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Green Ronin Licenses The Black Company

Industry Leader to do RPG Adaptation of Classic Fantasy Novel Series

January 22, 2004–SEATTLE, WA: Green Ronin Publishing has reached an agreement with Glen Cook to license his classic fantasy series The Black Company. Green Ronin will publish The Black Company Campaign Setting this Fall. The book will be the definitive game guide to the world and characters of The Black Company and draw on the entirety of the ten book series.

“The Black Company is modern fantasy at its best,” says Green Ronin President Chris Pramas, “and its rich setting and memorable characters are perfect for a vibrant and exciting roleplaying game. Gamers have been clamoring for an RPG adaptation since the 80s. We are delighted to be able to make that dream come true.”

The Black Company Campaign Setting will use the d20 System, thus tapping into a network of game players millions strong. Green Ronin tops the list of d20 publishers, with such acclaimed series as Freeport: The City of Adventure, Master Class, and Mythic Vistas.

About the Black Company

Glen Cook is the leading modern writer of epic fantasy noir, tales of magical warfare and intrigue as seen, not from the commanding heights of the great generals and wizards, but from the eyes of the soldiers and mercenaries who do their bidding and scramble to survive. Tough, astonishing, and often very funny, Cook’s saga of the Black Company is like nothing else in modern fantasy.

The Black Company is a hard-bitten band of mercenaries, last of the fabled Free Companies of Khatovar. The ten-book series, beginning with the titular Black Company and ending with Soldiers Live, takes the Black Company from the frozen north to jungles of the south and on to unknown Khatovar itself. Along the way they fight to discover their own mysterious origins, which have been lost in the mists of time.

About Green Ronin Publishing
Green Ronin Publishing is a roleplaying game company from Seattle, WA. It blazed the d20 trail with its hit Death in Freeport adventure, which went on to win Origins and ENnie awards. Since then Green Ronin has established a reputation for quality that is second to none, publishing such critical favorites as Legions of Hell, Book of the Righteous, and the Mutants & Masterminds RPG. Point your browser to www.greenronin.com for more info.

About Glen Cook

Born in 1944, Glen Cook grew up in northern California, served in the U.S. Navy, attended the University of Missouri, and was one of the earliest graduates of the well-known “Clarion” workshop for SF writers. Since 1971 he has published a large number of SF and fantasy novels, including the Dread Empire series, the occult-detective Garrett novels, and the very popular Black Company sequence that began with the publication of The Black Company in 1984. Among his SF novels is A Passage at Arms.

After working many years for General Motors, Cook now writes full-time. He lives near St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife Carol.

Legal Note

‘d20 System’ and the d20 System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission.

Blue Rose

The Roleplaying Game of Romantic Fantasy
Written by John Snead, Dawn Elliott, and Alejandro Melchor
Cover art by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
192-pages, perfect bound
MSRP: $27.95
GRR1701
ISBN: 1-932442-22-7

Blue Rose is a roleplaying game of romantic fantasy, inspired by novelists like Mercedes Lackey, Diane Duane, and Tamora Pierce. The game focuses on heroic and good-hearted characters working together to defend the enlightened kingdom of Aldis from harm. Most characters have at least minor psychic powers and some have intelligent magical animals as their devoted allies. Blue Rose has everything players need to get started, including complete rules for character creation, social interactions, reputations and psychic powers. The game also uses the innovative damage mechanic from Green Ronin’s hit Mutants & Masterminds RPG. The forthcoming Blue Rose Companion will provide expanded setting information, monstrous foes, magic items, and live action rules.

Blue Rose uses Wizards of the Coast’s Open Game License.

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Paranoia XP Announced

Cult Roleplaying Game to Be Revitalized for the Digital Millennium

The Computer says that failure to feature this announcement prominently is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution. Thank you for your cooperation.

Mongoose Publishing of Swindon, Wilts., UK (www.mongoosepublishing.com) announced today agreement with the creators of the fondly remembered tabletop roleplaying game Paranoia, to develop and publish a new edition of the game, Paranoia XP. The new version will be written and produced by legendary game designers Allen Varney and Aaron Allston, with participation by Paranoia’s original co-designer Greg Costikyan.

The developers will conduct their discussions about the game on a blog hosted at www.costik.com/paranoia, and those interested in the game are invited to comment and participate in the process.

Paranoia, originally published in 1984, has sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide, and retains a fanatical following despite having been out of print for almost a decade. Designed by Dan Gelber, Greg Costikyan, and Eric Goldberg, it and its supplementary products have garnered numerous industry awards, including several Origins Awards and the Gamer’s Choice Award. It is known not only for its hilarious, dark vision of a future world controlled by an insane Computer, but also for its ability to attract world-renowned authors to contribute to its supplements and ancillary material–people such as multiple World Fantasy Award-winning author John M. Ford; Warren Spector, whom PC Gamer magazine names as one of the top 20 creators in digital gaming, and Ken Rolston, co-creator of the best-selling PC game Morrowind.

Paranoia debuted at a time when the Soviet Union was shooting down jet liners and invading Afghanistan, and when many workers feared they would lose their jobs as a result of the spread of desktop computers. With its vision of an Orwellian world, a totalitarian society controlled by an insane Computer that demands instant obedience at laser-point, it struck a worldwide nerve. According to Costikyan, that vision is relevant now more than ever. “Paranoia XP is not an attempt to bring back an old RPG for the nostalgic. Its basic themes — totalitarianism, fear of technology, mistrust, and loathing–are, if anything, more relevant than they were in 1984. Spammers. Identify thieves. Blackhat hackers. The RIAA. Weapons of mass destruction. Totally dysfunctional government. Just as it did lo these many years ago, so shall the new Paranoia encapsulate and make funny the terrors we live with every day… or remind us to be afraid of things that we currently think are merely funny.”

Alex Fennell, Mongoose’s director, set down his Red Bull and Coke long enough to say, “We’re bloody delighted to be publishing Paranoia XP. Yanks don’t come any funnier than these blokes.”

Allen Varney, who contributed to many early Paranoia supplements, looks forward to revisiting the game’s futuristic underground city, Alpha Complex. “For years society has been inventing new material for Paranoia. I’ll have a great time transcribing it. I hope players will like our newly redecorated setting, and I’ll do my best to make them feel at home. Alpha Complex is not a place but a state of mind. Oh, and ginger ale for me, please.”

Eric Goldberg who since 1984 has become one of the most respected figures in the online and mobile gaming industries, said, “For those who know the game, Paranoia has settled into the deep hindbrain. Catch phrases like ‘The Computer is Your Friend,’ ‘Commies are Everywhere,’ and ‘Happiness is Mandatory’ come to mind at the most socially awkward moments. Back in the 80s, a concern with the social implications of technology was the purview of a geeky few; today, it’s of fundamental importance to everyone. Games, too, are now a huge part of the vernacular. I believe Paranoia XP will be of considerable interest not merely to the audience of tabletop roleplaying gamers but also to anyone interested in and concerned with the social-technological issues of today-the attempt to control IP, to police the Internet, to suppress dissent. We’re living Paranoia. By the way–what a bunch of wimps. I’ll have the pale ale.”

The text-based online game rights to Paranoia have separately been licensed to Skotos (www.skotos.com). Reports that Paranoia XP will also be published in several other languages, and that film, computer, and console versions are may be forthcoming are rumors. Rumors are treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution. Have a nice day!

Mongoose Publishing is one of the leaders in the RPG market, producing games such as Babylon 5, Conan, and Judge Dredd for roleplayers all over the world. Its publications are available in all good hobby and book stores.

Greg Costikyan (www.costik.com) and Eric Goldberg have collaborated on various games since they first met at Simulations Publications, Inc. in the 1970s, including on the first online game to attract more than a million players.

Greg has designed more than 30 commercially published board, roleplaying, computer, online, and mobile game, has won numerous industry awards, and has been inducted into the Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame for a lifetime of accomplishment in the field. He writes about games, game design, and game industry business issues for publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal Interactive, Salon, Game Developer magazine, and his blog (www.costik.com/weblog), which is one of the most widely-read blogs dealing with games. He is also the author of four science fiction novels.

Allen Varney (www.allenvarney.com) has published three boardgames, over two dozen roleplaying supplements (including several for Paranoia), seven books, and 250+ articles, stories, and reviews, including regular columns in four national gaming magazines. Varney recently designed and ran the UT Executive Challenge, a three-day business ethics simulation for 100 second-year MBA students at the University of Texas McCombs Business School. He is now developing a Web-based “business simulator” with the e-learning company Enspire Learning (enspire.com).

Aaron Allston (www.aaronallston.com) is the author of a dozen science fiction and fantasy novels and the award-winning designer of more than forty tabletop role-playing games and game supplements. He has recently written a script for a feature-length horror movie intended to carry his trademark humor into the realm of ultra-low-budget filmmaking.

For more information, contact
Greg Costikyan
+1 646 489 8609
===========================

Mongoose Gets Paranoid

New PARANOIA XP edition and support line debut in August 2004

The Computer: Greetings, citizen! How may I help you?

Player: I hear Mongoose Publishing is releasing a new edition of the Paranoia roleplaying game this August. What can you tell me about it?

The Computer: State your reason for requesting this information.

Player: Uh… I guess I was wondering whether to buy it.

The Computer: Excellent, citizen! You wish to legitimately purchase this product, rather than steal The Computer’s valuable intellectual property like a traitorous data pirate. This demonstrates your loyalty to the ideals of Alpha Complex. Brought to you by The Computer’s brilliant researchers in the R&D service firms of MNG Sector, PARANOIA XP is the entirely updated and perfected version of the darkly humorous RPG originally published by West End Games. The new edition’s writers include PARANOIA co-creator Greg Costikyan, longtime paranoiac Allen Varney, and Famous Game Designer Aaron Allston. There are also devious and subtle new contributions from the original PARANOIA line editor, Ken Rolston.

Player: Is PARANOIA XP still about living in an underground city of the future ruled by an insane Computer?

The Computer: The Computer is not “insane.” Traitors lurk everywhere. In the old days, The Computer’s loyal Troubleshooters only worried about Commie subversion, secret society sabotage, unregistered mutants, robot liberators, feuding High Programmers, tainted drugs, exploding food vats, nuclear hand grenades, and the occasional giant atomic cockroach. How naive! Now your clone family faces not only these persistent threats, but a new host of looming dangers such as viral licenses, closed-source genetic retooling, identity rentals, subconscious post-hypnotic brain-spam, Infrared-market WMD auction sites, and filesharing.

Player: Filesharing?

The Computer: Filesharing is Communism! Fortunately, The Computer’s loyal Central Processing service firms have devised many innovative digital-rights management methods to shield you from temptation. The most promising methods manage your actual physical digits. Would you care to get your fingerprints remapped?

Player: Uh… maybe later. Is this new PARANOIA XP anything like the game’s earlier editions?

The Computer: PARANOIA XP combines the scary-funny, sardonic tone of PARANOIA’s first edition (1984) with the fast-playing, rules-light approach of the second edition (1987).

Player: Are you using the d20 rules system?

The Computer: No. PARANOIA is fun. D20 games are not fun. The Computer says so. PARANOIA’s second edition rules were, of course, perfect. The new PARANOIA XP expunges certain imperfections introduced by subversive elements, and will be even more perfect. Remember, citizen, PARANOIA is a game of satire, not parody. It is not — attend to this — NOT “wacky.” Expect NO awful misfiring “wacky” parodies of Westerns, cyberpunk, Arthurian myth, post-holocaust Australia, or angsty goth-punk blather.

Player: “Orcbusters” was a parody of fantasy games, wasn’t it?

The Computer: “Orcbusters” obtained prior Internal Security approval using Special Registered Parody Dispensation Form KR1986-12/j. All unregistered parodies are treason. Instead, the new PARANOIA XP support line recalls the illustrious releases of 1984-88, such as Acute Paranoia, Send in the Clones, Alpha Complexities, and the award-winning Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues. Mongoose will reissue updated versions of much of this excellent material soon after PARANOIA XP debuts.

Player: Does the new edition use material from the “Fifth Edition”?

The Computer: There is no Fifth Edition.

Player: Huh? Come on, I’ve seen it myself!

The Computer: You are mistaken, citizen. No Fifth Edition was published by West End Games in 1995, nor did West End show pages from a projected “Long Lost Third Edition” at GenCon in 1997. Note that there also has never been a Crash Course Manual, nor any “Secret Society Wars,” “MegaWhoops,” or “Reboot Camp” adventures. These products never existed. They are now un-products. Are you absolutely clear on this, citizen? Do you still doubt The Computer? Perhaps you need to visit the Bright Vision Re-Education Center.

Player: Uh, no! I trust The Computer. The Computer is my friend! But Friend Computer — against all the dangers you so brilliantly enumerated, how can I possibly survive?

The Computer: I’m sorry, that information is not available at your security clearance.

PARANOIA XP. AUGUST 2004. MONGOOSE PUBLISHING. BUY PARANOIA. IT WILL BE FUN. FUN IS MANDATORY.

PARANOIA is a trademark jointly held by Eric Goldberg and Greg Costikyan and used under exclusive license by Mongoose Publishing. Copyright (c) 2004 Eric Goldberg and Greg Costikyan. All rights reserved.

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• Blue Rose

D&D 30th Anniversary Details

Celebrate as a pop culture icon turns 30! Since it first released in 1974, the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons® has taken millions of players on imaginary adventures of epic scale. Today, Dungeons & Dragons is universally regarded as the original game that created the roleplaying game category, and the inspiration for generations of game designers. Now in its third edition, Dungeons & Dragons is enjoyed by millions of players worldwide, while countless more remember it with fond nostalgia. This year, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), will mark three decades of this unique pop culture phenomenon with a variety of new Dungeons & Dragons products and exciting public events.

“We’re very proud of the long history and profound effect that Dungeons & Dragons has had on the gaming industry,” said Liz Schuh, Marketing Director for Wizards of the Coast. “The 30th anniversary campaign is our way of thanking the players for everything they’ve done to enrich Dungeons & Dragons and also to introduce one of the most creative, imaginative games ever made to a whole new generation of players.”

A Brief History of Dungeons & Dragons.

Dungeons & Dragons was conceived in the early 1970s, when Dave Arneson and E. Gary Gygax turned their passion for staging historical battles with miniature figures into a new game by focusing on individual characters and roleplaying their personalities. By 1974, the two men were selling a rudimentary pen-and-paper game they called Dungeons & Dragons, in which players assumed the role of characters journeying through a magic-filled, medieval-style fantasy environment.

In the late 1970s and early 80s, Dungeons & Dragons experienced a huge boom in popularity, expanding into board games, video games, die-cast figures, comics, novels and other products. Revised editions of Dungeons & Dragons reflected the game’s growing sophistication and refinement.

In 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. released the most recent version of the Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks and they were an instant hit. The same year, several major books and articles credited Dungeons & Dragons with being the inspiration for the modern gaming industry, and the precursor of today’s most popular roleplaying games, both offline and online.

30th Anniversary Celebration – New Games and Events Ahead!

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. is planning a year-long campaign, filled with exciting new products and events. Here are just some of the highlights:

Dungeons and Dragons® Basic Set

Modeled after a classic boxed set from the game’s early history, the new Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set is the perfect introduction to the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying experience. The set includes streamlined rulebooks, map boards, roleplaying dice, and 16 miniatures from the new Dungeons & Dragons miniatures line. Release date scheduled for September 2004.

30 Years of Adventure: A celebration of Dungeons & Dragons®

This richly illustrated, oversized book will feature essays by notable people from the gaming and entertainment industries who were inspired by Dungeons & Dragons. Release date scheduled for October 2004.

Dungeons and Dragons® Miniatures Expansions

Since the debut of the initial 80-figure Harbinger set in the form of Entry and Expansion Packs in September 2003, Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures have proved highly successful with players,selling well over 4 million individual figures. In December, the 60-figure Dragoneye expansion introduced multiple dragon figures of varying sizes. This March, players can look forward to Archfiends, 60 new monsters, villains and fiends from Dungeons & Dragons titles, followed in June by Giants of Legend, a 72-figure set based on popular characters drawn directly from Dungeons & Dragons lore, including 12 huge creatures.

GEN CON 2004

Get ready for the gamer gala of the decade! At the nation’s biggest annual gaming convention, Wizards of the Coast will recognize Dungeons & Dragons’ 30th anniversary with a timeline of major milestones in Dungeons & Dragons’ history, appearances by celebrated artists, authors and game designers, and finally, a huge party in honor of Dungeons & Dragons players everywhere. GEN CON will be held August 19-22, 2004 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Worldwide D&D® Game Day

Let the gaming begin! This October, Wizards of the Coast will sponsor a single day devoted to introducing newcomers to Dungeons & Dragons gameplay, with D&D games taking place in hundreds of select hobby and toy stores around the globe. Date to be announced.

Dungeons & Dragons products have been the benchmark for adventure roleplaying game excellence since the game’s introduction in 1974. Over the years, the Dungeons & Dragons experience has steadily evolved. The miniatures, along with the new Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 core rulebooks, are designed to take players through this year’s 30th anniversary and beyond.

Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories, and a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering®, among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons®, and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Harbinger, Dragoneye, Archfiends, Giants of Legend and Magic: The Gathering are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. © 2004 Wizards. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at http://www.wizards.com

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The Smuggling Ring

This is preview of Whitethorn 1B: The Village of Oester – “The Smuggling Ring” encounter from Openworld Press More information can found at the bottom of this preview.

A band of pirates has moved into a few caves in a secluded part of the coast near the marsh. They not only raid ships off the Coast of Dreen, but also smuggle goods like ale and weapons between Calas and the barbarian city of Helleras to the north. A stockpile of goods is hidden in the back of one of these caves, while two of the other caves serve as sleeping quarters.

The marsh dwellers know about these pirates and have started some limited barter trade with them. The smuggling ring does not think that the marsh dwellers will turn out to be a hassle and benefit from local supplies of food and water in exchange for a few barrels of ale.

If the party finds out about this smuggling ring and the pirates know that they have been discovered by someone other than the marsh dwellers, the pirates do whatever they can to eliminate the PCs. If they fail to kill the PCs, the smugglers relocate to another location on the coast.

The pirates are aware of the lizardfolk, but have not bothered to get involved with them.

Glamorgin the Terrible is the leader of the pirates. His piercing eyes and fearsome appearance are enough to get even the bravest man’s knees knocking. Unbeknownst to many, however, he has quite the sense of humor and secretly gives some of his ill-begotten wealth to the less fortunate. That could be a reason why he has been sympathetic with the marsh dwellers whom he pities.

Otherwise, Glamorgin the Terrible is cunning and ruthless. He shows no mercy to guards or nobles, unless they can fetch a good ransom.

Glamorgin the Terrible – Male human Ftr8/Rog5: CR 13; Medium Humanoid; HD 8d10+5d6+30 (96 hp); Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 feat); Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (+3 8d10+5d6+Dex, +3 masterwork studded leather armor, +1 masterwork buckler, +2 Glamorgin’s Ring of the High Seas; touch 13, flat-footed 16; armor check penalty 0); BAB +11/+6/+1; Grapple +15/+10/+5; Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (1d6+6, crit. 16-20/x2, masterwork scimitar) or +16/+11/+6 melee (1d4+4, crit. 19-20/x2, masterwork dagger) or +18/+13/+8 ranged (1d10, crit. 19-20/x2, 120 ft., heavy crossbow); +Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA +3d6 sneak attack; SQ trapfinding, evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 19, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13. Age 44; Height 5 ft. 10 in.; Weight 185 lb.; black hair & brown eyes; Reputation -100 (Vile).

Languages: Common, Orc, Sahuagin.

Skills (55+55): Appraise +7 (5), Balance +8 (3), Bluff +11 (8), Climb +10 (6), Diplomacy +5 (0), Disable Device +6 (3), Disguise +8 (5), Escape Artist +8 (5), Forgery +10 (6), Gather Information +1 (0), Hide +3 (0), Intimidate +17 (10), Jump +13 (5), Move Silently +3 (0), Open Lock +8 (5), Perform +5 (4), Search +5 (5), Sense Motive +7 (7), Sleight of Hand +8 (3), Swim +12 (6), Tumble +10 (5), Use Rope +8 (5).

Feats (6+5): Athletic, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Dodge, Greater Weapon Focus (scimitar), Improved Critical (scimitar), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Persuasive, Weapon Focus (scimitar), Weapon Specialization (scimitar).

Possessions: masterwork scimitar, masterwork dagger, heavy crossbow, 5 bolts, masterwork studded leather armor, masterwork buckler, Glamorgin’s Ring of the High Seas, potion of greater invisibility (CL 8), potion of globe of invulnerability (CL 12), 15 pp, 27 gp, 16 sp, 5 cp.

Possible dialogue: (After capturing the PCs) “Aarrr! Smartly there, men, bring o’er the captives. I want to see for me own eyes these landlubbers.”

(Last dying words) “I’ll be awaitin’ you in hell!”

Pirates (15) – Male human Rog3: CR 3; Medium Humanoid; HD 3d6+6 (18 hp); Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (+3 Dex, +3 masterwork studded leather armor, +1 masterwork buckler; touch 13, flat-footed 14; armor check penalty 0); BAB +2; Grapple +4; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, crit. 18-20/x2, scimitar) or +4 melee (1d4+2, crit. 19-20/x2, dagger) or +5 ranged (1d10, crit. 19-20/x2, 120 ft., heavy crossbow); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA +2d6 sneak attack; SQ trapfinding, evasion, trap sense +1; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 9.

Languages: Common.

Skills (52): Appraise +4 (4), Balance +9 (4), Bluff +4 (5), Climb +8 (4), Diplomacy +1 (0), Intimidate +6 (5), Jump +9 (5), Move Silently +6 (3), Search +5 (5), Sense Motive +2 (2), Sleight of Hand +7 (2), Swim +7 (3), Tumble ++10 (5), Use Rope +8 (5).

Feats (3): Athletic, Dodge, Weapon Focus (scimitar). Possessions: scimitar, dagger, heavy crossbow, 5 bolts, masterwork studded leather armor, masterwork buckler, 1 pp, 8 gp, 9 sp, 7 cp.

Names: Agreif, Bjarg, Borgen, Clegan, Deorn, Havril, Lalsthor, Milreif, Ranulf, Rastin, Seif, Stavan, Vagnar, Vnut, Wothar.

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Dice and Dramatics

This is preview of Dice and Dramatics from UltraMyth More information can be found at the bottom of this preview.

Know Your Class

Ask yourself why your character has chosen their class – what in their life has led them to pursue this particular career. A sorcerer might dabble in magic out of a natural born talent, while a wizard might pursue it purely out of interest, or because their peers or relatives expect it of them.
Class can affect a player character’s outlook on life.

Barbarians

Barbarians hold freedom in high esteem, and despise constraining laws. They love the wilderness, and often fail to see the value of civilised pursuits. Barbarians are often of simpler mind, not necessarily because they are stupid, but rather due to their upbringing. They are usually less patient than other classes and often mistrust things they don’t understand, especially magic. They are often quite superstitious. The Viking Berserker warriors and Conan the Cimmerian are good examples of stereotypical barbarians.

Bards

Bards love to travel and to entertain. They love to be the centre of attention. Bards live for the passions of life, and often can afford eccentricities or quirks that serve to define them as unique performers rather than madmen. Liken bards to modern rock stars and actors, who wish fame and fortune from their talents, or for a more archaic viewpoint, potential jesters and travelling minstrels.

Clerics

Clerics are usually more withdrawn than other characters, as they often are used to spending large amounts of time cloistered in churches and temples devoting their time to their patron god. Faith is everything to them, and they are most likely to try and convert those they meet, as spreading the word is a part of their job description. This attitude can conflict with other characters, especially those of chaotic alignments.

Druids

Druids have a great respect and zest for nature and life, which they often choose to champion. They feel constrained and disgusted by civilisation, especially big cities where the streets are covered in filth. Druids have a habit of getting high and mighty about their ideals, just as clerics can, however their focus on nature likens them to modern environmental extremists.

Civilised Races

The civilised races represent the most sophisticated societies in a fantasy setting. They are learned, have structured societies and kingdoms, and laws that govern the people, be they restrictive or very lax. They also have a much higher technology than savage races or monsters, with craftsmen producing many different kinds of good that make the various aspects of life more endurable than they otherwise would have been.

Dwarves

The dwarf family is made up of four different subspecies; hill, deep, duergar and mountain dwarves. Each race has their own unique distinguishing features that separate them from one another. The stereotypical details of a dwarf are presented below.

Appearances: All dwarves are short, standing a foot or more shorter than humans on average, but their bone structure is broad and powerful.

With the exception of the duergar, who are bald and have no body hair, dwarves’ bodies are covered in thick hair and they sport facial growth from a young age. Dwarves pride themselves on the condition of their beards, and some dwarven women too can grow them. Due to this fact, it can be difficult to tell dwarven men from women, at least from a distance.

Hill dwarves are characterised for their brownish skin shades, black hair and bright eyes.

Deep dwarves are slighter of frame to than their cousins, with reddish-tinged skin pallor and dull blue eyes. Their hair tends to be from a bright red to straw blonde.

Mountain dwarves are identified with their lightness of skin and lighter hair than Hill dwarves.

Personalities: Dwarves tend to be stubborn and greedy, but strait forward and truthful. Cheerful dwarves are usually only be found drunk – often they appear grumpy, moody and temperamental. Seldom will they be anything but serious, laughing and enjoying life only in the company of their most trusted companions.

Many dwarves are judging and very comparative to a point where they might seem annoying or haughty to other races. Wronged dwarves are vengeful.

Their long lifespan leaves them slower to trust and make friends than most, and most suspicious of non-dwarven races, however in time they can make the most dedicated of companions.

Dwarven respect is often given grudgingly, especially to members of races that are traditionally disliked or hated by them. However, there sense of honour overrides their stubbornness when appropriate admiration is due.

Deep dwarves are antisocial, especially when dealing with non-dwarven races. They prefer to deal with their own kind, or not at all. Duergar are as monotonous and drab as their appearance, and tend to be of a more malignant alignment.

Morals: Of great importance to the dwarves is the concept of family. Dwarven society is made up of clans, each one being nothing but a large family of extended relatives. Honesty and honour are high-held morals. They believe strongly in justice, but vengeance is not beyond them.

‘Slow and steady’ would perhaps be a dwarven motto, for they are careful and tenacious by nature.

Dwarves have a less refined approach to etiquette to than humans and elves, and they tend to be messy eaters.

Likes: Even the dowdy duergar dwarves to some extent appreciate jewellery and craftsmanship, though their lacklustre crafts could only be seen in their private dwellings. However, the other dwarves are defined by their expert craftsmanship and lust for the glitter of gold. They are also avid drinkers of ale and any other liquor able to get them goodly drunk.

They are also known for their great appetites – dwarves are lovers of food. They are also known in battle for their love of heavy armour and the comfort of an axe, the dwarven weapon of choice.

Most dwarves get along fine with gnomes, and are quite tolerant of Halflings and humans.

Dislikes: Orcs, goblinoids and giants are hated enemies of dwarves. They also have a dislike of elven temperaments, finding them too unpredictable as well as indecisive and undependable. Similarly, dwarves don’t get along with humanoid personalities that have elven qualities.

Upbringing: Dwarves are usually brought up in large underground cities and mines. Dwarves are as famous for their mining as they are for their crafts and ache for gold. From childhood to adulthood lasts between 40 to 50 years, a time when their close-knit family carefully teaches them, the dwarven ways.

Family: Dwarven families are large and are considered very important. One great family composed of many smaller families, related through marriage and distant relations, makes up a dwarven clan. A patriarch usually rules the clan, often a king, and rarely a queen.

A dwarven character is likely to have a lot of relatives still surviving, unless for some reason she is the last surviving member of her clan. Be this the case, then her main reason for existence would be to seek vengeance.

Role-Playing Tips: When role-playing as a dwarf, consider acting in the following ways:

• When underground remark on the quality or lack thereof of the stonework.
• Act gruff, annoyed and agitated when not pursuing a worthy activity.
• At the start of a campaign, view other characters with suspicion and distrust. Over time, you may come to trust them better.
• Allow your character to act greedily in relation to gold, jewels, art objects and magical items.

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Rune Stryders

This is preview of Rune Stryders from Politically Incorrect Games More information can be found at the bottom of this preview.

Conflict Resolution

Many actions require no special resolution—simply declaring the action is enough. If, however, an action leads to a conflict (as in combat), then you need to resolve the situation. Conflict resolutions are used to handle situations that can’t be resolved through roleplaying or simple declaration of intent. Conflict represents the challenge, and resolution the way of overcoming that challenge. To put it simply, whenever there’s doubt as to the success of a particular action, a conflict resolution must be made. Prior to any situation involving multiple participants, Initiative should be checked, as explained above. Then each participant, in order, goes through the following process:

1. Determine Base Difficulty

All conflict resolutions in Rune Stryders start with a difficulty Number assigned to the situation at hand. In Combat situations, the difficulty is 10, and is opposed using the defender’s Dodge skill. For other situations, an appropriate Barrier (if the target is another character) can be chosen, or a Difficulty based on the situation at hand can be applied.

Easy tasks are those at which just about anyone could succeed without trying hard at all, with limited repercussions if the attempt were to fail. E.g.: Leaping from a second story window into a bale of hay, or tracking a heavily-loaded cart across a muddy field.

Average tasks are the standard by which all others are measured, representing those things which can be overcome with relative ease, but which are not an automatic success. Failure to succeed at such a task often has negative consequences. E.g. Leaping from a second story window onto hard ground, or tracking an opponent down a dirt road.

Difficult tasks are, as the name suggests, more difficult and dangerous than Average tasks, implying that an average, halfhearted attempt will probably fail, and/or result in severe consequences if failure occurs. E.g. Leaping from a second story window to land on a moving cart, or trying to track someone at night without the benefit of a lantern.

Challenging tasks are most likely to require the assistance of more than one character, or additional time and effort, in order to overcome. Failing to succeed at a Challenging task often has dire consequences. E.g. Leaping from a fourth story window across a moat of broken glass to land on a moving horse, or tracking a snake through an overgrown swamp in the middle of a rainstorm.

2. Modify Difficulty

From the base difficulty number, you add or subtract the appropriate Attribute score plus any situational modifiers (penalties for weather conditions, etc.) A list of possible modifiers is provided later in this Book.

This final number, after modification, is called the Target.

3. Roll Dice

Once the Target is determined, roll zero or more 10-sided dice. If neither an Attribute nor a Skill is involved (as in the case of Barrier checks, described below) then dice are not involved at all. The comparison is between the Target and another number, success or failure based on that alone.

If an Attribute is involved, one ten-sided die is used. If a specific Skill is involved, then one or more additional dice are rolled, one per level of the character’s skill, for a total of between two (level 1) and five (level 4) dice. Once the dice are rolled, the number of successes (results equal to or higher than the Target) is determined. If there is at least one success, then the attempt was at least partially successful. If there were no successes, the attempt was a total failure.

Iron Wolf

Iron Wolves are thick, powerfully built Stryders, broadshouldered and often riddled with spikes and plates beyond the point of utility. They are giant steel warriors, designed to cause and absorb tremendous damage. Generally having four limbs and no head, they are humanoid (and thus have two arms and two legs), though with a pronounced crouch that lowers their center of mass and provides additional stability. Many feature a single, solid compartment atop the shoulders for a pair of archers or spearmen. The Pilot generally rides inside the belly area.

Construction

Iron Wolves are roughly twenty-five feet tall, and extraordinarily powerful. They are constructed of stone slabs over a steel frame, making them incredibly solid but terribly slow.

Mission

Crews are typically large, numbering between five and fifteen individuals, plus the Pilot. This includes any assortment of heavily-armored individuals, typically armed with swords or axes designed to strike at the most determined foes. More lightly-armored crew members in shoulder-mounted compartments often carry spears or crossbows. Iron Wolves are used quite often by the Myndwar in the defense of narrow passes, though the Divaros are fond of them as well.

Assembly and Repair

Construction takes a crew of twenty people two full years, including torso, limbs, Rune scribing, and other modifications. Repairs cost 35 Vel per Health, 350 Vel per Body.

Armament and Armor

Iron Wolves generally rely on melee weapons to do their damage, typically carrying one in each hand, fixed by a crew and swappable between engagements. Weapons are typically large-bladed weapons such as swords or axes, though clubs and maces are not uncommon. It is rare to see an Iron Wolf sporting additional armor, though particularly damage-prone Stryders may sport one or two thick steel plates.

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APG Paper Figures: Military Orders

This is preview of APG Paper Figures: Military Orders from Alea Publishing More information and free downloads can be found at the bottom of this preview.

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Doom Striders

This is an exclusive sample of Doom Striders from Bastion Press More details can be found at the end of the page.

Introduction

Whether battling lone giants or fighting off hordes of hobgoblins, defense of land (or other territory) in a fantasy world can be a daunting task. The doom strider is the natural evolution in defensive, magical technology, proceeding from magical armor to simple animated weapons, to more complex and powerful golems, and finally to the doom strider.

Doom striders are large animated suits of armor controlled by the wearer. They incorporate enormous strength, speed, and raw off ensive power into a package that any warrior can be trained to operate. More importantly, they provide a platform through which wizards can safely channel magic while remaining protected behind enemy lines. A doom strider is the heavy assault vehicle of the fantasy world, an enormous creation capable of laying waste to vast hordes of enemies or going toe-to-toe with more powerful individual creatures.

Above all, these are weapons of war. They are most effective when deployed to battlefields, where wide open spaces and fields of fire allow them to control the environment with superior weaponry and greater range. While a doom strider—especially the smaller models—could be used to venture into dungeons, they can be more difficult to control in such small spaces and are often unable to use all of the weapons at their disposal when so confi ned. Of course, this does not prevent adventurers from acquiring these weapons and using them to further their own goals. Ever an ingenious and inventive lot, adventurers have done much to expand the role of the doom strider in the worlds in which they exist.

In this book, you will find all the information you need to add doom striders to your campaign. From how these powerful weapons might be introduced into your world, to the ways in which they can transform the battlefi eld, this book provides you with the tools needed to bring doom striders to life.

Why Doom Striders?

Animated statues and magically-enhanced suits of armor are not that far removed from one another, so it is not much of a leap to assume that the two would eventually be combined. A doom strider is essentially a powerful suit of armor that increases the size and power of its wearer. While within a doom strider, a captain becomes much more powerful, capable of wielding weapons that simply cannot be used without the power of a doom strider to back them up. Doom striders represent a natural evolution of the fantasy arms race. Because they are operated by mimicking the motions of the captain’s body, they can be piloted with relative ease and allow skilled combatants to use their natural abilities while within the construct. Because they are so large, they can be crammed with weapons and layered with enormous plates of armor. As a further benefit, they allow several individuals to work together as a team to deliver even more pain to their enemies than they could accomplish on their own.

In addition to their martial capabilities, doom striders are also powerful deterrents. A horde of orcs might not think twice about taking a run at a defended fortress, but the presence of a 50-foot tall giant within that same fortress may very well give them pause.

Doom striders also serve as a sign of prosperity and advanced magical knowledge within a territory. Any kingdom that fields a doom strider is showing its neighbors that it has enough wealth to construct such a monstrosity and that it has the magical expertise to get it up and running. The doom strider is a formidable figurehead, one that can give even aggressive, well-armed bands of attackers serious pause.

For religions, doom striders serve as iconic symbols of faith. A church that constructs a doom strider in the image of its gods or divine servants now has a powerful, physical representation of its faith. Not only does this draw in followers (who are probably too frightened to not join a church after seeing its priests piloting such enormous weapons), but it also dissuades enemy religions from doing anything rash. Doom striders also present a threat that large and traditionally arrogant creatures often take more seriously than a unit of armored knights. A dragon, for example, is unlikely to be overly concerned with your average man-at-arms, but when that is encased in tons of powered armor and bristling with weapons, it becomes a more obvious threat. In a world of monsters and magical mayhem, the doom strider can give a ruler or military leader the space he needs to negotiate with hostile forces.

The need to transport valuable cargo can also give rise to the doom strider. When the sixth merchant caravan in a month goes missing, it might be a worthwhile investment to create some doom striders with cargo capacity to lug the goods from place to place. Fast as a horse and able to traverse difficult terrain, doom striders may even become the primary means of long-distance transportation in some cultures. A land filled with shallow swamps, for example, could definitely benefit by having large, bipedal constructs capable of transporting groups through terrain they would otherwise be forced to traverse on foot. And, of course, the most likely reason for doom striders to arise in a campaign is through the meddling of a group of adventurers. Wealthy and bored wizards along with their companions are quite likely to come up with these massive engines of war simply to pass the time, or to test out a pet theory. With ridiculous wealth and power at their disposal, there’s just no telling what adventurers might devise.

The Doom Strider as Creature

When using doom striders in your game, it’s easiest to think of them as hybrid creatures that modify the captain’s abilities, saves, and other mechanical features. They work—except as outlined below —exactly as other creatures and follow all of the same rules for them. The diff erences are minor, but important to take into account. In order of importance, they are:

• Doom striders have hit locations. Unlike creatures, damage to a specifi c part of a doom strider’s body is important to track. While doom striders do have an aggregate hit point total, critical hits cause specifi c damage to a doom strider’s components. See Chapter 3: Doom Strider Combat for more information about critical hits.
• Doom striders cannot, normally, move faster than a walk and they can only take one move action each round. They are powerful, but they are also quite slow in comparison to most living creatures. See Chapter 3: Combat for more information about doom strider movement.
• Doom striders are not affected by spells that require a target of ‘a creature.’ These spells cannot target the doom strider, as it is not truly a creature. Similarly, the crew of a doom strider cannot normally be targeted by a spell that must target them specifically. Their connection to a doom strider treats all such spells as if they were targeting the doom strider, eliminating the usefulness of ‘creature’ targeted spells.
• Magical items worn by a crewmember or captain do not aff ect the doom strider. The only exception to this are items which increase the ability scores or hit points of the captain. The captain’s modifi ed scores and hit points are used to determine the ability scores and hit points of the doom strider. Thus, while a cloak of resist ance provides no benefi t to the doom strider, gauntlets of ogre power increase the Strength of the captain and therefore increase the Strength of the doom strider, as well.
• Crew members and the captain use their own Base Attack Bonus when they attack, but use the ability scores of the doom strider (Strength or Dexterity as appropriate) as modifi ers. Magical items, spells, or special abilities that provide an attack bonus apply to attacks made by the captain or crew.

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Legends of Excalibur: Campaign Guide

This is an exclusive sample of Legends of Excalibur: Campaign Guide from RPGObjects Links to RPGObject’s web pages about their new fantasy series can be found at the bottom of this preview.

Continuing our tradition of previewing new projects exclusively here, RPGObjects is proud to present (wait for it) an exclusive preview for the upcoming Legends of Excalibur: Campaign Guide.

The follow-up to the Knight’s Handbook, the Campaign Guide offers the Excalibur game master a wealth of information to make his campaign fun, interesting, and easy to run. Plenty of gamers have a passing interest in Arthur, but do not have the encyclopedic knowledge of the tales, or want to do a lot of research, to run their games. That’s where the campaign guide steps in. We’ve done the research for you!

In addition to many NPCs, like the ones we’ve included below, you will also find a full 20 level NPC table for each new class presented in the Knight’s Handbook, new magic items, new magic item abilities, Arthurian Artifacts, from Excalibur to the Round Table.

The Campaign Guide also includes a wealth of maps (both of Britain and Europe), campaign settings, and a selection of new monsters.

The Legends of Excalibur Campaign Guide will be released as a PDF first, and then undergo a final round of editing, after which it will be combined with the Knight’s Handbook and released in a deluxe hardcover edition.

More information about this upcoming release may be found here

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Balin le Savage

The Knight of Two Swords

Balin le Savage: British Lesser Nobility (Barbarian 4/Fighter 8/Knight 5); CR 17; medium humanoid; HD 9d12 + 8d10 + 51; hp 153; Init +2 (Dex +2); Spd 40 ft (30 ft in armor); AC 26, Touch 17, Flat-Footed 24 (+4 breastplate, +5 ring, +2 Dex); Base Atk: +17/+12/+7; Atk: +29/+29/+24/+19 melee one weapon (1d10+13/17-20 +3 speed bastard sword) or +25/+25/+20/+15 + 25/+25/+20/+15 (1d10+10/17-20 +3 speed bastard sword) or +27 + +27 mounted (2d10+10/17-20 +3 speed bastard sword); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Armor Tolerance +2, Aura of Knighthood, Bred to the saddle, Code of Chivalry, Dispense Justice, Fast movement, Fealty, Illiteracy, Knight’s Warhorse, Mounted Combat +2, Rage 2/day, Trap sense +1, Uncanny dodge; Nobility 20; SV Fort +17, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 24 (18), Dex 19 (15), Con 16, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 10

Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +0 (+2 when handling horses) (0), Intimidate +13 (12), Ride +16 (12), Survival +3 (4); Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Great Cleave, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Weapon Focus (bastard sword), Improved Critical, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)

Possessions: belt of giant strength +6, gloves of dexterity +4, ring of protection +5, 2 +3 speed bastard sword, +4 breastplate, heavy warhorse (steed/strong)

Description: Balan’s brother; smote the Dolorous Stroke, creating the Wasteland and necessitating the Grail Quest; banished from Arthur’s court for killing the Lady of the Lake who repaired Excalibur for Arthur after a disastrous battle with King Pellinore.

Role: Balin is a basically good and honorable man with a tragically dangerous temper. Ultimately this temper will damage the very realm of Britain and necessitate the Grail Quest.

Dagonet (Sir Fool)

Being fool, and seeing too much wit Makes the world rotten, why belike I skip To know myself the wisest knight of all.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, Idylls of the King

Dagonet, Sir Fool: British Commoner (Fool 20/Knight 2/Minstrel 3); CR 25; medium humanoid; HD 23d6 + 2d12 + 25; hp 122; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 60 ft; AC 42, Touch 29, Flat-Footed 42 (+5 amulet of natural armor, bracers of armor +8, +5 ring of protection, +9 banter, +5 Dex); Base Atk: +17/+12/+7; Atk: +19/+14/+9 melee (1d8+2/x3 +2 lance) or +26/+21/+16 melee (1d6+4/15-20 +4 keen rapier); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Aura of Knighthood, Banter, Barrel Roll +5, Code of Chivalry, Fool’s Luck +6, Improved Feint, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Inspire Competence, Jig 4/day, Lore +5, Minstrel’s Music 3/day, Mounted Combat +1, Rapier Wit, Razor Wit, Soothe the Savage Beast, Tongue Lashing, Uncanny Dodge, Verbal Barrage, Verbal Firestorm, Wit; Nobility 55; SV Fort +17, Ref +24, Will +17; Str 10, Dex 20 (14), Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 28 (18)

Skills and Feats: Balance +38 (11), Bluff +25 (10), Climb +20 (0), Craft +4 (0), Diplomacy +17 (0), Escape Artist +15 (10), Gather Information +27 (10), Handle Animal +15 (4), Intimidate +17 (0), Jump +24 (0), Knowledge (Local) +28 (26), Listen +8 (5), Perform (Act) +26 (11), Perform (Comedy) +44 (26), Perform (Oratory) +27 (11), Perform (String instruments) +41 (26), Perform (Sing) +44 (26), Ride +9 (4), Sense Motive +12 (10), Sleight of Hand +18 (10), Spot +8 (5), Survival +6 (5), Tumble +44 (11), Use Rope +6 (0); Acrobatic, Alertness, Deft Hands, Dodge, Epic Reputation, Mobility, Mounted Combat, Ranged Inspiration, Skill Focus (Perform (Comedy, Sing)), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Rapier)

Possessions: +5 amulet of natural armor, boots of swiftness, bracers of armor +8, cloak of epic charisma +10, +2 lance, masterwork full plate, plate barding, +4 keen rapier, +5 ring of protection, heavy warhorse (courser/worker)

Description: Jester of Camelot; made an honorary knight of the Round Table at Gawaine’s request

Role: Like many jesters in literature, Dagonet makes his living taking humorous stabs at his opponents. Gawain loves his sense of humor, while Tristram, whose faults are frequently the subject of Dagonet’s jokes, has nearly killed the fool on several occasions.

Kay, Sir

Son of Sir Ector; Arthur’s adopted brother and future Seneschal of Britian, Kay is both a mighty warrior and a tactful statesman.

But always Queen Guinevere praised Sir Kay for his deeds, and said, What lady that ye love, and she love you not again she were greatly to blame; and among ladies, said the queen, I shall bear your noble fame, for ye spake a great word, and fulfilled it worshipfully. Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

Sir Kay, Seneschal of Britain: British Lesser Nobility 20th Level (Knight 10/Noble 10); CR 20; medium humanoid; HD 10d12+10d8+80; HP 195; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 28, Touch 10, Flat-Footed 28 (+13 Full Plate, +5 Shield); Base Atk +17/+12/+7/+2; Atk +25 melee (1d8+8/19-20 noble longsword +5); Full Atk +25/+20/+10/+5 (1d8+8/19-20 noble longsword +5) or +28 melee (3d10+8 heavy lance with spirited charge); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SA; SQ Mounted Combat +3, Code of Chivalry, Aura of Knighthood, Armor Tolerance +5, Knight’s Warhorse, Dispense Justice, Unhorse, Aura of Nobility, Noblesse Oblige, Divine Grace, Quest +3, Aura of Courage, Divine Wrath 2/day, Divine Right (aura of majesty); Nobility 80; SV Fort +16, Ref +9, Will +14; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16 (20)

Skills and Feats: Ride +22, Handle Animal +18, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +25, Intimidate +28, Sense Motive +14, Diplomacy +15, Bluff +13; Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Spirited Charge, Trample, Faith, Piety, Devotion (Round Table), Power Attack, Cleave

Possessions: Knight’s Mantle Full Plate +5, Heavy Steel Shield +3, Noble Longsword +5, Noble Heavy Lance +3, Cloak of Charisma +4, Horseshoes of a Zephyr, Heavy Warhorse (Noble Steed)

Description: Sir Kay thought he knew how his life was going to turn out. He fully expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, ruling a tiny barony and living out his days as a feudal lord. However when Arthur drew Excalibur from the stone, Kay’s life took an unexpected turn. Rather than be the quiet lord of a prosperous, but unimportant manor, Kay was now at the center of the fight to unify and protect Britain, serving the greatest king who ever lived as Seneschal and advisor. Despite the unexpected nature of these duties, Kay performed them brilliantly, and is one of the most underestimated of Arthur’s great knights. Those who face him in battle soon come away with a different impression, if they live.

Role: Sir Kay is the administrator. He rules in Arthur’s absence, advises the King, and sees to it that the mundane aspects of running a kingdom, and later an empire, run smoothly. In battle he will be found at Arthur’s side.

Morgan le Fay

Now, sir, said Accolon, I will tell you; this sword hath been in my keeping the most part of this twelvemonth; and Morgan le Fay, King Uriens’ wife, sent it me yesterday by a dwarf, to this intent, that I should slay King Arthur, her brother. For ye shall understand King Arthur is the man in the world that she most hateth, because he is most of worship and of prowess of any of her blood; also she loveth me out of measure as paramour, and I her again; and if she might bring about to slay Arthur by her crafts, she would slay her husband King Uriens lightly, and then had she me devised to be king in this land, and so to reign, and she to be my queen…

Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

Morgan le Fey: British Royalty 25th level (Hedge Mage 10/Druid 5/Enchantress 10); CR 25; medium humanoid; HD10d6+5d8+10d4+25; HP 116; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 24, Touch 24, Flat-Footed 22 (+8 Bracers, +4 Ring, +2 Dexterity); Base Atk +14/+9/+4; Atk by spell; Full Atk by spell; FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SA Fate (To aid in the downfall of Arthur), Destiny (To be spurned by the only man to win her heart- Accolon); SQ Summon familiar, superstition, dream reader, lesser prophecy, prophecy, animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure, wild shape 1/day, enchantress; Nobility 20; SV Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +20; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 23 (29).

Skills and Feats: Bluff +26 (+36 vs. men), Concentration +24, Diplomacy +31 (+41 vs. men), Disguise +21 (+31 vs. men), Gather Information +26 (+36 vs. men), Intimidate +26 (+36 vs. illiterate), Prophecy +15, Spellcraft +22, Listen +10, Spot +10, Ride +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (local) +14; Dark Heritage, Second Sight, Spell focus (enchantment), Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Innate Spell (Hold Person), Innate Spell (Confusion), Innate Spell (Charm Monster), Power Surge, Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell

Possessions: Bracers of Armor +8, Cloak of Charisma +6, Wand of Charm Person (heightened 3rd level) 50 charges, Wand of Web 50 charges, Ring of Protection +4, Mana Stone +18, Ring of Fire Command, 10,250 gp

Spells: Caster level 10 Hedge Mage spell points to cast (0/0/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9) Spell save DC 20+spell level (21 for enchantment); Caster level 5 Druid spell points to cast (0/1/2/5/18*) Spell save DC 13+spell level; Spell Points 175 (193 with mana stone)

Spells Known (9/5/5/4/4/4/3/3/3/3)
0 Level: Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Poison, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Message, Read Magic, Touch of Fatigue
1st Level: Cause Fear, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Shield, Ray of Enfeeblement
2nd Level: Eagle’s Splendor, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Protection from Arrows, Bull’s Strength
3rd Level: Hold Person, Phantom Steed, Heroes’ Bane, Deep Slumber
4th Level: Bestow Curse, Ice Storm, Charm Monster, Mana Vampire (moderate)
5th Level: Teleport, Dominate Person, Witch’s Curse, Overland Flight
6th Level: Bull’s Strength (mass), Suggestion (mass), Legend Lore
7th Level: Hold Person (mass), Limited Wish, Power Word Blind
8th Level: Charm Monster (mass), Protection from Spells, Power Word Stun
9th Level: Wish, Power Word Kill, Hold Monster (mass).

Description: Morgan is destined to be the second most powerful sorcerer in all of Britain, one day rivaling the mighty Merlin himself. She is also consumed with an unquenchable hatred for her half-brother Arthur, who she blames on an unconscious level for the death of her father, Gorloise, and the arranged marriages of her and her sisters like so many chess pieces to cement Uther’s crumbling reign. She is a beautiful woman, fully capable of using her beauty to gain whatever she wants, from her husband Uriens, to her many lovers. Her one true love, however, is Accolon, whom she hopes to put on the throne as king. However, it is ultimately Mordred who she will serve as a dark counterpart to Merlin, and aid Arthur’s downfall.

Role: Morgan is the ultimate manipulator, using wit, guile, and sexuality to manipulate those around her. She hates Arthur, blaming him for Uther’s sins, and will do anything to see him fall.

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Ben Redmond is one of the key players at British RPG company Malladin’s Gate. This innovative publisher has made inroads in the PDF RPG product circles with some widely respected d20 products. The latest, DarkLore, blends the dark and gritty fantasy that many might associate with a low powered game with high fantasy elements. GameWyrd’s questions appear in strange blue, Ben’s answers are in typical black.

1) The company name “Malladin’s Gate” comes from the DarkLore campaign setting, right? How did that come about? Is Malladin your favourite feature of the game?

Actually the name Malladin’s Gate is very much derived from a combination of influences. What is now the DarkLore campaign setting was in full swing as our own D&D game long before Malladin’s Gate started up. Malladin himself was based on a combination of tow historical figures, Charlemagne and Salladin. The name is quite sneakily stolen from Salladin, just changing the first letter. There is a kind of unwritten rule that villains have names beginning with Mal, so it worked well to subliminally suggest in the game that he was perhaps a darker figure than the official game history dictates. The company name came about over a telephone conversation between myself and Nigel (my business and writing/designing partner). We started off with our own game system, a modern horror game called ShadowFlux, and were going to call ourselves Black Orifice Games, but after analysing the market place we decided to go with D20 instead (this was at the peak of D20 popularity when people were wondering if there would ever be a successful independent system). Hence we needed a different name, so were trying to come up with something more ‘Fantasy’ oriented. At the time I was playing Baldur’s Gate a lot and happened to have the CD case sitting on my desk aswe discussed the issue. I said “we need something like Baldur’s Gate,” and Nigel said “what about someone else’s gate.” It wasn’t much longer before Malladin’s name came up.

2) What is it about British RPG companies and darker than normal settings? Or is that misnomer?

It’s interesting you should say that. I think there’s a general trend not only in the RPGs, but also in fantasy/SciFi literature and other media. Tolkein’s on the dark side and I love the modern British writers such as KJ Parker and Peter F Hamilton that keep their stories dark. A lot of American writers can be seen to have a more colourful and chirpy outlook on the fantasy writing, emphasising the adventure. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of this stuff too – David Eddings and Raymond E Feist are someof my favourites, too. That said, there’s also a good strong theme of comedy in British scifi, such as Pratchett, Red Dwarf and Douglas Adams. I think even these comedies have a dark edge, though. I think the reason for this is the media through which most SciFi is delivered in the respective countries. America has a lot of big budget TV shows, which have a requirement due to censorship laws to tone down any real horror elements whilst most SciFi and fantasy for the British fan comes on paper. That’s not to say that Americans are incapable of being dark. Robin Hobb is very dark at times and Midnight is so good we almost considered not bothering with DarkLore.

3) Is Malladin’s Gate a small company? Do you see yourselves as a company or as gamers with a for sale product?

Technically we’re not a company, we’re a co-operative. In size, we’re tiny. We’ve got three of us working on the writing side and spend most of what we make on just keeping things ticking over, getting art for the books and perhaps a little bit of extra pocket money for RPG books every month. I definitely think we’re more on the lines of gamers with a product to sell than a true company. We started off with big ambitions and targeted our products accordingly, looking for holes in the market place that we could fill with our own products. Hence the Forgotten Heroes line and the Academy Handbooks, a line with the goal of producing a book for each type of specialist wizard. In more recent months we’ve been concentrating on things we like. DarkLore is a labour of love, as will be Etherscope when we get time to write it. Now that we’re concentrating on these products we’re finding writing a lot more fun, and we’ve decided that at the end of the day, that should be our goal. There appears to be no big publishers picking off the best of the PDF market any more, so I think we’ll have to make ourselves content with putting out products that we love and having maybe 100 others buy them.

4) Has it been difficult getting noticed? What’s been the most challenging obstacle to commercial success so far?

Has it been difficult getting noticed? Yes and no. At first I was surprised how quickly we took off. I think Forgotten Heroes: Paladin hit the marketplace at exactly the right time. There had been nothing on Paladins since Defenders of the Faith and that was very strongly skewed towards Clerics. Hence our book took off well and a number of good reviews very early on helped sales. We didn’t really have to do anything. Our next book, St John’s College of Abjuration, didn’t sell well at all at first, and we couldn’t figure out why. There were no reviews appearing as they did for Paladin and we were baffled. So I asked around on industry message boards (EN World, RPG Net) and got a lot of helpful advice about marketing and getting review copies to official reviewers. Since then things have gone okay but not spectacularly. It can get quite frustrating at times. We seem to have hit a brick wall in sales and are struggling to get over 100 copies shifted, and not improving from product to product. When we started there were 4 or 5 companies that had deals with print houses, and we thought if we produced top quality products we might get noticed. Unfortunately that no longer seems to be happening in the industry at the moment and we seem to struggle to get the recognition we believe the quality of our products deserves. Some people may attribute our failures to things like a below average art content or editing, but these are all issues that we have taken steps to improve and have been getting gradually better in more recent releases. It’s annoying that the expense in fixing these issues is not carried over into sales. Hence we’re scaling down a bit and will be concentrating on writing what we want to write rather than what we think will get us noticed. We constantly get good reviews. DarkLore’s our best yet and always seems to be winning new fans, so maybe there’s some commercial, or at least critical, advantage to choosing to develop our favoured ideas.

5) If you could have gone straight to paper and not dabbled in the PDF industry first – would you have had?

Yes, definitely – if we’d had the money I’m sure we would have done. But I’m not sure that would be the best way to go. The impression I get is that it is very difficult to get distributed without any sort of pedigree, which in turn you can’t get without already being in print. The PDF platform allows us to at least get some critical acclaim for our works and then we can know whether we’re barking up the wrong tree or not. The worst review we’ve had was ‘Average’, so we can’t be doing too badly, can we? But the PDF and POD sales are low compared to print, and if we want to be successful we have to get in print. But that’s not looking likely for another couple of years at least, so we’re going to have to keep ourselves content with PDFs and good reviews.

6) Are gamers who buy PDF products the same sort of gamers who stick to traditional paper products? Or is there something fundamentally different about gamers who’re happy to explore PDF games?

I’m sure the market places are very different. I’m not sure if it’s anything specific to the types of people who buy as opposed to the types of things that are worth having in PDF rather than print. I think Phil Reed’s (Ronin Arts) got the best idea. They produce cheap 20-40 page supplements that are very open to use in lots of different games. That’s the key if you want to be successful in PDF alone. Keep it short and sweet and make sure anyone can use it. I think that’s the current trend in all the recent successful products. If you’re going to buy a book that’s going to be printed out on loose sheets of paper you need it to be small. The market place is too small to support products that get too specific. We’ve been trying to take this approach with our own work of late. DarkLore was conceived as a 40 page Campaign Primer and 20-30 page expansion supplements. The Primer grew to 80 pages and our supplements are likely to be bigger than 30 pages. We just have too much stuff to put in. Even at twice the expected size, there’s still a whole heap of other stuff I would have liked to have put in the DarkLore Campaign Primer. I’d like to think we can keep the page count down with Etherscope, but we’re probably going to fail at that :).

7) How does going to the trouble of preparing a professional RPG product affect your own view of the hobby? Do you even have time to roleplay any more?

I’ve not roleplayed for a while now, but that’s not strictly concerned with the writing. I’ve not actually done much writing either since September. My wife and myself were blessed by the arrival of our second son last march. Whilst off work on paternity leave (taking advantage of the new statutory 2 week leave we now get in the UK) I had time to think about where I was going with my life. I had been unhappy in my job (as an analyst programmer) for a good few years. I seriously looked at what it would take to become a full time writer, either as a freelancer or taking Malladin’s Gate forward with an investment and going into print. As soon as I did some sums and realised it was never going to provide me a living wage, I decided to think about other avenues. Hence I am now studying to become a teacher. I’ve got two years of an intensive course to complete before I qualify, so my writing and gaming in slow down as a result. I’m hoping to get to play some time in the New Year, provided I can get my assignments finished ?. The biggest difference becoming a writer has made to my view of the hobby has been more felt at the gaming store. I now buy more (I put aside my Malladin’s Gate money for RPG books only) but want less. I find myself put off by much of what is available in print because I don’t agree with the approach someone has made. One thing that I think we do well at Malladin’s Gate is having a kind of artistry about the actual game mechanics themselves. Far too often I see a mechanic that I think is messy or doesn’t capture the flavour of its intended outcome, despite it being well balanced and perfectly functional. Maybe I’m just too anal about it, but I now find messy mechanics painful to read. I think it must be something specific to me, because I never hear any comments in reviews about such things.

8) What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting out and producing professional PDF gaming products of their own?

Go for it. You loose nothing. You can get started for next to nothing if you already have a computer, and provided you are confident about the quality of your material, go for it and enjoy the praise you’ll get in the reviews. You might find it difficult to get noticed at first, so take note of all the advice on marketing you can get. I also think there’s a lot of mileage in teaming up with others. I’d personally like to develop a more productive relationship with other PDF publishers, but most of us have competing products, or at least product lines, so it makes it very tricky. The most important thing for a prospective new publisher to bear in mind, though, is that this is not the first step to being a fulltime print publisher. Write what you want, don’t aim for commercial success or you’ll be disappointed (as we were).

9) If there’s anything you could change in the PDF industry what would it be?

I probably would have tried to get into writing sooner. :)

10) What has been your roleplaying industry highlight of 2003?

Was D20 Modern 2003? I think that has the potential to make a massive change to the D20 System over all. D20 Modern moves away from the ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to classes and tries to use very generic classes, combined with lots of multiclassing, to allow you to create whatever character concept you want. We’ve already used this approach with DarkLore and will be doing the same with Etherscope. I just hope that more companies take the same approach. If that was 2002, though, my next highlight would be Midnight. I really like Dark Fantasy and Midnight is very well done. It almost made us drop DarkLore, as we thought we’d have too much overlap, but I think DarkLore has too much going for it to have forgotten about. Our approach to the classes and systems I think is, so far, fairly unique and the world itself has a lot going for it, and is very different to midnight.

11) How influential do you think PDF RPGs and supplements will be in 2004? Will PDF products be more significant than they’ve been in 2003, less than or about the same?

That’s a difficult question. I’d like to think that some of us who regularly turn out quality products will get noticed and the PDF marketplace will prosper as a result. However, I get the impression that this will not happen and I think that anyone other than Malhavoc Press will trot along at the same respectable rate. Malhavoc have had a great year with Arcana Unearthed and look like only improving their lot in the new year.

12) What might we expect from Malladin’s Gate in 2004?

We’ve two products that are a few months off release: Epoch, a D20 system boardgame of civilisations and Martial Avengers, a D20 Modern class book for Strong and Fast Heroes. Epoch will have a name change, though as there’s already someone out there with the name, but we’ve not decided on what yet. We’re very hopeful for Martial Avengers. D20 Modern supplements have done very well on RPGNow of late and there’s not a class-specific supplement out for it yet. We’ve been very much hooked onto D20 Modern and really want to produce something that can become a classic of the line. Whether we will succeed, only time will tell. Other than that, we’re looking to get Etherscope started off and DarkLore expanded. We’ve looked into possibilities of producing Etherscope in print, for the sheer reason that we want it done properly. Even if no-one buys it, I’d like to have a full-colour hardback copy of it on my shelf. Etherscope is even more a labour of love than DarkLore was, and it’s a question of making sure we get it right. We’ve also got a freelance writer working on Forgotten Heroes: Barbarian, so that may appear at some point during next year. We’ve also got a lot of other projects on the boil but I don’t think we’ll manage to get to any of them next year. We’re thinking about releasing our original ShadowFlux system as an OGL system, with two supporting settings; the ShadowFlux modern horror it was designed for and a fantasy setting with east African influences. I’ve also got an idea for a SciFi setting that’s a mixture of Supers, Cthulu horror and low-tech, dark and gritty scifi. I’ve got a whole new crystal technology system created for that one, which is awaiting the release of D20 Future. We’ll probably want to expand on the Modern Heroes line if Martial Avengers does well. On top of that, I’ve been developing a new D20 Modern game to play with my gaming group, and if that is well received I’ll probably think about publishing it. It’s a strange mixture of white-wolf style goth-punk and low-level super powers but without the traditional gothic horror creatures. Nigel calls it Supers-Punk. We’ll just have to see what we think is best as we go forward. 13) What are you looking forward to most from the RPG sector in 2004?

Personally I’m looking forward to D20 Future. Not only do I have a campaign setting already lined up for it, but I also really like SciFi gaming and there’s not been much going for it in the D20 system. But perhaps my biggest anticipation is over the Aeon timeline products that Swords and Sorcery is developing. I was a very big fan of Trinity and played it a lot, so I can’t wait to see how they handle that in D20. My only nagging doubt is that I’ll not like how they converted it to D20 and be put off.