Next in the ongoing look at Heroes magazine is issue #4. This issue stepped the game up again from the dip I suggested that occurred in the third issue. This issue is still not up to the same level as the first two issues but it does have good material in it. The material is still all Avalon Hill specific but it can be used as is for those games, converted or used as inspirational material.
Glorantha is a setting that I have always held in high regard and it may be, my conjecture only, the longest running continuous retail setting out there. That is just my supposition though and if anyone knows for sure it would be great to hear about the validity of that statement.
I mention Glorantha because the two best portions of this article are RuneQuest related. The first is a write up on three deities from Glorantha. This is apparently the first time these have appeared as official material but may not be the only place they appear. The other item for RuneQuest is "The Wolfrunners" a scenario written by none other than Sandy Peterson.
The third item that I think is of overall use is the additional material for the dueling rules for use in Lords of Creation. The previous issue had introduced the rules and now we are presented with write ups and statistics on some of the great swordsmen from history and literature for use with those rules. This very much put me in mind of the Boot Hill article in Dragon that gave numbers for the great gunfighters. Even without the numbers or use in the dueling rules some of the information was new to me and was a fun read.
There was another part of the magazine that would be of interest to those that play Freedom In the Galaxy. This is a board game that I own but it was purchased in the shrink-wrap so I can't bring myself to open it. This provides a good overview of the game and some additional material. The other articles in the magazine are still all good but the highlights are the ones above.
Published: 1984
Pages: 48
Contents:
- "The Coming of the Vikings: A Preview of the Next RuneQuest Product" by Greg Stafford
- "More Accessories for Agents: The Newest Devices from Q Division" by Greg Gordon
- "Pirates, Buccaneers & Highwaymen for Lords of Creation Dueling Rules" by Tom Modvay
- "The Design of Octopussy" by Neil Randall
- "Gods of Glorantha: Orlanth, Hykim & Mikyh" (uncredited)
- "The Wolfrunners: A RuneQuest Scenario" by Sandy Petersen
- "Galactic Freedom: It's What the Emperor Wants, Doesn't He?" (Freedom in the Galaxy boardgame) by Charles E. Duke
- "Science Fiction for the Wargamer" AH's Freedom in the Galaxy" by Nicky Palmer
- "A Primer for Combat" (James Bond 007) by Gerry Klug
- "Equal Time for Lycanthropes" by Quentin Long
- "To Challenge the WIzard's Quest" (Wizard's Quest boardgame) by Thomas Boeche
- "Gloranthan Pottery: First Wane" (uncredited)
Spell:
Twas Beauty
Level: Fourth
Range: 9"
Duration: None
Area of Effect: 6" Radius
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 2 Segments
Saving Throw: Halves
When this spell is cast the magic user causes all in the area of effect to suffer damage. The amount of damage suffered will be determined by each victims lack of comeliness.
When the spell is cast DM will need to determine the Charisma score of all in the area of effect. Each affected individual will then suffer damage based on their Charisma subtracted from 18. The damage will be equal to that number plus a d6 for each point of difference as well. The victim is entitled to a saving throw versus the d6 damage and if successful suffers half damage.
Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.
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