In the FOREWORD FROM THE ORIGINAL EDITION, I read a mysterious fairy tale. It began with “ONCE UPON A TIME, long, long ago . . .” and turned quickly esoteric. There were castles, crusades, and societies. There was a character named Dave Arneson and a map of a “Great Kingdom” and its “environs.” There was a bog and, in it, a “weird enclave” called “Blackmoor” in “a spot between the ‘Giant Kingdom’ and the fearsome ‘Egg of Coot.’” There were medieval fantasy “campaigns,” which were more than just a game. Blackmoor was one, another was Greyhawk.
The place names were unfamiliar, as were many of the words. They all came together in my mind like pieces of an insolvable jigsaw puzzle. . . .
The last Sunday in January. That’s when D&D historian Jon Peterson marks the anniversary of the game’s release: January, from a 1975 fanzine article by Gary Gygax; late in the month, from the co-creator’s recollection in the 1999 Silver Anniversary edition, and Sunday, because that’s the day “Gary invited the world to drop by his house, at 1:30 PM, to have a first experience of Dungeons & Dragons.” According to Peterson’s reckoning, on January 28, 2024, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of D&D.
Another date must have been an important milestone to Gary Gygax. The foreword is often written last. When it’s done, the author’s work is complete. The manuscript now goes to typesetting, layout, proofreading, and, finally, to the printer. As he punched out “1 November 1973” on typewriter keys, Gygax must have felt, at the same time, great satisfaction in having completed the game and hopeful trepidation about its reception by the wargaming community. These emotions may have clouded his vision such that he didn’t catch an error in the title.
The milestone is also important to many fans, who, like myself, found so much wonder in that single half-size page. In the opening citation, I describe my fascination when I first encountered the text in the 1977 Holmes Basic edition. By now I’ve read it countless times. It is with the same fascination, the same wonder, that I read it again today—and maybe once more.
If the last Sunday in January is the anniversary of its birth, November 1 marks the advent of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.
In the years since, I learned all the place names from the mysterious fairy tale and all the words, too. I learned about the Castle & Crusade Society and their Chainmail fantasy wargame rules. I learned that Dave Arneson and the FOREWORD’s author, Gary Gygax, invented the game, of which the “original edition” was published in the previous decade. I have adventured in Greyhawk and Blackmoor and set scenarios for my own medieval fantasy campaigns in those worlds. And although now I know its origin and character, in my mind, the Egg of Coot remains fearsome.
Languages reveal culture. Their use in an RPG campaign adds verisimilitude. Riffing off Phenster’s examples, we can introduce languages to a simple D&D campaign without much effort. Or we can use the examples as a starting point and, with some effort, develop the ideas further.
A character can learn languages in addition to languages known at character creation (see “Ability Score Modifiers in the Great Halls of Pandemonium”). A teacher must be found, and the fee negotiated. The suggested minimum is 100 g.p. per month.
The time required to learn a language is 6 + d6 months. Complex languages take 6 + 3d6 months. Reduce the number of months by one month per language already known, not counting Common and the alignment language. Dialects of known languages require half the number of months.
Learning may be interrupted for up to one month without consequence. An interruption of more than a month adds an additional month to the learning time, i.e. after a month or more without learning, one month of previous study is lost.
Reducing Monster Languages
“All other creatures and monsters which can speak have their own language” (Men & Magic, 12).
In OD&D, the monster list doubles for the language list. Holmes reproduces the text (9), adding that all languages are selected at character creation. Moldvay suggests human dialects and 19 languages spoken by monsters from the Basic (1981) rulebook. Cook and Marsh give no further guidance concerning which Expert monsters might speak their own language. The AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide (1979) lists more than 50 languages (102), including one for each color and metal of dragon plus six giant types.
If language selection is to be meaningful, the player should have a certain assurance to encounter speakers or script written in the language. Choosing the language of bronze dragons would be a rare gamble. Of course, when a player selects the language, the clever DM finds a way to include the speech of a bronze dragon in the game. Clever DMs aside, a language not chosen by players is of little use in the campaign.
Instead of a language for every monster, Hazard groups monsters by themes, loosely cultural. For example, gnomes and kobolds speak dialects of dwarvish.1 All fairy creatures speak the same language, as do goblinoids and wargs.
Hazard also groups mythical creatures, who speak one of an undefined number of unnamed ancient human, or “Mythic,” languages. As a good many monsters from contemporary sources (OD&D, Holmes, AD&D Monster Manual, B/X) are drawn from mythology, this greatly reduces the language list. Furthermore, because the Mythics are from ancient (presumably human) cultures, they are doubly useful.
Monster Languages by Culture [C]
These are monster languages according to Hazard’s system. The DM is free to modify and invent. Alternative names are in parentheses. See Phenster’s description of each monster language.
Monster Languages
Dwarvish/Gnomish/Kobold+
Elvish (Fairy)*
Goblinish
Orcish+
Gnoll*
Ogrish++
Draconic (Wyrm Utterances, Wyrmspeak)*
Entish**
Doppleganger*
+ Dialects of the same language. ++ Dialect of Common. * Complex language. ** Complex language, requires years, not months, to learn.
Surrogate Languages
“[Hazard] uses other real languages (usually old ones) for other old languages in the Heptarchy.”
The first I encountered the idea was in Ray Winninger’s Dungeoncraft, where the author applies foreign languages to character names (Dragon #259, 18-20). Hazard goes further. He uses real-world languages as stand-ins for any representation of imaginary languages in the campaign. In “MYSTERIORUM LIBRI,” Phenster notes Hazard’s choice of surrogate language for each human language in parentheses at the end of the description.
Human Language Categories [C]
Like the “Common” language, used throughout D&D editions and ubiquitous in D&D campaigns for going on five decades, Hazard’s “Old Common” is not otherwise named. Phenster’s DM doesn’t go out of his way to name the language used throughout the dominant culture of the ancient world, either, calling it “O.E.,” which must stand for Old Empire.
Though perhaps obvious, I outline these categories and subcategories as a simple way for the DM to consider languages in the campaign setting.
The Common Languages
In addition to the Common language currently in use throughout the campaign setting, a number of other languages once served a similar purpose. These, if not still spoken, have extant written samples. Phenster’s examples are old and ancient common and numerous mythic languages.
Old: This was the common language hundreds of years before the contemporary Common, which may or may not be an offshoot of the older. If English is our real-world Common, Old English or French are examples of Old Common.
Ancient: At least one step removed from Common, this language was in widespread use a thousand years or more before the present. In the real-world example, the Romans spread Latin throughout the known world.
Mythic: The many and diverse mythic languages were first used in times long past and places near and far. Greek, Old Norse, Egyptian, Ugarit, and Mayan are a few examples from our world.
Uncommon Languages
Phenster mentions Caerlon, an indigenous language. I add the local and foreign categories.
Indigenous: Spoken by people native to the area, indigenous languages are spoken and may be written, depending on the culture’s technological level.
Local: In some areas, usually outside the setting’s cultural center, the Common language may be foreign. The locals speak Common as a second language. Player characters from the region would speak the local language as well as Common.
Foreign: Merchants, immigrants, and invaders bring their languages to the campaign area.
Linguae Francae
Phenster tells us O.E. is “the lingua franca of the Church,” as is Ecclesiastical Latin in our world. The historical Lingua Franca is a mix of a few languages, including French, once used in trading ports around the Mediterranean. In D&D worlds, Common is usually considered the mercantile language, but a setting might use another (or others). Other possibilities for linguae francae are a court language, a language used between sages (possibly secret) or a multi-cultural military group, druidic, and the cant of thieves.
The Rare Languages
The example is Runic, which is lost, magical, and secret. The Forty-Eight Keys are another possible example, but Phenster doesn’t make it clear whether the language is lost or magical or both. Though I break down the constituent categories, combining at least two of these makes the player’s choice less rare. In any case, player characters usually cannot learn a rare language at the beginning of their careers.
Lost: A lost language is unknown or heard of only in legends at campaign start. A lost language usually falls into another category or categories, e.g., a lost mythic language.
Magic: Assuming the usual D&D campaign setting where magic-users must cast a spell to read magic, any additional magical language should be, at least, difficult to use or limited, perhaps by rarity. It may also allow the use of a different kind of magic.
Secret: A secret language is used by a small group, widely dispersed. A missive may be intercepted, but its contents are indecipherable to outsiders without the proper magic.
Alignment Languages
A system of only two opposing alignment languages places a greater emphasis on the opposition between them. It suits a campaign that, like Hazard’s Great Halls of Pandemonium, embraces Law and Chaos as opposing sides, wherein scenarios focus on the ongoing battle between them. Alignment Languages: Law and Chaos [C] can be used whether using three, five, or nine alignments. These house rules assume five.
Alignment Languages: Law and Chaos [C]
Whether good or evil, lawful and chaotic characters know their respective alignment language, either Law or Chaos. Neutral characters know neither.
Written Alignment Languages [C]
Alignment languages are usually spoken. Individual words or short phrases (up to three words suggested) may be inscribed on a durable medium, e.g. stone, precious metals.
Four or Five Alignment Languages
Another idea is to break the alignment languages into four or five: Law, Chaos, Good, Evil, and maybe Neutral. Creatures speak two, one, or, if only four languages, none, depending on their alignment. Chaotic good characters speaking with like-aligned would use a mix of Chaos and Good, depending on the topic. Lawful good and chaotic good would use Good. Although such a system would create a certain ambiance, it might get a little nuts. I don’t propose it as a house rule.
1 In Holmes, “Gnomes are similar to dwarves,” and kobolds are “dwarf-like,” though they “behave much like goblins” (28, 29).
This is the 28th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].
Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.
“Bluebook” D&D. The 1977 edition of Gygax and Arneson’s DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is also known as “Holmes Basic” after editor Dr. J. Eric Holmes.
In the September 1984 “Dispatch from the Campaign Desk,” Dave introduces Phenster’s contribution:
“Phenster tells us a story wrapped around ways the Pandemonium Society uses languages, and he throws us a few more crumbs about Hazard’s Heptarchy campaign setting” (L’avant garde #67).
MYSTERIORUM LIBRI
by Phenster
Hexalogy
We found a book in the dungeon. None of us could read it. It was written in "a strange script with an evil air about it." That's how Hazard described it. We found it in a green dragon's hoard with a lot of treasure from the Old Empire, vases, jewelry and scrolls and stuff.
Phenster Prime knows O.E., which is what we call the ancient common language of the Old Empire (he also knows Orcish, Elvish, Mythic and the Wyrm Utterances, q.v.), so we decided to go to the Lundgre Towers, a big city ruled by magic-users. There's a huge library there, where we could do some research and find out what the language was and decipher some of the script. I say "we" but it was mostly me and Cypher doing the research. Friar Tombs went off on a quest for the church with the rest of the party except Jinx and Beowulf. Highway Jinx made contact with the city Thieves' Guild, but he hasn't told us what mission he did yet, and Beowulf the Bully got into a brawl at the Pen Alembic on the first night and spent a whole month hanging by a chain from Tower Gaol.
It took us a while to find anything in the library. It's so big it has its own dungeon! It was an adventure, but eventually, we found the "MYSTERIORUM LIBRI QUINQUE" (The Five Books of Mystery). It's really just one big book, all written in O.E. Hazard uses Latin words for O.E. to make it sound different from English, which is the Common language of course. He uses other real languages (usually old ones) for other old languages in the Heptarchy.
The Five Books of Mystery tell all about how a special kind of magic works. The first book is a primer on a language called the Forty-Eight Keys. That's the language the book we found is written in. The Keys (for short) are used to communicate with creatures from other planes of existence. We translated the title of the book we found. It's called The Sixth and Sacred Book of Mystery. We still have to translate the whole book, but it's supposed to tell us how we can get to a place called the MYSTICAL HEPTARCHY. We think it's a parallel plane of existence, but we don't know why we'd want to go there.
We can learn extra languages during the campaign in addition to the ones we know at 1st level from our intelligence. That's how I learned the local Mythic. We have to find a teacher and work out the teaching fee (depends on the teacher but at least 100 g.p. per month), and it takes 6 plus 1d6 months to learn a normal language or 6+3d6 for complex languages, like the Utterances or Doppleganger. Subtract one month per extra language you already know (not counting Common or Alignment). You can usually study a language during off-time and still go on adventures. I wanted to learn the Forty-Eight Keys, but the only teacher I found in Lundgre was this weird, old guy that smelled like sulphur. His name was Enoch the Tower Hermit. He said I'd have to stay in his tower the whole time without ever going out. I didn't want to keep Phenster Prime out of the campaign for so long. I'd rather be adventuring. And that guy was just too weird.
Here's how Hazard worked out languages in the GREAT HALLS campaign. I use a similar system in games I run, and some other DMs in the Pandemonium Society use it too. Complex languages (q.v.) have an asterisk (*).
Monster Languages
Dwarvish/Gnomish/Kobold: Gnomish and Kobold are dialects of Dwarvish. If you know Dwarvish, you can learn Gnomish or Kobold in half the normal time. *Elvish/Fairy is the common language in Elfland. Most fairy creatures speak it. Goblinish: All the goblin types speak Goblinish: goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears, and wargs. Orcish: There are so many different dialects of Orcish that whenever you talk in Orcish, there's always a chance to misunderstand or be misunderstood. If that happens, there's usually a fight. It's better to speak Common with orcs if they speak Common or not talk at all and evade if possible. *Gnoll is difficult to learn and speak because the sounds aren't like what people usually can make. Ogrish: Ogres speak a dialect of Common. We can usually communicate with an ogre, if it wants to talk. *Wyrm Utterances or Wyrmspeak is a primordial language. The dragons call it "Mother's Tongue" because Tiamat taught it to the first dragons. She learned it by licking the stones on the Shores of Time, which split her tongue. That's why dragons and lizards have split tongues. *Entish uses words and chemical signals passed between treekfolk by their roots. It takes years (instead of months) to learn Entish, and even then you talk in a dialect because you don't have roots or the right chemicals. *Doppleganger is an alien language. It sounds different than all the other languages because it doesn't really have words like we think about them.
Other Languages Spoken by Humans
Old Common: Not many books are written in Old Common, but a lot of graffiti in the Great Halls is written in it. It's an earlier form of Common that's still used by folks in remote areas of the Heptarchy. Some monsters out there speak it, too, instead of Common. (Old English) O.E.: Lots of books are written in the language of the Old Empire. A lot of books from earlier times were translated to O.E. too, so sages usually know it. It's also the linga franca of the Church. Cleric scrolls are written in O.E. or Common. All clerics have to know O.E. by 3rd level or they have trouble advancing in the Church hierarchy. (Latin) Caerlon: Several native tribes inhabit wilderness areas in the Heptarchy. They are called the "First Peoples," and they speak Caerlon, which has a musical sing-song cadence. Caerlon has many dialects, but they're all similar, so different tribes mostly understand each other. They also write on scrolls and pottery and carve on stones and cave walls. (Celtic) The Mythics*: There were lots of other empires and civilizations way before the Old Empire. The Mythic languages were common tongues back then. Some of them are still spoken by people in the Faraway Lands (which is everywhere outside the Heptarchy) and mythical creatures, like medusas, minotaurs, centaurs, cyclopes and giants and such. That was before they had books, and any scrolls written in the Mythics turned to dust long ago, but some copies have been made, and there might be clay tablets. Or so Hazard says, we haven't found any yet. (Norse [for our local Mythic], Greek [far to the south], Egyptian) Runic is a lost magical language. It used symbols (or runes) to convey meaning and store magic power. We find the runes sometimes on small, flat stones and dungeon walls. Some powerful wizards and a few sages know the names of the runes. We can pay a sage to tell us a rune's name, but they won't teach Runic to anybody. (Futhark)
Alignment Languages
Alignment languages are a whole other thing. They aren't like normal languages, but they aren't magic either. Hazard says they are "integral" to the world, like if you change alignments you just don't know the old alignment language anymore and you do know the new one, just like that.
The Basic rulebook has 5 alignments. AD&D has 9 and every one has its own alignment language. I agree with Hazard when he says that's way too many. In the GREAT HALLS campaign, we have the 5 alignments, but there are only 2 alignment languages: the Words of Law and the Dark Speech of Chaos. They are spoken languages with gestures, usually not written. But sometimes we find words or short phrases engraved in stone or jewelry. They are often magicked in some way.
Lawful characters can speak Law Words. It's impossible to tell a lie with Words of Law. Chaotics know the Dark Speech. There are a million ways to tell lies and half truths in Dark Speech. Chaotic good characters usually don't use the Dark Speech, even though they can understand it. Lawful evil characters use Words of Law for their malevolent designs. Neutrals don't know either one of these languages.
More Mysteriorum
Tombs & co. were successful in their quest. They retrieved a religious relic, the Stormgod's Chalice, from an evil temple. That gives Tombs some clout with the Lundgre Matriarch. He wants to get his own bishopric.
While we were staying at the Pen Alembic, some shady characters started hanging around. They always sat at the table next to us, wearing hooded cloaks, and they seemed to be listening to what we said. Beowulf wanted to fight them, but we talked him out of it. We didn't want to wait around while he spent another month hanging from Tower Gaol. Jinx's contacts in the Thieves' Guild informed him that someone was asking around about us, where we were from and what we were doing in the city. When we finally left the Lundgre Towers, somebody was following us. We asked Jinx if all that could have something to do with his mission. He didn't give us a straight answer.
This is the 27th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].
Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.
“Bluebook” D&D. The 1977 edition of Gygax and Arneson’s DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is also known as “Holmes Basic” after editor Dr. J. Eric Holmes.
“On behalf of all Association members, I thank Steve Ruskin for his dedicated service to this publication over the last three years. During his tenure, Steve collected our articles into a record 25 high-quality issues with a friendly and professional attitude that encouraged many of our readers to become contributors, including yours truly” (“Letter from the Editor,” L’avant garde #58).
In November 1983, a new editor took the post at the East Middleton Wargamers Association’s newsletter. He keeps his first Letter from the Editor brief, thanking his predecessor, referring readers to the table of contents, and signing “Dave” with a flourish over the typed initials “C. D. R.”
That would be the last generically titled “Letter from the Editor” in L’avant garde. In the next issue, January 1984, the heading is “Dispatch from the Campaign Desk.” The subheading is “The Year of L’avant garde.” Therein, Dave writes:
“For as long as I can remember, we have talked about putting out an issue every month as if it were a chimera or the Holy Grail. The two usual problems are (1) the editor’s lack of time and (2) having enough articles to put into an issue while keeping to the 20-page minimum (that makes it worth the overhead). For the first problem, I am determined to put in the time required. For the second one, over the last month I have talked to almost all the more-or-less regular contributors and asked a few more of you for articles in 1984. The response has been very enthusiastic. With a little work, I believe we will have enough articles to make this a 12-issue year” (L’avant garde #59).
With a penchant for parenthetical asides, Dave goes on to preview articles in the January issue and alludes to upcoming contributions. Among them is our favorite contributor:
“We all (except the most grognard among us) enjoy hearing what the young D&Ders in the Pandemonium Society are up to, and Phenster promises more this year. He starts this month with a good argument for reconsidering ability score adjustments (for those of you who remember when we used to do that). Later, we’ll see an article about languages (which I already have), an enigmatic piece Phenster calls ‘Dweomercraeft’ (which I am anxious to get), and more fun things the Neighborhood D&D Players are up to.”
Dave battled the chimera and won the Grail: one issue per month, all above the 20-page minimum. The September issue, at 56 pages, is the largest issue of L’avant garde in the Postlethwaite Collection.
By the end of the year, Phenster contributes articles to nine issues. Two of these we’ve seen already. Those I link in the following list of articles by number and month. I also add links to subsequent articles as they are published here. Where the title is ambiguous, I include a descriptive phrase in brackets.
This series covers topics in the order as they appear in the Holmes Basic D&D rulebook (TSR 1977). In addition to these, I foresee only a few more topics to complete Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules.
Grail obtained, a 12-issue year was not again attempted. Dave would go on to edit six issues the next year and only two the year after. In the March 1986 “Dispatch from the Campaign Desk” (#77) Dave informs readers that he has been accepted to the University of Pennsylvania and calls for a successor, as he will step down in the coming summer. In his last “Dispatch,” Dave repeats the call. Issue #78 is the final number of L’avant garde in the Postlethwaite Collection. Steve Ruskin’s 25-issue record remains.
This is the 26th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].
Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.
“Bluebook” D&D. The 1977 edition of Gygax and Arneson’s DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is also known as “Holmes Basic” after editor Dr. J. Eric Holmes.
This is the 25th in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].
Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.
The following rules are taken from Phenster’s article “Regular Entourage” (L’avant garde #65, July 1984) and my addendum “Available Hires, Number and Level.” I present the rules as examples of how DMs might handle hirelings and henchmen in their own games. As they are more a model than an extension to Holmes, I put the ensemble in the [C] Campaign category.
The Pandemonium Society differentiates hirelings and henchmen in a way that, while not unusual, may require definition for the uninitiated:
A hireling is an NPC of any adventuring class or a 0-level human employed to accompany an adventurer on an expedition. The employer pays an upfront fee, provides all weapons, armor, and equipment, and pays room and board. A hireling receives a half share of treasure and earns half XP.
A henchman is a loyal follower, often a former hireling. A henchman pays his or her own expenses and receives a full share of treasure. Like hirelings, henchmen earn half XP.
Hirelings
In this section, we determine the number of NPCs seeking employment, their class and level, and a standard fee structure. We also outline the negotiation process. For more explanation on number and level of hirelings, see “Available Hires, Number and Level.”
Hireling Frequency by Class [C]
The DM determines the frequency (common, uncommon, or rare) of each class of hireling. In a basic example, fighters are common; clerics, magic-users, thieves, and all halflings are uncommon; dwarves and elves rare; men-at-arms are twice as common as fighters. Frequency may be adjusted according to current conditions in the campaign that impact local demographics, such as a war, monstrous incursion, or recent large hauls of treasure coming out of the dungeon.
Number of Hirelings Available [C]
Divide the result of a d12 by 2 for common types, 4 for uncommon, and 11 for rare, dropping the fraction. Roll twice for men-at-arms as common. You may use other divisors as desired, consulting the d12 table of results in “Available Hires, Number and Level.”
A Basic Example of Numbers of Hirelings Available by Class Frequency. The DM chooses the frequency of each class and the divisor of each frequency.
Hireling Level [C]
Adventurers may employ hirelings of their own level or lower. We assume 2nd- and higher-level NPCs seeking employment are less frequent. Roll a dice in size equal to or greater than the employer’s level and divide by the results of a d3. Round up. If the final result is above the PC’s level, re-roll the first dice only.
Example: Hirelings by Class, Number, and Level
On a typical evening at the Nine of Pentacles, one or more 7th-level PCs desire to employ NPCs for an upcoming adventure. If the PCs are looking for a particular class, the DM need only roll for that class. Otherwise, roll a d12 for each class and divide by the number corresponding to the class’s frequency, dropping fractions. Tonight, the following numbers of hirelings by class are present:
Class
d12 Result
Frequency Divisor
Number Present
Fighters
7
2
3
Clerics
2
4
0
Magic-Users
11
4
2
Thieves
4
4
1
Halflings
6
4
1
Dwarves
3
11
0
Elves
9
11
0
To determine the experience levels of classed NPCs, the DM rolls a d8 (7th-level PCs) for each NPC and divides the result by a d3, rounding up.
Number
Class
d8 Results
d3 Resuts
NPC Level
3
Fighters
2, 8* 4, 6
3, 1, 3
1, 8* 4, 2
2
Magic-Users
5, 2
3, 2
2, 1
1
Theif
6
2
3
1
Halfling
8
2
4
* The 8th-level result is invalid; the d8 re-rolled is 4. The d3 result is retained.
Whether an observer is able to discern the experience level of adventurer types is up to the DM to decide for the campaign setting. A couple instances in the Postlethwaite Collection indicate that player characters in the Great Halls campaign had this capability. Hazard was not secretive about a monster’s hit dice, either.
Standard Hireling Fees [C]
The standard fee for a 0-level man-at-arms is 50 g.p. For 1st-level humans and halflings of all classes, the standard fee is 100 g.p., dwarves and elves 200 g.p.
The standard fee to retain human and halfling classes of 2nd and higher levels is equal to 10% of the experience points necessary for the hireling’s level in g.p. Double the fee for dwarves and elves. (For XP requirements, see “Level Advancement.”)
The hireling fee is paid upon employment. In addition, the employer pays for all weapons, armor, and adventuring equipment, plus food and lodging. In addition, hirelings receive a half-share of treasure.
Nomenclature of Fees by Armor Type [C]
Phenster describes the following terms to identify hireling fees by armor types (“Regular Entourage”). These are, in Pandemonium Society games, used by players as well as characters in-game, an example of the game group’s culture seeping into the setting culture.
Chain: standard fee (for example, as given in Standard Hireling Fees [C]). Plate: double standard fee, +1 bonus to negotiation rolls. Double plate: four times standard fee, +2 bonus to negotiation rolls. Leather: half standard fee, −1 penalty to negotiation rolls. Jack: less than half standard fee, −2 penalty to negotiation rolls. Shield: a 20% (or more) bonus in addition to the offered fee, garners an additional bonus on the first negotiation roll or prompts further negotiation rolls. Wooden shield: any bonus less than 20% of offered fee. Straw shield: any future remuneration offered, −1 penalty to negotiation rolls.
Negotiation [C]
Once an offer is made, the DM rolls 2d6 on the following table, adding bonuses or penalties for exceptional offers and the employer’s Charisma and reputation.
Negotiation Table
2
Offended (−1 further checks)
3-5
Refuses
6-8
Haggles
9-11
Accepts
12
Pleased (+1 loyalty)
On a haggle result (6-8), the recruiting PC can end the negotiation, excusing the candidate, or increase the offer, thereby earning another roll on the table. The negotiation continues until the candidate accepts or refuses the offer or the employer abandons the negotiation. If the candidate is offended (a 2 result), the PC suffers a −1 penalty on negotiation rolls in the town for one month. If the candidate is pleased (12), add a +1 bonus to the hireling’s initial loyalty score.
Morale
“Hazard mostly just decides for the monsters and NPCs when their going gets tough. But when he isn’t sure, he uses the Hostile/Friendly table from the rulebook to see if the monsters will cut their losses and run.”—Phenster, “Advanced Combat,” L’avant garde #51 (December 1982)
Morale is an NPCs confidence in leadership and team mates and his or her enthusiasm for the endeavor. Morale is measured on a 2 (stalwart) to 12 (coward) scale and checked by a 2d6 roll: equal to or greater than the morale score succeeds.
In “Advanced Combat,” Phenster specifies hireling morale as 7. (See Morale [E].) The Pandemonium Society seems not to have made any adjustments to a hireling’s morale score. When to check morale is left to the DM’s discretion. The only guidance Phenster gives on the topic is, concerning monsters, “whenever the monsters could have a second thought about going on with the fight,” (“Advanced Combat”) and for hirelings, “when things are looking grim” (“Regular Entourage”). I see no need, in the Holmes context, for a more specific rule.
Loyalty
While morale concerns the hireling’s relation to the party and its goals, loyalty measures one’s devotion to the employer. A loyalty check succeeds on a d20 roll equal to or less than the loyalty score.
Initial Loyalty Score [C]
Initial hireling loyalty is determined by a 3d6 roll, adding any bonuses from the employer’s Charisma score and the results of the negotiation. Hireling loyalty scores are not shared with players.
Loyalty Check [C]
Check hireling loyalty after each adventure and whenever the hireling faces extraordinary danger or a moral dilemma concerning the employer. To succeed, roll the hireling’s loyalty score or less on a d20, applying the following bonuses and penalties.
Condition
Adjustment
No treasure gained
+1
Good treatment
−1
Bad treatment
+1
Same alignment
−1
Opposite alignment
+1
Phenster neglects the case in which a henchman faces an extraordinary situation (see below). I add that a roll of 20 on the loyalty check always fails; a 1 always succeeds.
Also note, Phenster seems to apply modifiers to the hireling’s loyalty score. I turn the modifiers around (pluses become minuses and vice-versa) and apply them to the dice roll.
On a failed check, the hireling’s loyalty score decreases by 1 point. A successful check means the loyalty score increases by 1.
Broken Loyalty [C]
When the score drops below 11, the hireling’s loyalty is “broken” and the hireling quits the PC.
As Phenster notes, it is possible, in the case of a low initial loyalty, for a hireling to quit service after a single adventure.
Henchmen
“A henchman is a trusted lieutenant to the PC. His loyalty is no longer in question, and he doesn’t have to check morale anymore.”—Phenster, “Regular Entourage”
Henchmen [C]
When loyalty reaches 20, the hireling becomes a henchman. Henchmen do not check loyalty, unless the PC makes an extreme demand, nor do henchmen have to check morale. The player controls a henchman like a second PC. Henchmen get a full share of treasure, and they pay their own expenses. Henchmen, however, receive only half XP.
Experience Point Distribution
Lossless Half Experience [C]
Hirelings and henchmen earn half experience points. Divide the total XP by two times the number of PCs plus one for each hireling and henchman. PCs each receive two parts; hirelings and henchmen one.
The player party visits their local Sword & Board to recruit NPCs for the next adventure. How many potential hirelings are present? What class? What level?
DM’s Summary
In this article, I get into lots of details and tables. Here’s the short version.
Number of Hirelings: First decide the frequency of each character class. Fighters might be common, dwarves and elves rare, and all others uncommon. Roll a d12. Divide the result by 2 for common types, 4 for uncommon, and 11 for rare. Drop the fraction.
Level of Hirelings: Roll a dice in size (number of sides) equal to or greater than the PC’s level and a d3. Divide the result of the first dice by the result of the d3, rounding up. In case of a result higher than the PC’s level, re-roll the first dice.
For explanations, examples, and variations, see below.
Phenster doesn’t make much of it, but limiting the number of potential hirelings represents a cost of failure in Hazard’s system. In an inn full of unlimited potential hires, a candidate’s refusal has no significant consequences, and hirelings are a boring commodity.
We could use a two-step method, first determining if any hires of a particular class are available, then how many. I prefer to put the steps together in one dice roll, and I have the idea that greater numbers should be less frequent.
Playing with dice, I hit on this method to determine the number of hirelings available of a given class. The basic mechanic is to divide a dice result by a number and drop the fraction. The higher the divisor, the fewer potential hires.
This method is similar to using a larger dice as a smaller dice. To generate a number from 1 to 3, for example, we roll a d6, divide the result by 2, and round up. The only difference is, here, we drop the fraction instead of rounding. The practical effect, evident in the table below, is that we split the chance for the highest number, giving the remainder to zero. The chance for any other result is still the divisor over the dice size.
Comparison: d3 and d2, Rounding up (Standard) and Dropping the Fraction
d6
Divided by 2 (d3)
Divided by 3 (d2)
Round Up
Drop Fraction
Round Up
Drop Fraction
1
1
0
1
0
2
1
1
1
0
3
2
1
1
1
4
2
2
2
1
5
3
2
2
1
6
3
3
2
2
d6 Results Dividing by 2 and 3, Rounding up and Dropping the Fraction.
Dividing by 2 and dropping the fraction, there’s still a one-third chance for a 1 or 2, but the chance for a 3 is reduced to one-sixth, and there’s a one-sixth chance for a zero.
Dividing by 3, we split the chance for the highest result, a 2, into three parts, sharing between the 2 (one part or one-sixth) and the zero (two parts).
We’ll see below, the effect is the same with larger dice and greater divisors, but we share the chance between the highest result and zero in more parts. A d12 divided by 6, gives us a 1⁄12 chance for a 2 and 5⁄12 for a zero.
Simple Example
The DM decides that fighters for hire are common at the Green Dragon Inn. Thieves, magic-users, and all halflings are uncommon, and clerics are rare, as are dwarves and elves of any class. To determine the number available, she throws a d6 and divides the result by 2 for common types, 3 for uncommon, and 6 for rare. A table of results looks like this:
d6
Common (÷ 2)
Uncommon (÷ 3)
Rare (÷ 6)
1
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
3
1
1
0
4
2
1
0
5
2
1
0
6
3
2
1
The table shows that some number of common types are available five in six times. One or two are present one-third of the time, and three only one-sixth. One candidate from the uncommon types is available half the time, and two of them one in six times. While rare types appear only one-sixth of the time, then only a single candidate.
One-sixth, or 16⅔%, may not be considered so rare; we use the term relative to common. For finer granularity, we can use a larger dice. A d12’s 8⅓% gradation makes the rare types sufficiently infrequent while still keeping them in the game. If rare types appear only 1% of the time, for example, it’s hardly worth rolling for it.
A d20, with its 5% gradation, yields a few more potential hires of the common type, while keeping the numbers of uncommon and rare types low.
d20
Common
Uncommon
Rare
÷
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
3
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
3
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
5
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
5
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
12
6
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
13
6
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14
7
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
7
5
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
16
8
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
17
8
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
18
9
6
4
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
19
9
6
4
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
20
10
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
d20 Results Divided by 2 Through 20.
Still, I like the d12 for the purpose. The granularity is enough fine for game purposes, and, depending on the divisor, we get up to six common types. With only a 28% refusal chance on the negotiation table, more than six candidates available might as well be a hundred; no need to roll on the negotiation table. Plus, we get some use out of the dodecahedron.
d12 Number of Hirelings Available by Class Frequency Divisor
d12
Common
Uncommon
Rare
÷
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
3
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
3
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
8
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
9
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
10
5
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
11
5
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
12
6
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
d12 Results Divided by 2 Through 12.
In the table above, I place arbitrary categories on the divisors based on their maximum results. One might consider a divisor of 6 as rare, allowing 2 of the rare types 8⅓% of the time. The DM can select a divisor for each category as seems fit, even changing the divisor to suit current conditions (as in wartime or when a demon horde is on the rampage). For example, I like a divisor of 2 for common types, 4 for uncommon, and 11 rare. We might say men-at-arms (0-level) are twice as numerous as fighters and roll twice on the common column.
Phenster suggests, by the method to determine hireling cost based on experience required for their level, that those of 2nd and higher levels might be seeking work at the Nine of Pentacles. He does not, however, provide a method for determining the level.
The simplest method to determine hireling level is, of course, to roll a dice the size of the highest possible level (the hiring PC’s level). This gives us an even chance for each level. But, like greater numbers of candidates, I have the idea that higher-level NPCs seeking employment are less frequent.
To skew the results toward lower levels, roll the level using an equal distribution as in the previous paragraph, then divide the result by the results of a second dice, rounding up. Taking the d8 (8th-level PCs) as an example, we see in the table below that dividing by a d2 splits the first dice in half, giving equal distributions in the low and high results. Dividing by a d3 or a d4 yields some variation in the lower middle results (3 and 4 on the d8) but the same equal distribution for the lowest results and the upper half.
d8
÷ d2
÷ d3
÷ d4
÷ d6
1
18.75%
25.00%
31.25%
43.75%
2
18.75%
25.00%
31.25%
31.25%
3
18.75%
20.83%
15.63%
10.42%
4
18.75%
12.50%
9.38%
6.25%
5
6.25%
4.17%
3.13%
2.08%
6
6.25%
4.17%
3.13%
2.08%
7
6.25%
4.17%
3.13%
2.08%
8
6.25%
4.17%
3.13%
2.08%
Distribution of Results of a d8 Divided by the Results of a d2, d3, d4, and d6.
The small percentage equally distributed for higher-level hirelings feels appropriate. I do want some variation in the lower levels, which leaves the d2 aside. The larger the divisor (second) dice, the greater the percentage for lower-level hirelings and lesser for higher levels. I like the d3 for the greater (though small) chance for higher-level results, but it requires (unless one is armed with a d6 numbered 1 to 3 twice) an additional mental step to derive the d3 results from a d6 roll. For this reason, while its higher results are less likely, the d4 is attractive. I give tables of results for both. Let the DM decide.
Determine Hireling Level (÷ d3)
PC Level
NPC Level
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
8th
10th
12th
16th
20th
1
83.33%
66.67%
50.00%
40.00%
33.33%
25.00%
20.00%
16.67%
12.50%
10.00%
2
16.67%
22.22%
33.33%
33.33%
33.33%
25.00%
20.00%
16.67%
12.50%
10.00%
3
11.11%
8.33%
13.33%
16.67%
20.83%
20.00%
16.67%
12.50%
10.00%
4
8.33%
6.67%
5.56%
12.50%
13.33%
16.67%
12.50%
10.00%
5
6.67%
5.56%
4.17%
10.00%
8.33%
12.50%
10.00%
6
5.56%
4.17%
3.33%
8.33%
8.33%
10.00%
7
4.17%
3.33%
2.78%
6.25%
8.33%
8
4.17%
3.33%
2.78%
6.25%
5.00%
9
3.33%
2.78%
2.08%
5.00%
10
3.33%
2.78%
2.08%
5.00%
11
2.78%
2.08%
1.67%
12
2.78%
2.08%
1.67%
13
2.08%
1.67%
14
2.08%
1.67%
15
2.08%
1.67%
16
2.08%
1.67%
17
1.67%
18
1.67%
19
1.67%
20
1.67%
Dice Equal to PC’s Level Divided by a d3.
Determine Hireling Level (÷ d4)
PC Level
NPC Level
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
8th
10th
12th
16th
20th
1
87.50%
75.00%
62.50%
50.00%
41.67%
31.25%
25.00%
20.83%
15.63%
12.50%
2
12.50%
16.67%
25.00%
30.00%
33.33%
31.25%
25.00%
20.83%
15.63%
12.50%
3
8.33%
6.25%
10.00%
12.50%
15.63%
20.00%
20.83%
15.63%
12.50%
4
6.25%
5.00%
4.17%
9.38%
10.00%
12.50%
15.63%
12.50%
5
5.00%
4.17%
3.13%
7.50%
6.25%
9.38%
12.50%
6
4.17%
3.13%
2.50%
6.25%
6.25%
7.50%
7
3.13%
2.50%
2.08%
4.69%
6.25%
8
3.13%
2.50%
2.08%
4.69%
3.75%
9
2.50%
2.08%
1.56%
3.75%
10
2.50%
2.08%
1.56%
3.75%
11
2.08%
1.56%
1.25%
12
2.08%
1.56%
1.25%
13
1.56%
1.25%
14
1.56%
1.25%
15
1.56%
1.25%
16
1.56%
1.25%
17
1.25%
18
1.25%
19
1.25%
20
1.25%
Dice Equal to PC’s Level Divided by a d4.
Pandemonium Society characters reached levels around 13th. I include 20th level because we have a dice for it.
At levels for which no dice matches (7, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19), use the next higher dice. On any result above the PC’s level, re-roll the first dice—not the divisor dice (d3 or d4). A d16 is achieved by rolling any dice plus a d8. An even result on the first dice adds 8 to the d8 results. Ignore the first dice’s odd results. In the same way, we can make a d9 (with a pair of d3s), d15 (d5, d3), and a d18 (d6, d3).
The following article is from L’avant garde: Newsletter of the East Middleton Wargamers Association #65, July 1984.
Regular Entourage
by Phenster
Jinx likes to have a lot of sword- and spearmen as a regular entourage. He says it's better to have more steel on the target. Beowulf doesn't like to have any hires at all. He says his two-handed sword is steel enough. I like to have a fighter or two to protect my skin when the going gets rough. Hazard lets us roll the dice for our hirelings, so it's more fun when I can't throw a spell. Plus, when one of our characters is killed, we can always take over a hireling or a henchman.
We used to advertise for positions and role-play the encounter and haggle for the fee and all that, but after one or two times it wasn't much fun. Now we just go to the Nine of Pentacles[1] and buy ale for potential hires. We tell Hazard what professions we're looking for and how many. Then Hazard tells us how many there are and how much they cost according to his system (see below). We still do some haggling.
Dwarves and elves for hire are rare, but we can usually find one or two human-types or halflings we want. And there's never a shortage of men-at-arms, unless there's a war or something, like the time a horde of demons got loose from the Great Halls and rampaged the countryside.
Hire Rates by Armor Type
To figure the cost to retain the services of a hireling, Hazard takes 1/10th the XP required for the hire's level. All 1st-level human and halfling types cost 100 g.p. minimum. Men-at-arms (0-level) are 50. 1st-level dwarves and elves are 200.
That's the usual rate, which we call CHAIN. Double the rate is PLATE (+1 reaction), and half is called LEATHER (-1 reaction). You can negotiate for even lower rates (-2 reaction). Then it's called JACK, as in "I didn’t get jack...." Any bonus money or benefits is called SHIELD (+1 if consequential). If you really want a particular hireling for some reason (like if a fighter looks especially strong), you can pay DOUBLE PLATE for an extra bonus.
We have to buy armor and weapons for hires, of course, plus equipment and rations. We also pay room and board, and hirelings get half-shares of the treasure. We usually don't have to pay guild fees (for magic-users and thieves), but a potential hire might haggle for it, and that gets expensive!
Dwarves and elves expect to be paid plate (-1, -2 for lesser offers).
Negotiation
After we make an initial offer, Hazard rolls 2d6 on this table. He gives a bonus for really good offers (PLATE and SHIELD), high charisma[2] and the PC's reputation for treatment of hirelings. Or a penalty for bad offers, etc.
If the prospect is offended, he just can't be persuaded and he might spread rumors about you. You take a penalty on any other negotiations for a month or so. If he refuses, you might get him back in the game by doubling your offer, but it's usually not worth it. In case he wants to haggle, he might make a counteroffer, or he could say no (usually politely) and wait for you to make a better one. This is the time to throw in shield (a bonus), so you get another roll on the table.
Shield
Shield is a bonus offered in addition to the usual rate (plate, chain, leather). If offered up front, it usually gets you a +1 bonus on the first negotiation roll. After the first roll, you can offer shield to convince the hire (get another roll), but you get no bonus.
Good examples of shield are more gold, gems, jewelry, paying guild fees, or a magic item (even a potion will do). Bonus gold, gems or jewelry should be at least 20% of the base offer. Offering a small trinket as a bonus or saying you equip all your fighters with plate mail and shield is called a WOODEN SHIELD if it's true. It's good (you might get another roll) but not good enough for a bonus to the roll. If it isn't true, it's called a STRAW SHIELD, the same as promising extra treasure or any other future thing. Offering a straw shield gets you a -1 penalty on the negotiation table. This is because the initial payment usually goes to the hire's family for safe-keeping until he comes out of the dungeon. It serves as his estate if he doesn't make it.
When we were starting out and didn't have much treasure yet, we mostly paid chain. But now we usually have enough gold to pay plate. Our reputation for good pay and fair treatment is pretty good, except for Jinx. He's generous with shield, but his hires have a habit of "giving up the estate."
Loyalty
Initial Loyalty
When the hire accepts an offer, the DM rolls 3d6 for the hireling's loyalty score. Add any bonuses/penalties from the PC's charisma and the negotiation roll. The DM keeps hirelings' loyalty scores secret from the players.
Testing Loyalty
A hireling's loyalty is tested at the end of every adventure, after treasure has been divided and hirelings have been paid their shares. Bonuses and penalties based on treatment during the adventure (+1/-1) and extra treasure (+1) apply. If you didn't get any treasure to distribute, -1 to the roll. You get a +1 if the hire is the same alignment as you and a -1 if the hire's alignment is diametrically opposed to yours (you probably won't know it). Hazard also tests loyalty whenever a hireling is faced with great danger or some moral dilemma concerning the employer, the party, or the mission for example.
Test loyalty with a d20 roll. Rolling the loyalty score or less means his loyalty goes up +1. Higher than the loyalty score means his loyalty goes down -1.
Broken Loyalty
If the loyalty score ever drops below 11, the hireling's loyalty is broken. This means that if the initial loyalty score (3d6) is 10 or less, the hireling probably won't stay with you after the first adventure, unless you manage to get some bonuses on the loyalty test.
When a hireling's loyalty is broken between adventures, he leaves. (Role-play according to circumstances.) If loyalty is broken in the dungeon or some dangerous wilderness, the hireling's morale drops to 10[3], and he will leave as soon as it's safe. A neutral hire might commit treachery if he can take advantage of a situation. An evil one probably will commit treachery just to be mean.
Saving the hireling's life automatically gains +1 directly to his loyalty score.
Suicide missions, asking to do something against his alignment, or some behavior on the PC's part that is dramatically opposed to the hire's alignment, will automatically break loyalty.
Henchmen
A hireling whose loyalty score reaches 20 becomes a henchman (one adventure minimum). A henchman is a trusted lieutenant to the PC. His loyalty is no longer in question, and he doesn't have to check morale anymore. (A hireling has to pass a morale check when things are looking grim or run away.) A henchman follows the PC in all cases (except extreme cases as above: suicide missions, etc.). A henchman gets a full share of the treasure, and he pays his own way (room and board, etc.). He's a lot like, but not quite, like another PC. The player has full control over the henchman's actions, but don't abuse the privilege (like sharing magic items and stuff like normal 2nd PC rules).
Experience Points
Henchman and hirelings only get half XP. Hazard doubles the number of PCs, then adds the NPCs, then divides the total XP by that number. The PCs get two times the amount, and NPCs just get one.
1 Phenster mentions the Nine of Pentacles elsewhere (see “Dirty Fighting”), referring to it as the group’s “local Sword & Board,” which, we assume, is an inn.
“Step 3 involves the decision aspect already mentioned and the actual work of sitting down and drawing dungeon levels. This is very difficult and time consuming.” (Gary Gygax, Europa, April 1975, 19)
To what “decision aspect” Gygax refers I know not, but I am intimately familiar with the “actual work” next mentioned. I sat down, for more than a hundred days, to draw dungeon rooms. Difficult? Maybe. Time consuming? Definitely. Enjoyable? I love it!
And then other obligations distracted me, and for more than a hundred days since, I have not been so diligent. Progress on Deep Dungeon Doom halted at the bottom of Fury’s Deep, level 4. I intend to get back to it, but we’ll see if I conquer that dragon. Meanwhile, I continue here with Gygax’s step 3: “The location of the dungeon where most adventures will take place.”
“In beginning a dungeon it is advisable to construct at least three levels at once, noting where stairs, trap doors (and chimneys) and slanting passages come out on lower levels, as well as the mouths of chutes and teleportation terminals” (The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, 4).
Although the mapping pace is one room per day, I take this advice and seek opportunities to slip in ways to get to lower levels. In area 1 Cave Entrance (the first day), I placed a secret door (1a) and a deep pool (1b). Both, I imagined at the time would lead to another level.
Once drawn, a chute marked “to level unknown” hangs in the air until the cartographer advances to the logical terminus. Eventually, the secret door at the Cave Entrance opens into a network of secret tunnels (39) that riddle Lyceum Arcanum. More recently, the deep pool turns out to be the upper end of a watery passage through two areas that begins on level 4 (92 Force Field). An exciting part of #Dungeon23 is realizing that a stairway or chute from an upper level, placed weeks or months before, should come out in the room you are going to map tomorrow.
“Each level should have a central theme and some distinguishing feature, i.e. a level with large open areas swarming with goblins, one where the basic pattern of corridors seems to repeat endlessly, one inhabited by nothing but fire-dwelling or fire-using monsters, etc.”1 (Europa).
Here, Gygax lays out an important aspect of dungeon design long overlooked by my younger self. Early in my dungeon-drawing career, I got the idea that a dungeon was all about what treasures were guarded by what big mean monster in its lair. Certain, monsters and treasures are an integral part of a dungeon. But a compelling theme helps to capture the players’ imaginations, gets them into the dungeon, and holds their interest long after the monster is vanquished, its treasure removed, and the lair restocked. The difference between a collection of rooms and an interesting delve environment is theme.
Early Rendition of Dungeon Plan
I summarize Deep Dungeon Doom’s levels as completed, before outlining a few ideas for deeper levels.2 The ideas are mined from the dungeon’s time line (see “Using How to Host a Dungeon for #Dungeon23”). Plans, if executed, may change.
Within this area of natural caves, the Illmind first constructed a holding area where they stored brain vessels (any sentient beings) prior to harvest. Only a few wall carvings hint at the purpose. Later, demons converted the structure into charnel pits, carving horrid faces in wall reliefs. To block a deep chasm, dwarves built a fortified drinking hall on the edge of the “Abyss.” The hall is now defended by the Doommaker Cult.
A sinkhole descends over 400 feet to a bottomless pit. Between the surface and infinite depths, a precipitous path winds by access points to several dungeon levels, including a faerie cascade through which is a one-way portal to other worlds and an ancient dwarf-built subterranean road.
Future Levels
Old Dwarf Road [Levels 4, 5, 6]
During their civilization, the dwarves connected their subterranean realm to neighboring dungeons. The sinkhole that makes Fury’s Deep opened access to a still-intact portion of the ancient highway. It runs through a former dwarf dormitory that was re-purposed as laboratories by the Lore Kings and now serves a wyvern as lair. The highway continues down a gentle slope to a bridge across a wide chasm. A river flows below. On the opposite side, a wizard’s tower overlooks the chasm.
Giant Stronghold [Level 7]
The subterranean river flows toward the Abyss (Ningalgaur, above). Along it, a treacherous path leads to an oversize castle built into the rock wall of a high cavern, where the river falls into the Abyss. This was the principle stronghold of the giant empire. A few giants still occupy the place, along with dragons, trolls, and wraiths among others. A clan of ogre magi pretends to sovereignty.
“Garden of Eden” [Level 8]
To increase the quality of the harvest, the Illmind created favorable living conditions for the brain carriers captured on the surface. A nearby magma chamber provides heat. A central orb radiates magical light and darkness in a daily cycle. Fresh water flows through canals. The area became—and yet remains—a lush subterranean forest. Heaven in earth? More like hell, because its inhabitants were aware of their fate.
Sealed Empire [Level 9]
Thanks to a platinum vein, adamantine deposits, and their metalsmithing craftsmanship, the dwarves built an empire wealthy beyond imagination. But they got too curious about the workings of the mysterious device in a deeper level. When the gate opened, a demon horde poured through it. Many dwarves were slaughtered in a great carnage. Survivors fled to the imperial throne room and sealed themselves inside. Though they could not enter, the demons did not retreat for many long years. The location of the sealed door is now lost. Should someone find it and break the seal, an empire’s riches await.
Arena Arcane [Level 10]
The Cyclopes, primordial creatures enslaved by the Illmind, quarried granite from this region. From the space, deep elves later carved an arena. During the giant empire, it served as a slum, before the Lore Kings restored the arena.
Deep Elf City Ruins [Level 11]
The pits and sanctums of an ancient deep elf city are in ruins. The once-magnificent opera house is more or less intact. While they have not lived here in millennia, deep elves frequent the place, seeking lost treasures and forgotten lore.
Infernal Sanctum and Demon Gate [Level 12]
The Illmind constructed the gate to the demons’ home plane. Before departing, they opened the gate to call forth the horde that would destroy any of their remaining works. The dearth of remains from the Illmind civilization testifies to the project’s success. The adjacent sanctum is a cyclopean complex wherein the demons held their infernal revelries.
Deeper
“Before the rules for D&D were published ‘Old Greyhawk Castle’ was 13 levels deep” (Europa).
Ours is to be twelve levels by years end. From the start, I imagined Deep Dungeon Doom to comprise 24 levels at least: 12 beneath the surface, 12 more rising up through the tall tower, called a “donjon,” of the Greater Ones. There are, however, ideas and space for many more levels.
Godthrone [Level 13]
The Illmind built a thing atop the donjon. No one is certain of its purpose. It resembles nothing more than an enormous chair. Hence, it’s common name: Godthrone. The location has been used on and off throughout the millennia as a place of worship.
1 Gygax’s dungeon-level theme examples may seem uninspired to modern adventurers and dungeon makers. In his defense to posterity, the co-creator points out: “The first level was a simple maze of rooms and corridors, for none of the participants had ever played such a game before.” I for one would trade my jade spectacles for a seat at that table.
2 Here, at the crossroads of #Dungeon23 and #Gygax75, I am neglecting McCoy’s precept “Don’t make a grand plan” (“#Dungeon23,” Win Conditions). Rather, the instigator advises: “Just sit down each day and focus on writing a good dungeon room.” Time to get back in the dungeon…
In Deep Dungeon Doom, I follow #Gygax75 and #Dungeon23 to create a D&D dungeon campaign in a few minutes per day for one year. I intend to post irregular updates here. To get the daily rooms, follow me on Mastodon.
This is the 22nd in a continuing series of articles, which reedits house rules for Holmes Basic D&D from 40-year-old game club newsletters. Mentions of house rules are in bold text and followed by a [bracketed category designator].
Phenster’s Pandemonium Society House Rules is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, incidents, and newsletters are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is pure coincidence.
A note on the cover page near the closing staple of Paradigm Lost #2 (November 1980) instructs the subscriber to “REMOVE STAPLE WITH CARE . . . CENTERFOLD INSIDE!!!!” Phenster teases us further in the editorial column “From the Amanuensis”:
We have a special "centerfold" treat in this issue for all you little demons of the Pandemonium Society. An assortment of tables (that go with a piece by Hazard about characters past 3RD LEVEL) are arranged by themselves on one side of 6 pages with a drawing of a siren (sorry, none of our photographs came out). All you have to do is unfold the pages (you were careful with the staple, right?) and paste/tape them onto cardboard that you can fold in threes. Add a few more tables of your own devising for your own custom Referee Screen!
Our subscriber A. J. Postlethwaite seems to have heeded the first instruction but failed to carry out the second. Only two tiny holes indicate the staple’s one-time presence. The center pages are intact.
I reproduce Hazard’s tables within each house rule below.
Level Advancement
by Hazard
Players in the Great Halls of Pandemonium progressed beyond 3rd level over the summer. Since school started I've been juggling calculus, chemistry, and trying to decide how to manage experience points, spells, attack matrices, and so on. (Thank Crom for study hall!) My first idea was to make the switch to AD&D like everybody else. After a lot of reading and much thinking though, I decided the "advanced" rules are too complicated for what they give the game. I looked at the old rules too, but frankly, it's a big mess. They just kept adding on to the system until it became a golem of rules. Eventually, I made up some stuff, inspired by both the old and the new. I tried not to change any numbers (hit tables, saving throw matrices, spells, etc.) from levels 1-3 in the Basic book, so any characters rolled-up from that book are still valid in the Great Halls campaign.
Necessary Experience for Higher Levels
Double the amount you need every level, as in the Basic rules, until you get to 8th level. The total amount you need to get to 8th level is what you need to get from 8th to 9th and for every level higher. Fighters need 4,000 to attain 3rd level, 8,000 for 4th, etc. . . They need 128,000 to reach 8th level. Then they need 128,000 more XP to get to 9th level (256,000), then 128,000 more for 10th level (384,000), and so on.
You get normal HD + bonus h.p. for CON at every level gain through 9th level. After that, you don’t get more HD or bonus h.p. You just get +1 h.p. per level except fighters, which get +2.
Magic Spells
Clerics
Clerics get first and second level spells through their faith at 2nd and 4th level, respectively. Third through fifth level spells (gained at 5th, 6th, and 7th level) are delivered to them by divine intermediaries, like angels and such, while sixth and seventh level spells are given by the deity itself. Clerics can cast these spells at 9th and 12th levels.
Clerics get another first and second level spell at every other level after the first spell. Third through fifth, they get every 3 levels, and sixth and seventh every 4 levels.
Magic-Users
Magic-users start with 1 first level spell at 1st level, 2 at 2nd and 3rd, then 3 for 3 levels, 4 for 4 levels, and so on (as in the chart). The number of spells increases the same for each spell level. Magic-users can cast another level of spells at every odd numbered level.
Cleric's Turning
The only table in the whole lot that makes any sense. At higher levels, clerics can turn the next undead monster at every level, getting better by 2 pips. At 4th level they automatically destroy the weakest sort.
Thief's Abilities
Thieves add 5% to each ability (except Climbing and Hearing) per level up to 99% (highest). Climbing adds 1% each level, and the range to hear noise goes up 1 every 4 levels. Thief's blow from behind ability gives them triple damage at levels 5-8, x4 at 9-12, x5 at 13-16, and so on. Thieves can read languages 80% of the time at 4th level, like in Basic, but they can’t read magic scrolls (not cleric) until 10th level.
Attack Matrices
Characters Attacking
I did these tables a little different from the book because I wanted to make a smooth transition from level to level without jumping from e.g. 19 to 17, like a fighter does from level 3 to 4 in the old rules. If you look at the average level for each range (which is how they did it in the old rules--completely nuts!), it works out to about the same without any jumps.
1st level characters need a 20 to hit a monster with a 0 AC. The fighter's chance to hit goes up 1 (3/3) every level. The cleric's goes up 3/4 of a point, drop the fraction, thief 3/5, and magic-user 3/6 (or 1/2) per level. Did you see the math magic I did there?
Monsters Attacking
Same as 1st level characters, monsters with less than 1 Hit Dice need a 20 to hit 0 AC, then the number to hit goes down 1 per HD. So, 1 HD needs 19, 2 an 18, 3 a 17, and so on. Monsters with HD+n are counted as the next higher HD.
Saves
I cast some math magic on the saving throw tables too. For each save I averaged the total increase from level 1 to 13 from the Saving Throw matrix in D&D and spread it out over the levels. For instance, fighters save Death Ray 12 at 1st level and 4 at 13+. Formula, where L is character level: 12-(12-4)/(13-1)*(L-1). So the saving throw goes down 2/3rds point per level, rounding up. Clerics also go over 12 levels too, but I used 10 as the divisor for magic-users.
Fighters have the best saves, total increase 8 over 12, except dragon breath, which is 10/12. Clerics' good saves are 8/12 (Spells, Death Ray), others are 7/12. Magic-users have the worst. Their spells (good) save is 7/10; the rest are only 5/10.
Basic D&D says Thieves save as fighters, but Greyhawk has them as M-Us. I took a road across the middle ground. Thieves start like fighters in all categories, and they progress as fighters in physical categories (8 and 10 over 12) and as M-Us against spells and wands (7, 5/10).
Elves, dwarves, and halflings use the best save in each category by their class (multi-class possible), like dual-classed humans. Dwarves and halflings get +2 to all saves except dragon breath, which gets a +1.
Paradigm Lost #2 (November 1980)
Experience Points by Class and Level [E]
Level
Thief
Cleric
Fighter
Magic-User
1
0
0
0
0
2
1,200
1,500
2,000
2,500
3
2,400
3,000
4,000
5,000
4
4,800
6,000
8,000
10,000
5
9,600
12,000
16,000
20,000
6
19,200
24,000
32,000
40,000
7
38,400
48,000
64,000
80,000
8
76,800
96,000
128,000
160,000
9
153,600
192,000
256,000
320,000
10
230,400
288,000
384,000
480,000
11
307,200
384,000
512,000
640,000
12
384,000
480,000
640,000
800,000
13
460,800
576,000
768,000
960,000
14
537,600
672,000
896,000
1,120,000
15
614,400
768,000
1,024,000
1,280,000
16
691,200
864,000
1,152,000
1,440,000
Hit Dice by Class and Level [E]
Level
Thief
Cleric
Fighter
Magic-User
1
1d4
1d6
1d8
1d4
2
2d4
2d6
2d8
2d4
3
3d4
3d6
3d8
3d4
4
4d4
4d6
4d8
4d4
5
5d4
5d6
5d8
5d4
6
6d4
6d6
6d8
6d4
7
7d4
7d6
7d8
7d4
8
8d4
8d6
8d8
8d4
9
9d4
9d6
9d8
9d4
10
9d4+1
9d6+1
9d8+2
9d4+1
11
9d4+2
9d6+2
9d8+4
9d4+2
12
9d4+3
9d6+3
9d8+6
9d4+3
13
9d4+4
9d6+4
9d8+8
9d4+4
14
9d4+5
9d6+5
9d8+10
9d4+5
15
9d4+6
9d6+6
9d8+12
9d4+6
16
9d4+7
9d6+7
9d8+14
9d4+7
Number of Spells per Day [E]
Clerics
Spell Level —
Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
1
2
1
3
2
4
2
1
5
3
2
1
6
3
2
2
1
7
4
3
2
2
1
8
4
3
2
2
2
9
5
4
3
2
2
1
10
5
4
3
3
2
2
11
6
5
3
3
3
2
12
6
5
4
3
3
2
1
13
7
6
4
4
3
2
2
14
7
6
4
4
4
3
2
15
8
7
5
4
4
3
2
16
8
7
5
5
4
3
2
17
9
8
5
5
5
3
3
18
9
8
6
5
5
4
3
Magic-Users
Spell Level —
Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1
1
2
2
3
2
1
4
3
2
5
3
2
1
6
3
3
2
7
4
3
2
1
8
4
3
3
2
9
4
4
3
2
1
10
4
4
3
3
2
11
5
4
4
3
2
1
12
5
4
4
3
3
2
13
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
14
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
15
5
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
16
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
17
6
5
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
18
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
Cleric’s Turning [E]
Undead Monster —
Level
Skeleton
Zombie
Ghoul
Wight
Wraith
Mummy
Spectre
Vampire
1
7
9
11
N
N
N
N
N
2
T
7
9
11
N
N
N
N
3
T
T
7
9
11
N
N
N
4
D
T
T
7
9
11
N
N
5
D
D
T
T
7
9
11
N
6
D
D
D
T
T
7
9
11
7
D
D
D
D
T
T
7
9
8
D
D
D
D
D
T
T
7
9
D
D
D
D
D
D
T
T
10
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
T
11
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
N: No effect
T: Automatic turn
D: Automatic destroy
Thief’s Abilities [E]
Level
Open Lock (%)
Remove Trap (%)
Pick Pocket (%)
Move Silently (%)
Hide in Shadows (%)
Climb Sheer Surfaces (%)
Hear Noise (d6)
1*
15
10
20
20
10
87
2
2
20
15
25
25
15
88
2
3
25
20
30
30
20
89
3
4**
30
25
35
35
25
90
3
5*
35
30
40
40
30
91
3
6
40
35
45
45
35
92
3
7
45
40
50
50
40
93
4
8
50
45
55
55
45
94
4
9*
55
50
60
60
50
95
4
10***
60
55
65
65
55
96
4
11
65
60
70
70
60
97
5
12
70
65
75
75
65
98
5
13*
75
70
80
80
70
99
5
14
80
75
85
85
75
99
5
15
85
80
90
90
80
99
5
16
90
85
95
95
85
99
5
17*
95
90
99
99
90
99
5
18
99
99
99
99
95
99
5
19
99
99
99
99
99
99
5
* Blow from behind (+4 attack) starts at ×2 damage, increases every 4 levels to ×3, ×4, and so on
** Read languages 80%
*** Read magic scrolls
Character Attack Matrices [E]
Fighter Attacking
Character Level —
AC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
0
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
1
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
2
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
3
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
4
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
5
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
6
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
7
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
8
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
9
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Cleric Attacking
Character Level —
AC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
0
20
20
19
18
17
17
16
15
14
14
13
12
11
11
10
9
1
19
19
18
17
16
16
15
14
13
13
12
11
10
10
9
8
2
18
18
17
16
15
15
14
13
12
12
11
10
9
9
8
7
3
17
17
16
15
14
14
13
12
11
11
10
9
8
8
7
6
4
16
16
15
14
13
13
12
11
10
10
9
8
7
7
6
5
5
15
15
14
13
12
12
11
10
9
9
8
7
6
6
5
4
6
14
14
13
12
11
11
10
9
8
8
7
6
5
5
4
3
7
13
13
12
11
10
10
9
8
7
7
6
5
4
4
3
2
8
12
12
11
10
9
9
8
7
6
6
5
4
3
3
2
2
9
11
11
10
9
8
8
7
6
5
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
Thief Attacking
Character Level —
AC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
0
20
20
19
19
18
17
17
16
16
15
14
14
13
13
12
11
1
19
19
18
18
17
16
16
15
15
14
13
13
12
12
11
10
2
18
18
17
17
16
15
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
11
10
9
3
17
17
16
16
15
14
14
13
13
12
11
11
10
10
9
8
4
16
16
15
15
14
13
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
9
8
7
5
15
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
8
7
6
6
14
14
13
13
12
11
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
7
6
5
7
13
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
6
5
4
8
12
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
5
4
3
9
11
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
7
6
5
5
4
4
3
2
Magic-User Attacking
Character Level —
AC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
0
20
20
19
19
18
18
17
17
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
1
19
19
18
18
17
17
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
2
18
18
17
17
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
3
17
17
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
4
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
5
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
6
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
7
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
8
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
9
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
Monster Attack Matrix [E]
Monster Hit Dice —
AC
<1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
0
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
1
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
2
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
3
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
4
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
5
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
6
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
7
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
8
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
9
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Saving Throws [E]
Fighters
Character Level —
Save
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Spell Magic Staff
16
16
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
Magic Wand
13
13
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
5
5
4
3
Death Ray Poison
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
4
4
3
2
Turn to Stone
14
14
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
4
Dragon Breath
15
15
14
13
12
11
10
10
9
8
7
6
5
5
4
3
Clerics
Character Level —
Save
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Spell Magic Staff
15
15
14
13
13
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
5
Magic Wand
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
7
6
5
5
4
4
Death Ray Poison
11
11
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
5
5
4
3
3
2
2
Turn to Stone
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
6
Dragon Breath
16
16
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
Magic-Users
Character Level —
Save
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Spell Magic Staff
15
15
14
13
13
12
11
11
10
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
Magic Wand
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
Death Ray Poison
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
Turn to Stone
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
Dragon Breath
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
Thieves
Character Level —
Save
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Spell Magic Staff
16
16
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
Magic Wand
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
Death Ray Poison
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
4
4
3
2
Turn to Stone
14
14
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
8
8
7
6
6
5
4
Dragon Breath
15
15
14
13
12
11
10
10
9
8
7
6
5
5
4
3
Multi- and Dual-Class Characters [E]
Multi-class (non-human) and dual-class (human) characters use the best save for each category by class.
Dwarves and Halflings [E]
Dwarves and halflings add 2 to the dice roll to all saves except Dragon Breath, to which they add 1.
In a short review of Jon Peterson’s triptych of D&D history, I allude to “The True Impact of D&D,” which, Peterson speculates in the closing of Game Wizards, after almost 50 years “has yet to be felt.” Since then, I’ve been thinking more about the game’s impact on my own life and how I see its effect on others’ lives. I have also been searching the information network for ways in which the game’s more forward-thinking proponents are, today, using DUNGEONS & DRAGONS as more than just a game. So exploring, one discovers a meta-dungeon stocked with obstacles and monsters, populated by heroes and wizards.
The wizards are those who work the game’s magic to help dungeon explorers overcome obstacles and defeat monsters. I don’t mean dungeon obstacles, like heavy portcullises and bottomless chasms. The dungeon is real life, and its obstacles are emotional, like autism and social isolation. And not fantastic monsters, either, like hobgoblins and trolls. I mean more fearsome monsters, like anxiety, depression, alcoholism, and post-traumatic stress disorder—dragons encountered in our daily lives. The heroes are those explorers who, through their experience in the game, emerge from the dungeon an improved version of themselves.
We also find treasures in the meta-dungeon. They come in many forms: anecdotes about making life-long friends at the game table, accounts of personal transformation aided by playing RPGs, and documentaries about the game and its impact on human lives.
One such treasure, recently unearthed, is Adventure Never Ends: A Tabletop Saga. Produced for Time Studios by Douglisio DiMuccio, Rob D. Miller, and Aaron Pagniano, this 40-minute documentary was released last month. It emphasizes the importance of D&D and reveals, through multiple interviews, recurring themes in the D&D play experience.
Notable interviews include Luke Gygax and Peter Adkison, among other game designers, a host of actors, and several school children. The children participate in therapeutic game programs, at which point we discover another treasure:
Also interviewed are Game to Grow founders, Adam Davis and Adam Johns. Game to Grow, a non-profit organization, uses D&D and Minecraft for therapeutic, educational, and community growth. Of their game therapy program, Davis says, “A lot of our kids are so burnt out on therapy, and they’ve been in social skills training programs that haven’t really helped them… This is more important than learning how to make eye contact or learning how to shake hands effectively. This is an opportunity for your child to care about being around other people” [17:10].
Heroes and wizards agree: D&D is a powerful tool to inspire, educate, and motivate. It’s a treasure.
I’m thinking to open the scope of this blog to talk about D&D’s larger impact on society. I know little about using hashtags, less about making new ones. On social media lately I’ve been tagging appropriate posts with #TrueImpactOfDnD. Some more savvy social media maven might suggest better.
Click or tap the image to watch the full documentary on Time.com.
