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WhisperDragon'sWhisper

Issue 1 Volume 1 Numbe

Role-Play Gamesole-Play GamesLAYONARA FEATURESRole-Playing AdviceComic: Tales of LayonaraStories of Layonara

INTERVIEWSCover Artist: PhaereD&D Adventures:

Al Sousa

INTRODUCTIONSGamemaster: Harlas

Player Characters:Bumblebee & EnzoDeity: Pyrtechon

REVIEWWarhammer TabletopSerenity RPG

LAYONARA FEATURESRole-Playing AdviceComic: Tales of LayonaraStories of Layonara

INTERVIEWSCover Artist: PhaereD&D Adventures:

Al Sousa

INTRODUCTIONSGamemaster: Harlas

Player Characters:Bumblebee & EnzoDeity: Pyrtechon

REVIEWWarhammer TabletopSerenity RPG

Dragon's


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Contents Chroniclers of the WeaveThe people who are proud to bring this to you!

Editor In Chief

Dan Scott (Leanthar)Editors

Sarah Hunter (Acacea)Andrew Thompson (Creighton)

Beverly Scott (Fayith)

LayoutBeverly Scott

Andrew Thompson

IllustrationsCover Artist and Illustrator: Lisette (Phaere)

Cartographer: Peter Mitchell (Rasterick)Player Forum Albums: NwN screen shots & images

Contributors and ReviewersCharles Tallman (CHAzz)

Thorsten Jurgensen (Harlas Ravelkione)Fernando Espitia (Pankoki)

Phil Lynch (Philhappy)Andy Mellecker (Guardian452/Enzo)

Jill Price (Honora)Anthony Beaulieu

Edwin van de Ketterij (EdTheKet)

Jason Williams (Ozymandias)Andrew Thompson

Tales of Layonara ComicStory - Andrew Thompson

Artwork - Niels Andersen Dolmer (Niles09)

InterviewsBumblebee (PenNPopper) - The Dragon's Whisper

in-game magazinePhaere - http://phaere-tail.tripod.com/

Al Sousa - D&D Adventures

WebsitesLayonara - http://www.layonaraonline.com

Phaere's Artwork - http://phaere-tail.tripod.com

D&D Adventures - http://www.dndadventure.com

Advertising and SubmissionsDisplay advertising information and

submission guidelines available upon request.

Email: [email protected]

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Dragons WhisperVolume 1, Issue 1, Number 1.

Published by Layonara Studios.Reproduction or use of thismaterial in whole or in partwithout permission of the

publisher is prohibited. Theviews and opinions detailed here-

in are not necessarily those ofLayonara Studios, its executives,

or other contributors.

2007 Layonara Studios

Letter from the Editor

Wisdom from the Ranks

The Gamemasters:

Harlas

Four Corners of a MagicalWorld: Pankoki Quest

Warhammer: TabletopMiniatures Warfare

Comic: Tales ofLayonara

Portrait of a Character:Bumblebee

Portrait of a Character:Enzo

Get to Know Phaere:Artist/Illustrator

Serenity RPG

Deity of Layonara:Pyrtechon

Notes of a Bard:Ozymandias

D&D Adventures:Al Sousa

False Truth - Chapter 1

Open Gaming Licenses& Notices

Layonara World Map

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Letter from the Editor In Chiefby Dan Scott (Leanthar)

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It is with great pride that I write this letter of intro-duction for the inaugural issue ofDragonsWhisper. To get this magazine out to you, itrequired a lot of dedication and drive from ourteam. Thank you--all of you!

I started this magazine because I know it willspread word of the World of Layonara and be ofinterest to our players. The larger the player baseis for the world, the better the opportunity that theplayers in the community have in engaging ingood role play. Also, perhaps some of the players

will find some good

friends along the way.

We expect our layout willchange as we develop it,and what is now plannedas a quarterly publicationcould, one day, becomea monthly one. However,our goal is to ensure it isreadable online and easyto print for those that pre-fer a hardcopy.

Where to start?

Layonara started in my head in 1986 when I wasjust starting to play and enjoy games. But gamingwas not really enough for me, so I started jottingdown notes and ideas about various things that Iwould like to see in a fantasy world. After a fewyears of this, I then started Game Mastering(GMing) and I quickly learned that a few of myideas didnt work and that all of my ideas werenot deep enough to create a really convincing

fantasy world. So, I went back to the drawingboard after my Pen and Paper (PnP) playersdestroyed the world. A rookie GM mistakeIhave made plenty of them in my lifetime.

When starting over, I created the foundation of adeeper world. Then, I started allowing my PnPplayers to change and define the world as theytraveled to various areas in it. I quickly fell in love

with this new style of creation because it allowedthe players to enjoy themselves and actually feela part of the world. It was, at this time, that Istarted tracking history and lore based aroundthe players and their actions. This continued fornearly a decade and quite a few players wereinvolved during this process and time frame. Lotsof fun! And lots of handwritten documents andhand-drawn maps...an artist I am not.

In June of 2002, I took a stab at putting Layonaraonline for other players to enjoy. I thought theworld would remain small and mostly unnoticed

but to my surprise it was fairly popular. I made alot of mistakes at the beginning as running anonline community is difficult and time consumingto say the least. I am still learning to this day andwill continue to learn.

The world has exploded in popularity, lore, andhistory ever since putting it online. It is a lot offun to see players enjoy their time inside thegame world and reading the history and lore ofthe world.

I would like to humbly say thank you to all of thegreat people that have worked on the variousteams at various stages of involvement within thegame world and the community in general. Everysingle one of you that has been on these teamsrock! It is because of your hard work and sacri-fices through the years that the players havebeen able to enjoy their time in a great gameworld full of history and lore.

To the playersthank you! We all do this for you.Every one of us enjoys seeing you have fun in a

game world built for role-playing, which is whywe work in the community. Without the players,there is no reason to have a game world and allof us are unmistakably aware of this fact.

And thank you to my family for your support overthe long years. I love you! Beverly...you are awe-some and I couldnt have done this without yoursupport and love. Thank you honey.

Dan Scott (Leanthar)


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Wisdom from the RanksAnswers to Those Troubling Questions

by Charles Tallman (CHAzz)

4

Our intention with this feature is to give advice onany and all aspects of role playing.

While I am aware that for more than just a few ofyou, Neverwinter Nights (NwN) has been youronly experience with role-playing games, andthat you might never have stepped up to a pen-cil-and-paper, tabletop game in your life, I never-theless wish to include as much of the entireindustry as possible. Who knows, perhaps yourexperiences in Layonara will help you branch out

into other aspects of the genre.

Now, before I get too far into this, perhaps a littlebit about myself is in order, if only to help buildsome sort of credentials.

I've been gaming most of my life, since the earlydays of Dungeons & Dragons. Ever since thatfirst taste in 1977 I've gobbled up any system,setting, or book I could get my hands on. I mostassuredly do not consider myself an expert onanything. I do, however, consider myself highly

opinionated on just about everything. It is thisvast storehouse of opinion from which I plan todraw my suggestions.

No matter how I feel about my opinions and theirvalidity, I am certainly not the end-all, be-all ofgeek knowledge. When necessary, I will bedrawing on the massive pool of gamerdomintellect known affectionately as the LayonaraForums. If I can't figure out how to explainsomething, or if (more likely "when") I find differ-ing opinions on topics, I will try to cover both

sides, including quotes from the veterans whohave been generous enough to share theirwisdom.

One challenge to writing an article like this is thatit would be easy to call it a "how-to." This is aviewpoint that we are trying to avoid at all costs.When it comes to role playing, the only fast andsolid rule is that there really is no right or wrong

way to do things; the entire concept is self-inter-pretive. Honestly, can anyone tell me how an elfacts? Have you ever encountered one down atthe local corner shop buying a packet of snackcakes? Have we ever seen one on televisiondiscussing ethnic disparity on a daytime talkshow? Of course not, but we all have our ownidea of how one would act. And that's the issueright there. While my elf and your elf will havesimilarities, there will be plenty of differences, ifonly because of our personal experiences and

how we look at the material.

Having said all this, I think some generalitieswould be a good topic for this inaugural issue.So let us start with some basics.

There are essentially four different styles of RPG.I categorize them into: standard RPGs, such asD&D or Rifts; Massively Multiplayer OnlineRPGs, like Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot, orUltima Online; Live Action RPGs like Mind's EyeTheatre, or NERO; and finally, MiscellaneousRPGs; games like Monopoly fit this finalcategory. At this point, two questions have likelypopped into your head, one being how doesLayonara fit into this model, and two, how isMonopoly a role-playing game?

Layonara, as a persistent world of NeverwinterNights, is a cross between a traditional RPG andan MMO. It definitely has the setup of an MMO.You need a computer with some sort of Internetconnection, you play with tons of people you'venever met in real life, and much of the dynamic ishandled in a computer game fashion. On theother hand, there is a higher percentage of role

When it comes to role playing, the onlyfast and solid rule is that there really is

no right or wrong way to do things.


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Wisdom - Continued

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playing than in an MMO; we accomplish thingswith actual, if still electronic, die rolls, and wetend to police ourselves more when it comes tonon-game issues and topics. As for Monopoly,think about it for a minute. Monopoly, Life, heckeven some card games require us to take on a"role." In Monopoly, we are real estate tycoons,in Life, ordinary people. In the card game LunchMoney, we pretend to be little girls on the ele-mentary school playground. That's really whatour entire hobby comes down to: taking a role.

Essentially all we ever do is improv acting. Iknow I say that like improv is an easy thing andall those actors are hacks, but I really mean it inthe reverse. We should feel pretty good aboutourselves for attempting this stuff in the firstplace. We may not be on stage, but it still canbe pretty nerve-wracking to pretend to be what-ever we play, and hope the others we meet areconvinced with our performance.

That aside, back to the game.

When starting a newcharacter, the bestway to start is toread. Read anythingon the setting youcan get your handson. For Layonara,that's pretty easy.Everything is in onespot. Go through

the background,history, timeline,maps; all of it. Hitthe forums, readwhat others haveposted. The bestthing about the wayLayonara is set up,is that the character

submission process helps you make sure yourcharacter concept is going to work within theframework of the setting. If this is for a tabletopgame, check with the GM to make certain yourconcepts aren't going to clash with his ideas forthe game. There are very few things more frus-trating than to spend a great deal of time andeffort on a character whose background doesn'tmatter to the game. And from the other side ofthe screen, your GM doesn't want to try to jamyour character into his campaign when it doesn'tfit right.

What I'd really like to accomplish in this article,aside from hopefully entertaining you with my

rambling style, is to answer specific questionsand issues you might have, regardless of game,system, or setting. Heck I'll even try to answerquestions about collectable card games and thelike. To that end, if there is something you areconcerned about, or perhaps you want to debateme on some point or other, I've set up an email:[email protected]. Please feelfree to send me any and all of your various ques-tions, concerns, comments, and gripes. I'll try toanswer the best I can. If I can't help you with ananswer, I'm certain I can find someone who can.

Until next time, may all your hits be crits.

Essentially, all we ever do isimprov acting.

The Great Library--no longer lost. A great role-playing session in the Soulof a Lost AncientCampaign.


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Presenting

The GamemastersEach issue we would like to take the time to let our Gamemasters, in their own words,

introduce themselves to you and tell you a little of who they are, why they do what theydo, and overall give you insights into their perspectives regarding role playing.

So without further ado, allow us to introduce you to one of our own:

Thorsten Jurgensen (Harlas)

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I used to be one of the guys who made jokesabout role playing, until a friend of mine invitedme to oversee a Pen and Paper (PnP) role-play-ing session so I at least would know what I was

making fun of. I came, saw, and was hooked.

I played in a fantasy PnP campaign for two tothree years with a group of friends until I felt likerunning something of my own making. By then, Ihad read loads of fiction, sci-fi, and middle-ageinspired novels that gave me tons of ideas that Iwas eager to try on my PnP group. At the time,we played following a custom-made ruleset thatgave much power to the GM in leaving out theuse of dice. The GM created the environment,set the boundaries, and gave us an impression

or a feel of the situation, enabling us to makequalified judgments on whether what we wantedwas doable or not.

When I moved to a larger city to study, I lost myold PnP group. Since I was not entirely preparedto give up role playing, I started looking for a newgroup, which proved easily done. I then contin-ued GMing and role playing on and off for anoth-er 3 years, but since it was just not the same asin the old days, I began looking for an alternative.

That's when a friend of mine suggested that Ilook into Neverwinter Nights online. I followed hisrecommendation of a server, logged on, andmade my first character.

I was fascinated by all the custom materials andequipment, feats and skills, emotes, appear-ances and voicesets that were put into beautifullymade areas of towns, hills, deserts, swamps, and

even mountains.

Unfortunately, there was a lack of progress,change, and forward movement on the server, so

after two months of exploration I had seen allthere was to see and lost interest.

Because of this, I started looking for a new serv-er, which was when I stumbled upon LayonaraOnlineon a Google search. The amount of infor-mation on the forums was, at first glance, stag-gering. I slowly began working my way throughthe maps, deities, races, and history of the world,then started working on an application for adwarven character, Kobal Bluntaxe, who waspromptly approved and received a dream by a

golden wyrm.

Because Layonara is a dynamic world whereplayer interactions shape or create new areas,plotlines, and even history, I had still not yet leftthe first continent even after playing a month.Furthermore, a development team is continuingto come up with yet more implementations to thegame that add realism, while writers add furtherdetail to the history, deities, geography, and crea-tures of the world. Together they work closelywith the GM team that runs regular quests, plotquests, and character development quests. Anamazing player base also continuously works

...Layonara is a dynamic world whereplayer interactions shape or create new

areas, plotlines, and even history....


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The Gamemasters: Harlas - Continued

7

with the team to add more content and depth tothe World of Layonara, which also allows theplayers to further immerse themselves into the

world and add depth to their characters.After playing for about a year, I decided that Iwanted to contribute with my own ideas andshape threads on my own. Additionally, I wantedto give something back to the world, so I decidedto apply for a GM position and was welcomedinto the team.

There are great possibilities for a GM using theNwN GM client compared to being a GM in aPnP campaign. As a GM in Layonara, you areable to shape both a visible and audible environ-

ment for players that has a very realistic feel to it.A GM can build areas, manipulate environmentslike weather conditions and time of day, possessand control NPCs, and place enemies dynami-cally as the quest unfolds. In short, a GM isenabled to shape a story around a group of char-acters that does not only appeal to the imagina-tion of the players but also to their vision and

hearing, which makes it more interesting com-pared to being a GM in PnP.

Obviously, there are also drawbacks, such as thehandling of skill checks. However, these draw-

backs can be circumvented by the GM. An exam-ple is a situation where a character is trying tosneak (i.e. using Hide in Shadows + MoveSilently) across an area without cover duringbroad daylight. The game mechanics does notand cannot take such restrictions into accountwhen making the skill check. Such situations canbe handled through role play and communication

between player and GM,and are often much morerewarding than simplywalking around in stealth

mode.

But being a GM onLayonara is more thanjust the running of questsand throwing groups ofcharacters into hopelesssituations to see how theymanage to find a way out;it is also about being partof a team. Furthermore,being a GM also requires

dedication to the World ofLayonara and the wish tocontribute to it andexpand it further.

GM duties beyond therunning of quests includethings like helping playersthat have problems inKobal Bluntaxe(Harlas Layonara character) and Hargranar.

As a GM in Layonara, you are able toshape both a visible and audible

environment for players that has avery realistic feel to it.... [A] GM is

enabled to shape the story around agroup of characters.


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The Gamemasters: Harlas - Continued

8

game and answering questions by players on thepublic forums. GMs also voice their opinions indiscussions on the GM forums where subjects

range from the approval of characters, balancingissues or bugs, to more complex topics like thefuture of the server. Open-mindedness and paus-ing to consider options go a long way towardsfulfilling this important part of the job.

My experience has taught me that often, smallstories are the best ones, or stories that start outas small where room is left for them to evolve. Inmy opinion, the key is to leave things open to theplayers. Player initiative is rewarding to both GMand the group and often leads the quest on

routes one had not anticipated. Such detoursrequire the GM to have the ability to expand andinvent a storyline on the run, interact with thegroup through the NPCs along their road, andinventing their personalities and backgroundswithout prior preparation.

Realism is an important factor, in my opinion--even in a fantasy setting. Instead of choosingmagic as a relatively "easy" means to explain aphenomenon or as a route towards the fulfillment

of a quest, I often prefer to rely on creative useof skills and the imagination of the party to passobstacles or defeat an overpowering foe. In myopinion, the "magic" in encountering magic disap-pears once magic becomes common.

An example of a quest series I have run onLayonara was the story surrounding an orcishchampion of Grand. Grand is an orcish deity in

Layonara who once suffered betrayal as a mortaland swore vengeance against his betrayer, whicheventually lead to his ascension.

Grand gifted a weapon to an orc of his choice.This orc was neither the strongest nor the mostcunning of his worshippers, but one who sufferedbetrayal of the worst kind. Grand made this orchis unwilling champion--unwilling because herefused his role but was left no choice by thegod. The champion, Grand's Red Raven, was tounite the orcish tribes on the continent and leadan assault on the dwarven bastions in the civi-lized lands, to weaken their god and avenge theold betrayal.

A group of adventurers sought to unravel Grand'sscheme and with the help of a master in trans-mutation the group was polymorphed into a bandof orcs--permanently, as they discovered duringthe ritualistic transformation. Given their newshapes, the former adventurers were able to infil-trate the orcish army and eventually befriendedthe champion of Grand. The group recognizedthe madness that threatened to overwhelm thechampion due to the increasing pressure laid onhim by the presence of the god and understood

that the champion was fighting against his god'swill and lust for blood. Alas, they knew that thiswas not a struggle he would be able to win.

Through careful, smart execution and the help ofan orcish bonecaster from a rogue tribe of orcs,the party managed to free the champion bybreaking the weapon. At the same time, twopriests among the party were calling upon thepower of their gods to cause the ground toshake, causing cave-ins at strategic locationsand sealing most of the orcish army into the

underground tunnels they had been excavatingto launch a surprise attack upon a dwarven set-tlement.

Naturally, the group took losses along the way,but they came out on top. The characters eventu-ally found a way to regain their former shapesand sizes; although, some of their orcish traitsremain with them--even to this day.

Instead of choosing magic as arelatively easy means to explain a phe-nomenon or as a route towards the fulfil-ment of a quest, I often prefer to rely on

creative use of skills and the imaginationof the party to pass obstacles or defeatan overpowering foe. In my opinion, the"magic" in encountering magic disap-pears once magic becomes common.


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Four Corners of a Magical WorldWhat follows is a documentation of a quest seriesby the very GM that created and administrated it:

Fernando Espitia (Pankoki)

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As stories go, and legends aremade, many find themselveswanting to fight off the evil thatlurks around their worlds, whileothers seek treasure and delveinto the deepest dungeons wherethey fight ancient beasts to find it,and still others just pick a roadand simply start walking it. For asmall group of Dragoncalled, thiswas not so; this story practically

fell into their laps as they restedand talked in the middle of asmall town named Hlint.

Rushing out of magical gatescame a slight elf (Felimian washis name), bearing the urgentnews of a distant land known tovery few. He claimed his roots inVoltrex (the Tower of Earth, to beprecise), and his accent and pos-ture spoke of his honesty. Withthe melodic speech so often pos-

sessed by elves, he told our 'hap-less heroes' of a woman namedMelizaphei.

"Melizaphei Hilliaraname was a

very powerful elven wizard that

was raised and tutored in the

Tower of Nature. She showed

promise over the arcane arts at a

very young age and excelled in

all her teachings much earlier

than expected. Eventually she

came into her power and became

a vital member of the elven wiz-ard community. The matters that

she researched were simply

amazing. All her experiments

were beyond their time and peo-

ple truly wondered how she was

able to produce such marvelous

effects in the Weave.

"Her last project, and the most

important of them all, was a set

of scrolls, four in total, each one

representing an element. The

premise of the Scrolls of

Melizaphei was the ability to mold

and shape each element to the

point of being one with them. She

believed in the good that these

scrolls could be used for, but she

also understood the level of risk

that was involved should they fall

into the wrong hands. In anticipa-tion of this, she used many of her

skills to put several fail-safe

devices on the scrolls, some of

which remain a mystery to this

date."

His story, however, was not toend properly. As Felimian toldthem this, a circle formed aroundhim. Abject terror filled his face

and he hurriedly told the groupthat if they wished to avoid a ter-rible future for this land theyshould seek the keepers of theHigh Forest. A powerful ray ofmagic struck him and then hewas no more.

That is how this saga was born,for after that point in time all their

lives would change both for thebetter, and the worse. Friend-ships would rise, enmities wouldswell, and the very fabric ofmagic was to be flavored with aunique touch.

The High Forest is a place whereUnicorns once roamed, wherethe land spoke through the manytenders of its heart, and where

the balance of dark and light wasa thin one that shifted with everyseason. Many rangers and druidshad gathered there in Katia'sGrove to see a strange blackbox. It was rumored that it held atreasure that had been kept intheir fold for many years, and thatit was now no longer safe undertheir green canopies and insteadawaited the return to its master.

When the Dragoncalled arrived, it

was clear to the nature folk thatsomething had gone wrong.There were four wizards appear-ing less-than-friendly, two priest-esses with a reputation for shorttempers, and a bard with morestrings than a spider's web.When they heard the namesattached to each face, it didseem that things were gettingworse by the moment. Yet thedruids were bound by pact, andthe group presented all that was

needed to claim the box. With asense of relief, Legodia, Keeperof The High Forest, presentedthem with the burden the forestcould no longer bear. Withoutknowing what they were steppinginto, it was taken by the youngpriestess of Lucinda. With deter-mination in her expression, shewas the first to come in contact

Melizaphei


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Four Corners - Continued

10

with the Scroll of Earth.

"This is the source of the earth,

the spirit of the stone, the soul

of the solid air. Within lies the

sphere of the one corner that

controls that which binds the

planet. This is the third scroll of

Melizaphei. You who read this

are now bound to defend it. The

scroll will answer to you; join it

with his brothers to dismiss this

power or seek forever to be

chased by its suitors."

Did she feel confusion? Perhapsbewilderment? Whichever it was,the young priestess changedfrom that day on. Like a newbornchild, the scroll began to exploreher mind, learn from her and herfrom it; a being held within thatwas now freed to her mind, per-haps even her soul. Curious asall followers of the Lady of Spellsare, she opened to it and theworld began taking shapes ofearth and steel.

Felimian's warning lingered, how-ever. There were three more tobe found and an evil wizardnamed Kelor with a clear advan-tage over them. The conscious-ness of the scroll they had, lov-

ingly named Stone, guided them

towards the nearest of the ones

remaining.

Their next stop was to be theisland of Alibor in the Kingdom ofRoldem. Of course no journey isever safe, least of all one into aland that was facing a war fromundead factions, Mad God follow-ers, and the very few trying tofight them. Purpose drove our lit-tle group despite that. They wovesmall illusions or fought the smallgroups they could handle untilthey reached the end of theirjourney where the strangest ofcreatures awaited.

The Kuo-Toa, as they call them--a strange mix of frog and thingsthat should perhaps remain forev-er unknown, normally hostile toany land dweller, all stood theirswampy grounds as the presenceof one of the Scrolls wasacknowledged. After struggling tocommunicate, a spell was placedon the scroll bearer and soonmore dire news began flowing.

Xhalixkkia was the name of theleader. A Kuo-Toa of legendaryage who spoke to them at greatlength, and was eventually dis-covered to be the bearer of theScroll of Water, keeper of theebbs and flows, grace of thedeep, and ward to a place ofgreater power, a place where allthe four were linked to a balanceset by the cunning of the elvenrace. A place that was not too farfrom his home, and once the fourscrolls were gathered, was wherethey were to be returned--a placeof power where their fate was tobe determined. Though he wascryptic to no end, what was clearof his speech was the simpleurgent warning to gather the oth-ers before the balance was jeop-ardized.

It was easier said than done, forno clear clues to a direction exist-ed, as the other two scrolls werefound to be either behind extra-planar walls or hidden in verypowerful magic. So followingXhalixkkia's advice, they insteadmade for Dregar, a place wherethe history of the scrolls hadmigrated to once it had leftVoltrex, which would hopefully bethe place to find the clues theyneeded to locate the other two, ifcunning heads prevailed.

The first sign of progress wasfound in Pranzis after manyweeks of intensive, fruitless

research--a simple note foundstating that two agents of anunknown society wished to meetand discuss the matters of thescrolls. One would be found inthe woodland province of Vale, inthe Forest of Mists, and the othernot too far from it, in Orc's Watch.

By this time however, Kelor'sminions were already on theirtails. Sporadic encounters withcreatures of the elements werenormal things, yet eachencounter was a test of their met-tle that took sweat and tears tosurvive. Magic flew, prayers wereanswered, song lingered, andblades or hammers struck theforces of the elements, whichonly showed the control over firepossessed by the elf who com-manded them. Perhaps driven bypurpose, or perhaps luck, theysurvived this battle and manymore to come.

Vale is a serene spiritual forestoutpost in the deep heart of theForest of Mists, protected by achest-high wall of stone; a placewhere those that revere naturemake pilgrimages to fulfill vows orrenew spirits. This is where thegroup met a gentle elvenenchantress by the name ofElmilindalethiaratan Elnatioanna,who thankfully allowed herself tobe called simply Elmi. She was a

Kelor


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11

figure that had appeared beforein the lives of those now taskedwith the procurement of Meli'swork.

Elmi's previous line of work hadplaced her in the way of thescrolls, and she was aware ofMelizaphei and her family lineand the amazing research per-formed by the Hilliaraname dur-ing her life on Voltrex before herdisappearance. She spoke great-ly of how advanced Melizaphei'sresearch was and how most of itwasn't even understood by thosein her time. Eventually, the nextstep was found. Elmi's husband,the second contact, a mysteriousman named Boroin told them ofodd occurrences near the Riverof Shadows: trolls running awayfrom their home in O'taogor andodd activity within the caves.

Mucking through the bug infest-ed, serpent-riddled troll homewas likely the least of theirdesires, but their sacrifices werewell rewarded--for after removingthe large amount of elementalbeings that then guarded thecaves, they discovered Kelor'sfirst mistake: a summoning circleleft unattended. In it a shimmer-ing visage of a helpful yet suffer-ing man who gave them theknowledge that Xora, the lady inthe northern tower, would grantthem insight beyond belief.

What of the Holder of Earth? Theyoung priestess slowly learned ofthe scroll. It held memories of itsprevious owner, memories ofmurder and loss at the hands ofcared ones. She learned of aname: Kailia, Kelor's sister. Thestory unfolded slowly, and inevery dark corner, somethingmore tenebrous came through. Intime, she will learn of the truehorrors behind the scrolls.

Xora is a mysterious woman whocontrols a powerful tower ofmagic near the northern forestsof Dregar. She is rumored to be agreat wizard who trusts no onebut herself, with an expressionthat at times reveals a smallglimpse of sadness that is quicklyreplaced with a stern look and aresolute demeanor. This is wherethe group met, now expanded innumber after the story hadspread through the Dragoncalled.

By now, their suspicions of Kelorpossessing the Scroll of Firewere well founded. They hadfaced nothing but flames in theirconfrontations and the scroll feltwarded to Stone, the being withinthe Scroll of Earth. Thus the con-versation with Xora revolvedaround the location of the missingscroll, Air. Excitement filled theirexpressions when she confirmsthat she has ways to reach it, butit is quickly staunched when sheaffirms the fact that only if theyfound the amulet of TheHarvester of Souls, or any infor-mation regarding its location,would she allow passage to therealm in which the scroll hid.Amusement was in short supplythat day and with a warning fromthe mysterious lady they left witha heavy sigh and a lack of direc-tion.

Weeks of endless investigation

ensued, walls seemingly the onlyoptions of movement (meaningnone at all of course), until a daythat they were once more collect-ed in Pranzis. As they gatheredaround a fountain, the water tookshape into a being of grace, anda message was given from aweakening Xhalixkkia. CoraxLake.

Deep Lake is another name forthe body of water named afterthe half-orc Corax, as it wascalled before he performed a leg-endary dive in a local festival. Amysterious lake, which is said tobe bottomless and full of myster-ies. Now, it served as the meet-ing place for a dying scroll bearerand a group of adventurers hun-gry for information. Anything.

The war in Alibor had finallytaken its toll on the Kuo-Toa andit was now time for Xhalixkkia topass unto deeper ponds. Assuch, he was tasked to entrustthe Scroll of Water to a worthysuccessor, and it was within thisgroup that such person would befound.

Uncomfortable glances wereexchanged; the wizards withinthe group, their desires often lessthan savory, were perhaps hop-ing to control the more destruc-tive Fire Scroll, while others wereperhaps afraid of the duality thescrolls imposed, or maybe simplyhad no desire to be associatedwith the element. Thus, it was anenduring soul named Dal'Venus,a Hammer of Dorand, who with astout resolution took it upon her-self to protect and bond with thescroll, opposite in nature but withan understanding of the impor-tance of such a role.

"This is the source of the

water, the flowing sight, the

Boroin and Elmi


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blood of the world. Within lies

the sphere of the one corner

that infuses the planet with life.

This is the first scroll of

Melizaphei. You who read this

are now bound to defend it.

The scroll will answer to you;

join it with his brothers to dis-

miss this power or seek forever

to be chased by its suitors."

After giving them the scroll,Xhalixkkia informs them of an oldrelative of Melizaphei, now livingin the small desert city ofSaudiria.

Saudiria is the mysterious oasison the coast of Dregar. A place ofenticing natural rhythms and invit-ing windblown lullabies wheremany seek refuge from the shift-ing dunes of the desert, andpointed to as home ofMelizaphei's brother, who theyfound to be long dead.

The sad news was quicklyreplaced with hope when theydiscovered that the elf's half-human daughter is the currentowner of the place, and that shewas in the middle of moving outand getting rid of all the "junk"her father had kept around.Eager to learn about the figuresthat have eluded them for solong, they pleaded with her to letthem explore within, and sinceshe clearly didn't mind thechance to get rid of more collect-ed dust, they stumbled upon thefirst image of Melizaphei theywere to have.

It was a portrait--a family portrait,no less. They looked upon theelves and saw the faces to thenames for the first time: a femalewith a friendly, curious demeanordespite seeming a figure ofimposing authority, with anadventurous gaze that was nearly

more suited for the eyes of ahalfling; a middle-aged male withflowing white hair framing anarrogant expression; a youngwoman with short hair as blackas night and deep blue eyesseeming to consume the worldwith their curiosity; anotherfemale, though this one in a flow-ing gown that clearly appraised tonumbers better left unsaid; adark-haired young male thatappeared aloof in his posture,with an imperturbable expressioncontaining hints of shadow; andfinally a young girl that had clear-ly not yet reached adulthood, withher innocence still evident in herface.

Amongst the belongings thereinwas a jewel box containing partsof an amulet, a stone key thatwas hidden under the folds, anda more mundane-seeming housekey that was found attached tothe back of the portrait. The mys-tery was unveiling slowly withnew clues to old problems.

The findings coaxed more memo-ries from Stone, but with anotherscroll bearer added to the groupthey also had a larger targetpainted on their backs. Becauseof that, this is also where theybegan moving with a strongersense of purpose and determina-tion. The portrait and the key ledthem back to the Forest of Mists,where Kailia was rumored tohave lived in the past, but notbefore finally meeting theirenemy.

It was before the gates of Pranzisthat they saw his image wreathedin flames and draped in a darkcrimson mantle that exudedunnatural fires. This elf's appear-ance bore little resemblance tothe one in the portrait, yet it car-ried distinct features that marked

him as the same. No words couldbe exchanged before magicwhisked him to safety, but theDragoncalled now had the face oftheir enemy in mind.

They spoke with the Rangers ofthe Glade to unearth some infor-mation about the strange elf thatonce practiced magic within theforest, to find out about Kailia.Fortunately, the elven mind is notoften prone to forgetfulness, andso her home was identified as thenow overrun Deathgate Goblinhideout. The streak of good for-tune went even further still, aswhen they inspected the goblin-infested site, they discovered amagically sealed entranceandits key the one they had found inSaudiria. Kailia's old desertedstudy was now open to them, andwithin it, a collection of herdiaries.

The diaries were bound in hardleather that seemed to have beenexposed to heavy enchantmentswith its red-tinted pages clearlymade from the beautiful elventrees of yew. On them, the wordswere written in a flowing hand-writing.

"I don't understand why he made

me come to this forest. As much

as I love the natural setting of my

homeland, my duty was always in

Arabel. I am no druid; my magic

is wasted in defending myself

against pigs and badgers. A sad

day, this is.

I found the tree house he told me

about; it was interesting to see

how he enchanted the place to

have two entrances, one seem-

ingly a house devoid of living, the

other, his true abode that was

warded against all kinds of intru-

sion. It took me a good three

days to figure out how to open it!


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Silly me, forgetting the stone key

in my pocket.

The place is huge!! I have noidea how I'm going to keep it all

organized but I'll do my best of

course. Still, why in the middle of

nowhere? There's not a single

soul in this place except the odd

ranger passing here and there. I

will need to get some sort of bath

placed here. All in time."

Her entries continue to describehow, day by day, she adapted thehouse to her needs, with exten-

sive shopping lists for basicnecessities, and recounts of herexperiences traveling within theforest.

"Well, it has been awhile since I

wrote in this little book of mine. I

was called back home and forgot

to grab it when I left. Then again,

that's normal of me, forgetting

things like that.

The trip back home was a pleas-

ant one. The welcoming gates ofSaida are just the right thing one

needs to relax from scribing and

magicking. As usual, the family

wards were waiting for me and

led me to our home in Saida. I

really wanted to go straight to the

tower and visit my mother, but I

would feel bad not saying hello to

my fading father, so I spent a few

days with him as he withered

away in his bed. I love him with

all my heart, but sometimes you

simply need to let go.

After a few days, my mother

called and without a seconds

notice I was running for the

tower.

She was her usual self, her light

blue and earthen gown flowing

freely in the windy night. My

mother never fell into that stereo-

typical wizard look; she is beauti-

ful, smart, and polite. My father is

a lucky elf.

She addressed me in common,

which means someone else was

listening to us--the ever-polite

Voltrexian. This was a secret

code to us, no one else knew it,

but it meant to watch our

tongues. And so she spoke of

roses and the new spring and

some other subjects that really

didn't fit the reason we met. And I

knew she meant that she had

finally finished her work, and that

she was ready to show it to meas soon as we were alone.

She showed to me four simple

scrollsthey were beautiful. One

stored in a small glass casket

with a slight blue tint to it.

Another bright red one appearing

to be actually in flames. One in a

cylindrical tube rolled neatly and

surrounded by a liquid. The final

one, a slab of flat stone with

runes inscribed on it.

She explained to me what they

did and their importance. I knew

she wasn't lying for I've seen her

power and what she can create.

In her own words, "They are safe

while I remain, or at least my

conduit. They are powerful Kaila,

and many will seek them for

that."

She meant it--I already knew of a

little rat that was probably schem-

ing to get a hold of them. Thenshe surprised me, as she usually

does. She held the stone tablet

and gave it to me. "Kaila, protect

this one, it is the primal key to the

others and is no easy responsibil-

ity. It will test you in many ways

and I fear that it will take its toll

on you. You see my child, I've

placed a defense around the oth-

ers. They are somewhat protect-

ed from their users, but I do not

want to get into detail so early, for

it will probably confuse you. All

you need to know now is that youmust seek your cousin in Arabel.

Felimian has established a link

with the locals, and they can lead

you to understanding. This is my

gift to the world; within the end of

this passage I will leave what

may be useful in the future. I

have linked our amulets so that

only the two of us can open this

place, although you would need

the other three scrolls to open

them."

I was lost. She seemed hurried

somewhat, very unlike her. But I

took the scroll. She is my mother,

I trust her; she knows what I'm

capable of and what my limits

are.

On my way back, the thing start-

ed talking to me! It was like a

baby asking all sorts of ques-

tions; I asked for a name, he said

he didn't have one. I called him

Laanela, seemed fitting. Wetalked about everything. He

asked so much, and I talk too

much. A good companion he has

become.

For now, I have to pack my things

and go to Arabel. My old teacher

said that I could leave this forest

when I found out how to stop

time. Old blabber, I miss him

sometimes but I couldn't wait until

I could STOP TIME, so I left for

Arabel to meet my cousin.Besides, I heard he is getting

married, so I wouldn't mind meet-

ing his beloved wife."

More clues, more places to dis-cover, more history to the myth.The Rangers of the Glade hadalso spoken of a tribe of barbar-ians living in the mountains to thenorth that worshiped the winds


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and spoke of legends rang true ofthe essences of the scrolls.

Thunder Peaks is a land of con-flict between displaced GraniteGiants and local shamanic bar-barian tribes, mountains wherestorms are born and given direc-tion, and the place where thetides were truly to turn in theirfavor.

Our heroes were smart enough toapproach the normally secludedtribes with peace and a friendlydemeanor, ending some of the

giants that lurked their holygrounds as a gift. After speakingat length of their purpose, it wasthe tribal leader that acceptedthem as a piece of destiny andpresented them with a simplewhistle that had been given tohim many seasons ago. It wouldopen the door to realmsunknown.

They suspected that they hadfinally located the way to Air, and

it was time for an elf to takecharge of it. An archer namedTalan Va'lash, who had recentlyjoined them in the exploration ofthe fabled scrolls, was curiousabout its magic and perhaps itsrelation to the elven sanctuary ofVoltrex. He blew the instrumenton the highest peak, and with aclap of thunder, a flash of light,he was gone from this world.

What happened then? Perhaps

only Talan will ever know. Whenhe came back, he was a changedelf, bearing the third ofMelizaphei's four scrolls and withcontrol of the element comingnaturally to him.

"This is the source of the air, the

spirited voice, the ether of the

world. Within lies the sphere of

the one corner that infuses the

planet with breath. This is the

second scroll of Melizaphei.

You who read this are now

bound to defend it. The scrollwill answer to you; join it with

his brothers to dismiss this

power or seek forever to be

chased by its suitors."

In a brief, sidetracked interlude,they met with the wizardMoraken, who saw fit to meetwith them. Likely he knew thetrue importance of the scrolls,and so he provided gruff guid-ance, perhaps hoping that the

young adventurers wouldn't blowup the world. He spoke of the twodifferent approaches to using thepower of the scrolls-control andbonding. The first provided fastresults but would litter the magicwith conflict in the long run, whilethe second took more time butenabled the bearer to exact morepower over the element in ques-tion. He advised them to speakwith a man named Ozlo on thecontinent of Xantril; not only was

he learned in matters of planarmagic, but he was also the men-tor to Kailia when she was alive.

However, before they headed toXantril, Lueanne Lightfinger, ahalfling with a not-quite-cleanslate, but perhaps just a victim ofcircumstance, offered the groupan option she had heard fromBranderback's finest. Of course,the origins of this informationwere mostly left out of the con-

versation, but in some strangemanner typical to halflings, sheconvinced her friends to go toDregar and enter the den of whatthey will eventually discover to beShadow Thieves.

Sharina Shadowfang, leader ofthe Shadow Thieves, and per-haps the most feared figure ofthe underground movements of

the world. Hooded in her darkrealm, she offered them informa-tion for a simple item exchange.

With her usual twist of words, shelied to the party, saying that Kailiawas part of the guild while mak-ing sure she wasn't precise aboutwhich guild it was, and that in herabrupt death something ofSharina's was left with Kailia'sbody. She wanted only a set ofdaggers in exchange for directionon where to find more about her.

Seeing nothing wrong with this,they agreed and Shadon's temple

in Arabel became a stop on theirlist in the future.

Arabel is city of terrors anddemons, tyrannical home of tor-ture, suffering, disease, famineand violence of all kindsand theentrance to the undergroundguild that was once led by KailiaHilliaraname: a passage foundwith the temple of TheIrrepressible Scamp.

Though they were warned of thestrange creatures below, the bat-tle-hardened group was confusedat how fiercely the earthy crea-tures guarded the old caverns,wondering what they could beprotecting with such urgency. Itwas not until they came to thecentral chamber that the answerand the treasure were found.

Melizaphei called themMultidimensional Planar Cavity

Folding Crystals. To Stone, whatthey found it was simply a stor-age gem, but in reality it held afar greater impact. The beautifuloversized emerald contained notonly Kailia's physical belongings,but many of her memories aswell, passed onto it throughmagic. It was at this moment thatthe young Lucindite was instilledwith the memories of the elf, a


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15

new person born once more aspersonalities mix and pastbecomes present. Sharina's

request was fulfilled, theweapons passed onto the halflingwith little knowledge of the dam-age that would be done. Thus,did they keep their word to theones in shadows.

A powerful hit of the Weave sur-rounded them, called by someprimordial force as in the Lake ofSalt, a desert within the harsh-ness of Xantril, they found Kelor'sservants trying to dislodge

Kailia's petrified corpse from thesands it had melted in. With theirfortune, however, the Fire Giantswere defeated, and from herbody they retrieved the last partof the amulet they had discov-ered in Saudiria, the key to theplace where the scrolls would beunited, and now missing only theScroll of Fire.

Firesteep is a volcanic nightmareof an island in the northern region

of the world, an unholy place ofdestruction to Pyrtechon. Andhome to the Ancient King ofDragons--Fisterion. This is whereLueanne's contacts in theShadow Thieves had labeledKelor's laboratory when theexchange was made for informa-tion.

By this time, the three that car-ried scrolls now controlled theirelements more skillfully, and

could protect their presence byworking with one another to cloudKelor's attempts at spying if theyfocused enough on it. They cameto the mountains of fire wherethey found a hidden passageleading them to the studies of thecorrupted elf, but when theyarrive within, they met so littleresistance they just knew theywere either walking into a trap or

the place had been recentlyabandoned. Thankfully for theirsakes, it was the latter.

There was little of importance tobe found amongst the pieces ofdebris. Kelor had officially movedto Xantril in pacts with greaterforces, and so they found onlytrivial laboratory annotations dic-tating savage experiences whenattempting to control the Scroll ofFire and a solid cube of somestrange alloy. Though they werenot able to piece or dismantle it,their Weave senses told them

that something lay hidden within.Somewhat disappointed in theresults, they left the premises andturned back to Xantril.

The Great Forest is the heart ofLayonara, the home of the mostpowerful druids in the world, andthe grounds on which rested thetower of Ozlo, a mysterious figurewhose nature had as manyrumors as leaves in the forest,and the place where they would

finally come to understand thereality of the scrolls.

In times past, summoners wouldconjure elementals of all kindswhen seeking aid of extra planarmatter. They had many options,but were mostly limited to theinert elements. After the manywars in the world began, theselinks began to weaken, and agroup of powerful individualsgathered to fix this problem. A

conclusion was reached from theresearch of these wizards,Melizaphei among them. If thelinks were not balanced and itsenergies re-strengthened, sum-mons would no longer work in theworld at all. As such, it wasdecided that she would tend tothe balance of the links of theinner planes with her scrolls,while the rest of the world dealt

with summons provided fromother planes. That way, the oldlink was nurtured, allowed to

grow and maintain a balance,and Weave-gifted around theworld would still be able to call forhelp through their magic.Melizaphei gladly took this dutyupon her shoulders. The scrollsheld lesser powers that wereused as diplomats to the essenceof what linked those planes. Shewould eventually fade into therealm of balance, there to existuntil a replacement was found orthe power was spread amongst

bearers of the scrolls.

The news bore heavy on thosethat listened with mouths agape--the rest of their discussion withOzlo was casual compared towhat he had just shared. A sadstory unfolded when he openedthe box brought from Kelor's lab;its contents had belonged toYimliara, Kailia's youngest sister.A pair of weapons she used inher life, mostly as toys, but show-

ing promise in their handling, anda red storage gem, much like theone they had found in the cavesunder Arabel, with this oneinstead holding Yimliara's belong-ings. The allegiance and corrup-tion between the siblings wasvery clear at this point.

They thought the true sadnessbehind Yimliara's story was thatthe group had just learned whereshe lived, and now they were on

their way to end her. Youthcorrupted by the persuasivecapability of age.

It was in the Roughlands, an areaof Xantril that remains in theruinous ecology that once cov-ered the continent, full of ruinsand hidden secrets, where theyfound the youngest member ofthe seemingly cursed family. It


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was here where they would findthemselves fighting harder thanever before. Kelor's training on

such bright minds showing intruthfulness as steel and magictore against creatures made ofliving magma. The group hadgrown now, both in numbers andin ability, and every challengewas met with resolution and adesire to put an end to this elon-gated saga.

In the final chamber, they facedYimliara's mummified bodytrapped in undeath. With skillful

use of the element, she wastaught every swath of fire thatspewed from her magic left scarsthat while perhaps not showingon the bodies of each struck,may have marked their soulsinstead. But they endured, andafter ending her corrupted mock-ery of life, they recovered twoitems from her decomposingbody: the blade of a sword, and asundered Scroll of Fire. The sightof the ripped parchment of flames

bore heavily on their spirits, eventhough it kept functioning throughmagic. Darkness settled uponthem before the situation was toturn again.

Their adventure finally led themto where it all started--Voltrex.The Bard of Ages recommendedthat they speak with an elf namedElrohir, a sage of great reputethat resided in Vale. He would beable to open the gate of the elven

kingdom to this group, if theycould present a valid enough rea-son. Of course, having recentlydestroyed one of Sinthar'sBloodpools within said continentwas just that. After they appealedto Elrohir on the advise ofOzymandias, he was both friend-ly and forthcoming regarding theirrequest, asking only for their dis-cretion when they were at the

elven home and trusting them todo so.

Voltrex is heaven to the elvesthat retreated there from the restof the world, a place of virginbeauty and a conflicted past,home to the graceful race thatwishes to shut out everything notcontained within its bordersandnow the place were a group ofDragoncalled would bang on thedoors of the Hilliaraname house-hold. They bore so many artifactsand evidence of Melizaphei'swork that admission to their home

was granted, perhaps reluctantly,but full of curiosity, seemingly acommon trait in the family. It wasKailia's nephew who greetedthem, intrigued.

For long hours, they shared allthe knowledge they held, nowtruly desperate to find an end to itall. In a twist of good fate, the lastmember of the family in the por-trait, Kailia's older sister, Feawen,made her appearance to the

group. She offered the last pieceof the puzzle needed to defeatKelor and restore the brokenScroll of Fire.

Feawen explained that by rippingthe scroll in two, it meant thateither Kelor had truly lost hismind, or that he had found a wayto penetrate Melizaphei's realmwithout needing the other fourscrolls. Of course, knowing how

these things go, they assumed itwas the latter.

She brought clarity to a subjectthat had been troubling them forsometime, which was the reason

that the scrolls seemed to havesentience within. Stone in Earth,Alaamiathela in Water, andFezeeaka in Air. The raw energyof the scrolls needed to flowthrough a sentient being in orderto be properly translated intofunctioning magic; and thus, thespirits within them. Finally,Feawen makes sure that theyknow and understand the need toexploit Kelor's weakness. He isnot beyond making pacts with

powerful creatures to gain immu-nities, but there is one thing hecannot fight--his own blood.

This was to be shown in aweapon made by Melizaphei her-self for her daughter Kailia, aweapon of sound. The SingingSword. Love and care wereinstilled in its crafting with themagic of the family clear within itsrunes. It was time for it to bereforged.

Feezeeaka

Alaamiathela

Stone


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The blade they had recoveredfrom Yimliara and other pieceshidden within the storage gem

that was found in Arabel. All theyneeded was a quartz crystal. Notany quartz naturally, but a partic-ular one that could only be foundin caves deep within Voltrex,underground where the old tun-nels now stand empty. The ScrollBearers and their companionstook the last steps towards end-ing the madness of an elf whoselife had been tainted with a lustfor power. The Quartz of Soundwas recovered and the reforging

of The Singing Sword was com-pleted upon the highest peaks ofVoltrex, its magic merging withthe blade to be held in the handsof the few who could confrontThe Betrayer.

Giants Run Mountains is thesouthwestern part of the greatmountain range that covers themid-eastern Xantril and home toclans of fierce Giants, thesemountains are best avoided if

one does not want to end eitherdead or slave to a Giant. Evendwarves do not tread thesemountains lightly in their searchfor ore. It was here that KelorHilliaraname had made his newhome, in a tower erected frommagic that emitted enough powerto make it easily identifiable bythe Bearers.

It was a foreboding sight thatmade some wonder if it would be

the last they would ever see.Though they certainly didn't lookforward to what they would findwithin, the many years of strugglethat they had now gone through,all beginning from a story thatwas dropped from the skies, gavethem enough steel to take oddsthat seemed insurmountable.

Entering the tower was the easy

part. It was within that they wouldbe challenged both physicallyand mentally. Kelor, at the height

of his power, did not fear the'secret weapon' that the groupwielded, and taunted them fortheir whole climb through thetower. Many of his servants thatthey had been forced against forso long were to now face themfor the last time.

Beings were called from distantplaces, elemental aspects thatwere so pure and violent thattheir mere auras seemed to

exude a sense of dread. Kelor'sconstant taunting helped not atall, but it was eventually at thesummit of his tower where theywere to confront him and his Azerwitch. With Singing Sword in thehands of the young Lucindite,and everyone else fully spelledfor the worse, they were awarethat not all would make it fromthe tower alive.

In the very first charge against

the pair, the witch drained two ofthe Scroll Bearers, removing allthe liquids from their bodies andleaving dry heaps on the floor--Talan and Dal'Venus had fallen.Lueanne's quick hands and feetkept her busy trying to aim for thenimble halfling, and while theybattled magic against sheer dex-terity, the others faced Kelor.

From the frail Ozymandias abaleful dirge pierced his ears and

weakened him greatly, while hewas stripped of the enchantmentsthat were crippling the group byRamanon's dark magic. A seem-ingly harmless goblin namedBilvikki aided those he could withhis spells, speeding the pace ofbattle and pouring pure force tothe targets he could make. A con-flicted Drow paladin, the anomalySynal'dur clove with blade in

hand to damage and distractKelor as much as he could.Serenity, now called Eldrwen,

the young priestess of Lucindagrown into a greater role, piercedpure sound into their hatedenemy.

When the dust settled and thesweat streamed from all around,a blade was stuck in his corrupt-ed heart. Kelor lay deep in a poolof his own blood, his witch with ashort sword driven through herback.

Calls to the Weave were made,and the bodies of those lost tobattle were restored by the graceof the Lady of Spells. As theyrecovered from the onslaught,those who were able searchedfor the missing half of the Scrollof Fire and, after joining it with itsmate, liberated the being within:Jaldrix, a powerful Azer Chieftainthat had suffered far too long inthe hands of the wicked.

What had Kelor been attempting?The answer may never beknown--perhaps he truly hadgone mad. Yet the fact that somany, so powerful, had aidedthese adventurers along the wayperhaps indicates the importanceof what was risked.

After this battle and a brief

Jaldrix


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respite, it was time to return tothe place of balance, back toAlibor, by the magic of the ele-

ments. Jaldrix was free of thescroll and holding the magicthrough sheer self-determination,but was unable to use it to its fullpotential without a Bearer.Instead, he could only keep it incheck.

Within the realm of balance, reali-ty took a new shape. The areawas an extension of Melizapheiand her work, and it now servedto test the Bearers one last time

in order to see how much of themagic they could hold, who theywere, and what they were capa-ble of. To know them throughmagic.

Four Primal Elementals stoodguard within this chamber. Theyasked questions intended tojudge character, knowledge, andintent. Each Scroll Bearer wasconfronted with queries that test-ed their minds after so much

effort--questions that wereanswered alone and with a sense

of finality to them that was difficultto ignore.

What happened when thosequestions were answered? Werethey right? Were they wrong? Didthe good guys "win"? Those arethoughts that will always lingerwith the Bearers of the Scrolls ofMelizaphei. Yet in the end, theymanaged to move past theguardians, to finally meet theMad Sparkler, MelizapheiHilliaraname.

Her form was that of the leg-

endary Baelnorn of old. Undead,not of a desire to spread evil or ahunger for power, but a need topreserve the forces she kept incheck. She had been locked inthe chamber for a few centuriesprotecting the links that allowedLayonara to contact summonsfrom beyond. She was nearingher last days, her form slowlyfading into the Weave. It was inthe group's hands to either returnthe scrolls to Melizaphei and with

it the energy and their power,fueling her soul for a few more

centuries, or embrace the linksthemselves, liberate the scrollsand allow Melizaphei to rest.

The latter was a heavy toll, yetafter so long bearing the scrollsand coming to know the beingswithin, it was impossible for themto let go. They took on a respon-sibility that for all they knew mightbe theirs forever, even afterdeath. Melizaphei was freed, butas her soul was seen fading, thetouch of Lucinda was felt in thechamber, and the Creator of theScrolls was restored to have a

second chance at a life that shehad missed in service.

And thus the saga of Melizaphei'sscrolls ended. New bearers ofmagic were forever boundthrough blood, tears, and happi-ness. From there on, each of theBearers were to become gates toa realm beyond, and with them,the elemental creatures calledThe Weird were to protect thelinks of summoning.

But that is another story....

Pictures from Pankokis Album


19/64

WARHAMMERTabletop Miniature Warfare

Reviewed by Phil Lynch (Philhappy)

The army of the Byrnak Clan Dwarves stood and waited for the invaders to arrive.It would not be long now. The sound of drums and the shrieks and cries from theCrooked Moon Night Goblins had carried on the wind for some time now. Once again, thegold mines at Skull Pass were under threat, but the hearts of dwarves are firm and theiraxes sharp; their resolve to win would not be shaken today. Despite the black clouds thatcovered the sky, the armor of the Dwarven Hammerers and Thunderers gleamed;adorned with gold cut from the very mines they stood to protect. As the Night Goblinsbanners slowly came into view, the Dwarven Thane gave the order to move forward.

The army of the Crooked Moon Tribe was strong in numbers and this gave themthe confidence to attack. The occasional bout of squabbling would break out within theranks, but a scream of rage from the Big Boss would quickly get them back in line. The

regiment of Spider Riders was eager though. There was a good chance they would breakand attack the first thing they saw. A sudden increase in shouts and screams from thefront line of goblins meant the dwarves had been spotted. The Big Boss gave the order toquicken the pace. A loud bellow came from the huge troll that accompanied them andechoed around Skull Pass. The ground around them shook as the trolls feet pounded intoit at the increased speed.

As the armies drew closer to each other, their momentum increased, driven on byfour thousand years of mutual hatred. A volley of arrows from the Night Goblins spurredthe dwarves into a charge. The battle cries of dwarf and goblin alike slowly rose in vol-ume until it explodes in a clash of steel, accentuated by the boom of dwarven cannonsand the roar of the troll as it hurled boulders....

So, begins the Battle for Skull Pass, another skirmish in a world of perpetualwar in the land of Warhammer.

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September 2006 marked two major releasesfrom Games Workshop, the seventh edition ofthe Warhammer Fantasy Battles Rulebook andthe box set, Battle for Skull Pass. The box set isa very nice and affordable collection of minia-tures for anyone already engrossed in the worldof tabletop battles and also stands as a perfectentry level kit for anyone wanting to get started.

The box contains everything needed to startplaying: a Starter Booklet, a pocket-sizedCondensed Rulebook, dice, scenery, and over100 miniatures featuring an army of dwarves andan army of Night Goblins.

The new Rulebook stands as a complete guideto Fantasy Warhammer; included in the book areall the in-depth rules of the game as well as sec-tions on the Warhammer World (detailing the his-

tory of the land and the fifteen different armiesthat constantly fight there), the WarhammerHobby (everything you need to know about paint-ing and assembling of miniatures) and aGaming section that contains three scenariosand ideas on different ways to play and expandyour own games.

The game itself is played on any suitable surface(a 6' by 4' table being a good example) by two ormore players who wage war with their chosenarmy of miniatures. Armies of orcs, goblins,dwarves, elves, undead, skaven, lizardmen, etc.,battle it out to either complete objectives or justannihilate the enemy.

The game play is turn based, and follows a pat-tern of troop movements, a ranged shooting


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WARHAMMER - Continued

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round, magic casting round and a combat round.Combat is worked out via a unit's stats, numberof creatures in the unit and dice rolls. If a

squadron of 20 goblins attack some dwarves andthe goblins stand in a formation with six at thefront, six D6 are rolled to see how many of thosegobbos hit; goblins might be pretty nimble sothey only need to roll a two or higher to do this. Iffour of the green skins hit, then four D6 are rolledto see how many of the hits cause wounds onthe dwarves (individual characters within a unitcan receive one wound, once they receive it theydie, larger figures like heroes or trolls can havetwo or more wounds).

Goblins may be nimble but they sure aren'tstrong, rolls of four or higher are needed tocause wounds and only three of the four hitsmake contact. Next the defending dwarves get achance to roll three D6 to try and block the threewounds; dwarves are tough and only need to roll

a two or higher to see the goblin swords bounceoff their armor. At the end of the round, one dwarffalls to the ground dead and the rest of them getready to start swinging with axes and hammers.Once the dwarves have taken their turn, the twoopposing units weigh up the skirmish by compar-ing the difference in points gained in the battle.Points are gained for how many of the enemyare killed, carrying a confidence building bannerand/or outnumbering their foe. Dice are againrolled based on these points, to see if the twounits continue to fight it out in the next round or if

one of the units panics and runs. Fleeing troopsroll dice to see how far they can run and then tryto regroup, while the other unit has the option tochase them down and try to finish them off, ormove off to engage another unit.

Ok, so this is a very simplified (and probablywildly inaccurate) run down of the game play butit gets the point across of how easy it is to start

playing, and of course the more you play themore complicated the rules can get. This seemsto be true of all aspects of Warhammer and

indeed Games Workshop; the more you put inthe more you get out of it. Games Workshop puta lot of time and effort into creating quality prod-ucts and keeping their stores friendly and familyorientated.

The story of Games Workshop starts in an apart-ment in London back in 1975, where IanLivingstone, Steve Jackson, and John Peakestarted the company with the intention of makingand selling new games. They started off as amail-order company and manufactured wooden

board games like Backgammon right there in theflat. They wrote and published their own maga-zine, Owl and Weasel, in the hopes that it wouldget their name known and generate some busi-ness. Somewhere along the line, a copy fell intothe hands of Gary Gygax, co-creator of a brandnew and highly original gameDungeons &Dragons. D&D had been turned down by all themajor game companies in the U.S. and so Gygaxwas trying to distribute the game himself from anapartment in Wisconsin under the name TSRHobbies. A review copy of D&D was sent to

Game Workshop and immediately Livingstoneand Jackson were hooked. They ordered sixcopies of the game, dedicated an issue ofOwland Weaselto the game, signed a three yeardeal for the European distribution rights, and theorders started to flood in.

The role-playing game has taking the world bystorm and more and more companies were jump-ing on the bandwagon and creating new RPG's.Games Workshop was picking up the distributionright for Europe and the next logical step was toopen a shop. To help advertise the new shopLivingston and Jackson decided to create a new

...the more you put in the moreyou get out of it.

The story of Games Workshopstarts in an apartment in London

back in 1975....


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magazine dedicated to the world of RPG's andgaming. In the summer of '77, the first issue ofWhite Dwarfwas printed and in the spring of '78

the first Games Workshop store opened. Peoplewere traveling from all over Europe to visit theshop and more and more stores had to open tomeet the increasing demand for fantasy gaming.

Also, at this time, the use of small, metal minia-tures while playing RPG's was on the increase,so Livingston and Jackson started another com-pany to design and manufacture them calledCitadel Miniatures. These figurines, depicting allmanner of fantastical creatures, quickly caughtthe publics' eye and became highly collectable.

Livingston and Jackson's next big brainstormwas the idea to merge the interactive aspect ofan RPG with a book and so the Fighting FantasyGamebook was born in 1981. Titles like "TheWarlock of Firetop Mountain" and "DeathtrapDungeon" sold by the thousands and introducedeven more people to the world of fantasy gam-ing. The demand for these game books graduallymade Livingston and Jackson move away fromGames Workshop so they could concentrate onwriting; and the years after that, saw them slowly

move into the world of computer games whereLivingston helped to introduce the world to ayoung woman named Lara Croft.

While Livingston and Jackson were creating theFighting Fantasy series, Citadel Miniatures wasquickly becoming the biggest miniature sellingcompany in the world. People were constantlybuying and painting all the models they could.While these models were being used a handful ata time in RPG's, Games Workshop decided itwould be a good idea to devise a set of rules that

would allow players to use all the miniatures theyhad in one giant battle; and so in 1983, the firstedition of Warhammer was released. It becameimmensely popular and quickly began to out sellall other games on the market. Its popularity ledGames Workshop to stop selling other gamingproducts and the magazine White Dwarfexclu-sively covered the same range.

Over the years, the Warhammer universe hascontinued to expand in different forms. Newminiatures are constantly designed and released

by Citadel, a science fiction version of the gameis available called Warhammer 40,000, there's aWarhammer fantasy role-playing game, as wellas hundreds of novels set in this land of eternalconflict. There are individual source books andcollectors guides for each of the different armiesavailable, giving detailed histories of the race andthe miniatures available. The popularity of theLord of the Rings movies has drawn more peopleinto the world of fantasy gaming, and GamesWorkshop secured the rights for the tabletop bat-tle version and a series of miniatures based on

the designs used in the film.

It really is the miniatures that draw people intoWarhammer; a fully painted army of orcs or elves

placed on a well-built tabletop landscape is animpressive sight. The Warhammer hobby encour-ages people to collect and paint their armies foruse on the battlefield. The more you put into yourarmy, the more effective it becomes in the game.The rules keep the game balanced though.Before each battle the players agree on a num-ber of points that can be spent on an army, say2000, and each regiment of troops has it ownpoint value; a unit of 20 tough DwarvenHammerers might cost over 300 pts to place onthe table and the goblin army could spend the

same amount of points on 30 Night Goblins anda unit of 10 Wolf Riders. Owning more miniatureswon't give a player an advantage by outnumber-ing with strong troops, but having a better selec-tion to chose from at the start might. A goodchoice of units and how they are deployed andmoved in the battle will make or break it for theplayer. Luck plays a big part in the game (look on

The Warhammer hobby encouragespeople to collect and paint their armies

for use on the battlefield. The moreyou put into your army, the moreeffective it becomes in the game.


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and laugh as your opponent rolls eight dice, onlyto see eight little snake eyes looking back up atthem) but a good battle strategy can be hard to

beat. The simplicity of the rules means the gamenever becomes long, drawn out or boring, in factthe battle can move along at a furious pace.

The best way to experience the Warhammer uni-verse is to go to your local Games Workshopand have a look. The staff are eager to tell youall about the world of table-top battles and willrun you through the basic rules and have youplaying a trial game in no time. Games Workshoprun regular competitions and in-store events forboth long-time hobbyists and beginners alike.

The stores are always a hive of activity, with peo-ple playing games and painting miniatures.Games Workshop maintains a friendly and fami-

ly-oriented atmosphere and run beginners daysfor children. Once you played a quick rules gameyou can book yourself in for a game session,where they will run you through a full battle andexplain all the rules to you in detail. Then it's justa matter of picking the army of miniatures youwant to start collecting and battling your oppo-nents with. Of course, if you are looking to getstarted, you really can't go wrong with the Battlefor Skull Pass set: rules, dice and two armiesready to charge into battle. Waaagh!

If you're interested in Warhammer, CitadelMiniatures or any of the Games Workshop prod-ucts, all the information needed can be found at:

www.games-workshop.com

Special thanks to Paul Hickey and Rob Riley atGames Workshop in Dublin, Ireland, for all thehelp.

The following images are

from the Games-Workshop/

Warhammer website:

...if you are looking to get started,you really cant go wrong with the

Battle for Skull Pass set: rules, diceand two armies ready to charge into

battle.... Waaagh!


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Portrait of a CharacterHere we take a little time to spotlight the very ones without whom therewould be no role-playing games at all--the characters! This issue well

begin with our own Phil Lynch (Philhappy) as he spends a few moments

with an enterprising Brownie from the World of Layonara:Bumblebee

He may be a brownie and only stands 20 inches tall, but what he lacks in stature hemakes up for with a hearty laugh and some big ideas. He takes a low bow and introduceshimself: Poaspmihpihihor Bumblebee, in the common tongue.

Bumblebee was raised by his parents in the attic of a grain merchant in Prantz. It washere that he learned the skills to survive; killing rats with a single shot from his smallbow and staying out of the sight of the tall folk. His inquisitive nature led him out of theattic and into the shadows of Prantz where, perched on a crate or sitting in a dark corner,he watched and learned the ways of the tall folk in the city.

As his confidence and skill with the bow increased, so did his desire to travel and seekout adventure. And so, bidding farewell to his family, Bumblebee set off for the city ofLor, looking for high adventure and news of other brownies in the land. However, the pathhe took, led him to dreams of dragons and a small town called Hlint. It was here thatBumblebee created The Dragons Whisper. Originally started as a way of trying to findmore brownies, The Dragons Whisperhas grown to become the biggest selling newspaperon Layonara. Bumblebee's skills at staying unnoticed helped secure stories and informa-tion that would have otherwise gone unheard and The Dragons Whisperis now essentialreading for adventurers across the land.

We were able to talk him out of a few moments of his busy schedule to sit down with usfor more to his fantastic tale....

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WHAT IS LIFE LIKE AS A BROWNIE?

It is actually quite lonely. Lasting relationshipswith fellow brownies, dispersed by events on theSerpent Isle of Daraghan, are few and farbetween. I had expected to find more of my kinduring my own journeys; others seeking answersto their own personal questions. Alas, in my five

years away from home I have come across but asingle hand's count of them.

WHY DID YOU START A NEWSPAPER?

Really it began as a way to find more brownies.My first issues, written on the back of previouslyused parchments, were short and included amessage for them. Not a single one, though,responded to my queries. After a time, as The

Dragon's Whispergrew in reputation and sub-scribers, my purpose became one of preserva-tion. The war with Bloodstone was raging duringthese years, and I felt that this period of historyought to be recorded for future generations of allraces. That continues to be my goal: to recordthe doings of those that will one day be recalledin legends and lore.

THE DRAGONS WHISPERHAS BECOME ANINVALUABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION

FOR ADVENTURERS. DID IT TAKE LONG FOR

YOUR READERSHIP TO GROW?

Perhaps the largest obstacle to increasing thenumber of readers is my own lack of salesman-ship. I am not a skilled orator, nor am I a skilledstoryteller for that matter. During the first year of


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Portrait: Bumblebee - Continued

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the newsletter, I had not the confidence toapproach many travelers. We brownies are areclusive folk: I was raised to stay out of sight.Gradually, I knew and recognized more of thepeople that if not residents at least were com-monly seen in Hlint. I would approach a fewmentioning the newsletter and ask for tales to beshared. Some would purchase a newsletter per-haps paying for several issues in advance.

It would have been impossible for any of thiswithout falcon messengers. Their reliability is leg-endary, as I am sure you are aware, and I usedthem exclusively. Even during my first year whencoins went for parchment while I went hungry.

WHAT'S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT

RUNNING A NEWSPAPER?

Truly, the most difficult thing is completing a tale.Often a whisper will reach my ears only to go nofurther. A tale without an ending will not becomea legend of much regard. The town criers, thoughwell connected, deal in such hints and innuen-dos. My greatest challenge is weaving the manywhispers together until their conclusion.

To make up for my own shortcomings as a story-teller, I often implore more seasoned travelers topart with tales already complete. Some do will-ingly, others do with much cajoling, but mostshare nothing. It is understandable since thesetravelers daily bread consists of surviving togreet the next day. It is because I know some willfall with stories untold that I continue to strain tohear the whispered tale of legend on the air.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT RUNNING

A NEWSPAPER?

The most? I get to see all of the world. Everycorner contains a relic of the past, a story inneed of recovery. How many crumbling ruins ofcastles are passed without a glance? How manychasms with hints of a stairway beckon onedownward? And what better excuse to ventureforth with other travelers than to seek out thesestories? What I like most is the inherent excusefor travel.

HOW DID YOU GET IN TO ADVENTURING?

ISN'T IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT GETTING THE

RESPECT OF SOME OF THE NEFARIOUS

CREATURES AND FELLOW ADVENTURERS

OUT THERE GIVEN YOUR STATURE?

Absolutely. I have neither the skills nor the con-stitution to address many of the problems thatarise during travel. That, I leave to the ones thatmake there living doing such things. Though Ilend what aid I may, of course, I do not pretendto be more than an assisting hand. More thanonce I have made my excuses and returned totrails known to be safe.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE,

BOTH FOR YOURSELF & THE NEWSPAPER?

With continued support from patrons and sub-scribers, perhaps someday The Dragon'sWhisperwill become more than myself. The tales

will continue with or without their recording forpermanence. Now that you mention it, perhapsmy legacy will be a newsletter that will, decadesfrom now, still be referred to by the bards oftomorrow for their material. If you would like topurchase The Dragons Whisperor start a sub-scription, contact Bumblebee or take a look atthe notices in the Wild Surge Inn. It is availablefor 100gp an issue and is delivered by messen-ger falcon.

Part of an announcement of a past Special

Edition of The Dragons Whisper.


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Portrait of a CharacterWe continue now with one of the characters in his players own words

describing his first visit to the hamlet of Hlint. Here is:

Andy Mellecker (Guardian 452/Enzo)

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As Enzo passes through the small frontier townof Hlint, he notices a halfling and a man dressedin green speaking to Granvil about his traderoutes. He watches for a moment and blinks, hismind transporting him to a similar scene, to theday he arrived in Hlint so many years ago.Instead of this halfling, there is Merry Thorn, theHalfling Ranger who took Enzo out to help slaythe leader of the goblins that plague Granvil'strade routes. In the back of his mind he can hear

Merry say, "I don't know how to hideit's you tallfolk who don't know how to look!" He remembersfondly all the things that Merry taught him aboutusing the shadows before the memory recedesonce more and the halfling is again a stranger.

Enzo shakes his head with his usual half-grinand enters the Wild Surge Inn, making his way toa table and sitting as usual with his back againstthe wall. The muted talk of other patrons blurstogether, and the familiarity of the scene sendshim back to replay the day he got up the nerve toask about The Prince of Wolves. He had beensitting alone, listening to the conversations about

the room; at one table, a husband and wife werediscussing the possibility of a third child; atanother, two men were making snide commentsabout their waitress. An old man at yet anothertable had been complaining that his food wasn'tprepared in the exact way he ordered it. Enzo'smind had left all of these conversations as soonas they reached his ears, but one topic caughthis attention. It seemed then that some adventur-ers were discussing what god each of them

served. He heard all the names he'd heardbefore, like Lucinda, Dorand, and Ilsare, but aquiet ranger mentioned a name that Enzo hadheard but rarely on the lips of other rangers. Thename was Folian S'pae. Enzo finished his meal,tossed a generous amount of coin on the table,and walked over to the ranger to ask him if theycould talk a moment. The ranger nodded and thetwo moved to a quieter table, where Enzo cutright to the chase and asked about the nameFolian S'pae. The ranger just grinned and asked,"What of him?" Enzo asked all kinds of ques-tions, one right after the other, and in such num-bers that the ranger hardly had a chance to

answer. Finally, the ranger held outhis hand and said, "You won't findhim, no matter how hard you look. Idon't care if you can track asnowflake through a blizzard, youwon't find him. But if you hold to thepath and do not stray from what youbelieve, he just may find you."

He looks up as the waitressapproaches his table, and after amoment to clear his mind he ordershis meal.

Meeting New Friends

We find Enzo today at his desk atthe Wolfswo

Dragons Whisper 111

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