================================================================ || || || DRAGONQUEST Newsletter June 1996 || || || || Volume 3 / Number 6 || ================================================================ 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@uh2297p01.daytonoh.NCR.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 [v3/n6] ================================================================= Administrivia - Dave Nadler Editorial - Philip Proefrock Letters -- Dave Nadler/Geoff Eldridge Column: The BEASTIARY -- Firbolg Magic Items, Part 2 -- Dean Martelle Column: CHARACTER CORNER -- Itaranashea- Ea Magic Item -- Michael W. Pusateri Column: DQ ARCHIVE -- New Races Advertisements ----------------------------------------------------------------- ADMINISTRIVIA: Dave Nadler ================================================================= Once again, my company is changing its name. We are reverting to our "true name" again, NCR Corp. Consequently, e-mail addresses must be changed. I know that people have had a _lot_ of trouble reaching me in the past, what with bounced messages and all. So I'd like to ask your help in helping me find the best address format to use. If you would, please send a test message to me at three different versions of my address: David.Nadler@DaytonOH.NCR.COM nadled@uh2297p01.daytonoh.NCR.COM nadled@daytonoh.NCR.COM Then, if you would, please let me know if the message to any of the addresses bounced back to you. And as a reminder, if you have problems contacting me about the DQ Netletter, please forward your message to Phil. He'll make sure to pass it along to me. (although, for the sake of his mailbag, no need to copy him on these "test" messages) ----------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL: Philip Proefrock ================================================================= Firstly, I need to appologize to all for the slightly ragged quality of the last couple of issues. Trying to get the Newsletter shifted to the beginning of the month should ultimately be a good thing, but there have been some glitches in the last couple of issues, and I think they were due, in part, to trying to get these Newsletters out too fast. This month, due to a lot of outside factors, I was not able to get the Newsletter out when I planned, but I will continue to try throughout the summer to get to the point where a new issue comes out at the beginning of the month. Secondly, I would also like to announce two forthcoming Special Issues: August -- Water (Water Travel, Water Mages, etc.) & October -- Demons. Your submissions on these two topics in particular (as well as any other submissions) are encouraged. We have a bit of material on these topics, but more is always a good thing. I would also like to encourage more feedback letters about the content of the Newsletter. The mailbag is getting thin, and I would like this Newsletter to be a forum for discussion of DragonQuest, as well as a place for sharing articles and ideas about it. ------------------------_L_E_T_T_E_R_S_-------------------------- ================================================================= [An exchange between our Duke of Distribution and a new subscriber...] I've just seen issues V1N1 through to V2N10 and think its great that the DQ community worldwide is lifting its head and saying "Here I am!! ". After 15 years of playing with a regular group of 6-8 plus about 30 casuals over that time it's good to know that there are more people out there who didn't let such a fine FRPG vanish despite the demise of SPI. I haven't checked out the ftp site yet but on what I've seen of the newsletter I'm looking forward to it. -- Geoff Eldridge === === === === === === === === === I think you'll find that many of the other subscribers share your same "positive vibes" about the netletter. We're always interested in hearing new thoughts, and in getting new contributions to the netletter. I'd like to ask a question of you to further this goal: What is it, in your opinion, that gives DQ its longevity and allows it to maintain its popularity even after the demise of SPI? -- Dave Nadler (nadled@uh2297p01.daytonoh.NCR.COM) === === === === === === === === === One of DQs strengths is the openness of the system - any character is capable of developing in whichever way you desire (not restrained by character classes etc), the rules show clearly the principles involved in developing new skills, magic and beasties so that creative expansion of the rules to cover new situations is positively encouraged, the encounter tables invite limitless expansion, and elements from other RPGs can easily be translated into the DQ system and incorporated into campaigns. The downfall of SPI probably aided this by removing the proprietal nature of "Official Rules editions" and by now has saved DQ players hundreds of dollars - instead of buying this new supplement or that series of character race books, DQ groups have concentrated on development of their own campaign rules extensions. Most of these, from reading articles in the newsletters etc. and from our own group's experience, are often superior to the published modules of other RPGs in creativity and coherence. This probably means we're not all playing the same game in fact , but it's certainly all Dragonquest - this diversity is a strength of DQ and widens the choices of GMs of what to include and what not to include in their own campaigns. The netletter is a great way of ensuring the growth of DQ and finding contacts in other groups of DQ players around the world. -- Geoff Eldridge (100231.1427@compuserve.com) -------------------_The_ _B_E_A_S_T_I_A_R_Y_--------------------- ================================================================= Firbolg -- Jacqui Smith c/o(keith@ihug.co.nz) [This is another of the Faery creatures of Tir-Nan-Og. See the articles in the February and May 1996 DQN (v3/n2 & n5) for more information and background about these creatures and their world. The complete file with all of the races and creatures of Tir-Nan-Og is now in the Archive (see the Archive section of this issue for more information). -- ED.] Natural Habitat: Rough, Mountains Frequency: Rare Numbers: 1-16 (1) Description: Giant-like humanoids, the Firbolg are usually around ten feet tall. They have pale skin, long blond or red hair, and the males have thick beards. Their skin and flesh are unusually dense, giving them natural armour. Their voices are deep and resonant. Talents, Skills, and Magic: Firbolg have the glamour talent, and instead of the insubstantiality talent they have a "forget" talent. This causes a temporary and partial amnesia in one character, causing them to forget the use of one weapon or spell for D10 pulses. A firbolg may be also a Mind Mage. Movement rates: Running: 400/500 PS: 18-31 MD: 10-25 AG: 6-23 MA: 4-30 EN: 15-25 FT: 18-32 WP: 12-23 PC: 5-23 PB: 5-13 TMR: 8-10 NA: hide absorbs 3DP Weapons: Firbolg disdain armour and shields. Their preferred weapons include giant axes, two-handed swords, and halberds. With a hand free a firbolg will tend to bat away missile weapons, one per pulse, with a 50% base chance. Comments: Firbolg are the ancient enemies of the Daione Sidhe, and are hostile toward most other faerie folk, including elves. Among themselves they are clannish folk, jealous of their territory, and liable to attack intruders, especially if the party contains one of the Daione Sidhe. They have good reason for this hostility since they are one of the principal targets of the wild hunt. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MAGIC ITEMS, PART 2 -- Dean Martelle ================================================================= [This is another of the articles by Dean Martelle originally published in the Riders' Hobby newsletter column Dragonquester's Notebook. Although Dean is not on the 'Net, he has given us permission to republish these. Several tables accompanied this article, and are not republished here due to space constraints. Those tables, along with the text of both of Dean's Magic Items articles, will be accessible in the Archive. -- ED.] Included in Arcane Wisdom is the College of Shaping Magics. This college concerns itself with the making of magic items. In this installment I will use some of the things in Arcane Wisdom without quoting directly from the text in order to give the DragonQuest player some ideas on magic items to be introduced into a campaign. There are limits on what can be made into shaped magic items. This limit is due to the preparation rituals available to Shapers. The things that can be made into magic items include: amulets, weapons, armor, clothing, furniture, talismans and minor artifacts (rings to paperweights as long as it is a MADE thing), staves, wands, and large structures such as houses boats, bridges and castles. The key requirement is making or fashioning by an intelligent being. An uncut gemstone can not be made into a magic item, but any gemcutting or polishing, no matter how crude, makes the stone an artifact and able to be shaped. There are also limits on what can be shaped into an item. Magic spells can only be shaped into an item if they have an experience multiple and a fixed duration (not instantaneous or permanent spells). This excludes direct damage causing spells and healing spells. Magical talents may also be shaped into items even though most of them are either instantaneous or permanent. Non magical abilities that can be shaped into items include skills, weapon skills, languages and characteristics. Animals, elementals, summonables and demons may also be shaped into magic items at great expense. Magic rituals may NOT be shaped into a magic item. Abilities that are unique to a given species can not be shaped into a magic item either (i.e. dragon breath or leprechaun teleport). Shaped magical items work like this: Items with spell abilities work whenever they are activated by using the item or wearing it, and the spell continues working until the item is taken off or deactivated. The rank of a spell shaped in an item for range and effect purposes is equal to the rank of the adept who contributed the spell (this may be the Shaper himself). Items with skills or languages work as long as they are worn or wielded and give the wearer rank in the skill or language equal to the rank shaped into the item. A character may use their own rank in a skill or language INSTEAD of what is in the item in order to gain experience or any other reason. Skills shaped in items are NOT cumulative with ones characters have. Weapon skills that are shaped into items ARE cumulative with any weapon skills the characters have as long as the character has the PS and MD to use the weapon. {For example, if Laberas (PS: 16, MD: 15, Claymore-Rank 5) were to find a magic claymore with 4 ranks of claymore skill shaped into it, he would be effectively Rank 9 with that claymore. If he were to pick up a battle axe with 4 ranks of battle axe skill shaped into it he would be Rank 4 with THAT battle axe. If he were to find a giant glaive with 6 ranks of glaive skill shaped into it he could only use it as an unranked weapon because he does not have the PS or MD to use the weapon.} If an item has characteristics shaped into it those characteristics are added to the character's as long as the item is being used. When someone contributes spell, talent, or skill knowledge to a magic item it is NOT lost to that individual; it is DUPLICATED in the item by the rituals of Shaping Magic. Magic items require a great deal of time and energy to create. Months and years of time are common and the Shaper may have to spend Endurance points to make an item. Shaping is not done lightly. As a consequence, cursed or crocked magic items (as found in D&D or AD&D) are virtually unknown in DragonQuest. The Shaping Mage has 2 ways to protect items from unauthorized use. The first involves giving an item a ward by Magical Aptitude. This means that only someone with the required MA or higher can use the item. The second is by giving the item an individual true name. To use the item the wielder must invoke the item's true name aloud. As with all other true names, no physical or magical means will force the Shaper or the Namer who warded the item to reveal that name. Nor will it show in the aura or magical divination. Shaped magic items can be found in many ways and forms. To help determine what a group finds you can use the following guidelines. For an item with a magical ability roll 1d10. On a roll of 1-6, the rank of the spell is equal to the die roll. If the roll is 7-0 start at rank 6 and do the following: roll a d10, if the number is odd, stop, but if the number is even, add one to the rank and roll again. If you reach rank 20 stop there because no spell can be ranked higher than 20. This gives a range that concentrates on rank 6 which is spell mastery level. Enchanted weapons will have a bonus to hit of % equal to the rank and a damage bonus of +1 per 3 ranks or fraction thereof. Weapons of cold, fire, shadow, and star have special damage bonuses against certain beings (see DQ rules for details). Another common enchantment for weapons is a Runeweapon spell. Such a weapon has no bonus to hit or damage, but such a weapon can't be dropped, disarmed, or broken. They also appear to be small wands until activated. Enchanted armor adds 2 per rank of the spell to the defense of the wearer and stop 1 additional hit for every 4 ranks or fraction. -- Dean Martelle ----------------------------------------------------------------- CHARACTER CORNER: Itaranashea- Ea ================================================================= Name: Itaranashea- Ea (Tara for short) Race: Elf Aspect: Winter Stars Armor: Reinforced Cloth (looks like street clothes) Prot: 3 PS:12 MD:18 AG:27 MA:10 WP:14 EN:15 FT:23 Weapons: Rapier = Rnk 10 Skills: Assassin: Rnk 4 Main Gauche= Rnk 10 Alchemist: Rnk 5 Dagger = Rnk 8 Healer: Rnk 2 Sap= Rnk 3 Thief: Rnk 7 Unarmed = Rnk 8 Spy: Rnk 4 Courtesan: Rnk 6 Troubadour: Rnk 6 Horsemanship:Rnk 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tara rarely leaves the city of Nvym-Dar. If she does, it is only to travel to another city for a while, until the political climate in Nvym- dar is more conducive to her business; or, if a chosen target resides in another city. Tara is an assassin, but she never strikes from behind, or without warning. Those methods are without style or honor, only humans do those kinds of things. She dislikes humans; they breed like rabbits, and have no chance of living long enough to attain wisdom of any sort. Tara sees humans as the cause of most of the ills in the world. She will never kill an elf. She considers dwarves honorable and sensible, but dull. Giants, in her opinion, are worse than humans, and Shape Changers are just humans with an attitude problem. Tara does contract work for a Guild known as The Black Hand. She considers it uproariously funny that humans would pay her huge sums of money to kill another human. The fact that the do, is only proof to back up her opinion of them. Elves never do such things, having long ago given up murder as a means of settling disputes. When the Black Hand selects target that Tara accepts, she without delay, will start insulting the target. Using her troubadour skills she will taunt the victim mercilesley, writing and posting suggestive poetry about the town. Or writing and singing songs about the victim, and his/her family or loved ones. And the stories she concocts, and tells in every tavern, are truly outrageous. Eventually the victim gets so enraged that he challenges Tara to a Duel of Honor. After such a taunting, most persons feel that nothing less than a duel to the Death will do. With her agility of 27, thus her ability to attack and evade in the same pulse, Tara has never lost a duel. The victim is killed, in front of witness, from the front, so there can be no doubts that the victim was killed fairly and justly. When contracts are few and far between, Tara also does a bit of cat burglary to suppliment her income. Her goals in life are to survive her Walkabout*, and to save enough money to buy herself a noble title, and thus be able to target some of the higher ranks of human aristocracy, who consider it beneath them to soil the blades of their weapons with the blood of a peasant (i.e. anyone not noble). * Walkabout is the Elven practice of forcing their children out of the Elvish lands, to wander the world at large for 5,000 years. ( No Elf in their right minds would leave the Elven lands if not forced to). If they survive, they are welcomed back into the lands, having learned that there is no place in the world as peacful, beautiful and tranquil as the Elvish Lands. They have also learned the ways of humans, because like it or not, the elves must deal with himans from time to time. And if the elf does not survive, then that is a sign of weakness, or inability, and that individual would have passed those traits on to their children. Walkabout is a very effictive weeding out practice. -- Steven Patten (Darkcaer@AOL.COM) ----------------------------------------------------------------- MAGIC ITEMS: ================================================================= The Book of History (GM NOTE: This item is too powerful to ever let fall into the hands of players!!! It works best as the object of a quest for a powerful mage.) The book is about 2 feet thick and always appears old and dusty, when opening a user must be thinking about a certain period of history. The book opens to the middle and there is the information. As you begin reading, the history is very general (EG: The great war of Corant was fought in 343 in the area of Venn), but the further along you read (and concentrate) the more in depth the information goes, up to and including individual actors and their thoughts. The book offers no commentary, just reports the facts as they stand. As you can see, this can get out of hand quickly with enterprising young adventurers, especially when they realize that anything that happened only a few seconds ago is history!! -- Michael W. Pusateri (athion@nol.net) ---------------------_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)] Title of Archive ARCHIVE NAME: faeries.Z The complete list of all of the races of Faerie (by Jacqui & Keith Smith), some of which have already appeared in the "Beastiary" over the past few issues, is now available as a single file. There are a number of races and creatures, which provide an extensive base which a GM can use to flesh out a new land (or even another plane) with strange, new beings. It would be difficult to introduce all of these new types into an existing campaign, but even a well established campaign might become home to just a couple of the creatures from this compendium. There is an obvious level of detail behind these creatures which gives a nice consistency to the whole. Hopefully we will see more material about this special campaign setting in the future. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Psionicist race is a new addition to the archive (in the Races subdirectory). It was mentioned in last month's column, but no description was given. Here is the description: Psionicists ARCHIVE NAME: psionic.Z The Psionicists are a strange race. They, like shape changers, are offshoots of human stock, but their transformation gives them psionic abilities. They also tend to develop physical mutations, some of which can be rather extreme. In brief, these characters are generated with some additional tables for the psionic abilities and the mutations. The tables are fun (and more than a little reminiscent of some of the character design tables from "Gamma World"), and there are some very humorous descriptions of the various physical mutations that these characters may have. Reading through the mutations is a little bit like reading a David Letterman version of the DQ Grievous Injury Table. However, I'm not sure how I would introduce these characters into a mainstream DQ campaign. ------------------------ADVERTISEMENTS--------------------------- ================================================================= Game Master needs two players for a play by e-mail DragonQuest campaign. The game uses Second Edition rules and has a move frequency of about one turn a day from me and as many communications between each other as you wish. If interested please contact Dale Begley at dab@informatics.jax.org for more information. ================================================================= The DragonQuest Adventures newsletter is coming soon... ================================================================= I'm a subscriber of the DQ newsletter, and I thought that perhaps some of the subscribers would be interested in several of the JG supplements that I've got for DQ. If you are interested, they are listed on my web-site: http://hawkwind.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ or people can e-mail me directly for information. Quincey Koziol (koziol@ncsa.uiuc.edu) ================================================================= DragonQuest URLs: (If you know of any other DragonQuest related sites, please let us know.) --DragonQuest Home Page http://www.st.nepean.uws.edu.au/~dallbutt/dq/index.html --DragonQuest Newsletter Page http://miamiu.muohio.edu/~psproefr/dqn.html --DragonQuest Archive ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/dr/drache --Shannon Appel's RPG Archives (DQ Index) ftp://ftp.csua.berkeley.edu/pub/rpg-index --Surge's (Unofficial) Mirror Archive http://www.cqs.washington.edu:80/~surge/gaming/dragonquest ########################################################### ### End of DragonQuest Newsletter v3/n6 -- June 1996 ### ###########################################################