Drmg005, Dragon
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March ’77
DRAGON RUMBLES
The eastern portion of the US is not the only area of the country to have suffered a blizzard this winter, though mine has been of a dif-
ferent nature.
A month or two ago, I placed a listing in WRITER‘S DIGEST, as a market for science fiction, fantasy and swords & sorcery. Within
two weeks of that appearance, I have been inundated with a barrage of inquiries and unsolicited manuscripts, most of which aren’t right for
these pages. But I’m reading, or having them read by Gary Jaquet , who has become my voluntary associate (meaning unpaid), every single
one.
What this means to all of the writers that have sent me submissions is that you should expect a response, but not soon.
I have extended invitations to a number of authors of fantasy and science fiction games, other than D&D and EPT, to write on their
creations for these pages. While we recognize that D&D started the fan-
tasy gaming genre, there are now a number of science fiction and fan-
tasy games available that we feel should be treated in this magazine. I
extend this invitation to non-authors (of games) to do this also. I’m
looking for articles on STELLAR CONQUEST, THE YTHRI,
WBRM, GODSFIRE, STARSHIP TROOPERS, OUTREACH,
SORCERER, STARSOLDIER, GREEN PLANET TRILOGY,
Contents
Witchcraft Supplement for D&D. ............................ 4
OGRE, MONSTERS-MONSTERS, VENERABLE DESTRUCTION
and others. It’s time for THE DRAGON to expand its subject matter. I
More on METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA ....................... 10
Featured Creature ....................................... 12
want to get into fantasy miniatures as well. (There is a very good
Out On A Limb Letters ................................... 13
chance that DRAGON will include a game in TD#7, our first anniver-
How Green Was My Mutant.
............................... 16
sary issue. A very strange game . . .)
Beyond the Wizard Fog, G.F. Fox
........................... 18
Wizard Research Rules
The enormous amount of fiction that has been submitted has given
...................................
Gandalf Was only A Level 5 M-U
........................... .27
.24
us a few ideas. Some of the stuff is of excellent quality, but doesn’t
meet the needs of you readers, as it doesn’t really tie into any gaming
The Gnome Cache, Ch. 5
.................................
.29
background. But some of this material is so good that it deserves to be
published and the enjoyment shared with as many people as possible.
To that end, we are considering publishing an anthology of material of
that calibre, provided there seems to be an interest in the market for
something of this nature. I would welcome reader comments on this
matter.
I’ve been saving the best news for last. DRAGON is expanding to
eight issues per year. This came about as a result of several influences.
First, and most importantly, DRAGON has been a great success to
date, and shows no sign of slowing down in the forseeable future. Sec-
ond, and least beneficial, is the fact that LITTLE WARS, our sister
publication, has not kept up with THE DRAGON in terms of growth.
We decided to cut LW back to quarterly publication, but increase its
size to 40 pages. We feel that this move increases the desirability of
LW, and allows us two extra months per year, which we decided to
devote to DRAGON. Subscription for both magazines is still $9.00 for
six issues.
Editor — Timothy J. Kask
The final important reason is the state of the hobby. Fantasy gam-
ing is expanding at a lightning fast rate; by broadening the scope of
DRAGON, we feel that we can better serve the hobby, as well as the
hobbyists themselves, by increasing our frequency. (Publishing dates
are listed in the Publisher’s Statement on pg. three.) The increased. fre-
quency allows us to better stay on top of all the new developments and
keep YOU, the readers, far better informed and more up-to-date.
Staff Artist — Dave Sutherland
Assoc. Fantasy Editor — Gary Jaquet
Cover by — Dave Sutherland
is published monthly, except during the months of Feb., May, Aug., & Nov., by TSR Periodicals, a division of TSR Hobbies, Inc., POB 756, Lake Geneva, WI 53147.
It is available at better hobby shops and bookstores, or by subscription. Subscription rate is $9.00 per 6 issues. Single copy and back issue price is $1.50, but availability of back issues is not guaranteed. Sub-
scriptions outside the U.S. and Canada are $20.00, and are air-mailed overseas. (Payment must be made in US currency or by international money order.) All material published herein becomes the exclusive
property of the publisher unless special arrangements to the contrary are made. Subscription expiration is coded onto the mailing list. The number to the right of the name, prefixed by “LW” or “TD” is the last
issue of the subscription. Notices will not be sent.
Change of address must be filed 30 days prior to mailing date (first of Feb., Apr., June, Aug., Oct., Dec.)
Unsolicited material cannot be returned unless accompanied by a stamped return envelope, and no responsibility for such material can be assumed by the publisher in any event. All rights on the entire con-
tents of this publication are reserved, and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Copyright 1976 by TSR HOBBIES, INC.
Application to mail as second class postage rates is pending at Lake Geneva, WI 53147 and additional entry points.
3
THE DRAGON
Vol. I No. 5
Witchcraft Supplement For Dungeons & Dragons
We received this ms. over 15 months ago, and have been unable to establish the identity
of
the author. If
he or she is reading this, please step forward and receive your just reward. ED
Its origins long since buried in the mists of time, the full story of witchcraft
will never be told, but it is certain that it held deep roots in even the most humble
and God fearing of ancient communities. The legendary powers and most secret
wisdoms of its members could make an interesting (and lengthy) addition to any-
one’s fantasy campaigns. Their greatest contribution will be evident in the murky
dungeons, where a single witch could make a corridor almost impassable, or an
enticing treasure almost unreachable.
Since no witches appear on the wilderness encounter chart, assume on a die
roll of 5 or 7 there will be witches present fifty-percent of the time, and the
chart’s indicated monster on the other fifty-percent (this implies two die rolls).
The number of witches encountered will be a factor of terrain, as they were best
suited to certain environments, and favored the woodlands and orchards most of
all.
REJUVENATION R = 1”
Affects any one living creature, reducing the physical (game) age by
five years. A lawful witch uses this spell to remain forever young and
beautiful.
DISSIPATION R = 5”
With this spell, a witch may disperse any elemental, any cloud or mist,
or any magic wall of stone, iron, ice, fire, thorns, or water (regardless
of the level of the spell’s caster).
COMFORT R = 2” D = 36 (6 hours)
From 1-10 recipients will feel no pain, heat, cold, fear, hunger, thirst,
or exhaustion for 6 full hours. This does not negate damage due to
poison, fire, weapons, etc., but it will benefit the recipient greatly; it
adds +4 to morale, adds + 1 to saving throws, eliminates need to eat
or rest each hour, and neutralizes effect of fear wand, panic drums,
sleep spells.
A Priestess has saving throws equal to an eleventh level wizard. She may
daily perform any ten spells from the preceding table, and once each week may
employ a single spell from the following list:
Witches will be either Lawful (35% of the time) or Chaotic (65%). If a
group is found to be chaotic, the “Order” of every witch must be checked indi-
vidually with a 12-sided die. A 1-8 implies membership in the Low Order, while
9-11 will indicate she has graduated to High Order, and a roll of 12 means she
swears her allegiance to the forbidden Secret Order. Low and High Order
witches will mix in a group like warlocks and wizards, but Secret Order witches
are a radical strain, and will
never
accompany the other types. If the first die roll
is not a 12, assume none of the rest may be a 12 either. Likewise, if the first roll is
a 12, all witches present will be Secret Order.
The Secret Order witches are an exception to the table which follows. Secret
witches are to be found in lairs 75% of the time; they may be found in ANY ter-
rain (including water), and there will only be one regardless of their location. All
other evil witches and the Lawful witches will comply with this table:
PRIESTESS WITCHCRAFT
CURE DISEASE (As with a Patriarch)
ANTI-MAGIC SHELL (As with a Wizard)
YOUTH Forty game years may be removed from the age of any single living
(no undead) creature which is not immune to witchcraft. If desirable,
twenty years may be taken from two living creatures, making each 20
years younger.
INFLUENCE Any one neutral or chaotic character touched by the witch’s
hand will be immediately converted to the Lawful persuasion on a per-
manent basis. This will not affect clerics or undead; use Hit Proba-
bility Matrix and common sense to determine if a “touch” has been
made. It is
not
necessary to contact the target’s skin.
BANISH ANY ONE CREATURE that is gravely threatening the life of the
Priestess, whether it be undead, clerical, monster, man, or even anoth-
er Priestess (regardless of alignment) may be instantly banished to hell
with no saving throws. This spell is completely infallible and operates
at any range and regardless of the precautions taken against it. Even
creatures the witch cannot detect may be Banished, as long as they are
threatening her life in a direct way.
ENCHANTMENT In a single day, any one item of magic from the list of
rings, potions, misc. weapons, misc. magic items, or Table A or B
witch items may be produced. No wands, staves, or scrolls may be cre-
ated in this manner. If the Game Master considers a price offer fair,
he will allow a player to “hire” the Priestess to make a particular
item, but there are conditions. The player must be either Lawful or
Neutral, he must pay in advance, and for the 24 hour period he em-
ploys her he is bound to protect the witch since she will be in a trade
and unable to defend herself.
NUMBER APPEARING
Mts., Desert: none
Riv., Swamps: 2-4
Clear: 1-3
Towns, Woods: 2-13
ARMOR MOVEMENT
IN INCHES
DICE
% IN LAIR
TREASURE
8
9 on foot
4-7
Lawful
24 on broom
Witch: 30%
See
Chaotic
Notes
Witch: 45%
When in her lair, a witch will have available to her the use of every portable
magic device in her hoard of magic items. The GM must determine what items
are in the treasure, as it may affect the outcome of battle when the lair has been
invaded.
WITCH MAGIC
Witchcraft, including those spells which resemble Clerical or wizard spells,
will not effect Djinn, Efreet, or Clerics of any alignment. These 3 character types
are immune to witchcraft.
All witches (except for a Priestess) have saving throws equal to warlocks.
For your saving throws
against
witchcraft, treat all witch magic as a “spell” on
the Saving Throw Matrix.
A good witch may normally perform 7 spells per day from the following
table. There is, however, a 4% chance that any good (Lawful) witch encountered
is ancient, thereby qualifying her as a Priestess. A Priestess may use the ten ordi-
nary spells daily, and once each week may employ one of her own, more power-
ful spells. (Be sure to check every good witch encountered for category.)
WHITE WITCHCRAFT R = range of spell D = duration (# of turns)
Commune - Cure Light Wounds - Detect Evil - Continual Light - Hold person -
Remove Curse - Neutralize Poison
These spells are identical to those of a Patriarch
Sleep - Locate Object - Clairvoyance - Detect Invisible - Invisibility - Polymorph
Others - Protection from Normal Missles
These function as Magic-User spells of the same name
(none of the above magic will affect creatures immune to witchcra’t.)
CALM R = 7” D = 6
All insects, animals, and man-types within range of the witch’s spell
will lose their will to fight. Even if engaged in life and death battle,
combat will cease immediately.
SUMMON ELEMENTAL
The Elemental will have 12 hit dice, and will appear the turn
after
it
has been summoned by the witch. If the witch loses her concentration,
the elemental simply vanishes.
SEEK
It has long been understood that a witch has access to unearthly
sources of information. With this spell a Priestess may locate any sin-
gle item, place, or creature (like a super-Locate Object spell) and visu-
al its surroundings. She will be able to describe its location, and tell
vaguely what part of the world and what kind of terrain it lies in. The
closer she approaches, the more definite she can be of its exact loca-
tion. She will perform this spell for any Lawful creature at the price of
a magic item or 10,000 gold pieces, whichever seems more valuable
but the item that you seek must be described to her in great detail or
she won’t be able to detect it for you.
* * * BLACK WITCHCRAFT * * *
A Low Order witch may perform four Minor spells daily, while a High Or-
der witch may use four Minor and two Major spells each day.
* indicates saving throws are not allowed
R = range in inches (spell may be cast this far from witch)
D = duration of spell or its effects in game turns
4
CLASS
HIT
March ’77
MINOR SPELLS
Commune - Detect Invisible - Infravision - Clairvoyance - Clairaudi-
ence - Locate Object - Continual Light - Polymorph Self - Polymorph
Others - Charm Person - Charm Monster - Protection from Normal
Missiles (As with Wizards)
Cause Light Wounds, Darkness* (As with Anti-Clerics)
Summon Elemental, Dissipation* (As with good Witches)
*PIT R = 5”
A pit 5 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep will form in the ground. If
several of these incantations are used in succession, a very deep well
may be dug. No horizontal pits may be dug (no tunneling), and if dug
in desert sand the pit’s walls will cave in on a 6-sided die roll of 1-4.
armor would not be. Usually maps, scrolls, and articles of clothing or
of furniture are likely targets.
TOUCH R = physical contact is necessary
This spell is employable in two ways. Any one living creature touched
by the witch must make a successful saving throw against poison, or
die immediately. If used in the alternate and more devious manner,
the first
three
objects handled by the witch (or a 4’x4’ section of a flat
surface, like a wall or floor) will be permanently contaminated with an
undetectable paralyzing-poison. Creatures coming into contact with
one of these items with their exposed flesh (note that gloves
will
pro-
tect you) must make a saving throw against paralization; and if they
fail they become immobile and are unable to let go of the poisoned
item or wall. After two turns of contact they will die.
Clerics are immune to the paralyzing-poison, as are other “witchcraft-
proof” beings, but clerics have no means to detect the contamination.
If a poisoned item is identified, a Neutralize Poison spell will make it
harmless again. Holy items, silver, and magic objects may not be poi-
soned by the witch.
A cunning witch will choose her targets carefully (doorhandles, dagger
grips, a random ladder rung, tent flaps, bedding, etc. are all likely
places to contaminate.) Never let a witch sneak into camp!
*CURTAIN WALL R = 2” D = 3 maximum, or until dispelled
Upon graduating from Low to High Order, the first and most useful
spell a witch learns is this one. It is a means to summon into existence
an extra-dimensional “room”.
Upon invoking the spell, a curtain 10’ wide appears in the air, floating
vertically just off the ground. Behind the drapes is a smooth walled
room 10’ high and wide and 20’ from back wall to front curtain. This,
then is the lair of a High witch, and in it she can safely store her trea-
sure, bedding, crystal ball, cauldron and potions, her broom, and her
pet “familiar”.
After 3 turns, or when sent away by the witch, the curtain fades and its
contents are unreachable by anyone but the witch who first summoned
it, for every High witch has her
own
curtain, and can invoke no other.
It provides a lair, a refuge if attacked, a prison, and transportation.
When outside she can only summon it to her location, but if she is
in-
side
when it fades, she can make it reappear in any location familiar to
her (no places unfamiliar to her). It is like teleportation with no risk.
Treasure hunters could try using Charm Person or some other control
agent to force her into summoning her lair, but her will is great and
two control agents are required simultaneously! And remember, her
familiar will defend the lair when it appears before you, and a witch
has other powers of passive defense (poison touch, curse, etc.).
*FIRE BOX R = 7” D = 6
A hollow 10’ cube of fire will form about the target creature or object
and remain there six turns. It moves with the object it surrounds, and
will not suffocate or harm whatever is trapped inside. Anything pass-
ing through the fiery wall takes normal damage from fire walls. This
spell can be used as a refuge, a prison, a plant killer, ice melter, etc. If
the witch uses telekinesis upon the item within, she can “mow down”
ranks of enemy troops. Destroyed by cold, rain, or magic.
DIMINISH PLANT/ANIMAL/MEN R = 10” D = 6
All plants, animals, and men-types in a 10 foot by 10 foot area who
fail to make their saving throw will be reduced to 1/2 their original
size, with corresponding reductions in range of spells and weapons, in
strength and hit dice, and in their movement. Successive uses of this
spell may reduce a target to 1/4, 1/8, . . . of its original size.
*PLANT ENTRAPMENT R = 5” D = 2
Tree branches, grass, shrubbery, etc. within a 2”x2” square area will
clasp at and attempt to hold motionless all living or undead characters
within the boundaries of the spell. If ordered by the witch the plants
will strangle or disarm the victim, but since this spell imparts no magic
strength to the plants, the entrapped have a chance to escape the grip
of smaller, non-wood vegetation.
MAJOR SPELLS
*PARALYZING PIT R = 7” D = 3
A pit 10” in diameter and 2” deep (game scale) forms immediately.
All creatures falling in must make their saving throw against paraliza-
tion each turn they are in the pit or else be paralized until freed by an-
other.
*UNDEAD CONTROL R = 10” D = 4
From 1-6 undead characters of any type within a 10” radius of the
witch are affected. They will obey her mental commands for 4 turns,
but once they go beyond the 10” range this control will be permanent-
ly lost. Undead control may be maintained at any range if the witch
has a crystal ball with her, but to
establish
the spell the witch must be
within 10” of her target characters.
AGING R = 2”
A living thing will age 20 years immediately. Any amount of cloth,
leather, or wood within range will rot in one turn. Just 2 turns after
this spell is used a 3’x3’ section of 6” thick iron will rust through, and
4 foot thick stone (8’x8’ section) will crumble to dust in only 3 turns.
Saving throws are applicable for men-types.
*CIRCLE OF BLINDNESS R = 7” D = 3
An
extremely
powerful and dangerous anti-sensing spell which pre-
vents all means of detection. All creatures within 25’ of the spell’s im-
pact point except Djinn, Efreet, Clerics, and witches will be affected
(50’ circle). This circle counteracts not only normal vision and hear-
ing, but also prevents the functioning of ESP, detect invisible, detect
magic or evil, locate object, seek, clrvoy. or clraud., infravision, and
wizard’s eye. Similarly, the use of medallions, crystal balls, or detec-
tion wands, potions, and swords will prove fruitless. The circle is im-
mobile and its victims may blunder out of the affected area, but it pro-
vides a witch with a perfect refuge from combat and the spell is just
too powerful for the use of “dispell magic”.
*CURSE R = 1” R = infinite with ESP crystal ball
Any 1 creature or object may be cursed in practically any desired man-
ner (within far-reaching bounds). It is
not
possible to curse a creature
with immediate death! A curse will not affect holy items (bibles,
crosses, blessed water, clerics, etc.), enchanted or magic items, those
creatures immune to witchcraft, or anything which is more than 75%
enclosed by silver A fighter wearing a silver helmet, shield, and plate-
armor would be safe, but one with just silver shield or just silver mail
SECRET ORDER WITCHES
AND THEIR POWERS
Fifty-percent of the primary survivors (players) in my current Dungeons &
Dragons campaign are wizards above the 11th level, and about a quarter are
lords magically armed (one has accumulated an astounding collection of over 20
enchanted swords!) We had once again reached the point where no ordinary
outdoor encounter could present any sort of a realistic challenge. My solution:
5
POISON
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