Birthright - Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia

Some may say I am beating a dead horse by saying this but as I have said before the Birthright setting is in my top five of TSR settings and could be as high as two  depending on how the mood strikes me when it comes to rating them. This is not a book  that I have had a chance to use though. IN reviewing it I am not sure I will ever use it  as intended but it is full of material that gets the creative juices flowing. I am sure  some parts of it will be used as written and other parts will at some point serve as  inspiration for items I will build upon and most likely lay claim to them as my own.

Published: 1995
Pages: 128

From the back of the book:

Cerilia: Where gods died and kings now rule with divine powers. Where dark powers contaminate flesh and blood, and evil shows its true visage in the abominations that  stalk the land. Where monarchs both true and corrupt clash over rulership of the Birthright campaign world!

This book, designed for the Dungeon Master, is a guide to the most dangerous creatures  on the face of Cerilia: the awnsheghlien. Sovereign creatures of their own realms, these dark creatures wield their power with iron fists, and many seek to tear more power from  weaker leaders. These 128 pages' worth of monstrous dictators and wandering nightmares will strike fear into the hearts of all blooded rulers from the Sea of Storms to the  Isle of the Serpent!

All the Worlds' Monsters Vol.3, Strength In Numbers

The third volume in the All the Worlds' Monsters line picks up right where the  previous two editions left off. The mixture is hit or miss as is most of the art. This volume adds another 238 monsters to the DMs arsenal. The issues with the combined tables are there as well. This one adds a table  for creatures by location which was absent in the other two but only includes  the entries from this volume.

There was only one printing of this edition where the others had multiple  printings. The introduction to this volume mentions the upcoming fourth volume  and that there would be some delays. To date that delay is either 32 years or just short of it. I still hope it might make it out this year! This issue  includes how to convert the monsters to RuneQuest which had been released  between the previous volume and this one. That might explain the delay in  getting the latest volume released.

As much as I have picked at these I still appreciate them for what they were. In  the early days of the hobby there was not the wealth of information out there  that there is today. There was also no means of sharing as openly and as freely  as there is today via the Internet. Often time we here that it is quality over  quantity but in a case where there may only be one of something then quantity is  king and items like this were few and far between. I may never ever use anything  in them in any game or campaign but having them is a pleasure and reminds me of  how much the things have changed and in some cases not for the better.


Published: 1980
Pages: 112

From the back of the book:

"Now! The long-wanted 3rd volume of the All the Worlds’ Monsters series is  here-112 pages packed with monsters and play-aids. Included are 238 new  monsters, an all-series index, a RuneQuest stats conversion essay by Steve  Perrin, and grouping lists by monster type, level, and appearance. The stats  were created by dungeon masters from across the United States and Canada. Each  monster is rated for hit dice, armor class, movement, whether and how well it  swims and flies, its intelligence range, dexterity, alignment, normal habitat,  the probability of it being present in its lair. by a die roll for number  present, the probability of the presence of treasure and its type, how it  attacks, and a description of general appearance and special characteristics."



Spell:

Strength in Numbers

Level: Fourth
Range: None
Duration: 1 Turn + 2 Rounds/Level
Area of Effect: 3" Radius
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user causes all in the area of effect to be  granted bonuses that they can distribute in any way they desire. The total of  the bonuses granted is based on the number of friendly beings in the area of  effect.

The total of the bonuses granted can not exceed the level of the caster or be  greater than the intelligence of the caster (limit of 18). The bonuses can be  divided anyway the recipient may want with some limitations. A single point must  be applied to each of the possible slots and that no more than four may be  applied to any given slot. The slots for the bonuses are as follows:

To Hit
Damage
Saving Throw
Armor Class
Hit Points
Attributes (one or more)

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.

All the World's' Monsters Vol. 2, Happenstance

This is volume #2 of All the Worlds' Monsters. There is not much different  (except for the monsters of course of which it says it holds 243) that needs to  be said about this that was not said about volume #1. This is the third printing  where the other was either first or second printing and was loose leaf. I prefer  the bound copies and have a later printing of volume #1 that is bound. I had  forgotten what bad shape this was in though and may need to upgrade it.

The major additions to this are a compiled index of all the monsters from both  volumes. This is nice but I wish it carried over to the Monsters By Level  section. That section only includes monsters from this book and I guess since  that would mean having to have both books present for that but still why have a  "master" index and not "master" tables. This also introduces a section grouping  all of the monsters by type but again only from this book. Sources have stated  that some of these entries originally appeared in The Dungeoneer, Arduin books,  and Alarums & Excursions but I have not been able to confirm that.

The book also includes an official entry sheet for submitting monsters for the  next volume of the book. I am not sure if the idea of an OSR version of such a  product has come up or not. I am sure that there are thousands of monsters that  have all been created by budding DMs old and new since these books were printed.  This might be a fun little project to see. I am thinking if no one picks this up  and runs with it...or tells me you idiot it's  already been done...I might take  a stab at it some day. We could call it All the Web's Monsters. I would hope  that if someone beats me to it that this would be done OSR style which I think  could very well stand for Open Source Rules (or Roleplaying) and be a product  that was published for free.

Published: 1980
Pages: 106

From the back of the book (3rd Printing):

"In its third printing, volume II of the ALL THE WORLD'S MONSTERS series  contains 243 creatures from literature, fantasy, and nightmare. Included is a  conversion article by Ken St. Andre for "TUNNELS & TROLLS", and Steve Perrin's  historic "Conventions". Created by 54 DMs from across North America, each  monster is rated for hit dice, armor class, movement, whether or how well it  swims or flies, its intelligence range, dexterity, alignment, normal habitat,  the average times it's found in its lair, the die roll for the number present of  the type, any probable treasure and type, how the being attacks, and a  description of general appearance and special characteristics."



Spell:

Happenstance

Level: Fifth
Range: 12"
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V,S
Casting Time: Special
Saving Throw: None

With the casting of this spell the magic user causes the things to occur just as  they would like them to. This spell is very similar in nature to a Limited Wish  spell but much less powerful.

The magic of this spell will not alter reality in anyway. The spell allows the  caster to describe a sequence of events that cannot involve bringing items that  do not already exist into the events. The events must occur within the area of  effect of the spell. The area of effect will be limited to ten yards per point  of intelligence of the caster.

Provided the description falls within the bounds of what the DM is willing to  allow then it will happen and should happen without any of the twists that are  often the case with wish spells. If the described events do not fall within the  allowance of the DM then the events will come as close to what is deemed  possible by the DM again with no intentional intent to twist the desire of the  caster.

The casting of this spell though not nearly as powerful as a wish will still tax  the body of the caster. The casting of the spell will have a 20% cumulative  chance of aging the caster by one year. If they age or not the caster will be  greatly drained and their constitution will suffer a loss of four points until  they have spent a full nights rest.

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.

All the World's Monsters, Anarchy

The early days of roleplaying were a time where everything was new and so  expectations were perhaps a little lower than what they are today. That may in  and of itself be a more than slight understatement. Many of the products there  were released in the early days of the hobby leave a little bit to be desired.  This is true of today's item maybe more so than most.

All the World's Monsters which was released by Chaosium in 1977 is something  that most of us would not even give the time of day to if it were a new product.  The premise is a solid one as who dies not want more monsters to throw at their  players. It is the delivery and in some cases the product where it would fall  apart in today's market but in 1977 it was most likely the bee's knees.

The idea behind the product was that Chaosium had players and DMs send in  monsters they had created and then they would be compiled into published books.  Later printings suggest that there were over 50,000 submissions. The first volume  has 265 entices in it. These range from monsters that have appeared elsewhere, to  one I would use to ones you just wonder how they were conceived and under what  conditions. The monsters and the product are intended to be generic but would  work with D&D and the statistics offered seem to support that.

A concern for me with the books has always been the presentation method. Entries  may not be broken up as one per column and if not then they are separated with  just *****. This makes it hard to determine where one entry ends and the new one  begins. This is further aggravated by the fact that the font used is the same  for everything and that it is all done in uppercase. I am sure that this is a  result of the era and not in poor layout skills but it is still a distraction.

The art used in the book varies as well from things that were common for  products of companies other than TSR at the time. I have always felt that one of  the strengths of TSR and what may have helped boost D&D to become the dominant  game in the genre was the art they used in their products. The first edition  Monster Manual was so far ahead of most anything else published in its day it is  amazing. Much of the art in this product is similar in feel to that for some  early Judges Guild products. Some is better but more than that is on the lower  end of the scale.

The creatures themselves run the gambit as well as I mentioned earlier. One of  the things that caught my attention is that the submissions come from some names  that are now in the pantheon of early gamers. Names you see in here include of  course Perrin but also Bigglestone, Marsh and Hargrave. Oddly enough even giants  in the industry apparently came up with some ill conceived creatures.

The book is indexed which is nice. It breaks the included creatures down by the  level of the creature. The book then also includes a random table to roll  against for creature placement in a dungeon level up to a tenth level dungeon.  Since not all of the creatures in the book are dungeon based this does not  always work but it is the thought that counts. The book also includes the  "Henderson Monster Creation Table" which allows for random monster creation.  This much like the random tables in the back of the DM guide will allow for some  bizarre beasts.

All the World's Monsters is one of those pieces of early gaming material that  are worth having regardless of how useful it may be in today's gaming  environment. There have been up to three printings of this volume and you can  still find it today as PDF files. I would suggest buying a copy if you can ever  find one and if you want to check one out on the less expensive side the PDF  route is worth taking.

Published: 1977
Pages: 112

From the back of the book:

"This book is an encyclopedia of the strange, the bizarre, and the deadly. It  contains complete statistics for 265 monstrous and dangerous creatures, created  by dungeon masters across the United States and Canada. Each monster is rated  for hit dice, armor class, movement, whether and how well it swims and flies,  its intelligence range, dexterity, alignment, normal habitat, the probability of  it being present in its lair, by a die roll for number present, the probability  of the presence of treasure and its type, how it attacks, and a description of  general appearance and special characteristics."



Spell:

Anarchy

Level: Fifth
Range: 12"
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: 6" Radius Sphere
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 5 Segments
Saving Throw: Negates

When this spell is cast the magic user causes all in the area of effect to become susceptible to a field of chaotic energy that fills the area of effect. Those  who fail their save lose all control as well as become hostile.

Those who fail their saving throw will begin attacking the next closest creature  regardless of who or what it is. They will continue to do this until either that  target is dead or if the target flees as they pursue it another one becomes  closer. This will continue on until there are no available targets.

The effect of the field will persist even outside the field and can be  transferred to those not in the field initially. When attacked a creature has a  chance to become affected. All creatures are entitled to a saving throw and if  made once they will not need to roll again. The saving throw will be adjusted by  the alignment of the caster. Creatures of a Chaotic alignment will save at -4  while those of a Lawful alignment will save at +4.

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.

Monstrous Compendium Annual - Volume Four, Arcane Blessing

There is not much that needs to be said about this book. The  Monstrous Compendium Annuals were a great idea and this one in my  opinion is the best of them. It is not a dramatic change that  makes it the best and I am not taking into account the creatures  contained inside. This version included information about the  setting, periodical or other possibilities where the monster  originated in. This is not a major improvement but enough to set  it apart.

One can never have too many monsters is something I am certain I  have said before. This may not always be true though. I think it  needs to be modified to say that one can never have too many good  monsters to draw from. At some point the line has been reached  where the monsters are just either rehashing existing monsters,  just plain silly or even worse a combination of the two problems  above. This book had not fallen prey to that problem. This along  with its predecessors are worth additions to a DM's arsenal of  nasties.

Published: 1998
Pages: 96

From the Back of the Book:

Welcome to Annual Number Four! Drawn from our best adventures of  the recent past--not to mention the pages of DRAGON, DUNGEON, and  POLYHEDRON Magazines--this volume also returns old classics to  print and introduces some critters never before seen!

Over 100 creatures are presented, from the Prismatic Dragon and  the Clockwork Horrors to the Shades from the Demiplane of Shadow.  Creatures in this book have come from the FORGOTTEN REALMS,  BIRTHRIGHT, DRAGONLANCE, RAVENLOFT, DARK SUN, RED STEEL, and  GREYHAWK settings (and a few have just sprung from the fertile  minds of their creators).

This collection, which is fully indexed, features new monsters  from the Far Realm, and includes many creatures suitable for  nautical and undersea adventures.


Spell:

Arcane Blessing

Level: Fourth
Range: 9"
Duration: 24 Hours
Area of Effect: 1 Creature/Level
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 6 Segments
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user bestows upon the selected  targets a blessing. The blessing will remain in effect for a  period of 24 hours.

When this spell is cast the magic user must select an additional  spell of up to third level. The other spell is then sacrificed  and the combined magical energies of the two spells are consumed  to provide the selected targets with a magical bonus to almost  all rolls except for damage calculations. The level of the spell  sacrificed will be the amount of the modifier.

The bonus will apply to the targets To Hit rolls as well as to  any saving throws they are required to make. It will also be used  as a modifier as needed to any ability checks or skill checks.  The modification will be a plus or minus as appropriate. The DM  can also apply the blessing to any other rolls that they think it  should be applied to.

There can only be one Arcane Blessing in place at any given time.  Higher level blessings will replace older ones of a lower level  but not the opposite of that. Attempts to place a lower level can  be made but the spell will fizzle and the sacrificed spell is  lost.

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.

AC9 Creature Catalogue, Sacrifice Magic

This is a book that I don't feel gets enough discussion and love.  This was produced in the UK like the Fiend Folio and may catch  some unwarranted feelings from that book. That being said I liked  the Fiend Folio so my appreciation of this book is not tainted in  that way.

This book describes over 200 creatures that may have previously  only been available through modules. In addition is serves as an  index for all of the monsters that had previously been released  through other materials at that time. I just wish it had gone  further and included entries for them as well.

The book takes a different approach in organization. It takes the entries and beaks them down into six categories first. These are  Animals, Conjurations, Humanoids, Lowlife, Monsters and Undead.  The individual entries are then alphabetized in each section.

The entries themselves are each illustrated which is nice. The illustrations run the gambit from so-so to very good. There is a  definite White Dwarf feel to the illustrations though and many of  the entries as well. This again is not a bad thing in my world  but if you didn't like the Fiend Folio you may not like this.


Published 1986
Pages 96

From the back cover:

"Are you ready to face the horror of the Hivebrood, the gruesome  Geonid or the dread Dusanu? These and many other baleful beasts  lurk within the pages of this manual, waiting to challenge even  the mightiest adventurers!

The Creature Catalogue is the first major expansion to the range  of D&D game monsters. Within its covers have been collected all  the curious creatures first presented in the official D&D  adventure modules, plus many more new nasties, designed to  challenge and perplex the heartiest heroes. Also included is a  comprehensive index of all D&D monsters found in the Basic,  Expert, Companion and Master rule sets.

Whether your players' characters are 1st, 21st, or 31st level,  this tome contains many fantastic creatures with which to test  their mettle. Armed with the Creature Catalogue, you will be able  to find the right fearsome foe to confront even the most  foolhardy fellow."



Spell:

Sacrifice Magic

Level: Zero
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: One Item
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Segment
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell the magic user is able to sacrifice a  single magic item and convert its energies into a spell. The  level of the spell gained will need to be commensurate to the  level of the item sacrificed.

The caster will not be able to use potions or scrolls to power  this spell. It can also not be used or items such as artifacts or  relics as a means of destroying them. If the caster tries to use  the spell of such powerful items it is suggested that the DM have  the power of the item defend itself and have there be  ramifications from the attempt. This can not be used on cursed  items.

This ability can be used to allow the caster to have more spells  than they would normally be allowed to cast in a day or at a  specific level. The item must be in the casters possession for  them to use it for this spell. If the caster is not the owner of  the item then they must be in possession of it for a full round  before it can be used.

The DM will need to determine if the item destroyed is  satisfactory to power the spell it is being used for. They player will need to declare this before the spell is cast so as to not  waste a magic item. They will have a feeling about this as they  cast the spell and may need to alter the intended result.

The material component of this spell will be the item that is  being sacrificed.

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.

Monsters of Faerun, Ricochet

Monsters of Faerun is a book that I have never used. It is not possible to have too many books filled with monsters though. The conversion process to something I would use might be daunting though. I know that there are people out there that convert older modules into the newer editions. Is there any movement to do the reverse? I know that many of the newer items might not convert well but some of the things like monsters, magic items and spells would have to be easier.

Published: 2001
Pages: 96

From the back cover:

Mighty Heroes Deserve Wicked Foes

Demons and half-demons, dragons and dragonkin, animated corpses and restless spirits, wielders of magic and eaters of spells: These are the creatures of Faerûn, the monsters of the FORGOTTEN REALMS(R) campaign setting.

Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn contains scores of new monsters for use in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(R) adventures. From the aarakocra to the Tyrantfog zombie, these monsters present a whole new range of challenges.

Although usable in any campaign, these monsters are especially suited for the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting--a world of great magic, terrible villains, and high adventure.


Spell:

Ricochet

Level: Third
Range: 6"
Duration: 1 Round/Level
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 5 Segments
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user will bestow an  invulnerability to missile weapons of all types as well as  selected spells that would qualify as missile weapons. In addition  the attacks can be redirected at others as a result of the spell.

All normal missile attacks will be affected by this spell. This  will not include missile attacks that would be area of effect from  a single projectile though. This will also affect missiles that  are spell based such as the projectiles from a Magic Missile  spell.

When the projectile is deflected the DM will need to select  another target in in the range of the projectile. The range will  be exactly as if the caster were the point of origin. The spell  effect will always deflect the projectile towards another  target. The caster will need to make a to hit roll just as if  they were making the attack. The DM will need to adjust the  attack roll according to the combat situations as they exist.

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.

Paranormal Animals of North America - FASA, Dream Warrior

Paranormal Animals of North America is one of my favorite supplements for Shadowrun after the Native American nations. There is just something abut a book full of exotic creatures. This is tru for any game going back to the first time I opened the AD&D Monster Manual. It may even go back to a love of dinosaurs and reading books on them as a child.

Paranormal Animals was released in 1990 and comes in at 176 pages. The book features a varied collection of creatures as they exist in the Shadowrun world. The contents may be a little hard to use as most of the adventures in Shadowrun tend to focus on urban locations. The GM will have to make a point of finding ways to incorporate many of the creatures in the book.

The book covers over eighty new creatures and provides the GM with information on where they will be found and their behavior. The art for the creatures is very well done as is the cover art. The book features a size comparison chart which is something that is nice as it is often hard to get an idea of the scale of a beast even with defined sizes.

FASA ended up release a second book in the series which I will most likely write about at some point in the future. Even if you don't play Shadowrun the creatures in this book could easily be adapted into a Gamma World or Mutant Future setting. The creatures could even be used for game setting such as Traveller or other similar space based game. This is a book that I think would fit well on any gamers shelf.


Spell:

Dream Warrior

Level: Fourth
Range: 6"
Duration: 1 Round/Level
Ares Effect: One Creature
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 2 Segments
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user causes the victim to phase into a dreamlike location. The appearance of the world they enter will be identical to the current location. In this state the victim will be attacked by an mirror image of themselves.

The creature attacking them will be exactly as if they had cast an image on a Mirror of Opposition. The attacker will have exactly the same equipment and abilities as the victim had when the spell was cast.

In reality there is not a real creature attacking them. The conflict is all within the mind of the victim. For those in the real world the victim is still visible there will be no indication of what is happening. While under the spell they will stand motionless as they battle their mirror image. Any direct attack on the victim will break the spell and while in this state they are immune to physical attacks or spells.

The spell will continue until it expires or the combat is resolved. If the victim wins then they will return with the hit points they had after the resolution or when the spell expired. If they were to lose they will return with 10% of their total hit points remaining. If they were to have cast any spells these will be gone as well though any physical items used will remain.

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.

Book of Unremitting Horror, Cassandra's Veil of Friendship

The Book of Unremitting Horror comes in two versions at this time. The one I am talking about is the the D20/3.x version. The other is for GUMSHOE system which in used by Fear Itself and Esoterrorists both published by Pelgrane Press who published this book. This version predates either of those and was released in 2005.

The books comes in at 160 pages pages and contains twenty three types of horrors though because some have multiple entries the total count will be thirty distinct horrors. Want to try and stay away from calling them monsters because they are so much more than that. They have stats and can be killed but they go beyond your vampires, werewolves and demons. These are the creatures in horror movies that make your skin crawl.

Each horror is given its own write up and this is done in more of an investigative manner than a simple entry was what you would get in a monster manual. They usually start with reports of one type or another from witnesses. These will include diary entries, transcripts, newspaper articles etc. The horrors will also have a section dedicated to the thorough descriptions of their behavior  and details of the clues they leave behind that will help investigators including descriptions of that the autopsies might reveal. The write ups also describe the origins of the horrors and their motivations. These write up all feature what could be multiple plot hooks to be used by the GM.

I feel the need to insert a warning at this point. The artwork in the book in many cases is jarring and not something that you may be well received being seen reading in public. The write ups of the horrors and what they do as well as the fiction used to elaborate on this is dark and may offend some. Please be warned this is not for the squeamish or those offended by truly dark horror.  

After the write ups of the horrors the book contains descriptions of  "artifacts" that will be connected with some of the horrors. There are a total of fifteen of these and they are not artifacts as they are normally described in other D20 or 3.x books. These do not radiate magic but many have effects connected with them and these are often undesired. I always think of someone deciding the read the Necronomicon straight through as it was described in the AD&D Deities and Demigods and immediately going insane.

Next the books has several pages dedicated to running a horror campaign and how to best incorporate the denizens of the book. The discussion covers character types, the use of weaponry and also how magic might be handled. It builds of information in the introduction pointing out that the horrors are not intended to be encounters but the big bad at the end of the story. Finally there is an adventure that will get the GM started using the material in book.

I loved this book and can not recommend it highly enough to the right persons. If you can stomach not only the gruesome and the occult this is something for you to check out. If not then maybe you would be best to avoid it. The horrors described in the book may leave a mark and that is not always a good thing for some people. I wanted to pint out that there is an excellent write up of the GUMSHOE version of the book located over at Stargazer's World.

Spell:

Cassandra's Veil of Friendship

Level: Third
Range: None
Duration: Special
Ares Effect: Caster
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: Negates

The casting of this spell enables the magic user to appear to any one group of individuals that they may encounter as someone friendly to them. This will have the effect of making them favorably disposed to the caster.

The saving throw for this spell will be modified by the casters knowledge of the group that they encounter. The save is made as a group using the individual with the best save option. For a group that the caster has no knowledge of the save will be made at +4. Should the caster have slight knowledge about them (i.e. they are evil brigands) the save will be made at +2. For a group that the caster has average knowledge of (i.e. they are the guards for the evil wizard at Blacktop Castle) the save will be made with no pluses or minuses. If the caster should have better than average knowledge about the group including others they might know then the save will be at -2. Should the caster have extensive knowledge such as having met a friend of the group, or having interrogated one, the save will be at -4.

This spell will make the magic user appear exactly like a friend or someone friendly to the group. The spell will even make the caster sound as the individual should to be the person they are perceived to be. The spell does not impart any specialized knowledge enabling them to better act the part of the perceived individual though..

The spell will remain in effect until the caster leaves the presence of the group for longer than three rounds. Affected individuals who leave and return will still perceive the caster as a friend provided that part of the group remained. Should the caster act in some way foreign to the expected behavior of the person they are perceived to be or say something totally alien to what would normally be said the victims are entitled to another save this time at +2 regardless of the previous modification.

This spell will only affect a finite group of beings (e.g all the people in a given room regardless of size) and may not be used as a blanket spell such as to affect all the guards in a  town or city. The spell will also only affect those that were in the specified area at the time of casting. Should new individuals arrive after the casting they will not be affected and see the caster as they normally would.

The material of component of this spell is a silken veil that has been laced with blood from an illusionist. The veil is worn while the spell is in effect but is not apparent to those affected.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up 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.