TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
  2 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  Copyright Information ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 
  GOING STEAMPUNK BAD ................................................................................................................................................ 4 
  ALBREKTS GUIDE TO GATE TRAVEL ............................................................................................................................ 7 
  THE MARK OF A CIVILIZATION .................................................................................................................................... 10 
  A YELLOWDINGO ATE MY BABY .................................................................................................................................. 17 
  REDPHAGE POISONS THE CAPITOL ............................................................................................................................ 21 
  THE BRYNRYFE CAMPAIGN PART 3: WORLDBUILDING ......................................................................................... 22 
  The Teloren Duchy Murders .................................................................................................................................................. 27 
  Side Effects ............................................................................................................................................................................ 34 
  Implements versus Weapons .................................................................................................................................................. 36 
  Comparison: Warlock vs. Sorcerer.......................................................................................................................................... 38 
  THE POWER OF PROPHAGANDA .................................................................................................................................. 41 
  MAKING YOUR OWN BOOK OF WONDOROUS INVENTIONS? .............................................................................. 43 
  Map of the Cycle .................................................................................................................................................................... 44 
  Interested in Having Your Article in Print? ............................................................................................................................ 48 
  Interested in Getting the Word Out? ...................................................................................................................................... 49 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
  3 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  Copyright Information 
   
  Cover: „Globe‟ By Sean .R. Meaney 
  Contributing Writers & Artists This 
  Issue 
  Editor in Chief, Formatting artist, and 
  Background Artist: James Holloway E-
  Mail:  Lokiare1@hotmail.com 
  Editor and Artist: Sean R. Meaney E-
  Mail: Reddeerrun@Hotmail.Com 
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  HANDBOOK, PLAYER‟S 
  HANDBOOK 2, DUNGEON 
  MASTER‟S GUIDE, MONSTER 
  MANUAL, MONSTER MANUAL 2, 
  and ADVENTURER‟S VAULT are 
  trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in 
  the USA and other countries and are 
  used with permission. Certain materials, 
  including 4E References in this 
  publication, D&D core rules mechanics, 
  and all D&D characters and their 
  distinctive likenesses, are property of 
  Wizards of the Coast, and are used with 
  permission under the Dungeons & 
  Dragons 4th Edition Game System 
  License. All 4E References are listed in 
  the 4E System Reference Document, 
  available at www.wizards.com/d20. 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4th 
  Edition PLAYER‟S HANDBOOK, 
  written by Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, 
  and James Wyatt; DUNGEON 
  MASTER‟S GUIDE, written by James 
  Wyatt; and MONSTER MANUAL, 
  written by Mike Mearls, Stephen 
  Schubert and James Wyatt; PLAYER‟S 
  HANDBOOK 2, written by Jeremy 
  Crawford, Mike Mearls, and James 
  Wyatt; MONSTER MANUAL 2, 
  written by Rob Heinsoo, and Chris 
  Sims; Adventurer‟s Vault, D&D 4E 
  Game System License 2008, 2009 
  Wizards of the Coast page 3 of 7 written 
  by Logan Bonner, Eytan Bernstein, and 
  Chris Sims.  2008, 2009 Wizards of 
  the Coast. All rights reserved. 
  Anything not covered by above is either 
  copyright  2009 James Holloway 
  doing business as Dark Spire or their 
  respective owners. 
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
  4 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  GOING STEAMPUNK BAD 
   
  Estoban watched his machine run. The Brass 
  mechanism, oiled and running smoothly, seemed 
  to represent the very thing he had worked his 
  whole life for. 
  “It is regrettable that you have worked against 
  the United States Government.” The 
  Pinkerton circled into view.  
  “As you can see, we have 
  constructed your machine. And 
  it works 
  perfectly…unfortunately for 
  you, too perfectly.” He nodded 
  to a minion and a 
  sledgehammer impacted on the 
  Quantum Babbage Engine. 
  The leather strap around his 
  neck choked Estoban as he 
  strained against it. The 
  machine was gone. Then the 
  Sledge came for him. 
  Those of you who picked up Issue one 
  of Friars Almanac may have noticed the 
  awesome designs for the Steam Kolben 
  -a firearm for those Harry Potter types 
  who gave up wands and went 
  steampunk.  
  If you are looking at Going Steam punk 
  then here are all the cool websites and 
  companies where you can source your 
  steam punk from: 
  Gentlemens Emporium 
  This looks good for period clothes and 
  equipment. 
  http://www.gentlemansemporium.com
  / 
  The Steampunk 
  Workshop 
  Some fun engineering 
  projects 
  http://steampunkworksh
  op.com/ 
  steampunkmagazine.com 
  Warning! Hanging out 
  with this steampunk 
  magazine may get you on a Pinkerton 
  watch list.  
  http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/ 
  Lots of books in the steam punk genre 
  http://www.tor.com/index.php?option
  =com_content&view=blog&id=57547 
  The Steampunk Home 
  The Brass 
  mechanism, oiled 
  and running 
  smoothly, seemed 
  to represent the 
  very thing he had 
  worked his whole 
  life for. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  This one is a fun little blog with 
  engineering projects. 
  http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.co
  m/ 
  Boingboing.net 
  This is another Steampunk Blog – 
  mainly about genre specific books. 
  http://boingboing.net/steampunk/ 
  Datamancer 
  This is an awesome steampunk 
  engineering site. 
  http://www.datamancer.net/steampunk
  laptop/steampunklaptop.htm 
  Steampunk Lab 
  This is another cool engineering site on 
  how to build steampunk stuff. 
  http://www.steampunklab.com/ 
  The Steampunk Lightsaber 
  Yes that‟s what this is: A light Saber. 
  http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/use-the-
  soldering-iron%2C-luke/star-wars-goes-
  steampunk-with-awesome-lightsaber-
  293207.php 
  Steampunk.com 
  A Speculative Fiction Clearing house 
  http://www.steampunk.com/newsfch/
  Writing/Advice/ 
  Crabfu.com 
  They have some advice on how to draw 
  Steamtech and build stuff. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  6 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  http://www.crabfu.com/steamtoys/diy
  _steampunk/ 
  Wondermark.com 
  These guys have a nifty write your own 
  Steampunk novel generator – its fun. 
  I‟ve started one my self. 
  http://wondermark.com/554/ 
  Aether Emporium 
  This is a forum for archiving Steampunk 
  – you might find a link to something 
  interesting if you can‟t find it elsewhere. 
  http://etheremporium.pbworks.com/W
  iki 
  Brass Goggles UK 
  This is Steampunk Heaven…I mean a 
  Blog. http://brassgoggles.co.uk/blog/ 
  The Gatehouse 
  This is the other Steampunk magazine. 
  The Pinkertons haven‟t cracked down 
  on this one yet but the threat posed by 
  Stempunk to the regime being what it is 
  – it is only a matter of time. 
  http://www.ottens.co.uk/gatehouse/gat
  ehouse-gazette-7 
   
  Anyway that it for this article – unless you 
  have been beaten to death by Pinkertons, 
  October was Steampunk Month.-Sean R. 
  Meaney Esq. 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
  7 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  ALBREKTS GUIDE TO GATE TRAVEL 
   
  The Clunking and clicking of the mechanism 
  ended and Albreckt slumped over the great 
  Capstan. 
  “It would greatly help if you were turning the 
  wheel as well.” Albrekt looked up at his 
  fellows. Jarno shook his head and looked 
  around at his compatriots. “We think you are 
  doing fine.” They nodded an agreement. 
  “Yeah, you are doing just fine.” 
  “Bastards.” Albrekt returned to moving the 
  great Capstan. Then it happened. A flash of 
  light and it was done. Albrekt was in the 
  middle of the Desert…alone. 
  “Hello?” His companions were gone. Albrekt 
  turned about and was confronted by an 
  unexpected sight. The Ziggurat of Utter 
  Blackness was under construction…and a 
  group of armed men were headed in his 
  direction. “Oh Hell!” The prospect of toiling on 
  that worksite put a shudder through him. 
  Didn‟t they execute all their workers at the end 
  of Construction? He didn‟t speak a word of 
  Ancient Vanyasan. 
   
  It can happen any time 
  Frankly you can stumble into a GATE 
  attempting to leave your local Tavern. 
  This occurred once by accident having 
  bumped into a drunken patron causing 
  him to spill his ale. It turned out the 
  fellow was a Wizard of considerable 
  talent.  
  There is little prospect of survival if you 
  are not ready for what it takes to survive 
  on the 
  other 
  side. 
  Trust me, 
  it can get 
  pretty 
  strange. 
   
  What to look out for 
  Stone Pillars covered in scratches, 
  markings, Runes; Doorways that end in 
  alcoves, Capstans and Ship wheels that 
  have no business being there, Wells at 
  the bottoms of deep dungeons, Pools in 
  caverns; Chalices and boots on 
  pedestals.  Paintings you can step into, 
  Mirrors, Hoops, Big metal Rings with 
  staircases or ramps leading to them – 
  ran across a bunch of them in some 
  A flash of light 
  and it was done. 
  Albrekt was in the 
  middle of the 
  Desert…alone. 
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  weird alternate universe where Magic 
  didn‟t work (they might or might not 
  have been the cause).  
   
  A list of things to have on you 
  It‟s always a good idea to go about 
  dressed with your boots on. Only once 
  was I caught naked in a bath tub. 
  Agreed 
  the tub 
  was a 
  dimensi
  onal 
  gate but 
  I 
  couldn‟t 
  have 
  known. She was a pretty wench and she 
  didn‟t tell me to get out of the tub 
  before invoking the draining magic. 
   
  Regular stuff 
  A tent, a good supply of drink water, 
  Iron rations, shovel(s), block and tackle, 
  Rope, and pick axe - This was vital 
  when an accident while sailing into a 
  gate in a storm on the ocean left the 
  crew and ship in the middle of a Desert. 
  Unfortunately we soon realized we 
  needed water so we were forced to dig a 
  deep well. As luck would have it, the 
  well provided a dimensional portal back 
  to our world. We lowered a life boat 
  into the well with surviving crew and 
  were returned home. 
   
  Magic 
  Likely you don‟t have any on you that 
  will get you home, but it can keep you 
  alive. A rod of Civil Works allowed us 
  to excavate a tunnel network beneath 
  lands teeming with all manors of surface 
  dwelling critters. Flying can put you at 
  altitude to spot any centres of 
  civilization but it can also attract trouble 
  like a lodestone - Dragons and other 
  flying Predators love chasing flying 
  targets. Potions arte good but have a 
  habit of souring en transit. Language 
  translation magic is always a good call. 
  You never know when you will find 
  someone to „negotiate‟ your survival 
  prospects with. If only we had not 
  squandered that scroll on negotiating 
  with that foreign merchant Kasteltantes, 
  poor Vern might not have been 
  sacrificed to the Vugu God for walking 
  with shoes on a Spring Morning. 
  ...Dragons and 
  other flying 
  Predators love 
  chasing flying 
  targets. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
   
  Currency and other Trade Goods 
  A selection of Precious metals, coined 
  and un-coined, Gems, and other 
  tradable goods of a light weight can 
  make the difference between 
  being hung as beggars or being 
  treated as Diplomats from a 
  foreign land.  
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  THE MARK OF A CIVILIZATION 
   
  Estegon‟s bruised and bloody form was dragged 
  before the throne of Harman the Tyrant and 
  his head pulled back that he might look upon 
  the furious countenance of his benefactor. 
  “Estegon! It has com to my attention that thou 
  dost sowest discord amongst the Commoners. 
  Apparently…” Harman indicated to one of 
  his lackeys who stepped forward to whisper in 
  his ear. He 
  growled at what 
  he was hearing. 
  “…you have 
  described mine 
  rule as having 
  the semblance 
  of the social 
  order of the 
  Apemen of 
  Thundu!” 
  Estegon smiled 
  through 
  smashed in teeth and lobbed a wad of bloody 
  sputum in the direction of his lord.  
  “I call it how I see it.” Harman snarled at 
  Estegon‟s unrepentant response and descended 
  from his throne to the broken form at his feet. 
  The Tyrant of Dewomar pushed his thumbs 
  under the eyes of Estegon and the man 
  screamed.  
  With two fresh eyeballs Harman stuffed them 
  in his mouth and swallowed them. Estegon 
  laughed back the pain of the Tyrant‟s embrace.  
  Harman looked at one of his guardsmen and 
  indicated his thumb-down judgement. 
  “The largest of the Thundu frequently 
  enjoy eating the ey …” The Axeman 
  ended Estegon‟s tirade in a stroke. 
   
  So you are building a civilization 
  for your campaign and you want 
  to give it a depth that goes beyond 
  the superficial ideas you have thus 
  far come up with. The problem is 
  how do you distinguish its fine 
  qualities from the Cave dwelling 
  Kobolt tribes of the nearby 
  mountains or the distant Vine people of 
  Shogonu?  
  The transition to civilization is marked 
  by certain commonalities consisting of 
  changes in Social Behaviour and some 
  basic technological advances. 
   
  The transition to 
  civilization is marked 
  by certain 
  commonalities 
  consisting of changes 
  in Social Behaviour 
  and some basic 
  technological 
  advances. 
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Technological Advances 
  1. The development of many new 
  artistic forms and designs to 
  express symbols of the earthly and 
  supernatural power of urban 
  centres. 
  2.  The building of increasingly larger 
  and more complex structures in 
  the form of Store Houses, Palaces, 
  Temples, Monuments to heroes 
  and gods, and large scale public 
  irrigation, water supply and 
  drainage systems. 
  3. The invention and development 
  arithmetic and geometry for 
  complex record keeping, making 
  estimations of the value of food 
  and tools, and for building, 
  making precise calendars, and 
  measuring the passage of time. 
  4. The Development of Writing as a 
  means of expressing rules for the 
  new forms of social organization 
  in growing urban centres and as a 
  way to keep records of 
  supernatural and political 
  justifications for the new rules and 
  their associated ruling elites. 
  Sociological improvements 
  1. A growing specialization of work 
  combined with a developing local 
  system within a town for the 
  exchange and distribution of 
  special objects and products. 
  2. Growth of Social integration 
  amongst a rapidly expanding 
  population in urban centres. 
  3. The development of trade 
  networks for the exchange of 
  goods and services with nearby 
  urban centres. 
  4.  The invention of rules for the 
  collection and transport to a 
  central urban centre of the 
  surpluses of food produced by 
  farmers and herders. 
  5. The Growth of political and 
  religious leadership and 
  membership in special 
  organizations, as continuous 
  residence in an urban centre began 
  to replace social relations based on 
  family and kinship – that is, the 
  growth and differentiation of a 
  “citizenship” in an urban centre 
  began to replace personal 
  identification through kinship. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  6. The growth of a small ruling elite 
  or class with privileges of access to 
  material goods and to travel, 
  special education and social 
  deference from other „citizens‟ of 
  an urban centre, or group of 
  centres. 
  Adding more to your Campaign 
  culture 
  So what of 
  your would-
  be 
  civilization? 
  Your Kobolt 
  King might 
  live in a cave 
  and demand 
  blue shiny 
  rocks as a 
  gift from 
  prostrate guests who come before his 
  hand carved Siege Perilous while 
  advisors hide in his shadow behind 
  wooden masks, but does that make it a 
  civilization? Perhaps it is just a matter of 
  growth.  With the expansion of Caves to 
  include temples, store houses, water 
  courses, and waste shafts; record 
  keeping through written words and 
  numbers, and the establishment of laws 
  governing the collection of produce by 
  his minions, then trade with other 
  Kobolt communities as his cave 
  network becomes a centre of Power 
  over a region is all it will take. Perhaps 
  this is sufficient to distinguish it from a 
  village of nomadic humans who live in 
  family clusters, and know not the foul 
  representations of Religion and 
  Monarch. 
   
  Want to learn 
  more? Read 
  Thomas Rhys 
  Williams 
  „Cultural 
  Anthropology‟ 
  published by 
  Prentice Hall 
  for what it 
  takes to be a civilization. 
  THE TYRANT CHECKLIST 
  Want to know how your Overlord rates 
  as a leader of men? Check them off 
  against this nifty list of ten acts of 
  Tyrant Government. 
  YOUR ACTIONS INSTILL 
  TERROR IN YOUR CITIZENS. 
   
  Your Kobolt King might live in a cave 
  and demand blue shiny rocks as a gift 
  from prostrate guests who come 
  before his hand carved Siege Perilous 
  while advisors hide in his shadow 
  behind wooden masks, but does that 
  make it a civilization? 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  YOU RESIDE IN A STRONGLY 
  FORTIFIED PALACE. 
   
  YOU ARE AT THE CENTRE 
  OF A SURVEILANCE 
  NETWORK REACHING 
  LOCALLY AND ABROAD. 
   
  YOU‟RE EVERY DECISION 
  AND ACTION DOMINATES 
  THE LIVES OF ALL OTHERS. 
   
  YOU TAKE CREDIT FOR THE 
  ACHIEVEMENTS OF OTHERS 
  WHO WORK ON CIVIC 
  PROJECTS. 
   
  YOU ENTERTAIN 
  AMBASADORS AT YOUR 
  OWN TABLE. 
   
  YOU MAKE DECISIONS FOR 
  OTHERS CONSULTING ONLY 
  YOUR FAVOURED CIRCLE. 
   
  THE STATE IS A MACHINE 
  FOR THE PROFIT OF 
  YOURSELF AND A FEW 
  FRIENDS. 
   
  YOU ARE PREPARED TO ROB 
  WEALTHY MEN OF THEIR 
  POSESSIONS. 
   
  YOU PLUNDER PURE YOUNG 
  WOMEN OF THEIR VIRTUE. 
   
   
  THE CIVILIZATION INDEX 
  Captain’s Log: My mutinous crew escaped 
  in the lifeboat and last nights storm has thrown 
  the wreckage of my sailing vessel on the rocky 
  shore of an isolated island that does not appear 
  on my charts (I have plotted it for posterity. 
  Find the map in the second bottle). Having 
  explored part of the Island I encountered a 
  civilization called the blubble-blubbble-splook. 
  They seem a simple people with simple needs yet 
  they understand my words as though I was 
  speaking their language. Currently they seem 
  obsessed with collecting a strange rock that 
  washes up on the beach. Although I am 
  uncertain what Quan-Tum Even-t‟samp-ling 
  means, I think it is related to their rock 
  collecting (rock tied to bottle with map). I 
  decided not to take up the offer of the blubble-
  blubble-splook to seek shelter back at their 
  Ha-bita-tsi-te-Beee – the name of their village 
  is my guess. 
  Tomorrow I will collect the timbers of my 
  wrecked ship and lash them together as a raft. I 
  think that if I can get out past the breakwater, 
  that I will be able to catch the current into 
  civilized waters. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  If you want to rate a Civilization you 
  need to know what aspects it has that 
  can be compared to a hierarchy of 
  progress. When determining the level of 
  social inequality, it is the Technology 
  Index that magnifies the effect of social 
  stratification of goods within a culture. 
  SOCIAL INDICES 
  Government Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | None; Antisocial 
   
  | 0 | 
  | Formal Leadership  
  | 1 | 
  | Religion; Specialized  
   
   
    
  Professions  
   
  | 2 | 
  | Social Stratification; 
  Currency  
   
  | 3 | 
  | Basic Socioeconomics 
  | 4 | 
   
  Military Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | War Chief leads 
   tribe warriors 
   
  | 0 | 
  | Appointed Chief leads 
   amalgamated group 
  | 1 | 
  | Professional Soldiers; 
  Heraldry 
   
   
  | 2 | 
  | Fighting Units; 
  Professional ranks 
  | 3 | 
  | Professional Standing 
  Army  
   
   
  | 4 | 
   
  TECHNOLOGICAL INDICES 
  Medical Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Basic Herbal medicine; 
  Cultivation  
   
  | 1 | 
  When determining the 
  level of social 
  inequality, it is the 
  Technology Index that 
  magnifies the effect of 
  social stratification of 
  goods within a culture. 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
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  15 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  | Basic Anatomy; 
   Animal husbandry 
  | 2 | 
  | Detailed Anatomy 
   
  | 3 | 
  | Genetics; Nitrogen Cycle | 4 | 
   
  GeoScience Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Weather cycles and seasons| 1 | 
  | Mineral recognition;  
  Empirical Prediction | 2 | 
  | Basic Geological  
  classification & history | 3 | 
  | Scientific Meteorology 
  | 4 | 
   
  Engineering Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Tool Making  
   
  | 1 | 
  | Wind & Water mills;  
  Pulleys & Levers  
  | 2 | 
  | Steam Power  
   
  | 3 | 
  | Reciprocating Engines 
  | 4 | 
   
  Physical Science Index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Control of Fire  
   
  | 1 | 
  | Metallurgy; Mining  
  | 2 | 
  | Gunpowder 
   
   
  | 3 | 
  | Electricity 
   
   
  | 4 | 
   
  Astronomical index 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Basic Navigation;  
  Stars & Constellations | 1 | 
  | Planetary bodies 
   
  | 2 | 
  | Solar System Mechanics 
  | 3 | 
  | Relativity  
   
   
  | 4 | 
   
  Building - Construction Index 
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  | Achievement  
  | Rank 
  | 
  | No interest 
   
   
  | 0 | 
  | Wooden buildings, 
   Walls; Motte; Ditches  | 1 | 
  | Multi-floor Wood Buildings; 
  Drawbridges 
   
  | 2 | 
  | Stone buildings, 
  square towers, walls  
  | 3 | 
  | Multi-floor st. building, 
  Causeway; Tunnels 
  | 4 | 
   
  Working with the Civilization Index 
  For the Tech Index add all six indices 
  and divide by six.  
  To find inequality, you need to take all 
  your Social Indices and add them and 
  divide by the percentage of citizens in 
  the army before multiplying this social 
  index by the technology index. 
  Technological x Social = equals 
  Inequality. This provides you with some 
  indication of the social stratification 
  levels within your civilization.  
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  A YELLOWDINGO ATE MY BABY 
   
  MY GOBLINS ABDUCT FANTASY 
  ARTIST CLYDE CALDWELL FOR 
  SOME Q&A TIME. 
    
  What was that first 
  Piece of Art that 
  convinced you that 
  you had a future as an 
  artist? 
    
  I was always drawing 
  as far back as I can remember.  My 
  parents thought I had some artistic 
  talent and wanted me to take art lessons, 
  but I was reluctant.  I enjoyed drawing 
  and didn't want to have it become 
  work...so resisted taking formal lessons 
  when I was young. 
    
  I did do a lot of cartooning when I was 
  younger though.  I would draw comics 
  and that sort of thing.  I was probably 
  12 or 13 when I first considered that I 
  would like to actually do artwork for a 
  living.  I was really into MAD Magazine 
  and artists like Wally Wood, Will Elder, 
  Jack Davis, Mort Drucker, etc.  I wanted 
  to grow up and work for MAD. 
    
  When I was probably 
  14 or so, I saw my 
  first Frank Frazetta 
  cover on an Edgar 
  Rice Burroughs 
  paperback.  That was 
  the moment I 
  decided it would be 
  really cool to paint 
  fantasy art for book covers as a 
  livelihood. - CLYDE CALDWELL 
   
  You said in a previous contact that you 
  were never really into D&D - Yet they 
  named one of the early Adventures after 
  you (Caldwell Castle and Beyond). Was 
  that true or were you being evasive? 
   
  When I was hired by TSR as a staff 
  artist, I knew very little about D&D.  I 
  was a huge fan of fantasy art and 
  literature, but was not a gamer.  Jim 
  Rosloff, who was my boss at TSR, set 
  up a lunchtime D&D game so that Jeff 
  That was the moment I 
  decided it would be 
  really cool to paint 
  fantasy art for book 
  covers as a livelihood. - 
  CLYDE CALDWELL 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Easley, Larry Elmore and I could learn 
  more about the game we were 
  illustrating.  I don't think Jeff had ever 
  played before either.  Larry had played 
  some, but wanted to learn more about 
  the game as well.  Keith Parkinson was 
  the only one of us who had been 
  heavily into D&D before coming to 
  TSR...so he was the 
  DM.  
    
  We played for about 6 
  months at lunch...and 
  that's my total 
  experience as a 
  gamer.  Doing the 
  artwork was so time 
  consuming, I didn't 
  really have time to 
  devote to playing the game.  It was an 
  enjoyable experience though. 
    
  One of the game designers came up 
  with the idea of calling the module 
  "Castle Caldwell".  Originally a character 
  in the module was to be named "Clyde 
  Caldwell", but the TSR legal dept. put a 
  quick end to that idea.  - CLYDE 
  CALDWELL 
   
  Does it concern you that Fantasy art will 
  be subjected to increased scrutiny and 
  Government Censorship to the Point of 
  Rating product the way they do Film? 
    
  Actually when I was at 
  TSR, the artists were 
  fairly censored by the 
  higher ups in the 
  company.  We would 
  have been a lot wilder, if 
  left to our own 
  nefarious devices! 
    
  I'm not a huge fan of 
  censorship and like to 
  keep the Government 
  out of our lives as much as 
  possible...though I don't think I'm 
  against a ratings system.  I don't think it 
  hurts to know if a product contains 
  adult content, or whatever.  Plus parents 
  probably need some sort of guide to 
  choose products suited for younger 
  children. 
    
  I'm not a huge fan of 
  censorship and like to 
  keep the Government 
  out of our lives as 
  much as 
  possible...though I 
  don't think I'm against 
  a ratings system.  
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  There's already a real limit as to what 
  you can show on a Fantasy Art cover.  
  The publishers are for the most part 
  extremely Politically Correct and fairly 
  conservative when it comes to cover 
  art.  I would tend to think that the 
  ratings would go more toward game 
  content, rather than cover artwork...but 
  then I could be wrong.  Since I haven't 
  worked in the industry for a while, 
  things may have changed 
  since I did my last gaming 
  work.   - CLYDE 
  CALDWELL 
   
  Changes to WOTC policy 
  with regard to their game 
  has resulted in a shut down 
  of fan product being 
  peddled for use with D&D. 
  Would it concern you if Art were now 
  to be subject to the same forces (Say 
  if you wanted to sell a Picture of a gold 
  dragon you might not be able to do so 
  because WOTC have their gold dragon 
  and claim the right to shut down 
  alternative sources that infringe on the 
  idea that the Gold Dragon is D&D 
  product)? 
    
  Once again, you're getting into territory 
  I haven't trod for a while.  I'm not really 
  familiar with WOTC policy with regard 
  to their game.  However I would think it 
  would be difficult to claim ownership of 
  something as generic as the colour of a 
  dragon.  There were gold (and other 
  coloured) dragons being painted prior to 
  D&D, so I would think that WOTC 
  wouldn't be able to restrict things to that 
  extent. 
    
  Plus D&D pulled a lot of 
  it's monsters and whatnot 
  from both historical, mythic 
  and literary sources...Orcs, 
  for example.  So I don't 
  think they could legally lay 
  claim to things they swiped 
  in the first place.  - CLYDE 
  CALDWELL 
    
  Would you say that at the end of the day 
  you have contributed thoroughly to Art 
  or is there that missing ceiling waiting to 
  be your masterpiece? 
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Truth to tell, I've probably made my 
  contribution to Fantasy Art.  But I like 
  to think I still have a few good paintings 
  still left in me.  - CLYDE CALDWELL 
   
   
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  REDPHAGE POISONS THE CAPITOL 
   
  With the return of the Prime Minister 
  expected in the next few days, his arrival 
  will not be met with 
  applauding crowds of 
  citizens rather a cloud of 
  red dust that has blown in 
  from the Continent to 
  blanket the city in a thick 
  tannin haze – it has 
  apparently settled over 
  the city permanently and 
  has combined with Coal 
  smog produced by our very own 
  chimneys and factory smoke stacks to 
  become something truly poisonous. 
  This Redphage is now responsible for 
  terrible sickness amongst the population 
  – particularly those on the south Bank. 
  The Poison Rain has caused hair-loss, 
  pigment change, and even a bloody 
  cholera amongst what is now thought to 
  be over ten thousand citizens. Those 
  living on the South Bank of the Capitol 
  are urged by the Crown to flee into the 
  countryside if they have not already 
  done so.  City Guard wish to inform 
  anyone caught looting in the southern 
  Bank of the Capitol or any of the 
  Southern Districts will be executed 
  without trial. That part of the city is 
  declared off limits. Mercifully however it 
  seems to have driven the 
  fiends to seek shelter. 
  IN RELATED NEWS the 
  Royal Astronomer was 
  found impaled on a spire 
  of the dome of the Tower 
  of Astronomy. 
  Investigators for the 
  Crown continue to be tight 
  lipped as to the villain behind this crime. 
   
  DM BRIEFING: The Redphage will 
  affect continuously anyone who is 
  exposed to increasing doses of the 
  poisonous rain.  Bloody Cholera will kill 
  the victim within three months. 
  The Murderer behind the Death of the 
  Royal Astronomer is none other than 
  the King. He has fallen under the sway 
  of the Demon Tower – he hears the 
  screams of his daughter the Princess 
  Winifred. 
   
   
  Investigators for 
  the Crown 
  continue to be 
  tight lipped as to 
  the villain behind 
  this crime. 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  THE BRYNRYFE CAMPAIGN PART 3: WORLDBUILDING 
   
  It is likely that you already 
  have an idea on what your 
  Campaign world looks like.  
   
  THE WORLD 
  More than likely you will be 
  able to establish a nice 
  map of your world simply 
  by applying it to a 20 sided 
  polyhedron mesh. 
   
   
  Geography and Map-work 
  As to the method I am 
  going with – I established a random set 
  of possibilities for geography on a chart: 
  Ocean/Sea 50%, Desert 5%, Mountain 
  15%, etc. I roll on that chart for each 
  face of the d20. This generates the 
  dominant geographical features for each 
  of these 4000-mile sided triangles. 
  What that means however is left to the 
  World Builder. As I select a region 
  designated mountainous, it could be 
  part of a larger supercontinent, it could 
  be a cluster of mountain peaks 
  protruding from the sea like 
  steep islands; It could be a 
  small continent on its own.  Just 
  because it looks like mountains 
  doesn‟t mean that somewhere 
  between the cloud scraping 
  ridges of two great mountain 
  ranges, a desert, or a glacier, a 
  swamp, or a forest doesn‟t 
  exist. In this case you see that I have 
  selected a super continent with 
  a smaller continent off to one 
  side.  Once I have this I throw in 
  my appalling geographical 
  artwork of savannah, 
  mountains, sea, swamp and 
  forest with a bit of colour and I am 
  done. 
  So you have your globe.  And your scale 
  is likely about two centimetres per four 
  thousand miles. To zoom in on our 
  region we need to scale up. Our 
  triangles break up into 2000 mile - 1000 
  mile - 500 mile - 250 mile - 125 mile 
  scales. This gives us a regional map 
  scale. 
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  History, Culture, and Migration 
  Patterns 
  While we are at the globe level, let‟s 
  consider migration patterns as a source 
  of history and culture. 
   
  As you can see from our selection of 
  pretty colour arrows, a massive 
  migration event is caused by the arrival 
  of a MAEL Refugee fleet from some 
  other world (the Mael have knowledge 
  of Interplanetary travel by binding a 
  Demon to a Ships prow).  
  THE DEMONPROWED SHIPS – 
  6000CY 
   
  The Human centre of Civilization is in 
  the Bayou where they have temples and 
  cities built on islands in the swamp. The 
  Humans (Vayn) scatter becoming the 
  Vagar and Seguir who flee west while 
  remaining Vayn northwest to the other 
  side of the Bayou. 
  THE SHATTERING OF THE 
  CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION -
  5915CY 
  THE VINE PEOPLE -5911CY 
   
  They are shadowed north and south by 
  the Mael who follow west. An 
  encounter with the Dhwerg causes the 
  Dhwerg to scatter West and North 
  West.  
  THE DHWERGHELM -5903CY  
   
  The Ku, encountering the Mael, are 
  scattered North, South and West. 
  THE KU MEMORY IS SACKED -
  5893CY 
   
  The Dhwerg have knowledge of Boats, 
  allowing them to cross the seas to safe 
  havens on an assortment of islands. 
  Some Vagar who travel a while with 
  Dhwerg learn boat building and cross to 
  the smaller continent.  
  THE DHWERG & VAGAR FLEETS 
  -5802CY 
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Another branch of Vagar reach the 
  coast and having no place to go, settle 
  into the Salt Marshes of the Coast. 
  THE SALT PEOPLE -5789CY 
   
  On the larger supercontinent human 
  civilization is continuously harried by 
  the Mael, and at odds with the Dhwerg 
  and Ku. It is here that the Thousand 
  Year Demon War begins when the God 
  OS is imprisoned and ends with his 
  escape. 
  THE THOUSAND YEAR DEMON 
  WAR ENDS -3234CY 
   
  The smaller continent has been settled 
  by Vagar with some boating knowledge 
  they have gained from the Dhwerg. This 
  human civilization will become an 
  Imperium. It is dominated by Humans 
  with many branches of families having 
  Dhwerg blood in their family trees. 
  THE RISING IMPERIUM -3018 CY 
   
  At some point this diverse selection of 
  Vagar settles most of the little continent 
  and spread out to small islands along the 
  coast.  
  This establishes the various peoples who 
  will occupy our Campaign region. For 
  these humans the Dhwerg, the Ku, and 
  the Mael are creatures of legend only 
  and the forgotten tribe known as the 
  Seguir are no longer a known people. 
  THE FALL OF THE IMPERIUM -124 
  CY  
   
  Certainly history goes further back than 
  the MAEL Migration but it is unknown 
  to all peoples. As you can see the 
  Imperium from which the monotheistic 
  Church of AVESTAN reaches out has 
  an almost 3000 year run before collapse. 
  This places us in the new era with 
  Barbaric Gods and other cosmic level 
  events. 
  THE NEW ERA BEGINS (1 CY) 
   
  CAMPAIGN REGION 
  In this case I select a region west off the 
  smaller continent.  There are several 
  islands here one of which is a few 
  hundred miles off the coast linked by an 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  archipelago of small islands.  I select one 
  island. 
  Our island of choice is about 
  500 miles long and would 
  occupy several such 125 mile 
  triangles. 
  I decide that my best map at this point 
  is a traditional hex map of 24 mile 
  hexes. I have jungle, a Mountainous 
  spine with a few ice covered peaks 
  pretty much dividing one side of this 
  land from the other. With a series of 
  large „communities‟ linked by trade-
  routes. More importantly there are 
  regions isolated from one another.  
  This provides us with an opportunity to 
  establish various kingdoms across our 
  land. It is likely the Player-Characters 
  will begin life in one of them.  Behold 
  the Island of Mutai-do: A land of waring 
  petty kingdoms. 
   
  A Common Tongue 
  The Campaign Region represents a 
  recent colonization (in the last few 
  hundred years of the Imperium) There 
  was relative peace and trade between the 
  Provinces (even after the fall of the 
  Imperium) until the more powerful of 
  these states began to bully the smaller 
  ones.   
  Imperium is a Common Trade 
  Language nearly three thousand years 
  old so our map is likely to be dominated 
  by features described in that language. 
   
  Geography 
  | Prefix 
  | Suffix  
  Swamp 
   
  |  
   
  | -pen 
  River  
   
  |  
   
  | -danu 
  Mountain  
  | Gwer- 
  | 
  Valley 
   
  | Dhel- 
  | 
  Forest 
   
  | Welt- 
  |  
  Lowlands  
  | Dan- 
  |  
  Lake  
   
  |  
   
  | -mori 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Examples – TheAsp Swamp would be called 
  The Asppen, The Idel Swamp would be called 
  The Idelpen.  Likewise the Rathenjo Lowlands 
  become The Danrathenjo. 
   
  LOCAL AREA 
  So we consider the local area 
  where our PCs start out. The 
  specifics will be covered in 
  the next tier of campaign development: 
  How to build a Kingdom. 
  Anyway, we select a sample of our 
  regional map and adjust the scale. 
  Our map at this level is likely going to 
  be seen by the players and in some ways 
  represents the limits of their knowledge 
  as citizens of that isolated little 
  kingdom. So to make it seem a little 
  more „realistic‟ the map is drafted in the 
  terms of the culture into which they are 
  thrust.  
   
  And there we end it for this month. 
  That may seem a little less than usual, 
  but we are splitting the mapping Project 
  over the next three months covering 
  Kingdom building, Settlement 
  development (including maps of Rathe 
  and Irongate Pass), and finally with a 
  series of Adventure Sites (The 
  Forgotten Citadel). 
   
  Next month we look at Kingdom Building and 
  begin assembling our mini-Gazetteer. 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
  27 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  The Teloren Duchy Murders 
   
  Korva kneeled beside the corpse of 
  Lady Tani. The bronze 
  dirk protruding from her 
  back was jammed tightly 
  between two ribs. Her 
  manservant, Burdon 
  stood silently with a grim 
  look on his face. Korva 
  looked up.  
  “Was anything taken?”  
  Burdon surveyed the bronze archives. 
  The hall was in ruins.  
  “There were a few engraved totems 
  from the Second Ku Bronze period. 
  Fairly crude pieces.” The old Dwerg 
  investigator ran his fingers across the 
  blood covered marble floor. It was 
  starting to dry out.  
  “Their value?” No answer.  
  Korva looked up at the manservant. He 
  was downcast with grief.  
  “Oh. My apologies Burdon, but please, 
  their value?” Burdon shook his head.  
  “She, I mean the Lady Tani, traded a 
  pack horse for them.”  
  “We must assume that their value was 
  enough to kill  
  for.” Korva placed his hand on the 
  corpse's neck and pulled at the weapon 
  hilt. A slight twist, a crack of ribs, and 
  the blade worked free. Blood dripped 
  slowly from the weapon.  
  “And this?” Korva turned 
  the weapon in his hand. 
  Burdon, nauseated, looked 
  away.  
  It's a bronze piece from 
  the later Ku iron period. 
  Her Ladyship paid 
  seventeen bars of trade 
  silver for it.'  
  Korva scratched at his beard.  
  Bronze engravings of the Ku. Korva 
  sighed, and struggled to his feet. His left 
  knee was giving him pain. Korva 
  handed the dirk to Burdon and cleaned 
  his hands on his sweat rag.  
  “It's never gold and jewels any more, is 
  it?” Korva moved down the hall. 
  Burdon followed slowly behind him.  
  “I'll need the names of every visitor for 
  the last month, a list of servants, and the 
  trader who sold the engravings to her 
  ladyship. Actually, make that a full list of 
  the people she bought from.” Burdon 
  nodded.  
  “Do you have full descriptions of the 
  missing pieces?” Burdon nodded.  
  “Yes. Her ladyship had them 
  catalogued. I will send them to your 
  The old Dwerg 
  investigator ran 
  his fingers across 
  the blood covered 
  marble floor. 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
  Dark Spire 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  residence immediately, Master Korva.”  
  “Good. I'll see myself out.” Korva 
  exited through the main doors. The 
  mortician had arrived with the burial 
  cask.  
  “Master Korva,” acknowledged the 
  mortician. Korva nodded in reply.  
  “Mortician Urthalt, running late I see.”  
  “Business has been busy as of late, 
  Master Korva. With plague, wars, and 
  now this. I'm actually ahead this year.”  
  Korva climbed onto his low cart and 
  drove his mule back towards town. 
  The cart passed through the town gates, 
  Skirted the myriad alehouses of trader's 
  way, past 'The Broken Leg Inn' and 'The 
  Violated Mule Tavern'.  
  “Master Korva!” It was initiate Burtram 
  from the chapel of Westriding. His little 
  legs hurrying to carry him onwards.  
  “Yes young Burtram, how can I help 
  you today?” Probably wanted me to 
  appraise the candlestick holders for 
  future reference. The little Hob was just 
  like his dad.  
  “It's Father Cassius...” A pause to catch 
  his breath.  
  “Yes lad?” Korva wondered at the 
  excitement.  
  “Father Cassius has been murdered.”  
  And to think I used to get tired of the 
  lack of action this town had to offer.  
  “Hop in lad.” Korva pulled him aboard. 
  Korva turned the cart and mule down 
  the lane and pushed on towards the 
  church.  
  “Well lad, what happened?”  
  “It was terrible. I found him... on the 
  vestry floor with the letter opener driven 
  through his chest. It was terrible Master 
  Korva, just terrible.”  
  It usually is lad. Korva reached into the 
  back of the cart for his pewter flask of 
  home brewed mead.  
  “Drink this. It will help calm your 
  nerves.” The young Hob took a heavy 
  swig from the flask and started 
  coughing.  
  “What is this? It's terrible.” Burtram 
  eyed the evil brew with distrust.  
  “My home brewed mead. Your dad 
  always enjoyed it.”  
  “Really? My dad always had a funny 
  attitude about what was drinkable, or so 
  my mum always said.” He returned the 
  flask to Korva.  
  “Probably true.” Korva took a sniff, 
  replaced the cork and tossed the flask in 
  the back of the cart.  
  Father Cassius lay face up. His face 
  wracked by the oddest look. It was as 
  though he was not expecting to be 
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  killed.  
  Korva pulled the Letter opener free. 
  Blood covered the Floor.  
  “Killed this early morning by the look of 
  it.” Korva looked at the young hobbit, 
  then at the engraved bronze bowl on 
  the shalbho behind him. The Hob tried 
  to follow Korva's view.  
  “Father Cassius wasn't a collector of 
  bronze pieces by any chance?” Young 
  Burtram looked around the room.  
  “Um, actually, now you 
  mention it, yes.”  
  “Is there anything 
  missing? Well?” Korva 
  stepped across the body 
  towards Burtram.  
  “Well, there were a 
  number of bronze panels, 
  odd scratched writing all over them.”  
  Korva looked over the scrolled rubbings 
  and sketches, There was nothing here. 
  The names of guests were a meaningless 
  parade of the poor Aristocrats that lived 
  in the small Duchy. A Merchant had 
  taken clay pressings of the plates. Long 
  returned to the capital. The prospector 
  presented the only true lead. This had to 
  be investigated.  
  The journey out through the hills took a 
  day. According to Burden's notes, the 
  prospector who had sold the Ku 
  engravings, was encamped somewhere 
  out in the Black hills. A bad place to be 
  alone. Here, practically in the ragged 
  edge of the Empire. Nothing much to 
  see out here.  
  “Old coot's probably having the time of 
  his life.”  
  Korva stared the prospector in the eye. 
  At least, what was left of his eye. The 
  stench of death was strong in the 
  prospector's burnt out 
  camp. Korva looked the 
  Hob‟s remains over again. 
  The prospector had been 
  crucified on a large tree. 
  The corpse was a week old 
  at least. The few remains 
  indicated that he had been 
  tortured to death by a hot 
  iron poker. The iron fire poker at his 
  feet said everything.  
  “You old fool. What did you get 
  yourself into?” Korva shook his head 
  and walked away. This whole case was 
  starting to smell bad.  
  Leone Wiffil the Third polished the 
  bronze plates with the fine cloth of 
  lamb's wool. Trusting such a task to the 
  servants was, of course, out of the 
  question.  
  The few remains 
  indicated that he 
  had been tortured 
  to death by a hot 
  iron poker. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  “Excuse me, your lordship, but there's 
  an old Dwerg at the front doors. Fellow 
  absolutely refuses to use the service 
  entrance. He was quite rude about it in 
  fact.” The manservant was almost 
  annoyed by it.  
  “What does he want?” Lord Wiffil 
  focused on the task at land.  
  “He wants to speak to you about your 
  bronze collection. He mentioned 
  something about the murder of Lady 
  Tani.”  
  “Ah. Send the fellow away. I don't have 
  time to discuss such things.”  
  “Of course my lord.” The manservant 
  turned and left.  
  These lords were all the same, Never 
  interested in giving you the time of day 
  until they needed you. Korva watched 
  the manor from the street. His old mule 
  and tired cart stood in the shadow of 
  the great trees of the wide, cobblestone 
  lane. Korva watched as the burglar 
  made his entrance. This case would be 
  solved without the assistance of Lord 
  Wiffil.  
  A long moment of silence in the scheme 
  of things and the crime was complete.  
  Korva watched as Arlo the burglar 
  climbed down the side of the manor 
  house with the heavy saddlebags. With 
  keen stealth, he retrieved his horse from 
  the shelter of the  
  shadowy hedge, and then led the animal 
  to the lane.  
  Counting the beast, he headed away to 
  the eastern gate of the town.  
  Korva followed at a distance, his newly 
  greased axles providing some of the 
  required stealth to remain undetected.  
  The thief rode out into the darkness of 
  the countryside leaving the town behind.  
  “That's right son, lead me to the boss.” 
  Korva pursued his quarry at a safe 
  distance.  
  Growing ever weary, as farms fell away 
  to the distant horizon, Korva struggled 
  to stay awake. The cart rode the edge of 
  the trail to commandeer as much 
  shadow and coverage as possible.  
  Night was heavy as the thief halted near 
  an ancient stone circle. Korva pulled the 
  mule in on a low gravel wash behind a 
  ridge.  
  Korva, spyglass in hand, dropped to the 
  gravel. His knee jarred. Korva grunted 
  lightly as the pain flared. The old Dwerg 
  struggled up the gravel wash and peeked 
  over the rim at the scene below. There 
  beneath the trees, Arlo waited. In a swift 
  movement, a cloaked figure entered 
  from the trees.  
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Dark Spire 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  “You're late, Aghrin.” Arlo dropped the 
  saddlebags it the cloaked one's feet. 
  Aghrin pulled back the hood, Korva 
  easily recognized the new participant as 
  an Albho.  
  It just got interesting. Korva considered 
  the crossbow he had left back in the 
  cart. No chance of moving unnoticed.  
  “Are you sure you 
  have every piece of 
  it?” asked the dark 
  haired Albho.  
  “All twelve pieces, 
  exactly as you 
  described them.” 
  Arlo paused.  
  “The cost was 
  great. I expect to 
  be compensated 
  greatly.”  
  “You will.”  
  Below, in the 
  shadow of the 
  stones, Arlo 
  experienced the 
  afterlife. The Albho freed his dagger and 
  drained the thief's blood into a stone 
  bowl from beneath his cloak. Nasty 
  business you're in. Korva settled in for a 
  long wait as the Albho began to chant. 
  Huddled silently on the low ridge, His 
  spyglass took in the full view of the 
  stone circle. The Albho chanted for an 
  hour. Eventually, as the moon waned to 
  full darkness, the shadows of starlight 
  stirred. There, in the centre of the circle, 
  stood a large shadowy individual, 
  identification would be impossible in 
  such darkness, the Albho spoke.  
  “I have them, my lord. 
  As agreed.” The Albho 
  handed over the two 
  heavy saddlebags. The 
  shadow handed over a 
  large gemstone in 
  return.  
  “Lord? This is only 
  half the agreed 
  payment. I don't 
  understand.”  
  The tall shadow turned 
  and stared at the low 
  ridge. The Albho 
  followed the dark one's 
  direction of gaze.  
  “...I will dispose of the 
  spy immediately.” The Albho retrieved a 
  sword from the corpse of his murdered 
  thief and hurried towards the ridge. The 
  shadows twisted in the stone circle and 
  the large creature left is it had arrived.  
  Damn. Been spotted. Korva slid back 
  
  Issue – 3 
  Moon of Staring Eyes 
   
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  down the gravel surface dropping his 
  trusty spyglass as he went. His crossbow 
  was on the mule cart at the base of the 
  gravel wash. The Albho was moving 
  fast. This was going to be close.  
  Korva rode the loose gravel for most of 
  the way to the bottom. The Albho 
  cleared the ridge, sword in hand.  
  “Bastard Dwerg, I'm going to make you 
  pay for this.”  
  Korva slammed hard against the wheel 
  of the cart. His knee was burning with 
  pain. The Albho was almost on him. 
  Korva pulled his crossbow from the 
  cart. The quarrel fell from the notch. 
  Not now.  
  “Ha. I have you now Dwerg.” The 
  Albho was laughing as he swung the 
  sword in towards Korva's ribs. Korva 
  jerked the empty crossbow up between 
  them and hard against the Albho's neck, 
  he fired dry.  
  The bow exploded forward against the 
  Albho's neck. The sword fell from the 
  dark one's grip as it bit into Korva's 
  side. The Albho clutched at his throat, 
  struggling for breath. Korva hammered 
  him backwards with the remains of the 
  crossbow stock.  
  Korva cast the wooden stock aside and 
  pushed away the pain as he retrieved the 
  sword. The Albho was still sprawled on 
  the gravel.  
  Korva swung once and then a second 
  time. The blade hewed off the Albho's 
  head with a second blow.  
  “No, You don't.” mumbled Korva. 
  Korva sat back against the wheel of the 
  cart, his knee and side burning with 
  pain. It was then he saw it. The large 
  gem given In payment to the dark 
  Albho was glowing with a great crimson 
  light as It sat In a pool of the Albho's 
  blood. His mind fell into the crimson 
  darkness of sleep. 
  Sunlight and the hot smells of late 
  morning roused Korva. The pain was 
  gone from his knee and side. As was the 
  blood, and the gemstone. The Albho 
  was a dried husk of skin and bone.  
  “Damn.” Lost the evidence. Nothing 
  left but to check the stone circle and the 
  body of the thief, Korva climbed to his 
  feet, sword in hand. He moved up the 
  gravel wash to retrieve his dropped 
  spyglass. The mule had pulled the cart 
  across the road to a patch of grass to 
  feed. Korva climbed aboard the cart 
  with a renewed vigor. Reigns In hand, 
  he guided the mule around the hill and 
  towards the circle of old stones. The 
  body of the thief was still lying on the 
  
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  ground. His horse, by the look of the 
  tracks, had wandered off to look for its 
  true owner. A search of the stone circle 
  found the prints of something very large 
  and heavy.  
  A Mael.  
  What would a 'Mael' want with the 
  crude bronze engravings of the Ku? 
  They had been of such value to employ 
  an Albho Sorcerer to oversee collection, 
  but then to pay him with some large 
  gemstone of an obscure magical nature?  
  He returned to the cart.  
  Investigator Korva climbed aboard old 
  the cart.  
  I must be a terrible sight.  
  Korva pulled a mirror from his satchel. 
  His face covered in dirt and blood. The 
  grey hairs had been replaced by a 
  youthful dark-red. Korva shook his 
  head and chuckled.  
  “Damn Albho blood makes me look 
  twenty years younger.” Time to go 
  home and have a bath. The pieces of 
  this puzzle will fit together eventually,  
  Above the world, the heavens continued 
  their slow movement towards the 
  coming darkness. 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Dark Spire 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Side Effects 
   
  What happens when the wizard fireballs 
  the tavern? 
  “The wizard giggled insanely as the thief 
  skidded to a halt in front of him. With a word 
  the wizard laughing flung a ball of fire at the 
  thief catching him in the 
  chest, an explosion rocked 
  the area as flame shout 
  out and upward from the 
  thief. Nearby buildings 
  caught fire quickly 
  spreading to a bridge and 
  then the whole 
  neighbourhood was 
  aflame. The wizard‟s 
  cackling laugh died in his 
  throat as he realized the 
  enormity of what he‟d 
  done...” 
  Using powerful attacks will usually 
  have side effects. This can be anything 
  from destroying inanimate objects in the 
  area to destroying entire buildings. Area 
  attack with elemental keywords can be 
  some of the most damaging. 
   
  While in a dank wet featureless 
  dungeon an area fire spell might not 
  have a massive effect on anything but 
  the enemies it hits, but the same spell in 
  a well frequented tavern full of wooden 
  chairs, tables and floors, not to mention 
  flammable liquids it becomes a recipe 
  for disaster. 
   
  What are the 
  chances of affecting 
  unintended targets? If the 
  spells description is very 
  clear that a specific area is 
  affected, then there is a 
  near 100% chance that 
  everything in the area is 
  affected. For determining 
  if something bursts into 
  flame consider that 
  ordinary wood ignites 
  relatively easily, especially 
  if it has been treated with oils as is 
  typical in medieval settings. Alcohol 
  ignites on contact with flame or when it 
  reaches a sufficiently high temperature. 
   
  If a martial character uses an area 
  attack it will usually deal weapon 
  damage to everything in the area. Pillars, 
  walls, statues, bridge railings and 
  supports, doors, and other inanimate 
  objects can take damage from these 
  With a word the 
  wizard laughing 
  flung a ball of fire at 
  the thief catching 
  him in the chest, an 
  explosion rocked the 
  area as flame shout 
  out and upward from 
  the thief. 
  
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  attacks causing collapses and other 
  unintended side effects. 
   
  To keep from seeming like you are 
  punishing the players for having these 
  powers you should keep these 
  encounters down to a couple per 
  adventure and always warn your players 
  about the consequences of using these 
  powers. 
   
  An interesting way to use side 
  effects within an adventure is to have 
  the BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy) be nearly 
  impossible to defeat by standard means. 
  Then have an area attack cause 
  incidental damage to something else that 
  can defeat the BBEG. 
   
  An example would be a climactic 
  fight on a large wood and stone bridge. 
  The BBEG has some kind of 
  magic/armor/power that prevents the 
  players from dealing damage or reduces 
  the damage to laughable levels. The 
  players eventually start using their big 
  area powers. The BBEG still is not hurt, 
  but the bridge shudders and with a 
  knowledge check one of the players can 
  realize that the bridge can be damaged 
  and the fall would probably kill the 
  BBEG. 
   
   
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Implements versus Weapons 
   
  Why are weapons and implements so 
  different? 
   
  Many of the powers mentioned in 
  the various D&D 4th edition books use 
  either the weapon keyword or the 
  implement 
  keyword. The 
  difference 
  between the two 
  is that weapons 
  have damage dice 
  and implements 
  do not. This 
  difference is 
  hardly noticeable 
  at the early levels, 
  but at paragon 
  and epic tiers it 
  becomes quite 
  obvious. A player 
  that maximises 
  their characters potential using weapon 
  keyword powers can deal damage equal 
  to 3-5 times a weapons listed damage, 
  which can get as high as 2d8 on some 
  weapons. The total damage these 
  powers can deal is in excess of 10d8 
  points of damage. 
   
  Compare this with the damage 
  dealt by implement powers and you will 
  see that even at the maximum it falls far 
  short. The single most damaging 
  Sorcerer power deals 6d6 points of 
  damage which doesn‟t 
  even come close to the 
  potential damage from a 
  weapon power. 
   
  One way to even 
  out this discrepancy 
  would be to assign 
  different damage dice to 
  different implement 
  types. This would ignore 
  the damage done by the 
  implement power 
  though. 
  A better way to 
  deal with this would be 
  to add a damage dice to 
  the implement and add that damage to 
  any the power deals normally. To offset 
  this we will use dice on the lower end of 
  the spectrum so that the damage is not 
  increased too much. 
  The damage done from the 
  implement will be based on the number 
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  of dice in the powers description. If the 
  power says it deals 2d6 damage, then the 
  implement damage added to that is 
  2d[I]. 
  The other issue is that implements 
  don‟t get proficiency bonuses like 
  weapons do. We deal with this issue by 
  giving each implement a slight bonus 
  which decreases based on the damage it 
  deals. The offset of cost has been taken 
  into consideration as well and the cost 
  increase is shown. 
  To show how the best implement 
  in the list compares with the best 
  weapon combination possible we can do 
  some simple math. It‟s a good bet 10d8 
  is the best possible with a weapon. This 
  deals an average damage of (5.5 * 8) 44 
  points of damage. The best implement 
  combined with a decent power deals 
  6d6 (Sorcerer daily power) plus 6d5 (for 
  the bronze orb). The average for this is 
  (3.5 * 6 + 3 * 6) 39 points of damage. 
  This is very comparable. This helps even 
  out the discrepancy between 
  implements and weapons. 
  Implement 
  Dice Prof. 
  bonus 
  Cost 
  Glass Orb 
  1d2 
  +3 
  +0 
  Crystal Orb 
  1d4 
  +2 
  +40 
  Bronze Orb 
  1d5 
  +1 
  +40 
  Oak Rod 
  1d3 
  +2 
  +35 
  Stone Rod 
  1d4 
  +1 
  +30 
  Gem & Teak 
  Rod 
  1d5 
  +0 
  +25 
  Pine Staff 
  1d3 
  +2 
  +40 
  Crystal Staff 
  1d4 
  +1 
  +35 
  Silver plated 
  Staff 
  1d5 
  +0 
  +30 
  Willow Wand 1d2 
  +4 
  +50 
  Quartz Wand 1d3 
  +3 
  +45 
  Sapphire 
  Wand 
  1d4 
  +2 
  +40 
  Wood 
  Symbol 
  1d2 
  +2 
  +20 
  Silver Symbol 1d3 
  +1 
  +25 
  Gold Symbol 
  1d4 
  +0 
  +20 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Comparison: Warlock vs. Sorcerer 
   
  “The groups of adventurers squared off to each 
  other. First the warriors 
  clashed then the clerics 
  called down their 
  religious fervor. Last the 
  warlock of one party 
  stepped out, brandishing 
  his wicked dagger and 
  wielding the might of 
  borrowed power, to see 
  who he would confront. 
  In a break in the melee 
  he caught a glimpse of a woman in robes fling a 
  blast of arcane power wildly around catching a 
  group of enemies in its fiery torrent. The 
  warlock gulped in fear, it was a sorcerer.” 
  Warlocks have been a core part of the 
  Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition game 
  since its inception; sorcerers are 
  relatively new in comparison. One of 
  the first and most obvious differences 
  between the warlock and the sorcerer is 
  that the sorcerer gets to add their 
  secondary ability score modifier to both 
  their AC and damage on their powers. 
  To offset this Warlock‟s can curse a 
  single enemy per round that they 
  damage with one of their powers. If 
  later they damage this cursed target, they 
  can deal an additional 1d6 points of 
  damage. On average this 
  equates to 3.5 points of 
  damage most of the time 
  to a single target.  In 
  addition they can use 
  leather armor to increase 
  their AC by +2. Not 
  that good a deal it seems 
  since the Sorcerer is 
  unlikely to have a 
  secondary ability 
  modifier below +3 and more than likely 
  by level 4 will have a +4. The Warlock 
  on the other hand has to split their 
  secondary stats across two different 
  scores in order to effective. So on 
  average they will have a +1 or +2 in 
  those secondary scores possibly 
  sacrificing one to get a +3 on the other. 
  The reason the Sorcerer doesn‟t have to 
  split secondary stats is because 
  whichever source they choose focuses 
  completely on one score as well as 
  adding damage and increasing AC from 
  that same score. Most sorcerer powers 
  use the primary stat, and the secondary 
  stat is only used for secondary effects of 
  powers, and only when the power in 
  In a break in the melee 
  he caught a glimpse of 
  a woman in robes fling 
  a blast of arcane power 
  wildly around catching 
  a group of enemies in 
  its fiery torrent. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  question has the same source as the 
  Sorcerer. 
   
  As far as class abilities go the extra 
  damage to each target the Sorcerer gets 
  is much better than the damage the 
  warlock gets to one of the targets. For 
  the most part the Warlocks class 
  features are just a single added power, 
  and a side effect that happens when they 
  drop a cursed enemy. In one case the 
  warlock can teleport when they K.O. a 
  cursed foe. The Sorcerer has this beat by 
  a long shot by being able to teleport 
  whenever an enemy misses them, which 
  means they can teleport several times 
  per round as opposed to once or rarely 
  twice a round for the Warlock. This 
  same set of Sorcerer class features can 
  also raise the AC of the Sorcerer by +1 
  per enemy that is next to them. Because 
  of this they can on average get an AC 
  bonus of +2 and can occasionally get an 
  AC bonus of +3 or higher, rarely hitting 
  the maximum of +8. Couple this with 
  the fact that they can change features by 
  using a daily power or becoming 
  bloodied. Between encounters they can 
  choose which set of features to have 
  active. Next this same set of features 
  includes one where they can damage 
  adjacent enemies by their secondary stat 
  modifier. This encourages enemies to 
  avoid being next to them. Lastly all sets 
  of class features allow Sorcerer‟s to 
  bypass one or more types of resistance 
  based on their secondary ability score 
  modifier. They can bypass an amount 
  equal to their secondary stat. Remember 
  a Sorcerer gets all of that from a single 
  power source. 
   
  The only comparable Warlock set 
  of features comes from the Vestige Pact 
  where they get a single power that gets a 
  side effect or Pact Boon based on 
  encounter and daily powers used. By 
  doing this they get a slight advantage 
  because they can use their special at-will 
  power every round until they use 
  another power to change the side effect. 
  It adds versatility to the Warlock that 
  was lacking before; on the other hand 
  several of the effects still rely on the 
  Warlocks curse or require characters to 
  target the same target as the at-will to be 
  effective. This leads to focusing on 
  using two attacks to effectively deal with 
  a single attacker. 
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
   
  The Sorcerer doesn‟t have this 
  problem. They deal about as much 
  damage to multiple targets as the 
  Warlock deals to one or two. Thus by 
  time the Warlock has cursed an enemy 
  and dealt the special 
  damage and side 
  effect associated with 
  the curse or vestige 
  on a second attack, 
  the Sorcerer has 
  already dealt one and 
  a half times more 
  damage to multiple 
  enemies. When the 
  Sorcerer first came 
  out it was considered 
  to be a glass cannon. 
  With the addition of 
  power sources from 
  splat books, they lost 
  the glass part of that description. 
  Especially if they take a feat or two in 
  order to get armor proficiencies. 
   
  There are a few feats that help out 
  the warlock as well, but once again they 
  are mainly tied in with having cursed an 
  enemy in a previous round. There is one 
  Sorcerer feat that is worth highlighting, 
  Sorcerous Blade 
  Channeling which 
  allows the Sorcerer 
  to deliver many of 
  their spells using a 
  dagger to an adjacent 
  enemy. 
   
  Overall the 
  running between the 
  two is so close that it 
  may be purely 
  situational. For the 
  most part the 
  Warlock is good at 
  striking at single 
  enemies and 
  punishing enemies that come after 
  them, while the Sorcerer is great at 
  taking down multiple enemies at once. 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  THE POWER OF PROPHAGANDA 
   
  Burlo the turnip farmer stared at the 
  crystal ball –his eyes fixated on the 
  wretched scene of his brother being 
  impaled to death on a pike by an Elf. 
  “Oh! Gods no…those Elf bastards! Not 
  my brother!” The Wizard spoke: “So 
  shall it come to pass if you do not take 
  up thy destiny in this wretched war…”  
  Burlo fell back from the wizard and his 
  ball of crystal running for home. His 
  father‟s sword was there, hidden under 
  the floorboards…he would fetch his 
  father‟s sword…he would join the 
  Kings army and kill as many elves as it 
  took. 
   
  Propaganda is a very powerful medium 
  for States. Something as simple as a 
  poster demanding you sign up for the 
  army in the current time of crisis or wait 
  until the enemy show up and kill you 
  can be pretty useful tools in the 
  manipulation of the Populace. 
   
   
   
  What about the use of propaganda in 
  the Fantasy setting? In a world where 
  wizards can erect phantasmal images in 
  the local market place that go well 
  beyond the truth into the realm of 
  fantasy, Illusions can be created that can 
  literally put a bloody sword into the 
  hands of a foreign king and put that 
  king standing over the corpse of the yet 
  to be murdered princess of your own 
  kingdom. People in positions of power 
  can say anything and do anything. And 
  truth can quickly become irrelevant. 
  A crystal ball in a wizard‟s tent during 
  the village market fair could be a source 
  of real time battle field vision from the 
  front lines of a War that would 
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  otherwise have no meaning or a pack of 
  lies. 
  Magic with the capacity to provide large 
  scale screening of a holocaust going on 
  in the neighbouring kingdom can terrify 
  a populace into submission or serve as a 
  recruiting poster for young peasants to 
  die on foreign fields for little more than 
  loyalty to a crown that treats them like 
  slaves. 
   
  Written By: Sean R. Meaney 
   
   
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  MAKING YOUR OWN BOOK OF WONDOROUS INVENTIONS? 
   
  Page of Contents: This should be 
  broken down into Categories based on 
  Type: 
  Appliances – some magical device you 
  might have in your Wizards tower or 
  Castle. 
  Constructs – Autonomons, Specific task 
  Golems, that sort of thing. 
  Dungeon Devices – something useful 
  exclusively in a dungeon. 
  Entertainment – Fun stuff 
  Home and Business – Something used 
  in a D&D setting home or business. 
  Practical Services – Anything you stick a 
  coin in to operate or use for public 
  benefit. 
  Structures – Usually a fixed position 
  building but also a movable one. 
  Transport – A vehicle of some kind. 
  Weapons and Warfare – basically a 
  weapon or tool used on the battlefield. 
   
  Title: The full invention name (18 Size 
  Font) 
  Definition: What the Invention is (5-15 
  words) 
  History: A history of the Invention (50-
  100 words) 
  Description: What it looks like (50-100 
  words) 
  Construction: How to make it, necessary 
  spells, Special Objects (50-100 words) 
  Statistics: Physical Dimensions, Weight, 
  Monster Stats 
  Functioning: How it works (50-100 
  words) 
  Hazards: When things go wrong (50-100 
  words) 
  Staging: An encounter description (50-
  100 words) 
   
  Written By: Sean R. Meaney 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Map of the Cycle 
  Bugbear Caves 
   
   
   
  
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  Friar’s Almanac 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Issue – 3 
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  Friar’s Almanac 
  Interested in Having Your Article in Print? 
   
  Here‟s your chance! Simply send your 
  article idea or premise to 
  lokiare1@hotmail.com with “Friar‟s 
  Almanac Submission” in the subject 
  line. 
   
   
  
  Issue – 3 
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  49 
  Friar’s Almanac 
  Interested in Getting the Word Out? 
   
  Advertise with us super cheap rates 
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/4th Edition/3rd Party/Dark Spire/Friar's Almanac #3 - Moon of Staring Eyes.pdf