White Wolf Magazine 32

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$ W O

$3.95

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The

_Black

_Sword

(Turin

om the edges of the Anfaugli, Turin was snatched from Morgoth's

F

grasp by the Elf Gwindor, who took him back to Nargothrond on the Narog. Here he dwelt at the court of Orodreth the King, and was held in honour by him and his people. Thus it was that the Evil fate which enmeshed Turin, was to spread out and weave the destruction of Nargothrond itself. Turin became mighty in Nargothrond and was called Adanedhel, the Man- Elf by the people. He rose in power and esteem and calling himself 'Morrnegil', The Black Sword, was to lead the war-hosts of Orodreth against the armies of Morgoth.

It had long been the practice of the Noldor of Nargothrond, to husband their resources for war with great care and to fight the Enemy by means of stealth and the setting of ambushes. This was not to The Black Sword's liking who, ignorant of the Doom that he was fulfilling, bridged the Narog and led out the War host of the King in noise and splendour.

-1

M239

I' lirp(il

Orodreth

of

Nargothrond. He is armoured in plate and chainmail. Originally an insignia used by captains to distinguish themselves to their hosts in the field, the wings gradually became a symbol of Kingship amongst many of the Elven kindreds, worn by some upon a silver circlet, but by most of the Noldor, on an ornate war- helm.

He carries a long sword, jewelled at the hilt. Orodreth's cloak is decorated with his own insiania. the waterlily and the diamond. The traditional emblem of his house was an eight spoked wheel surrounded by a golden disc, but when his brother Finrod relinquished the crown in his favour, Orodreth instead used his own emblem of the water Lily, rather than adopt that of his brother who yet lived.

The host of the Noldor was destroyed on the field of Tumhalad, and the fair

C i of Nargothrond sacked and laid waste by the Dragon GlaUNng. Turin had played his unwitting part as the agent of Morgoth's curse, and had brought destruction ever in his wake. But Morgoth was not yet finished with the son of Hurin. Still he hounded him as he fled North to Brethil and joined with the Haladin in that place. Here Turin called himself 'Turambar' or Fatemaster, a title of miserable irony, in view of his final acts; for Glaurung, although slain by Turin, had bewitched Nienor his sister, and she, ignorant under the Dragon spell, of who she was, had wedded Turin and conceived his child.

Glaurung, in a last fulfilment of Morgoth's curse, had lied the spell upon his own expiry, whereupon Nienor became aware of who she truly was and slew herself. Turin, upon learning this and unable to bear the weight of Doom longer, took his own l i e with the evil blade Gurthang.

F i n d z z

and Gwindor

[[

When Turin came to Nargothrond, the heart of Finduilas, Orodreth's daughter was turned from Gwindor, her previous suitor, to Turin who for his part, did not return her love. Finduilas' costume is embroidered with the waterlily emblem, albeit much slenderer than previously and with no central diamond. The sleeves of her gown likewise have a 13e lily

flower rnoti as part ofthe paltern. She wears an ornate circlet of silver about her head. Gwindor wears a tunic which comes to a point at the front in traditional Elven house. His cloak-clasps are decorats been of Finrod's household before hi a handgrip decorated as an unfu Nargothrond.

-I

I

;tyb, which is decorated with the motifs of his own I with spoked wheel patterns, showing him to have capture at the Nimaeth Amoediad. His sword has ing bud, a popular moti among the Noldor of

M238

Turin

'Black

Sword" mounted

Turin was shown great favour by Orodreth of Nargothrond, and was the only Man ever to lead an Elven host. He is arrayed in Elvish arrnour, a mixture of plate and chain-mail. His helmet is also distinctively Ehren, with characteristic wings at the sides. He wears a Dwarf-made mask on the front of the helmet. The foreplate of his armour carries the insignia of Orodreth, in the form of a stylised water-lily inset with a diamond, a motif common amongst all the Noldor. He carries the great sword Gurthang, Beleg's weapon of old and now re-forged by the smith's of Nargothrond, and whence he derives his name 'Mormegil', the Black Sword.

M242

Hithlum

Easterling

warrior

This warrior wears his hair long and swept back, and with long moustaches His sword, whosescabbard attaches to his bet by means of a heart-shaped piece of thick leather, is long and of the cavalry sort His mail is formed of squares of metal sewn onto an undertunicof leather. He wears greaves made of thin iron strips and has a small, semi-circular shield with a spiral motif, characteristic of the Moon worshipping Easterlings. Bright primary colours are favoured among the Easterling bibes, principiy reds, yellows

M245

Niniel the

Bride

Niniel was, through Glaurung the dragon, Morgoths utimate tool for the destruction of Turin Deprived by Glaurung of all memory of her previous lie she

fled naked to Brethil and was tended and cared for by the Haladin of that place. Her costume is simple and she wears double skirt, a common custom amongst the women of the Edain Each is decorated with embroidered flower patterns around the rim. Her hair is adorned wlth flowers, acommon practice for weddings amongst the Haladin in their poverty,

II

b

I

lacking as ihey do, the refinements of jewellry and rich cloth.

M243

Brandir

the lame

Brandir was the leader of his people, the Haladin, in Brethil, during the years following the Battle of the Un-numbered tears. Brandir's costume is simple and coarse made, reflecting the harsh times that had befallen his folk. His cloak and tunic will be brown, green or the parchment colour of unbleached cloth. He wearsashirtofsoftleatheras hisonly armour and carries a Northman (Edain) sword, an heirloom of the second house of the Edain from a time before the fortunes of his people fell at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Brandirwasfalselythought by Turin to have caused Niniel's death and L!

was slain by him.

II

II

M247

Elven

warrior

(Noldo)

This figure represents one of the retainers of Orodreth, who fought under Turin at the battle of Tumhalad. Heis clad mostlyinfine Elven mail, but with some plate armour on his arms and legs. Like Turin and Orodreth his helmet is

r

winged. His gauntlets are decorated with the 'unfurling-bud' design and his longsword has a diamond emblem on the pommel, both characteristic Noldo symbols. His cloak is decorated with the waterjily motif of Orodreth, the leaves of which would be red and the surrounding semi-circle coloured gold.

M246

Angband Orc

Captain

Like all the Orcs of this age this figure is garbed in primitive dress and crudely beweaponed. (see fig M222 Morgoth Orcs). His clothing consists largely of pets

and fur-scraps, but with some _.I

leather armour on his upper torso. The features that most clearly distinguish him from his underlings are his helmet, whip and iron-headed axe. The helmet, of a dull iron colour, and axe have been forged in the smithies of Angband and the whip, even at this early period was used by the Orc leaders

to instill discipline and obedience on their less intelligent followers. It is unlikely that at this stage, the Orcs would have been sufficiently skilled in metallurgy to produce their own weapons.

M244

Turin

Turambar

When Turin came to Brethil after the wreck of Nargothrond, and joined the people of Brandir, he set aside his fine Elven mail and the evil sword Gurthang, and took for his weapon, the spear. The Haladin of Brethil were cowed and small in number, and their ways of fighting were by ambush and trap. The only items of Elvish origin that remain to Turin are the short sword at his side which is decorated with the lily emblem of Orodreth, and a part of his Elven chainmail, which is worn underneath a leather jerkin. His clothes would be green and brown in colour, suitable to the secret warfare of the forest.

M241

Brodda the Easterling

The chieftain of an Easterling tribe who were allied to Morgoth during the Baffle of the un-numbered tears, Brodda was rewarded with lands in Dor-Lomin after the conflict. His rank is denoted by the many golden chains of office which hang about his neck, each depicting suzerainty over a sub-chief who would present him with the chain as a sign of his own feaHy. He wears an embroidered belt, the ancestor of the long decorated belts of the Third age Sagath, and greaves of bronze. The patterning on his clothes and cloak is angular, another characteristic of Easterling design. Easteriings fight predominantly from horseback and he wears a long cavalry sword which has no cross-piece below

A

the grip. His long swept back hair and moustaches are also characteristic of the Easterlings

This text is sup ort material for Middleearth Ltd., Macroom, Co. Cork, Ireland, under figurines rnanukctured by Mithril Miniatures licence from Tolkien Enterprises Inc. These figures a r e available from good hobby and games stores.

Trademarks and mpynghts 1991 Tdken Enterprises lllc MERP 1s mpynght 01 iron Crown

E d i t o r i a l

RUNES.

. . .

f

.4

Stewart gives a mission statement and talks about direction.

F e a t u r e s

ITEMS

FOR

ANY

REALM

. . .

6

THE

SILICON

DUNGEON

. . .

12

INFILTRATION

OF THE

MIND

MAGGOT

FROM

PLANET

V

. .

.16

NATIVES

OF THE

BIG

EASY

. . .

25

THE DARK

TOWER

. . .

34

FEATURE

REVIEW:

DREAM

PARK

. . .

50

ARTIST

SPOTLIGHT

. . .

54

FEATURE

REVIEW:DANGEROUS

JOURNEYS

. . .

56

LICENSED

TO

THRILL

. . .

59

CAPSULE

REVIEWS

. . .

67

Spike

Y.

Jones gives us some magic items modelled in our own image. Jim Trunzo lets us in on what's hot and what's not in computer games, including a peek at the new Wizardy.

A new live action roleplaying scenario by Roger Spendlove of the Dream Park Corporation.

C.R. Shaver & J a s o n

Rush

bring us seven new Archetypes in

the

second of their five-part Shadowrun series detailing New Orleans. A Crossover Story for Vampire:The Masquerade and

Werewo1f:The Apocalypse

by Chris

Hind.

Stewart Wieck gives us the

highs

and lows of R. Talsorian's new Dream Park Game.

David Martin, our cover artist, shows us an overview of his work Rob Hatch lets us in the newest release from E. Gary Gygax and Game Designers Workshop.

A

look a t the plusses and pitfalls of licensed game products.

Staff reviewers take a look at hordes of new products.

Credits

JulylAugust 1992

Publisher: White

Wolf

Editor-in-Chief: Stewart Wieck Layout and Design: Chris McDonough

Assistant Editors: Ken Cliffe

and

Robert Hatch Art Director: Richard Thomas

Production: Sam C h u p p

Advertising Director: Wes Harris Cover Artist: Dave Martin Poster Artist:

Tony

Harris Cartographer: Chris McDonough Staff Writer: Jim Trunzo

Line Reviewers: G e n e Alloway, Donnie Collette, Steve

Crow,

Christopher Earley, Keith Eisenbies, Jim

2 J U L Y / A U G U S T 1 9 9 2

Foster, Matthew Gabbert, Phillip Hess Hind, Sean Holland, Daniel Huber,

Allen Mixson, Charles Peirce,

Herb

Petro, Thomas Riccardi, David

L.

Pulver, Anthony Ragan,

S.

J o h n Ross and J o h n Setzer.

A r t Credits: Josh Timbrook, Tony Santo

and

Richard Thomas

Editor-in-Spirit: Stephan Wie Deutsch Sprecher: Mark Rein

Printed in the United States

of

America. Special thanks this issue to:

R.

Talsorian Games for providing a prepublication copy of Dream

Park

for the Feature Review.

Garou and

Kindred

mix

it

up

in

The Dark Tower

by

Chris

Hind

P.

34

WHITE WOLF Magazine (ISSN 0897-9391) is published bi- monthly by White Wolf. The mailing address for all items is: White Wolf, 4598-B Stonegate Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain, GA 30083. The phone number is (404) 292-1819. WHITE WOLF is distributed through subscription and distribution services throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Overseas subscriptions are available. All subscriptions are priced as follows: any U S . address = $24, any Canadian address = $35, overseas via surface mail = $50, overseas via airmail = $80. All rates are for twelve issues. Checks or money orders should be made payable to White Wolf. Subscribers are given constant notification of the last issue of their current subscription by the number following

their name on the address label.

WHITE WOLF Magazine and White Wolf are both copyright White Wolf. All material printed in these pages is the exclusive property of White Wolf unless prior arrangements have been made with the author/artist. None of the material may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher. Third Class postage is paid at Stone Mountain, GA. Postmaster: Please send address changes to White Wolf, 4598-B Stonegate Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain, GA 30083.

The mention of or reference to any companies or products in these pages is not a challenge to the trademarks or copyrights concerned.

I

feel that there is definitely a place for an independent game magazine in this hobby. It’s simply a matter of the function best served by such a magazine. WHITE WOLF Magazine has experimented with several different approaches and formats, but I think it’s time to work on a long-term perspective.

WHITE WOLF Magazine is finally receiving the attention we’d

came a dedication to cover the smaller game companies, probably because we were one ourselves and I saw a chance to help others get some attention.

The next format involved dedicating each issue to a certain theme, like the Horror Issue or Fantasy Issue. We followed this format from WW18 through WW30, but I feel that it has been worn out. The format made the magazine too predictable and, I

Although it’s too soon to say for certain, it looks like always hoped it would, and it may truly fill the void that has existed since the passing of magazines like Different Worlds. The feedback on WW31 has been tremendous so far. The favorite article seems to have been “United States v. The Lizard Thing,” but many others

commented on the Feature Review with the Other Opinions, the Live-Action scenario, and the beautiful Shadowrun article. the new format and the new era of

WHITE

WOLF Magazine behind

us, it’s time to prepare for

think, scared off potential readers because they didn’t enjoy whatever genre was being targeted.

There are a few unifying elements of the new format. Now, we feature one popular game with regular articles for an entire

year (like the Shadowrun pieces this year, though the idea grew out of the Torg adventures printed last year) and supplement it with articles that have a more universal appeal, like last issue’s “United States v. The Lizard Thing”; while this article certainly would most interest those who play superhero games, it is also fun reading for other With the beginning of

by

Stewart

Wieck

the future. Toward that

end, I would like to prepare a Mission Statement for the magazine. A Mission Statement is a simple but powerful device used by individuals, groups, and companies to provide a focus for the future. These statements indicate why an individual or group does what it’s doing. It’s not an inane statement of expectation or desire, like “In three years

WHITE WOLF

Magazine will be the most,widely read roleplaying game magazine.” Such sales or monetary goals are outside the tenets of a Mission Statement, though one can hope that by achieving or upholding the Mission Statement such rewards will also be earned.

I hope to create a statement that will serve the life of the

magazine, perhaps even beyond my issue-to-issue involvement with it (which will probably only end when the magazine goes to a monthly publication schedule). The future will undoubtedly force changes in the magazine, but hopefully a Mission Statement created now will serve to impose my personal vision on the magazine for its entire existence.

O n the way to the future, I should begin with the past.

WHITE

WOLF Magazine was originally conceived as a forum

for the writing of both myself and Steve Wieck. It quickly became more (and consequently less) than that as we began to view the magazine as an actual periodical. Searching only for artists soon became a search for writers as well. With more writers came less writing by the Wieck brothers, and I have at times mourned the burden the magazine has become. Today the magazine is a duty, as the majority of my writing in the magazine is in the form of reviews, but with the new format and expanding audience I think there is a chance to create a new vision.

The changes in the format of the magazine have always been incremental. The first big change came with WW8, and this was also when Steve and

I

decided on a basic format of one fantasy adventure per issue supported by whatever assortment of articles for other games that we could put together. Out of this gradually

4 J U L Y / A U G U S T , 1 9 9 2

garners or those who just enjoy comic books. “Licensed to Thrill” in this issue is another example. Other elements include at least one Feature Review that is supported by Other Opinions, an article or adventure for a game published by a small game company, a dedication to printing our columns like “People of the Land” and “Items for Any Realm” on a more regular basis, and a Live-Action scenario. Mission Statement? Any Mission Statement for this magazine will have to include a number of elements, including: 1) a dedication to supporting lesser-known games that are worthy of attention, 2) bringing an awareness of other forms of roleplaying like Live-Action games, and 3) providing information about new developments from all game companies. There are some angles that the magazine probably won’t pursue. For example, there has been an on-again off-again desire to make WHITE WOLF Magazine more “newsy” by including details about events within the industry, but I think the focus is more appropriately directed at the games and the creators than the political duels between companies except where the latter interferes with the former.

There are many more desires and possibilities to consider beyond this bare list, but I suppose that’s partially how a Mission Statement succeeds. A Mission Statement provides criteria by which to judge any proposals concerning the magazine. The Mission Statement that follows will be reprinted in every issue of the magazine, and while we may not live up to it in every regard right now, it is something to work toward. I hope you’ll let us know how we’re doing.

WOLF Magazine is dedicated to the purpose of making garners aware of new advances in roleplaying games and game tech- niques. While pursuing this goal, roleplaying will be always be considered as art, as well as simply entertainment.”

So what does all this history and format change mean for a

I

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A

candle continues to burn (a maxi- mum of one turn per inch of the

candle’s height). This magic candle can be extinguished and relit like a

normal candle, but the wax melted from it cannot be

- reformed into candle-form to

extend the maximum “lifespan” of its smoke-

spirit.

\

While it’s possible that almost any creature could be represented by a candle of smoke-spmts, it is unlikely that any wizard

would expend the effort to carve and dip an eight-foot long red dragon candle; man- sized creatures are the usual limit, with the

occasional “L”-sized monster being the exception.

Icon of Identity

(Wizard)

This magic item takes the form of a small, man-shaped statuette crafted from any common sculpting material. While

highly

decorated examples are often found, the decorations serve no intrinsic purpose; the magic of the icon of identity can as easily be imparted to a plain, almost crude statuette as to a beautiful work of art. In order to function, the icon must be magically linked to a person by

attaching a personal effect of that individual (such as a nail-clipping or strand of hair) to it. Once that is pre- formed, certain spells cast o n the icon will affect the person it is now linked to.

While this effect is similar to that attributed to voodoo dolls, there are some important differences between the two. The first is the fact that the icon is completely reusable, and the subject of the icon’s effects can be changed in a moment’s time by merely removing the personal effect tying the icon to one individual and replacing it with one attuned to another. Second, only magical effects can be transferred through the

icon; poking it with a pin or dipping it into boiling water will have no effect on the individual the

icon is linked to. Finally, harming the individual magically is not as easy as simply destroying the icon with a fireball or disintegration spell; if the spell cast at

the icon destroys the icon, its ability to transfer magical effects to a distant person is destroyed as well. Even a relatively weak damaging spell such as shocking grasp or heat metal is likely to affect the icon enough to render it an inert piece of wood, metal or bone.

Instead, it gives a mage greater range and control

for his spells; spells with a range of “touch” like protec- tion from evil can be cast at a distant person through the near-to-hand icon, while “area” effect spells such as haste or slow will only affect the subject of the icon. The casting of clazraudzence and clairvoyance spells on the icon allows a stay-at home mage to follow the progress of a friend, enemy, henchman or hireling as if

h e were using a crystal

ball,

and he could aid or hinder the individual spied upon at will.

After Paca’s death his collection of puppets was split up, and as few more have been created over the years, the chance of finding more than a single puppet in any one person’s possession is slim.

The thieving abilities of pilfering puppets vary; each has

70

points to spend on any of the following thieving skills:

Pick

Pockets, Open Locks, Find/Remove Traps, Move Silently, Hide In Shadows and Climb Walls, and the nonweapon proficiency Appraising (each

5%

spent on this proficiency gives the puppet a

1

in 20 chance of performing this

skill).

As

70

points is not a lot to spread out over seven skills, most puppets have only a few skills at a relatively high chance of success (such as having

35%

each in Climb Walls and Open Lo&, producing a puppet proficient at “second story work”).

The

original collection of pilfering puppets had the full range of abilities distributed between them in a number

Paca’s

Pilfering Puppets

This item takes the form of a carved wooden m ~ i O n e t t e (almost always in hUmanold shape) from one to two feet in height. While it can be used as a normal Puppet in a show, when the Proper Command word IS spoken it becomes animated and, trailing

its now useless strings behind it, will per- form thefts at the direction of its owner. The puppet can only stay animated for a period of half an hour per day, after which time it becomes once again an unmoving construct of wood, paint and strings.

band of pilfering puppets is unknown, but it is known

criminal puppeteer facsimiles and well-

named Paca the

Showman who prepared in advance

commissioned a

s no innate intelli- The creator of the original

master has described

by the puppeteer and

mated puppet are all Appraise items o n its own can be given

ore general commands such as: “enter hat store and take the three most

valuable items you

find”.

They see by

way of a special magical sight that works as well in darkness as in light

but have n o sense of travel from town

each town when _{capture or destroy if one}

knows about their presence.

AC

7

and can take

10

hit

points of They take normal damage from weapons and spells, except that discovered rose.

they are immune to c h r m , illusions and other spells affecting the mind of the victim, or any spell only affecting living creatures, such as stinking

cloud.

Pilfering puppets resist dispel magic spells as

12th

level, but if they fail their saving throw they return to their inert form and cannot be reanimated for two days.

XP

Value:

500

Otto‘s

Obedient

Armv

the troops would take up battle forma- tions (eerily mimicked

by

the miniatures on their table), and then they

could either be commanded conventionally or

by

orders

#

made to a mage manipulating the statuettes. In order to guard against the possibility of the troops on

the field

being disrupted

by

an accidental disruption of the table holding their linked miniatures,

the

miniatures were so

constructed that

the only

movements they would pass on to their linked soldiers were those imparted

by

the force of a

(Wizard)

While the commanders in most small-scale battles take the field along

with

their men, in large-scale to stand outside of the

battle and command from a position where he can see more clearly the overall situation, as opposed to having his

vision restricted to the enemy within sword’s reach. But one of the greatest difficulties of this command style is that it can take time and effort for the commander’s orders to be relayed to his troops, and often the situation on the field

will

change too fast for his couriers to cope with.

In order to overcome this difficulty, Otto, one o the famous wizards of

Greyhawk, was commissioned

by

a warring king to produce an army of miniature soldiers whose movements on a tabletop would duplicate those of the ruler’s real troops on the battlefield, and which could themselves be manipulated in order to change the position of the real troops on the field. In short order the wizard produced

his

Obedient Army, a collection of inch-tall sculpted soldiers that could be magically linked to the king’s troops a short time before a battle and then released from their linkage after the fighting was done.

Each “toy soldier” was sculpted from precious metals and stones to represent an average soldier in the army, with a

Each miniature had to be linked to its real-life counter- soldiers (and horses, in the case of cavalry) march in single file through an arch Otto had constructed which

engagements it isn’t _{for a general}

telekinesis spell. Inhibitions on the movement of the miniatures are magically built into them so that the telekinesing mage cannot force the

figures to move across the tabletop at a speed faster than the linked soldiers can

-Cmove on the real field. Thus, while the

Z

mage could pick up a linked minia- ture with his hand and hold it over the table without imparting the

power of flight to the soldier repre- sented, he would not be able to

I

telekinetically lift it unless the soldier

d

had the power of flight

magic item in use is shown on page 113 of

The

Complete

y. (An example of this

Fighter’s

Handbook,

with one of the two depicted com-

manders presumably a fighter/mage of some sort.)

Although Otto only produced one Obedient Army (a collection totalling some

500

miniatures; his commissioner

Id

hardly afford to pay for a larger army (at about

100

gp per statuette), and used his magically-controlled soldiers as shock troops, in difficult terrain or condi- tions, or interspersed with his normal troops in large

battles),

his methods have

since

been duplicated

by

other mages, so that a collection of

50

or more figures

in a

wide

array of

_by

_any

with

considerable expense), or a new set offigures

could

be commissioned

from a mage

by

a

wealthy

State number (some

5%)

On horseback*

can

be

Pa‘‘

individuallY,

a Process Performed having

the

_{serious commander with a minimal effort (but possibly}

link

them to an _{figure. Aftenvards,}

or ruler. Methods of linking soldiers to figures besides W H I T E W O L F M A G A Z I N E 9

developed since Otto's time, and will normally either be included in the price of fabrication of a new

Amy or can be easily discovered through research.

X P

Value:

400

per figure

Shadow

AssasSin

(Alteration, Necromancy)

Wizard, 5th level

Range: Touch Components: V,

S, M

Duration:

1

turn/level or until completion of missiorl Casting Time:

1

turn

Area of Effect: Bone touched Saving Throw: None

tom assassin which immediately sets out to

kill

a person designated in advance

by

the casting wizard, relent- lessly seeking out its victim at its maximum move of

9.

The material component for the spell is a single bone taken from the body of an executed murderer of the same species as the assassin's intended victim and carved into a likeness of that victim; the bone turns into dust after the shadow assassin completes its

The casting of this spell creates a one-time phan-

dmntuahcim

Qamcs Company

Proudly

Prsrmh:

mission or at the end of the spell's duration. The shadow assassin takes the form of a shadowy outline of

the

executed murderer (which isn't detailed enough to show a recognizable face) that contains only one bit of solidity - the carved bone hovering eerily within the outline in the same position it occupied in the murderer's body.

This solid bone is the only vulnerable portion of a shadow assassin's body as all weapons pass through the other parts of its body as just so much air.

In

addition, its mostly insubstantial form means that it can squeeze itself through openings only large enough to admit the bone, so that the tiniest of bones (those small enough to fit under a closed door) can follow a victim almost anywhere.

As there are over

200

bones in the human body, it would appear that components are common; however, there are three mitigating factors. T h e first is the fact that most jurisdictions have laws against grave-robbing and some will actively work to prevent the trade in murderer's bones

by

cremating or breaking the bones of

these criminals. The second is the fact that each bone must be individually and expertly carved into shape before it can be used in the casting of the spell, a process taking anywhere from two to

24

days, assuming that the caster has the Artistic Ability: Sculpting nonweapon proficiency and succeeds at a proficiency check. A failed proficiency check means that

the

sculptor has destroyed the bone he was working o n and will have to start again with another bone.

The

final limit on the use of this spell is that the abilities of the resulting shadow assassin are determined

by

the size of the bone used in its creation. Large bones, such as the long bones of the arms and legs, make the strongest shadow assassins, while small bones, such as those making up the fingers or even those in the inner ear, are much weaker; however, these assassins have higher armor classes, as it is harder to hit these bones in midair than it is to hit large bones. T h e armor class of a shadow assassin is the same as its Hit Dice, with the total range of hit dice and armor classes for bones in a

body

going from

1

Hit Die and

AC 1

to

10

Hit Dice and

AC 10.

its victim, doing one point of damage per hit die o n a successful hit (minimum of one point). Because of its highly specific purpose, a shadow assassin can

do

no harm to anyone other than its intended victim (al- though anyone can attack a shadow assassin at will), nor will it attempt t o attack others, even those that interfere with its mission.

'tmd

6

A

shadow assassin fights by attempting to strangle

1 1

A

-. .

I

his

+piece

First in Fantasy

RoleBPlaying

sourcepack from

the editors of Role

Aids'" includes:

the most

powerful spells in

fantasy role-

playing,

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creatures, new

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Mayf

ai

r

Games

I

I

FR

rn

.

/

A

I

I

ray

Jim

Trunzo

The software industry, like television, runs in cycles, and what gamers have experi-

enced during the past few months is akin to summer reruns. After the glut of programs

debuting in December and January, a software lull set in, aided and abetted

by

big-name

titles that simply failed to come anywhere close to anticipated release dates. Now a tidal

wave of products has flooded the market and consumers have a plethora

of

riches from

which to choose.

I

I

uinm

UNDERWORD

THE SNGlAN ABYSS

Origin,

p.0.

gox 161 750, Austin,

TX

7871 6;

exploring every nook and cranny of your surroundings. The time normally spent managing the inventory of six characters, tracking six sets of skills, and SO on shifts t o

checking what your Single character IS doing at the IBM & Compatibles, 3 8 6 s ~ or 386/486 machines;

Requires 2 meg

of

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moment.

scheme employed by

The

Stygian Abyss. The graphic

This switch in emphasis is also aided by the graphic

“through the eyes” fantasy game

1

will wipe away any preconceived notions of what computer fantasy gaming is all about. It’s that innovative.

Unlike other excellent first- person perspective games,

The

Stygian Abyss assigns you a

~ single persona instead of placing

you in charge of an entire party.

I ‘

With

only one character to worry

about, emphasis switches strongly from party maintenance to

I

i

T h e Stygian Abyss requires diplomacy, bartering, intellect to piece together puzzles, and of course, fighting. Combat, like all actions in the game, takes

some getting used to.

A

“Power Gem”

-1

measures the world - the Stygian Abyss

-

survive its perils, rescue

Arial and return. look takes some getting used to because although the

graphics are rendered in 256-color

VGA

mode, the style is different from the highly polished art of Eye of the Beholder and the upcoming Wizardry game or even from the slick animated cartoon look of Sierra On-line games.

A t first glance, the graphics may seem a bit crude. This is due for the most part to the fact that the main View Window in Ultima Underworld takes in only what could logically be seen at one time

by

the human eye in a dimly lit area. This limited immediate view allows the window to portray even small objects in perspective relative to your proximity to them. For example, a piece of cheese may be an indiscernible shape from a distance, but as you move close enough to it to pick it up, the

graphic image of the cheese will be

L

bigger than an entire character in most games.

This enlarging/shrinking perspective is done so smoothly that you really feel

like

you’re moving, turning, walking running, even swimming. Again, the constantly shifting size of every object in your viewing window (walls, floors, monsters, missiles, swung weapons, magic spells, allies and so on) necessitate a different graphic style that takes time to appreciate but eventually thrills the viewer.

Incidentally, all you ever see of yourself in the View Window is your hand and whatever is in it at the time.

If

you have a sword in it, for example, you will view the tapered blade increase in size as you bring it near you in preparation for a strike and decrease as it speeds toward its target.

Although the graphics play a large role in the overall effect of this drama, the “game” part should be given equal billing. The interface is completely mouse- driven (keyboard equivalents are available but not recommended) and not a single word needs to be typed. Command Icons, dialogue selection boxes and indi-

vidual weapon, food, clothing, and spell icons relegate all other tasks to the click of a mouse.

The plot of T h e Stygian Abyss appears to

be

straightforward; however, this time it appears that you have been brought back as an Avatar

by

a malevolent force and framed for the kidnaping of the beautiful young Baroness Arial. Your only chance to prove your innocence is to brave

the

dangers of Ultima’s Under-

strength being put into each of the three types of strikes that can be delivered.

If

the target cursor is high in the View Window, an overhand blow will result; if it is in the middle of the window, a sideways slash will occur; and if it is low in the window, a lunging thrust will take place. You can opt for a quick but weak attack or a slower more powerful one. Knowing your opponent will often be the determining factor here.

example, it took me a while to learn to jump. Yes, jump. Jump over boulders, jump onto ledges, jump over chasms, jump down shafts, jump up to reach levers.

And

swim. And run. Origin prides itself on the fact that Ultima Underworld is a true vicarious experience, as close to virtual reality as you can get with a home computer and a ten-inch screen.

hours and hours and hours. The Stygian Abyss consists of 25 actual miles of dungeon passages, chasms and rivers and you need to explore almost every inch of it. The game also contains (heavy sigh of relief) auto- mapping and a really neat feature that allows you to take a quill and write your own comments on the map itself.

Ultima Underworld is simply the kind of product that you need to experience to fully understand where Origin has taken fantasy gaming.

Roleplaying

(5);

Strategy

(4);

Playability

(5);

Sum

(5)

All

actions in the game need to be “learned.” For

The game isn’t cheap but you’ll be at this one for

sort of mastery in a chaotic environment. T h e comput- erized version of Twilight 2000 places the gamer in Poland in the year

2000

A.D.,

as the leader of a twenty- man platoon whose goal is to free Poland from the grip of a dictatorial madman, Baron Czarny.

The game begins, like all roleplaying games, in the

TWILIGHT 2000

Paragon Software, Berkshire Center, Suite

402,

Greensburg, PA 15601 ; IBM & Amiga (IBM Reviewed); Retail $59.95

Twilight 2000 is a product that has been long

overdue: overdue in the Sense that the game’s release character creation mode, allowing You to either Play came approximately eight months after it was expected, * witha Preedes1gned PlatoQn Or create your Own groUPl

k

by

man. For the inexperienced, the strong recom- and overdue in the sense that Twilight 2000 has

mendation is to go with the existing

established itself as one of the premier posteWW 111

roleplaying games on the market. Numerous reasons were given for the delay of the computer version of Twilight, the most frequent being that Paragon wanted to make sure that it was ready for the market when it made its debut.

ironically, full of bugs, making the game virtually unplayable. The people at Paragon quickly fixed the problems, however, and the game now runs as it was intended (and if you happened to have purchased a bad copy, Paragon will courteously make things right free of charge).

Unfortunately, the initial copies of the game were,

group; if you are an ardent Twilight 2000

player and familiar with the nuances of the system, you might wish to create your own team.

Once you’ve decided upon the composition of your platoon, you’re ready to embark upon the first of over

50

missions. Each mission allows you t o designate which four members of your platoon will comprise the squad for that mission. Other members may be called up via hand-held radio if needed during a mission; however, if a new member is recruited, an original member of the squad must be dismissed t o maintain the maxi- mum squad size of four.

Graphics vary in both type and quality, though all of them are very good. Full-screen shots,

2-D

overheads,

3-D

through-the-scope views, and close-ups are used to maximum advantage throughout the game.

Game play is a two-sided coin. Heads: the action is fast, furious, realistic and guaranteed t o give garners sweaty palms. Tails: different aspects of the game can be quite cumbersome. For example, traveling long distances can be handled with ease; yet moving around within cities can be awkward due to the small area depicted because the detail is so great and the images are so large. Other parts of the game run into

the

same What’s the game like once it’s up and

running?

It

is safe to say that fans of the pencil and paper version won’t be the least bit disappointed, nor will those who want to climb into real armor (as in tanks)

and play with real missiles (as in grenade launchers). Twilight 2000 is as accurate a military simulation as its progenitor. theme of Twilight 2000, the game is based upon survival in a hostile, post- nuclear world where formal governments no longer exist and various military and/cr

-

mercenary groups struggle to achieve som

For those of you unfamiliar with the

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inconsistencies. Please note, however, that even the down sides of Twilight 2000 don’t seriously impair this (,vera11 strong product.

To

call Twilight 2000 a roleplaying game is a bit of a stretch in either of its versions. Yes, you do have nice individualism in each of the recruits and they do advance from stage to stage throughout the game, and yes, you do encounter NPCs who are helpful and with whom you establish a surface-level relationship. However, the nuts and bolts of Twilight 2000 is combat and the essence of the game is using the men at your command, utilizing your tanks and weaponry to their best advantage and implementing solid strategy and tactics. Wargamers will he pleased to learn that a battle can often last an hour or longer due to the attention Paragon has paid to details and realistic action.

Twilight 2000 will challenge both novice and experienced gainers. Those tired of standard science fiction and/or high fantasy should investigate Paragon’s latest offering because it has a uniqueness not found in many games. Don’t he surprised to see a sequel in the near future; like its pencil ani1 paper predecessor, their are many avenues open for computer Twilight 2000.

( 2 ) ;

Strategy

(5);

Playability (3); Sum

( 3 )

Complexity (moderate); Graphics

(4);

Roleplaying

MAGIC

CANIJLE II:

THE FOUR AND

FORN

Mindcraft Software, Inc., 2291 205th St., Suite 201, Torrance, CA 90501 ; IBM & Compatibles; Amiga (available soon); Retail: $49.95

When T h e Magic Candle came out several years ago, it broke new ground (not an easy task in computer fantasy games) and went on to garner numerous awards.

Now, Mindcraft has refined the hallmark of their game line, and Magic Candle

11:

T h e Four and Forty returns us to the fascinating and dangerous land of Gurtex on an even more ambitious adventure than before.

The Guardians of the land have been iinprisoned in

44

black candles as the forces of evil try once again

to overcome King Rehnard of Deruvia.

A

band of heroes must discover the multi-layered plot, find the guardians and set the ~ r l d right. Dungeons, cata- combs, mines, dark towers, dozens of t ~ w n s and villages

- the entire continent of Gurtex is yours to explore

during the course of your quest.

that the game play isn’t. Magic Candle

I1 (MCII)

is, like its prequel, innovative, departing in a number of ways from other games of its ilk. For example, charac- ters, including the hero/heroine who you choose to lead

your party of six, are pre-set. There is n o character generation segment to the game. Thirty-plus potential party members await your invitation to join you on your quest, all with different qualities and skills that can be enhanced through training and experience.

In

MCII

you can assign your adventurers different tasks, and even separate them from the main group.

A

mage might be told to stay at a Mage Guild to learn new spells, another character might be told to take a job and earn money for the group, and the rest of the party may continue o n in the adventure.

This volatile party system allows for tremendous variation in party composition, and begs the gamer to use character management wisely to be sure he has the best people for the specific tasks that need to be accomplished. Some garners, though, might see a down side because you do need to keep track of who’s doing what and where, but the program contains features to aid you in this endeavor.

1

In

MCII

you can assign your ad-

venturers different tasks, and even

separate them from the main group.

A

mage might be told to stay at a

Mage Guild to learn new spells,

another character might be told to

take a

job

and earn money for the

group, and the rest of the party may

continue on in the adventure.

Another feature unique to

MCII

is the Notepad. This feature, when activated, will retain every bit of

conversation, text and action as they occur. T h e Notepad can be saved to disk, viewed via a text editor or word processor or printed immediately. The gamer never has to worry about wading through mounds of scrap paper containing key information.

smallest detail in order to closely approximate live roleplaying.

The

clothing and supplies used by the characters must “match” the weather conditions or there are consequences. On the same order, friendly non+player characters may not respond if approached

by characters with weapons drawn, which makes sense, but which also necessitates close watch

by

the gamer as to each character’s present state.

Details like the above make the game extremely “accurate” and believable and provide a real sense of

reality in a fantasy setting. However, there are so many details to which one must attend that some garners may feel put upon, wanting the computer to handle the

Mindcraft continues to pay attention to even the

intricate nuances of the game rather than

be

encum- bered with these things themselves. It really comes down to a matter of taste.

It becomes obvious early in the game that Mindcraft has opted for a deep, involved plot set in as real a world as possible in lieu of graphics, animation and special effects. That’s not to say that these features are lacking: the graphics are nicely done in

VGA

mode and depicted in a

2-D

top-down view, and animation is present as is sound board support. Nothing about any of these elements are going to make you gather people around your computer to look at the pretty pictures! However, you might well discuss the intricacies of plot, note that nothing is generic about the game (each village is laid out differently on the screen, for ex- ample) or mention the artificial intelligence that makes the game so real.

Overall, Magic Candle

I1

is a product that will run the gamut with game players. Most people will rank

MCII

among the best fantasy games they’ve ever

played due to its realism, others will be nonplused, and a few may even find it not to their taste due to the attention that must be paid to minute details.

If

you are looking for a game that has a somewhat unique ap- proach t o fantasy role-playing and don’t mind less than state-of-the art visuals, Magic Candle

I1

is just the game for you.

(Like Twilight 2000, Magic Candle

I1

contains %ugs”; some are simply quirks that don’t affect game play; others are serious.

Only

early copies of the game are plagued

by

these gremlins and Mindcraft has a free disk available that corrects the errors. The disk also has utility files that enhance the game and provide full mouse control. Contact Mindcraft for details.)

(5);

Strategy

(3);

Playability

(4);

Sum

(3)

Complexity (moderate); Graphics

(2);

Roleplaying

Silicon Dungeon Exclusive

A Sneak Peek

at

Sir-Tech’s

Cru

(This “sneak peek” is based on an incomplete version of the product being reviewed. Its intent is to alert garners to a special product about to be released and should not be considered the final word on the product.)

After the resounding success of Sir-Tech‘s Bane of the Cosmic Forge, a “through the eyes” rendition of Sir-Tech‘s acclaimed Wizardry series, garners have waited with anticipation for the much-publicized sequel. And waited. And waited. They have been teased

by

advertisements, small blurbs in magazines, and

256

color VGA screen shots. Well, the wait is almost over, and one look at an alpha copy makes it clear that to say that it

will

have been worth

I

the wait is a gross understatement.

Crusaders is determined to be “all that it can be” and

to outshine the considerable competition that has recently redefined the fantasy adventure genre and set much higher standards in all areas. To that end, Sir-Tech has continued to delay release of Crusaders until it is as bug-free and full, featured as possible. Considering the scope of Crusaders, that is a tremendous undertaking.

Crusaders of the Dark Savant is a delightful mixture

of new and old. The game retains the strengths of Bane of the Cosmic Forge while adding considerable depth.

If

Bane

The non-player characters interact

more frequently, more logically, and

more functionally with the gamer’s

group. The artificial intelligence

appears to be state-of-the-art and

tracks all interactions between your

party and each group type with

which you come into contact.

was a complete overhaul of the old Wizardry series,

Crusaders refines and augments its predecessor. The first

change is strikingly obvious: a

full 256

color palette and

VGA

graphics replace the dithered

EGA

presentation of

Bane. The new look equals and in some ways surpasses

most of the games on the market and exceeds all others in variety.

those gamers who

did

not play or did not complete Bane.

Regardless of which opening sequence plays, the actual game

will

place your party of six (created from a combination of

11

races and

14

character classes) in a

wilderness outside of New City on the planet of Guardia. Here your party will encounter other races so unique that they must be seen to be believed. However, all of you have one thing in common: finding the legendary Astral

Dominae, a device with the power to create a universe -

or to destroy one.

This short synopsis of the key plot element brings several other improvements of Crusaders to the fore. The

non-player characters interact more frequently, more logically, and more functionally with the gamer’s group. The artificial intelligence appears to be state-of-the-art and tracks

all

interactions between your party and each group type with which you come into contact. For example, the Umpani don’t seem to care for the T’Rang; if you become friendly with one group, the other may not be willing to deal with you, making it necessary for you to use force rather than diplomacy when dealing with one or the other. Word of your actions spreads among the inhabitants of Guardia.

The game offers multiple beginnings, including one for

Because this is a preview, this review is not going to go into detail about all the features of Crusaders, nor

will

ratings appear at the end of the article. Suffice to say that

all

aspects of Bane of the Cosmic Forge have been

supplemented, which means more monsters, more spells, and more weapons. Significant changes besides those already mentioned include outstanding realism in sound and animation. Birds chirp, swords whoosh, spells snap and crackle and pop! Swords diminish in size as they draw away from you and grow as the thrust nears you, missile weapons do likewise. Between the graphics, sound effects and animation, Crusaders produces an excellent visceral and

vicarious experience.

“first look” is the depth of the story. While there is plenty of combat, Crusaders is much more than just a hack-and- slay adventure. The puzzles, character interaction and non- combat encounters make the game play like a good mystery book reads. Crusaders unfolds a little at a time, providing numerous mini-successes to encourage the player to continue on for the more than

200

hours this game will

take to complete in the same fashion as a good book builds the needed interest to sustain a reader over the course of

200

pages.

Crusaders of the Dark Savant has certainly passed its initial test as far as the Silicon Dungeon is concerned. We can only imagine the other delightful surprises that await us in the final version of the game. ’#J

Probably the last thing needed to be mentioned in this

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on

your

PC!!!

Here’s a chance to become a wizard in

real life!!! Your PC will perform effects that will

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For the first time ever, your PC will be able to perform mindreading, ESP, pre- dictions, X-ray vision, and more. Easy to

learn. Comes with instruction manual and props.

10-trick Professional version

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+$5 shippinghandling

5-trick Basic version

$22

+$3 shippinghandling Send check or money order to:

MicroMagic Productions

175 5th Avenue Suite 2625

New York, NY 10010

(212) 969-0220

Requires PC or compatible with VGA, EGA or CGA Also available I-trick demo version $3 + $2 s/h

A

a

Live

Action Role-Playing game scenario

by

Roger Spendlove

of

the

Dream Park Corporation Design Group

Something in this town is not right.

Lately, people have been acting strangely.

Not

bizarre

or

outrageously, just

-

well, the truth

is,

everyone’s too

normal. Nothing unusual

or

interesting has occurred in weeks, and the citizens seem

to

be

acting out their lives without any emotion. There’s no passion in their actions, no volition except

to preserve

the status quo. Everyone,

that

is, except yourself. You can’t figure out what’s happening, but you know for

a

fact

that

you

are

not a part of

it.

You’re not just paranoid! People really are conducting duy-to-day tasks with glazed eyes as if they’re

programmed robots.

Or

zombies?

Maybe

they’ve

been possessed

by

an alien or demonic intelligence?!

But not everyone! There must be others who,

like

yourself, are unaffected

by

this mysterious force.

Thus begins the adventure of the lnfilcration of the Mind

Maggot from Planet

V ,

a Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) scenario, in which mundane yet heroic gamers play themselves as they attempt to outwit and thwart the invasion of an insidious menace from outer space!

If you intend to play in this adventure,

READ

NO

FURTHER!

If you intend to Game Master this event, you’ll need the following: (a) a group of six to 20 friends, two of whom agree to play predetermined roles, and one who will serve as a co-game master; (b) two players’ homes (preferably the two playing the Professor and Simon); (c) two locations in the wilderness such as a little-used public park; and (d) a few easy- to-make props detailed later. Oh, and of course lots of imagina- tion and creativity, but gamers usually have no problem supplying these!

lNVlTlNG THE PLAYERS

After assembling your guest list, ask one of the guests to act as your co-game-master. One

GM

is needed for each of the two “teams.” Next, get two players who’ll agree to play the pre- determined roles of “the Professor,” and “Simon Larvaplixos” (or Simone, if female). All others will be portraying themselves.

For two of the encounter sites, you’ll need to use players’ homes (be they houses, apartments, mansions, yachts, etc.). The Professor and Simon are the best choices since the encounters deeply involve their characters, but any home will do. The two

GMs’ dwellings would be good alternatives.

Assign two-thirds of the remaining players to the Professor’s team, and one-third to Simon’s team. Send each player a n invitation which consists of the first three paragraphs of this article, and one piece of background information listed

later. Feel free to make up your own additional bits of lore, to customize the game to your locations. For the Professor and Simon, send their character’s description as well.

You will probably want to include an “out-of-character” note explaining that you’re inviting them to participate in an unusual Live-Action Roleplaying Game. The only skills they’ll be allowed or able to perform will be real-world, true-to-life skills they are personally capable of; furthermore, they must perform their skill with a prop of some sort. Thus, if they anticipate doing some rock climbing, they should bring rope, spikes, pitons, etc. If they want to use computer programming skills, they must bring a computer; music skill requires an

amaze you.

However, you’ve begun to suspect that a threat from outside Earth has landed and begun to infiltrate the town you’ve called home for several years. The local citizenry has been acting strangely complacent, as if their actions were controlled

by an outside force. Recalling the telepathic technique you learned on Golga-Trameehs-8, you broadcast a message which should have been received by any and all humans in your vicinity who still retain their own personalities.

All

hope for your adopted home lies upon whether any unaffected humans remain, and whether they answer your summons

...

!

PLAYERS ON THE

PROFESSOR’S TEAM:

Each should receive

This

morning, as you were in the shadow-world betwee the following paragraph as part of their invitation:

less against your plan to infiltrate and consume the entire population. Well, maybe not every one of them. Besides, they might make a nice, easily controlled legion for the invasion of other, more powerful worlds!

However, you realize that some few individuals may be immune (for some inexplicable reason) to your psionic control. Such individuals could organize a resistance effort - as happened during your last invasion attempt at the planet

If

there are indeed Earthlings who are immune to your hey work with you, not against

ERS ON SIMON’S

TEAM:each ive the following paragraph as part of their invita-

agree to it. This means no wrestling, boxing, fencing, water guns, and so forth. (2) Whenever players wish to leave a home base and

seek out an encounter site or perform some other major action,

M

to inform him or her of their plans.

report the outcome of each ossible.

( 3 )

At most encounters, there

the exact function of the device(s) card, then read the appropriate passages

s containing sections for the eyes only, due to their extraterrestrial should sign all cards before placing them,

at actions are

It did not take you long to notice that, although the mind

controt failed on you, it succeeded upon every other human

you’ve met since then. The mind-touch left a tenuous link with Simon, and you’ve used it to

spaceshy, (cleverly disguised

as

a typical

Eanhling

home) at

[ h n

at [insea date time game is to h i n ] to see

what

is going

on. Perhaps you will make him an offer: you won’t expose or thwart his plot in exchange for your being left alive dnd un- posesed...

figure out on their own!

If the players seem confused about the object ot the game, inform them that the object is, in part, to figure ()Ut what the object of the game is, and then to do it! This is the essence of

Live-Action

Role playins

- you make your OW game by the actions you choose.

T h e y

W i l l eventually gather enough

information to determine that the Primary gOa1 ofthe

Protessor’s team is to eliminate the devices and allies by which the Mind Maggot plans to infiltrate

Earth.

Simon’s tcam will

endeavor to eliminate Earth’s last resistance

by

possessing the “free minds” and bringing them under Simon’s control. For the players on Simon’s team, make certain they understand they are not and cannot be mind-controlled

by

Simon. They retain control of their actions at all times, and may even, it they choose, join

the

that he is hiding in

his

of

pcSs

honle], You’ve decided to

him

a \visit

THE

TWO

GAM€

MASTERS:

~ecause

several e d i t i o n s and encounters could take place simultaneously, in very different locations, a single GM could not possibly

be

present at them

all;

nor is it possible to second-guess when some ofthe encounters will actually take place. Therefore, two

GMs

are needed, one for

each

team. However, since the players may decide to divide

their forces

and

seek out multiple encounters at once, the two

GMs

may still be unable to go to every place they’re needed, so

they mqht have to stay in a central, easily contacted location

?he

homes

serving as Simon’s wisedSpaceship

and

the

Professor’s house would be the best choices, because several

imponant encounters might take place there.

If

one

GM

does

decide

to ;Iccompany his or her team on a major expedition,

then the

other GM

must remain at a home base.

Before the

playefs

get too far into the game,

GMs

mist convey

the

fundamentat N~es: ( 1

here is

to

be

b l u t e i y 110

phpapicol

contact ot &G

da

all participantf hvdvd

team.

PREGAME

LORE

&

CURRENT EVENTS:

Aneuspaperarticle,~oneweekugo(eitherorboth~~:

U p 0 Sitings Appear Hoax

by Richard Lovejoy

Two nights ago,

wimesses

from [name of players’ town]

reported

an unidentified flying object However, after initial claims, none of the witnews have corroborated their

Stories.

Althou;9h

several known and public People, such as sqmt

Lgnn Chandler of Maloppar observatory, initially

and

indepen-

S p e d to

dte

Post~Bsacon.

Anthony

of the

r t e p m a t

of

Pubtic

S~QJ

and