tothree times per week. Their chance of

success depends on the closeness oftheShadow Land, ranging from l07o onsunny summer days in civilized regionsto 907o or more on cold winter nights inwild areas or crypts. Halflings avoidrevealing the extent ofthese abilities topeople they don't know well.

Character Class and Race

If your character meets the minimumscores and you decide that he is a mem-ber ofthat particular race, your charac-ter's scores will be adjusted bY theRacial Ability Adjustments listed in

Table 2, below:

Cerilian demihumans are limited intheir maximum level advancement, asdescribed in the Player's Handbooh'However, the exact classes allowed andlimits are slightly different to reflectthe unique history and background ofCerilia.

.r) Dwarves may also be multi-classedfi ghter/priests or fi ghter/thieves.

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) Elves may be multi-classedfi ghter/mages, fi ghter/thieves' orthieflmages.

I Half-elves may be multi-classedfi ghter/mages, frghter/thieves,frghter/priests, thieflmages, andpriest/thieves.

<) Halflings may be multi-classedfrghter/thieves or ranger/priests.

The White SpearsNow that we've introduced the hard-and-fast rules for Cerilian characters,let's take a look at a couPle of exam-ples. About eight weeks ago, the merce-nary company known as the WhiteSpears was betrayed to its enemies anddestroyed at the Battle ofSacred Cross-ing. The White Spears had been hiredby an ambitious nobleman by thelameofCount Beval Doried, a vassal oftheBaron of Ghoere. Unfortunately, theydidn't know that Doried planned to usethem as a provocation for war betweenMhoried and Ghoere. By ensuring thatthe White Spears were caught, hehoped to push tensions between the tworealms to the breaking Point.

The surviving White Spears are out-laws and highwaymen in the kingdom ofMhoried, where they were defeated, butDoried has washed his hands of the mat-ter and declared them outlaws in Gho-ere as well. TWo of the survivors, thedwarven warrior Tharkazik Durkummaland the elven scout Caelcormac Siebhel-lagh, managed to escaPe the searchmounted by the Knights-Guardian ofMhoried and found shelter with thehalfling guildmaster Sorenna Medaerne.

Tharkazik DurkummalMale Dwarf, 5th level Fighter, N

Str: l7 (18/76) HP: 48Dex: 7 AC:0Con: 18 THACO:16Int: 10 #AT: L (312)Wis: 12 Dmg: BYwPn +1Chr: 13

Notes: Warhammer sPecialist

Items: Dwarwen plate mail, shield +7'war hammer +2,heavY leather boots,broad leather belt, wool cloak, beltpouch, dagger, light crossbow, 12 bolts,elixir of health

Tharkazik (or Thar, to his friends) is adwarven sellsword who has crisscrossed

Cerilia several times withvarious mercenary bandsand adventuring grouPs.Thar wasn't always a mer-cenary; as a young dwarf,he was apprenticed to amaster bladesmith namedBeraggul near the dwar-ven city of Daikar Zhign.Three years ago, a band ofgrrollish marauders in theservice of Grabentodattacked and destroYedhis mentor's forge andhome, leaving Thar fordead.

When he awoke, Tharburied Beraggul and hisfamily, and set off on thegnolls'trail. He foundthat the gnolls were onlYone party ofscouts andpillagers in a bitter war ofraiding and skirmishingthat raged through north-east Brechtiir. Thardecided to sign on withthe mercenary companyknown as the WhiteSpears, hoping for thechance to track down andconfront the gnolls whohad raided Beraggul'sforge. The White SPearsnever met those Particu-lar gnolls, but theyencountered manY others,and Thar exacted hisvengeance from them.

When hostilities cooledin Brechtiir, the WhiteSpears took ship to theheartlands ofAnuire,where their services wereretained by Count Doriedof Ghoere. By this time,Thar had a number offriends among the merce-naries, and he was begin-ning to enjoy the life of awandering soldier. Doriedhired the White Spearcompany to raid across theborder into lVlhoried andharass the Mhor by burning crops andsacking villages wherever they could.

Thar soon found that he had littletaste for this violent and cruel work,and prepared to leave the comPanY.HowLvei, before he could set offon hisown, the White SPears were corneredby a powerful force of Mhoried'sKnights-Guardian, and in the pitchedbattle that followed, the mercenaries

were scattered to the winds. Tharbarely escaped with his life, accompa-nied by only two of his closest compan-ions from the comPanY.

Today, Thar is a penniless criminal'He intends to return'to Daikar Zhigunsomeday, but his homeland is far away,and he is a wanted criminal in bothMhoried and Ghoere.

illustration by Ellisa Mitchell

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12

Caelcormac SiebhellaghMale Elf, 6th level Fighter/7th levelThief, CN

tainment and welfare first. He'llchange a plan or an allegiance on awhim, and this lack of loyalty has ledhim to the life of a mercenary scout.When his carefree ways reduced him topoverty four years ago, he signed onwith the White Spear band. There, hebefriended Thar, and the two of themstuck together after the band was scat-tered by Mhoried's Guardians.

Sorenna MedaerneFemale Halfling, 4th level Thiefl4th levelPriest, NGGuilder of the Ruimache Coster

he is dealing with a person of impor-tance.

Sorenna's domain consists of templeand guild holdings in Ruimache andthe surrounding lands. The RuimacheCoster is a union of wool and livestockbuyers with investments in severalother businesses; most of Mhoried'ssizable wool harvest passes throughtheir hands before being sold down theMaesil to other cities of the Anuireanheartland. The Coster fronts a smallthieves'guild that works very carefullyto stay unseen; Sorenna believes thatthievery is called for only when it's theonly way to force someone to dealfairly.

The Open Hearth of Abhaghnallie(the true halfling name for Avanalae)consists of a small temple to thepatroness of the small folk in the cen-ter of Ruimache's halfling district, plusa few small shrines in the countryside.Sorenna's human neighbors barely rec-ognize the fact that her influence is sowidespread; the halfling businessmenand lesser priests who are underSorenna's command simply do not doanything to make themselves standout.

Sorenna recently agreed to smuggleThar and Cael out ofMhoried throughRuimache's waterfront. Her variouscontacts have provided her withenough information to piece together aGhoeran conspiracy to provoke a warwith Mhoried, and the betrayal of theWhite Spear company is the last pieceof the ptzzle. Therefore, Sorenna isdelaying the two mercenaries whileshe tries to deduce the role the WhiteSpears were to play. In the meantime,she has also learned that Ghoeranagents are working to clean up theloose ends that Thar and Cael repre-sent. Sorenna has little reason to aidany Ghoeran plots, and she hopes thatshe can use the two adventurers toexpose Ghoere's machinations.

Next month, we will feature the differ-ent human cultures of Cerilia!

tr

Str:Dex:Con:Int:Wis:Cha:

Bloodline: Brenna, minor, 16

Blood Abilities: Alertness

Items: Elven chain maTl,long sword +7,long bow, 24 sheaf arrows, leather boots,leather belt, frne linen tunic andbreeches, belt pouch, scroll ofprotectionfrom undead.

Notes: PP 35; OL 30; FIRT 40; MS 75;HS 75; CW 95; DN 35; RL 15.

Caelcormac is a young elf of only threehundred years, who left his homeforests ofTuarhievel ten years ago tosee the rest of Cerilia. While it's notunusual for elves to be moved to actionby impulses that other creatures mightdisregard, it is very unusual for anymotivation to be so sound or long-last-ing as Cael's wanderlust. He haswalked Cerilia from shore to shore,and he still hungers to see what's overthe next rise or beyond the next river.

The son of an elven noblewoman,Cael possesses a small measure ofroyal blood. He is a scion of Brenna,although he does not advertise thisfact. From this bloodline he derivesunnatural alertness (he can only besurprised on a roll of 1). The Siebhel-lagh line is of some importance inTuarhiviel, and Cael's wanderlust hasoften put him at odds with the rest ofhis family.

Cael is tall and lean, even for an elf,and his angular features are full ofanopen-eyed wonder that is unusual forhis kind. Whereas many elves possessan air of immortal wisdom, Caelcormacexudes insatiable curiosity. He is irre-pressibly good-natured, with a gteatlove of clever humor (and sarcasm)that occasionally gets him into trouble'Cael knows few of the dark melan-cholic moods that often trouble hiskind, and sometimes seems almostunhinged with his boundless energ"yand optimism.

Despite his generally easy-goingnature, Cael is basically a self-centeredindividual who thinks of his own enter-

15 HP:29I7 AC 212 TIIAC0: 1513 #AT: 110 Dmg: bywpn15

Str: 7Dex: 16Con: 10Int: 13Wis: 15Cha: 12

HP:29AC:3TIIAC0: 19#AT:1Dmg: bywpn

Bloodline: Basaia, minor, 14

Blood Abilities: Detect illusion

Items: Silenced chain mail shirt, shortsword and dagger ofquality (+1 to attackrolls), light crossbow, 20 bolts, wool tunicand skirt, embroidered tabard, beltpouch, 2 vials holy water

Notes: PP 50: OL45: F/RT 50; MS 20;HS 40; CW 60; DN 20; RL 5.

Spells Memorizedz 1) animal friend-ship, cure light wounds (x2), protectionfrom euil, sanctuary; 2) aid, charm per-son or ffLa,n'LftLal, speah with animals

Halflings are not very demonstrativewith their faiths, but they can beextremely pious and devout individu-als. Sorenna is an excellent example ofa halfling priestess. She is actually aguildmaster and merchant of someimportance in the Mhorien city ofRuimache, but she also serves as thespiritual guide to the halflings of hercommunity. As the leader of both asmall trade guild and a small temple,Sorenna is a regent, or a character whocollects power for her domain of busi-nesses and congregations.

Sorenna is not an impressive indi-vidual at first glance. She stands ashade over three feet in height, andshe does not flaunt her wealth or pres-tige with fine dress or noble airs. Sheis simply a plain, earnest woman withsurprising strength of will and insight.It takes a few minutes for a strangerspeaking with Sorenna to realize that

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Page 13: Polyhedron #108

LttttNG lulrintE'* O{.flErrata for Malatran HeroesSince the debut of the LwINc Juxcr,n*campaign in Por,vnpnnon@ Newszine#102, questions about the setting haveflooded into HQ. This article recapsquestions already covered in the Letters

"olo*n and reviews others which have

come up since.

Character Creat ionSeveral errors appeared on the Ln'rncJuttcln Character Creation Guidelinesof issue #102. These errors havebeen corrected in later reprintings, buthere is a quick overview:

. Under the listing of Classes Available,paladins are also unavailable.

e The MoNsrnous CoupnNolutll@ sheetfor the Tam'hi states theY can bepriests and warrior/priests, but the --Character Class Limits chart says theycannot. Tam'hi canbe priests up to 5thlevel.

. A mage hero starts the game with fivefetishes instead ofthe stated fout' onefor each spell.

r The witch doctor is not a class avail-able to LrvrNc Juxcr,n heroes. This is anNPC class only. Shamans and priestsare considered clerics across theMalatran plain, while witch doctors arean enigmatic group of powerful and raremagic practitioners.

r Priests have access to all major spellspheres listed in the Player's Handbooh'Spells from the Tome of Magic or othersources are not allowed at this time.

. Some multi-class options were not cov-ered in the MoNsrnous CotvrpnuonnPentries. See the table below for the fu1lrange of multi-class oPtions'

13

. The seamanship proficiency was pre-sented in the adventures in some of theearly LwrNc JuNcln events. Since thisis not currently a proficiency usable byLJ heroes, and there is no other water-based skill, weVe replaced this skillwith boating. This skill, and all otherproficiencies, will be covered in the nextarticle in this issue'

Other ErrataIn addition to oversights on our part,many Network members have askedinteresting questions that we did notforesee.

r Katanga heroes do not gain a Dexter-ity bonu- when in biped or animal form'The armor class of this form alreadytakes into account the creature's hideand agility when in these forms. How-

"n"t, ih"y do receive a Dexterity bonus

when in human form. Saru characters,on the other hand, do receive an ACbonus for DexteritY.

. All races of the LwrNc JuNcl,s share alanguage in the common tongue of the

-NuSari. However, the ape-like origins ofthe saru force them to spend two non-weapon proficiency slots to learn Com-mon. Tribes created bY Networkmembers can have their own Nubaridialect, but a proficiency slot must beallocated to this new language.

. Tribes outlined in issue #702havespecial weapon bonuses for their mem-blrs. However, these weapon bonusesmust stlll follow class restrictions. Forexample: a cleric or mage may not fightwith a spear even though they receivethe proficiency for free. This rule con-tradicts benefrts for the Rudra tribe,staying within the core rule restric-tions.

r Katanga characters can be any sizewhich frts into their size category, asnoted on the MoNstnous CouPrNoruusheets in issue #102. They can vary insize within that limitation (different

species of monkeY for examPle), butgiir, tro special game abilities.

Frequent ly Asked Ouest ions

Why can't you specialize in roch throw'iniZ ns stated in issue #103, no charac-tei can specialize in "rock'" The shapeand weight of a rock varies from stoneto stone, making each projectile a differ-ent size and shape. Specialization in aweapon is based on a hero's experienceand knowledge of a weapon's balance-. -and form. Rocks come in a variety of dif-ferent shapes, sizes' and weights, noneof which are consistent.

Why can't wilderness races lihe the jun-

ele-tam'hi and the tiger katanga be-rangers? Since several non-human raceshave special abilities and powers, cer-tain reitrictions need to apply to heroclasses. If the tiger katanga had manymore advantages than other races'there would be fewer benefrts to beingNubari or other races.

Are hero points an award for finishingthe aduenture? Hero Points are not areward for a successful adventure.Judges should remember that heropoints are only to be handed out forbrave and courageous actions.

Can a jud.ge mahe up a certificate for -items f'ouid' in an aduenture? Unusualtreasure found in Lrvrxc Juucr.p events,be it magical or mundane, must have anofEcial certifrcate. Heroes cannot simplyuse their skills to frnd items of value inevents unless individually specifred'Judges are not emPowered to createtheii own tteasure certificates. All itemverifications must be supplied by HQwithin the event.

What are some of the other things that.do not exist in Malatra? The followingitems are some of the things which donot exist in the LruNc JuNcr,n: lycan-

-loopy,

potion miscibility, metal, a stan-

R

Page 14: Polyhedron #108

14

dard ofcurrency, true gods, and contactwith races outside the Malatranplateau. Other items may apPear infuture errata.

Are hatanga affected by ahold personspell? Alttrottgh they are described as anintelligent race of shape-changing ani-mals, katanga are susceptible to theeffects ofspells such as charm andholdperson. Katanga are considered demi-humans for the purposes of all spelleffects. Consequently, they are immuneto the effects ofspells such as charmmarnrnal or hold animal.

Certain items haue a gold piece ualue onthe prize certificates. I thought the Lw'ING JzNGLE did haue a form ofcurrency?Certain item certificates have a relativevalue in gold pieces listed. Since the Lrv-ING JuNGLE has no form ofcurrency, thisamount is a rough standard to be usedin the bartering of items. This standardshould be used for comparison only.

What are the height, weight, and agefactors ofLiuing Jungle races? Becauseof space limitations, this informationwas left out of issue #l02.It is, how-ever, presented here.

Who may participate in LwrNc Juuerseuents? Only current members of theRPGA@ Network may play in LruncJuNcr,n game events.

trillustration by Jim HollowaY

Height & Weight

RaceKorobokuruKatangaTam'hiNubariShooSaru

AgeRaceKorobokuruKatangaTamhiNubariShooSaru

Height in InchesBase5014860/585515060/5932t3050150

Weight in PoundsBase110/1001L5/9590/70r40/L0052148260/220

Modifrer3dl23dt23d106d105d,46d10

Venerable125 yts95 yrs230 yrs95 yrs80 yrs95 I'rs

Modifier1d102d6rdr22d102d82dL}

Starting Age20 + 1d1019 + 1d835 + 1d1015 + 1d417 + l-d615 + 1d3

MaximumAge100 + (3d10)70 + (2d10)200 + (3d10)9o + (2d20)75 + (2dL0)9o + (2d20)

Middle Age45 yrs40 yrs60 yrs45 yrs30 yrs45 yrs

Old Age80yrs60 yrs170 yrs60 yrs55 yrs60 yrs

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'UNGIE IONE

New Proficiencies for

by Kevin Melka

When the LnrrNc JuNcln campaigtr wascreated a year ago, the proficienciesavailable to heroes were limited to thosefound in the Player's Handbooh. Follow-ing the campaign's success at the WrurpnFANIASyTM convention and other eventsacross the country, the next logical stepis to broaden rules for character genera-tion to better reflect this unique setting.After reviewing existing proficiencies inthe Player's Handbook and other skillspresented in The Complete Handbooks,UQ tras come up with a list of new andrevised skills for Lnruc JrlNcr,p heroes.

Grandfather ingMembers who have created a LrvrNc

JuNcr,n character before the publication

of this material may wish to changetheir profrciencies to reflect this infor-mation. This is acceptable; however,

slots can only be exchanged on a one-to-

one basis. This affects non-weapon pro-

frciencies only. Any new proficiencies

developed in the future will only apply

to new characters. Grandfathering toomuch leads to confusion about what is

available to heroes.

Clar i f icat ionsAt present, no LIvING Jullclr hero maybegin play with the following profrcien-cies (this list is expanded from the origi-nal list): agriculture, ancient history'armorer, blacksmithing, carpentry,charioteering, cobbling' engineering,forgery, gem cutting' heraldry, mining,navigation, reading/writing, riding (air-

borne & land-based), seamanshiP,stonemasonry, and weaponsmithing.

The following skills found in thePlayer's Handbook have special clarifi-cations (see below) for the Lnrnc JUN-cle campaign: bowyer/fl etcher,languages (modern), local history' reli-gion, spellcraft, and survival.

Bowyer/Fletcher: Heroes with thisskill can fashion only short bows. Inaddition, only one arrow can be con-structed in a day instead of 1d6. This is

15

Llvrtuc Juruclr" Heroesbecause arrow heads in Malatra arecarved from stone. Heroes can still fash-ion 1d6 arrow shafts Per daY.

Languages (Modern): This skillshould be considered tribal or racialinstead of modern. Heroes wanting tolearn a new language must still followany racial restrictions or modifrers (ie.

saru must spend two slots to learn aspoken language).

Local History: This skill should beconsidered tribal history, detailing tra-ditions and geographical customs of atribe or area. Heroes without a tribecannot have this proficiencY.

Religion: Since there are no deities inMalatra, this skill is used to identifugood, neutral, or evil rites and customs.Use of this skill will also identify thealignment of a priest whenever a spellis cast or beliefis Practiced.

Spellcraffi Use of this skill will iden-tify an unknown spell fetish or helprepair a damaged one. The skill willalso allow a hero to identifY anunknown spell or spell-like ability. This

New Living Jungle Proficiencies

Proficiency Slots AbititY

skill does not allow a hero to create aspell fetish.

Survival: This skill gives a hero thebasic knowledge needed to survive in acertain area of the Malatran plateau.The four types ofsurvival available toheroes are: jungle. savanna, water, andmountain. Water survival applies toar..y area near a river or lake. Territo-ries such as the Black Plains and theswamps of Malatra are unknown to thetribes ofthe land.

New Ski l lsAlertness: A hero with this profrciencyhas an instinctive knack for noticingdisturbances and discrepancies in theimmediate vicinity. A successful use ofthis skill reduces the hero's chance ofbeing surprised by 1.

Animal Rending: Heroes with thisskill are experts in skinning andbutchering animal carcasses. Thisallows the hero to derive the maximumamount offood from a carcass and har-vest valuable products from it withoutdamaging it. Such products typically

Modifier Avail. Class

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oRDEHYLP

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16-

include furs, horns; teeth, and hides.No proficiency checks are necessary

to butcher most animals, but the DMmay require checks in unusual situa-tions. For example, a check may berequired to butcher an animal the herohas never seen before, or to successfullyharvest a delicate body part (say an eyeor a tooth).

This skill does not allow the hero toobtain special and unique items, suchas things that would require an offrcialtreasure certificate. Harvested itemsare typically returned to the tribe wherecraftsmen prepare them for the tribe'sbenefit. However, heroes bringing suchitems back to their tribe may earn spe-cial favors or other rewards-such asitems from the character creation equip-ment list.

Bartering: This skill allows a hero toappraise the worth of an item in rela-tion to other objects presented for trade.This profrciency does not work in con-junction with magical items or artifactsunknown to the hero.

The DM makes this profrciencYcheck in secret. Ifthe check fails' thehero gains no special information tohelp him with a trade. Successful use ofthis skill allows a hero to gain the upperhand in any trading situation. Ifbothsides ofa trade possess bartering, thecharacter making the check by the mostgains the upper hand in the trade. Thisskill only works with NPCs and notwith other player characters.

Boating: This skill allows a hero topilot small boats, canoes, rafbs, or otherwater craft. A successful proficiencycheck is necessary to pilot craft at maxi-mum speed or to execute difficultmaneuvers. Heroes may not take thisproficiency unless there is a river orlake within 10 miles of their nativetribe.

Danger Sense: This skill provides thehero with a sixth sense that warns himof impending danger. When the hero isone round away from triggering athreat, the DM makes a secret Profi-ciency check. Ifthe check fails, the herosenses nothing. Ifthe check is success-ful, the hero feels a tingling in the backofhis neck and senses the general direc-tion of the threat. Heroes who havedetected an impending ambush are notsurprised and gain automatic initiativeon the frrst round of combat.

Foraging: Use of this skill allows the

hero to locate a desired substance in acertain area-such as a medicinal herb,a bird's egg, or a source of water. Thehero must search for 2d4 hours in anarea where the material is theoreticallyavailable (the material must be able tobe found in that area). The DM is thefrnal judge as to whether an item can befound in a certain area, and doesn'treveal this information until after thehero completes their search.

Hiding: This proficiency allows a heroto use natural surroundings to concealhimself. Like the survival proficiency,there are four types ofhiding: jungle,savanna, water, and mountains. A suc-cessful check mean the hero has disap-peared from view. The hidden heromust remain motionless and completelysilent to prevent discovery.

The hero stays hidden unless actea-ture or NPC searching for them makesa successful Intelligence check. Thisskill has no effect on creatures who candetect prey with senses other thansight.

Intimidation: This ability allows ahero to bend another to his will throughfear tactics. Potential victims of intimi-dation must make a saving throw ver-sus fear or they will likely do as they'retold. They are also likely to harbor gteatresentment against the hero, keepingtheir dislike hidden until the firstopportunity to avenge their pride arises.

Intimidation can be attempted witheither Strength or Charisma. Strengthindicates a threat of immediate bodilyinjury, while Charisma uses more sub-tle threats which need not be physical.Player characters are never required tosubmit to intimidation.

Light Sleeping: This proficiency lets ahero receive the benefits of a full night'ssleep from a one-hour nap. The heromust make a proficiency check beforegoing to sleep. Ifthe check succeeds, thehero wakes in an hour fully refreshed-recovering the same amount of hitpoints as ifhe had rested a full night. Ifthe check fails, the hero remains asleep,awakening as usual. The hero may usethis skill once per week, regardless ofwhether it fails or succeeds.

This profrciency is not effective forpurposes of spell memorization.

Lore: Possessors ofthis skill are versedin the ancient legends and myths thatpermeate Malatra. This profrciency doesnot extend to the time of the Ancients.

only the period since they disappearedfrom the plateau. This skill can be usedto identify a notable item, strangebehavior in animals, a historical periodin time, or a dilemma which has befallenthe Lrvli.lc Jr,llcr,n before. A secondcheck is required if the hero wishes tolearn how to correct the dilemma.

Lore is a skill which must be chosenduring the creation of a Lnrwc Junclpcharacter (or during the period ofgrand-fathering associated with this article),as it takes years of study under a lore-master or witch doctor to amass thisknowledge.

Signaling: Heroes with this skill cansend and receive messages at long dis-tances. A specific method of signalingmust be designated, such as drums,smoke signals, or whistling. Additionalslots may be spent to learn additionalmethods. Both sender and receivermust know the same method, and bothchecks must be successful for the mes-sage to be understood. Ifeither sidefails their check, the message is eithersent or interpreted incorrectly. Mes-sages can be sent and received at therate of 10 words per round.

Sign Language: A hero with this skillcan communicate through the use ofhand gestures instead ofspeech. Thereare many different types of sign lan-g'uage across the Malatran plateau, eachindigenous to a different tribe. This skilldeveloped when hunters stalking preyneeded to communicate silently, so asnot to alert prey to their presence.

For two heroes to communicate withsign language, both must know thesame style of sign being used. Sigrr lan-guage is different enough from tribe totribe to make mixing of two stylesimpossible.

A hero with this skill may also try toconvey simple messages to anotherhero without the skill. The messagemust be basic, such as "Don't move,""Follow me," or "Get down." Compli-cated phrases or those containing pro-nouns are unacceptable, such as "Myname is Took," or "This is Fire Moun-tain." If the DM deems the phraseunacceptable, the sign language cannotbe attempted-no proficiency check isnecessary. If the DM allows the phrase,the hero makes a check.

Somatic Concealment: Since users ofmagic tend to be feared in Malatra, theart of casting spells without othersnoticing the action has developed. A

iI

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17

II

hero must announce to the DM theintention of using this skill at the begin-ning of the round. When the sPell iscast, the DM makes the roll in secret. Asuccessful check indicates the casting ofthe spell has gone unnoticed-not recog-nizing the gestures as being magical innature. A failed check means that allthose viewing the wizard see theirmovements for what they really are.

Sound Imitation: Heroes with thisskill can mimic the sounds of variouscreatures of the land-bird calls, mon-key screams, and other natural animalsounds. A successful check indicates theimitation is good enough to fool otheranimals.

Taunting: This profrciency enables ahero to taunt, goad, or annoy an enemy.Ifthe check is successful, the opponentis allowed a saving throw versus para-lyzation, or he will become enraged andconcentrate his anger on the hero. Anenraged foe receives a -2 attack penalty'+1 todamage, and a -1 penalty to theirarmor class.

Taunted opponents are ofben soblinded by rage they fail to notice smalldetails (such as trip wires or coveredpits). NPCs or creatures with a Wisdomof 14 or more are immune to this effect,as are enemies who are five or more lev-els higher than the hero. Player charac-ters are immune to the effects oftaunting.

Trail Marking: By notching trees,scattering pebbles, piling stones, andclipping weeds, a hero can mark a trailthrough any wilderness area. Heroesattempting this skill must move at 2/3their normal movement rate, markingthe trail as they move along.

Successful use ofthis ProficiencYallows a hero to backtrack their trail fora number of miles equal to their level.For example, a 3rd level warrior marksa trail for 12 miles. The first successfulcheck enables him to follow the trailback three miles, and three more suc-cessful checks are needed to follow thetrail back to the beginning. Ifany ofthechecks fail, the trail is lost.

Vine Swinging: Heroes with this skillcan swing from vines that growthroughout the jungle, never touchingthe ground. A hero can swing from onevine to the next per level ofexperiencebefore having to make another check tocontinue. DM may apply penalties tothe rolls depending on the conditions

(such as recentrain or lack ofnumerous trees).

This skillcannot be usedwhere there isnot a thickgrowth of trees,such as savan-nas or moun-tains. Saru andmonkey katangagain a bonus of+2 to all vineswinging profr-ciency checks.

Weapon Impro-visation: Withthis proficiency ahero can impro-vise a weaponfrom naturalmaterials. Anarea must besearched for 1d6rounds, then theproficiency checkis made. If thecheck fails, thehero finds noth-ing and must tryagain in a differ-ent area. Ifthecheck succeeds,the hero finds anobject that can be wielded as a club-such as a branch or a bone.

The improvised weaPon inflicts 1d6points of damage to man-sized orsmaller creatures, and 1d3 points tolarge creatures-plus any Strength orother bonuses. If maximum damage isdone with this weapon, it must make asaving throw versus crushing blow orshatter after delivering its damage.Improvised weapons last only to the endof the adventure in which theY werefound, and are not considered perma-nent equipment.

Weapon Prowess: Heroes with thisskill can put on an impressive display ofweapon prowess without frghting. Ahero must use a weapon in which theYare proficient, and weapon specializa- --tion has no additional effect. The "show"takes at least one round to display, andthose who are impressed (see below)must make a morale check.

Not everyone will be swaYed bYweapon prowess. This skill may be use-ful against a single NPC opponent, butwould do nothing against a mob of

illustration bY Jirn HollowaY

angry villagers. Viewers of this displaymu"t bu intelligent and be of an equalor lower experience level to be affected'

Opponents who fail their moralecheck are awed by the display, and willact in a manner suited to the circum-stances at hand. If the viewer was aboutto engage in combat with the hero, theymay iuddenly back down or flee. If theopponents are forced to attack' the !Mmiy gt t" them a -1 penalty to all rolls.If tire situation is non-violent, NPCswho fail their check will regard the heroas if their Charisma has been increasedby 1d6 points (not to exceed 18).

- The [ero must state he is using this

skill during a non-combat round. TheDM then makes the roll in secret,explaining the results based on successor failr,r"". Success may bring results asexplained above, while failure couldprovoke an enemy (proving to them theLero cannot wield his weapon properly).or cause NPCs to regard the hero lessseriously.

U

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WhaG's So BadAbounG Ghe Dark Slde?The Ethical Di lemma of Force-Users

example of why structure-a rules sys-tem-is important. From the standpointofthe player, Fahjay has done nothingwrong; indeed, he has turned a no-winsituation into a complete victory. Hadhe moved to save Admiral Ackbar first,the terrorist at the control panel wouldhave had time to explode the powergrid. But had he dealt with that threatfrrst, Admiral Ackbar would have beenmurdered. Faced with a choice betweenthe two, he drew upon the power of theForce to inventively use the one threatto negate the other. It is a dramaticsolution, so why is Fahjay being pun-ished for it? It can't be due to the deathofthe one terrorist, because cutting himin half with the lightsaber would nothave incurred the same penalty, whileeven merely injuring him with the tele-kinetically thrown knife would have.The answer lies in the nature of theDark Side of the Force, and in the par-ticular skills and powers used. Accord-ing to the Star Wars role-playing game,control is usually the first Force skill aForce user learns, though some beginwith the sense skill. Alter is typicallythe last Force skill to be learned-forgood reason. To understand why, let'sconsider each skill separately.

The Sense Ski l lSense is a relatively passive skill whichallows a person to perceive the Force,without actually manipulating it. It is askill of reception rather than manipula-tion. Consequently, persons using aForce power that exclusively relies uponsense stand very little possibility oftilt-ing the balance between Light and Darkin the Force around them, hence littlechance of succumbing to the seductivepower of the Dark Side. The powerswhich fall under the sense skill demon-strate that, things such as Life Detec-tion, Life Sense, Magnify Senses, andSense Force. Even Receptive Telepa-thy-which some people might think aninvasive thing-is actually passive innature. The Force user does not somuch enter a person's mind as pick up

thoughts boiling across the surface-which is why so much more can be per-ceived from willing, "open" subjects.And while Combat Sense might seem adangerously violent power for Forceusers, it simply "highlights" opponentsand "telegraphs" their actions; it doesnot directly enhance the user's attacksor defenses.

Only in isolated spots in the galaxythat have been strongly tainted by theDark Side is there really any danger ofa sense user'being overcome, and eventhen, sense gives the user advancewarning of that taint, so that the con-trol skill may be brought into play.

The Control Ski l lControl is a less passive skill thansense, which might seem to make itsuser more susceptible to the powerful,destructive lure of the Dark Side. It can,for instance, be used to directly enhancethe damaging power of a blow deliveredwith a light sabre. But control alsoserves as its own guardian. The skill isturned inward, focusing upon commandof the user's own mind, body, and con-nection to the Force, so the disciplineinvolved in using the skill promotes theForce user's internal balance, inher-ently making that person less likely tosuccumb to the Dark Side's hunger fordestruction. For this reason, most Jediare trained in the use ofcontrol beforean1-thing else. Their masters know thatthe power of the Force-especially theready might of the Dark Side-can be aterrible temptation for novices, andtraining in control promotes the disci-pline needed to resist that temptation.

On the other hand, that same con-trol can be used to quickly tap the DarkSide's power, for those inclined to do so.This is why so many violent powers arelisted under control-or a combinationof control and another Force skill-inthe role-playing game and its supple-ments. Things such as Force Lightning,Telekinetic Kill, Create Force Storms,and Drain Life Essence draw directly onthe Force's destructive element, virtu-

by Lester Smith

Lightsaber flaring, Fahjay kiched thedoor open and leapt into the room. Ahalf dozen n'Leters to his left, one tenor-ist stood at a control panel, reaching forthe switch that would blow the city'spower grid, killing thousands of inno-cent ciuilians. A half dozen meters to hisright, another terrorist held a uibro-knife at Admiral Ackbar's fleshy throat."Which will it be, Jedi?" the hnifewielder taunted. "Do you saue the city,or Ackbar's sorry hide?"

Lowering his lightsaber, Fahiayclosed his eyes and reached out throughthe Force. He gaue a telehinetic tug, andthe knife leapt frorn the one tetorist'shand, flashed across the room, andburied itself to the hilt in the other ter-rorist's chest. As the dead man tumbledaway from the control panel, Achbarwrestled his assailant to the floor.

"Fahjay gets a Darh Side point for that,"the GM said.

"Why?" the player protested. "It was aheroic action, and it saued thousands ofliu e s-Ackb ar's included. "

"But the rule booh says that usingtelekinesis to injure incurs a Dark Sidepoint. Sorry, I don't make the rules; Ijust enforce them."

One problem involved in designing role-playing games lies in deciding howmuch to rely upon rules to convey agenre, and how much to trust to players'sense ofthe spirit ofthe setting. Thatisn't as easy a decision as it might seem.On the one hand, the hobby has beenmoving steadily toward fewer hard-and-fast rules in RPGs, and toward morereliance upon the players'feel fordrama. On the other hand, even themost seasoned ofrole-players need atleast some structure for their gaming.And heaven help the novice game mas-ter trying to run an adventure with agroup ofdisputatious players and avaguely worded set ofrules.

The vignette above prowides a good

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ally inviting the Dark Side into theiruser's soul. Control Mind, while lessovertly destructive, still "does violence"to its victims by quashing their will andforcing them to act against their wishes.(In contrast, the saving gtace ofAffectMind is that it does not compel its vic-tims to any particular action, butinstead toys with their perceptions,tricking them into acting as the Forceuser would hope. Still' the nicety of thedifference is ticklish, and undoubtedlysome Jedi have gained a taint of theDark Side from using Affect Mind tocause direct harm-as in deludingsomeone into stepping on an illusorycover over an open Pit.)

And T?ansfer Life is, ofcourse, virtu-ally the darkest of Force powers. Withit, the user steals the victim's body, dis-placing the target's psyche with hisown, thereby destroying that person ina manner much mote horrible than sim-ple murder. To the Dark Side, the dif-ference does not mean much:destruction is destruction. But in mostcultures this sort ofact is consideredmuch more evil than physical violence,so the perpetrator corrupts himself evenbeyond the lure ofthe Dark Side.

Doppleganger is a less obviously cor-rupting control power, yet according tothe Dark Force Rising sourcebook, it tooyields its user a Dark Side point. Thereason is the same as when usingTelekinesis to injure, as we'll see in amoment.

The Al ter Ski l lIn terms of opening oneself to the lureof the Dark Side, alter is the most dan-gerous of Force skills to use, which iswhy Jedi masters tend to teach it last.Unlike sense and control, which arefocused inward, alter reaches outward,using the Force in other creatures' sur-rounding objects, and even the environ-ment itself to achieve its effect. Inimposing their will upon the external inthis way, Force users are implicitly onshakier ethical ground.

The dangers to one's soul in usingpowers like Force Lightning, Feed onDark Side, Control Mind, TelekineticKill, Create Force Storms, DoPPle-ganger, Drain Life Essence, and Trans-fer Life-all of which draw on the alterskill with some combination of controland./or sense-are described above. Butwhat is most signifrcant is that both ofthe purely alter powers-Injure/IGll andTelekinesis-result in a Dark Side pointor the danger ofone when theY are

used. That isn't trueofeither ofthe otherForce skills.

In the case ofInj ure/Kill, the reasonfor the Dark Sidepoint is obvious.Clearly, the Dark Sideofthe Force exults inthose who use it fordestruction. Andtherein lies theanswer concerningwhy a Force usergains a Dark Sidepoint when usingTelekinesis to causedamage.

The Reaction ofthe Dark SideThe Dark Side revelswhen it is used for vio-lence-justifiable ornot-and because theuser is in full contactwith the Force at thatmoment, he or shefeels the swell of exul-tation deep within. Itisn't an issue ofwhether the Forceuser did good or evilby the act. Rather, itis simply a suddenwash of temptation towreak even furtherhavoc. In other words,the taint of darkness comes not frominside, from the Fotce user's choice todo the deed, but instead from outside,from the reaction ofthe Force itself.Only by dedication to acts of good canthe Force user rid himself of the result-ing nagging temptation to use the Forcefor even more violent acts. UsingTelekinesis for violence, and usingDoppleganger at all, while seeminglyinnocent acts, tap the Force in a danger-ous manner, leaving the Force useropen for corruption.

With this explanation in mind, let'sreturn to the opening scene ofthis arti-cle, when the Jedi decides to act withtelekinetic violence.

"Which will it be, Jedi?" the knifewielder taunted. "Do you saue the city,or Ackbar's sorry hide?"

Lowering his lightsaber, FahjaYclosed his eyes and reached out throughthe Force. He gaue a telekinetic tug, andthe knife leapt frotn th'e one terrorist's

hand, flashed across the room, andburied itself to the hilt in the other ter-rorist's chest. As the dead man tumbledaway from the control Panel, Ackbarwrestled. his assailant to the floor.

But unhnown to Ackbar, FahjaYwrestled with an aduersary of his own.As life slipped away from the strickenterrorist, the Dark Side of the Force

flared in the Jedi, reueling in thedestruction and death he had shapedwith it. Yes, it seerned to whisper glee-

fully, that is how anY who uenture to'staid against you should be dealt uith.

How dare they challenge one who canslay them with but a thought. Stoically,Fahjay recited to himself a portion of theJedi Code, *There is no emotion, onlYpeace." And though calrnness settled-ouer

him in response, he knew he would.bear the stain of this d,eath on his soul

for a long time to come. tr

illustration by Robert Gee

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I

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Video DroneOut of the Pages of the FunnY Booksby Brian & DonnaThom*n

Over the years comic strips and bookshave undergone many major changes.Heroic frgures of the newspaper andradio era like Dick Tracy and theShadow are now looked at in terms ofhigh camp, while the brooding heroes ofAction and Detective comics haveundergone transformations that some-times border on the pathological' In astrange case ofreverse evolution, thebright and cheery colors of comics of thepast have made way for a new era ofitark tales ofdarkness told in shades ofblack and white.

More than a few movies have gonealong for the ride.

The Crow1994Starring Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson,and Michelle DavisDirected by Alex Proyas

The Crow is a dark, brooding story oflove and vengeance. Based on theJ.O'Barr comic of the same name, thefilm gained notoriety during its filmingbecause ofthe accidental, on set deathofBrandon Lee.

In a nutshell, Eric Draven(Lee) andShelly Webster live a simple but happylife in a funk Detroit loft. Local thugswant them out so that they can controlthe building and the neighborhood.Shelly and Eric refuse to leave, and thescummy bad guys pay a visit on themon the night before the couple's wed-ding. Shelly is viciously attacked, andEric is killed when he tries to intervene.

A year later, Eric is escorted backfrom the land ofthe dead by a crow sothat he might avenge their deaths.Against the fiery backdrop of Detroit'sDevil's Night when the local criminalelement raise incendiary havoc for funand profit, Eric tracks down the mur-derous gang members, one by one.

The tale is told by Sarah (MichelleDavis), a neighborhood girl who lovedthe couple and still mourns theirdeaths. Filmed mostly at night and inthe rain, this is by no means a haPPYstory, but a strangely compelling one.

? I did not want to see this frlm. (DidI state that clearly enough?) Afterreading about Lee's death on the set, Ididn't even think it should be released.But after seeing it, I changed my mind.

Lee's performance is the centerpieceof this beautifully simplistic gothic tale(which does take some liberties fromthe James O'Barr comic upon which itis based). He is convincing as a torturedsoul driven to savagery by the brutalityaround him. Eric's interactions withSarah are particularly touching, and hisexchanges with Ernie Hudson's beat copadd a lighter touch.

Michelle Davis is terrific as thestreetwise kid who is tough enough tomouth off to the driver who nearlYruns her over (as well as to the appar-ent stranger who saves her), yet caringenough to put fresh flowers on Eric'sand Shelly's graves.

The film work in this movie is stun-ning. Dizzytng rooftop vistas and rain-drenched cityscapes make this darkand compelling viewing. Particularlystriking are images of Eric backlit bythe setting sun and the various crowoutlines he leaves at each murder site.A nomination in the art direction orcinematography categories at theAcademy Awards would be welldeserved.

Admittedly, sitting through thismovie, with its themes of death andredemption, is sometimes difficult,knowing what happened to the star.But considering his outstanding perfor-mance it would have been wrong to letit languish on the shelf.

Rating: $$$1/2

d Definitely a first class BVM (beauti-fully violent movie). Great fights, greatbad guys, a bit ofthe unexpected, andmarvelous performances. An addedbonus - a meaningful story line, andfirst rate production values.

If you haven't guessed, this was mYchoice at the box office. Having seenTwilight Zone: the Mouie and at leastone of the Faces of Dealh series, it'sfair to say that I have no trouble inputting the reality behind the filmingon the back burner.

The art direction knocked me (therewere also good fight scenes). Proyasand company successfully transferreda black and white comic book to thescreen in color without losing any of itsmonochromatic values (Lee reallykicks butt). The supernatural elementsthat add to the overall eeriness neatlyskirt issues of pragmatic skepticism byjust refusing to address them (doesanyone really believe that a crowescorts your soul to the afterlife? Whoknows and who cares?). FinallY, theexceptional camera work makes watch-ing the frlm a virtual roller coaster(Crow-cam! Crow-cam!).

The Crow isn't just one great film, it'stwo : one for the Van Damme and Leecrowd, the other for the Bergman andT?uffaut club. Who can ask for more?

Rating: $$$$

Dick Tracy1990Starring Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, andMadonnaDirected by Warren Beatty

Warren Beatty produced, directed andstarred in this high-voltage adaptationof the popular Chester Gould comicstrip. Though critically acclaimed insome circles and the recipient of threeAcademy Awards, the frlm was not con-sidered to be a commercial success.It bombed.

Tracy tries to break the criminalstranglehold Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino)has on the city while wooing Tess T?ue-heart (Glenne Headly) and looking afterThe Kid (Charlie Korsmo), the namelessstreet ur&in following him around.Breathless Mahonev (Madonna) is a kev

$$$$

$$$

$$

$

a

Worth full price of openingday or the evening show

Worth a $3oo matinee

OK for rental

Wait for television

Buy it when it's in the one-dollar bin (and then reusethe tape for recording whenyou're done)

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Page 21: Polyhedron #108

21

witness in the case but won't testifyunless Tracy leaves Tess for her.

The plot is almost secondarY. Thereal fun of this film is picking out theactors in supporting roles. Charles Durn-ing, Mandy Patinkin, Paul Sorvino,Dustin Hoffman, Dick Van DYke, JamesCaan, Michael Pollard, and Estelle Par-sons all play familiar characters from thestrip (many under pounds of make-up).

The film won an Oscar for BestSong, " Sooner or Later (I Always GetMy Man)", written by StePhen Sond-heim. Also honored was the Art Direc-tion, and the Make-uP Design'

I This is the way a comic striP movieshould be done. Instead of simply trans-planting the characters into a live-action world, this film recreates thecomic strip world the characters live in.Shot in brilliant primary colors, thewhole film has a rich comic book feel toit. The sets, more deco than gothic, pro-vide a sparkling backdrop to the action.

Warren Beatty anchors the filmadmirably as the venerable crime-fighter. Al Pacino is a standout as BigBoy Caprice, chewing uP the sceneryevery chance he gets. Madonna, anothereasy target for critics, simply has tosing and look sexy, which, most wouldagree, is not a problem for her. CharlieKorsmo's "the Kid" provides much of the

frlm's humor. His scenes with Beattyare sweet without being syrupy. Indeedmuch of the humor here sPrings fromthe source material, rather than stand-ing outside of it poking fun.

The movie was far more entertainingthan I expected and should haveattracted a larger audience than it did.

Rating $$$

d The obnoxious attempts at merchan-dising associated with this film turnedme off. I didn't find the action figures(even "the Bum" figure who supposedlyinspired the politically correct mafra toprotest on behalf of the homeless), butthe fast food giveaways, wrist radios,and silly hats and coats, all ofwhose pro-mos seemed to dominate the televisionairways, managed to conspire to makeme really not want to see this film'

So it came and went in the theaterswithout my seeing it (though I did buythe soundtrack thanks to the presenceof Madonna the Jenny Lind of the sec-ond half of the twentieth century).

About a year later I found a beat uPcopy ofthe \lHS tape in a bargain binfeaturing tapes priced at $5 a piece, 3for $10. Not wishing to pass up a bar-gain I frantically searched through thebin for 3 tapes I wanted. I found twoand threw in Dick Tracy to increase the

savings, frguring I could use it as ablank at a later date.

Surprise! It was defrnitely worth it.True, Beatty wasn't as masterful as

he was in Reds or Heauen Can Wait,and perhaps Pacino and Hoffman couldhave used a few mood suPPressants'and maybe no sane man would havebalked at the prosPect ofleavingdishrag Glenne Headly for the wonder-fully bieathless Madonna (Note:at thispoint in the story, Dick and Tess are notyet married, just good friends), but whocares? It was a first-rate fun film'

There's action. There's drama.There's music and dancing (even badmusic and dancing thanks to A1 Pacino).

Give this frlm a try. PlaY sPot thestar, although in some cases you have tolook real fast (some of them got moreexposure in the television commercialsthan they did on the screen).

Dick Tracy is fun for the whole fam-ily, and it won't put you to sleep (arar-ity among family frlms in general).

Rating $$$

UnfortunatelY, we found a bit toomuch to crow about with these two titlesso we will have to put off The Shadowand Brenda Starr :ontTl next time.

tr

Dispel Confusion

Haue any dragons or elues euer died of old age?

B:[t#ffilu"'Good question, since elves and dragons are so- Iong lived-from,750 to 1,500 y"*:-

lllt^-4g:t"l-T::::*:t-:::i:ir^-,.,through combat, danger, or disease long bgfore ola-ug-" .u"-.fuim them. However, in my experience I have encountered elderly

slyss-1614s, speaker;?;t;M;; ir"ti ilr" n**xiescn'r.gu-*t o have diei.offiuil oid bodi". finally giving up the spirit'

while I have never witnessed a drag_on ai. oroif,l"gJ" .. J"?"til;I;;"; reai or.dragons dving of oldage in fantasv novels'

Thus, the answer ir,v63,; "iu".

urr? dtugonr;;;ild;f old age. ttis, p"rh"ps, onlv o,ir limiied perspective on time as short

lived humans that makes them seem to live forever.

4:l lhr_answers you prouide to our queslions official responses from TSR, Inc. or merely your opinion?

Kirk Jameson

rre calls from TSR or not. The answer is yes and no. I persona'y research the,

Lincoln, NE

I'm often asked if my answers are offrcial nanswer for any questions, reviewing all the p"Ji"""L"r" ,"i..1 i.y to base *y .urporri"

"po" *v i"ierptetution of those rules

il ;t f"".orrui e_xperience writin4 eaiting, "J

r"""*g t"r" pr#o"g g^u*3llor twenty ylars' Insofar as the rules are clear and

;;i;il;d;;;;kil; f;;; ;;-o-".it"" u.-i"""ti* nir&t"' ro' Cu*J."ror TSR, these '"ipo"se'

certainlv.are officit

However, any responses are still jyqt my ";i"-i""

rf; th"y may be subject^to dispute by any o^ther rules lawyer-and I know a

lot of you out ttrere. r aon't have a p-ut"-'"ail;;;;g I'* *r;ng ii.o*" "t*

facl is'brouglt up for consideration. The good news

is that because ror" pruvirrg Ju;;i';I".;;; .""""i"18J, the frnfi call is always that of thE Dungeon Master running the campaign

;:ffi;r#"ir"-"""F,"i"""?-a"i" .tiir"ei" r"*;;fdJ;*pt *ir"t v"" #r"i,-La *rit" -""*itrt

vour interpretations when

you disagree rson? Now where have I heard that name before? Reminds me of a pseudon;'m I heard used in high school

Hmmm...Kirk Jamewhen I lived in Lincoln. - H

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Page 22: Polyhedron #108

Authort Author!Writ ing Guidel ines for the NewszineThe RPGA@ Network accepts submis-sions for Por-vnnlnont Newszine fromall its members. The purpose of theNewszine is to support the interests ofthe members with appropriate featuresand regular columns. Primarily, wewould like articles dealing with oursupported RPGA settings. Thisincludes articles detailing interestinglocations or non-player charactersappropriate to the chosen setting. Forexample, you could design a troupe ofentertainers who have chosen to win-ter in Ravens Bluff, but who are beingwatched closely by the agents ofthecity; a witch doctor hermit living in thewilds of Malatra, undisturbed by thelocal predators; or the patrons ofashabby-looking Seattle pub who mayprovide reliable information aboutgoings-on in the sprawl. Articles thatoffer suggestions on tournament play,forming a gaming club, imProvingplayrng or gamemastering skills; andrunning a tournament are also quitewelcome. We will also accept manu-scripts dealing with general gamingtopics, but any such article must coverone of the game systems that the Net-work supports. Make sure that thesubmission is based upon the mostrecent edition of the game in question.

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Presentation and StyleAny article submitted to us must bewritten in as professional a manner aspossible. Spelling, punctuation, andgrammatical errors detract from ourability to give your submission a fairreading, as do problems ofsyntax andorganization. We strongly urge that youedit your manuscript thoroughly. Youshould show it to someone with strongeditorial skills; another person's view-point may help improve your article.Often we do not have time to edit prop-erly those manuscripts that possessnumerous errors or which seem confus-ing, and this can result in an otherwiseacceptable article going unpublished.

Make sure that your article is com-plete. It must have all relevant gamestatistics, maps, and whatever othersupport documentation the articleneeds. Place any tables, charts, ormaps at the end of your article. Anysketches or maps you include must be

REYLP A/

Page 23: Polyhedron #108

23

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Because the Newszine is onlY 32pages long, we cannot Publish long .articles. W" ettcoo"age you to submitarticles of approximately 1,000-2,000-words. The maximum allowable lengJhis 4,000 words. We usuallY havearound 900-1,000 words Per Printedpage, so this puts the maximum articlei"ttettt al, around four pages. On an 8L/2> by 11-' double-spaced page withone-inch margins you will normallyaverage around 250-300 words, so thiswill mean that Your manuscriPtsshould be no longer than 13-16 pages'

A note regarding Letters to the Edi-tor and othei similar submissions: Theeuidelines outlined above are primarilyIor writers interested in submittingarticles to the Newszine. If you are sub-mitting a Letter to the Editor' you donot have to follow such guidelines asthose presented here. You should, how-ever, make sure that anY submissionvou make is as clear as possible' Youmay write a letter by hand,'but it mustbe iegible. If we cannot read your letter'we cannot adequately respond to it'

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tr

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Weasel GamesThe Edge of the Bluf f

This is one of the great, weasellythings about collectible card games.Because your opponents cannot knowfor sure what cards you have built intoyour deck, you can bluff at a level notpossible in other types of games.

The Wisconsin ChainsawMassacreOne sinister example of this involves alocal group ofregular Jyhad game play-ers of which I'm part. Recently, I got theidea of building a Jyhad deck aroundt}ae Talbot's Chainsaw card and a groupof low-life (pun intended) vampiresinvested with the Fame card. The mys-tical chainsaw is quite a weapon in ascrap, but it also forces you to attackyour own vampires unless the wielder isin torpor (i.e. paralyzed as a result ofsunlight, stake, vampire claws, or such).Fame makes your prey lose significantblood whenever the famous vampiregoes to torpor. So I thought, "Hmmm. I

the need to devise some method forstopping this nefarious deck of mine.And when I showed up for that week'sgame, I was greeted with the tersequestion, "Are you playing your explod-ing caitiffs tonight?" I didn't answer,just smiled smugly, content to let themall sweat. Although play soon made itobvious that I had not yet built the newdeck, I went on to win that game, and Ithink the other players'initial nervous-ness gave me an advantage. It certainlydemonstrated to me that mystery con-fers power in such games.

A Feint ing Spel lEd Stark joined the TSR fold not longago, and I have watched him demon-strate another classic bluffagain andagain in lunch-time sessions of theBlooo WARsTM game. Ed will play anasty card, luring the other players tospend cards to stop it; then he'll play aneven nastier card once their interven-

-

hy Lester Smith

Chess is not a weasel game. It is a men-tal wrestling match. Ttrere are no shiftingalliances in chess, no surprise betrayals.The game is simply one individual tryingto outthink another, trying to keep trackof all of the possible permutations of thismove as opposed to that one.

And yet there is a psychological ele-ment to chess, one that even allows abit of bluffrng. Once I played speedchess (in which players each get a lim-ited amount of time to make theirmoves, with a special clock to keep sep-arate track of each player's time expen-diture) versus a ranked amateur (withjust a smidgeon more dedication, hecould have been a pro), and while I waslittle more than a "rank" amateur, hedidn't know that. So I bluffed him. Hewould make a carefully eonsideredmove; then I would make an outrageousone, but with all the confidence I couldproject. As an end result, his flag wentup on the clock-I do not exaggerate-just as he reached to put my king incheckmate. My bravado had kept himcautious long enough for me to win thecontest of time. (Of course, that trickworked only once. I never even cameclose to beating him again.) Later Iread, in one of the many chess books heloaned me, of a similar situation con-cerning a pro who lost a game to aranked amateur primarily due to thepsychological pressure ofthinking "as apro, I can't afford to lose to this rankedamateur."

Ifa straightforward conflict like chesscan involve such psychological elements,it shouldn't come as any surprise thatweasel games thrive on them. Bluffing,for example, is a very foundation stoneof weasel gaming. To a great extent, in aweasel game you are as strong, or weak,as your opponents believe you to be. Ifthey think you weak, they will attackwithout fear, and as one against many,you soon willbe weak. On the otherhand, if they think you strong, they willhesitate to attack, giving you the chanceto entrench and become strong. (Though,paradoxically, ifthey think you toostrong, they may gang up on you, and asone against many...)

Bluffing...is a very foundation stone of weasel gaming. To agreat extent, in a weasel game you are as strong, or weak,as your opponents believe you to be. If they think you weak,they will attack without fean and as one against many, yousoon will be weak.

wonder if it would work to build a deckof low-cost vampires-ones I wouldn'tmind losing-make them famous, andthen send them to torpor with Talbot'sChainsaw." While at a convention, Imentioned the idea to an artist whoworks for Wizards of the Coast, and hesaid, "Sounds something like an'Exploding Caitiff deck." He went on toexplain that deck as one consisting oflow-level, famous vampires armed withgrenades. In combat, they blow them-selves up, forcing your prey to bleed asa result.

Once back home, I mentioned, off-handedly, to one of our local players myplan to build a deck along those lines,with lots of self-sacrificing vampiresand a mystic chainsaw thrown in forgood measure. The next thing I knew,the other players were all abuzz with

tions are all used up. For example, hewill lead offin combat with a Spies inthe Walls card, so that he can look athis opponent's Battle Hand; his oppo-nent will counter with a Protection uer-sus Fate ot Crown of Protection tonegate the Sples in the Wall card; andEd will then play a Powers of Euil [orGood, or Neutralityl Interuene card,which is what he hoped to play allalong, thereby winning the conflict. Thething is, he does it so smoothly that I'malways surprised, even having seen ithappen time and time before. I tip myhat to his weasilliness.

Next time, I'll talk a bit more aboutthe bluffs possible in collectible cardgames, and other tactics they make pos-sible. Until then, "Stay on top, andwatch your back!"

U

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Page 25: Polyhedron #108

hy Boger E. Moore

It's November 9th, L994, and you oPenyour front door to the cold, crisp air toget your morning newspaper. Overbreakfast you read about the midtermelection results and everyone's analysisof the sweeping Democratic victories inthe House, Senate, and governors'races. President Bush is obviouslyunhappy with the outcome, but he'lIstick to his guns on certain domesticissues. America has to be strong, hesays. There's still a war on.

You flip the paper over and readbelow the fold, munching toast. Manypockets offighting still rage across theruins ofeastern Europe, particularly inthe Ukraine and what's left ofYugoslavia. Most former Warsaw Pactnations are begging to join NATO.Nearly all the former republics of theU.S.S.R have declared independencefrom Moscow; some of them are trYingto join NATO, too. The Soviet ArmYhas pulled back from many areas andis now fighting rebels in its own ranksand rebellious oil-rich areas aroundthe Caucasus. The military' govern-ment in Moscow hasn't changed in thelast three weeks, but no one knowswho's really in charge. Everythingwent to hell when the 1991 coup lead-ers killed Gorbachev and Yeltsin.

You flip to page 2.The flood tide ofrefugees in western Europe is in thetens of millions. NATO says thesprawling refugee camps are generallycalm, though fighting still erupts whenfood supplies are low. The last Soviettroops have pulled out ofeastern Ger-many, heading for the wars in theUkraine and Georgia. Even withoutopen warfare on their soil, GermanY,France, and other Western nationshave suffered severe economic losses'New refugees are being turned back atgunpoint along the old Warsaw Pactborders. Everyone howls for more andmore American aid.

Page 3. The incoming Democratspromise to reduce the deficit andrevamp health care. They say that therising crime rate can be cured only bycrime-prevention programs, not more

and bigger prisons. And they'll boostforeign aid to heal the wounds of theSoviet civil war. Three Democratic gov-ernors and two senators say they'll runfor president in 1996. What's-his-name, Clinton, won't be among themthis time.

You fold up the paper and get readYto leave for work. The world's a mess,you think, but it's the same old mess.Nothing ever changes.

What would it be like if historY hadcome out differently? Some role-play-ing games explore this possibility,allowing modern-day characters tovisit timelines where one thing oranother changed in history. These fas-cinating campaigns are not welldescribed in gaming literature, evennow, but a few good Game Masterscould change all that.

In issue #84, we looked at alter-nate-universe campaigns and someways to make running those gameseasier for the GM. This articledescribes more GM's techniques thatwill help you run a better and moreorganized alternate-world campaignusing a variety of game systems.

You might wish to look back at thiscolumn in issue #84 first, since it laysmuch of the groundwork for this col-umn, but that isn't absolutely neces-sary. Also, for ease of writing, we'llcoin a new word to replace the phrase"alternate-history universe": alterni-verse,

Expanding the Possibi l i t iesThis column in issue #84 mentioned anumber of role-playing games thatmake use of the alterniverse idea: Tri-Tac's Fringeworthy game, Steve Jack-son Games' GURPS Time Trauel rules,54" 40' Orphyte's Timemaster system,and BTRC's TimeLords game. It is notdifficult to come up with a variety ofother game systems in which alterni-verses could make their home.

Take horror RPGs. Picture, forexample, a machine, drug, or alienartifact in Chaosium's Call of Cthulhugame that transports users to variousalterniverses where the usual mon-

strous entities attempt to conquer theworld-or perhaps have successfullydone so. (Yog-Sothoth vs. the Confeder-ate States of America... hmmm.) Para-normal gateways in other modern-horror games, such as Mayfair's Chillor GDW's Darh ConspirocY sYstems,might lead to similar lands where theundead have infested a Nazi-domi-nated Europe, or aliens plot againstthe Prime Minister of the Dominion ofNorth America.

Certain Victorian-style RPGs, suchas the AD&D@ RaveNr,onr@ sYstem'sMasque of the Red Death boxed' set, theAuezrNc EucINp@ For Faerie, Queen,and Country game, GDW's SPace: 1889system, and R. Talsorian's CastleFalkenstein rules, already assume adivergence took place in our real-worldhistory. Why not have heroes of eachparticular age explore what-if worldsparallel to their own-say, for exam-ple, one in which France or SPain, notBritain, rules a world-wide empire?

Alternate futures can be exPloredand crossed using near-future "ultra-modern" games like GDWs Twilight:2000 or Merc: 2000 systems, R. Talsori-an's Cyberpunh 2.0.2.0. game, or TSR'sTop Spcnnr/S.L* or AnmzrNc ENclNeKromosome rules. For instance, what ifTwilight: 2000 soldiers or governmentagents were sent to a dimension whereWorld War III had never occurred orhad ended quite differently-whereatomic devastation was the rule or aclear Soviet victory had been achieved?A few good adventures could bebrought out of such experimentation.Alterations to history in specifrc RPGsshould always be relevant to the "offi-cial" game history, to highlight the dis-tinctive features of the game and tohold and keep gamer interest in acoherent game world.

Espionage games could integratealterniverses in the same manner. AJapanese spy from an alterniversewhere Japan won against the U.S' inWorld War II, gaining the wholePacifrc as the spoils of war, might findour own world quite Startling andpotentially hostile. Guessing that wemight not react well to his world's ver-sion ofthings, he decides to set uP a

iI

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spy network in the'U.S. and monitorevents to ensure that no one in ourworld discovers (and attacks) his ownworld. What will the CIA or FBI of ourworld do ifit discovers this bizarre spynetwork? Palladium Books' Ninjas &Superspies game, with its extensivehsis ofAsian martial arts and high-tech gadgetry, might be handy for thistype of campaign.

Even some historical games, suchas TSR's Boor Hrr,r,@ system, could frndroom for an alterniverse or two. Con-sider a mysterious cave in the OldWest that leads to a world unpopulatedby humans, or one where Native Amer-ican diseases wiped out the Europeansinstead ofvice versa, or one where theSpanish Empire still holds sway.H,owwould our world's "cowboys and Indi-ans" characters handle that? (Beforethey blow up the cave with dynamite' Imean.)

At this point, I should Point outthat some games alreadY have verYcomplex backgrounds and set-ups, andadding alterniverses to them wouldmake too much of a mess. For instance,who needs an alternate version oftheRifts, Shadowrun, or Torg game? Fat-future games, especially interstellarones, are also questionable, as I don'tsee the fun in hopping from one Trav-eller or Star Wars alterniverse toanother. There is just no gut thrill ingoing from the Shattered Imperium toa still-existing Third Imperium, orfrom the current Star Wars universe toone in which the EmPire was neverbegun, or one in which the Rebellionnever started. (Ofcourse, I could bewrong!)

Indeed, there was a far-futureinterstellar-travel RPG, called' Reich-star, in which the Nazis conquered theworld and built a space empire' Thispossibility is quite intriguing, but itwas founded on a change in realevents, not a frctional future diver-gence in history, and is thus innatelymore interesting than the latter. Andthere was the "Mirror, Mirror" alterni-verse of the Star Trek TV show, butthat was a one-shot adventure basedon philosophic dualism (i.e., what ifeverything good had been bad instead),not real history. I rest my case.

Logic and ConsistencyThere's more to creating an alterni-verse than fudging with history. Agood alterniverse campaign shouldhave a core of strong themes for each

new world that you, the GM, generate.These themes should on some levelreflect on the "big picture" that weoften fail to see in our dailY news-watching.

One excellent example of this (per-haps the best example of them all) liesin Ward Moore's novel, Bring theJubilee. Here, a Confederate victory atGettysburg robs the world of a unitedU.S.A. The Confederates later conquerMexico and the Caribbean, creating anapartheid, imperialistic empire. Slav-ery is abolished, but the severe repres-sion ofblacks and HisPanics goesunquestioned. Technological stagna-tion, slow economic growth, andgrotesque ethnic warfare are foundicross the globe at levels unheard ofinour time. What's left of the U.S'A.itself is backward, shrunken, and con-sumed with bitterness and poverty.

The consequences ofthe Confeder-ate victory are shown to sPreadthroughout history, growing everlarger with each passing year. (Callthis the "ripple effect"'of time alter-ation.) Postwar inflation ruins the U.S.economy. Transcontinental railroadsare not built, so westward growthstalls out. America does not enter theGreat War rnl9L7, so an Imperial Ger-man victory occurs. Nazism and Com-munism vanish but are replaced by anintolerant colonialism that crushes outinnovative ideas of every sort in favorofsupporting the status quo, which isnever questioned to support its brutal-ity and inhumanitY.

Obviously, the author makes thepoint that a Confederate victory worrldhave had disastrous consequences fornot only the U.S. but the world as well.The importance of the U.S' in worldaffairs is thus greatly highlighted bycomparing the Confederate alterni-verse with our own world, and a criti-cal theme ("The U.S., as a unitednation, has done much good that wemight not always appreciate") is estab-lished.

Admittedly, a clever author couldalso "prove" that a Confederate victorywould have been good for the world,too. I don't think a GM from a South-ern state would necessarily appreciateWard Moore's point of view, which goesto show how political this sort of gam-ing can become. MacKinlay Kantor's ffthe South Had Won the Ciuil War ismuch friendlier to a Southern victory,though even it stresses the importanceof cooperative effort between Northand South in later years, and points up

costly national losses as a result ofthewar (e.g., Alaska is not purchased fromthe Russians in the late 1800s, so itfalls into the hands of the SovietUnion, is covered with missile bases,and threatens American security).Thus the theme of the value of a unitedU.S. is reinforced.

A core point here is that WardMoore not only made a point but care-fully buttressed it with reasonableextrapolations from facts. The morecarefully an alterniverse is con-structed, and the more clearlY itsthemes are played out in a logical andconsistent fashion, then the more effec-tive that world becomes in play. If thehistorical change in your alterniversemakes no difference in the "big pic-ture," then it isn't worth the bother. Atheme can be subtle or blunt, but itmust make a difference.

Alternat ing ThemesOne little change can make all the dif-ference. This is a frequent theme foundin alterniverses from science frction ofevery type, but it isn't the only one.Every alterniverse should have one ormore specific themes behind it.

Let's look at the "Bush in'92" alterniverse mentioned at the start of thisarticle. The idea for this alterniversegrew out of my wondering what itwould have taken in order for Bush tohave been elected over Clinton andPerot in 1992. Americans at the timeappeared less concerned with foreignpolicy than domestic problems, whichClinton offered to resolve. Ifscandalshad pushed Clinton out of the runningearlier, Americans might still haveelected another Democrat.

But if foreign-policy concerns wereparamount, Bush might have made itto a second term. What if the 1991Soviet coup plotters had killed theiropponents, instead of imprisoning orignoring them? The U.S.S.R. wasalready on the verge ofsocial revolu-tion and economic collapse that couldno longer be averted. The coup and thesubsequent revolt of the non-Russianrepublics might have led to a horrify-ing civil war that could have spreadthroughout Europe and Asia, spillingover into many former East-blocnations.

The chances Bush would have beenre-elected would probably be muchimproved; Americans don't like tochange horses in deep water. But Bushwould then inherit a devastated world.

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27

The tendency for the U.S.S.R. to breakapart is still there-but under vastlyworse conditions than we have knownin our own time.

What themes are created, then?Obviously, things could have been a lotworse. (This is a frequent therne inalterniverses, one fed by our funda-mental desire to believe that we live ina good world. It would be very distress-ing to think we actually live in a bado.re!) Obniously, too, given the alter-nate breakup of the U.S'S.R., somemajor historical events cannot be longdelayed-a good theme. A "small" deci-sion, like having two men (Gorbachevand Yeltsin) shot, might have hugeconsequences-a theme noted earlier.And, given the Democratic victories weprojecl for 1994, even a reversal ofhis-tory might confirm the popular notionthat some things never change. In thiscase, what doesn't change is the frckle-ness of the American electorate, thewholesale dumping of one politicalparty for another in 1994. It isn't nec-essarily true that some things neverchange (except, PerhaPs, humannatuie), but many people might hold itas a surface observation.

You have to be careful of the themesyou pick; broad themes like the aboveare generally much better than nar-row, partisan ones. Your own Preju-dices can negativelY affect theworld-creation process. For instance'despite the mess the world is in in ouralterniverse, it is entirely pbssible tocome up with a "good" world in whichGeorge Bush won re-election in 1992.The above set-up is merely one possi-bility among many. A Democratic GMis ill advised to single out Bush as aharbinger ofdisaster, as that is illogi-cal, silly, and highlY liable to beresented by the Republicans in yourgaming group!

Keep the Numbers Down

Ifyou plan to be the GM for an alterni-.rui"e

"a-paign, you are advised to cre-

ate only two or three alterniverses atmost to begin with. In theory you couldmultiply the number of potential cam-paigrworlds into the trillions andbeyond, but-given the previous dic-tum that any change to historY mustmake a difference in the camPaign-some worlds are worthless to investi-gate.

Think for instance about an alterni-verse in which the Americas are calledthe Columbias (after Columbus, of

course), thus producing North Colum-bia, South Columbia, the United Statesof Columbia, the movie ColumbianGraffrti, the "Columbian Gladiators"TV show, etc. If this is the major differ-ence between that realitY and ours,who cares?

Even with worlds that are worthY ofexploration and interest, it helps tokeep the numbers low because alterni-verses are so complex and time-con-suming to create and run. You alsodon't want to overexpose the players toa large series of "shallow" worlds inwhich fundamental world differencessimply don't come out.

The bigger the differences betweenthe few worlds you develop, the easierthey will be for the players to grasp. .There's no point in having five alter-ni-verses covering frve different possibleoutcomes of the American Civil War,all of which include the ConfederateStates of America taking up the usualposition on themap. Pick widelyseparated ,:,changes in his- :;.tory with unique :,outcomes, r:.

Take intoaccount changes ,r:that could occur ,,:lin every asPect of ,.daily social life:people, politics, religion, languages,itotfri.tg, mannerisms, sports, militaryforces, schools, transportation' commu-nication, kitchen utensils, weapons,everything. Feel free to gently pushcertain ofthese aspects ofeach alterni-verse in different directions to furtherheighten world differences. If Spaintrad had more influence over the colo-nization of North America than eitherFrance or England, You might nowhave hacienda-style homes around theGreat Lakes, guitar-and-trumPetmusic playingfrom radio stations allover, and other changes that essen-tially turn North America into NorthLatin America.

A Gif t of Shock and Wonder

Littte things count a lot when usedwell. When player characters firstmake the leap into an unfamiliar alter-niverse, a good GM can set them uP fora nasty punch by allowing them to-make vely simple discoveries that haveenormous implications, clues thatreveal the shape of Things That MightHave Been. For example, consider your

personal reaction to finding:. A f,10 paper bill from the RoYal

Bank of New York, with BenedictArnold's picture on it.

. A purple, all-cotton yuppie sweat-shirt from Port-au-Prince University,with "Jewel of the Caribbean" writtenin French on the back and NaPoleonBonaparte's profrle inside the univer-sity seal.

r The wreckage ofa ProP-drivenattack aircraft displaying the Confed-erate Stars & Bars, with wing tanksfull of jungle defoliant-

r AnAmerican businessman's 1967passport allowing travel from Califor-nir tb H.**ii, with a Japanese RisingSun approval stamP.

. A -popular

science-frction novelfrom i953, written by an award-win-ning American author named AdolfHitler. (If you have trouble believingthis one, read Norman SPinrad's SFnovel, The Iron Dream.)

. A faded, weather-worn, rodent-eaten calendat for L962, with nothingmarked in it after mid-October.

Nothing here is fully explained, butvou could sa.Y that what is imPliedlhouts far louder than what is actuallyheard. Putting the tingle offear anduncertainty into the spines ofthe play-ers is difficult but richly rewarding'Layers of discovery must still be uncov-

"""d to frnd out the full details on how

each world changed and what dangersand adventures might be lurking' butthe players have strong clues to go,on'

For-each alterniverse, You shoulddefinitely create different materialclues like the above and consider theiremotional and intellectual impact onplayers in the game' Some of the aboveclues wilt probably stop the group cold--in astonis[ment and horror; others willprzzle and confuse but keep the play-Lrs intrigued until bigger shockers areuncovered.

Next month, more ori the creation,care, and feeding ofrole-playing adven-tures in alternate timelines. Cheers!

O

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Weeds of WonderUsef u I Pla nts of Ma I atraBy Greg Ferris

Gather'round the fire, you children ofthejungle. Let it be hnown by you thatthe wilds of our horneland can be harshindeed. Euen our mighty heroes andwise elders are, at tirnes, at the mercyof the land. You must learn that, intimes of need, the jungle itself can pro-uide for its people. Beware, howeuer, forjust as an incautious man rnaY findhimself in the belly of the tiger, so toocan rnalady befall one who is carelesswith the bounty of the wilds.

Below is a partial list of some of themore useful plants to be found withinthe jungles of Malatra. There are, ofcourse, many others awaiting discov-ery; some of these will have benignproperties, while others will be harm-ful or even toxic.

Most intelligent inhabitants ofMalatra should be aware that plantslike these exist. Heroes with herbal-ism, survival, or other appropriateskills should be allowed a proficiencycheck to identify or locate these plants.

Stikr icki BushPart Used: Whole bush

Description: Found only in dry areasofthe Rayana Savanna, this gnarled,woody bush appears dead even whenflourishing. Actually, it is nothingmore than a tangled ball of razor-sharpthorns. The bush seems to serve noother purpose than to shelter smallanimals which often seek its cover onthe otherwise open savanna.

Uses: After carefully harvesting thebush and allowing it to dry in the sun(this normally takes 2-5 days, assum-ing that it is not the rainy season), thebush may be broken into many pieees;These pieces may then be used effec-tively as caltrops. Any person withbare feet moving through an area con-taining Stikricki bushes will suffer 1hp of damage. In addition, he will haveto make a successful save against para-lyzation in order to keep movingthrough the caltrops. Two mature

Stikricki bushes will bear enoughthorns to cover effectively a 10 footsquare area.

Tiki

Part Used: Root

Description: This distinctive planthas stems that vary in length fuom 2-4feet. Broad leaves surround the plant,and its flowers are large and whitewith violet centers. The root is sandybrown and very bitter to the taste. TheTiki is found only in humid regionswhich receive a fair amount of sun-light.

IJses: For as far back as they canremember,the inhabitants of Malatrahave been using the root of the Tikiplant. Anyone versed in the knowledgeof this plant can boil the roots in waterto create a thick, pungent brew whichwill slow poison as does the 2nd levelpriest spell slow poison. These benefrts,however, are gained only ifthe perso-drinking the brew also gets completebed rest.

Gual laPart Used: Juice from stem

Description: This is a fairly largeplant, growing to nearly 6 feet inheight. The leaves range in color fromlight green to yellow and are long andthin. The flowers are delicate and yel-low, and the Gualla produces clustersof golden berries. There is a commonlegend among various tribes that theAncients brought Gualla with themwhen they came to Malatra.

Uses: Within the stem of the Gualla isa thick chartreusejuice. Thejuice hasa luminescent property which causes itto glow in the dark. Objects or personscovered in Gualla juice will glow with afaint green light which will be visiblefrom up to 60 yards away in the dark.The juice will lose its luminescenceapproximately 12 hours after beingexposed to air, although it can bestored in an airtight container formonths.

Magasor iumPart Used: Crushed leaves

Description: Magasorium is a short,stocky plant with thick, flat leaves. Itis entirely green, except for black rib-bing along its leaves. Magasoriumgrows abundantly throughout theMalatran jungle. However, since it

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29

grows close to the ground, often it canbe hard to find.

Uses: Magasorium is an excellentrepellent against the many insects ofthejungle. For personal use, the leavesare crushed and thejuice is rubbed onthe skin. This application will remaineffective for approximately four hours(less ifthe recipient is engaged instrenuous activity). Some tribes alsoburn the plants in order to keep insectsaway from their villages.

Bi l l i t r i

Part Used: Crushed leaves

Description: Billitri is a fragrant, del-icate-looking plant with numerousslender leaves. It is commonly found onhills and on the sides of mountains.The stem is about 6 inches long andusually produces 3 flowers, which arelavender with golden centers in color.

Uses: The juice from the leaves of theBillitri is so fragrant that its scent willremain for days with a person who hasapplied it to his skin. Many hunters ofMalatra use crushed Billitri leaves tomask their scent while stalking theirprey. The fragrance is strong enough tomask their natural scent, renderingthem difficult to detect by creaturesthat rely on their sense of smell. Somecrafty heroes, when being chased bYkeen-nosed predators, have beenknown to lead the creatures through a

patch of Billitri. Even in its naturalstate, Billitri's fragrance is strongenough to deaden temporarily thesense ofsmell ofa creature that getstoo close to the plants. Although this isnot a guaranteed method of throwingoff prey all the time, it has workedoften enough to make it worth anattempt.

Biseechee BushPart Used: Berries

Description: This is a short bush withslender branches. It grows in dry soil,near the edges ofthe RaYannaSavanna. Its stems are covered withtiny, cactus-like thorns. The flowersare delicate and white, with fourpetals. Those harvesting the berries ofthe Biseechee bush must do so cau-tiously, for cobras often make theirhomes in the areas where these bushesare found.

Uses: The berries of the Biseecheebush have incredible healing proper-ties. Many of the Nubari believe thesebushes to be gifts from the Ancients.Eating the berries will heal t hp perberry, to a maximum of 4 hP ovet: a24hour period. UnfortunatelY, theseberries lose their special healing prop-erties within a day, so heroes mustseek them out whenever theY needthem.

Manrik i Bush

Part Used: Berries

Description: This short bush looksvery similar to the Biseechee bush andthe one is often mistaken for the other.A close inspection will show that Man-riki berries are a deeper shade ofredand its flowers have only three petals.As with the Biseechee, the Manriki canbe found on the outskirts ofthesavanna.

Uses: The berries of the Manriki bushare extremely toxic to most humanoids.Though they taste sweet and pleasantat first, they quicklY cause intenseheadaches, nausea, and dizziness. Any-one eating them will need to saveagainst poison at +2'Ifthe save isfailed, the victim will start to see spotsshortly after ingestion. Within an hour,the victim will become blind. AnYmethod of slowing or neutralizing poi-son will affect the onset of this blind-ness. The blindness will wear off on itsown in 3d10 rounds. Blinded charac-ters suffer a -4 penalty to their attackrolls, and their opponents gain a +4totheir attack rolls, for the duration ofthe blindness.

Manshooki TreePart Used: Vines

Description: The Manshooki is a tow-ering tree foung in the deepest recessesof the jungle. It closely resembles amassive willow tree, with hundreds ofvines dangling down to the junglefloor. The limbs of the Manshooki aremore than strong enough to suPPorthumans. Many of the Malatran tribesbuild storage platforms on these trees,high enough off the jungle floor to pro-tect their provisions from prowling jun-gle animals.

Uses: The vines of full-grown Man-shooki trees are extremely strong andvary in length from 20 to 130 feet. Asthey are even stronger than hemP,more limber, and natrower in diame-ter, many inhabitants of Malatra pre-fer them to ropes woven from hemP.Unfortunately, the vines are not asdurable, becoming dried out within 3d4days after being removed from thetree, after which time they could breakat any time.

tr

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30

DM lnvitat ionala

a

Judging CriteriaAdherence to game rules.Good manuscript presentation,including accurate grammar, punc-tuation, spelling, etc.Descriptive ability - the skill toweave an image and mood through-out the presentation.Originality - this includes innova-tion in the use ofexisting creaturesand items in an interesting andnovel manner. This also includes theuse of creatures and items whichyou create.Fun. Is your scenario enjoyable?Would people playrng this have agood time? This does not mean thatyou need to present a comic adven-ture. Even a frightening Ral'nNlonr@adventure can be fun to play.A1l entries must be postmarked byJuly 8, 1995 to qualify.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Word Processors!The RPGA@ Network proudly announcesthis year's Invitational Game MasterContest to determine the best designersamong all entrants. This contest is openonly to members of the Network. You donot have to attend the 1995 GPN CoN'Game Fair to compete.

Each contestant must design anadventure that displays his or her flexi-bility and creativity as an author.

Design Rulesr Write your name and Network mem-

bership number on every page ofyour entry.

. Entries must be typed. Computerprint-outs are acceptable ifthey canbe read easily. Do not use fancYfonts. Each submission should bedouble-spaced and should have aone-inch margin on all sides.

. Submit two copies of your contest entry to aid judge reviews.

. Each submission must include sixencounters. Ofthose, one must benon-hostile, where the player char-acters negotiate; one must be a traPor dilemma; two must include a bat-tle; one must be an obstacle; thesixth is left to your discretion.

. The entry must not exceed 32 pages.

Contest EntriesYou may enter as manY times as Youlike. The Network reserves the right toedit all submisssions before use. Noother use of the materials shall be madewithout an agreement between theauthors of the submission and the Net-work and TSR- and./or the comPanYholding the copyright for the game onwhich the entry is based. Submittingcharacters for your tournament isoptional, but welcome.

Design CategoriesYour submissions must be for one of thefollowing game systems: AD&D@ ZndEdition and AuazrNc ENclNp@ gamesfrom TSR, Inc., Star Wors from WestEnd Games, and. Shadowrun from FASA.All submissions must specify the level ofcharacters for which the adventure isintended.

Offrcial Entry FormNetwork Invitational Design Contest

This form or a copy of it must be completed, signed, and returnedwith each entry. The entrant warrants to TSR, Inc. that allsubmissions are original and do not infringe upon the rights ofthird parties.

Statement of entry and agreement: I hereby enter the workdescribed below in the 1995 RPGA@ Network Invitational GameMaster Contest. I agree to the terms and conditions of this contractas set forth in the rules and this Official Entry Form.

Title of EntryName of EntrantNetwork Membership NumberSignature of EntrantStreet AddressCitv/State/ProvinceCountry, ZlPlPostal Code

Legal guardian:(for submitters under the age of 18)

Game System:Level of Characters:

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Classif iedsFor Sale: Orig. Duxcnons & Drucons'action figures, var. prices. Assault onEagle Eyrie print (JeffEasley, lim ed.),$50, Larry Elmore's Swordsong Trilory1-3 and Siluer & Steel l, $30 ea., ClydeCaldwell's Kingdom of Kniues 1-2 $30each. Also, miniatures (painted orunpainted) at discounts, and more!Send a SASE to: Chris PerrY, 23309Richfield Rd, Corning CA 9602L-9352.

For Sale or Trade: How to Host AMurder,AD&D@ game, Danx Sut'lt,Sprl,t*laraMsn@, Dark Conspiracy, Mega-traueller, Car Wars, Fantasy Hero, and,more. AIso have AD&D, Magic, StarTrek and, other cards. Please send aSASE for list. Send to: GarY Watkins,10040 Lewis Ct., Westminster CO80021-3731.

For Sale: ManyAD&D game Products'back issues ofDulcnont Adventuresand DnacoN@ Magazine. Send 78C (instamps please) for a complete listing to:Peter Hemmer, 5 Grand St, APt 3,Oneonta NY 13820.

For Sale to highest offer: DnacoNMagazine collection, mostly complete#40-200+, two ex-cond copies of#148.Plus other titles. Thomas Ruddick, 1070Springbrook, Piqua OH 45356.

Florida: Hullo World! I'm lookin'forpen pals, arry age or sex, who are inter-ested in books, writ ing, music,...um...you get the point, right? TiffanydePasteur, Rt 3 Box 2350, Madison FL32340

Florida: Anyone living in BrevardCounty, Florida interested in forming aNetwork Club please contact MichaeiPopovich, 5570 Datura St., Cocoa FL32927 ot call (407!636-6978.

Georgia: Coming soon from: "TheGamer's Advocate": Treasure Chest, acornucopia of gaming items that gamerssuch as yourself wish to buy and sell.All subscribers get one free advertise-ment space per issue. Subscriptioncosts $15 annually. Ifnot satisfred, keepthe frrst issue and cancel the rest ofyour subscription for a full refund. Sendcheck or money order to: "The Gamer'sAdvocate", P. O. Box 210, ConYers GA30207. Please include your full name,

address, and phone number. SendSASE for free brochure.

Illinois: Looking for players in theAlton area. Am interested in trying playby mail. I playAD&D 2nd Edition andShadowrun 2nd Edition. Will play any-thing as long as you teach. My addressis: Justyn Stahl, 1703 Seminole, God-frey IL62035.

Illinois: Are you tired of game compa-nies telling you what you want? Here'syour chance to voice Your desires.Within the next year, I will begin pub-lishing a line of fantasy roleplaying

products. I am very interested in know-ing what you would like to see in print,as well as what you like about fantasyroleplaying in general. Also, ifyou are afantasy artist, or a group willing toplay-test products, please contact me.Roy Penro, 305 W. Martin St., GrayvillerL62844.

Kansas: Buy/selUtrading RPG's andMagic cards. Send wanVsell list to V.Daniel, 3725 Whispering Brook,Wichita KS 67220. or via e-mail,[email protected].

Maryland: Dragonslayers Unlimited isinviting all gamers around the countryand the world to join our unique gamingclub. What makes our club different

from any other gaming club is that weare a play-by-mail gaming club. Ourmembers have a wide variety of inter-ests and are always looking for new andinteresting games to play. For moleinformation contact: DragonslayersUnlimited. c/o Bill Brierton, 12420 OldColony Drive, Upper Marlboro MD20772-5000.

Massachussetts and General: I amlooking for a few serious AD&D role-players. I am starting a new group.DM's and players are needed. Also Ineed the special scratch and sniffBeavis and Butthead card #6. And alsothe Games Workshop module "Free inthe Mountain" for the Warhannmer Fan-tasy role-play game. I am willing to buyand trade for these, please contact San-ford Freedman, 135 Brentwood Cr., N.Andover MA 01845. e-mail [email protected].

Texas: 16 year old male DM/PlaYerlooking for a gaming group in northwestSan Antonio, Texas. I have played sev-eral settings but Prefer theFoncorrpu Rnar-ust campaign. Pleasewrite to: Alexander Badillo, P. O. Box690392. San Antonio TX78269.

Utah: I am aL4 year old male gamernew to the Network. I am looking formale or female players, ages 1O-adult,to join our "Champions of Fantasy"game club in the Southeastern Utaharea. We play the AD&D 2nd Editiongame on weekends and we accept eitherNetwork or non-Network game players.I am also looking for a pen pal. Pleasewrite if interested: "The Champions ofFantasy" game club, c/o Sam SamPier,Club Coordinator, P. O. Box 435, Cleve-land UT 84518.

Trading Cards Wanted: Spptlrrnn'"cards 1994 booster set 1: numbers 1,2,6-9, 11, 12, L4,15, 18-20,22-24,27,38,42, 43, 67, 62,68, 1 13-1 15, Ll7 -122, L26,127,731-133, L36, !44, L68, 169,175,178-180, L85, 192, 20A, 22r-223, 248,262, 266, 27 0, 281, 305, 323, 325, 327,339, 344, 352, 354, 362, 366, 367, 37 L,379, 393. Can no longer find boosterdecks. Many cards for trade of same set.Write to: Martin Meader, P' O. Box 606,Hartford \ru 05047.

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ConventionsConfiguration 6, June 16-18' TulsaOK - A gaming convention with 24-hour gaming. Includes: AD&D@ game,RPGA@ Network and LrvrNc Crrv* tour-neys, Magic: the Gathering, Shadowrun,Vampire LARP, Warhn'mmer, and manYothers! Also: Dealers, art, animation,parties, open gaming and APOKRYPHAdemo. Location: Tulsa Days Inn, 8201E. Skelly Dr. Reservations 918-665-6800. For more information contact:Wizard's Asylum 918-250-2077. Orwrite: War and Role Playing GamesClub, 900 Asp Ave., Room 215-4, Box304, Norman OK 73019.

Genesis 95, Junio 21, AcaPulco, Gro.Mexico Esta convenci6n tendra lugaren Ia biblioteca publica fedetal #22(Plaza central Juan N. Alvarez en elcentro de la ciudad). Eventos incluyentorneo de AD&D game sancionado PorRPGANetwork y una presentaci6n de elfarallon de los cuervos o ciudad viviente.Tambi6n tendremos comics, otros juegosde rol e invitados especiales. Para mayorinformaci6n, favor de escribir a: AntonioOlivar Zafliga, Rio Ixtapan #2,Col.Vista Alegre, C.P. 39560 Acapulco, Gro.MEXICO. Tel. (74) 85-08-68. Fax (74)86-89-68.

32

family! Margaret Weis is the guest ofhonor with M:tG artists, game desigrr-ers, and a few surprise guests also inattendance. Located at the SheratonHotel in Lakewood, discounted roomrates are available for convention-goers.Call (800) 325-3535 to reserve a room,and be sure to mention Ben Con. Foradditional convention info, contact: KenRitchart, 7024 Sagebtush Way,Louisville, CO 80027, or call (303) 665-7062. Ask about VIP resistrations.

Kulcon III, June 3O-July 2, ToPeka,Kansas-This convention will be held atthe Topeka Ramada Inn. Special guestsinclude Steve Jackson, Bruce Nesmith,Tom Dowd, Dave Gross, and Wizards ofthe Coast, including artists of Magic:theGathering cards. Games include threeLiving City adventures and a total of 10RPGA@ Network events. Also featuredare aVampire LARP, miniature andboard games, Japanese animation, com-puter gaming, autograph sessions' threebenefrt events, and a raffle to benefrtthe United Way. For more information,call (913) 864-731.6, or write Kulcon,400 Kansas lJnion, Lawrence, KS66045. For hotel information, callBrenda Maupin Tour at (913) 749-0700.

Shadowrun, and much more. Doorsopen at 8 a.m. Events begin at 9 a.m.Admission is $8 for one day, S15 fortwo. For info or tojudge, contact: LeonGibbons, 13910 Olin Lakes Road,Sparta, MI49345-9524.

Dexcon IV, July 20-23 Somerset'NJ-Double Exposure, Inc. once againbrings you Dexcon, New Jersey's largestgaming convention, held at the Somer-set Raddison Hotel. RPGA Networkevents include AD&D game, Danx SUN@setting, RavpNlorr@ setting, Paranoia,Call of Cthulhu, and Shadowrun. Liv-ing City events planned include a three-round feature, a two-rounder, and twosingle rounds, all first run. There willalso be a Living City Special event for6th Level characters and higher.Finally, a Masters/Grandmasters/Paragon event, as well as a Living Jun-gle event will be included. Other activi-ties include war gaming, interactiverole-playing, Sugarfest, anime, thefamous con suite, and miniature recre-ations of famous Star Wars battles.Visit the huge dealer room and join non-stop Magic: The Gathering tourna-ments. For more information, call (718)88L-4575.

Knight Games, Jwe23-25, Brook-lyn, NY Join us at St. Ann's and theHoly Trinity Episcopal Church for two-and-a-half days of fun and games, all forthe benefit of the Brooklyn Children'sMuseum. Planned events include sixRPGA Network tournaments (includingAD&D Game, Call of Cthulhu, Shad'ou)ru.n, and Maruel Super Heroes), plttsEarthdawn, BattleTech, Afix and Allies,and many other events. Space is limited,so pre-registration is recommended. Formore info, write: Knight Games, PO Box3041, Brooklyn, NY 1L20I, or call DavidSamuels at (718) 763-0778.

Ben Con t95, June 23-25 Denver'CO-The first gaming conventiondevoted to charity! Features include anart show, games auction, seminars,dealers'room, a Magic: The Gatheringroom, RPGA Network events, aVam.-pireball and blood dnve, Call ofCthulhu, Shadowrun, Earthdawn, M :tGtournaments, war, board, and minia-tures games, and much more! Non-gam-ing events, too, so bring the whole

Origins'95, July 13-16' Philadel-phia, PA Celebrating its 21st annualInternational Game Fair & Expo inPhiladelphia, PA, Origins will featureover 1000 on-site events, including theM:/G National Championship and first-run Living City events, with guests ofhonor including James Lowder, Mar-garet Weis, Scott Douglas, and count-less game designers. Call or write todayfor your free 96 page color pre-reg book.Pre-reg weekend badge price is $34.95.Write to Andon Unlimited, Origins'95,PO Box 1740, Renton, WA 98057-1740.Phone (206) 204-5815. Email:[email protected].

Grand Game Con 95, July 15 & 16Grand Rapids, Ml-Godfrey Lee Mid-dle School, 1335 Lee Street, SW. We arehaving the following events: RPGA Net-work events (Living City, Living Jungle,Virtual Seattle, Shadowrun, AD&D@Game and AD&D Masters). AD&DGame, GURPS, BattleTech, Rifts,M agic :The Gathering (sanctioned),Jyhad, Star Wars, Call of Cthulhu,

Quincon X, July 21-23 Quincy, IL-It's our tenth birthday, and you'reinvited! Three days of gaming, includingrole-playing (RPGA Network events),miniature events (fantasy and histori-cal), card games (Magic, Jyhad, Spell-fire, etc.), and board games. Auction on .Saturday. Rates are $12lweekend,$Slday. For more information send aSASE to: Quincon X, P.O. Box 3892,Quincy, IL 62305-3892.

DarkCon 2, Jruly 28-30, Nornian, OKThe Southwest's largest gaming clubinvites you to participate in the hottestevent this summer. Darkmoore proudlyfeatures the Sixth Annual "Player oftheYear" tournament, along with manyother fine gaming events, includingM:tG totrnaments, historical and fan-tasy miniatures, RPGA@ Network Liv-ing City events, and much moie. Formore info, contact Nathan Cappenter,624 SW 24th. Moore. OK 73160. Phone(405) 794-7624.

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show. How about it?

Judges who run at leasr three gaming sessions for the RPGA Network pay only a $10 admission to the

convention. In addition, they receive points in the Network's international ranking system' This invitation is open to

all judges, not just members of the Neiwork- though you do have to be a member to run certain events' we will

consider only judees who run three events or more'

Here,s how it works: indicated b.lorv *h*ype of game systems you know, what Network events you wish to

play, and which slots you're available to judge. If there are specific events you wish to judge, circle them on the reverse

side of this form, otherwise we will schedule you where we need the most help'

If you are not running your own evenrs at the 1995 GsN CoN Game Fair, this form and a check or money

order for $10 (ten dollarr, US,li -m

be enough to register you for the convention-provided you are acceptedas a

judge.you must still pay for any events you register to pt"y; th" "borr"

fee is only your admittance to the Game Fair as a

judge for the Network.'You can register for .rr"rrt, th.o,rgir the Gs].l CoN Game Fair Pre'Registration booklet, which will

be mailed to you this spring. If yo.Ihurre already r"girt"rJd through Early-Bird, you do not need to send in $10'If you

plan to atrend the 1995 CsN CoN Game Fair "nd

Jo,rld like to t elp the Network by judging our events, please complete

ihl, fo..n, enclose a check or money order for $10, and mail it to:

CITLING An NrrwoRK JUPGESGBN CoN@Game Fair 28, August 10th.13th

The RpGA@ Network is proud to support the 1995 GpN CoN with all-new tournaments, informative seminars, and

special events for our *.-b.... A, "i'""yr,

the backbone of the Network's Game Fair presentation is the toumament

p'rogr",,.. unfortunately, rournaments don't run themselves. The Network needs people like you to help us support the

GrN CoN Game Fafu t995

RPGA Network Judge APPeal201 Sheridan Springs Road

I am willing to judge any Network event that uses the following rulesr

I am available during the following time slots (minimum of three) that I have marked with a "J'" Do not

schedule me for slots marked with a "P," as those are the slots I wish to play' Do not mark slots below if you

circle events on the reverse side of the form'

slot 8 (8 p.m. to 11:45 P.m. FridaY)

-slot 9 (8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Saturday)

-slot 10 (Noon to3:45 p.m. Saturday)

-slot 11 (4 p.m. to 7A5 p.m. Saturday)

slot 12 (8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Saturday)

slot 13 (8 a.m. to 1i:45 a.m. SundaY)

slot 1 (8 a.m. to lI:45 a.m. Thursday)

-slot 2 (Noon ro 3:45 P.m. ThursdaY)

slot 3 (4 p.m' to ?:45 P.m. ThursdaY)

-slot 4 (8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Thursday

slot 6 (Noon to 3:45 P.m. FridaY)

-slot 7 (4 p.m. to 7:45 P.m. FridaY)

RPGA Network Membership Number:

Postal Code: CountrY:Evening Phone:

I will arrive atI'm leaving the

the Game Fair (day & time):

Game Fair (day/time):

The RpGA Network and GBN CoN Game Fair are registered trademarks of TSR, Inc. @ 1995, TSR, Inc' All Rights Reserved'

Page 34: Polyhedron #108

7995 Network Events Thursday Saturday

AD&Do Open, three-round elimination

AD&D BIRTHRIGHTT! Feature, three-round eliminationBlood of Four Dave Gross & Steven MillerAD&D RATS, eliminationRats Kevin MelkaAD&D COUNCIL OF WYRMS" Masters, one+ound

John, one-tound

AD&D PLANESCAPEo' one'roundThe Poison Pen Wlliams

one-round

AD&D Paragon, one-roundEusauriaAD&D RED STEEL" Benefit, one'round

Steel by Tim BeachNetwork Club Event, two-round elimination

The Fourth Wish by The PMCity Feature, one-round

the Good Die Y Kevin Melka

AD&D Living City Benetit' one'roundThe Doqs of War bY Robert WieseAD&D Living City Masters, one'toundPetal ol the J. Alan F

Jungle Feature, one'roundJean Rabe

AD&D Living Jungle Ghallenge, one-roundA Stitch In Time by David W.AD&D Living Jungle Network Club Event, one'round

AD&D DARK SUtf SPecial; one'round

Kromosome AMAZING ENGINE"' one-round

Shadowrun Virtual Seattle Feature, one'round

Outl by Wes NicholsonFeatute, one-lound

White StarStar Wars Fealure, one.round

of Bill SlavicsekAussie Paranoia F@turs' one'round

TOR bv Tim Parker &Featule, one-round

The lnheritance

Judglng slots are awarded on a flrst-come, flrst-served basls. To make sure you get torun the tournaments you desire In the slots you prefer, mall thls form early.

II

Attention Living City Players: During slots 10 and'll on he lower floor of the Arena, tre Network will host he secondannual 'Living City Bazaar." Bring your character and shop for magic items, visit he tavern and catch up on he latest gost

apply for a position with the city guard, try your hand in the dueling arena, rent a room, bid on property . . . and don't lorgetthe House of Thudl Admission is a $2 generic ticket. Many of the activities in the city are free. However, you can purchase

some items with generic or gold-piece tickets.

Living Jungte Players: Network players of he Living Jungle will have a chancs to meet and trade with the powerful andoften grumpy witch doctor Bengoukee. The strongest witch doctor in all Murm" will be available to barter with during slot

ggll so don't miss it! This event is open only to members who have characlers in the Living Jungle toumam€nt

Program.

Page 35: Polyhedron #108

Yes!Send me my GEN CON'95 Game Fair Registration Packetincluding the huge schedule of events for all four days,

advance information on hotelaccommodations, and more!Mai l to:

(Prease pnnl) NameGEN CON Game Fair201 Sheridan

Springs RoadLake Geneva, Wl

53147 USAFAX:(414) 248-0389

uayrme Hnone Incruorng Area uooe Email:[email protected]. lf you've already sent in your Early Bird Registration, you don't need to sendthis. Give it to a friend. Your Information Packet will automatically be mailed in May!

AOOTeSS

Page 36: Polyhedron #108

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