================================================================ || || || DRAGONQUEST Newsletter February 1995 || || || || Volume 2 / Number 2 || ================================================================ The DQ Newsletter is for discussions of the DragonQuest role playing game. The key addresses you need to know are: Philip Proefrock (Editor, Article Submissions, Etc.) psproefr@miamiu.muohio.edu David Nadler (Distribution Coordinator) nadled@daytonoh.attgis.com Drake Stanton (FTP Site Coordinator) drache@netcom.com All articles are copyrighted property of their respective authors. Reproducing or republishing an article, in whole or in part, in any other forum requires permission of the author or the moderator. The DragonQuest Newsletter also maintains an ftp archive site: [ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/dr/drache] which includes back issues of the newsletter and other articles of interest to DragonQuest players and GMs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- C O N T E N T S ================================================================= Administrivia Editorial Letters -- "Gray Mouser" (Cameron King) -- Mike Buri -- Anthony Ragan Column: The BEASTIARY New DragonQuest Archive Site Discovered -- Philip Proefrock Announcing the DragonQuest WWW Home Page -- Daniel Allbutt Column: DQ ARCHIVE ----------------------------------------------------------------- ADMINISTRIVIA: ================================================================= NOTE: I haven't prettied up this edition, but want to get it out in February. If you can't read it, let me know. Also, please see my new e-mail address above. Hopefully its easier to remember and use and less prone to error. Dave Nadler ----------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: ================================================================= It has been a busy few weeks in terms of new DragonQuest material. First, a new DragonQuest archive site has been discovered. While not exactly a "new" archive, it is one that we have been unaware of until now. Second, for those of you who have the ability to browse items on the World Wide Web (WWW), there is now a DragonQuest homepage, established by Daniel Allbutt. Third, the "Canonical DragonQuest Index" is finished and available from the Archive. Further information about each of these items can be found in this issue. I have also received several submissions from different people (so much so that I am putting off some things I was going to put in this issue into the April issue; see below). Hopefully, this means that we are getting to a critical mass point with the Newsletter, and I can stop begging for submissions as often as I have been. This also means that we have received enough material specific to a single topic to announce our first special feature issue: The April issue will be dedicated to shape-changers. I have a couple of items for this issue already (including some discussion of the topic from the Internet rec.games.frp.misc newsgroup that took place a couple of months ago), but, if you have some shape-changer material, now is the time to send it in! If this works out, we may try to have more special feature issues of the Newsletter in the future. On an unrelated note, we have been having some questions about the FTP site, and about how to make it more accessible to everyone. The following note is from Drake Stanton, the FTP site archivist: ----------------------------------------------------------------- A Note About the FTP Site Recently, I have recieved some questions/complaints about the fact that most of the files in the archive are compressed. Some people didn't know this, and others were unable to use the proper tools to uncompress the files. When I set the archive up, I assumed most (if not all) of the users would be accessing it via some flavor of UNIX system. Is this an inaccurate assumtion? How do you get to the archive? Are you able to uncompress the files with no problem, or is it a difficult chore? Are you able to uncompress at all? Would it be easier for you if some other compression system (like PKZIP) were used instead? Please contact me with answers to these questions. I would like the archive to be usable for as many people as possible. At the same time, I am reluctant to simply uncompress everything, because I pay for disk storage space on my system every month. What do people think? Email me, drache@netcom.com, with any feedback. Thanks. Drake DragonQuest FTP Site Admin drache@netcom.com ------------------------_L_E_T_T_E_R_S_-------------------------- ================================================================= Subject: Letter to the Editor I just read the latest DQ Newsletter, and I was pleased to see the rec.games.frp.misc discussion on Investment summarized. If I may, I'd like to make a few final statements. You are correct about the designer's notes (that it takes only one Pulse to activate an invested item). At the time I originally posted my statements to the newsgroup, I had not read "Arcane Wisdom," and so based my conclusions upon the 2nd edition rulebook, which seems to indicate otherwise. Having now read "Arcane Wisdom" (and I can't tell you how delighted I was to do so), I fully concur with your correction. However, I think it would be a grave mistake to apply *any* environmental modifiers to the BC of casting invested spells. One of the things that appeals to me about DQ is the low-magic style: in my campaigns, magic items are rare and priceless; casting spells is almost always at least slightly dangerous, and the players have to really use intelligence and creativity to solve problems. Compare this to AD&D (for example), where almost anything can be overcome by "Mordenkainen's Deus Ex Machina" and I think you may agree. If, indeed, environmental bonuses are applied to invested spells, I would have to agree with the original poster, who stated that Rituals of Investment would produce an "arms race" of invested items. I know that if I were an Adept in such a world, I would immediately learn the Ritual, and invest everything from my hat to my shoelaces. The advantages? Far- better-than-normal Cast Chances, ability to contact cold iron and still release spells, no Fatigue loss for casting, and halved casting time. Have I forgotten anything? You may still disagree with me, but I don't think that common sense (and game balance) or rule-interpretation support the environmental bonuses argument. -- Gray Mouser (c_king@cc.colorado.edu) (P.S. to Elliot Wilen: I actually *own* the "Frontiers of Alusia" supplement. It's no "World of Greyhawk," but I'm still pretty jazzed about it.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Howdy. I have played DQ for 10 years (in Erie PA) and would like to start a group in Raleigh NC. If you know of others in my area, please let me know. Article idea - list of all DQ newsletter subscribers. Thanks. -- Mike Buri (mburi@unity.ncsu.edu) [EDITORS' REPLY: Mike is not the only one who has suggested this idea. Would this be a genuinely useful thing for all of you? Right now, we only have about 60 subscribers, so it may be that there aren't yet enough DQ players networked together for such a list to be really useful. Making this information generally available might not be such a good idea, either, but if we limit the distribution of such a list to those who are on it, I don't think there would be any problems. This list will not be available from the archive; we will e-mail copies directly to those who want to participate. We could also start running DQ related "classified ads" in the Newsletter if those would be useful. As always, everyone's feedback on this topic is requested. -- ED] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there, I thought I'd pass on some news that might give heart to fans of out-of- print games like Dragonquest. If you're familiar with the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game, you'll likely know that it was allowed to die in spite of being very-well received by the gaming public. (Kind of like DQ) Well, January saw the announcement of a licensing arrangement between Games Workshop and Hogshead Press that will allow Hogshead to reprint old WFRP items and bring-out new material. For fans of WFRP, this was a happy moment indeed. :) And that got me thinking of Dragonquest, another out-of-print game that deserved a better fate. If the resuscitation of WFRP is sucessful, maybe that will set a precedent for bringing back other popular oldies. Who knows? At least it's fun to dream.....:) -- Anthony Ragan (IrishSpy@aol.com) -------------------_The_ _B_E_A_S_T_I_A_R_Y_--------------------- ================================================================= Gnomes & Centaurs -- Two New PC Races -- Russell H. Whyte (russell.whyte@sheridanc.on.ca) [EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, I know that gnomes and centaurs already exist in the DQ rules. What Russell Whyte has given us here is a set of guidelines to allow gnomes as a race of PCs. Presumably, the other information from the Monsters section of the rules still pertains to these character races.] I have not included chance percentages simply because I allow players to be whatever races they wish. Besides, one group of players I had a while back always managed to make their desired race rolls anyways (Not while I was there, of course! :-)). ----------------------------------------------------------------- Gnomes Lifespan: 500 years Stat Modifier PS -3 MA +2 FT +2 MD +1 WP +2 EN +1 TMR -1 Exp. Mult. 1.1 Special Abilities 1. Can be healers at 75% of listed experience costs. 2. Vision is equal to dwarves. 3. Any skill involving stones is at 50%. This includes mining, gem- cutting, stonework/mason, and any others you may have. Any item created will be high in quality, compared to most other races. These guys are to stonework what dwarves are to metalwork! 4. +25 reaction rolls with underground races (dwarves, hobbits, etc) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Centaurs Lifespan: 75 years Stat Modifier PS +3 MA -1 MD -2 AG -1 WP +2 EN +2 Exp. Mult. 1.3 Special Abilities 1. Can gain Rank with the following for 50% listed experience cost: Bow/ Ranger (woods or plains)/ Healer/ Astrologer/ Hunter 2. Hide absorbs 3DP per strike. 3. TMR is 12. 4. Thief/Spy is at 150% of listed Experience Pont cost. (Gonna try climbing walls with hooves?) [I would suggest as an alternative that Thief/Spy could be learned at normal experience cost, but that the climb ability simply is not available for centaurs. -- ED] ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DRAGONQUEST ARCHIVE SITE DISCOVERED -- Philip Proefrock (psproefr@miamiu.muohio.edu) ================================================================= In a recent posting in the rec.games.frp.misc newsgroup, I came across a posting that listed the locations of a number of gaming-related FTP sites. As I was scanning through this list, I came across a DragonQuest site that wasn't the one Drake Stanton set up at Netcom for the Newsletter. I tried out the address, and discovered that yes, there is another site with DragonQuest material, some of which I hadn't seen before. To spare you any further suspense, this site is at: ftp://cerebus.acusd.edu/pub/Role-Playing/Fantasy/DragonQuest Among its files, there is a copy of a posting from the newsgroup rec.games.frp.misc which mentions the DragonQuest Newsletter, but as far as I can tell, no one involved with the site has ever tried to contact us. We are trying to get in touch with them, and hopefully we'll have them joining us soon. This is the 00readme file: .. These extra files (Craftsman, Martial Artist, and the McLaren Home .. Rules) will eventually be added to the DragonQuest Home Companion. .. Until then, I'm making them available here. .. .. Just because it's been over a year since I wrote the previous .. paragraph, I haven't forgotten. I'm doing about one word a day :*) .. .. Jerry The cerebus.acusd.edu/pub/Role-Playing/Fantasy/DragonQuest directory contains the following files: 00readme Craftsman DQ Newsletter Dragonquest Home Companion.rtf Dragonquest Home Companion.word Home_Companion.txt Martial Artist McLaren Home Rules Some of the articles at this site (or excerpts from these articles) will probably be included in future Newsletters. Some of these articles are copies of things that have already appeared in the Newsletter (such as the Craftsman and the Marial Artist skill). But, for those of you who can't wait, you have the site address to go and download your own copies of the rest of the materials they have there. -- Philip Proefrock (psproefr@miamiu.muohio.edu) ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCING THE DRAGONQUEST WWW HOME PAGE -- Daniel Allbutt (dallbutt@st.nepean.uws.edu.au) ======================================================================== ANNOUNCING: The (Un)Official DragonQuest WWW Home Page LOCATION: http://kay.st.nepean.uws.edu.au/~dallbutt/dq.html MAINTAINER: Daniel Allbutt (dallbutt@st.nepean.uws.edu.au) DESCRIPTION: At the moment, the page has the following: * Past DQ newsletters online. * DQ Home Companion * A link to the Canonical DQ Index * Links to DQ-related FTP Sites The way I see it at the moment is most of the above are once-only items. That is, you look at them once on the WWW page, get a copy of them, then look at them at home from then on. So in order to make this Web Page more "useful", I would like to ask you all for suggestions. Here are some of my ideas for the future of the Web page: * A Bulletin Page where various announcements can be made ASAP instead of waiting for the next newsletter. It could also contain requests for certain modules or skills, etc. that people have heard of. * A review page containing reviews on adventures that are at Drake's FTP site and also future adventures from the adventure magazine organized by Andrew "It'll be done one day" Carter :) (refer to v1n2 newsletter). If you have any suggestions or problems connecting to the Web Page, send me some email at the above address. -- Daniel Allbutt (dallbutt@st.nepean.uws.edu.au) ---------------------_D_Q_ _A_R_C_H_I_V_E_----------------------- ================================================================= [Archive ftp site is at: ftp.netcom.com in the pub/dr/drache directory. [ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/dr/drache] Archivist and ftp Guru: Drake Stanton (drache@netcom.com)] The Races of Oaerth -- by Charles Summerhill ARCHIVE NAME: oaerth.pcs Some of this material has already apeared in the Newsletter over the past few issues. This file is for those of you who are interested in having all of this material gathered together in one place. >From the introduction: "I have added several new races to my DQ campaign, and changed some of the others in various ways. What follows is those new and changed races (ones not changed are not included). The GM should carefully read the changes to the ShapeChanger, they are most significant -- strangely enough they resulted from my original gaming group and the way that we all read the rules. " Race Multiplier Table: -------------------------- Ahl-at-Rab 1.1 Druas 1.3/(0.85) Elf 1.2 Giant 1.5* Halfling 1.1* Human 1.0* Runir (Dwarf) 1.1 Shapechanger 1.6 Sylvari (True Elf) 1.4 Uruku (Orc) 0.9 * No additional rules are provided for these races in this supplement. The standard rules for these races should be used." ----------------------------------------------------------- The Canonical DragonQuest Index -- by Philip Proefrock ARCHIVE NAME: dqindex This is an index of all (known) published DragonQuest related materials: including adventures published by SPI, Judges' Guild, and TSR; articles in 'ARES,' The Dragon,' 'Different Worlds,' and more. You will probably find that there were more things available for DragonQuest than you knew about. Not all of it is worth digging up for your campaign, but I think it's useful to know what else is (was) out there. I started putting together the list for my own purposes, since I would like to eventually have a complete collection of all of these articles, at least to have for reference. It would be nice to have the articles generally available online, but getting permission to do that is unlikely. Now, at least, I know what magazines and issues I have to find (although this doesn't make tracking them down any easier). The DQ Index file can also be found (along with several other gaming and games magazine indices) at Shannon Appel's rpg-index directory (which inspired the DQ Index) at: ftp://ftp.csua.berkeley.edu:/pub/rpg-index. I am sure that it can (and will) be expanded somewhat more as additional obscure references are rediscovered and accounted for. ----------------------------------------------------------- New Archive Site [ftp://cerebus.acusd.edu/pub/Role-Playing/Fantasy/DragonQuest] See the above article for further details about this new DQ ftp site. ############################################################### ### End of DragonQuest Newsletter v2/n2 -- February 1995 ### ###############################################################