TEXT:  
   
   
  Your Gateway to Lejendary™ Worlds 
  Inside This Issue   
       Lejendary Earth Calendar 
   
       A Scurvy Crew: Pirates on the High Seas 
  Vol. 1 
  Issue 1     
  Sept. 
  2006 
  The PORTAL 
   
      SCENARIO: Dancin’ in the Moonlight 
   
      PLUS: Dangerous Nether-Beings,  
      Extraordinary Items, Fiction, and More... 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  2 
   
   
  The Portal 
  Table of Contents 
  Page 1  
   
  Cover Page 
  Page 2  
   
  Table of Contents 
   
  THE SCRIVENER’S JOURNAL :  
  Page 3  
   
  From the Editor 
   
  THE HARBINGER : 
  Page 4  
   
  Welcome Letter & Things To Come 
   
   
  by Gary Gygax 
   
  THE HAND OF HEKA :  
  Page 5  
   
  Lunar Calendar- 13 Months of Lejendary Earth      by Gary Gygax 
   
  THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE :  
  Page 7  
   
  Harvest Moon (Orc War Axe)      
   
   
  by Spencer Wright 
  Page 8  
   
  The Grim Thorn (Extraordinary Sword)       
  by Spencer Wright 
  Page 8  
   
  Night Helm       
   
   
   
   
  by Jerry Leonard 
   
  THE MENAGERIE :  
  Page 9  
   
  Ravenous Fleshmonger      
   
   
   
  by Spencer Wright 
  Page 10  
   
  Bonefiend       
   
   
   
   
  by Spencer Wright 
  Page 10  
   
  Death Hound, Guardian      
   
   
   
  by Martin Siesto and  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Jerry Leonard 
   
  AMONG THE POPULACE :  
  Page 12  
   
  A Scurvy Crew- A pirate gang on the high seas!      
  by Jon Creffield 
   
  THE JONGLEUR’S STAGE :   
  Page 24  
   
  Soul-Searching (Fiction)      
   
   
   
  by Jerry Leonard 
   
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS :  
  Page 30  
   
  Dancin’ in the Moonlight  (Adventure Scenario)     
  by Martin Siesto 
   
  Page 46  
   
  SUBMISSION GUIDELINES for Articles & Artwork 
  It is hoped that THE PORTAL Magazine will be published bi-monthly, and we will strive to meet this goal with 
  permission from TriGee Enterprises Company. Lejendary Adventure, Lejendary Earth, Lejendary AsteRogues, Lejen-
  dary Elder Worlds, LA, LE, LAR and related terms are: 
   
   
   
   
   
                ©copyright by TriGee Enterprises Company. All rights reserved. 
   
  Submissions, Comments and Questions:  To submit articles/artwork for publication within The Portal, or if you 
  have any comments or questions, feel free to send e-mail correspondence to :   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  portal_ezine@hotmail.com 
   
  *** LEGAL NOTICE *** 
   
  Any use of Trigee Enterprises Company's copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere in this document should not 
  be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, all articles published within these pages 
  (excepting general non-RPG system specific articles, fiction and artwork) become copyright © Trigee Enterprises 
  Company.  Therefore all articles/files in this document written for the Lejendary Adventure RPG cannot be repub-
  lished or distributed without the express consent of the author, who contributed it, and Trigee Enterprises Company. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  3 
   
   
  WELCOME Adventurers! 
   
  Greetings to all, and welcome to the pre-
  miere issue of THE PORTAL, a fan-based magazine 
  created for Lejendary Adventure™ Gamers by Le-
  jendary Adventure™ Gamers!  What lies before you 
  is something that I hope will become a valued, or at 
  least useful, asset to the LA community. 
  When LEJENDS™ Magazine ceased its op-
  erations so many moons ago, there was left within 
  the LA community a big hole in need of filling.  As a  
  recurring resource it served a rather valuable, and 
  two-fold, function.  It provided Support and Oppor-
  tunity. 
  SUPPORT -- Firstly, it showed interested 
  gamers that there was a steady influx of new, origi-
  nal, and “official” resource material.  This is impor-
  tant since the introduction of new material in the 
  form of adventure modules and sourcebooks has 
  been slow for the LA game.  I do realize that time 
  and financial factors have much to do with how of-
  ten new material comes out, but that is why the 
  magazine filled such an important niche.  It whetted 
  the appetites of us fans & players while we waited 
  for the big stuff to come out. 
  OPPORTUNITY -- Secondly, it allowed 
  the players of the game a chance to have their own 
  ideas, inspirations, and materials be published and 
  shared with the rest of the LA community in a way 
  that isn’t really matched by posting on message 
  boards… 
  Bearing this in mind, I (and a few stalwart 
  LA enthusiasts) offer you a glimpse of what is hoped 
  to be a bi-monthly publication. What is intended is 
  that THE PORTAL becomes a useful and viable 
  resource, even if there is never an “official” attach-
  ment to it.  A medium where enthusiastic Lejend 
  Masters and players alike can make their mark, as 
  well as a tool that Trigee Enterprises Company, Troll 
  Lord Games and Hekaforge Productions can use as 
  an outlet for their abundant creative talent should 
  they choose to. 
  It is the humble opinion of this scribe that 
  the Lejendary Adventure™ RPG will be around 
  without threat of extinction for a very long time to 
  come. The fan base for the LA game is continually 
  growing... slowly maybe, but growing nonetheless.  
  Such being the case, I believe it’s time for all of the 
  long-time LA players to rise up out of the dark night 
  and shine a light, so to speak, so that any and all who 
  are interested may find the path that leads to our 
  world of Lejendary possibilities… 
  While everyone takes a few moments to pe-
  ruse the contents of this first issue, it is my fervent 
  hope that something here will inspire you… Not just 
  to want to see more issues come out but maybe even 
  to put pen to scroll and, in some large or small meas-
  ure, make your mark in these pages as well.  You 
  might be asking yourself, “Just what is The Portal 
  looking for regarding submissions?”   
  Well, the short and sweet is… whatever you 
  feel the urge to do!  At the end of this issue is our 
  initial “Submission Guidelines” for articles and art-
  work, containing a brief listing of varied columns 
  that could show up here regularly or irregularly, de-
  pending on submissions.  If you find something there 
  that tugs at you, then by all means have at ’er!  
  After looking it over, if your idea doesn’t 
  seem to fall neatly into a category, or if you have 
  any questions, comments, criticisms, suggestions… 
  feel free to drop an e-mail to: 
   
          portal_ezine@hotmail.com 
   
  In closing I’d like to thank those few who 
  contributed their time, effort and ideas to make this 
  first issue a reality…  
   
  Gary Gygax (Of course!) 
  Martin Siesto (OUTSTANDING artwork!!) 
  Jon Creffield 
  Spencer Wright 
   
  THANK YOU GUYS!!  
   
  Now… who’s next?  ☺ 
   
  Best Regards to all  
  and Happy Gaming, 
   
  Jerry Leonard 
  THE  SCRIVENER’S JOURNAL 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  4 
   
   
  Hail to All Fans of the LA RPG System! 
   
   
  It is with the greatest pleasure that I bid you welcome to your new gateway to the boundless realms of adven-
  ture of lejendary sort, THE PORTAL Magazine. Too long have we all been without a periodical to convey new game 
  information to us, a vehicle in which to offer our creative efforts and voice our thoughts to our fellows. Now, thanks to 
  our Stalwart Editor, Jerry Leonard, that lack has been rectified. We can all look forward to all manner of new and inter-
  esting things to be found in each new issue of this journal.  
   
   
  Speaking of new things, I have been doing a fair amount of creative work in regards to Lejendary Adventure 
  game creatures--and I thank all of you that made suggestions or delivered actual details for my consideration. The pages 
  of the MORE BEASTS OF LEJEND book manuscript are now brimming over with all manner of fell beasts, as well as 
  lists of all the creatures in both works, including breakdowns of aerial, marine, mineral, and vegetable monsters, There 
  is even a separate list of the beasties giving their general size, weight, means of movement, and cunning/intelligence.  
   
   
  In addition, I have managed to do yet another polish of the Lejendary AsteRogues Fantastical Science RPG, 
  adding a considerable amount of information in the main body of the rules as well as in the extensive appendices. Again, 
  I thank the fans that sent in corrections and suggestions that enabled much of that improvement. Meanwhile, Jon Cref-
  field is working on developing and completing the initial campaign setting book for the game, “Kowloon Wharf Space 
  Station”, the working manuscript file for which I sent to him some months ago. As you are all aware, Jon is a most crea-
  tive fellow, so we can expect a great adventure setting when he completes his work.  
   
   
  In similar vein, Jerry Leonard has my initial material for a Science Fiction genre expansion for the LA game 
  system. The campaign base to introduce it is to be titled Lejendary Elder Worlds, and with the rules it will form the 
  vehicle for stellar gaming. As the SF genre is so expansive, it is expected than many campaign books will follow, each 
  introducing a new setting or two, different alien races, and added technology. In that regard I have already sent Jerry one 
  that I devised, a seemingly science fantasy milieu that is really not that at all, so watch for news of “Hunters of Ralk”.  
   
   
  We are looking to expand the LA game system into other genres as well, notably the Wild West, with a fantasy 
  component likely, as well as contemporary era Lovecraftian Horror. Suggestions for other additions are, as always, wel-
  come. Whether or not those are acted upon depends on the volume of information included with the suggestion, what we 
  have on hand, the general consumer interest in the genre, and the availability of resources to undertake the work neces-
  sary to complete the project.  
   
   
  Speaking of availability, I am still attempting, futilely at this time, to become semi-retired so as to be able to 
  read and play more games instead of working most of the time. That means my contributions to this magazine will be 
  limited. Thankfully, many of you are highly creative, so I won't be missed all that much... I do hope to be able to do 
  some collaborative adventure module design for the LA game, and most certainly I plan to oversee all the genre expan-
  sions, develop and polish the material created for them.  
   
   
  Finally, the LA Online game is still alive and kicking...if awaiting substantial funding to take it into beta test 
  stage can be termed that. We have hopes, but the odds are long, and one major producer that had supposedly been con-
  sidering it for many, many months, was simply stringing us along. Now we have moved on and found another group.  
  Our chances are about the same as those of a movie script being made into a major motion picture...  
   
   
  The outcome of that does not affect my enthusiasm for the LA game nor the Troll Lord Games commitment to 
  the system. The main benefit of having it serve as the basis for a MMP would be both immediate enlargement of the 
  audience for the paper game and revenue to promote and advertise it. That would surely guarantee more support publi-
  cations for the fantasy game, more genre expansion works put into the works for publication on an accelerated basis.  
   
   
  So again, welcome to these pages, Daring Adventurers all. May what you discover here be Extraordinary!  
   
  Best Wishes, 
  Gary 
   
  THE  HARBINGER 
  Lejendary News  & Announcements 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  5 
   
   
  The Seven Days of the Week:  
   
  Godsday  
   
  Serviceday  
   
  Earthday  
   
  Moonday  
   
  Sunday  
   
  Starday  
   
  Freeday 
   
  The Lunar Cycle 
   
  1st-2nd     : dark (2 days)  
   
  3rd-5th     : waxing crescent (3 days =5)  
   
  6th-8th     : waxing quarter (3 days = 8)  
   
  9th-12th   : waxing three quarter (4 days = 12)  
   
  13th-16th : full (4 days = 16)  
   
  17th-20th : waning three quarter (4 days = 20)  
   
  21st-23rd : waning quarter (3 days = 23)  
   
  24th-26th : waning crescent (3 days = 26)  
   
  27th-28th : dark (2 days = 28)  
   
   
    THE HAND OF HEKA 
   
   
   
   
   
  Lejendary Lore from the Master Himself   
  The Lunar Calendar of the 13 Months  
   
   
   
   
   
  of the Lejendary Earth™ World Setting  
   
  by Gary Gygax 
   
   
   
   
         
  ©2006 Trigee Enterprises Company.  All rights reserved.  
  The planet revolves around the sun in exactly 
  364 days, so the phases of the moon correspond to 
  the 28 days of each month as indicated hereafter. 
   
  The names of each of the 13 months are given 
  below, and corresponding dates for the Julian Calen-
  dar of our world are also shown so as to enable find-
  ing matching dates, minus 31 December, of course. 
    
  The Equinoxes and Solstices are marked by an 
  asterisk (*) to indicate they are for the Northern 
  Hemisphere, and must be reversed in the Southern 
  one.  
   
  Lastly the seven days of a week are named, with 
  "Godsday" the Sabbath on which persons attend 
  worship services and work for the religious organi-
  zations, "Serviceday" the one in which obligatory 
  labor is done for one's overlord or community, and 
  "Freeday" the day of rest.  Thus, all personal work 
  at one's occupation is basically confined to the four 
  Celestial Days-"Earthday," "Moonday," "Sunday," 
  and "Starday".  Of course some vocations require 
  some work on a seven-day-a-week basis- dairy farm-
  ing for example.  Others will demand attention six 
  days a week. 
   
  Illustration by Martin Siesto 
  Illus.- J. Leonard 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  6 
   
   
   
  The 13 Lunar Months of the Lejendary Earth World:  
   
   
   
  NEWYEAR MONTH ("Nunth")    
  Days 1-28 (corresponds to Jan. 1-28)  
   
  WINTER SOLSTICE* day 1  
  Moon phases as noted. 
   
  SECOND MONTH ("Secunth")    
  Days 29-56 (Jan 29-31, Feb 1-25)  
  Moon phases as noted. 
   
  THIRD MONTH ("Thrunth")   
   
  Days 57-84  (Feb 26-28, Mar 1-25)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  FOURTH MONTH ("Forunth")    
  Days 85-112 (Mar 26-31, Apr 1-22)  
   
  VERNAL EQUINOX* day 92  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  FIFTH MONTH ("Finth")   
   
  Days 113-140 (Apr 23-30, May 1-20)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  SIXTH MONTH ("Sunth")   
   
  Days 141-168 (May 21-31, June 1-17)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  MIDYEAR MONTH ("Midunth")   
  Days 169-196 (June 17-31, July 1-15)  
   
  SUMMER SOLSTICE* day 183  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  EIGHTH MONTH ("Eitunth")    
  Days 197-224 (July 16-31, Aug 1-12)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  NINTH MONTH ("Ninunth")   
   
  Days 225-252 (Aug 13-31, Sept 1-9)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  TENTH MONTH ("Tunth")   
   
  Days 253-280 (Sept 9-30, Oct 1-7)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  ELEVENTH MONTH ("Levunth")    
  Days 281-308 (Oct 8-31, Nov 1-3)  
  AUTUMNAL EQUINOX* day 294  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  TWELFTH MONTH ("Twelunth")   
  Days 309-336 (Nov 4-30, Dec 1-2)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
   
  YEAREND MONTH ("Yendunth")   
  Days 337-364 (Dec 3-30)  
  Moon phases as  noted. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  7 
   
   
  THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE 
  Harvest Moon  
   
   
   
  By Spencer Wright 
   
  Harvest Moon is mildly  
  sentient, containing the spirit of an  
  ancient Orc Warrior-King. It emits a  
  pale glow of moonlight-like intensity  
  when in use. The spirit within does 
  not communicate verbally with the 
  wielder rather it conveys its mental 
  state via thought. When idle for more 
  than five days, Harvest Moon becomes sad, if idle 
  for more than two weeks it becomes despondent. 
  These feeling directly supplant those of the avatar in 
  possession of Harvest Moon. The axe is only happy 
  when it is spilling blood. If a protracted combat en-
  sues, or the wielder is particularly adept and graceful 
  in his bloodletting, Harvest Moon and therefore the 
  wielder will become elated. 
   
  To those capable of drawing upon it, Har-
  vest Moon also has a 20 point AEP reservoir that 
  will recharge at the dawn of each day. 
   
  Harvest Moon will not spill Orc blood. No 
  successful attack against an Orc is possible. 
   
  Harvest Moon is a fearsome looking two 
  handed war axe.  Its haft is carved from the femur of 
  a long extinct creature and inscribed with scores of 
  primitive runes. The axe head is a long crescent that 
  joins the haft at its points. The metal is a brilliantly 
  crafted xagium alloy of unknown type. Blood never 
  drips from the axe head; it is instead absorbed by 
  Harvest Moon like water to a sponge. 
  Harvest Moon   
   (Extreme ++) 
   
  “Axe of Ancestors” / Orc war axe of legend 
  When Harvest Moon is despondent it will confer no additional abilities. 
  When Harvest Moon is sad it will confer the following:  
  • 
  +10 to Precision/Weapons Ability 
  • 
  +8-12 additional Harm that bypasses all armor and protections 
  • 
  10% protection against two opponents, adds 3 armor protection 
  When Harvest Moon is happy (LM’s discretion) it will confer the following: 
  • 
  +20 to Precision/Weapons Ability 
  • 
  +13-16 additional Harm that bypasses all armor and protections 
  • 
  20% protection against two opponents, adds 6 armor protection 
  When Harvest Moon is elated (LM’s discretion) it will confer the following: 
  • 
  +30 to Precision/Weapons Ability 
  • 
  +17-20 additional Harm that bypasses all armor and protections 
  • 
  30% protection against two opponents, adds 9 armor protection 
   
  The Lejendary Earth is a realm of the fantastic... populated with people capable of wielding 
  energies of an extraordinary nature, and who are able to create items that harness the same.  In this 
  issue, “The Extraordinary Life” takes a brief glimpse at three items that adventurers may come 
  across in their heroic (and sometimes mundane) journeys. 
  Illustration above by Martin Siesto 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  8 
   
   
  Lord Harrington’s  
   
   
  Family Blade  
   
   
   
   
       
  by Spencer Wright 
  Two hundred years ago a Peccant, and it’s 
  minions of the most vile and diabolical type, plagued 
  Lord Hamish Harrington’s estate and the common 
  folk who peopled his extensive holdings. Lord Har-
  rington, along with his bravest and best soldiers, fell 
  upon the Peccant only to discover that it was far too 
  cunning and murderous a foe for mere steel to si-
  lence. After consultation with his most trusted advi-
  sors, it was decided that a weapon need be forged to 
  drive this evil from their lands. Thus Hamish set his 
  most gifted smith to work in concert with Uthat, the 
  Harrington’s mage, and High Abbot Maynar to con-
  fect a weapon to smite this malevolent menace.  
  And so, the Harrington Family Blade was 
  born of skill, enchantment and prayer.  
  With this exquisite creation in hand, Lord 
  Hamish Harrington smote the Peccant at the climax 
  of a dread melee that claimed many lives. It was in 
  that confrontation that the blade earned its famous 
  moniker “The Grim Thorn” for as the living dead 
  fell upon Hamish the sword blade darkened to a deep 
  jet black and small faintly luminescent runes shown 
  upon the blade. The fiends withered beneath its as-
  sault. In the eight generations hence the sword has 
  been passed from hand to hand to the IX Lord Har-
  rington, Archer. 
  Lord Archer Harrington fancied himself an 
  adventurer and man of action. Using his name, 
  wealth and the legendary power of “The Grim 
  Thorn”, he formed a company and set forth. Adven-
  ture, however, got the better of Archer Harrington. 
  He died campaigning, without heir, and the sword of 
  his fathers lost to some obscure part of the world. 
   
  The Grim Thorn is an expertly crafted long 
  sword with a full basket hilt of ornately spun silver 
  and gold; the Harrington family crest (a stag rampant 
  over a blue crown) is inlaid on the pommel. 
  “The Grim Thorn”  (Extreme +) 
   
  Long Sword: Cutting/Thrusting 4-20 Harm 
   
  Generally: 
  • 
   +25% to Precision/Weapons Ability 
  • 
  +9-12 Harm that bypasses all armor and protec-
  tions 
   
  An AEP reservoir of 12 points that can only be util-
  ized for the following activations; 
  • 
  Blue Bolts (Grade V, as per the Enchantment 
  activation) 
  • 
  Personal Armor V (Grade V, as per the En-
  chantment activation) 
  AEPs recover at the rate of 6 per 12 hours. 
   
  Within 100’of the Living Dead;  
  • 
  the blade darkens and luminescent runes appear. 
  • 
  +35% to Precision/Weapons Ability 
  • 
  +13-16 Harm that bypasses all armor and pro-
  tections 
  • 
  The blade produces and drips with consecrated 
  water that inflicts a further 3-5 permanent 
  Harm. 
   
  Night Helm 
  (Strong) 
   
  By Jerry Leonard 
   
  A plumed, supernaturally energized metal helmet that appears quite ordinary but, when the 
  proper command word is spoken by the wearer, instantly allows the wearer to see in total darkness as 
  would one from the race of Huldrafolk, thus allowing the wearer to act in darkness without penalty.  
  However, if the helm is activated by command word in full light, or is confronted with bright light 
  while active, the wearer suffers the same penalty as would one from the race of Huldrafolk who is 
  exposed to full daylight (effectively blinded).  The helmet confers a protection value of 05% (-1) 
  regardless of other armors worn.  When activated the open face of the helm darkens to an extent that 
  the face is not visible, and two glowing red pinpoints of light appear where the wearers eyes are, pro-
  viding a most fearsome visage.  Such a look will have an effect on the morale/attitude of all who are 
  not familiar with the wearer when encountered for the first time. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  9 
   
   
  Ravenous Fleshmonger  
  (Lesser, Greater)  
  Troublesome Nether Being 
  Appearing: Lesser 1-3, Greater 1 
  H: 60-90   P: 45-65   S: 12 
   
  LESSER FLESHMONGER 
  Attack:  
  • 
  4 Claws (Each causing 6-8+6-9 Harm 1/ABC) 
  • 
  Bite (13-16+8-12 VT Harm 1/ABC) A success-
  ful bite will result in the victim being rendered 
  catatonic for 3 full ABs. Whereupon the flesh-
  monger will feast on the poor soul so afflicted. 
  “Feasting”, the fleshmonger will ravenously de-
  vour enough flesh and bone each ABC to ac-
  count for 5% of the victims Health BR, such that 
  a victim will be totally consumed within 20 
  ABCs. While feasting, the fleshmonger can per-
  form no other action as it is utterly fixated on the 
  act, though if a feasting fleshmonger is attacked 
  it will defend itself. Feasting restores 10 Health 
  per ABC to the fleshmonger not to exceed its 
  starting Health BR.  
  Defense: Supernatural and malevolent energies con-
  fer 10 points of protection from all Harm, except as 
  noted below. 
   
  GREATER FLESHMONGER 
  Attack:  
  • 
  4 Claws (Each causing 8-12+6-9 Harm 1/ABC) 
  • 
  Bite: (17-20+13-16 VT Harm 1/ABC) A suc-
  cessful bite will result in the victim being ren-
  dered catatonic for 3 full ABs. Whereupon the 
  fleshmonger will feast on the poor soul so af-
  flicted. “Feasting”, the fleshmonger will raven-
  ously devour enough flesh and bone each ABC 
  to account for 5% of the victims Health BR, 
  such that a victim will be totally consumed 
  within 20 ABCs. While feasting, the fleshmon-
  ger can perform no other action as it is utterly 
  THE  MENAGERIE 
   
  The world of Lejendary Earth, as well as the countless matrices that adjoin and/or coexist side by 
  side with it, is awash with a massive variety of flora and fauna… Mundane, Extraordinary, malign or benign.  
  Set within these pages are those that are encountered and recorded by stalwart adventurers, such as yourself.   
  Take note and remember– Forewarned is Forearmed. 
  fixated on the act, though if a feasting fleshmon-
  ger is attacked it will defend itself. Feasting re-
  stores 10 Health per ABC to the fleshmonger not 
  to exceed its starting Health BR.  
  Defense: Supernatural and malevolent energies con-
  fer 15 points of protection from all Harm, except as 
  noted below.  
   
  Common Traits:  
   
  A Ravenous Fleshmonger suffers no Harm 
  from mundane or Preternatural weapons or items. 
  Activations of grade I-V have no effect while activa-
  tions of grade VI and above inflict their standard 
  level of Harm or effect.  
   
  Consecrated water in three-ounce volume, 
  consecrated oil in one-ounce volume, or contact with 
  a devotional object causes 3-5 permanent harm to a 
  Ravenous Fleshmonger, disregarding the creature’s 
  Extraordinary protection and restoration. 
   
  Ravenous Fleshmongers in General 
  The fleshmonger, an intelligent, quasi-
  humanoid creature is an unholy and foul entity of the 
  nether depths. They are seldom encountered, and 
  fortunately for that. A fleshmonger knows nothing 
  but destruction and mayhem and will unyieldingly 
  rend to shreds any living being in its path. They are 
  thought to be some bizarre cross between  an undead 
  creature and one of the “demoniacal hybrids” from 
  the Age of Adepts, but that has never been con-
  firmed. 
  A Ravenous Fleshmonger is a true abomina-
  tion to behold. Vaguely ghoul-like, the fleshmonger 
  sports four spindly arms with jagged claws and a 
  massive slavering maw lined with several rows of 
  sharp and irregular teeth. Their bulbous eyes are 
  blood red and their skin is gray-green, covered in 
  boils and carbuncles. The fleshmonger emits a foul 
  odor that can cause nausea in even the heartiest indi-
  viduals. 
  by Spencer Wright 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  10 
   
   
  Bonefiend   
  (Lesser, Greater, Extreme)  
  Troublesome Nether Being 
  Appearing: Typically 1 (More than one very rare) 
  H: 40-80    P: 40-65    S: 10 
   
  LESSER BONEFIEND 
   
  Attack:  
  • 
  2 Claws (Each striking for 8-12+4-8 Harm 1/
  ABC) 
  • 
  Bite (13-16 Harm 1/ABC) 
  Defense: Infused malevolent energies provide 6 
  points of protection from all form of Harm, except as 
  noted below. 
   
  GREATER BONEFIEND 
   
  Attack:  
  • 
  2 Claws (Each striking for 13-16+4-8 Harm 1/
  ABC) 
  • 
  Bite (17-20+6-8 VT Harm 1/ABC*) A success-
  ful bite will result in the continued loss of 6-8 
  Health per ABC for the next 5 ABCs. *The VT 
  can only be administered once per victim, re-
  peated successful bites do not inflict the VT 
  Harm. 
  Defense: Infused malevolent energies provide 9 
  points of protection from all form of Harm, except as 
  noted below. 
   
  EXTREME BONEFIEND 
   
  Attack:  
  • 
  2 Claws (Each striking for 17-20+4-8 Harm 1/
  ABC) 
  • 
  Bite (21-25+8-12 VT Harm 1/ABC*) A success-
  ful bite will result in the continued loss of 8-12 
  Health per ABC for the next 5 ABCs. *The VT 
  can only be administered once per victim, re-
  peated successful bites do not inflict the VT 
  Harm. 
  Defense: Infused malevolent energies provide 12 
  points of protection from all form of Harm, except as 
  noted below.  
   
  Common Traits:  
  Bonefiends suffer no Harm from mundane 
  weapons. Activations of grades I-IV have no effect. 
  Activations of grade V and above inflict standard 
  Harm.  
   
  Consecrated water in three-ounce volume, 
  consecrated oil in one-ounce volume, or contact with 
  a devotional object causes 3-5 permanent harm to a 
  bonefiend, disregarding the creature’s Extraordinary 
  protection and restoration. 
   
  Bonefiends in General 
   
   
  Many scholars believe that bonefiends were 
  once human, and that in many cases may have been 
  powerful Necrourges who sought to cheat death, but 
  were instead rewarded with this hellish existence in 
  un-life. Due to their ability to be summoned, others 
  hold to the belief that they are another rare form of 
  undead/demoniacal hybrid, most likely created dur-
  ing the Age of Adepts. It is left to the LM to decide 
  what works best in their game. 
   
   
  Bonefiends are intelligent, quasi-humanoid 
  creatures that appear as deformed humans whose 
  skeletal remainder is wrapped in bloody sinew and 
  exposed glistening muscle. Their fingers are elon-
  gated razor sharp claws and their engorged heads 
  feature dead black eyes and an oversized ghoulish 
  maw with powerful jaws. They emit a piercing 
  screech when attacking or to sound an alarm. 
   
  By Spencer Wright 
  Death Hound, Guardian 
  Appearing:  1 
  H: 50-70      P: 50 
  S: 13 
   
  Attack:  
  • 
  Howl - Twice per day, it may emit a deafening 
  howl that causes all within 100 feet to suffer a 
  25% reduction in their actions (including Ability 
  use) for 4 ABCs. 
  • 
  Bite for 9-20 +11-16, the latter bonus always 
  bypassing armor protection.  A successful bite 
  will cause a human-sized or smaller victim to be 
  held fast (with a 5% chance to break free for 
  every point of Physique possessed) and allowing 
  a bonus of 10 to be applied to the tail attacks. 
  The bite causes 11-16 Harm for each ABC that 
  the victim is held fast. 
  • 
  Tail Strike - When using the tail the death hound 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  11 
   
   
  initially strikes using its center tentacle, with a 
  successful strike causing a human-sized or 
  smaller victim to be held fast (with a 5% chance 
  to break free for every point of Physique pos-
  sessed) which then allows the peripheral barbed 
  tentacles to attack with a bonus of 10 
  (cumulative with the bonus for a successful 
  bite).  If held fast by the tail of the death hound, 
  the victim may also be thrown with the chance 
  for damage from such an act being normal.  A 
  successful strike from the barbs of the tentacles 
  cause 6-8 Harm plus 11-20 VT  (if armor is by-
  passed) which, after a 1 ABC delay, causes pa-
  ralysis for a like number of seconds as there was 
  points of Toxin Harm. The barbs bypass full ar-
  mor 10% of the time and will bypass half-armor 
  50% of the time. 
   
  Defense: A death hound has 14 points of protection 
  due to a malign preternatural energy and its hard 
  exoskeleton. 
   
   
  When a victim is held, and near death, the 
  death hound instinctively senses it and vomits out a 
  gout of raw negative energy that surrounds the vic-
  tim and attempts to draw out its essence, or soul.  A 
  successful check against the victims’ Speed x 2 al-
  lows the effect to be avoided.  If the check is failed, 
  the victim dies and the death hound gains 2 points 
  permanently to its Health BR. This power is only 
  employed when a victim is near death (10% or less 
  of original Health possessed). 
   
   
  The “Guardian Death Hound”, as it is gener-
  ally called, is a chimera-like creature about the size 
  of an Ogre Warhound that appears to be made  
  up from several fantastical, unknown creatures  
  not native to Learth, and hailing from  
  an other-dimensional matrix heavily  
  infused with dark/negative energy.  
   
   
  They were likely brought over to Learth ini-
  tially to serve as guardians of various sorts as this is 
  the role they are usually performing when encoun-
  tered, though they are sometimes (rarely) found 
  wandering in uninhabited wildernesses.   
   
   
  The guardian death hound possesses a long 
  prehensile tail that ends in three tentacles tipped with 
  venomous barbs, which it can use to capture prey 
  and/or strike as a scorpion. Its legs and neck are cov-
  ered with patches of coarse fur & scales and the 
  torso is surrounded by a hard exoskeleton, while the 
  head is adorned with ram-like horns and sports a 
  large mouth filled with rows of sharp jagged teeth. 
   
  by Martin Siesto and Jerry Leonard 
  Illustration by Martin Siesto 
  For All of Your LEJENDARY ADVENTURE™ Product Needs Visit: 
   
   
  Troll Lord Games at http://www.trolllord.com/newsite/ 
   
  Inner City Games Design/Hekaforge Productions at http://www.fuzzyheroes.com/ 
   
  Lejendary.com ((FREE Downloads!!)) at http://www.lejendary.com/ 
   
  Dragonsfoot.org ((FREE Downloads!!)) at http://www.dragonsfoot.org/la/index.shtml 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  12 
   
   
   
  AMONG THE POPULACE 
   
  For adventurers in search of heroic deeds, it is inevitable that they will encounter friend and 
  foe, as well as those who are indifferent to their ambitions, while traveling across the face of Lejendary 
  Earth.  In this issue, ‘Among The Populace’ introduces the Lejend Master to one group of antagonists 
  that ply the seas in search of unwary and easy prey…  
  A Scurvy Crew 
  By Jon Creffield 
       Illustrated by Jerry Leonard 
   
  Many vessels ply the seas and oceans of the 
  Lejendary Earth world: caravels, galleys, long ships, 
  great galleons, merchant cogs and more.  Traders 
  and explorers must face diverse perils when setting 
  sail; the navies of many lands contest with one an-
  other in battles that turn the seas red with blood, 
  massive monsters lurk beneath the waves, destruc-
  tive and unpredictable storms can arise.  All these 
  things are fearsome but there is something the mari-
  ners fear more – PIRATES!  
  In some parts of the world huge pirate na-
  vies assemble, their ships stuffed with bloodthirsty 
  cutthroats.  In other areas the pirates are more cir-
  cumspect in their plundering.  But of all the pirate 
  crews few have been more successful, or secretive, 
  than that of the Wake. 
  The Wake is a caravel built vessel, broad of 
  beam and 85 feet in length.  She has two masts, fore 
  and stern castles, main and gunnery decks, and a 
  compliment of gnome built pneumatic catapults.  
  More details of this vessel are given later, but for 
  now let us turn to the crew of scoundrels that man 
  her. 
  Detailed first are the principal members of 
  the crew.  Each is the equivalent of an Avatar that 
  has earned 6,000-10,000+ general merits, and gained 
  a few points from ability specific merits too.  
  Sir Artorio Xanadian  
   
  Knight Arrant (7th Rank Noble).   
   
  H: 56  P: 59 
  S: 11.5  
   
  Chivalry 
  : 73 (+14 Weapons/Harm) 
  Weapons 
  : 64 (78 due to Chivalry bonus) 
  Waterfaring 
  : 35 
  Hunt  
  : 35 
  Physique 
  : 23 (+2 Harm) 
  Pretense 
  : 20 
   
   
  Attacks: 
  Artorio wears a slender rapier (sword, thrusting) at 
  his waist [Harm base 3-20 penetration, range 4, 
  speed 3, precision bonus 20] and a dagger in his 
  right boot for throwing [Harm base 1-20 penetra-
  tion, range 40, speed 2, precision bonus 0].  In his 
  cabin he has a broad sword (sword, cutting) [Harm 
  base 6-20 penetration/shock, range 3, speed 5, pre-
  cision bonus 10] and small crossbow [Harm base 2-
  20 penetration, range 75-150-300, speed 4, preci-
  sion bonus 10/0/0].  Abilities possessed provide a 
  +16 harm bonus to attacks with his striking weapons 
  and a +14 harm bonus to hits from his crossbow. 
   
   
  Defense: 
  When at sea Artorio dons a suit of leather full armor, 
  which provides 8 points of protection, and carries a 
  targe shield for a further 6 points of protection.  In 
  his cabin is a Preternatural suit of Steel Plate Full 
  Armor (LML pg. 49).  When visibility is poor he 
  fetches his helm from his cabin, this is set with a 
  Z’Apot Visor (LML pg. 102), only rarely will this be 
  worn in combat because of the danger that Artorio 
  will attack his own men. 
   
   General Background: Born the younger 
  son of a distinguished yet land poor Barcalonian 
  family, Artorio ploughed what funds he had into pur-
  chasing and equipping the Wake.   
  Tucked away in his cabin Artorio has sev-
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  13 
   
   
  eral letters of marque; documents issued by various 
  potentates that allow him to stop and board any ves-
  sel he encounters that flies under the flag of a nation 
  deemed “hostile” by these rulers. In fact Artorio 
  goes much further than such “honest” buccaneering, 
  waylaying any and all vulnerable vessels that cross 
  his path and only answering to his “lords” when such 
  seems politic. 
  He is able to get away with such scheming 
  and treachery by making sure that no witnesses re-
  main after one of the Wake’s assaults.  All those that 
  survive the pirates’ onslaught either walk the plank 
  or are taken to distant ports and sold into slavery.    
  Artorio is lean, the hair on his head is 
  cropped close to his angular skull, and he favours 
  dark clothing and wears tall boots of black leather.      
  This fellow masks his ill intent behind a fa-
  çade of good manners and refined taste.  He is the 
  master of the ship. 
   
  Merrenius Tasoflade 
  Pilot (7th Rank Mariner)   
   
  H: 56 P: 62 
  S: 10.5  
  Waterfaring 
  : 75 
  Commerce 
  : 54 
  Weapons 
  : 49 (52 with bow type weapons due  
   
   
   
   
  to Archery bonus) 
  Archery 
  : 36 (+3 harm with bow type  
   
   
   
   
  weapons) 
  Planning 
  : 11 
  Urbane  
  : 21 
   
  Attacks: 
  Hook set on to stump of right wrist is equal to a 
  Hook, preternatural (LML pg. 96) [Harm base 1-10 
  penetration plus 1-2 points of preternatural harm 
  that ignores normal armor/protection, range 1, 
  speed 3, precision bonus 0, -10 to attack roll due to 
  extraordinary precision bonus].  If Merrenius suc-
  ceeds in immobilizing a victim with a hit from the 
  hook (see note 6 to the Striking weapons table in the 
  Lejendary Rules) he will then draw forth a long dag-
  ger from his belt and strike with it, suffering no pen-
  alty to off hand use as he is sufficiently adapted to 
  his disability [Harm base 1-20 penetration, range 1, 
  speed 3, precision bonus 10].  Merrenius keeps a 
  loaded crossbow on the deck of the stern castle, he is 
  adept at using his hook to cock this weapon and can 
  thus shoot it in the same ABC that he reloads, using 
  his hook to trigger it while holding the stock with his 
  left hand [Harm base 3-20 penetration, range 180-
  360-720, speed 4, precision bonus 15/5/0].  His arch-
  ery Ability grants him a +3 harm bonus with this 
  weapon. 
   
  Defense: 
  Merrenius wears leather full armor for 8 points of 
  protection. 
   
  General Background:  The other principle 
  crewmembers have varying degrees of skill in Wa-
  terfaring Ability but only this one is of the Mariner 
  Order as such.  While Artorio is in overall command 
  it is Merrenius that takes charge of the day to day 
  running of the ship, and he should be considered its 
  “captain”. 
  This rascal hails from a squalid port town in 
  the Kingdom of Ralles.  He made a living first as 
  honest trader and seafarer and later turned to piracy.  
  He is short and stocky, fair of hair, and would be 
  considered handsome save that the tip of his nose 
  was cut off in a tavern brawl long ago.  In addition to 
  that misfortune he lost his right hand to the bite of a 
  groswurm when he was shipwrecked in the Irojhan 
  Ocean and the stump is now set with a hook (see 
  above).     
   
  Hezgar Narraine  
  Cornet (7th Rank Soldier)   
   
  H: 63 P: 54 
  S: 11.5 
   
  Weapons 
  : 78 (80 with bow type weapons due  
   
   
   
   
  to Archery bonus) 
  Waterfaring 
  : 52 
  Planning 
  : 47 
  Ranging 
  : 34 
  Physique 
  : 20 (+2 harm) 
  Archery 
  : 21 (+2 harm with bow type  
   
   
   
   
  weapons) 
   
   
  Attacks: 
  Hezgar carries a cutlass (sword, cutting) [Harm base 
  6-20 penetration/shock, range 3, speed 5, precision 
  bonus 10] and long dagger [Harm base 1-20 pene-
  tration, range 1, speed 3, precision bonus 10], both 
  at +2 harm due to physique.  He has a strong bow to 
  hand [Harm base 3-20 penetration, range 150-300-
  900, speed 1, precision bonus 20/10/0], hits are at +4 
  harm due to Archery/Physique. 
     
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  14 
   
   
  Defense: 
  Hezgar wears steel mail half armor for 7 points of 
  protection and carries a buckler for a further 6 points 
  of protection. 
   
  General Background: Finding greater re-
  wards in plundering merchant ships and peaceful 
  coastal communities, this warrior absconded from 
  his unit and took to the sea.  For a while he sailed 
  with the corsairs of King Moharif’s piratical navy 
  but signed on with the Wake when she put in to the 
  city of Telhir for provisions.  He drills the crew in 
  defensive and offensive manoeuvres and is responsi-
  ble for planning many of their inland raids.  He is 
  also the ship’s gunnery officer and supervises the 
  discharging of the pneumatic catapults. 
  Hezgar is dark haired and sports a well 
  trimmed beard, he keeps his clothes clean and his 
  cabin orderly. 
   
  Bran McPhereson  
  Footpad (8th Rank Outlaw)   
   
  H: 48 P: 58 
  S: 11.5 
   
  Waylaying 
  : 63 
  Waterfaring 
  : 40 
  Ranging 
  : 32 
  Archery 
  : 27 (+2 to harm with bow-type  
   
   
   
   
  weapons) 
  Weapons 
  : 25 (27 with bow-type weapons) 
   
  Attacks:  
  Bran carries a cutlass (sword, cutting) [Harm base 6-
  20 penetration/shock, range 3, speed 5, precision 
  bonus 10] and heavy knife [Harm base 3-20 pene-
  tration, range 1, speed 3, precision bonus 0] but pre-
  fers to use the garrote he keeps wrapped about his 
  waist! [Harm base special, range 0, speed 3, preci-
  sion bonus 40, see note 12 to the Striking Weapons 
  Table on pg. 197 of the Lejendary Rules] In ship to 
  ship actions he shoots a medium bow [Harm base 2-
  20 penetration, range 75-225-450, speed 1, preci-
  sion bonus 10/5/0], gaining +2 to harm due to Arch-
  ery Ability.  He has a store of 9 preternatural arrows 
  in his quiver; each adds 3-5 points of extraordinary 
  harm that bypasses normal armor/protection and 
  grants –10 to the score of its attack roll (see LML 
  pg. 94). 
   
  Defenses: 
  Sturdy garments provide 6 points of protection. 
   
  General Background: This fellow has ex-
  changed rapine and robbery in the countryside for 
  equal villainy on the high seas.  He shanghais 
  “recruits” for the pirate crew and devises cunning 
  plans to lure vessels into the pirates’ grasp. 
  Bran is red-headed and hot tempered, al-
  though skinny of build he packs a punch…when 
  striking from behind! 
   
  Thunderguts 
  Unordered Dwarf warrior   
   
  H: 60 P: 56 
  S: 9.5 
   
  Weapons 
   
  : 76 (81 due to Unarmed  
   
   
   
   
  Combat Ability) 
  Unarmed Combat 
  : 50 (5 points of protection  
   
   
   
   
  when unarmored,  
   
   
   
   
  +10 harm with body  
   
   
   
   
   
  weapons) 
  Mechanics  
   
  : 31 
  Physique 
   
  : 43 (+4 harm) 
  Planning 
   
  : 38 
  Pretense 
   
  : 12 
   
  Attacks: 
  Thunderguts wields a mighty Supernatural Battle-
  Axe (LML pg. 94) he names Skull Kisser [Harm 
  base 7-20 penetration plus 9-12 points of supernatu-
  ral harm that ignores all normal and preternatural 
  protection, range 3, speed 7, precision bonus 5, -25 
  to attack roll due to extraordinary precision bonus].  
  He also carries a hand axe [Harm base 5-20 penetra-
  tion, range 2, speed 5, precision bonus 5] and heavy 
  dagger tucked in his belt [Harm base 1-20 penetra-
  tion, range 1, speed 3, precision bonus 10], all at +4 
  harm due to physique.  
   
  Defense: 
  In battle Thunderguts wears steel mail half armor for 
  8 points of protection and carries a standard shield 
  for an additional 8 points of protection.  He likes 
  nothing better after a victory at sea than to cast off 
  his armor and wrestle with any captured sailors, 
  snapping their necks for the amusement of the pirate 
  crew (+14 harm to body weapons due to Unarmed 
  Combat/Physique). 
  The dwarf has a tube of Al Forzoul’s Air Dust (LML 
  pg. 44) and he uses this potent powder to “fly” to the 
  decks of merchant ships that the pirates pursue so 
  that “Skull Kisser can be the first to shed blood!”  If 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  15 
   
   
  the opposition appears tough he might spare some of 
  the powder for Mad Jaarn and Teve Harmdon too 
  (see below.) 
   
  General Background: Bearded and belli-
  cose, this evil tempered brute is a terror in man-to-
  man combat.  He helps in the planning of inland 
  raids and leaps into battle at the earliest opportunity.  
  He is new to the sea, having fled the authorities in 
  his homeland, and is a miserable, seasick crewmem-
  ber without, as yet, any knowledge of Waterfaring 
  Ability.  His skill in mechanics comes in most useful 
  when the pirate vessel is in need of repair and he fills 
  the role of ships carpenter, albeit under the guidance 
  of those with greater experience of ships and the sea. 
  Thunderguts is covered in tattoos and, when 
  in one of his rare good moods, he will strip off to 
  show the snake on his big fat belly and the dancing 
  girls on his arms.  He has a long black beard and an 
  eye patch over his left eye (+10 to attackers ASP 
  from that flank, -20 to Thunderguts’ ASP in missile 
  combats.) 
   
  Mad Jaarn  
  Unordered Human Warrior   
   
  H: 54 P: 54 
  S: 13,  
   
  Weapons 
     : 66 (73 due to Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  and Savagery Ability) 
  Savagery 
     : 42 (+4 harm) 
  Unarmed Combat : 34 (+6 harm to body weapons,  
   
   
   
      3 points protection when  
   
   
   
   
   
  unarmored) 
  Tricks  
     : 23 (+2 harm) 
  Evaluation 
     : 12 
  Waterfaring 
     : 12 
   
  A&A:  
  Jaarn fights with a great cleaver and has a pair of 
  throwing daggers strapped to his forearms, he adds 
  +6 points to harm due to Abilities possessed, +12 
  points if he strikes with hands or feet.  He shuns the 
  wearing of armor, preferring to leap into battle clad 
  only in a pair of rough leggings. 
   
  General Background: Hailing from the 
  wilds of the Teutowald Forest Mad Jaarn is a true 
  berserker.  His head is shaved save for a single long 
  plait, worn long down the back of his neck.  He 
  decorates his body with a variety of dyes, blue and 
  green in the main, and has leaf-like tattoos upon his 
  hands and forearms. 
   
  Teve Harmdon  
  Unordered Greater Orc Thief 
     
  H: 83 P: 50 
  S: 7.5  
   
  Physique 
  : 85 (+8 harm) 
  Stealing 
  : 47 
  Weapons 
  : 51 (52 due to Savagery Ability) 
  Waylaying 
  : 43 
  Savagery 
  : 13 (+1 harm) 
  Urbane  
  : 12 
  Waterfaring 
  : 17 
   
  A&A:  
  Teve fights with a long, hooked, pole-arm with 
  which he sometimes catches the sides of enemy 
  ships during boarding actions, he also carries a sap, 
  dagger and mace.  The orc gains a +9 bonus to harm 
  due to Abilities possessed. 
   
  General Background: Teve is a scar faced 
  Greater Orc warrior.  Born in the wilds, he travelled 
  to one of mankind’s seaports.  A dockworker by day 
  and mugger by night, soon enough, the long arm of 
  the law forced him to take his criminal ways to the 
  high seas.  He assists Bran McPhereson in attempts 
  to deceive the captains of merchant ships, so that the 
  pirates might more easily ensnare their vessels.  He 
  is also a skilled thief, and exercises that art when the 
  pirate ship is in port, as well as shanghaiing 
  “recruits” for the crew.  
  Teve is about 5’10” tall, short for a Greater 
  Orc.  He has numerous scars on his arms and face, is 
  well muscled and stocky and has a “mean” look to 
  him.  Teve’s body odor is peculiarly disgusting, a 
  vile smell that permeates any room in which he 
  stands, few amongst the pirate crew care to tell him 
  though…  
   
  Benetrian Ortegon  
            Journeyman Necrourge (10th Rank Necrourge)   
   
  H: 53 P: 62 
  S: 14   
   
  Necrourgy 
  : 61 
  Arcana  
  : 45 
  Theurgy 
  : 36 
  Scrutiny 
  : 25 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  16 
   
   
  Weapons 
  : 16 
  Waterfaring 
  : 13 
  Luck  
  : 12 
   
  A&A:  
  Benetrian’s only weapon is a rusty lock knife; his 
  clothing counts as a cloth half garment, providing 
  20% (-4) armor protection.  In matters of attack and 
  defense he relies upon his extraordinary powers.  He 
  owns a Wand, preternatural, specialized, fashioned 
  from the thighbone of a wylf and attuned to the 
  power of Necrourgy; this contains 21 activations of 
  Bone Splinters.  Benetrian will activate Animated 
  Wand prior to any combat, if possible.  The Ne-
  crourge also has a stash of 5 Speedy Spark Globes; 
  he will use one of these prior to attempting any The-
  urgy activation in combat.  He has a total of 65 
  AEPs. 
   
   
  Activations: 
  Necrourgy: Ritual of the Living Death, Spell of 
  Calling the Free-willed Living Dead, Spell of Call-
  ing the Unwilled Living Dead, Spell of Commanding 
  the Free-willed Living Dead, Spell of Commanding 
  the Unwilled Living Dead, Spell of Creating the 
  Free-willed Living Dead, Spell of Creating the Un-
  willed Living Dead, Become Like a Free-willed Liv-
  ing Dead, Animate Shadow, Animated Wand, Char-
  nel Heap, Cloak in Shadows, Mirdoleb’s Shadow 
  Shield, Mirdoleb’s Shadow Wave, Shadow Bolts, 
  Shadow Bridge  
  Theurgy: Bolster, Dismiss Influence, Exterminate 
  Insect Pests, Exterminate Internal Parasites, Pul-
  sion, Return, Reverse Shape-Shifting, Sacred Pre-
  cincts, Shelter from the Elements, Undo Activation 
   
  General Background: Once this fellow was 
  an acolyte in the service of Acca Larentia until he 
  began to take an unhealthy interest in the forbidden 
  works of certain discredited scholars.  He reasoned 
  that the more he knew of evil spirits, of ghosts and 
  the living dead, the better he would be able to com-
  bat them.  In time though he came to pray secretly to 
  Pluto and, not long after this, his distraught superiors 
  discovered a hidden cache of necromantic works in 
  his cell.  Naturally he was excommunicated.  Since 
  then he has joined a depraved brotherhood of war-
  locks, the Sons of Dis.  He experiments in ways of 
  making man “immortal” (after all, that which is al-
  ready dead is safe from disease and the ravages of 
  old age…) On the high seas he finds the funds nec-
  essary to further his researches.  Even the pirate 
  crew finds this fellow distasteful, but his powers, 
  both of theurgy and necromancy, are invaluable.  He 
  desires the Ilf sorceress but she spurns his advances, 
  so he is considering her for one of his experiments in 
  “immortality” as a result… 
  Benetrian customarily dresses in ill fitting 
  gray robes, a tattered cowl drawn up over his head.  
  He is scrawny of build; his limbs painfully thin; yet 
  he has a large protruding stomach.  His face appears 
  slightly dirty no matter how much he washes it, his 
  features are gaunt, the skin sallow. 
   
  Eowin Melande  
  Summoner (10th Rank Demonurge) 
   
  H: 72 P: 46 
  S: 13.5  
   
  Sorcery 
  : 60 
  Geourgy 
  : 53 
  Hunt  
  : 28 
  Stealth  
  : 24 
  Weapons 
  : 35 
  Pretense 
  : 25 
  Tricks  
  : 12 (+1 harm) 
  Arcana  
  : 11  
   
   
  Attacks:  
  Eowin carries a Whip, supernatural [Harm base 0-2 
  special, plus 6-8 points of supernatural harm that 
  ignores normal or preternatural protection, range 5, 
  speed 5, precision bonus 5, -15 to attack roll due to 
  extraordinary precision bonus, 40% chance to en-
  tangle a man-sized target subject or the subject’s 
  weapon, see note 11 to the Striking Weapons Table 
  on pg. 197 of the Lejendary Rules.] (LML pg. 99). 
   
   
  Defense: 
   On her left hand Eowin wears a Shielding Ring, -5 
  protection/Two opponents (LML pg. 81), while her 
  clothing is the equivalent of a cloth half garment for 
  additional 4 points of protection. She also has a Geo-
  planar Ring (LML pg. 60) and this confers 8 points 
  of protection against attacks employing air, cold, 
  earth, electricity, fire, heat, ice, stone, water, wind 
  etc. 
   
  Eowin has a store of 56 AEPs and her Geoplanar 
  Ring grants 20 more.  Her true potency lies in ex-
  traordinary activations, of which she has the follow-
  ing: 
   
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  17 
   
   
   
  Activations: 
  Sorcery: Summon Devil*, Call Up Devil Imp**, 
  Bolster Devil Health, Devil Imp Form, Apathy, 
  Desecrate Consecrated, Mirdoleb’s Hellblast, Mir-
  doleb’s Hellbolt, Mirdoleb’s Infernal Entrance, Pan-
  demonium, Poison Fire, Seduce to Evil, Sending, 
  Sorcerous Circle, Stupidity, Touch the Weave. 
   
  Geourgy: Conjure Devati***, Create Windstorm, 
  Wind Whip, Conjure Maridi***, Elemental Aqua-
  naut, Elemental Water Compatibility, Krigollan’s 
  Hard Water, Atmosphere Elementary Service, Calm 
  Elementary Service, Wind Elementary Service, 
  Breaker-Wave Elementary Service, (note that the 
  following powers can only be activated if Eowin has 
  her Geoplanar Ring: Extinguish Fire, Boiling Water 
  Elementary Service, Phosphorous Elementary Ser-
  vice.)  
   
  * 
  Eowin is loathe to use this activation as she 
  greatly fears the consequences of it going awry, still 
  if circumstances should be such that the pirate vessel 
  is doomed without hellish help she will attempt it.  
  The Devil she calls is named Mephelisto.  Note that, 
  despite the foregoing, Mephelisto is bound by a pre-
  vious summoning to appear at Eowin’s side should 
  she be severely injured (Health BR beneath 15) and 
  carry her to a place of safety.  Mephelisto takes this 
  arrangement literally, should Eowin actually be slain 
  he has every intention of appearing and carrying her 
  soul directly to hell… 
  ** 
  Eowin is far more likely to call up a devil 
  imp or two should she need aid, one is bound by a 
  previous calling up to appear should Eowin be 
  physically attacked. 
  *** 
  Eowin has insufficient faith in her geourgic 
  ability to risk summoning either of these potent crea-
  tures, much preferring to deal with the weaker ele-
  mentaries instead.  If in dire peril she will turn to the 
  hells for help rather than the elemental planes.  
   
  General Background: This fair, coquettish 
  ilf maid has most men eating from the palm of her 
  hand.  She gives the appearance of helpless feminin-
  ity, but it cloaks a merciless and devious character.  
  She is both a potent sorceress and geourge.  Through 
  her mastery of the elements of air and water she 
  keeps the ship safe and speeds its passage, likewise 
  brings woe to those the pirates seek to waylay.  She 
  has no knowledge of Waterfaring Ability and refuses 
  to aid in the manning of the ship, believing such 
  things beneath her. 
  Mephelisto:  
   
  An ordinary devil, a thing some six feet tall, 
  with a human-like body covered with patches of 
  green scales, hairy and goat-like limbs, a six-foot 
  length tail with an arrowhead sting, great bat-like 
  wings protruding from the shoulder blades, and long 
  head with temple-area horns, an inverted V mouth, 
  and slanting, reptilian red eyes.  
   
  Devil (ordinary): 1 
  H/FW: 130   
  P: 72   S: 12 
  Arms: 
   A malign energy powered hoof kick delivering 5-
  20 plus 11 points of shock harm or tail inflicting 6-8 
  points of harm and a VT of 9-12 harm, disregarding 
  all but supernatural protection, that paralyzes the 
  victim permanently (Theurgy Powers or Extraordi-
  nary Items Powers possibly reversing this, of 
  course) unless a roll at a penalty +13 against two 
  times current Health Base Rating succeeds.  It can, 
  as well pick up and use any normal weapon to add a 
  second attack thereafter during later ABCs. 
  Powers: 
  • 
  Shape-shift in 1 ABC to the form of either a 
  normal-appearing human, a subterranean boa, or 
  an unnatural springbat, taking the attack capac-
  ity of the form assumed, but retaining extraordi-
  nary armor protection. 
  • 
  Fly as quickly as a bat. 
  • 
  In 1 ABC become invisible without dematerial-
  ization and not appear to normal sight again 
  until actually attacking. 
  • 
  At will dematerialize or materialize in 1 ABC. 
  • 
  In non-material form expend 19 points of 
  Health (as if taking harm) and possess the body 
  of any person then touched, succeeding on a roll 
  of 39 or under—with a penalty equal to the sub-
  ject’s Speed added to the score if the target is 
  intelligent; and if successful only a theurgist can 
  evict the possessing spirit, but when evicted it 
  returns instantly to its own realm. 
  Armor:  
  22 points of armor protection against material at-
  tacks so harm inflicted must accrue through Extraor-
  dinary attacks, including harm added by Extraordi-
  nary weapons and Powers, except that the touch of a 
  sanctified devotional object inflicts 3-5 harm despite 
  the evil force otherwise protecting the creature.  
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  18 
   
   
  She dresses in fine clothes, favoring red taf-
  feta and silk; her long blonde hair is tied back in a 
  silver net.  She is short of stature and slender, volup-
  tuous yet well proportioned, a treat to a man’s eye…
  until she uses one of her long fingernails to poke that 
  eye out!  
   
   
   
  The Rest of the Crew 
   
  In addition to the somewhat extraordinary 
  crew members just detailed there are a dozen other 
  stalwart pirates aboard the Wake: 
   
  Pirate 1 
  H: 20  P: 22  S: 11  A&A: cutlass*; 4 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 2 
  H: 28  P: 30  S: 10  A&A: club; 4 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 3 
  H: 18  P: 18  S: 9  A&A: dagger; 5 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 4 
  H: 22  P: 27  S: 9  A&A: cutlass; 6 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 5 
  H: 26  P: 18  S: 9  A&A: hook, hafted; 3 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 6 
  H: 25  P: 34  S: 10  A&A: cutlass; 6 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 7 
  H: 20  P: 20  S: 9  A&A: hand axe; 4 pts. protection 
   
  Pirate 8 
  H: 20  P: 17  S: 10  A&A: club; 5 pts. Protection 
   
  Pirate 9 
  H: 22  P: 23  S: 10  A&A: cutlass; 4 pts. Protection 
   
  Pirate 10 
  H: 22  P: 17  S: 8  A&A: dagger; 5 pts. Protection 
   
  Pirate 11 
  H: 34  P: 25  S: 8  A&A: cutlass; 4 pts. Protection 
   
  Pirate 12 
  H: 26  P: 28  S: 10  A&A: mace; 6 pts. protection 
   
  *In addition to these weapons a store of crossbows, 
  quarrels and bucklers are kept locked in area 6 to be 
  distributed at Artorio’s command. 
   
   
  These lesser pirates are a colorful bunch, 
  dressed in the cast off finery of captured nobles, 
  sporting outlandish beards and hairstyles, several 
  bearing scars or mutilations from past battles and all 
  eager to drink, wench, gamble or fight. 
   
  Devil Imp: 1 or more 
  H/FW: 13 
  P: 63 
  S: 14, including flying.   
   
  Arms: 
   Malign energy powered barbed tail sting inflicting 
  3-5 points of harm plus a VT of 9-12 harm ignoring 
  all armor protection except that against poison.  
   
  Powers: 
  • 
  Fly as quickly as a bat.   
  • 
  In 1 ABC become invisible without dematerial-
  ization and not appear to normal sight again 
  until actually attacking. 
  • 
  At will dematerialize or materialize in 2 ABCs 
  of time. 
   
  Armor: 
  20 points of protection against material attacks so 
  harm inflicted must accrue through Extraordinary 
  attacks, including harm added by Extraordinary 
  weapons and Powers. 
   
   
  A devil imp is a small and horrid creature a 
  bit more than a foot tall, with a snake-like body cov-
  ered with patches of green scales and orange wattle-
  like growths, hairy and goat-like limbs, a two-foot 
  length tail with an awl-like sting, bat-like wings pro-
  truding from the shoulder blades, and long head 
  with forehead horn nubs, an inverted V mouth, and 
  spiteful orange eyes. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  19 
   
   
  Area 1, Forecastle: The forecastle is raised 
  some 16 feet above the waterline, a single un-
  covered stairway descends to the main deck 
  some 8 feet below. Wooden battlements provide 
  40% (-8) armor protection against missiles.  
   
  Here the foremast rises through the deck 
  at a sharp forward angle.  To one side stands a 
  capstan for the raising and lowering of an an-
  chor.  A gnome-built light pneumatic catapult is 
  mounted before the prow (refer to the Gnomes 
  entry in the Beasts of Lejend book for a descrip-
  tion of these wonderful devices). 
   
   
  Siege Wpn Name:  Gnome sm. pneumatic catapult 
  Harm*:  2-20 +21-25  
  Harm Base Class:  shock 
  Range (in feet) **:  50 -100-150 
  Speed # :  5 mins 
  Precision Bonus ## :  10/5/0 
   
  * 
  Harm assumes a maximum result on any die adds 1-
  10, but only out to medium range, and thereafter this is reduced 
  to 1-5, with no addition beyond medium range. 
  ** 
  Range is multiplied by four is high-angle fire, but all 
  fire is considered as maximum range when so doing. 
  # 
  Speed is for reloading, as discharge requires only 1 
  second realtime to accomplish. 
  ##  
  Applicable only to direct fire, not arching fire. 
  THE WAKE 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  20 
   
   
  Area 2, main deck: the main deck stands some 8 
  feet above the water line.  Doorways provide entry 
  to areas 4 and 5 beneath the forecastle and areas 6 
  and 7 beneath the aftcastle, while both a cargo hatch 
  and covered stairway give access to area 10 on the 
  gunnery deck.  
  The mainmast rises from the center of this area to a 
  height of 60 feet, with a crows nest accessed by a 
  perilous ascent through the rigging some 50 feet 
  overhead. 
  Two boats, each 15 foot in length, are strapped se-
  curely to the deck either side of the mast.  These 
  may be lowered over the side by means of winch and 
  rope; each has six oars. 
   
  Area 3, Aftcastle: As with the forecastle this area is 
  some 16 feet above the waterline, 8 feet above the 
  main deck.  Wooden battlements provide 40% (-8) 
  armor protection against missile fire.   Two uncov-
  ered stairways port and starboard provide access 
  from the main deck.  Here there is a second capstan 
  to provide safe mooring in times of storm and the 
  ship’s wheel, tended at all times by a helmsman. 
   
  Area 4, Stores: The ship’s provisions are kept here.  
  Dried victuals are stacked in crates along with bar-
  rels of fresh water, wine and rum.  (Ten 5-gallon 
  barrels of common wine, each worth $200, two 10-
  gallon barrels of rum each worth $600 and one 4-
  gallon keg of fine wine worth $800.)  When possible 
  fruit, fresh vegetables and hung meat can also be 
  found here.  All cooking is done on the main deck 
  for fear of fire; a large iron brazier designed for this 
  purpose is likewise stored here.   
   
  Area 5, Eowin Melande’s Cabin: The ilf sorceress 
  has as comfortable an abode as conditions at sea will 
  allow.  It is furnished with a sturdy bed piled high 
  with blankets and cushions.  A dressing table, two 
  stools, desk, wardrobe, chest, low couch, dining ta-
  ble and two chairs complete the furnishings.  A large 
  and handsomely stitched Oriental rug covers the 
  floor; this is worth $6,000 to the right buyer 
  (Success in Commerce, Creativity or Evaluation 
  Ability reveals its worth.) 
  A locked iron coffer beneath the bed holds 
  $12,000 in mixed coinage, and a devil imp will ap-
  pear and attack should anyone other than Eowin 
  touch this.  A secret compartment in the dressing 
  table (Evaluation, Luck, Scrutiny or Psychogenic  
  Material Sensitivity power required to locate it) 
  holds a sapphire necklace and matching earrings 
  worth $20,000 as a set.  
  The desk is unlocked and holds several trea-
  tise on astrology and demonology; these are not 
  overly rare texts but they still might fetch $2,000-
  $3,000.  The materials necessary to create command 
  and protection circles for both sorcerous and geour-
  gic summoning are also kept here. 
  The chest and wardrobe contain a variety of 
  beautiful dresses and other female dainties; even at 
  second hand value the clothing might fetch $4,000.   
   
  Area 6, Sir Artorio Xanadian’s Cabin: As master 
  of the ship Artorio has reserved the grandest accom-
  modation for himself.  A black silk drapery divides 
  the room.  On one side a dining table and chairs are 
  set out so that the nobleman might entertain select 
  members of the crew, or guests when they are in 
  port.  This furniture is inlaid with mother of pearl, is 
  exquisitely carved and might bring as much as 
  $17,000 from the right buyer.  On the other side are 
  his sleeping quarters with wardrobe, bed, and a 
  manikin bolted to the floor and regaled in the preter-
  natural full plate armor of which Artorio is so 
  proud. 
  A silver service set worth $7,000 is mounted 
  on shelves in the dining area.  A secret compartment 
  in the bottom of the wardrobe  (Evaluation, Luck, 
  Scrutiny or Psychogenic  Material Sensitivity power 
  required to locate it) holds $9,900 in mixed coins 
  and a small sack containing 110 pearls, each is of 
  average size and has a base value of $100.  If the LM 
  so chooses he may adjust the value of each pearl (or 
  group of 10 pearls) as per the guidance given in Le-
  jend Master’s Lore. 
  Beneath the table is a large locked sea chest 
  holding 6 crossbows, 72 quarrels and 9 buckler 
  shields. 
  Several pictures decorate the room; oil paint-
  ings of beautiful yet regal girls, pastoral scenes etc.  
  One is of great worth but only a successful check 
  against Creativity, or a roll equal to 1/10 or less of 
  an Avatars Commerce or Evaluation Ability, reveals 
  this.  The actual value of this painting is left to the 
  LM’s whim, as is the nature of the scene depicted 
  and the name of the artist who created it.  
   
  Area 7, Merrenius Tasoflade’s Cabin: As 
  “captain” of the ship Merrenius is also entitled to 
  one of the better cabins.  His is arranged in a more 
  practical fashion however; a large desk bears charts, 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  21 
   
   
  compasses, sexton and astrolabe. His bed is small, 
  and to one side a single padded leather chair is 
  bolted to the floor beside a low table and drinks 
  cabinet.  
  A Dawn Lamp stands upon the desk next to 
  a small wooden box holding $1,000 dollars worth of 
  crystals suitable for use as its fuel.  Hidden in the 
  bed’s straw mattress is a sack holding $6,000 in 
  mixed coinage.   
   The drinks cabinet holds half drunk bottles 
  of brandy and wine; towards the back are three bot-
  tles that one with Commerce Ability might recognize 
  as being of value, they are a rare vintage and worth 
  $200-$500 each. 
  A battered sea chest beneath the desk holds 
  various garments, most dirty. 
  One searching in the desk’s drawers will 
  find several charts, the ship’s log and a hand drawn 
  map.  The latter item shows the location of an island 
  where the pirates have buried a good part of their ill-
  gotten gains.  When time permits the author of this 
  article intends to detail that isle, the savage tribes-
  men that occupy it, the diverse creatures that dwell 
  along its jungle cloaked coasts and the mysterious 
  night-black valley which gives the place its name – 
  Dark Isle 
   
  Areas 8 and 9, Common Sleeping Quarters: These 
  two large cabins are crammed with hammocks and 
  footlockers, each is home to half a dozen pirates.  In 
  total there are 12 lockers to be searched.  Each con-
  tains oddments of clothing, bottles of spirit, dice, 
  playing cards, pewter tankards, half eaten cheeses 
  etc. and $200-$500 worth of coins and crystals. 
   
  Area 10, Gunnery Deck and Cargo Storage: En-
  trance to this area is provided by a covered stairway 
  from the main deck and a cargo hatch.  Six large 
  gnome-built pneumatic catapults are mounted here, 
  three to port and three to starboard. 
   
  Siege Wpn Name: Gnome lg. pneumatic catapult 
  Harm*: 4-40 +26-35       
  Harm Base Class: shock 
  Range (in feet) **: 60 -120-180  
  Speed # :   5 mins. 
  Precision Bonus ## : 5/0/0 
  * 
  Harm assumes a maximum result on any die adds 1-
  10, but only out to medium range, and thereafter this is reduced 
  to 1-5, with no addition beyond medium range. 
  ** 
  Range is multiplied by four is high-angle fire, but all 
  fire is considered as maximum range when so doing. 
  # 
  Speed is for reloading, as discharge requires only 1 
  second realtime to accomplish. 
  ## 
  Applicable only to direct fire, not arching fire. 
   
  The catapults stand before square cut cov-
  ered portholes set well above the waterline.    
  What space remains is used for the storage 
  of ammunition and whatever cargo the pirates have 
  most recently plundered.  This may be nothing at all 
  or rare items of great worth as the individual LM 
  desires. 
   
   
  Area 11 – 15: These are small cramped cab-
  ins shared by the more prominent members of the 
  crew, as detailed hereafter.  
   
  11: This is the cabin of Hezgar Narraine.  All here is 
  neat and orderly.  $1,300 in coins and several pieces 
  of rare corral worth a total of $4,000 is stored be-
  neath the neatly folded clothes in his locker. 
   
  12: Bran McPhereson and Teve Harmdon share 
  these tiny quarters.  Bran is beginning to find Teve’s 
  unusual body odor intolerable and is seriously think-
  ing of moving in with the common sailors or quietly 
  throttling the orc one night. 
   
  Teve has a large opal worth $4,800 stuffed 
  beneath his blankets while Bran has $1,400 in coins 
  and a gold necklace set with tourmalines worth a 
  total of $5,200 hidden in a secret compartment in the 
  lid of his locker (Evaluation, Luck, Scrutiny or Psy-
  chogenic Material Sensitivity power required to lo-
  cate it). 
   
  13: This pokey den is home to Benetrian Ortegon.  
  He has decorated the walls with strange cabalistic 
  designs and has set up a small shrine to Pluto - a 
  brass stand upon which are seven black candles and 
  a blood stained goblet.  The goblet is fashioned from 
  gold, is of antique design, and worth $15,000 to a 
  wealthy collector interested in oddities (Arcana, 
  Commerce, Creativity or Evaluation Ability can re-
  veal its worth).  
   
  14: This “cabin” is securely locked and all the pi-
  rates shudder when they pass it by.  The occupants 
  are the cause of much unrest amongst the crew, par-
  ticularly those whose sleeping quarters are nearby.  
  Within are six animorts created by Benetrian’s dark 
  art.  
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  22 
   
   
  Anyone entering this chamber other than 
  Benetrian is subject to instant attack.  If fighting 
  aboard the Wake should be going badly for the pi-
  rates Benetrian might retreat here and order the Ani-
  morts to enter the gunnery area to attack Avatars as 
  they come below deck.  The items the Animorts 
  guard are stored in a black box screwed to a small 
  table; they are 8 pieces of preserved Silver energy 
  Fungi in a glass jar and 3 doses of Wound Nostrum 
  in a silvered flask itself worth $800. Benetrian brings 
  forth these items after battles to curry favour with 
  Artorio. 
  A brassbound sea chest holds the dark magi-
  cians stock of necromantic paraphernalia - all the 
  items required for the construction of command and 
  protection circles.  It also holds his “workbook”; a 
  half-indecipherable journal detailing Benetrian’s 
  thoughts on life, death and immortality, his obses-
  sion with Eowin and many of his barbaric 
  “experiments in preserving the animate state beyond 
  death.”  A reader with Necrourgy Ability who stud-
  ies this work has a chance equal to 1/10 of that Abil-
  ity of deducing the correct ceremonies, chants and 
  materials required to perform the Ritual of the Living 
  Death. Thereafter they could record that ritual on a 
  memory tablet if that the deplorable rite was previ-
  ously unknown to them. 
  A bundle of old canvas lies in one corner, 
  beneath it is a small coffer containing $5,000 in 
  mixed coins.  
   
  15: this is the cabin of Thunderguts the dwarf and 
  Mad Jaarn; they often argue and fight but have 
  grown to admire one another, even to enjoy each 
  others company a little. 
  In a sturdy padlocked chest at the foot of his 
  bed Thunderguts has $8,000 in mixed coinage and 
  $4,100 worth of fancy stones (amethysts, quartz 
  stones, zircons, green jadeite, lapis lazuli etc.) 
  Mad Jaarn has stashed his wealth in a small 
  locker beside his bed, placing it inside a covered 
  chamber pot.  It contains $1,700 in gold coins, a 
  small piece of rare corral worth $300, and a 4 carat 
  white sapphire worth $5,600. 
   
  Tactics and Dirty Tricks 
  The crew of the wake seeks easy victories 
  over protracted battles, to this end they have devel-
  oped a number of stratagems. 
  • 
  Faking distress; by burning smoke pots, 
  or redistributing cargo and gear in such a 
  way that their vessel lists heavily, the 
  pirates give the impression of having 
  suffered some accident.  They then sig-
  nal to passing merchantmen, but woe 
  betide the merciful captain that brings 
  his ship alongside to provide aid. 
   
  • 
  When in waters new to the Wake the 
  pirates will put into ports openly.  Sir 
  Artorio will tour the town with Eowin 
  on his arm, claiming to be newlyweds 
  seeking the romance of the sea and lands 
  new.  Sir Artorio’s impeccable manners 
  and Eowin’s dazzling good looks bring 
  them invitations to the finest gatherings; 
  by artful questioning these two then 
  learn of any fat prizes soon to sail from 
  the port.  When a vessel with a rich 
  cargo sets sail the Wake is not far be-
  hind… 
   Animort (animate remains): 6: 
  H: 15  P: 13  S: 7  
  H: 15  P: 27  S: 8 
  H: 26  P: 19  S: 7 
  H: 33  P: 12  S: 8 
  H: 13  P: 24  S: 8 
  H: 32  P: 13  S: 6    
   
  A&A: Bony fingers of both hands for 1-2 harm but 
  VT of 9-12 harm always bypassing armor or other 
  protection; unnatural energy provides 60% (-12) 
  armor protection against all attacks except that of 
  blessed oil or water, those with continuing harm 
  such as acid and fire, and theurgy Ability Powers 
  specifically attuned to affect the living dead.  
  Holy water in three-ounce volume, or holy 
  oil in one-ounce volume causes 3-5 permanent harm 
  to an animort, disregarding the creature’s extraor-
  dinary protection and restoration. 
  Unless the animort is so harmed as to be at 
  a negative 30 (-30) or lower Health, the unnatural 
  energy that fills it will cause the creature to regain 
  power.  After seemingly collapsing and being de-
  stroyed, having been reduced to a zero to negative 
  29 (-29) Health, the evil force begins restoring 1 
  point of Health each one second realtime thereafter, 
  until the Health Base Rating has reached its full 
  state, at which point the creature arises and func-
  tions again.  
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  23 
   
   
  Combat at Sea 
  When engaging a vessel the pirates hope to 
  plunder they are careful not to sink it.  After all what 
  use is even the richest cargo if it is at the bottom of 
  the sea?  By shooting bar and chain shot the pirates 
  bring down their victims rigging, leaving them wal-
  lowing helplessly in the water. 
   
  If engaged by a potent enemy seeking to 
  capture or sink them the pirates turn to Eowin for 
  aid, her geourgy activations can sink or damage even 
  the greatest of vessels. 
   
  The Pirates and Your Campaign 
  There are many uses for these pirates.  The 
  Avatars need not even be at sea in order to encounter 
  them; these villains sometimes execute raids far 
  inland in search of plunder. 
  Be aware that only an experienced and capa-
  ble band of Avatars could hope to best these pirates 
  in a stand up fight.  A group of newly created Ava-
  tars would have holes as large as pneumatic catapult 
  balls punched through them if they fought man to 
  man against the crew of the Wake! 
  A newly created party of Avatars might be 
  sent in pursuit of the Wake.  Through many long and 
  perilous adventures they would come ever closer to 
  their quarry but always just fail to catch them.  They 
  might meet individual members of the crew but not 
  face them en masse until they had gained sufficient 
  strength to challenge them.  In these circumstances 
  the crew of the Wake will develop into the party’s 
  long-term enemies. 
  The LM might allow the party to discover a 
  map showing the way to a distant island where bur-
  ied treasure lies.  Unfortunately for the party the 
  crew of the Wake seek the treasure too.  The pirates 
  have split into several small groups to better explore 
  the isle, so a weaker band of Avatars is in with a 
  chance (for a strong and experienced party you 
  might rule that one group of pirates has joined the 
  crew of the Avatars ship!) 
  An ambitious LM might have his party ab-
  ducted by the rascally pirates and forced to join the 
  crew “Sign on or walk the plank!”  The Avatars 
  might start a mutiny, make a daring escape, or even 
  willingly take part in the pirates looting and plunder-
  ing. 
  For the time being LMs must rely upon their 
  own judgement when determining the outcome of 
  chases at sea or ship to ship engagements.  If you 
  feel uncertain as to how to handle these matters then 
  fear not, even now Kelly D. Doherty is working on a 
  most excellent set of rules that detail everything the 
  LM could wish to know about matters nautical.  This 
  sourcebook of the seas has rules to determine the 
  speed and firepower of vessels, the quality of their 
  captains and crew, the ability of vessels to survive 
  storms and much more besides. 
  So, for the time being we leave the Wake 
  and its crew behind.  As they sail off into the sunset 
  let us remember that the Wake is not named for the 
  silvery trail it leaves behind it but rather for the sor-
  rowful gatherings of sailors wives whose husbands 
  fell victim to her crew. 
   
  Visit These Fine Forums  and Join In the Myriad Discussions Regarding the 
  LEJENDARY ADVENTURE™ RPG…  
  Or Start Your Own Topics At : 
   
  Lejendary.com   
  http://www.lejendary.com/phpBB2/index.php 
   
   
  Troll Lord Games   
   
  http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/index.php?mforum=trolllordgames 
   
   
  Dragonsfoot.org   
  http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/    
  ((Look for the “Lejendary Things” sub-forum)) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  24 
   
   
  The voice echoed from the darkness.  “You 
  should be proud Demmek.  It’s not every day that 
  smells such as this are discovered.  Maybe we 
  should name this one after you…”   
  It took all he had to resist the urge to give an 
  ill-thought and rude reply but Demmek managed.  
  Instead he forced himself to calm and, swallowing 
  the ache in his chest, said in his most optimistic 
  voice, “Very funny Hagar… If you think this is bad 
  wait till we’re under the Merchant’s Quarter.  
  There’s a stench there you’ll easily recognize.  And 
  it even has a name… corruption.” 
  “Now wait just a minute here…” As Dem-
  mek stopped and turned around, Hagar came closer 
  to the light of the lantern.  “You know as well as 
  anyone else that I’m a free-trader and charge fair and 
  competitive prices for my goods, regardless of the 
  demands of the Council of Merchants.” 
  Demmek grinned wide and gave his friend a 
  good once over.  For a man in his forties he looked 
  lean, and much younger than his years.  Normally 
  dressed in the finery of a well to do merchant, and 
  quite the ladies man to boot, the heat radiating in the 
  sewers caused his long, wavy blonde hair to become 
  soaked and it plastered itself in unflattering ways 
  across his face and tunic.  For once, Demmek 
  thought to himself, his friend looked no better than 
  he.  Short of stature, with pockmarked face and dark 
  greasy hair down to his shoulders, when coupled 
  with the normally drab clothing he always wore, he 
  was never one that the ladies would look twice at… 
  or even once if they could help it. 
  Covered in the sewage slime they’d been 
  wading through for the last two hours made Dem-
  mek give a small laugh as he pictured Hagar trying 
  to woo his Lady Vonda looking like this.  Appear-
  ances could be everything to a man, but when the 
  opportunities for free riches were around all bets 
  were off.  
  “Heh. Gods you’re a mess.  I wasn’t talking 
  about your ‘goods’ and you know it.  I was referring 
  to those dealings you would rather not have as public 
  knowledge.  When it comes to bribery and black-
  mail, corruption is corruption.” 
  Hagar gave Demmek a hard look and, after 
  carefully pulling a perfumed handkerchief from the 
  neck of his tunic and breathing deeply through it a 
  couple times, he gave a shrug and said guardedly, 
  "Careful, my friend.  You're just as guilty as I in 
  those particular endeavors. If I went down, so would 
  you." 
  “Of course I’m guilty.  But I don’t make any 
  pretenses of being anything other than I am.  That 
  sort of activity is expected of me.” 
  Hagar shrugged again and, just as carefully 
  as before, put the kerchief back in place making sure 
  it stayed clean.  “Just so.”  Looking around in dis-
  taste he mumbled quietly to his equally slime-
  covered partner, “Tell me again why we’re down 
  here?  How do you know it’s not just a wild hunt?” 
  “Bah!  The map and journal is solid, I told 
  you that.  I’ve made it all the way to the door… 
  twice.  If the rest is true you and I will never have to 
  steal or swindle again.  We’ll be rich beyond any-
  thing we can imagine.  With all of your needs taken 
  care of for the rest of your days, the Lady Vonda 
  would be foolish to turn away your attentions.” 
  “Maybe.  But I’ve always seen treasure 
  hunting as a fool’s game, and a dangerous one at 
  that.  Swindling is much safer.” 
  Demmek laughed out loud, then put a hand 
  to his chest as if to hold back a great pain.  “The 
  sword of a jealous husband or the dagger of a jilted 
  lover isn’t dangerous?” 
  Laughing back Hagar smiled and said sim-
  ply, “Just so…  But all the same, you wanted me 
  along because why?” 
  “Because we’re friends… Because you 
  know the legends better than most and, while you’ve 
  taught me much regarding protection and warding 
  glyphs, I don’t recognize these totally.  I want to get 
  this right the first time.  Remember now… an even 
  split.” 
     THE JONGLEUR’S STAGE 
  The Storyteller’s Spotlight    
  SOUL-SEARCHING 
   
  by Jerry Leonard 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  25 
   
   
  With a small sigh Hagar raised his hands in 
  mock surrender.  “Fair enough.  How much further?” 
  A relieved and satisfied look on his face, 
  Demmek said confidently, “No more than an hour 
  under the Merchants Quarter, then another half un-
  der the Den of Nobles.  We’ll be planted squarely 
  under Duke Arset’s Castle at the end.” 
  “Why didn’t we just drop down from my 
  place in the Merchant’s Quarter?  We would’ve been 
  there by now.” 
  Talking as if to a child, Demmek sighed. 
  “Tsk, tsk.  Because the map doesn’t take us by your 
  place, I’m almost sure of that, and I never poked my 
  head out to keep my bearings.  Not wanting to take 
  the chance of getting lost or being seen I just fol-
  lowed the map…  Now let’s go.”   
  With that, he turned on his heel and began 
  quickly sloshing through the sewer muck.  Hagar 
  watched him make his way for a moment and, with a 
  shake of the head to get the hair out of his eyes and a 
  quick pat down across the body to make sure he still 
  had all of his belongings, began to follow.  True to 
  Demmek’s judgment of time soon they had passed 
  under the Merchant’s Quarter and, with a demarca-
  tion line as clear as the walls that separated the city 
  districts above them, they had passed into the sewers 
  of the Den of Nobles.  Being much grander in scale 
  than the rest of the ways they had traveled through it 
  was easy to see that, even in regards to the filth and 
  waste of the nobles, no expense was spared to see it 
  off.  These sewers never backed up, of that he was 
  certain.  
  Traipsing through the muck and around the 
  precarious ledges of the giant cisterns they passed, 
  with only the rats to keep them company, the two 
  soon made it to the end of their journey.  With a 
  small laugh, a wide grin, and an exaggerated flour-
  ish, Demmek bowed and gestured to the blank wall 
  before them. 
  “Welcome to our destiny!  On the other side 
  of this, the great things await us…” 
  Hagar eyed the wall, and then looked to his 
  companion, saying sarcastically, “I knew it.  Too 
  much time breathing the sewer air has made you 
  daft.  All I see is a blank wall.” 
  Giggling, Demmek replied.  “That was what 
  I thought the first time.  Then something occurred to 
  me and I went back home to retrieve a few gim-
  cracks to make sure.  The third time is a charm.  
  Watch this…”   
  Quickly pulling what looked like a small 
  sapphire pendant from underneath his shirt, he faced 
  the wall and muttered a barely audible phrase.  A 
  small pinprick of light at first emanated from the 
  pendant, but soon its blue light filled the end of the 
  sewer.  Being underground for so long, with only the 
  light from their small lanterns to show the way, its 
  radiance was almost blinding.  Shielding his eyes 
  from the glow Hagar looked to the wall and gave a 
  small start.  Light blue tracings appeared on the wall, 
  outlining a door and prominently displaying, right in 
  the middle of it, three glyphs positioned on each 
  point of a triangle and surrounded by a circle.  
  Squinting, he quietly muttered to himself, 
  “I’ll be damned…” 
  Demmek gave another pained laugh.  “Not 
  yet you won’t, old friend.  What do you make of it?” 
  Puffing out his chest and speaking with an 
  air of superiority, much like he would when pulling 
  a swindle on some unsuspecting mark, he said 
  smugly, “This is child’s play, fool.  I’ve taught you 
  these marks.  You should’ve been able to take it 
  down without even trying.” 
  In a hurt tone Demmek said defensively, 
  “That’s not really fair Hagar.  You’ve shown me 
  these glyphs singly, and in pairs, and I tried to take 
  them down as you instructed, but nothing worked.  
  I’m missing something here...” 
  With a mocking voice of authority Hagar 
  shot back, “I’ll say you’re missing something…  
  Look and understand youngster.”  Pointing to the 
  marks before them he continued.  “The triangle in 
  the center, with each glyph to a point means that it’s 
  a tripartite ward.  Each glyph must be taken down in 
  the proper sequence.  As old as this is supposed to be 
  it was probably done counter to the sundial, and al-
  ways from the top.” 
  Demmek interrupted Hagar with a little heat 
  in his voice.  “You’ve shown me dual wards, you 
  smelly excuse for a dandy. You’ve never taught me 
  about these.  Anyway, I tried that on a hunch… in 
  both directions mind you… and nothing happened.”  
  “Well I’m teaching you now you undersized 
  ruffian, so listen and quit interrupting.  As I said it’s 
  a tri-ward.  But there is still the mark surrounding it.  
  Before you say it, yes, I know it’s a circle.  It’s not a 
  ward.  In this case I’m sure it’s just acting as a Hid-
  ing Glyph…  Before we can deactivate the tripartite, 
  this needs removed.” 
  Impatiently now, Demmek frowned and 
  looked at Hagar.  “Sure, that’s just great.  Removed 
  how?  As you can see it’s embedded into the stone as 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  26 
   
   
  surely as the rest.” 
  Laughing openly Hagar slapped Demmek on 
  the back and said gleefully, “The air down here 
  really has made you daft, hasn’t it?  No matter.”  
  Reaching into a sleeve he pulled out a small pouch 
  and, with a deft twist of the wrist, flung the contents 
  against the wall.  A great cloud of white powder 
  filled the air with much of it clinging to the damp 
  walls.  Tracing the circle into the powder stuck to the 
  wall and laughing again at Demmek’s startled and 
  questioning glance, Hagar waved a dismissive hand.  
  “With cold water it makes a decent batter, but 
  blended with hot water and the right spices it makes 
  a wonderful gravy.  It’s just flour.  Now turn your 
  pendant off… the magic won’t work while it oper-
  ates.” 
  “Why do you carry flour in your sleeve?  
  That’s kind of odd.” 
  “Thrown in the eyes of an adversary, makes 
  it kind of hard to do you harm, and allows a chance 
  for escape.  It also helps to locate thieving little ko-
  bolds if you think they’re nearby.  Now hush and let 
  me think a moment…” 
  As the blue light faded, Demmek and Hagar 
  were left in the darkness while their eyes adjusted to 
  the dim light of their lanterns.  While they waited 
  Hagar continued to speak in low tones.  “You know, 
  I was just thinking about the stories.  About how 
  when the first King of Rivas built the castle above us 
  and made Crossmere the capitol, before moving far-
  ther south that is, and he had the royal treasury 
  carved deep into the rock below the dungeons… if 
  the stories are true we’re probably right below the 
  dungeons, even as I speak.  Anyway, uhmm, how 
  did it go?  Yeah, the guards or somebody kept filch-
  ing the gold or whatever he kept there, so he had a 
  pet sorcerer summon a guardian…  Damn, I wish I 
  could remember what it was… wait, okay now… 
  it… damn…”   
  “Oh well, long story short, the guardian 
  grew strong and soon couldn’t be controlled.  The 
  magic that allowed one to pass unharmed didn’t af-
  fect it anymore, or something like that, and it killed 
  virtually everyone stupid enough to go down there.  
  Finally, King Dellicar sent his sorcerer back down to 
  remove the thing, but fearing that the sorcerer 
  wouldn’t be able to control, or even be rid of it, he 
  ordered the vaults sealed behind him.  The poor sap 
  probably never even knew it was being done.  The 
  rumors are that rather than see if the sorcerer was 
  successful or not, he took his lumps and kept it 
  sealed… leaving the sorcerer, critter, and gold in 
  there to do nothing but collect dust.” 
  Shaking his head he concluded his mono-
  logue with, “It’s an ill wind that puts a man in that 
  kind of fix, I’ll tell you that one for free…” 
  Demmek shook Hagar out of his reverie 
  when he said sarcastically, and maybe just a little too 
  loudly, “I just love bedtime stories, but can we get 
  on with it now?”  
  “What?  Oh sure, no problem.  Now that the 
  magic of your pendant isn’t clouding things… nice 
  piece by the way… you can actually disable the Hid-
  ing Glyph.”  Walking up to the wall again Hagar ran 
  his fingers back around the tracing he made in the 
  flour, quietly reciting a short mantra.  Once he fin-
  ished, the outlines seen earlier with the pendant 
  flared dimly into existence then faded, revealing 
  everything to the naked eye.  They now stood before 
  an actual door… A door with no handle.  Looking 
  back at Demmek with a curious look he asked 
  gravely, “I suppose you’ve considered the possibility 
  that there might actually be a guardian of some sort 
  on the other side… Hmmm?  If there is, I doubt it’s 
  going to just let us walk right in to take what we can 
  carry, and then leave again unmolested.” 
  Demmek replied confidently.  “No worries 
  there my friend.  We jam the door open behind us, 
  and if there is a bogey of some sort, we’re out of 
  here quicker than you can say ‘The Lady Vonda is 
  built like a Royal Harlot’… When we’re out we 
  close the door and reactivate the wards, then come 
  up with another plan of attack.”   
  Slapping himself in the forehead, Hagar 
  laughed.  “A simple thought, that.  Leave it to you to 
  come up with a terrible escape plan.  Nice.” 
  “Don’t worry, it won’t be needed.  I’ll bet 
  you 100 gold orbs all we’ll find in there, besides a 
  lot of gold, is one dried up sorcerer’s corpse.” 
  With a snort Hagar said, “Here’s hoping you 
  win,” then turned back to work on the ward.  Each 
  time a glyph was deactivated it would flare up dimly 
  and then fade, looking just like it did before he 
  touched it.  Once all three magical locks were dealt 
  with, the door slowly opened towards them of its 
  own accord.  Silently they just stood there and stared 
  into the narrow passageway before them.  At the 
  edge of the light cast from their lanterns they could 
  just make out a set of stairs leading up.  After a cou-
  ple moments of each mentally daring the other to go 
  forward, Demmek broke the silence. 
  “The gold’s not going to come to us, you 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  27 
   
   
  know.  According to the journal it’s supposed to be 
  just a short walk up these stairs to the vault.” 
  Quietly, and with a tremor in his voice, Ha-
  gar whispered, “After you then, oh courageous 
  one…” 
  Heaving a sigh Demmek took the lead, cau-
  tiously entering and going up the steps even as Ha-
  gar jammed the portal open behind them.  Peering 
  intently into the darkness beyond the light it wasn’t 
  long before they reached the top.  The air inside was 
  stale with the slight odor of ancient rot.  Hagar took 
  a deep whiff of the air and said with a nervous gig-
  gle, “Somethin’ died in here, that’s for sure…” Ig-
  noring the joke, Demmek pressed forward with his 
  companion trailing behind.  Continuing down the 
  hall soon revealed that it turned to the side and, 
  rounding the corner, led them straight to a large iron 
  bound door that lay ajar.  Again they stopped and 
  stared, each screwing up the courage to go on.  
  Hagar slowly pulled forth his short sword 
  and, a moment later, Demmek followed suit produc-
  ing a long dagger from the folds of his clothes.  
  Looking over at Hagar with a grin, Demmek nudged 
  him and said with a hiss, “Okay… It’s your turn.”  
  Reluctantly, Hagar practically tiptoed over to the 
  door. Setting his lantern down he steeled himself, 
  threw the door open, and jumped back with his 
  sword at the ready.  After taking a couple of deep 
  breaths, he slowly relaxed his tensed muscles and 
  crept back to the door.  Picking up the lantern he 
  took one step into the doorway and froze in place, 
  staring rigidly into the room. 
  “Hagar?”  Given nothing but silence in reply 
  Demmek called out again in a hoarse whisper, 
  “Hagar, talk to me damn it!” 
  Feeling the edge of panic in his gut, 
  Demmek nearly fainted when the figure stepped 
  before Hagar and placed a hand on his shoulder, 
  causing Hagar to stiffen as if in pain.  The figure that 
  was revealed in the light of the lantern was gaunt 
  and pale, but not entirely homely to look at, his bald 
  scalp fairly gleamed in the light and his deep maroon 
  robes were covered with dust.  After staring steadily 
  at Hagar, the man soon turned his attention to 
  Demmek's trembling form and smiled. "I've been 
  waiting for you." With a faint devilish glint flashing 
  in his eyes he let Hagar go, turned, and began 
  walking back into the chamber, his voice sounding 
  hollow as he said, "Come." 
  Hagar woodenly continued into the room 
  and, much to Demmek's horror, his own body 
  responded to the order.  Try as he might his body 
  wouldn't obey his own commands.  So, with a 
  whimper, he walked into the room as well.  As the 
  two entered the room the light of the lanterns was 
  magnified and the room became much brighter.  
  Gold, silver, and precious stones lay neatly stacked 
  in the many shelves arrayed along the walls.  Even 
  more was scattered all over the floor and the huge 
  oak table that occupied the center of the room. 
  The being before them walked to the far end 
  of the room and turned around, waiting for his 
  unwilling guests to join him.  Once they had come 
  within arms distance he ordered them to stop.  Their 
  bodies froze in place at the command.  Slowly the 
  being walked up to Hagar and placed a pale hand to 
  his shoulder again.  Seeing the other bodies that lay 
  desiccated and crumpled to the floor lying in the 
  corner, Demmek mentally screamed, dreading what 
  was to come next.  Hagar was led to the table and, 
  with a command, made to lie down on it facing 
  towards the ceiling.  When this was done the man 
  casually tied his limbs to each one of tables legs.  
  Afterwards, with but a wave of his hand, Hagar 
  shuddered and came out of his trance. 
  In a panic Hagar looked quickly about the 
  room and, seeing the bodies lying in the corner of 
  the room, started yanking at his bonds with all the 
  strength he had.  Looking at the pale man beside him 
  all he could manage was a hoarse whisper.  "You... 
  You... You're the sorcerer, aren't you?"  A laugh 
  without humor was the only reply.  Rather than 
  answer, the man glanced over at Demmek and said 
  calmly, "Free," which caused Demmek to nearly fall 
  to the floor when he was released from the strange 
  compulsion they had been under.  Demmek looked 
  at the man before them and said with a shaky tremor 
  in his voice, "That's five. I kept my end of the 
  bargain.  Now you keep yours... please." 
  With a look of shock on his face Hagar 
  sputtered in confusion, "What are you talking about?  
  Five?  Five what?  What bargain!?  Dem, you told 
  me you hadn't gotten in before."  The light of 
  understanding finally came to life in his eyes and, 
  groaning, he let his head drop back to the table.  
  With a tone of condemnation and fear he continued, 
  "You bastard.  You did get in, and you were caught.  
  Weren't you?  If he let you live, bargain or no, why 
  didn't you just stay away?" 
  Almost as if in apology Demmek gripped his 
  chest with one hand and replied, "Because he took 
  something from me. Something I need back." 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  28 
   
   
  Angry now, Hagar interrupted him and spat 
  out, "What could he possibly have taken that would 
  lead you to this, you miserable piece... of... meat!" 
  When Demmek remained silent, the pale 
  man replied with a hint of amusement instead. "I 
  took a piece of his soul.  A man can't live without his 
  soul, as your fellows in the corner can attest, but if 
  you take just a little piece of it they are left with a 
  pain inside that can't be quenched.. by anything.  Not 
  even the ministrations of a priest could possibly end 
  the tortured anguish of his soul as it follows him 
  around endlessly, demanding to be made whole 
  again.  Your friend here just wants to end the pain 
  that possesses him and, with an incentive such as 
  that, can't help but be a slave to the one who can end 
  it." 
  With another dry, humorless laugh he 
  continued. "I'm sure the reward for each person he's 
  brought to me has played a large part in his 
  willingness to aid me as well." 
  Hagar hesitated before asking. "Reward?" 
  "Indeed.  For each soul he's brought to me 
  he has left with as much gold as he can carry."  The 
  look on Hagar's face caused the man to laugh again. 
  Finally breaking his silence, Demmek nearly 
  pleaded to his friend, "I'm sorry Hagar!  He's right 
  about the pain. It doesn't get better, it just gets worse 
  with each day.  I had to do it, don't you see?" 
  Face turning red with unsuppressed anger, 
  Hagar jerked a couple more times on the ropes 
  holding him and hissed back, "You pick me for 
  sacrifice and expect sympathy?  Just shut up. He's 
  been dead for almost a hundred years.  Do you really 
  think he's going to keep his end of the deal?" 
  Shoulders slumping in defeat, Demmek tried 
  to ignore his friend and walked around the table until 
  he faced the gaunt man.  Unable to remove the 
  tremor from his voice he nearly begged of him, 
  “You said you’d set things right with five souls.  
  Please, end this.” 
  With a wicked smile in Hagar’s direction, 
  the man turned and looked down upon Demmek’s 
  guilt ravaged face. “Of course.  A deal… is a deal 
  after all.  Now hold still.”  Reaching into his robes 
  he pulled out a scarab the size of his palm made of 
  white gold and adorned with several jewels.  Placing 
  it against Demmek’s chest he began to quietly 
  chant…  “Antou atem hota antou… Antou atem hi-
  taney antou…”  After reciting the litany twice more 
  the scarab flashed as bright as the sun, then lay dor-
  mant in the sorcerer’s hand.  Demmek stiffened in 
  surprise and fell back a step with a hand flying up to 
  his chest.  The look of relief on his face said it all. 
  Finished, the man said, “It is done.”  Reach-
  ing over and quickly snatching the pendant from 
  around Demmek’s neck he added, “You left the seal 
  open, yes?  Then you won’t need this anymore. Go 
  then… take your reward.” 
  Like a street urchin released unguarded in a 
  bakeshop, Demmek pulled out a sack from his 
  clothes and rushed over to the shelves lining the 
  wall.  Sweeping coins and gems into the sack until it 
  was so full he could barely carry it, he gave Hagar’s 
  bound form a quick glance, shrugged and muttered 
  another apology, then bolted for the exit.  Hagar took 
  a deep breath and regarded his captor for a moment 
  before speaking. 
  “You let him live.  How do you know he 
  won’t return with others powerful enough to destroy 
  you next time?  A greedy fool like him won’t be able 
  to resist the riches that remain here.” 
  Staring down at his captive, the man actually 
  laughed, with what appeared to be true amusement 
  and humor.  “You stand on the edge of death and 
  that is all you can think to say?  He should be the 
  least of your worries, but no matter.  I promised him 
  his soul back, not his life…” 
  Resigned to his fate Hagar simply asked, 
  “Then what’s next?”   
  The look of amusement faded from the be-
  ings eyes and, with a look that bordered bitter hatred 
  and madness, the reply was quick in coming.  “What 
  you said earlier was correct.  I have been here a long 
  time.  Betrayed by the very King I swore to serve, I 
  have had an age to think things out.  I told the fools I 
  could control the guardian, and imprison or destroy 
  it if need be.  And what did they do?  They sealed 
  me in with it.  Of course I didn’t know this until I 
  tried to get back out again.  For too many days I was 
  left to feel the pangs of hunger as I starved to death, 
  but in the end I did not die… not really.”   
  He paused and Hagar watched in horror as 
  the pale, cadaverous being before him transformed 
  into a withered and rotting caricature of a man.  The 
  flesh was dried and crumbling, with his arms and 
  hands squirming about as if they were boneless… 
  like rotten worms.  It was all Hagar could do to keep 
  from screaming when he looked at the face.  The 
  skin of his face had the appearance of mummified 
  rot, with dried lips peeled back revealing rows of 
  sharp teeth like a wolf.  The worst was the eyes.  
  Where there should have been eyes there was noth-
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  29 
   
   
  ing but a purplish fire that threatened to sweep Hagar 
  into the abyss of madness. 
  “What’s next you ask?  Now I claim your 
  soul and use all collected to free the very thing I im-
  prisoned.  Pity you won’t survive it.  It then becomes 
  be the instrument of my revenge as it plies the streets 
  devouring the souls of all it encounters…” 
  Hagar turned his face away from the thing 
  before him and spoke aloud the memory that evaded 
  him earlier. “A Soul-Eater...” 
  “Indeed.  Every soul it claims will only 
  serve to make it stronger, and soon the city I used to 
  cherish will fall in a storm of dismay and death.  It is 
  fit punishment.”  Standing straighter at the procla-
  mation, the sorcerous corpse-weird approached Ha-
  gar and laid the scarab on his chest, holding it tight 
  against his thrashing form.  “Antou atem hitaney an-
  tou… Antou atem hota antou…”  Again the scarab 
  flashed in a brilliant display.  Only this time it was 
  accompanied by the pained and terror-stricken cries 
  of Hagar as his soul was wrenched violently from his 
  being.  When it was over, all that remained was the 
  dried out husk of a man who was once full of life 
  and energy. 
  The creature picked the scarab up off his 
  chest and looked down at the still form for a mo-
  ment, then lifted the edge of the table and effort-
  lessly threw it against the wall.  The wealth of a 
  kingdom scattered at the impact.  Where the table 
  once stood was revealed a sorcerers circle, of the 
  type used to conjure things not of the natural world.  
  Placing the scarab in the middle of it, the undead 
  monstrosity stepped back out and began slowly pac-
  ing around the circle.  
  Reciting another chant… one that spoke of 
  summoning, control, and release… it watched as the 
  scarab began trembling and shaking on the floor.  
  Soon a dim glow of scarlet emanated from the 
  scarab, the energy building in intensity until it was 
  hidden from view.  Tendrils of blackness emerged 
  from the ball of light and began thrashing about, al-
  most as if searching for something.  In mere seconds, 
  the energy that flared began to coalesce and take 
  form, the scarlet dimming to blackness.  As the light 
  faded, voices began to fill the vault, echoing off the 
  walls.  The voices conveyed no words… no mean-
  ing… a cacophony of gibbering madness.   
  The corpse-weird stopped chanting and 
  stared at the object of his summoning.  Looking like 
  a balloon of dark and greasy flesh that stood the 
  height of a man’s waist, the Soul-Eater was covered 
  with a writhing mass of black, squid-like tentacles.  
  Many eyes of various shapes and hues were placed 
  about the body, as well as scores of small fang-filled 
  mouths that gnashed and uttered a bewildering array 
  of howls, growls, shrieks, squeals, and hisses.  All of 
  its eyes were trained on the summoner standing be-
  fore it. 
  “Gold has been taken from the treasury.  
  Destroy the one responsible and, when it is done, I 
  release you upon the realm of man to feed and do as 
  you will.”  Picking up a discarded body from the 
  corner, the thing that was once a man threw it across 
  the circle breaking the containment spell.  The soul-
  eater prodded at the body with its tentacles and, find-
  ing no life in it, used it as a bridge to cross the circle.  
  Crossing unharmed, it celebrated its freedom with a 
  mass of shrieks from its innumerable mouths and 
  rushed the sorcerer, grabbing at him in the hopes of 
  stealing his soul and rending flesh. 
  “Stupid beast!  I have no soul.  Now release 
  me and do as you’re told.  Destroy the thief, and af-
  ter that you are free to feed… Go.” 
  With apparent reluctance the soul-eater re-
  leased it useless prey and began crawling around the 
  room, rolling its tentacles over the gold strewn about 
  the vault.  After pausing a moment, it began trem-
  bling and the mouths rang out with a chorus of 
  howls.  Like a hound following a scent the soul-eater 
  used its tentacles, latching onto the floor & walls and 
  pulling itself forward, to move quickly out of the 
  vault towards the sewers in search of Demmek and 
  freedom.  The sorcerer followed behind and caught 
  up to it as it bashed itself repeatedly against the 
  closed and resealed portal.  Lifting the pendant taken 
  from Demmek just a short time earlier, he muttered 
  the old incantation that caused the wards to drop and 
  the door to open. 
  Noisily, the soul-eater rushed out into the 
  sewers, diving into the watered filth and quickly 
  swimming away.  For several moments the corpse-
  weird stood at the door listening, until the light echo 
  of screams bouncing down the tunnels as the crea-
  ture caught up to Demmek rewarded him. 
  “And it begins…” 
  Turning around, the long-dead sorcerer 
  headed back into the vault, his soulless laughter left 
  trailing behind him. 
   
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  30 
   
   
  Encounter Synopsis: 
   
  The group of Avatars chance meet Master 
  Sibfur, a gnome merchant and his small company in 
  a small town, hamlet or other likely spot that would 
  delay the Avatars for a bit of time.  The Merchant 
  leaves the area heading down the road in the direc-
  tion the Avatars are going to be traveling.  After dis-
  covering some likely reason for the Merchant to 
  have been delayed (allowing the timing of the main 
  encounter to appear correct) the Avatars come across 
  a deadly ambush site.  Through deduction or good 
  skill use the Avatars will realize that Sibfur and his 
  merry merchant company have been waylaid by ne-
  farious persons of ill intent.  They then have the 
  choice as to whether to go to the aid of the good 
  merchant or to ignore his plight.  The Merchant and 
  company were indeed ambushed by a raiding party 
  of Goblins set to carve a living out of the settled folk 
  of the area.  The trail will lead the avatars to the gob-
  lin camp.  After defeating the goblin raiders and res-
  cuing the surviving members of the merchant com-
  pany (hopefully) the avatars will likely have gained 
  the good will of said company and the rewards of 
  derring-do.  The LM may then decide the scope of 
  the potential for more adventure.  Was the raiding 
  party just a chance encounter or the beginning of 
  larger group of goblins intending to relocate into the 
  area to harass and pillage the surrounding civilized 
  folk.  
   
  Conventions:   
   
  All Creature Statistics are provided in each 
  encounter to save the LM time.  Weapons used by 
  some opponents are well kept or at least sharpened 
  regularly. 
   
  As such I will add in a bonus to Harm called 
  a Sharp Bonus.  This is abbreviated as ‘Shp’. I also 
  abbreviate Physique Bonus to ‘Phys’. A weapon 
  wielded by a critter with a Physique of 86 that has 
  been sharpened will look like this;  
    
  Critter Sword, Heavy, Cleaving: 11-20 +14 
  (+6 Shp/+8Phys).   
   
  If it had say Chivalry ability, it would read;   
   
  Sword, Heavy, Cleaving 11-20 +24 (+6 Shp/
  +8 Phys/+10Chiv)  
  ‘Chiv’ being the Abbreviation for Chivalry.   
   
  If this same weapon wielded by the same Critter 
  were to be enchanted it would read;   
   
  Sword, Heavy Cleaving 11-20 +32 (+6 Shp/
  +8Pre/+8 Phys/+10Chiv)  
  The abbreviation ‘Pre’ standing for Preternatural, 
  ‘Sup’ for Supernatural and so on. 
   
  Apology:   
   
  This is the writer’s apology for the state of 
  the maps as presented herein.  This adventure was 
  only play tested less than a week before publication.  
  I promise future endeavors to be a bit more pleasing 
  to the eye. 
   
  LM Notes: 
   
  This encounter is best run if, at some point 
  prior to the actual encounter, that the Avatars come 
  into contact with the Gnome Merchant Sibfur and 
  his company.  There are several ways to handle this, 
  depending on when you as LM wish to use “Dancin 
  in the Moonlight”.  Sibfur (or Master Sib) is detailed 
  at the end of this adventure scenario in the section 
  entitled NAC Descriptions. 
   
  The important thing is that Sibfur must leave 
   RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 
   
  A Lejendary Adventure Scenario    
   
  Dancin’  
   
  in the  
   
   Moonlight 
  A Roadside Encounter 
  Written and Illustrated by Martin Siesto 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  31 
   
   
  the village or area where the Avatars meet several 
  hours, or as much as a day, before the Avatars so as 
  to be further down the road.  If the time span be-
  tween the departure of the Avatars and the Gnome 
  merchant is greater than say, six hours be sure to 
  place some obstacle or business opportunity that 
  would logically have delayed the merchant but 
  would not give much pause to the Avatars. Any of 
  the following would be make excellent choices:   
   
  1)  The Avatars come upon a huge tree that 
  had been cleared off the road, and now lies in pieces 
  off to one side.  It should be obvious that the tree fell 
  of natural causes and was cleared off the road using 
  axes and muscle power. 
   
  2)  A small village of some twenty or thirty 
  souls where the Merchant could have stopped to 
  peddle his wares. The village being so small should 
  have little interest for the Avatars – Make sure that 
  the village is come across just after or before noon 
  so as not to seem a likely place to bed down for the 
  night. 
   
  3)  A large farm where the merchant would 
  have again stopped to peddle his wares.   
   
  4)  A deep creek and a broken wagon wheel 
  cast aside on the far side of the creek. Hence the 
  Merchant wagon must have broken a wheel or even 
  an axel and had to be repaired before continuing on. 
   
   PART ONE- 
   
  Encounter with Master Sib: 
   
   
  Encounter set up:  This encounter should take place 
  early in the day outside a Tavern, Inn or Caravanse-
  rai.   
   
   
  Despite the darkening sky, or perhaps be-
  cause of it, the area around the Creek Thorn Inn and 
  Stables is crowded with people, wagons carts and 
  animals. The folk are busily loading supplies and 
  hitching animals. Above, the sky continues to darken 
  and threaten rain.  The lead wagon, more like a 
  house on wheels than a true wagon, is stopped in 
  front of the Inn, and a pair of sturdy gnomes clamber 
  up the side of the wagon, fussing about with an odd 
  mechanical.  The mechanical, called a Gnomish 
  Pneumatic Catapult is death to nearly anything it 
  hits.  This one has 4 smooth barrels that launch 
  deadly missiles with spot on accuracy.  The only 
  drawback is the reloading time.  A group of kids 
  have gathered around the wagon, jumping and wav-
  ing their hands. Your eye follows the side of the 
  wagon toward the front and all the children. In 
  bright garish colors the wagon reads “Master Sib’s 
  Traveling Warehouse”. Stepping back, you take in 
  the whole of the wagon in your amused glance.  The 
  sides of the wagon are decorated with purple tassels 
  that dangle from the edge of the roof.  Over the back 
  door is a bright green and white stripped awning. 
   
  Though it reads Traveling Warehouse, it 
  could just as easily read Master Sibs Traveling 
  Freak show.  Seated in the front of the wagon, on  
  purple pillows, and tossing some brightly colored 
  hard candies to the children surrounding him is a 
  gnome dressed in outlandish clothing. There is a 
  bright jolliness in his eyes that is either infectious or 
  terribly irritating, all depending on what side of the 
  bedroll you’d come out of that morning.  His garish 
  clothing does nothing to disguise the hard life the 
  gnome must have lived. The lines and wrinkles in his 
  weather worn face are severe for even one of his 
  diminutive race.  Despite his hard living he is still 
  animated and full of laughter.  He notices you notic-
  ing him and, with broadening smile, he beckons to 
  you.  
   
   “Right then kidduns’, off ye go.  Master 
  Sib’s got business, he does. Go on ‘an see Tarker fer 
  yer coppers.”  The village children scatter and Mas-
  ter Sib says a few quick words to his driver, then 
  turns his full attention back to you.  
   
   
  “Hello there Longshanks,” says the gnome. 
  “I am Master Sib and I’ve just the thing for a trav-
  eler such as yerself.”  He reaches down and slides a 
  six foot staff out from under the bench. He hops 
  down landing lightly, extending the beautifully 
  carved cherry wood staff so you can better appreci-
  ate it.  “I have only a few mind you, and those are 
  all fer us wee folk, Save this un that is” He directs 
  your eye along its haft showing off its fine crafts-
  manship.  There are beautiful knot-work carvings on 
  each of its six faces, as the staff is hexagonal.  About 
  four inches from the top along each of the six sides is 
  inlaid a strip of metal some five inches long and half 
  an inch wide tapering to a point.  “This here, good 
  person, is what we call a Gnomish Walking Flail.” 
  He wrinkles his bushy eye brows “err, well that is to 
  say a Longshanks sized Gnomish Walking Flail.” 
  His smile beams up at you.  “Oh now I know what 
  yer thinking, yer thinking to yerself that ol’ Master 
  Sib’s done lost all ‘is marbles to the local kidduns.  
  Not true, not true a’tall.  A simple carved staff you 
  say.... nice an’ pretty but surely not worth the ten 
  gold coins Master Sib is askin fer.” The gnome 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  32 
   
   
  winks theatrically. “With a simple twist we go from 
  staff to Battle-ready, bladed flail!” Following his 
  own advice the merchant twists the haft and releases 
  a secret catch  and the upper portion of the staff 
  falls, trailing a length of chain behind it, but still 
  attached to the larger portion of the “Walking 
  Flail”.  As the chain pulls taught there is an audible 
  click as six very sharp steel points snap out from 
  each of the six faces of the staff.  The gnome now 
  holds a very deadly looking flail in his hands.  He 
  hands the weapon to one of you saying, “Feel the 
  weight.” 
   
   
   
  He will continue his sales pitch only so long 
  as his crowd shows interest.  A good bargainer, i.e. 
  an Avatar that can make a Commerce check better 
  than Master Sib, may be able to win the item for 8 
  gold or $4000.  
   
  OPTIONAL RULE:   
   
  One way to do an opposed Ability check is 
  to have each participant make a roll as normal and 
  keep track of the difference between a successful roll 
  and the Ability in question:  (Example:  Doug has 
  Commerce of 62 and Job of 55.  For the sake of sim-
  plicity we will say that there are no other mitigating 
  factors that would modify the rolls. So Doug rolls a 
  32 and the difference between it and his actual skill 
  is 30 points.  Job rolls a 17 and the difference there 
  is 38. Comparing the two rolls we see that Job has 
  gotten the better of Doug even though Doug is the 
  more skilled of the two.  
   
   
   
   
   
  Master Sib will attempt to strike up a con-
  versation with the Avatars trying to find out all he 
  can without arousing suspicion.  As stated else-
  where, he is always on the lookout for new talent.  
  He will happily buy a few ales and is overall an ex-
  cellent conversationalist.  He will excuse himself 
  after an hour or so having to head on to the next 
  town.  It is imperative that the Avatars do not travel 
  with him.  If anyone in town is asked about Master 
  Sib they will respond favorably about him.  
   
   
  Before leaving the village Master Sib will 
  set a few feelers out searching for information on the 
  Avatars.  As is mentioned in the NAC descriptions, 
  most of his more able retainers are leaving the cara-
  van to run a little “errand”... 
   
   
  PART TWO - 
   
   
   
  The Avatars, having left the town/village 
  where they met Master Sib, shall soon come upon 
  the devastated caravan and have to make a choice to 
  either take up arms or to ignore the plight of the cap-
  tured caravan.  Avatars not willing to aid the caravan 
  should receive 50 demerits.   
   
  The Goblins were able to pull off the am-
  bush during the daylight hours due to the heavy 
  cloud cover, allowing them nearly unhindered vi-
  sion.  The attack was swift and brutal.  Having let 
  most of his more martially able folk head inland, to 
  dispense justice, Master Sib had left himself very 
  vulnerable.   
  The canny gnome is not daft. Perhaps a bit 
  overconfident, but not foolish.  His route is one he 
  knows well and there had been no bandit attacks for 
  quite sometime.  He had no way of expecting an at-
  tack of this size or viciousness. Those not slain in the 
  first few seconds of the engagement were quickly 
  overcome.  Master Sib managed to kill one goblin 
  and seriously wound another (that would later die of 
  a punctured lung), but a Harasser caught him in a 
  lasso and that was the end of Master Sib’s resistance.  
   
   
  Ambush site:  
   
  Have the Avatars with appropriate abilities 
  make checks to notice smoke in the air in the dis-
  tance.  Master Sib’s caravan was attacked and sev-
  eral of the carts were burned. 
   
   
  Finally, the rain has let up after alternating 
  buckets and sprinkles all afternoon.  Other than be-
  ing soaked to the bone your ride has been unevent-
  ful.  The road has been winding thru a lightly for-
  ested area for the past several miles.  If you want to 
  make the next village before night fall you need to 
  make up some time.   
   
  Kicking your mount to a fast trot your senses 
  assail you as you pull up short on your mounts 
  reigns.  The scene that greets you is one of horror.  
  Two carts have been set alight, smoking steadily 
  thanks to the rain, as well as an overturned wagon.  
  Scattered about the road are bodies and none of 
  them are moving. Off to the side of the road a basset 
  hound whimpers, nudging what must be the lifeless 
  hand of its owner.  
   
   
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  33 
   
   
  Basset Hound “Saggi”    
  H: 10   P: 20   S: 10   
  Def: 2 
  Bite: 1-4 Harm    
  Special:  Danger Sense:  Saggi can sense 
  danger and ill intent from individuals it 
  comes within 15 feet of.  He shows his dis-
  like by either Barking or piddling upon the 
  individuals boots/feet. 
  (Optional) Blessing:  One of the Gods 
  (Amadan Mors perhaps?) having seen 
  Saggi’s plight enchanted the small animal 
  with the ability to change form into that of a 
  giant more feral Basset Hound (Statistics 
  equivalent to a Ogre War hound) whenever 
  wounded or seeing a goblin or other of the 
  Unseelie Court.       
  The Hound, belonging to one of the Gnome 
  children, will follow the first individual to 
  pay it any mind.  He has an excellent sense 
  of smell and tracks as if he had Ranging 90. 
   
  Closer inspection of the area will reveal: 
  There are 11 bodies in all, including 3 horses 
  and a pair of ox (or cattle at your option).  A suc-
  cessful Intellect check will allow an Avatar to recog-
  nize some of the dead as being a part of the caravan.  
  The bodies have been savaged with repeated weapon 
  strikes, many of which occurred after death.  None 
  of the corpses have any valuables. 
   
  Scattered about the road are some few useful 
  items including:  A cleaver, 2 clubs, a Strong bow, a 
  case of 20 Hand catapult darts, long dagger, 2 wood 
  axes, and some foodstuffs, clothing and whatever 
  other goods you see fit to add. Goblins are very ava-
  ricious and would not leave much behind.  
       
  There is an obvious trail where at least 1 
  wagon was led away into the woods. 
       
  The identity of the attackers is not easily 
  discovered at the scene, if at all. 
   
        
  Wagon Trail: 
       
  This trail is little more than a game trail that 
  has seen some recent wagon traffic.  It wends its way 
  from the road near the ambush site and meanders 
  thru a mile, mile and a half of brush, light forest and 
  meadows.  The trail continues on the track becoming 
  rockier, and more meandering still, as the hills be-
  come more pronounced and frequent.        
        
  Following the wagon’s trail has been easy… 
  a blind man could have done it.  
       
  Have any Avatar with an appropriate skill 
  make a sensory check—Up ahead is a small group of 
  Goblins – kicking a dead horse and cursing. Allow a 
  bonus -10 to the roll for each ability beyond 1 of the 
  following Abilities: Hunt, Luck, Nomadic, Ranging, 
  Savagery, Scrutiny, Stealthy, Tricks, Waylaying, En-
  hanced Hearing or smell. 
  Allow them 2 checks before checking to see 
  if the Goblins notice the Avatars (As they are busy 
  beating a dead horse, furious at the prospect of hav-
  ing to pull/push the wagon themselves, give the 
  Goblins each a 1 in 8 chance to sense something is 
  not right (see LML pg 119 for more information on 
  Discovery Checks).  Should the Goblins notice the 
  Avatars before the Avatars notice them they will bait 
  an ambush by leaving one of their number with a 
  knack for crying like a human child behind, with the 
  rest spreading out to prepare to attack from behind 
  cover.  Goblins have waylaying Ability at 80%.   
  There should be no less than 3 Goblins, but 
  no more than 1 Goblin for each Avatar, plus 1 Ha-
  rasser.  As the LM for your group you are in the best 
  position to decide what a challenge is for your play-
  ers.  This encounter is meant to whet the Players ap-
  petites for the coming battles and to give them a bit 
  of insight into what lies ahead. Beyond these, the 
  most important fact is that Goblins are very danger-
  ous, and not to be taken lightly. 
   
  Once the Avatars have discovered that they 
  are not alone, read the following italicized text – this 
  is assuming that the Avatars have not alerted the 
  Goblins to their presence.  Goblin #4 is inside the 
  wagon and Harasser #1 is doing a bit of business 
  behind a tree some 40ft into the woods.  He will at-
  tempt to ambush the Avatars as soon as he can (1AB 
  after combat begins) 
   
   
  Up ahead around a dense copse of trees is a 
  large merchant wagon turned sideways on the trail. 
  There are (3) Goblins jumping up and down, kicking 
  at a horse lying on its side on the ground. The ani-
  mal is unmoving and you hope that it is indeed dead 
  and not suffering at the hands of the foul creatures 
  before you.  The other wagons of the Caravan are 
  nowhere in sight. 
   
  The wagon is filled with foodstuffs and general sup-
  plies, including 3 barrels of oil, a barrel of ale and a 
  cask of fine whiskey.  There are likely blankets and 
  raw cloth, as well as hemp rope, cookware and other 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  34 
   
   
  items of everyday living. In a large case are herbs 
  and remedies of a mundane sort as well as bandages 
  and other healer supplies.   
  PART THREE  
   
  Goblin Encampment:   
   
  Environment:  The camp is set against the 
  back drop of an ancient burial mound.  Krilkah and 
  the Dogs Head Killers have decided to lair here us-
  ing the crypts to bed down in. The mound is sur-
  rounded by thick forest with a lazy river tucked up 
  against its Northern side.  Krilkah had sent ten of her 
  murderers to check the crypts and, after breaching 
  the door and building a log bridge to span the deep 
  pit, the band went in and down.  They also never 
  came back. Deciding to be more cautious, she has 
  posted a strong guard on the entrance and sent her 
  shaman with a pair of her Harassers up to the burial 
  mound to search it out. 
   For now the band makes do with a large 
  hide tent. Krilkah’s Goblins, despite the missing 
  group, are drunk with victory and the promise of 
  more loot to come.  They are lazy and arrogant by 
  nature, and their recent victories have only fed this 
  natural inclination. They have enough slaves for 
  working and ready foodstuffs available now if things 
  get lean.  The recent attack upon the Gnome mer-
  chant has them giddy.  Krilkah, the Great Goblin of 
  the Dogs Head Killers, has a special night of cavort-
  ing planned with tenderized roast gnomes as the 
  main course.  Goblins notoriously like to toy with 
  their food, not only because of their sadistically  
  cruel nature but also because they believe the 
  adrenalin tenderizes the meat.  To this end, they are 
  using the mounted Pneumatic Catapult atop Master 
  Sib’s wagon to graze some of their meal.  
    
  DISCOVERY CHECKS:  Avatar Activi-
  ties are not likely to attract a lot of attention if they 
  are cautious.  Discovery Checks Should Remain in 
  the 1-in-12, 1-in-10, or rarely 1-in-8, before an abil-
  ity check is required.   
   
  LM OBJECTIVE:  This scenario is de-
  signed to allow the Players to plan and enact a dar-
  ing raid upon a goblin encampment.  Plenty of extra 
  information is provided to stir the LM’s creative 
  juices. Thereby increasing the potential for meaning-
  ful adventure.  
   
  Anyone getting a good look at the camp from a dis-
  tance will see the following, and provide the players 
  with the provided Game Aide: Players Map #1. 
   
       
  Your eyes are drawn to the large bonfire 
  blazing between the two hills.  Around the blaze are 
  Ambush Group (From Part 2) 
   
  Goblin #1  
  H: 60  P:  36 S: 14  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk: Crossbow (3-20 Harm), Great Cleaver (5-20 Harm) 
   
  -4 Gold coins ($500 each) 81 Silver coins ($10 each)  
   
   
  Goblin #2    
  H: 42  P:  32  S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk: Crossbow (3-20 Harm), Great Cleaver (5-20 Harm) 
   
  -6 Gold coins ($500 each) 14 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
   
  Goblin #3    
  H: 47  P:  40  S: 12  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk: Crossbow (3-20 Harm), Great Cleaver (5-20 Harm) 
   
  -1 Gold coins ($500 each) 111 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
   
  Goblin #4    
  H: 51   P:  32  S: 11   
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk: Crossbow (3-20 Harm), Great Cleaver (5-20 Harm) 
   
  -10 Gold coins ($500 each) 12 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Harasser #1    
  H: 65 (55)  P:  56  S: 14   
  Def: 12/18 (buckler)(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk:  Cleaver & Long Dagger 1/ABC each  
   
  Cleaver: 3-20 +13 Harm (+5 Shp./+8 Phys.) 
   
  Long Dagger: 1-20+10 (+2 Shp./+8Phys.)  
  Power: Can reverse (in 1/10 sec) the flight of 1 normal 
  missile back at its launcher within sight and within 100ft, 
  returning at the Goblin’s Precision.   
   
  -Treasure in a money belt about his waist are the follow-
  ing coins 10 gold coins ($500 each) pouch of gold dust 
  ($1500).  In a pouch on his belt is 2 Gold coins ($500 
  each) and 68 silver ($10) each. There is a collection of 
  gems and crystals worth $4000 as well.  Hidden under his 
  shirt and pants just above his back side is a Memory Tab-
  let he has been toying with. It holds 4 powers:  (2) Grade 
  I   (1) Grade III and (1) Grade V.  (The LM is encouraged 
  to have this Tablet be of use to his Players and should 
  therefore choose what the exact Powers.) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  35 
   
   
  a dozen or so rotund figures cavorting around it. 
  Seated upon what at first seems to be a stone throne 
  is an armored female goblin.  Her throne is actually 
  made up of a mass of rotting dogs’ heads in various 
  stages of decay. To the South East of the Bonfire are 
  several cooking pits being prepared by downtrodden 
  trollkin slaves.  A large male goblin overseeing the 
  wretched lot is taking pleasure in the lash of his 
  whip upon any slave that seems to be slacking.   
   
     
   Several yards south of the cooking detail, 
  huddled together in a terrified clump are what re-
  main of the gnomish merchant company. Among 
  them one gnome stands out trying to comfort the 
  small group. He is beaten badly but not broken.  He 
  curses the three goblin guards set to watch them. 
   
   Over the loud revelry you hear a distinct 
  Whoomp-Phhipbth THWACK! sound followed by a 
  high pitched shrill scream.  Buried deeply into a tree 
  a heavy missile juts forth quivering just above a fe-
  male gnomes head. The Poor woman is tied to a 
  large tree surrounded by scores of recently felled 
  trees. Following the trajectory of the missile allows 
  you to spot Master Sibs Traveling Warehouse 
  Wagon nearly due east of the Bonfire. A pair of Gob-
  lins is taking turns firing the Pneumatic catapult at 
  the poor woman. The Goblins begin reloading. Up 
  on the side of the hill is a large hide tent. High up on 
  the hill across from your position movement catches 
  your eye.  There is an opening into the mound out of 
  which step three goblins.  What looks to be a shaman 
  dressed in a robe made of bones and a skull head 
  dress is flanked by a pair of large goblins armed 
  with 6ft pole arms that look like someone strapped a 
  great cleaver on the end of a pole.  
   
   
   
  GOBLIN ENCAMPMENT 
   
  Key Locations: 
   
  Goblin Sentries are marked with a G on the map and 
  conform to the common Goblin statistics that follow.  
  They will have been celebrating with the rest and as 
  such are not very alert. As such the LM should use 
  the d10 for all discovery checks made more than 30 
  feet from the sentries and a d8 for any closer. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  36 
   
   
  PLAYER HANDOUT : MAP 1 - Goblin Encampment 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  37 
   
   
  RUNNING THE ENCOUNTER: 
   
       
  This area is divided into simple encounter 
  areas.  The encounter is set up to allow the Avatars a 
  chance to raid the Goblin camp and rescue the pris-
  oners, and avenge those who have been crushed be-
  neath the desires of these wicked alfar.  What hap-
  pens is largely dependant upon what the Avatars 
  plan and execute.  A frontal assault should result in 
  failure unless it is used as a diversion to rescue the 
  prisoners- even so casualties will be high on the side 
  of the party.  Goblins are very dangerous, and not to 
  be taken lightly--- make sure your players under-
  stand this if the encounter with the Goblins on the 
  trail did not make it clear. 
   
  1.)  End of the Trail:  
   
  From here the Avatars can get a pretty good 
  view of the surrounding area. 
   
  A single Goblin sentry will greet the Avatars 
  as they come to the area, thinking they are the re-
  turning Raiding band that is due back by dawn.  If 
  the Avatars use stealth to reach this point, they will 
  catch the Goblin relieving himself of stolen ale in-
  stead. 
   
       --Goblin #G (see entry above for general stats) 
   
  2.)  Loot Piles:  
  Here the goblins have dumped all the loot 
  they have been able to accumulate over the past few 
  weeks and have yet to disperse it.  Mostly it is junk, 
  or at least it is now. Mixed in with the clothing and 
  personal belongings of the people that have been 
  raided, is a good deal of foodstuffs, and several bar-
  rels of ale and three cases of wine.  There is also a 
  sturdy two wheeled cart and a familiar looking 
  wagon... 
   
  There are also 2 Goblins atop the Merchant 
  wagon manning the Pneumatic Catapult.  If the Ava-
  tars wait for the goblins to fire the weapon before 
  attacking (once it has been reloaded), the unfortunate 
  female gnome tied to a tree some 60 feet east of the 
  wagon will be impaled and die. 
   
   
   
   
  Merchants Wagon:  The Merchant wagon has yet 
  to be completely ransacked.  The wagon is rectangu-
  lar in shape having solid wooden walls.  Atop the 
  roof is a Gnomish Pneumatic Catapult with 4 barrels, 
  as well as a case for the weapons missiles.  Anyone 
  manning the roof can easily take cover behind the 3 
  foot wooden wall that wraps the roof itself.  The side 
  of the wagon is painted in garish colors proclaiming 
  Master Sibs Traveling Warehouse.  The front has a 
  gnome sized seat next to an oversized human driver 
  seat (more likely designed for an oaf), and above 
  these is a purple awning to block the sun.   
   
  Inside the wagon is the good Masters Living 
  area – Bed and desk (all gnome sized) as well as his 
  more precious stock.  In a secret compartment, in the 
  floor under the wardrobe, is a cache of scarlet hoods 
  GOBLIN SENTRIES   
  Common Statistics 
   
   
  Goblin #G  
  H: 50  P:  41  S: 12   
  Def: 12 (+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk:  
           Crossbow (3-20 Harm) or  
           Great Cleaver 5-20+8 harm (+2Shp/+6Phys)  
   
  -4 Gold coins ($500 each) 81 Silver coins ($10 each)  
   
  Goblin #5  
  H: 42  P:  49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk:   
  Cleaver 3-20+5 (+4Phy/+1 Shp) and  
  Spear 2-20+4  (+4Phys) 
   
  - 3 Gold coins ($500 each) 119 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #6  
  H: 42  P:  42 S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk:   
  Hatchet 3-20+6  (+6 Phys.) and  
  Heavy Knife  3-20+6 (+6 Phys.)  
   
  - 6 Gold coins ($500 each) 21 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  LM NOTE: Under the Wagon is a 
  drunken Goblin sleeping it off.  
   
   
  Goblin # 7    
  H: 42  P:  50  S: 14  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Attk:  Short Pole arm 1-20+8 (+8Phys.)  
   
  - 10 Gold coins ($500 each) 211 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  38 
   
   
  and gloves along with some well worn adventurers 
  gear including, a Double Barrel Gnome Hand Cata-
  pult. Cocking the weapon with less than a 5 phy-
  sique will require 1 ABC time per point below.  
  Those without a Physique score will require a full 
  AB or some means to aid in the process. (Fires 2 
  Darts Simultaneously with one trigger pull and both 
  attacks may be resolved with a single roll, as the LM 
  sees fit.)  
  There is a pouch with 30 silver coins of vari-
  ous mintage and 20 gold coins of equally varied 
  mintage.  There is a Copper Escape Hatch (LML, pg. 
  56)as well as basic adventuring gear, 4 Healing Bo-
  lus’s (Minimus; LML, pg.50) and a packet of 12 darts 
  for the hand catapult that offer an enhancement bo-
  nus of +5 Precision Bonus and +6 to Harm. 
   
  LM NOTE:  Master Sib will want this gear re-
  turned to him. The Avatar can make an easy en-
  emy if they lie to him over it. 
   
  3.)  Cook Pits and Slave Pen: 
   
  This area has three deep cook pits being pre-
  pared to roast gnomes on spits. There are 8 Trollkin 
  slaves working in the area and a single Goblin Ha-
  rasser. 
   
  To the North of the cooking pits is a deep 
  hole some 10ft by 10ft. The Trollkin slaves are cast 
  into the hole during the day and a large wooden grat-
  ing is dragged over the hole to keep the slaves from 
  escaping.  There is also the “watch hound”.  Ha-
  rasser #2 has managed to train a northern Tiger.   
  Now the animal is set to watching the slaves’ pen 
  during the day.  This entails releasing the beast from 
  its cage after the slaves are penned up in the hole.  
  Any slave that gets out of the hole is likely to be 
  eaten before he or she takes their 5th step 
   
  Huddled together and chained to each other 
  are the survivors of the attack; 4 Male Gnomes 
  (including Master Sib), 3 Female Gnomes and 4 
  Children. Master Sib will do whatever he can to save 
  his people.  
   
   
   
  4.) Dogs Head Court: 
      
  Here the Goblins (Goblins, #8-19) cavort 
  around the huge bonfire each trying to catch the at-
  tention of Krilkah for a purpose far too horrible to 
  think about (almost makes me feel bad for male gob-
  lins). To the west of the bonfire is a large pile of dog 
  heads, all in varying states of decay and piled in such 
  a way as to create a throne of sorts. 
  Krilkah will choose one or two male goblins 
  to join her in her tent every 2 hours or so during the 
  night.  She will also enjoy torturing a handy slave or 
  prisoner as well. Before the players can attack allow 
  Krilkah to retire to her tent with Goblin #12. 
  During the daylight hours the goblins will 
  sleep in the tent or under a wagon. They are looking 
  for a permanent lair out of the sun and the burial 
  mound is a good possibility, but the first group of 
  goblins she sent in did not return.  She is waiting on 
  what the Shaman has to say before sending in more 
  to disappear. 
  The Goblins will respond to threats as fol-
  lows:  
   
  Should any Sentry blow his horn, roughly 
   
  Trollkin Slaves #1-8  
  H: (21-26) 14-19   P: 20-25    S: 8-10 
  (Non Combatants- will flee at first chance) 
   
   
  All Gnome Prisoners    
  H:  (23-32) 5-15   P: 16-25    S: 7-9 
  Attack: to weak to participate in an armed conflict. 
  Defense: 2pts. Protection from clothing. 
   
   
  Harasser #2: 1    
  H: 75   P:  60   S: 12   
  Def: 12 (+5 vs Heat/Cold)  
  Att:  1/ABC each  
          Whip:  0-2+12 Harm (+10 Phys/+2Tricks)       
          Sword. Cutting, Curved: 3-20+15 (+3shp/+10 
  Phys/+2Tricks) (75 Precision w/Tulwar)   
  This Tulwar has Quillons, Sword (LML, pg. 93)
  attached to it, giving +5 to Weapons Ability to 
  any who wield it, in addition to its +10 bonus 
  that it already has. Harasser #2 has a Precision 
  of 75 when wielding this sword.  
  Power: Can cause an oncoming person within 20 feet to 
  stumble and fall in 1 second. 
   
  -Treasure:  Quillions, Sword (as above), Coin Purse 
  around Neck with 15 gold Coins ($500 each), 22 Silver 
  Coins ($10 each) and Gold earrings (2 each valued at 
  $750 each).  
  Key to the Gnomes, and Tigers chain. 
   
   
  Northern Tiger   
  H: 70   P: 60   S: 18   
  Def: 4 
  Att: Strike for 1-12+12 Harm,  Bite for 9-20 +12 
  - The  Tiger is in a 10ft by 10ft cage.  Any sign of Danger 
  and Harasser #2 will rush to release the Tiger. 
  -Treasure: The Big cats Collar is made of Steel set with 
  Silver Spikes and gems ($8,500) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  39 
   
   
  half of the Goblins- Group 1- will immediately re-
  spond (within 1 AB).  The other half will split again, 
  with one group- Group 2- heading to Krilkahs’ tent 
  (Area 5) and the other- Group 3- moving to the 
  cooking pits (Area 3) to watch over the slaves and 
  prisoners.  
  Goblins - GROUP #1 
   
  Goblin #8  
  H: 42  P:  49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Military Pick 2 - 20+5 (+5 Phys) and Mace 5 - 20+5  
  (+5 Phys) or Crossbow 3 – 20  (10 Quarrels) 
   
  -4 Gold coins  ($500 each) 20 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #9  
  H: 55  P:  32  S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Cleaver 3-20+10 (+5 Phys/+5 Shp) and Club 2-
  20+5 (+5 Phys)  or Crossbow 3 – 20   (15 Quarrels) 
   
  -1 Gold coin ($500 each)  24 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #10  
   
  H: 48  P:  31  S: 12  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Mace 5 - 20+5 (+5 Phys) and Cleaver 3-20+11 (+5 
  Phys/+6 Shp)  
   
  -7 Gold coins ($500 each)  56 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #11 
   
  H: 41  P:  49 S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att: Hatchet 3-20+5(+5 Phys) and Heavy Knife 3-20+8 
  (+3 Shp/+5 Phys) or Crossbow 3 – 20   (6 Quarrels) 
   
  -4 Gold coins ($500 each) 160 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #12  
  H: 41  P:  32  S: 14  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold)  
  Att:  Axe 5 - 20+6 (+5 Phys/+1 Shp) and Spear 2-20+5  
  (+5 Phys) 
   
  -3 Gold coins ($500 each) 7 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #13  
  H: 47  P:  39  S: 12  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Flail 4 - 20+7 (+7 Phys) Cleaver 3-20+7 (+7 Phys)  
   
  -2 Gold coins  ($500 each)  58 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  Goblins - GROUP #2 
   
   
  Goblin #14  
  H: 55  P:  33  S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Sword. Cutting, Curved 3 - 20+8 (+6Phys/+2 Shp) 
  and Sword. Cutting, Curved  3 - 20+10  (+6Phys/+4 Shp) 
   
  -10 Gold coins ($500 each)  3 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #15  
  H: 42  P:  49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Cleaver 3-20+5 (+5 Phys) and Club w/ Spikes 3 - 20 
  (+5 Phys) 
   
  -6 Gold coins ($500 each)  33 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #16  
  H: 42  P:  49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Cleaver 3-20+5 (+5Phys) and Spear 2-20+5  (+5 
  Phys) or Crossbow 3 – 20   (9 Quarrels) 
   
  -8 Gold coins ($500 each)  109 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  Goblins - GROUP #3 
   
   
  Goblin #17  
  H: 42  P: 49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Club w/ Spikes 3-20 (+4 Phys) and  
           Spear 2-20+4  (+4 Phys) 
   
  -4 Gold coins ($500 each)  98 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #18  
  H: 42  P: 49  S: 11  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Cleaver 3-20+7 (+7 Phys) and  
           Military Pick 2 - 20+7 (+7 Phys) 
   
  -6 Gold coins ($500 each)  22 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin #19  
  H: 42  P: 42   S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att: Hatchet 3-20+6 and  
          Heavy Knife  3-20+6  or   
          Crossbow 3 – 20   
   
  -9 Gold coins ($500 each)  34 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  40 
   
   
  5.)  Krilkah’s Tent: 
   
  At the tent flap of this 30ft by 30ft yurt-like 
  tent stand Krilkah’s Body Guards. They are unusu-
  ally alert and well armed.  The Tent itself is made 
  from hides and furs. At its Center is a Standard pole 
  flying a yellow flag that displays a black dogs skull 
  bleeding red from its eye sockets. 
   
     
  The inside of this tent is strewn about with 
  furs and clothing… there is a large pile of furs atop 
  a proper mattress on the floor in the center of the 
  tent.  On a table there are blood stained devices of a 
  cruel and sadistic nature, as well as a functional 
  rack and whipping post to the side.  
   
   
  Sleeping atop the bed are three Sundogs, 
  each armored in leather, set with metal plates. 
   
   
  There are two huge chests next to the bed, 
  each with a massive iron lock affixed to its lid to 
  keep out her curious cohorts. It also looks as if most 
  of the goblins sleep here during the day. 
   
      
  Neither Fricock (Goblin #20) nor Sec’Jarth 
  (Goblin #21) will intrude upon their leader unless 
  she specifically calls out to them.  Goblins are base 
  and vile creatures that takes pleasure in all manner of 
  things best left unwritten. 
   
  Chest #1 - The lock is iron and very sturdy, 
  but easily opened (+20 Bonus to Skill).  This 
  chest is filled with sacks of silver coins and, 
  all totaled, there are 1,452 Silver coins. Ad-
  midst the bags of coin is a metal band about 
  the size of a man’s hand in the shape of a 
  Figure Eight.  This is an Extraordinary Item 
  known as Ravic’s Aether Buoy (LML, pg. 
  78). 
   
  Chest #2 - This chest is much smaller than 
  the other  and the lock is of a higher quality 
  (Penalty of +20 to unlock) and built into the 
  chest itself.  Inside the chest are 2 heavy 
  coin purses filled with coins and gems. 
  Purse number one has 10 Gold coins ($500 
  each), 32 Silver coins ($10 value each), and 
  12 crystals valued at a total of $4000.  Purse 
  2 has 6 Gold coins and 30 Crystals/gems 
  valued at $2000. Scattered inside the chest 
  are no less than 2 dozen pieces of jewelry- 
  most of it simple wedding rings.  The value 
  of these items is $3500 (Among the rings is 
  a Ring of Shielding 10% vs 3 opponents 
  [LML, pg. 81])  There is also the pommel 
  that would seem to fit on a great sword or 
  other Straight bladed weapon of size 
  (Pommel of Acid [LML, pg. 93]).  A long 
  dagger, forged of a Silver alloy and set with 
  a moonstone, lies in the chest as well 
  (Preternatural Dagger +10 to weapons abil-
  ity +8 to harm and is considered Silver 
  when that may make a difference). There is 
  also a 3-sectioned staff (a weapon from the 
  continent of Hazgar no doubt). When picked 
  up by an Avatar/NAC with Enchantment 
  Ability they must make a successful check 
  against said ability or the staff will always 
  remain (to them) a 3-sectioned staff. Those 
  who succeed in making the check have 
  ‘impressed’ the staff and learn the command 
  phrase to cause it to shed its guise and be-
  come an Imperial Talon Staff (LML, pg. 56)
  once more. The staff name (command 
  phrase) is ‘Dragons of the Four Winds’.  
  This item may or may not hide other abili-
  ties.   
   
  TENT GUARDS 
   
   
  Goblin #20 ( Fricock )  
  H: 60  P: 48  S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  
          Flail 4 - 20+7 (+7 Phys)  
          Sword, Cutting, Curved 3-20+10 (+7Phys/+3 Shp)  
          Crossbow  3–20  (12 Quarrels) 
   
  - 18 Gold coins ($500 each), 45 Silver coins ($10 each), 
  Gold Necklace worth $3200, Gold Earrings worth $1200, 
  Copper and Topaz Armband $750.  
   
   
   
  Goblin #21 (Sec’Jarth)  
  H: 58  P: 50  S: 12  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  
        Sword. Cutting, Curved 3 - 20+12 (+8Phys/+4 Shp)  
        Heavy Knife  3-20+13 (+8Phys/+5 Shp)   
        Crossbow 3 – 20  (12 Quarrels) 
   
  - 12 Gold coins ($500 each)  78 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  Silver and gem studded Belt wroth $7000 Gold Nose 
  Ring worth $900  Silver Arm Bracer set with bloodstones 
  worth $2250 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  41 
   
   
  6.)  Entrance to the Burial Mound: 
   
  AUTHOR’S NOTE: I have, for lack of space 
  and time, not detailed the interior.  I will leave the fate of 
  the ten goblins that went within the burial mound up to 
  your imagination.   
   
  The entrance is 8 feet high and nearly 10feet 
  wide and the stone doors that had sealed the tomb 
  was shattered in ages past, so that now very little 
  remains of the doors.   
   
  Just inside the entrance are 4 Goblins keep-
  ing watch so that nothing comes across the 30ft wide 
  pit that separates the entryway from the stairs, which 
  lead deeper into the tomb.  The Goblins are nervous 
  and very focused on the interior of the mound.  The 
  Shaman and her pair of Harassers will be spending at 
  least half of the night here.  When the Avatars first 
  see them they will head down to talk to Krilkah, then 
  return to keep vigil at of the tomb in an attempt to 
  discern what happened. Arlvesti, the Goblin shaman, 
  is a much more thoughtful than the others and less 
  prone to erratic behavior. 
  SUN DOGS and the  
  GOBLIN CHIEFTANESS (Krilkah) 
   
   
  The three Sundogs (a male and 2 bitches) have 
  been with Krilkah for years.  The male is larger than an 
  average animal and very vicious. All of them are wearing 
  specially made armor that combines leather and metal 
  plates offering a +6 bonus to their defense   She origi-
  nally acquired them from a human settlement near the 
  _______ (desert) near to where she left her clan to strike 
  out her own. She never uses Sundogs to add to her 
  throne, using whatever dogs or wolves her goblins come 
  across instead. 
   
  Sundog #1 (Male)   
  H: 45  P: 65  S: 16    
  Def: 12   
  Att: 1-20 +14 (7pts ignoring Non Extraordinary armor)  
  - Wears a gold and gem studded collar worth $9800 
   
   
  Sundog #2 (Female)   
  H: 30  P:  55  S:  15    
  Def: 12  
  Att:: 1-20 +8 (4 pts ignoring Non Extraordinary armor) 
   
   
  Sundog #3 (Female)   
  H: 30  P: 55  S: 15    
  Def: 12  
  Att: 1-20 +10 (5 pts ignoring Non Extraordinary armor) 
   
   
  Krilkah  (Goblin Chief)  
  H: 75   P: 70  S:16   
  Def: 16 (10 vs Sup) +5 vs Heat and cold 
  Att:  
      ‘Guts-hook’: 1-20 +24 (+10 Phys/+6 Shp/+8 Sup)    
        Sword. Cut, Curved: 3-20+15(+5shp/+10 Phys)  
  Powers:  
  • 
  Wave of Nausea: Range of 20ft in line of sight.  Tar-
  get: 1 individual Effect: Target functions at ½ nor-
  mal capacity 
  • 
  Ability to start small fires within sight and 40 feet 
   
  - 14 Gold coins ($500 each), 21 Silver coins ($10 each), 
  Leather and Gold Ear Belt (worth $2000), pair Earrings 
  ($2500), Crescent Moon Symbol ($6500), $12500 in 
  various gems and Crystals. Krilkah has keys to her 
  locked chests. 
   
  - 3 Bolus of Heath (minimal), Iron Escape Hatch.   
   
  NOTE: For more information regarding Krilkah 
  the Goblin Chief and the Weapon “Guts-Hook”, see 
  NAC Descriptions/New Items at the end of this ad-
  venture. 
  BURIAL MOUND GUARDS 
   
   
  Goblin # 22      H: 42  P: 42   S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Pike: 1-20+7 (+7 Phys)   
          Mace: 5-20+7  (+7 Phys)  
          Crossbow: 3-20  (12 Quarrels- 6 are Silvered) 
  - 5 Gold coins ($500 each), 9 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin # 23      H: 42  P: 42   S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Pike: 1-20+5 (+5 Phys)  
          Axe: 5-20+5  (+5 Phys)  
          Crossbow:  3-20  (12 Quarrels- 6 are Silvered) 
  - 8 Gold coins ($500 each), 2 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin # 24     H: 42  P: 42   S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Pike: 1-20+5 (+7 Phys)  
          Mace: 5-20+5  (+5 Phys)  
          Crossbow:  3-20  (12 Quarrels- 6 are Silvered) 
  - 3 Gold coins ($500 each), 23 Silver coins ($10 each) 
   
   
  Goblin # 25    H: 42  P: 42   S: 13  
  Def: 12(+5 vs Heat/Cold) 
  Att:  Pike: 1-20+8 (+8 Phys)  
          Mace: 5-20+8  (+8 Phys)  
          Crossbow: 3-20  (12 Quarrels- 6 are Silvered) 
  - 1 Gold coins ($500 each), 7 Silver coins ($10 each) 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  42 
   
   
   
  Harasser #3:    
  H: 75   P: 60   S: 12   
  Def: 12 (+5 vs Heat/Cold)  
  Att: Pole-arm, short: 4 – 20 +9 (+8 Phys/+1 Shp)  
         Sword. Cut, Curved: 3-20+13 (+5shp/+8 Phys)  
         Mace: 5-20 +8 (+8Phys) 
   
  • 
  Power: The Goblin can reverse (in 1/10 sec) the 
  flight of 1 normal missile back at its launcher 
  within sight and within 100ft.  The missile returns 
  at the Goblins Precision. 
   
  - 9 Gold coins ($500 each), 54 Silver coins ($10 each), 
  $5500 in various gems & crystals, and a gem studded 
  eye-patch worth $7,000. 
   
   
  Harasser # 4:     
  H: 75   P: 60   S: 12   
  Def: 12 (+5 vs Heat/Cold)  
  Att: Pole-arm, short: 4-20 +10 (+8 Phys/+2 Shp)  
          Sword. Cut, Curved: 3-20+11 (+3shp/+8 Phys)  
          Long Dagger: 2-20+ 8 (+8 Phys) 
   
  • 
  Power: Can create 2-5 Illusory duplicates of itself 
  which are indistinguishable from itself. 
   
  - 12 Gold coins ($500 each), 230 Silver coins ($10 
  each),  Silver Earrings worth $225, Platinum collar 
  worth $5000, Tigers-eye ring worth $1200, Sword & 
  Sheath are worked with gold and gems worth $10,000. 
   
  Arlvesti (goblin Shaman)  
  H: 55     P: 58      S: 16   AEP: 64 (36)  
  Def: 12 [+8 for Bone Shirt] (+5 vs Heat/Cold)  
  Att:  
  Supernatural Repeating crossbow: 3-20+8 (+8Sup) 
  Up to 3 shots/ABC at 78 Precision   
  Flail: 4-20+3 (+3 Phys) 
   
  • 
  Powers:  Flame Gout, Mystic Mace, Become 
  Like an Animal Spirit, Zaganin’s Quagmire or 
  Quicksand, Conjure Jinni 
   
   - Treasure: Pouch with 21 gold coins ($500 value 
  each) and 12 Gems worth a total of $7500.  He also 
  carries Medicine Paint (Half of its contents used save 
  for black –There is an extra full jar of black pigment ) 
  [LML, pg. 67] 
   
  • 
  The Bone Shirt that the shaman wears is enchanted 
  to offer 8 points of protection with no Speed BR 
  Penalty. It has a ‘Health’ of 80 and can take 40 
  points of harm per ABC without damage to itself.   
  • 
  Arlvesti also has a fully functional Supernatural 
  Repeating crossbow (+20 To Weapons Ability and 
  +8 to Harm). The Crossbow is fully loaded (15 
  Quarrels) and the Shaman carries 15 more is a 
  quiver on his hip.  
   
  Ax wielding Goblin 
   
  by Martin Siesto 
   
  BURIAL MOUND - Harassers and Shaman 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  43 
   
   
  Master Sibfur Areol’eb’jonas Voss’teasil   
  (‘Master Sib’ to his friends)  
   
   
  H: 45(10) P:  45   S: 11 (6) 
   
  Attack:  Throughout this adventure scenario, Master Sib has no weapons at hand.  However, the listing below describes 
  the weapons at hand when he is armed and outfitted: 
  Double Gnomish Hand Catapult: 1-20 harm + 5 (+5 phys) [Fires 2 Darts Simultaneously with one trigger 
  pull. Both attacks may be resolved with a single roll as the LM sees Fit.]  
   
  Gnomish Walking Flail: (Preternatural +10/+5 Precision Bonus total +15) A breakaway staff that becomes a 
  Flail (4-20 +5 Phys/+ 5-8 Pre)  
  Defense: wears Cloth Armor full (Supernatural) for 14pts armor. 
   
   
  ABILITIES: 
  Archery:  55 
  Commerce: 67 Evaluation:  44 Pantology:  28 
  Physique: 55 
  Pretense:  38 
   
  Rustic: 31  
  Stealth: 67 
  Tricks:  62   
  Urbane: 36 
  Weapons: 26    
   
  Knack:   Nose for the Truth (More accurately a Nose for a lie or untruthfulness including half truths.) This Knack al-
  lows the possessor to automatically “smell” a lie.  Those attempting to deceive and or hid facts from the possessor must 
  make an avoidance roll or be found out.  Note: as there are varying degrees of success with an avoidance roll so to with 
  this Knack. 
    
  GENERAL: 
   
   
  Master Sib is a canny bargainer that does not always use his ability for his own good.  Unlike most 
  gnomes he has a streak of kindness that wormed its way into his dealings with the common folk of the lands.  
  He will swindle the rich ( well not out rightly swindle but get the best of them as he can- thereby satisfying 
  his racial greedy instinct.)  
   
  To recover what he otherwise “lost”.  As such he is a favorite of the common folk and especially of 
  children.  He also dispenses a little justice now and again on an overly aggressive husband or gods help him a 
  man who dose not understand the word No. 
   
  With his ear always open he hears things and under the guise of a merchant he can easily travel to 
  any town to work a little good in the world.  Once a minor noble enacted Prema Nocta and it was not long 
  before he was found hung with a scarlet hood over his head.  Master Sib uses Scarlet to spread the fame of 
  this champion of the little folk whether it is a scarlet glove or hood matters not.  After the death of the Noble 
  there was quite a fuss but it was quelled quickly.  Some whisper that the Noble pursuing justice found his 
  pillow covered in a scarlet hood with a note that said “Justice has been done? If yes check this box, and cease 
  the search or I will find you again” 
   
  The truth of it is that while Master Sib was once a member of the Flaming Brand (A Mercenary 
  Company that was led by Jack Davich – now retired to Hatchets Grove and Lord High Protector of said town.  
  Master Sib is a better organizer than executioner.  So thru his contacts he is able to get things taken care off.  
  He often draws upon old comrades, people he has helped and his own retainers.  This is what puts him in his 
  current situation.  Most of his retainers and his apprentice are away dispensing a little commoner justice to a 
  bloke what took a very young Inn Keepers daughter on a journey of shattered innocence.  He left her alive if 
  barely.  Master Sib’s men will not be so kind. (the man in question is currently riding with a group of Free-
  riders looking for employ and heading inland.)  It will be a week or longer before Master Sib’s retainers re-
  turn.   
   
  Six days too long for Master Sib to live thru this scenario. 
  Dancin’ in the Moonlight 
  NAC Descriptions :  
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  44 
   
   
   Krilkah Dogshead    
   
  H:  75   P: 70        S:16 
  Def: 16 (10 vs Sup) +5 vs Heat and cold 
  Att: ‘Guts-hook’: 1-20 +24 (+10 Phys/+6 Shp/+8 Sup)       Sword. Cut, Curved: 3-20+15(+5shp/+10 Phys)  
  POWERS:  
  • 
  Wave of Nausea: Range of 20ft in line of sight. Target: 1 individual Effect: Target functions at ½ normal 
  capacity 
  • 
  Ability to start small fires within sight and 40 ft. 
   
  ITEMS ON PERSON:  
  - 14 Gold coins ($500 each), 21 Silver coins ($10 each), Leather and Gold Ear Belt (worth $2000), pair of 
  Earrings ($2500), Crescent Moon Symbol ($6500), $12500 in various gems and Crystals. Krilkah also carries 
  the keys to her locked chests. 3 Bolus of Heath (minimal), Iron Escape Hatch.   
  GENERAL: 
   
  Krilkah advanced to her current position thru cunning viciousness, savagery and outright butchery & 
  murder.  It is a rare thing for a female goblin to take leadership of a troop of goblins, but she has.  Krilkah 
  and her happy band of murderers are presently seeking a new location to settle into, and they have found an 
  ancient burial mound that will serve until something more fortifiable can be found.  She has also found the 
  human resistance in the area to be lax and the pickings to be ripe.  If things go badly, Krilkah will attempt to 
  escape at any cost if she feels her safety is at risk. Should this happen she will bide her time, stalking the 
  Avatars, and strike when the Avatars least expect it, preferably when they are alone. 
   
  Something is disturbing her however. Ever since she found her new “Guts-hook” she has heard a 
  voice in her head, a voice much different from 
  the usual ones in her mind. This voice is clear  
  and commanding but she cannot understand it.   
  The voice is strongest when she is cutting  
  with her “Guts-hook” and she has found  
  herself doing things she’d never have thought  
  of with the odd but wonderful weapon.   
   
  Her “Guts-hook” is in fact a supernat- 
  urally charged Suakadian Ritual Embalming  
  knife, created to allow the user to harness the  
  soul energy of those slain with it as part of a  
  ritual now long lost, and the voice that Krilkah  
  is hearing is that of the High Priest Geras Tek  
  Domas, the last Priest-Mage to wield the blade.   
  He took his own life with it to escape ritual  
  torture & everlasting death and the knife ab- 
  sorbed his soul, even as the Priest-Mage spat  
  out his last breath.  He is now attempting to  
  take control of the Goblin but finds the mind  
  too alien to overcome.  Whether or not the  
  personality of Geras Tek Domas takes control  
  of her is completely at the discretion of the LM.   
  If he does succeed, he will attempt to resurrect  
  his long dead cult, using the Avatars as the  
  perfect sacrifices to rebirth it. 
  --‘Guts-Hook’ is detailed in “NEW ITEMS” 
  section on next page. 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  45 
   
   
  Gnomish Walking Flail:   
  This is what appears to be a heavy walking staff for a person of small stature, often having nasty short spikes ringing 
  the top or possibly a series of inner curving blades that come to very sturdy points.  While holding it ¾ of the way 
  down the length of the staff, the upper portion separates with but a quick twist, revealing a hollow where the chain or 
  cord is kept hidden.  The weapon then becomes a very effective flail of normal size.  Wealthy gnomes often have the 
  blades hidden within the shaft as well so as to be less obviously armed.  Sometimes these weapons are also “heka-
  forged” to increase the effectiveness of it as a weapon.  This is a very popular item with Gnome merchants, and trav-
  elers of all kinds.  Some few human-sized versions of the weapons have been made and offered as gifts to deserving 
  Humans, and others that have done some great deed for gnomish kind.  They are also available for sale. 
   
  Name   
   
        
   Harm        
  Harm/            Range/      Speed/      Precision 
                                                 
  Base          
  Class              radius        Class        Bonus 
  Gnomish Walking Flail 
   
  Used as Flail                         4-20 
   
  Pen/Shock      
  3 
       6               +5 
   
  Used as Staff                         2-20          
  Pen/Shock      
  2  
       5 
          +5 
    
  “Human Sized” 
   
  Used as Flail 
   
     6-20          
  Pen/Shock       
  5                8               +5  
   
  Used as Staff                         4-20          
  Pen/Shock       
  4 
      7 
        +10 
  Dancin’ in the Moonlight 
  New Items :  
  ‘Guts-Hook’  Suakadian Ritual Embalming Knife : 
  ( EXTREME + ) 
   
  HARM: 1-20 +14 (+6 Expertly Sharpened / +8 Supernatural)  
  POWERS:  Spirit Form (Enchantment), Pulsion (Theurgy), Take Possession (Baneful– see below) 
   
   
  This is a stylized & rune-covered Suakadian embalming knife that, after having been expertly sharpened 
  during the creation process (+6 bonus to Harm), was infused with supernatural energies allowing another +8 bonus to 
  be added to Harm inflicted, that bypassing all protections less than supernatural in strength.  The knife will not natu-
  rally lose its keenness of edge.  In addition to the previously stated power the knife was also imbued with the capac-
  ity to absorb the life essence, or soul, of any living intelligent creature when the knife is used to effect the ‘killing 
  stroke’.   
   
  Originally the collected spirits allowed the user to harness the soul energy of those slain with it as part of an 
  ancient ritual that has long since been lost, but when the Priest-Mage Geras Tek Domas had willingly taken his own 
  life, as his soul was drawn in, the blade was profoundly altered… Geras’ consciousness and personality not only 
  stayed within the knife, it ‘became’ the knife.  Because of  this alteration the knife now exhibits new traits, but only if 
  discovered either through magical means or by the spirit of Geras communicating the information to the possessor 
  (must be able to understand each other):  
   
  • 
  For every soul absorbed by ‘Guts-Hook’, the blade is charged with 5-10 AEPs (up to a maximum of 60 AEPs), 
  which the knife [Geras] can use to employ its two powers, Spirit Form (Enchantment) and Pulsion (Theurgy). 
   
  • 
  BANEFUL EFFECT - If Geras is able to communicate with the user, then at first logical and reasonable oppor-
  tunity, he will *secretly* attempt to take possession of the user.  The knife has a base 05% chance to possess the 
  user, but for every 10% Health lost by the user the knife’s chances to succeed at possession raise by 05%.  If 
  successful, this possession lasts for a full 12 hours allowing the knife/Geras to impersonate the user and pursue 
  its own agenda… While strong, this possession can be broken by the activation of any Powers or Extraordinary 
  Items that are meant to dismiss such influences.  
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  46 
   
   
  Articles & Artwork Submission Guidelines for  
  THE PORTAL  Magazine 
   
   
   
   
  If you’ve read this far, then I think you may agree that one thing is certain.  A magazine such as this 
  cannot grow and thrive, let alone survive, without ‘audience participation’, be it in the form of readers or 
  writers & artists. To that end, I send out this open call to everyone. We here at THE PORTAL will do our 
  level best to give you the very best of LA related material that we can and, to that end, invite and encourage 
  you to contribute as well!  
   
   
  As a reference for materials/contributions you may wish to send, I offer the following... 
   
  TEXT GUIDELINES 
   
   
   
   
  Format: 
   
  Electronic submissions are preferred, being the easiest to work with and the most convenient. We can 
  accept any version of Word® up through Office 2003®, OpenOffice, or basic text files.  Files done in .RTF 
  can be problematic so it would be preferred if they weren’t in that format. However, if that is all you’ve got 
  then don’t let it stop you.  
   
  PLEASE BE SURE to include your name in the file so that we know who to give credit to. Send 
  files (as an attachment), or any queries, comments, criticisms & suggestions to portal_ezine@hotmail.com.  
  In the body of your e-mail, please include the following: 
  • 
  Your name and e-mail address. 
  • 
  Your name as you want it to appear in the magazine, if it is different from above. 
   
   
  On occasion minor editing (spelling & grammar as needed or for layout reasons) may be needed but 
  we will do all possible to maintain the integrity of your pieces.  Any major problems will be brought to your 
  attention so that you may provide feedback, or rework it if that becomes a necessity. 
   
  Any work you send in, and is used, that is derivative of the LA™ RPG system (excepting general 
  non-RPG system specific articles, fiction and artwork) becomes the property of TriGee Enterprises Company 
  at the time of publication. 
   
  To give you a general idea of what we are looking for regarding submissions, please refer to the fol-
  lowing short list of various columns that we hope to offer on a regular/irregular basis: 
   
  -- THE SCENIC ROUTE- Villages, Towns, Territories, States, and various mundane, interesting, 
  or extraordinary places to visit.  
   
   
  -- AMONG THE POPULACE- Orders as well as descriptions of local organizations, cults, groups, 
  etc., such as a Rogues Guild, Enchanters Guild, Avatars or Non-Avatar Characters - Ordered or Unordered, 
  Human or otherwise.  
   
   
  -- THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE- New Activations, Powers, and Extraordinary Items, divine 
  pantheons & beings from the higher & lower matrices. 
   
   
  -- THE MENAGERIE- The critter corner. Flora and fauna, malign or benign… 
   
   
  -- A MATERIAL WORLD- Most likely to be an irregular column. While the equipment lists pro-
  vided in the LA rulebooks are quite extensive, and were expanded even more within the pages of LEJENDS, 
  there’s always something new or useful to the Avatars that could be included. Articles on new/alternate uses 
  for old items could also go here, as well as articles regarding equipment for the upcoming genre expansions. 
   
   
  -- SHADOW-REALMS- Everybody eventually develops their own house rules, either to speed up, 
  smooth out, or add more “realism” and detail to the mechanics of the game. Here the LM can describe to the 
  rest of the LA community what they have done to handle various aspects of game-play differently than the 
  
  THE PORTAL Magazine    Vol. I, Issue 1 
  47 
   
   
  rules may state. 
   
   
  -- THE JONGLEUR’S STAGE- The storyteller’s corner, for the entertainment of all, as well as LA 
  Product reviews. 
   
   
  -- General, non-RPG specific gaming articles that provide tips/ideas for increasing gaming enjoy-
  ment, running a smoother game, etc. are also welcome. 
   
   
  Regarding “word counts”: 
   
  When a magazine is run to print, article sizes are a big issue to consider as the publishers only have 
  so much space available. For an e-zine the issue isn’t so much about limited space than it is about file size.  
  After all, it takes some people quite a bit of time to download medium to large files, especially if they are on 
  dial-up...  So in an effort to keep it reasonable, please consider the following for certain subjects: 
   
  Short Scenarios -- 850-7,500 words 
  Longer Adventures -- 10,000 - 20,000(?) words, though will consider longer; 
  Extraordinary Items-- 500 words max per item; 
  Ex-Activations/Psychogenic powers-- 500 words max per spell; 
  Beasts of Lejend-- 400-800 words per creature, though one submitting a group of ‘themed’ creatures 
  can use some extra space for an ‘intro’. 
  Fiction -- For now, let’s go with 4,000 words max and see how that works. 
   
   
  The broad choice of subject matter that can be used in the columns mentioned above leaves me want-
  ing to stay a bit flexible with the sizes of other pieces for now.  As we get a few more issues out to the public, 
  however, we’ll have a better idea of what is or isn’t practical and this may defined a little more.  If in doubt 
  just drop us a line. 
   
  ARTWORK GUIDELINES: 
   
   
   
  There are many fine artists out there, and we’d love to see your work. 
   
   
  Illustrations: 
   
  Black and white line art would be really preferred, though for an e-zine we see nothing wrong with 
  grayscale.  Our decision for this is based on economics... not ours but our readers.  Face it, printer inks are 
  expensive (color especially so) and only seem to get pricier.  By sticking with B&W and grayscale we will 
  hopefully cut down on the reader’s expenses a little should they choose to print them out.  Since all printers 
  react to graphics differently, folks’ mileage may vary when it comes to grayscale, so if that is how you wish 
  to present your work, then please try to include plenty of contrast within to help define the images. 
   
   
  Format Preferences: 
  Resolution: 300 dpi 
  Format: TIFF or JPG 
   
   
  If it is possible to archive your images within a ZIP or RAR, then please do... especially if they are 
  quite large.  In the body of your e-mails, please include a short description of each image file (including file-
  name).  Also include your name as you would like to be credited.  If the image is to be associated/included 
  within a certain text file/article being sent in as well, please be sure to state this.  
   
   
  Miscellaneous: 
   
  This magazine is intended to be available to all ages in the RPG community. This being the case, 
  please avoid gratuitous or explicit sexual content.  Excessive gore (?), visually or descriptively, is probably 
  best left for the imaginations of the readers & players as well. 
   
   
  If you have any questions, or you didn’t see something that you think would be important to address 
  before you submit any work, please do contact us to clarify at: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  portal_ezine@hotmail.com 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/_GM Books/World Building & Game Design/Gary Gygax Collection/Gary Gygax's Lejendary Adventure (osr)/Lejendary Adventure Periodicals/Portal/Portal  #1 (LejAdv).pdf