Welcome to Skull Tower

Welcome to Skull Tower the Arduin Grimoire Volume 2 is the second book by Dave Hargrave. Published in 1978 following the Arduin Grimoire. Similar to the first book it was a self published zine style book 100+ pages in length.

Content

Looking at the Arduin books provides window into the minds of people who writing OSR material long before OSR was a thing. There is a lot schlock here but there is also some truly inspirational material that has made its way into the games people play and publish today.

There is a lot here that I gloss over and pan. But there are few sections that really deserve a read. Highlights for me were:

• Multiversal Trading Company
• New Monsters
• List of coins used in Arduin
• Magical Fumble Table
• Inns and Road Houses of Arduin
• Capsule History of Arduin
• Elf Human Wars

Dedication

This volume of the Arduin Grimoire has undergone a long and involved evolution, brought about through many thousands of played man-hours by a couple of dozen truly dedicated fantasy role playing gamers and myself. The Arduinian multiverse has been rocked to its very cosmic core by revolutions, wars, assassinations, royal marriages, and the nearly complete and utter entropic destruction of the entirety of it all in one cataclysmic confrontation between evil and everyone/thing else that wanted to survive! …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Wow sounds like some campaign! He goes on to thank people and hint at all of the things that went on during the campaign.

Forward

This volume is a mixed bag of magik and rules interpretation, fine art mystic artifacts, and just a bit of madness…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Sounds about right.

NOTES ON CHARACTER FUNCTIONS, CAPABILITIES, CHARACTERISTICS

This section talks about the function of the six big character attributes. There is big focus on Constitution and how it affects hit points and resurrection.

He also mentions alignment with the advice of “Alignment is WHATEVER THE RULING GOD(S) OF ANY PARTICULAR UNIVERSE/WORLD SYSTEM DEEMS IT TO BE!” Not very helpful.

There is mention of Ego, this is an attribute that was alluded to in the Arduin Grimoire. He says for every point of Ego over 14 that character adds +1 to saves versus fear or other psychic probes or attacks. Not very helpful, and just muddies the waters of play.

TRUE STRENGTH FUNCTION CHART

This is a strength chart with attack and damage bonus. It also includes: Ability with a crowbar, Door opening by Hand, Grapple Chance (as a %), Carry Weight, Break Wall Ability (with description like 1″ of wood), and One Hand Weapon Use.

Thee is a follow up chart with that 18 % score thing that appeared in Greyhawk.

Seems like this is not needed. Why add another table and make it more complicated.

GIANT STRENGTH EQUIVALENCY CHART

Strength for giants of various types. For example We can see that Ogres have a strength of 19 and Titans have a strength of 22.

FEMALE ATTRIBUTES CHART

The obligatory sexism, maybe Dave didn’t get the memo that this didn’t go over well at TSR, or maybe Dave was there first. It’s a % table with Breasts, Waist, and Hips with size in inches. Note: Hips is the same as breasts.

It has a note:

Remember that these rolls CAN have an affect on the charisma of the lady in question. For instance, if the lady’s waist is 34 or so, and the she only has a 36 bust, it’s obvious that she’s fat, thus reducing her looks.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

TRUE CHARISMA AND ITS MEANING IN GAME PLAY

This is table that shows chance for: Lie Bonus, Morale Bonus, Love Factor, Actual Looks, and Notes and Other Comments, for the use of Charisma in game. This is interesting in that it doesn’t provide skills for a task like deception but instead relies on an attribute. It make some sense.

Here is a sample:

Charisma 7 -10% lie bonus, Morale even, -40% love factor, Ugly, but probably acceptable actual looks. Goblin or Troll notes and comments.

MORAL CHART FOR HIERLINGS. ETC.

Reaction table with combat and non-combat situations.

OPTIONAL CHARACTER APPEARANCE CHART

A random table of hair color, eye color, scars, birthmarks, pigmentation, and exotic things. There is also a special chart with more exotic options. The table is a d20 with a 20 rolling on the special table.

This is interesting, and maybe Arduin specific, it provides typical eye colors and colors like silver, gold, bronze, and special. Birthmarks are things like star 5, 6, 8 points, sword, bird, and special. Exotic things are Cyclopic eye, Six fingered hand, Double thumbed, Pointed ears etc. Pigmentation are things like: Light tan, Caucasian, amber, Grey green, Pale blue, etc.

The special table has things like: Purple hair, Crested, Tentacle (hair), vipers, etc. Eyes are things like: Pink, Pupilless, metallic, No eyes, flaming etc. Birthmarks are Wolf’s head, Dragon, Ankh, etc. Pigmentation are things like: metallic, half and half, striped, chameleon like, etc.

These are really interesting and could provide some fun. You could apply these to NPCs. It puts an interesting spin on the world environment when you your Human wizard has Orange hair, Amber eyes, 2″ scar, Crescent birthmark, Milky white pigmentation, and a cyclopic eye!

NEW CHARACTER TYPE STAR POWERED MAGES

This is really great yet flawed outline of a character class: Star Powered Mage. Basically a mage that has a star shaped gem embedded in their forehead that is the source of their magical powers. The description says these gems are “surgically implanted” which hints at the technological magical background in the world of Arduin.

The background description is interesting but the rules are not really there. It would be hard to actually play a start powered mage from what is provided here.

NEW CHARACTER CLASS THE RUNE SINGER

A character class that uses sound and music to “weave” their magic. The description says these are not bards!

It also says there are Rune Singers of clerical nature. Which points to Arduin not having a divine magic.

Again the background description is really great there no real rules here and it would be hard to play a Rune Singer. Unlike Star Powered Mages, the Rune Singer description has an experience point chart and special abilities at various levels. It doesn’t show spells known or even offer what spells a Rune Singer can use.

THE BARD CHARACTER CLASS

This would be better than the Bard from Advanced D&D but again the rules are really non-existent, where the advanced D&D Bard is completely hamstrung by requirements. Good try.

SPECIAL NOTE ON THIEVES AND THIEVERY

These are some notes on thieves. It says thieves should never be placed in a strictly combat situation. Okay but does that mean we need to create thief specific adventures?

There is a “CHART FOR TRAP ACTIVATION” which shows percent chances for Activation, Delayed Activation, Reset. This is an idea, not sure where I’d use this. And in reality I’d probably just let a thief try and reset a trap if they asked and maybe just use their deactivate trap chance? I don’t think the world needs another “chart” for this.

THIEVING AND RELATED ABILITIES CHART

This is table with Climb, Ride, Steal, Lockpick, Deactivate, Con, Pickpocket, Lie. Seems like there is some overlap with other tables provided. Not a bad idea but repeats existing things and isn’t adding much.

SPECIAL CHARACTER TYPE ADDITIONAL ABILITIES

Provides bonuses by race. For example: Kobbits (Arduin race) are +20% Lockpick, +10% Pickpocket, +5% climb.

Not really useful here. Why not put this with the racial descriptions! Of course these don’t really exist in these Arduin books.

Another issue is that each of these puts “etc.” at the end. For example Human shows: “get plus 10% to LIE and a plus 5% to CON, etc. etc.” What is “etc. etc.” here?

NEW CHARACTER CLASS SAINT

It says:

Basically, a saint is a cleric that NEVER uses arms or armor because of his or her complete and total belief in the God(s). In return for that unshaken and unswerving dedication, said God(s) give their pious follower extra powers and benefits. The chart below lays is all out in a simply and easy-to-follow way. I hope you enjoy this new class.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is an interesting idea. It hints that Arduin was heavy into role play, all other indications suggest it was a dangerous place full tough monsters that do loads of damage.

It also suggests, and this shows up in a couple places, that characters might follow more than one god! Which really flies in the face of typical D&D religious expectations.

The class is shown with an AC that increases by level starting at 9. Hit die increases from 1 to 1 +2, to 2, to 2 + 2 ect. So Saints are low AC low HD characters that don’t use weapons!

They start with a 15% “reasoning ability. The notes say “Remember, Saints will never fight, no matter what the provocation, and they will always attempt to “reason” with intelligent types…” This has a some great role play ideas but flies in the face game as played by everyone, Dave Hargrave himself I’m guessing!

it’s funny that the advancement is shown up to 100th level! It would hard to play a saint to second or third level.

MARTIAL ARTISTS AS CHARACTER TYPES

This is an attempt at a Monk or Ninja class. Again it’s a great idea but not playable with what is here. Dave includes a lot of great flavor but concrete rules are lacking.

There are some notes on unarmed combat with the suggestion of using the “Brawl Chart” from Arduin Grimoire volume 1. Which, in my opinion is unusable.

ACQUIRED ABILITIES CHART FOR MARTIAL ARTISTS, ETC.

This a list of abilities that a martial artist might possess but there is no explanation as to how a character might acquire these abilities.

They have names like: Plain Control, Cat Walk, Simple Deflecting, Cat’s Sense, etc. There is a column with the heading # it goes to 15, maybe this is the level the ability is acquire, but it’s stated.

SPECIAL PHYSICAL ADDITIONAL BONUESS (for Thieves and Martial types)

Another collection of random ideas. It says +5% for each attribute over 14. Then lists skills and the attributes. For example Climb is agility. Then it says Hide is Intelligence, Agility, and Dexterity combined and averaged. Sorry unplayable!

NEW CHARACTER TYPE NORMALS

Normals are simply every character type that you might find everywhere in a game, but with no stats or player to handle them…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Not useful. No player, no stats, not needed.

NEW CHARACTER TYPE OUTLAW

This type/class covers heighten and brigands. Not sure how these differ from thieves, fighters, or other murder hobos?

They “As well as earning experience points for fighting, Outlaws earn points for selling what they take. They receive ten points for each 100 G.S. they get for a prisoner and they get one point fro each one hundred G.S. value of goods they “fence.” So it’s a class that gets experience for ransoming prisoners and selling stolen goods.

The abilities include Plus 15% escape and evasion outdoors, +1 with any type of missile weapon. At 4th level they get: Begin normal “thief” abilities, but at double the experience “cost.” Im’ quoting the quotes here. Not sure that that means or if it is even usable. Probably not.

NEW CHARACTER TYPE SLAVERS

“Slavers are a combination of Outlaw and Thief and Warrior.” There is so much overlap here it’s not really viable. Why not just play a Warrior and take someone prisoner?

They never wear plate or highly encumbering armor. Too vague!

They get acquired abilities like: Ability to construct level one or two locks. This ability is at first level so every slaver starts with it, and it asks the question: What is it a level one or two lock? What is a level one lock? Do you need any tools or materials to construct this lock?

This is not playable. But the level advancement table goes to level 100! Where a slaver is able to construct up to +3 chains and cages. Did anyone ever play a Slaver in Arduin? I’d like to hear about it in the comments!

NEW CHARACTER TYPE COURTESAN

“Courtesans are a truly unique and fascinating character type to play.” Is how this starts. This class really needs a string sale because it’s not really useful unless the games are all role play and misogyny.

“They have a curious way of eliciting bizarre and strange actions from other players in the game.” I wonder if this inspired by or directed at players in the Arduin campaign?

“To begin with, they are not ‘combative’ in the usual sense, not are they likely to go on a ‘run’ with the normal group of characters. Yet they can be played during a game by being at roadside inns or in cities or towns that the travelers pass through.” This is an NPC!

It goes on to say that the rest of the character class is in Arduin Grimoire Volume 1. And lists character advancement as:

• 1st Silk Girl Concoct 1st through 3rd level love potions.
• 2nd Silk Woman Concoct 1st level “Eros” perfume.
• 3rd Silk Woman Concoct 4th through 6th level love potions.
• …

Totally dumb, lacking in explanation, and rules. It’s like Dave was just riffing on these ideas in his, they made their way to paper and he thought let’s make a book!

CONDENSED CHARACTER LIMITATION CHART

Just a list of attribute ranges for different races. Something like this appears in Arduin Grimoire Volume 1. There is no notes on how you might use this. Does it meant character need to roll attributes in this range to create a character of this type, can you adjust your attributes, or roll them to fit this range?

What is interesting here is the list of attributes named:

• Intelligence
• Wisdom
• Charisma
• Ego
• Agility
• Strength
• Constitution
• Magik Resistance
• Dexterity

So it looks Arduin Character have the standard 6 attributes and Agility and Ego. Magik resistance is a new one and it’s given as +x even or -x. So it looks like a bonus to saves vs magic.

Note: I’m using the spelling “Magik” because Dave used it. He uses “Magic” sometimes and “Magik” other times. Not sure if there is a difference. it’s almost like “Magik” is an Arduin thing and “Magic” exists in the regular realms of D&D.

CHARACTER TYPE SAVING THROW LIST

A list of saving throws like old school D&D:

• Dragon Breath
• Psychic Attack
• Polymorph
• Disintegrate
• Stoning
• Paralysis
• Poison or Venom
• Spoken Spells
• Rods, Wands
• Staffs
• All not covered

Okay so this is table with many of the standard saves and some new ones. Not sure if going in this direction is a good idea. Though I suppose “All not covered” has our back!

The interesting thing here is that saves are listed by race not class/type. each row lists: Phraints, Saurigs, Deodanths, etc.

CHARACTER RESURRECTION CHART

This is table showing the chance to resurrect characters by race with bonus for level and con and some “other factors.” Notice that Elves only get one try. Dave really had it out for elves!

MISCELLANEOUS RULES, CHARTS, AND OTHER ERRATA

Some random stuff. Not sure that this is errata since it doesn’t seem to have been published anywhere else?

DRAGON DETEMINATION CHART

A random dragon generator. Has a description, years, “attack value”, hotpoint value, experience point, and general temperament.

This is good idea but some of these columns don’t make sense. What is “attack value” it’s shown as a percent? Nice idea, needs a better implementation.

RANDOM REINCARNATION CHART

Just what it says, roll for a random type upon reincarnation. This includes animals, like monkey and small bird, monsters, like Female ogre, Stone giant, Djinn. A roll of 100 is Yourself at a younger age!

Could be useful.

RANDOM UNDEAD CHART (REINCARNATION)

I guess you can be reincarnated as an undead. Not sure how I feel about that. Seems to miss the point of reincarnation and undead both.

DISTANCE FOR REINCARNATION CHART

This is a percent table in miles that, I suppose is how far away you are when reincarnated? Ranges from within 20 miles to 5,000 miles.

This is all very interesting not sure how practical it would be. I suppose you could make reincarnation part of a plot for an adventure?

NON-WEAPON ATTACK MATRIX (CLAWS AND THINGS)

None weapons attack adjustments by arm or class. Not useful, makes no sense.

Why adjust armor class for different weapon types. This is simulationist splitting hairs. Not good for game play.

CRITICAL HIT TABLE FOR NON-WEAPON CAUSED WOUNDS

A critical table for non-weapon crits. This could be useful. It’s like the other crit table. It would be good if you could get these all in one location.

Again these do not factor players. it’s just offering some game color in exchange for PC deaths.

REAL MEDICINE AND FANTASY GAMES

The following section was researched and written by my close friend Doctor William Voorhees. As a specialist in internal medicine, he has a remarkable insight into rationalizing game magik and medical facts.

This is reflected in his True Critical Hit Effects Chart (Supplemental), which may be used in conjunction with the Critical Hit Table on page 60 of AG I. It accurately reflects the devastating effects of certain types of hits, and the attendant difficulty in healing such wounds. It has been officially adopted into the Arduinian multiverse, and I can only hope it will be as useful to all of you. Just substitute thew new chart where applicable.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

So this section appears to written by someone else, and it sounds like their advice was used to create the earlier table?

This is table labeled “CRITICAL HITS/SPINAL”, already I’m getting the feeling over the top realism, never a good thing in “fantasy” RPGs. The table has a d6 roll for location. With entries like:

1. High Neck Instant death. After being raised the victim is quadriplegic for 1-6 months. With regeneration’s 1-6 weeks.

2. Ned neck 50/50 instant death or stunned for 1-6 hours and quadriplegic thereafter. Only a “full raise” or regenerate will heal this hit, and the victim is quadriplegic for 1-6 months. As above.

…

Not sure this is adding anything to the game. Makes playing a Courtesan look sane! Sit back pull the strings, make a few love potions, totally safe.

I’m getting this idea of a party of Saints and Courtesans…

There is another list of “CRITICAL HITS/GENERAL” that lists the healing problems associated with things like severed wrists and punctured lungs.

LARGE WEAPON GUNNERY CHART

This is table of damage for heavy weapons. It doesn’t name the weapons just the shell size. Starting with 20mm up to 105mm, for good measure it also includes some weapons in inches from 5 in to 16 in. So this covers your world II howitzers and battle ship guns.

This reminds me years ago, I was probably 14 and the year was maybe 1979 I went to Dundracon at a hotel in San Carlos Belmont. Wit a friend, we sat down at the counter in the diner attached to the restaurant. A gut from the con was sitting next to us at the counter looking really depressed. He tossed a notebook in front of and goes into a story about how is character, a skunk man which he had played for some time, was killed, when some orcs with german 88 mm howitzers opened fire on the party from a ridge line. The dungeon master was Dave Hargrave! This is not a joke, it really happened.

From the chart here, it looks like 88mm artillery has a maximum blast diameter of 72′, a core armor class penetration of 2+4, and damage from penetration of 16-192 points (or 16d12, Dave really loved those d12s).

Actually this chart is way more complex. It shows MBD (Maximum Blast Diameter), Core ACP (Armor Class Penetration), 1/3 ACP, 2/3 ACP, 3/3 ACP, and DH (I’m guessing this means Direct Hit)ACP. MBD has a range in feet. The other columns show an AC value like 2+4, 2+2, 2+1, 2, 2+7 (for the 88mm round). I’m if you have a lower AC you take the damage? Core seems to be if the round went off at your feet, while DH means you were hit directly with the round.

The Damage table shows the same columns with DH as a dice roll like: 16-192, Core damage: 100, 1/3 damage 88, 2/3 damage 60, 3/3 damage 30. I’m guessing if you’re hit directly you roll some dice everyone in range of the blast takes a fixed amount of damage based on how close they are to where the shell went off, provided the shell penetrates their armor.

The orcs on the ridge just killed my Saint and Courtesan! They didn’t stand a chance.

GENERAL GUNNERY CHART (SMALL CALIBERS)

Another table for small arms. It just lists caliber or size in mm. Like .22 and 9mm. it has columns for ACP, Blank Damage (I’m guessing this is point blank range), To 100 Yards ACP, To 250 yards ACP Damage, to 500 yards ACP Damage, Greater Ranges ACP.

Crazy detailed, totally useless. You can tell Dave probably played some war games and was leveraging his wargaming expertise here. None of this is improving my role playing experience.

EXPERIENCE CHART FOR MONSTER SLAYING

Its chart or calculating the experience point rewards for monster. It gives points for hit dice, and some bonus points added for poisons/venoms, breath weapons/Stoning, Magik, All other extras.

A good idea. It might be useful. I doubt this has been studied and balanced in any way. But maybe it doesn’t need to be? If you used this chart for everything you’d be giving consistent rewards.

GENERAL HIERLINGS COST LIST (MONTHLY ONLY)

A table with he cost for hiring various types of NPCs. The list includes cost, cost per level over 1st, and availability. It includes Alchemist, Astrologer, Armorer, Assassin, Beast Master, Engineer, Sage, and some more.

This could be useful in a game. Players may want to hire some help. This chart could be filled out. Availability might be useful or it might not be useful if your game hinges on player getting a hold of a sage.

MILITARY PAY SCALE

Costs for hiring military personnel. Includes columns for Base Pay, War Bonus, Exotic Beasts Bonus, Special Weapons Bonus. Not a bad idea, why not just fold this into the hirelings table above?

There is extensive footnotes to this table.

MULTIVERSAL TRADING COMPANY: LOAN RATES AND OTHER INFORMATION

I suppose if you are running a long standing campaign with royal houses and kingdoms you need a bank? Would this be useful in any game I’m running? Probably not.

It’s pretty detailed take up the whole page. The best part here is the name: Multiversal Trading Company.

MULTIVERSAL TRADING COMPANY MAGIK WEAPONRY VALUE CHART

This is a chart calculates the value of magical weapons. It includes a values in G.S. in columns for: Weapon Type, Each Language, Each PSI Ability, Each Detect, Fire/Cold, Life Drain, Disruption, Any Fly, Levitate, Polymorph, Each Intelligence Point, Each Plus, All Other Abilities.

Combine this with the Random Weapon generation table to determine the value of any weapon you create.

I’m not a fane of this, it’s a good idea, but I like the DCC idea that every magic weapon is unique.

MAGIK ITEM PRICE LIST MULTIVERSAL TRADING CO.

A list of “magik” items with prices. The list is interesting it shows some of the items from the Arduin books, some items that might been found in TSR D&D, and some things that are only mentioned here.

Here are a few things:

Flying Broom 6,500
Flying Carpet 10,000
Skyhook 2,500
Magik Spade of Digging 2,500
Magik Mattock of Digging 2,500
Magik Lyre of Construction 10,000
…
Ropes of Magik Types 250-500 per foot
…
Cards of Many Magik Things 100,000
…
“Gate” Devices 100,000
Athames 5,000 ???
…
Magik Umbrellas 10,000
etc.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Might be useful. More interesting is just the list of things! I think a good exercise would be write up a magic item for each item on this list.

If anyone knows what “Athames” is post it to the comments!

PRICE LIST FOR SPECIALTY MAGIK ITEMS MULTIVERSAL TRADING CO.

A list of prices for things like rings, amulets, jewelry, wands etc. It value columns for: Each Charge, Each Offensive, Power, Each Defensive Power, Each Detect Ability, Each Command Ability, Flight Ability, Teleport Ability, and All Other Abilities.

Might be useful.

GOLEM VALUE CHART

The cost of golems. You might need this! I probably don’t. It does beg the question were character in Dave’s Arduin campaign buying golems?

This table columns for base cost, speech, magic attack, magic defense, haste, flight, magic specialities, Independent operation, and all other.

Looks like you could buy a Green Slime Golem with Speech and Independent operation for 54,750 G.S. in case you needed to know.

MULTIVERSAL MAGIK SCROLL VALUE CHART

Cost of scrolls. Might be useful.

This table includes some interesting columns like: Per Level, Per use, Permanent, Fire Proof, Acid Proof, Self Protecting, and other.

So your scroll of Permanent gate costs: 11,000 G.S. plus 500 per level (I’m not sure what level this would be?). You need this to create that gate from your wizards tower to your apartment in the city.

Hmmm, a scroll of Annihilate costs 500 G.S. per level plus another 750 G.S. per use. That seems pretty reasonable!

PRICE EXAMPLES FOR THE ARDUINIAN UNIVERSE

The cost of things like a pint of ale. 1lb bag of salt, mailing a letter. This chart has ten items, It needs to be longer. In fact there is another table that like this somewhere where these should be incorporated.

Dave you’re wasting my time with this!

ROPE BREAKAGE CHART

Percent chance a rope breaks for the distance dropped. Not sure I need this. It has weight adjustments for armor class…

MULTIVERSAL TRADING COMPANY PRICE LIST FOR GOODS

Just list of mostly mundane stuff you can buy. This useful. Better than the list from the books in the white box. Combine this with that list above.

This list includes weapons, armor, and shields. Tools, camping gear and miscellaneous equipment. Medicines, Steeds and equipment, Boats etc.

The medicines table is interesting it includes: Golden Centaur Salve, Elf Tea, and Pixie Wine. Golden Centaur Salve appears as a magical treasure in Arduin Grimoire. Elf Tea and Pixie wine are defined but make me curious. Of course Pixie Wine costs 10,000! Elf tea is 1,500!

VALUE CHART FOR COINAGE

This is probably one of my favorite tables. It’s a list of 41 different coin types. Materials include

• Copper
• Silver
• Silveel
• Electrum
• Gold
• Platinum
• Mithril
• Adamantine
• Orichalcum
• Blue Jade
• Green Jade
• Red Jade
• Black Jade
• Ivory
• Brass
• Nickel
• Tin
• Iron
• Osmium
• Hafnium

There are many different shapes. Every coin type has a name, value and some notes.

Here are a few examples:

• …
• Silver Penny 10% gold Sovereign A nights food and lodging.
• …
• Electrum Oval Hand 5 silver pennies. Normal Bards pay for a performance.
• …
• Gold 6-sided Crown 1/2 Gold Sovereign. The price of a woman’s “favors.”
• …
• Gold Octagon Royal Sovereign 5 Gold sovereigns. A month’s wages for a common soldier.
• …
• MIthril 12-sided Pard 12 gold sovereigns. Used by Titans.
• …
• Adamantine round Lunar 5 Planets. Commonly seen in royal treasuries.
• …
• Blue Jade triangle Gat 1/2 crown From the legendary Khra and the east.
• …
• Ivory cube Ti 2 royal sovereign. From the jungles of the Namorand.
• …
• Brass round Bluker 1/2 a Ha’penny. From the lost city of the Khoraz.
• …
• Iron round Rilk 1/2 copper minum. From the dread Marmochand.
• Osmium sphere Twaal 7 gold sovereigns. From far Tasalla.
• Hafnium Cube Bann 4 gold sovereigns. From the Dreaming Isles.

I tried to use some these in a game and it was just silly, and became sort of running joke. That experience aside, the names and descriptions on this list have a lot to inspire.

PRECIOUS AND SEMI_PRECIOUS GEMS, AND OTHER VALUBLES

This is another really great table. Its just a list of gemstones an semi precious stones with prices and notes. The list has a lot to inspire.

There are 135 items on this list. Everything has a cost in carats which is not that great but usable. Might have been better to just put a range of values.

Here are few of the entries:

• White Diamond 375 G.S./carat Most common diamond.
• …
• Rainbow Dismond 1,000 G.S./carat The Rarest of the rare, associated with the dread elder Gods and their fell rites.
• …
• Smoky Topaz 175 G.S./carat The rarest Topaz , still fairly common.
• Moonstone 175 G.S./carat Prized by hobbits.
• Amethyst of all colors 150 G.S./carat Nearly the most common gem in Arduin.
• Star Tears 1,125 G.S./carat One of the rarest stones in existence.
• Sun Drops 975 G.S./carat Holds the warmth of the sun and glows!
• …
• Demon Eyes 995 G.S./carat Alchemists use them in their work.
• …
• Star Rubies 660 G.S./carat Fairly, rare prized by Phraints.
• …
• Dragon Tears 675 G.S./carat Usually associated with dragon hoards.
• Heart Stones 320 G.S./carat Associated with Star Powered Mages.
• …
• Red Pearl 135 G.S. per 1/4″ Prized by nixies and pixies.
• …
• Raw Spider Silk 50 G.S./sq. foot That’s for 1/4″twisted rope form.
• …
• Purple Crystal 45 G.S./pound Prized by Elves for wall facings.
• …
• Pink Coral 12 G.S./pound Common in arctic seas.
• …
• Meteoric Metal 250 G.S./pound Prized by mages and dwarves.
• …
• Dragon Hide (uncured) 100 G.S./sq ft. average used to make magic leather armor.
• Demon Hide (uncured) 500 G.S./sq. ft. average Used by mages and alchemists.
• Hydra’s Teeth (whole) 50 G.S./each Used as amulets and in potions.
• …
• Mummy dust 300 G.S./pound Used in positions and poultices.
• Opium 100 G.S./ounce It’s smoked in magik rites.
• …

This is pretty fun list, it’s got inspiring ideas and can add some fun to your next treasure hoard.

NEW AND UNUSUAL SPELLS

MAGE’S SPELLS

This is list of 24 new magic user spells. They range from 1st to 15th level.

Here are a couple samples:

Name: TRENKOLE’S BASIC WEB SPELL Level: 1st Mana Cost: 1 Range: 30′ Area Affected: 10′ diameter sphere Duration: 1 minute Effects: A gossamer webbing of fiberglass-like filaments entangle all within the target area. the webbing will hold any creature up to 4HD in size, two of 3HD size, four of 2HD size, eight of 1HD size, or up to twelve smaller ones.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This seems like a balanced and useful spell.

The game seems to have moved to a 5′ square standard with each creature quantized to this grid. 10′ diameter sphere at best would get 4 creatures unless they were small and sharing a square. More often creates will probably be more spread out.

Name: MINDAN’S MIND MASK SPELL Level: 3rd Mana Cost: 3 for the first 10 minutes and 1 per minute thereafter Area Affected: The mage’s mind Effects: The mage magically overlays his own mind’s thoughts with a false one. Thus, an evil mage plotting murder cannot be found out by ESP or other mental probes.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is another balanced spell. it might be too high level and cost for the effect. At 3 mana points for 10 minutes and another 1 per minute you seems like you couldn’t keep this going for a couple hours meeting with the king and his vizier.

Still an interesting idea with role play potential. Probably not spell players will take but great for an NPC or as a plot device given to players on a scroll.

Name: TIME LINING Level: 15th Mana Cost: 45 plus 15 per minute in time forward or 45 per minute in time backward. Area Affected: Self only Effects: The mage literally time travels (in place). However, any attempt to change past events causes the fabric of the universe to “squeeze out” and eject the “irritant” that is causing the problem: the mage!

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is 15th level time travel spell. The description is pretty vague and doesn’t really explain what happens if you are “squeezed out” of time? I doubt anyone has ever cast this.

NEW AND UNUSAL SPELLS DRUIDIC MAGIC

There are seven druid spells. Here are some samples:

Name: SALATYRA’S BASIC RITUAL OF THE PASSING OF BRIARS AND OTHER LESSER PLANTS Level: 1st Mana Cost: 1 plus .5 per 10′ passed through over the first 10′ Area Affected: Self only Duration: Until completely passed through Effects: The druid glows a pale green and the briars and lesser plants writhe out of his way, forming immediately behind as he passes.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Seems under powered but usable. Might be good in a situation or two.

Name: BALKWYR’S BASIC RITUAL OF THE CALLING OF THE LESSER WINDS Level: 2nd Mana Cost: 2 initially, and .5 per minute’s use over the first Area Affected: Variable Range: Up to 120′ Duration: See Mana Cost Effects: A wind or breeze is conjured that has sufficient force to blow out candles and move gas at 10′ per turn, for as long as the Druid powers it.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Seems under powered for a 2nd level spell. Blows out candles and move a gas 10′ per turn. Seems like a 1st level spell.

NEW AND UNUSUAL SPELLS CLERICAL SPELLS

There are nine new and unusual cleric spells. These range from 1st to 8th. Here is a sample:

Name: VELADORN’S SPELL OF THE FINDING OF DOORS MOST HIDDEN Level: 2nd Mana Cost: 2 Area Affected: 15′ radius around the cleric Duration: 30 seconds Effects: All secret doors and such are outlined in a pale green light exactly.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Not bad, maybe under powered fro 2nd level. Nothing special here.

Name: TUATHA’S RITUAL OF THE BINDING CHAINS OF LIGHT Level: 3rd Mana Cost: 4.5 plus 2.5 per minute’s existence over the first 10 minutes Area Affected: Any single target Range: 3′ Effects: Glowing chains of golden light form around the undead in question and bind him so securely he cannot move, fly, become gaseous or otherwise get away. For each level the cleric is, there is a 10% chance that the chains cannot be broken or gotten out of by the undead. This is lessened by 3% per hit dice in size that the undead is larger than the cleric. As this is a ritual, and is takes 3 minutes to complete, it is usually used in pinning vampires who are asleep to their coffins and the like. It only affects undead. It is the only known ritual that is always effective versus all undead (pursuant to the limitations described above).

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

That’s not very good for a 3rd level spell. The idea and description are good. This spell is hamstrung by the limitations. It would take 3 minutes to get this started any combat would long be over.

I get it, Dave thought it would be cool to have a spell some clerics could cast over the coffin where a vampire was sleeping. But that is a single situation and the world is full of possibilities.

There there is the chance to break the bonds, which isn’t explains very well here. It says there is a 10% chance per caster level that the bonds cannot be broken. How do you break them? Just roll %, do you get a strength or other bonus? A 5th level caster would give a 50% chance the bonds could not be broken. That’s not that great! Sounds like this would be further reduced by 3% per difference in HD between the cleric and the undead. So the 8 HD vampire has 59% chance of breaking these bonds!

This is a terrible spell, not just by the numbers. It gives players a good chance of failing.

CLERICAL SPELLS/HEALING/REGENERATIONS AND SUCH LIKE

These are some notes on healing. It’s a list of 9 bullet points. Things like:

“1. All SPELLS that HEAL take one minute per each point of damage to fully heal.”

“2. Devices and other OUTSIDE AGENCIES that cause regeneration heal at a rate of 3 points per minute (troll-like); 6 points per minute (vampire-like); or 1 point per minute for all others not specifically stated otherwise.”

…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

These are sort of arbitrary and add more confusion than clarification. I see goal here of limiting characters healing and making damage meaningful. Which is something lost to the game in 5e. But I’m not sure these rules are making the game more fun to play.

CLERICAL REACTION CHART FOR HEALING/RAISING DEAD

A similar chart with some added arbitrary rules for raising the dead. Things like:

CLERICS LEVEL +1 chance for each three levels of the cleric.

SAME FAITH +3 for the same, +2 for the same pantheon, +1 for something similar in type.

…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Some rules that make things more confusing. What is this roll that these bones apply to? Is it a d20 or a percent rule? What is “something similar in type”?

There are also some notes here on healing and clerics with stuff like:

An evil or amoral cleric will require 50% more money paid for the “plusses”

Add +6 if the wounded person is willing to CONVERT to the healing cleric’s religion. However, if the healed person reneges, all further heals will be at -10 chance.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

What does that even mean? Is there a die roll involved? Does my evil character have to ask for money to heal someone? Obviously Dave’s opinions running amok here.

CHANCE ROLL CHART FOR CLERICAL HEALS/RAISE DEADS

This explains some of that earlier stuff. This is a d20 table listing the chances for healing and raising dead. Rather than a chance of success it looks more like a chance a cleric will provide the service. In the case of NPCs this starts to make sense. That isn’t really state here, maybe it was assumed?

1-3 Absolutely refuses, with no chance of chaining his mind.
4-6 Refuses, but may be persuaded with double pay (one re-roll try)
7-9 Will do it if paid (one re-roll try), but reluctantly, this once.
10-12 Will do it if paid (two re-roll tries), maybe once more.
13-15 Will do it if paid, every time.
16-19 Will do it free, of course!
20 Will only do it if person swears to convert!

Simply figure all plusses/minuses, then roll, adding or subtracting as indicated, for the result!

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Easy pie! 20 seems weird. you rolled great and your bonuses were helping and all of sudden you have to convert to some religion to get your healing.

NEW TREASURES

This is list of 28 new magical items. Here are a few samples:

Item: AMULET OF SPELL EATING Value: 20,000 G.S. Looks: A sphere of gold covered with thirteen black onyx mouths. Effects: The amulet literally “eats” any magik spell used within 20′ of itself. The amount of spells it can eat varies, but usually is 13 levels per day. Note: It will attempt to “eat,” full or not, and if it “eats too much” it will explode, firing all of the spells previously eaten that day simultaneously.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Not bad, good flavor, but more of a cursed item. Seems like it’s eating spells even from you or other party members within 20′. You also need to keep track of all spells eaten in a day.

Item: BOOTS OF TIME Value: Depends on wearer Looks: Silver-scaled and hob-nailed knee-length boots Effects: Act as elven boots unless hit by a timestop or similar field. At that time they activate and the wearer moves forward in time one minute for every step taken. Once activated, these boots cannot be removed nor turned off and the hapless wearer will move off into future times and probabilities.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Again, seems like a cursed item. The chance of encountering a “timestop or similar field” seems pretty low so you just have some elven boots.

Dave tends to assume a lot. What is similar to timestop? Were people throwing these types of spells around Arduin often? No wonder the world was destroyed!

There are a few more time related items like: CLOAK OF NEVER, CLOAK OF TIME, RING OF BEFORE, RING OF MAYBE, and WAND OF TIME. Seems to be have been riffing on the ideas here. There are so many time time related items I can’t believe that all of these got into player hands it would wreak havoc on the game!

Item: DANCING WAND Value: As per normal wands, plus 5,000 G.S. Charges: As per normal Looks: As each type dictates Range: As each type dictates Effects: As per each type, plus the wand “dances” 1 melee turn per two user levels. (“Dancing” means the item hangs in the air, firing by itself, while the owner does other things!)

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Like a dancing sword but a wand. Not a bad idea.

Item: FIGURINE OF FABULOUS POWER Value: 50,000 G.S. Looks: A carven emerald dragonfly 9″ long, with rainbow crystal wings and star ruby eyes. Effects: When the command “Up and out!” is given, the figure transmogrifies into a 15′ long, 7+1 dice, dexterity 20, AC 3+6 dragonfly capable of lifting 480 lbs. It attacks with one bite of 1-12 each turn, flies at 50″ per turn and can dive at double that (but for each melee turn dived there is a 15% chance it will fail to “pull out” and crash). It may be used but once per day, and if slain it is gone forever. To re-compact it, the command “Pocket size!” is given.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

That’s pretty good. Like the figurines of wondrous power but this one is fabulous!

Item: GUANTLETS OF FIRE AND ICE Value: 37,500 G.S. Looks: Gauntlets of pale blue white translucent crystal (looks like ice) with tiny flickering scarlet flames sparkling inside the crystal. Effects: Any weapon or shield held by these gauntlets can become either flaming, for 1-8 points extra damage, or cold, for 1-6 points (but not simultaneously). Also, any flaming or cold object may be safely handled (they’re 100% fire and cold proof). Note: Remember, however, that non-magik weapons thus used may become soft with heat or brittle with cold (in sustained use).

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

That’s another good one. Like a flaming sword, or sword of cold but, applies to any weapon. The power is not over powered it’s an extra d8 or d6 damage. There is a minor draw back, albeit with no concrete rules. Maybe “normal weapon shatters or melts on a natural 1”?

NEW MONSTERS

About 30 new monsters from the world of Arduin. These are sort of hit and miss for me. The monsters i like I really like, and then there are few that I would never, and a few that are just dumb.

AII-LORAII: HD: 12 AC: 2+4 Speed: 48″ (air only) Dext: 20 Number: Always alone Attacks: 1 “projection” for 2D10 or 1 “envelopment” for 4dD10 Looks: A cloud of silver streaked golden motes of light that sounds like wind chimes and smells like honey and almonds. Notes: It is an alien intelligence, and the damage it does is on the ethereal/astral planes as well as the normal plane. It is a type of energy attack, and the “project” resembles a golden laser beam, with a range of 240′. It is 100% immune to all forms of psychic attack or probe, cold, fire, or paralysis. Energy attacks regenerate it at one for one, but stoning (all types) does 8D6 damage and sonic do double damage to it.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

A laser beam shooting intelligent alien fog. This was not inspired by Tolkien! I could use this in a game. It doesn’t say that it is immune to normal weapons or physical attacks. At 12 hit dice it’s pretty tough but it only does 2d10 or 4d10 a round. This needs a little more background and some motivation to really make this useful.

Here seems to be the first Dave has caught on to showing dice notation as: xDy.

BUBBLE MEN: HD 1+2 AC: 7 Speed: 12″ Dext: 12-18 Number: 1-20 Attack: 1 self destruct burst (see notes). Notes: Transparent humanoid-shaped beings filled with one of three types of gas: pale blue is a flammable explosive that does 8D6 damage in a 45′ diameter area; pale yellow is an intensely poisonous gas doing 8D6 damage in a 45′ diameter area; and pale red is a powerful sleep agent that causes all within 60′ diameter area to fall into a deep sleep for 1-100 minutes. It affects all up to 12HD, and if a save vs. poison is made, the person will still be woozy and groggy for 1d4 melee turns, with a -2 off all attacks or defense.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

I’m neutral about this one. Similar to gas spores but look humanoids.

PYBRA: HD: 1+1 to 9+1 AC: 7 to 4 Speed: 6″ to 12″ Dext: 12 to 15 Number: 1-20 Looks: A large python-like serpent with a scorpion-like tail stinger. They are usually a beautiful bronze color with a silver and gold crosshatching. Their eyes are a pair of real star rubies with 500 G.S. per each HD of the snake. Attacks: 1 bite for 1D3 to 2D6 with a venom equal to their HD in potency, and 1 sting for 1D2 to 1D6 with identical venom. Note, however, that they can elect (25% chance) to “spit” their venom at an opponent’s eyes at +4 to hit, which will cause immediate and permanent blindness if it hits (as well as terrible pain). It can also wrap about its victim on any turn where any of other other attacks connect and the victim fails to escape. Starting the very next turn it can constrict at 1D8 damage per melee turn for each 2HD itself is. Their favorite food is Hobbits and Hobbits.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is a good idea but suffers the typical fails of Arduin where things are not well described. It sort of makes sense but needs work.

VAMPUSA: HD: 7+1 to 12+1 AC: 2 Dext: 16-21 Move: 9″ ground 18″ air Number: 1-8 Looks: See the illustration on page 10 of AG I Attacks: 1 stoning gaze, 2 claws for 1D8 to 1D12 with 1 life drain each and 1 bite for 1D4 to 1D8 with two life drains. Notes: These are nothing more than vampire medusas (usually male). They occasionally have 2-12 Moondogs with them (35% chance), and will almost always have one or two magik items.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

It’s a vampire and it’s a medusa! Nothing more! I could get behind this. It’s a little silly but so are many of my favorite monsters. Not super creative but could be fun. Heck they almost always have one or two magik items!

For good measure here is the Moon dog:

MOONDOG: HD 1+1 to 5+1 AC: 5 Speed: 12″ Dext: 12-17 Number: 6-60 Looks: Up to lion-sized dog-like animals that pale glow with a sickly yellowish-white aura. Their eyes are like emerald-green lamps, and their tongue and teeth are a foul black and steam in the air. Attacks: 1 wailing howl that causes up to 4HD to save vs. fear within 90′, and 1 bite for 1D4 to 1D12 (see notes). Notes: They travel in packs, bounding and howling, driving their prey before them until it drops from exhaustion. Their bite is venomous, causing insanity with a 5% chance of it happening per each intelligence point the victim has! That’s right, the smarter the victim, the higher the chance for insanity! The madness lasts for 1 week per each intelligence point of the victim, with a chance of it being permanent based on, once again, 2% per intelligence point of the victim. These beasts frequently accompany vampires on their nightly “hunts,” herding the victim(s) to the vampire, and eating the body it leaves. A true symbiosis born in evil and horror!

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Not bad needs work. All that stuff about per intelligence point of the victim could be cleaned up, and better implemented. It’s obvious this guy didn’t have an editor!

SLUGGOTHS: HD 3+1 to 8+1 AC: 7 body/4 head Dext: 9-12 Move: 12″ Size: 3′ lone per HD Number 1 to 12 Looks: Pasty white slug- or maggot-like bodies with human heads that are extremely beautiful/handsome, with long flowing hair and voices like song birds they are so melodious. Attacks: 1 vampire-like charm/hypnosis type attack (save vs. psychic attacks) or 1 “spit” of fuming green acid-like venom (it is a thin stream up to 5′ long and 1D6 potency per HD). Finally, if they are close enough they can bite for 1D3 to 1D6 and wi;;immediately drain 1 to 3 life levels per melee round (depending on size), much like a vampire, although they are most definitely not undead-type creatures. Notes: These things are the result of demon and human crossbreeding in the distant past, and as such get to save on the lesser demon saving roll charts. They smell like fish, and can command up to as many HD insects as they themselves have HD (unintelligent types only). They are frequently accompanied by a writhing mass of large bloodsucking leeches or some other similar abomination.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

The vision is good, giant slug with a beatiful human face. The rest is a miss mash of random ideas. Needs work!

KEY TO DUNGEON “SIGN POSTS”

This is a list of colors and symbols that might be used to draw a map of a dungeon, I’m guessing here.

VARIOUS RULES CHANGES

This is a little, it looks like a bunch of “rules” for random topics like: Cloning, Golem Construction, Permanent Spells, Angels (lesser), Archangels, Power of Magik Spells of the Greater levels, Time Stops, Charms and related magik, and Regeneration. My confusion, and your’s I’m guessing, is that there has never really been rules for these things!

CLONING

1. No person may have more than one clone at any given time. If more than one is in existence, they both will gradually go insane and attempt to slay the real person as as each other. This process takes one month per each level of the clone (e.g. a tenth level clone would take ten months to 100% insane. However, the insanity would have been steadily manifesting itself right along). If the clone(s) are magikally “slept” or otherwise incapacitated the process will still happen, but at one half the normal rate.
2. Clones take one month per each year’s growth wanted to complete. Thus a thirty year old man’s clone would take thirty months to grow to fruition; however, in the meantime the man would have aged a further two years. Thus the clone would be two years behind the owner. If the clone is “triggered” by the owner’s death before the full desired growth the clone will activate at the age it is currently at, but because it was not as it was keyed for, a resurrection roll will necessary. And the unfortunate who died too soon is stuck with the body of a much younger person. This is because the clone ages and mature as it grows and it will not reach the full cloned potential until it has grown to the proper ag. Absolutely no experience transfers to the clone to the orginal owner’s body upon transferal.
3. Clones will cost 20,000 G.S. for the initial investment and 1,000 G.S. per month thereafter until completion.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Totally pointless and useless. I can only imagine that Dave allowed players to create clones, and this got out of hand, and needed some “rules changes”.

The other sections are similar but might more sense. I chose to copy the section on cloning because it was so nonsensical.

This section tries to codify rules around all of the wacky things happening in Arduin, where people are not just climbing a wall or jumping over a pit, they are casting time stop, creating golems etc.

NOTES ON MAGIK

A bunch of ransoms notes on how magik works in Arduin. It’s got things like spells increase in level by one die per level over the required level. It’s almost like he didn’t read the rules, or was making up and anticipating rules that would be written in the future.

There is another paragraph that begins: “In Arduin, Elves have the option of being either mages or warriors or both simultaneously.” This is almost what’s in some of the rules but with a Hargave spin.

Another paragraph on WISHES: “In Arduin, Wishes are 25th level and limited Wishes are 12th level. Since Wishes are attuned to the fabric of their parent universe, they are not usable in any other universe.” If he’s using the OD&D rules limit wish was 7th and Wish was 9th. With this rule you’d need a whole spell list and Arduin doesn’t provide that.

NOTES ON CLERICS AND CLERICAL MAGIK

Says a “black” or “anti-cleric” can heal, raise dead, they simply pervert those things. It’s a short bunch of nonsense.

RULES ADDITIONS, CHANGES AND DELETIONS

Okay so the guy publishes a book of random notes and in the next book offers changes and deletions. I really don’t think there was any real play testing. I’m sure there was play but not with a real eye to making something that would stand on its own.

MAGIKAL RULES says:

a. Any magik using type may attempt to use magik of a level higher than his own, but only if his intelligence is than fourteen. Thus, for every three (3) points of intelligence that he has over fourteen, he may attempt to use magik one (1) level over his own. However, the failure rate for such usage is 20% for each level higher than his own that he attempts to use, making the use of magik more than four (4) levels higher that his own impossible.

b. To figure how the dispel magik or router-curse usage works, …

c. All device magik (or technological energy type weapons) do full dice damage automatically. …

d. To determine if a magik user can finish speaking a spell if he is hurt in the turn before he can complete speaking, first determine…

e. Spells that have definite ranges and dimensions must be aimed and specific start or impact/firing points clearly stated when called for by the DM. …

f. Any mage who fails to complete his spoken magik due to interference (see “d” above), THE CHART BELOW WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE. …

g. All spells are memorized on this system: …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is another bunch of nonsense that might be useful if there were rules but there are none. I’ve only inclined the entirety of “a.”

Looking at a. you’d ask how a spell caster would cast a spell of higher level? What conditions are required? In the regular rules a mage just gets the spells assigned by their level. There is no mechanism for this.

The next section is labeled:

MAGIK FUMBLE CHART

This could almost be useful, and might have inspired DCC to some degree. The real question here is how does mage fumble? “d.” above suggests that a spell caster hurt the turn before they can complete a spell has a chance of fumbling. This is some house rules where spells take more time to cast, again it’s not explained.

The spell fumble chart has a few options from Total failure, 10 to 15% of the spell goes off, goes off in a random direction, goes off in the mage’s face, goes off with a delay, or the spell goes off with increased power taking all of the mage’s spell points.

This is an interesting idea if the whole process could be simplified and explained.

COMBAT RULES

This is a bunch of nonsense spoken with authority. It covers placed shots, getting knocked over, surprise while sleeping, weapons breaking in combat, targets of opportunity, and something about placing a target as a critical hit. It sounds better here than it actually is.

WEAPON BREAKAGE CHART

This is a percentage table with columns for magik weapon bonuses and materials for non-magic weapons. There is also an extensive notes section. Total waste of time.

WEAPON CLASSIFICATION TABLES

A list weapons with classifications like: Impact Pole Arms, Pointed Pole Arms, Missile Pole Arms, Two Handed Impact Arms, etc. Total waste of time.

NOTES ON FIGHTING MEN AND THEIR USE OF WEAPONS

Sort of a weapon specialization concept. Sounds like fighters can choose a weapon category as a specialty and gets +1. There is bunch of other complicated exceptions and notes for other classes like clerics.

NOTES ON WARRIORS AND WEAPON CLASSES

Continues the last section with rules for learning new weapon classes.

These last two sections are more complicated than they need to be and not explained very well.

SPECIAL NOTICE

The experience point charts in the Volume I of the Arduin Grimoire show a “Monk” column. This should be changed to read: Martial Artist. …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Nonsense.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

Some rambling about monsters appearing in All the Worlds Monsters, and something about “another problem quite a few fantasy gamers seem to have is an inability to grasp the fact that they must play each individual character as just that, an individual.” Just Dave thinking out loud about how you should play the game.

The DM should NEVER tell the players exactly what kind of monster it is that they are seeing. …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is a good paragraph, it mirrors what appears in the DCC rule book.

WERGILD

A short section on paying the family or relative that suffered injury or death because of your actions.

NOTES ON MAGIK

Some more notes on magik, shouldn’t all of this stuff be in the same place? Something about being competent adding +2. I’m guessing this defines what it means to be competent on the special abilities table in Arduin Grimoire I.

NOTES ON TRAVEL

Some more notes on overland travel.

FOOT TRAVEL CHART

A chart showing how many miles Male, Female, Humans Dwarfs, Elves, Half Elves, Orcs, Hobbits, and others can travel in a day. Not very useful. Male humans travel 18 miles in a day, female humans only 16, all elves 25!

NOTES ON TRAVEL

More notes on travel. Some information about travel by coach.

NOTES ON STEEDS

Notes on travel by steed.

STEED CHART

Steeds get their own chart!

OVERLAND ESCAPE AND EVASION

Chance of escape by level in various environments

SAVING ROLL CHART FOR ALL STONING OF THE GLANCE OR GAZE VARIETY

This chart lets you determine if a character of level has met the gaze of a creature at a distance. It’s an interesting idea but I can’t help but think that there might be an easier way.

COMMENTS ON THE NEXT SECTION

This next section of the book will deal mainly with Arduin and how things are done there…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

COMMENTS ON INNS AND ROAD HOUSES

Some interesting thoughts on the road houses in Arduin.

ARDUIN, ITS SEASONS, DAYS, SPECIAL DAYS, TIME REFERENCE AND OTHER PERTINENT DATA

Some interesting thoughts on the seasons ands holidays in Arduin. These last two sections start to build the Arduin setting.

The day is 25 hours.

There are six days to the week: Monday, Taenwal, Wurdigan, Veldoar, Sarmaht, and Swain.

There are fifteen months for a total of 450 days in a year. The months are: Tor, Tor, Vaen, Torvaen, Kos, Torkos, Skord, Torskord, Zar, Torzar, Ghast, Torghast, Chund, Torchund, “and of course there is Khoros os the Endear month.”

The seasons are four seasons. Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring.

Years rotate in a fifteen-year cycle, and once every 1,000 years there is a sixteenth year in the cycle.

There is a list of years with names in the cycle.

1. Dragonus, or Year of the Dragon. – The year of wars, their start and end.
2. Roccahr, os the Roc – The year of traveling and starting anew
3. Victrix, or the year of the warrior – The year of daring deeds
4. Boruumahr, or Year of the Bison or Ox – The time to stay at home, rebuild, marry
5. Equinus, or the year of the flying horse – The year if new purchases and childbirth
6. Torqus, or the year of the boar – The time to repay old debts and old enemies.
7. Serpihkar, or the year of the serpent – The year of revelry and debauchery.
8. Scintillus, of the year of the sword – The time of fasting and hard decisions.
9. Fenris, the year of the wolf – The year of druidical festivities and rites.
10. Solaris, the year of the sun – The year of Royal weddings and treaties
11. Lunus, the year of the moon – The year of strange and fey happenings.
12. Phantellus, is the year of the Phantelope – A year for travel and impetuous decisions.
13. Skorpos, the year of the Scorpion – A time for holding on to what one has.
14. Graillus, the Grey or Clerical year – A time of fasting, vows and initiations.
15. Sarchinus, the year of the mages – A time of initiations and advancements.
16. Tarsoris, or the year of the star – A time when all things renew, and all must cope with truth.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Great flavor for the setting. Not sure how much of this I would use. But it might good for some back story.

There are some more notes on special days in Arduin, and the weather and seasons.

This is followed by some useless notes on windchill and a wind-chill table.

NOTABLE DAYS OF ARDUIN OF BOTH GOOD AND BAD ASPECTS

This is list of notable days in the Arduin calendar. This better than the years. It lists the Month and day of the month, the name of the day and notes about the date.

Tor 7th Solitare or Solityne – This day each must seek within themselves.
Tor 15th Alll Gamble Day – The festival of the gamblers/gamesmen.
…
Ator 10th Swordhammer – The day of appreciating weapons makers, etc.
Ator 11th Druicus or Oakfire – Day of Druidical import prayer.
…
Vaen 10th Festival of friendship – The day on which everyone makes a new friend.
…
Vaen 23rd Winterflower Festival – The festival to greet the winter flowers.
…
Torvaen 9th Night of Shagrath – Only the Red Moon rises this night.
Torvaen 10th Night of Skirin – Only the Blue Moon rises this night.
Torvaen 11th Night of the Lady – Only the White/Silver Moon rises tonight.
Torvaen 12th Triangularus – The moons form a triangle at midnight.
…
Kos 7th Sneakus – The day of the thief!
…
Torkos 3rd Vallorus – Warriors’ day, military parades and the like.
…
Skord 11th Festival of the New Wine – As it says.
…
Zar 13th Magikus – Day/Fesitval of the Mages and magik.
Torzar 9th Peace Festival or Founding Day – Founding of Arduin day festival.
…
Ghast 4th Festival of the Stars – Night of the Astrologers
…
Torghast 19th Wormius – The night of the Great worm.
…
Chund 8th Fangwait – Night of the Warg King’s coming.
Chung 10th Goblinflame – Night of the Great Goblin’s crowning.
…
Torchund 10th Equimass – When all are equal from dawn to dusk!
…
Tochund 30th Skulltame – Night of monsters and evil magik.
…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

There are a whole bunch of these. It’s fun with some flavor starts to really paint a picture of Arduin and the people. Dave should have created a setting! It would have made more sense than a rules set. I’m guessing he thought everyone would want to make their own setting it was the attitude back then.

This also points out, and I think I remember reading elsewhere, that Arduin had three moons.

GUILDS AND SOCIETIES OF THE ARDUIN CYCLE

This is a list of guilds with columns for General Alignment, Name or Designation, and Basic Guideline/Tenet. There are 30 guilds on this list.

Neutral – Thieve’s Guild – Honor Among Thieves
Neutral – Assassins’s Guild – Impartial Death
…
Neutral – College of Mages – The Pentagram and the Power
Lawfull – College of Sages – Knowledge Above All
…
Lawful – Techno’s League – Science is Truth
Chaotic – Black Lotus Society – The Rule of Allternity
…
Chaotic – Red Shiva Society – Red Death to All
Chaotic – The Society of the Hands of Hell – To Grip the Universe
…
Chaotic – Children of the Dark – Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!
…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This adds some color to Arduin. Would be good if these were fleshed out more. Maybe add some connections to the holidays and the calendar?

PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS SECTS IN ARDUIN AND THE WORLD

I thought of Arduin as the world but this seems to imply that Arduin was a city? Which makes some sense.

This tables includes columns: Name of Sect, Name of Deities, General Alignment. This lists a lot go gods specific to Arduin. It also interesting to think that the Alignment wasn’t a requirement but a “general” guide. There are about 30 entries here.

The Temple of Tiamat – Tiamat, the destroyer – Amoral/Evil
The Temple of Tarong – Tarong, the Timekeeper – Neutral/Evil
…
The Marbonian League – Marbonas, the laughing One – Chaotic/Good
…
The Believers of the Black One – Tanabras, Lord of the Dead – Lawful/Evil
…
The Temple of Iron – A pantheon, Odin, Thor, etc. – Lawful/Good
…
Children of the Sun – Siren, the Sun God – Lawful/Good
…
Followers of the Black Flame – Mordakk, Doom Fire – Chaotic/Evil
…
The Star Guard (Believers of the Star Dragon Mythos) – The Star Dragon – Neutral/Good
…
The Aegyptian Pantheon (classical Egyptian) – Ra, Nut, Horus, Anubis, etc. – Laful/Good
…
The Black Pantheon (the Elder Gods) – Cthulhu, You-Sotthoth, etc. Chaotic/Evil
…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This is interesting, Arduin seems to include pantheons from earth. There are more than a few. There are also the Lovercraftian inventions. There seems to be a lot of original things also. I wonder how much thought was put into each of these?

ARDUINIAN LAW AND PUNISHMENT

This is a table of crimes and punishment. This could be useful. Imagine your players get out of hand in a brawl and get arrested. The problem is that players, unlike in reality, would never let themselves get arrested.

For example the table shows that: Petty theft (less than 101 G.S.) 1st offense is Branding (arm), public whipping. 2nd offense 90 days.

Manslaughter, 1st offense: 1 to 3 years plus wergild, 2nd offense: 3 to 5 years plus 2x wergild.

It lists: Statutory Rape (age of consent varies racially). A little too much realism for my tastes.

Embezzlement: 1st offense: Public whipping, fine 2x loss, 2nd offense: 1 to 10 years, fine, whipping. Nice to know Arduin takes a hard line on white collar crime.

Petty pickpocketing (up to 50 G.S.) 1st offense: Whipping, 1 to 3 months, 2nd offense: Finger amputation, 6 months.

Disrespecting Royalty (verbal) 1st offense: 100 G.S. fine, public whipping, 2nd offense: 1,000 G.S. fine, whipping, a 1 month.

Adultery 1st offense: Head shaved, public whipping. 2nd offense: As before and divorce. ???

Impersonating Royalty, 1st offense: Public whipping, 5 months to 5 years, 2nd offense: As before, but 5 to 20 years.

Ensorcelment 1st offense Depending on circumstance, a fine up to public execution.

Weird maybe too much detail there. Bur might be useful.

RANK AND ROYALTY CHART

This is long chart divided into: True Royalty, Noble but not Royalty, and Military Ranks. There are 10 ranks for each. Each has columns for Title, Monthly Pay, Land Holdings, Special Color, and Sigil or Emblem.

Might be useful. Here are few samples:

True Royalty:
1st Emperor 1,500 Sovereigns, 150,000+ acres, Purple, Rayee Sun.
…
5th Baron 275 Sovereigns, 37,000 acres, Grey-Blue, Hippogryf.
…

Nobles but not true Royalty:
1st Lord 100 Sovereigns, 3,750 Acres, None, Varies.
…
9th Knight Errant 18 Sovereigns, Usually none, Black, Varies.
…

Military Ranks:
1st General 80 Seovereigns 1,500 Acres, Orichalcum, Rose
…

Seems about right. A sovereign is listed as 10 silver pennies or a months wages. So a Knight errant is making 18 x a common wage.

ARDUIN, A CAPSULE HISTORY

A full page history of Arduin. He writes:

The Arduin Campaign has been running about as long as D&D and related role-playing games have existed. Game time has been more than 11 years (of 453 days each). Over 480 player characters have been permanently killed in that time, and many more have had to retire due to wounds or afflictions acquired in campaigning. On the other hand, two characters have become Dukes of the realm and half a dozen are Barons (three landed and collecting taxes, raising troops, etc.). One even managed to woo the youngest daughter of the king and just this “end year” all Arduin celebrated their nuptials. So, even though it is a hard and dangerous world, the rewards are usually more than a bold player can ever expect.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Wow sounds like a lot of gaming! I guess this was back before the internet, it could have been like Facebook with players wanting to play every chance they got!

It continues:

Its history stretches back to the dim dawn of creation and the world’s first rulers, the dread reptilian Kthoi. It encompasses the wars between them and the first true men, the Rune Weavers, their victory and the subsequent downfall half a million years later in the wars of the Titans and the Star Powered Mages against the rest of Allmanity. Though the Titans and the Star Powered Mages were nearly annihilated, the Rune Weavers were also so weakened that when a bare 20,000 years later the Time Lords threatened, it was all they could do to trap them in the Caverns of the Ancients and then fade from the kin of Allmanity, allowing the Free Mages of the Circle to predominate. The next 3000 years were relatively peaceful, but that ended with the influx of the alien starring races and an interstellar war that left the fifth continent (planets largest) and most of civilization a fused and radioactive ruin. The Interregnum of Dark Years followed, lasting some 5,000 years, followed by the re-establishment of civilization. The main area of the civilization centered on the third continent of Khaara (the world was them called Khaas, as the old name for it, Ssas-Khaa, has long been forgotten). Many nations held power during this time as war after war was fought. However, the real problems began when the College of Sages in the country of Falohyr discovered that an area of transtemporal and interdimensional instability had manifested itself in the area roughly contiguous with the small kingdom of Arduin. As word of this discovery spread, more and more nations plotted to control the area, realizing that whoever controlled the are and the newly discovered “Gates” also controlled not only this world but untold thousands of others. Thus the bloody Wars of When (also called the Nexus Wars) began. They lasted 10,000 years, again bleeding the world white of population and magic. During a particularly long pause in the conflict, some of the warrior nations proposed what later became known as the Accord of Arduin, which essentially guaranteed that the Arduin nexus would forever be an independent and totally neutral kingdom with it’s territorial integrity guaranteed by every nation on the continent–to insure that no nation could control it. To insure that the rulers of Arduin would abuse their trust, the mages, clerics, sages, alchemists, technos and al;l of the other important groups set up Colleges or Universities in Arduin which would oversee the exploration of the nexus and gates. Also each nation would send a contingent of men (1-3,000, depending on the population)so that more than half of the Arduinian military would be non-Arduinian in origin. These units would be rotated every seven years. With few exceptions this plan has worked, so that 1,211 years have now passed without any single nation ever risking re-igniting the Nexus Wars.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

He uses this word “Allmanity” again. I had seen this earlier. Here is sort of implies “All Men”.

The entrance of interstellar beings provides the background for the “techno” class.

This provides some very interesting background. From a megagram perspective it provides a reason mechanism for characters to move between worlds and a background in which many worlds exist.

There is also mention of interstellar travelers and technology for entering the world.

There is an interesting suggestion here that player character classes are responsible for the nexus. Dave thinks big!

As most of the population of the original Arduin had been slain in the early wars, each nation had sent equal numbers of settlers; for the first 500 years, it was forbidden to marry anyone of one’s own nationality. This insured a true melding of the people, and although it has been stricken from the law books, tradition still keeps it a habit for most of the people. There is a tradition that one of the Royal ruling pair (King and Queen) Must be non-Arduinian. This was also to insure fresh blood to the royal line that started from scratch, was made up of every nationality, and was “of the world” and not an inbred and arrogant line of rulers. Thus we now see a kingdom of people that reflects the entire world around the. A kingdom where slavery is outlawed (one of the few places on the continent where this is so) and people have more personal freedom than anywhere else. It is the center of the learning in all disciplines and the various colleges and universities accept students (of only the highest caliber) from all corners of the multiverse.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

There you have it Arduin a liberal utopia! I only wonder what they offer in student financial aid?

However, no capsule history would be complete without a retelling of the Elf-Human Wars, also know as the “beginning of the Nexus Wars”. So here it is!

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Dave seems to be on a roll here!

The ELF-HUMAN WARS

This is long, four full pages about the war between humans and elves. I feel like Dave missed an opportunity to leave out the Tolkien races and strike out into truly unique territory. The Capsule History doesn’t mention elves dwarves and hobbits, why bring them up here? You can still have them in the world, having travelled via nexus.

I won’t repeat the whole thing here. I’ll just pull out some notable mentions.

It began dim thousands of years in the dark bloody past; the one true and rightful ruler of Arduin, King Tarafass Dawnstar of the Royal House of the Rising Sun, closed the borders to his kingdom and forbade non-elves entry into his wondrous land. …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

So it sounds like Arduin was originally a land of elves? This wasn’t mentioned in the capsule history, Seems relevant! It mentions that he knew about the finding of the sages. I’m assuming this the nexus.

.. an ultimatum arrived borne by a cloudy dust-covered messenger from the kingdom of Morvaen, their eastern human neighbor. It demanded that the people of Arduin become as one with the people of Morvaen so that together they could rule all of the nexus lands. …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

So the human neighbors wish to share in the nexus wealth and demand the elves join them. Tarafass refuses “take us if you can!”

There are may battles. The humans enter through a mountain pass and travel through the Forest of Flame. The humans fight hard but the elves use some magic and win the first of the battles. But there are seven attacks that next year from the south, the northwest. Joined by orcs, gnolls, hobgoblins, and trolls. Then a horde of ebon warriors with eyes lame, deodanths I’m assuming.

In 13 days they had conquered all but the great keep of the high king “which alone stood to defy evil”. Sort paints humans evil. I can understand the sentiment. He writes: “Ans in all the land a horror started that to this day elves will not speak of but would stand white-lipped and clench-fisted with memory, and with a hate that will outlast time and its relentlessness find its way to the very end of the world, where it will take its final vengeance.” So there is an ancient grudge or resentment between elves and humans. This is not Tolkien.

King Tarafass gathers the “forces of faerie, the power of magic.” and ride out to meet the “black ones” (deodanths) who are met with powerful magic and destroyed.

The elves win but Tarafass is slain and his only daughter declares herself queen of Arduin. It mentions: “Warrior Queen of the last true Elves”. Not sure if there is meant to be a difference between everyday elves and “true elves”.

“Thus Tarathala Dawnstar, queen and leader, decided that if the force of arms alone could not hold Arduin, they should follow the path pointed to by the hand of her dead father, the path of magic and elder lore, the road to gods and demons, the trail of tears and danger”. And so elven kind in Arduin became wizards as well as warriors.

One huddled years pass and the elves find themselves in the great keep Fangalorn on the edge of the Lake of Mists surrounded by a host from seven kingdoms of over 100,000 men in cold iron. Tarathala falls but takes down five kings with her and casts a curse on men, which it states is a “tale for another time.”

The elven tower explodes and the land around it erupts, only 7,00 thousand of the attackers survive. These great battles had beaten the elves but left human kingdoms so weak they could not hold the land they had taken. “And thus for 10,000 years and more as each tried to take what the had held so valiantly. None ever held it more than seven years, and never again would elf or man ever truly trust and befriend one another.”

That’s a lot more interesting that what D&D has to say about elves and men! Dave missed an opportunity by not making this a setting.

Multiverse, now there’s a word full of meaning. In this case, it refers to the 4,000 or so parallel universe discovered in those 1,222 years. Universes that are all variants of one another but reflecting nearly infinite diversity. Dead worlds, jungle worlds, worlds of monsters and worlds of light and reason–all impinging on the nexus. What with this cross-overs and intermixing Arduin is a wild and wool place to live.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

This sounds a lot like Planescape! But this was written in 1978. Planescape came out in 1994. Of course it’s one thing to have creative ideas and other to put them together into print where other people can understand and implement them. Dave seems to have some very creative ideas but never really put them into a form that caught on.

Although Arduin is only 200 x 170 miles, it contains five major walled cities and a myriad of small towns and hamlet, as well as a series of semi fortified inns on the main roads. There are 13 dungeons or caverns, seven of which have so far been discovered with five visited regularly. I have averaged close to three runs a week for several years now. Several players have also opted to accept the responsibility of running a country on my world, with all of the attendant mapping, dungeons, etc. Bill Voorhees’ Tharkala with its nasty Durfang caverns high in the mountains (and reachable only by traversing Breakheart Pass) is one. The Rainbow Isles, Rothan, The Kozangi Dales and Oz, run by Brad Thor, Andy Rodriguez, Charley Parker and Peter Savoy respectively, are others. So we have not only Arduin and the continents but other full nations that are in play in a campaign that nearly defies description. The politics are fantastically overlapping and great fun! It is a true campaign game of world-wide proportions.

Out world is highly structured, with Guild, Societies and the like having great say in the day to day affairs of the specialized types (Thieves, Assassins, Trades, etc.) and we have an entire set of written (and historically researched) laws that keeps utter chaos at arm’s length. This doesn’t mean that players can’t as they please. Quite the contrary seems to be the rule (and the consequences are usually most interesting and exciting). Our players brave overland expeditions for the right to explore each other’s countries (or long sea voyages). Having a half a dozen wildly varying DMs in control their mini-worlds within the rather loose confines of my larger world makes for very interesting variations on my basic rules, keeping us all guessing as to how a particular spell will work from one country to the next. The people who gate into my work onto the Plateau of Forever from their other universes all have the right to run their people, magic etc. according to the rules of their own particular worlds (the exception being how a few of their spells or devices work). However, if they stay more than a few days, they begin to be affected by the laws of my world and slowly become working parts of out laws and rules. This allows them to “feel” out my work and acclimate to it. If they leave before the changeover is complete, they will slowly reverse the process in their own woes until they are as they were before they left.

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

So there were many people “running” in the Arduin setting. I’d like to hear some stories from some these people!

Intersting to note that magic and rules changed from game to game. Quite the opposite of the way the game has been run since 3rd edition where rules have become more codified and everyone tries to run the game RAW (Rules As Written).

Another point about how characters “gate” into Dave’s world on the Plateau of Forever. It’s almost like the mechanic of traveling between worlds was very important here and not hand waved, or assumed that every adventure took place in the same world.

Not sure about that last sentence.

THE INNS AND ROAD HOUSES OF ARDUIN

This is another one of my favorite sections. it’s a list of inns and road houses. It includes columns for Location, name of Establishment, Owner, Rating, Street Location. The names are great and very evocative and inspiring. You could easily just grab one of these and place it anywhere in your games.

…
Talismondé – The Bastard Knight – Tambrud Bort – * – Potter’s Row
…
Talismondé – The Fat Fox – Bartholo Korph – ** – Little Maiden Street
Talismondé – The Scarlet Rooster – Villian Trunth – ** Little Maiden Street
…
Talismondé – The Astral Efreet – Nasti-Jastor – *** Gold Workers’ Street
…
Talismondé – The Merry Manticore – Willing Farondar – **** – High Traders’ Street
…
Khurahaen – The Wondrous Wizard – Valposey Tuffy – * – Crafters’ Lane
…
Khurahaen – The Iron Swan – Delphia Doorn – *** – Baroks Square
…
Khurahaen – The Sapphire Circle – Charlernoix Slyvy – ***** – Garden Road
…
Nytharna – Bad Man Carruthers’ – Bad Man Carruthers – * – Thieves’ Quarter
…
Nytharna – The Drunken Druid – Alfaen Doromon – * – East gate Square
…
Nytharna – The Seventh Seal – Gyron Mortimen – ***** – Old Gaol Square
…
Vorlnyaas – The Fancy Fool – Bongo Three Fingers – *** – Armourers Lane
…
Hobbiton – The Horn of Plenty – Tiptoe Sleepyfeet – *** – Berry Bush Street
…
Leiberton – The Black Bell – Lyber Grey – ** – High House Street
…

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

There is almost 200 inns and road house on this list, it’s long!

There are few notes at the end about costs and the * ratings.

UNDEAD ATTACK CHART

Some useless misplaced notes about undead attacks by type.

SPACE CREATURES AND OTHER ALIENS IN FANTASY ROLE PLAYING GAMES

Some random thoughts on science fiction aliens in fantasy games.

Some purists do not like to introduce any character types or monsters into their game world unless they have a medieval or “Tolkenian” flavor or base. This really limits their play possibilities as far as I am concerned, for what better world to accept aliens then ones that already have myriad of other strange and weird creatures as residents? …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Preach it Dave!

DMS VS. ANGRY PLAYERS, OR, WHAT TO DO WHEN THE PLAYER(S) REFUSE TO FOLLOW THE RULES

Some GMing advice from Dave. I’m not sure how to look at this while Dave seems to run a wide ranging game with a lot going on he also presents a lot of confusing and possibly conflicting rules that really only he understood.

There comes a time when a DM must handle a player(s) that are disrupting the game, and ruining the play for all concerned. They may feel they have a grievance that is legitimate, or they make just be egocentric megalomaniacs exercising their own brand of stupidity. But whatever the reason is, the DM MUST BE PREPARED TO EVICT THE OFFENSIVE PLAYER FROM THE GAME, either temporarily or permanently. …

David A. Hargrave – Welcome to Skull Tower

Conclusions

I don’t think this book is worth the high price of finding an original. It is an interesting hirtorical look at how people were playing the game in the early days and it has some fun and inspirational content that might be applied to your own games.