Dwarf days

I first visited the White Dwarf offices in early 1980. I say “offices”, but it was a single room crammed with desks and a paste-up area, roughly ten metres by five metres at a generous guess. WD was strictly a sopra la bottega operation back then, with the Games Workshop store downstairs. No need to say more, as I expect it’s described in Jonathan Green’s Dice Men book -- though the chapter originally used for crowdfunding by the now-disgraced and defunct publisher Unbound was by Jamie Thomson, and you can read that here.

The thing is, I didn’t think of it as the White Dwarf office. It was also where Games Workshop put together their early boardgames and Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson ran the business. I was there to talk about a new roleplaying game that they wanted to call Adventure, which kept me busy for about a year until GW got the RuneQuest licence and Adventure was quietly binned.

Another year or so, and I met Jamie Thomson who told me he’d just landed an editorial job at White Dwarf. “I used to know those guys,” I said. “You should write for the magazine,” said Jamie.

The offices had moved from Hammersmith (grotty but right in the heart of things) to an industrial estate in Park Royal (big but impersonal). “Sorry about Adventure,” said Ian the first time I showed up with some copy. “We just weren’t set up for that kind of thing before, but now we are and we’d like you to do some work on Questworld.” As you will know, the UK Questworld never happened, but it did act as the catalyst to draw me into White Dwarf, primarily as a RuneQuest contributor.

White Dwarf was a very different magazine in those days, with the focus not on miniatures and tabletop games but on roleplaying. I think of it as the magazine’s golden age, but then I would. I can trace back professional partnerships, friendships, and creative influences to my time as a freelancer, often rolling up mid-morning with a half-bottle of vodka and a pack of menthol cigarettes (now outlawed, but then part of the atmosphere of the office) to pound out articles to fit whatever space Jamie needed to fill that month.

It's now almost half a century since the first issue of White Dwarf. Prior to my involvement with the magazine I didn’t often have a reason buy it, but I do remember coming home from a trip to London with the first issue and thinking the cover would have been more dramatic if it had showed the scene a split-second before the little chap slices the wizard’s head off. Ten years later I’d become a convert to unsubtlety. I remember a conversation with Marc Gascoigne just before the move to Nottingham:

Me: “This new Call of Cthulhu supplement you’ve got coming out. ‘Green Unpleasant Land’ would have been a much better title.”

Marco: “‘Green & Pleasant Land’ is ironic.”

Me: “Well, duh. But in-yer-face would have more impact. And it would be funnier.”

(When it came to withering remarks, in those days we were the irresistible force and the immoveable object. How our friends must have loved us.)

Other memories of back then:

Meeting Andy Slack and Albie Fiore. That was at the Dalling Road office. They immediately made an impression with their intelligence, enthusiasm, and total professionalism. Albie was an inspirational world-builder. He told me about a ruined city in the desert in his roleplaying game; it had been a thriving metropolis until a meteorite destroyed the aqueduct that brought water from the mountains. (Yes, don’t live in the middle of the desert and rely on aqueducts, but even so.) The same care is obvious in Albie’s WD scenarios, “The Halls of Tizun Thane” and “The Lichway”.

Playtesting Adventure with the GW staff. One evening I ran a game for Ian, Steve and the Dalling Road stalwarts. Steve gave me some valuable advice: never to bother with “he says” when giving NPC dialogue – “Just say it. Act it out. Accents help.” Ian was worried that Adventure might end up like Empire of the Petal Throne, which he knew I played. In a sense he was right, as I was devising a world with a detailed non-European culture populated by non-Caucasians, whereas GW really just wanted a British D&D.

Working with Oliver Dickinson was a pleasure not only because of his deep knowledge of RuneQuest and insightful discussions of its world, but also because Oliver is one of the most warm, civilized and decent people I’ve ever met. His delightful Griselda stories (a nod to Damon Runyon) were a highlight of WD. Because Oliver didn’t have access to a player group, he had to run RQ adventures solo – anticipating the mid-‘80s craze for gamebooks by a couple of years, and solo RPGs by even more.

Things I turned to first each month were Dave Langford’s book reviews and Mark Harrison’s The Travellers. Marcus L Rowland’s ideas were always interesting; I liked to read his scenarios even though I never used published scenarios in my own games. Phil Masters was another of the regular writers whose work I admired.

Hanging out at Sunbeam Road with Jamie, Gary Chalk, Ian Marsh and the others. One morning I was there spitballing a D&D scenario when Jamie took a call – “Yes, just by chance he is here. I’ll pass you over…” It was a reader who had picked up the latest issue and fallen foul of a trap in the first instalment of “The Castle of Lost Souls” solo adventure. “It says I’m dead. What am I supposed to do about that?” demanded an angry Scottish voice. I explained there was nothing he could do. “I just have to start again, is that it?” I doubt if he went on to become a big fan of gamebooks.

Leo Hartas showed up with his portfolio but it was press day and Jamie had forgotten he was coming in. Leo had to lay his artwork out on the floor and people were almost stepping over it. A drawing of a magic book that seemed to be three-dimensional made a particular impression, and when a publisher asked me who I wanted to illustrate my Golden Dragon books I got in touch with Leo, snaffling him up before White Dwarf had a chance to. Just as well I went into the Sunbeam Road offices that day, or we’d never have had Mirabilis, the Rathurbosk Bridge, and Fangleworth’s (well, we liked it), the Dark Lord books wouldn’t have been brought to life by Freya Hartas, nor would Jewelspider have benefited from the art of Inigo Hartas – both Freya and Inigo clearly carrying the imaginative genes of Leo and their maternal grandfather, the properly legendary John Vernon Lord.

It all came to an end when Ian and Steve retired (temporarily) to Spain on the earnings of Fighting Fantasy and White Dwarf was handed over to the power of the gods and devils of Nottingham, where it entered its chrysalis as a glorious content-rich butterfly and emerged as a sales catalogue maggot. We can’t blame Games Workshop. They’re a company and their aim is to make money for the shareholders, not bear the torch for roleplaying. I’m sad to see WD’s passing as I was saddened by the loss of Coven 13 and the Beatles and the Silver Age of Marvel comics. Still, nothing lasts forever, nor should it. As Ray Kurzweil said, “Death gives meaning to our lives. It gives importance and value to time. Time would become meaningless if there were too much of it.”

An old soul reborn

We'll have an in-depth report on this in a month or so in the form of a guest post by author Paul Gresty, but I couldn't let the summer pass without letting you know that The Castle of Lost Souls has been completely reworked as a Fabled Lands Quest.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that it was originally published in four parts in White Dwarf magazine from April to July 1984. I revised it for the Golden Dragon series the following year, but those changes were nothing beside the transformation that Mr Gresty has wrought. The book is now more than twice as big at 700 sections, the action takes place in Golnir in the Fabled Lands, and you have the option of dropping in and out of the adventure at several points.

To quote from the blurb, this edition of The Castle of Lost Souls sports "a huge amount of original content, including resurrection rules, the ability to travel back and forth between this book and others in the Fabled Lands series, a range of completely new magical items for the Fabled Lands setting, and much more." And that's without mentioning all the scrumptious Leo Hartas illustrations, which haven't been seen since the original 1980s edition.

Alternate reality: "The Black Flower"

If you read White Dwarf back in its heyday, perhaps you saw this scenario in issue #31 for June/July 1982:

"The Black Flower"

This RuneQuest scenario is more plot-driven than a traditional dungeon crawl. It involves intrigue, mystery, and the investigation of an ancient curse tied to a mysterious black flower. Like much of Dave Morris's later work, it emphasizes storytelling, atmosphere, and character interaction over straightforward combat, making it stand out for players who enjoy more narrative depth in their adventures.

Doesn’t ring any bells? Ah, then you must be in the real universe. In the sometimes-hallucinatory world of ChatGPT-4, this was the cover:

Flattered by ChatGPT's high opinion of my work, I asked it for more info:

Overview:

“The Black Flower” is a RuneQuest adventure by Dave Morris centred around a mysterious black flower with a dark and tragic history. The adventure is for 3-6 player-characters and blends investigative mystery with supernatural elements, encouraging players to explore a series of strange and unsettling events. Typical skill percentages may range from 30% to 50% in their primary skills, with a few specialties possibly reaching 60% or more.

The story begins with the discovery of a rare and sinister black flower in a small town. This flower, once thought to be a mere legend, is associated with curses, madness, and death. The adventure leads the players into an investigation involving a cursed family, ancient magic, and a series of unexplained deaths. As they delve deeper, they uncover secrets about the flower's origins and the dark forces it draws upon.

The adventure emphasizes narrative and atmosphere over combat, with much of the tension arising from the unravelling mystery and eerie interactions with NPCs. It's filled with plot twists, and the players must use their wits to solve the mystery and confront the supernatural force behind the curse.

The adventure’s tone emphasizes mystery and dark atmosphere. The players are drawn into a world where folklore and supernatural forces have tangible effects, and their investigation becomes a race against time as the curse spreads. The focus on mystery-solving, atmosphere, and narrative richness is typical of Dave Morris’s style, which makes “The Black Flower” a standout scenario in White Dwarf.

Introduction to "The Black Flower"

There is a saying among the people of the southern plains: ‘Once you have touched the black flower, there is no turning back.’ For centuries, the black flower has been spoken of only in hushed whispers, a symbol of doom and death. Many believe it to be no more than an old wives’ tale, yet recently, the flower has bloomed once again.

In the small, nondescript village of Erondale, a rare black flower has been found growing at the site of an ancient burial ground. The villagers are frightened, recalling old stories about the curse of the black flower—a curse that brings madness, illness, and death to those who come into contact with it. Several strange incidents have already begun to occur, and the local lord has hired the adventurers to investigate the growing unrest in the village.

The black flower is said to be tied to an ancient family curse, one that has lingered for generations. As the players investigate the village, they will encounter a web of secrets, superstitions, and strange occurrences, all pointing to the malevolent magic behind the flower. But the truth is darker and more complex than they could have imagined, and they must tread carefully or risk becoming part of the legend themselves.

The setting

Erondale is a small, remote village with an eerie atmosphere, located in a misty valley surrounded by dark woods and hills. It is known for its unsettling quiet and the strange, almost dreamlike haze that lingers over the land, which the villagers attribute to old faerie tales. The villagers live simple lives, but the village’s dark history with the cursed black flower haunts their every step.

The Investigation

The investigation is the heart of the adventure, driving the players deeper into the story’s dark lore and cursed history. As investigators, the players must uncover several layers of mystery, dealing with increasingly strange and ominous events. Here’s how it typically unfolds:

1. Arrival and Initial Inquiry

• The players arrive in a village already tense with fear. The villagers are reluctant to talk about the black flower, but there are rumours of strange deaths and madness befalling those who have come into contact with it. 
• Their investigation starts by speaking with key NPCs, including the local lord (who commissioned their involvement), suspicious villagers, and any scholars or wise folk who know local folklore. 
• The black flower is found near an ancient burial ground, adding to the air of superstition. Villagers will offer conflicting stories, some claiming the curse is nothing but legend, while others are convinced it's real. 

2. Unexplained Deaths and Madness

• As they investigate, the players will hear about or witness several unusual occurrences: people who touched the flower have died from strange illnesses, others have succumbed to madness, and a few have gone missing. 
• These encounters are designed to create an eerie, supernatural atmosphere. Players will find themselves chasing clues such as half-written journal entries, cryptic warnings from the local wise-woman, or strange markings on walls and bodies. 

3. The Curse of the Family 

• The black flower is linked to a curse on a noble family from the area, stretching back centuries. The players will have to dig into old records, interview reluctant family members, and even visit old ruins or burial sites to piece together the history of the flower and its connection to this family.
• The curse originates from a tragic event, such as an ancient betrayal or forbidden magic that was tied to the black flower. The cursed family may even have direct or indirect responsibility for the flower’s recent appearance. 

4. Supernatural Encounters

• As the players unravel the curse, they’ll begin to experience ghostly apparitions, twisted dreams, or confront strange creatures tied to the flower’s magic. These encounters are more atmospheric than combative, though the players may occasionally face physical threats. 
• The players might also uncover the truth about the origins of the curse. Perhaps the flower was used in a dark ritual or serves as a gateway for some malevolent spirit or entity that feeds on death and madness. 

5. The Resolution

• The adventure culminates in the players needing to break the curse. This may involve a dangerous ritual, destroying the black flower at its source, or confronting the malevolent force tied to the curse.
• How they choose to resolve the situation will depend on the information they’ve gathered throughout the investigation. The ending could be tragic or triumphant, depending on their choices and success in uncovering the truth.

Structure of "The Black Flower"

The adventure is more open-ended than a typical dungeon crawl, structured like a mystery that unfolds through investigation and player-driven exploration. Here’s a breakdown of the general structure:

1. Introduction/Setup

The players are introduced to the central problem: a black flower has bloomed in the village, bringing with it rumours of a curse. The local lord hires them to investigate the source of recent strange occurrences. 

The adventure’s tension is established early on with accounts of death and madness, as well as the unease among the villagers.

2. Exploration Phase

The village and surrounding areas serve as the primary setting for exploration. The players have several leads to follow: 

• Talking to key NPCs (the lord, villagers, scholars, and members of the cursed family). 
• Investigating the location where the flower was found (an ancient burial ground or ruin). 
• Examining strange deaths, madness, and other phenomena tied to the flower. 

During this phase, they uncover clues about the family curse, the history of the black flower, and any possible supernatural involvement.

3. Escalation/Encounters

As the players delve deeper, the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense. They may encounter supernatural manifestations tied to the curse, including ghostly visions, strange creatures, or psychological effects like nightmares and hallucinations. They may also find themselves pursued by an antagonist or malevolent force (possibly tied to the curse or someone seeking to protect the family’s secrets). 

Events in the village escalate: more villagers may succumb to madness, and fear grips the population. The players are under pressure to act quickly.

4. The Climax/Final Confrontation

The investigation leads to a final revelation: the true nature of the curse and how to break it. This could involve uncovering the site of the original ritual that created the black flower or locating a lost artifact needed to end the curse.

The climax is likely a high-stakes confrontation with the supernatural force behind the flower, or perhaps a moral decision about how to deal with the cursed family or destroy the flower. The players may have to perform a dangerous ritual or battle some form of guardian or cursed spirit tied to the black flower.

5. Resolution

The adventure ends with the curse either being lifted or the situation taking a darker turn if the players fail. The resolution may also depend on how well the players have pieced together the history of the curse and whether they choose to confront or work with the cursed family. 

The village’s fate is tied to the players’ actions. They may be celebrated as heroes or cursed themselves if things go wrong.

Key Themes

• Mystery and investigation: The core of the adventure is solving the mystery behind the black flower and the curse. Players are encouraged to use wit and diplomacy, rather than brute force, to uncover clues. 
• Supernatural atmosphere: The story is designed to build tension through eerie encounters and a growing sense of dread as the players unravel the dark history of the black flower. 
• Moral choices: There may be ethical dilemmas tied to the cursed family and how the players choose to resolve the curse, allowing for a more nuanced conclusion to the adventure.

“The Black Flower” is a perfect example of an adventure where atmosphere, intrigue, and player agency take precedence over combat.

Major NPCs

The NPCs in this adventure drive much of the investigation forward, providing clues, red herrings, and even danger. The key NPCs are often conflicted, with their own agendas, secrets, and relationships to the curse of the black flower. Here are some of the most significant figures players will interact with:

Lord Caradon

Role: The local noble who hires the players.

Description: A middle-aged nobleman who is well-meaning but deeply concerned about the recent strange events in his village. While not superstitious himself, he is under immense pressure from the frightened villagers to find a solution.

Background: Unbeknownst to the players, Lord Caradon’s ancestors were tied to the cursed family, although this connection is buried in forgotten history. His involvement in hiring the players is not entirely altruistic—he may be trying to atone for his family’s ancient sins. 

Clues: He provides the players with their initial information about the black flower and offers some vague knowledge about old legends. However, he knows more than he initially lets on and may gradually reveal this, especially if the players gain his trust.

Eldra the Wise Woman 

Role: Local healer and herbalist. 

Description: An elderly woman who lives on the outskirts of the village. Eldra is both respected and feared due to her knowledge of herbs, magic, and local folklore. She is one of the few villagers who takes the curse of the black flower seriously. 

Background: Eldra has long studied the dark history of the region and may even have some ties to the supernatural forces at work. She is a reluctant ally, torn between her fear of the curse and her sense of duty to protect the village. 

Clues: Eldra knows a great deal about the legends surrounding the black flower, including its ties to the cursed family. She can offer insight into breaking the curse but will be cryptic, forcing the players to interpret her riddles and warnings. 

Encounters: Players can visit her for knowledge, but she may also become a target of the supernatural forces as the curse escalates.

Sir Gereth, the Cursed Knight

Role: The last living member of the cursed family. 

Description: Sir Gereth is a haunted figure, a knight whose family has been plagued by tragedy for generations. He is the most direct link to the curse but is reluctant to speak about it. 

Background: Sir Gereth’s family was once powerful but fell into ruin due to the curse associated with the black flower. He is racked with guilt and fear, believing that his family’s past sins are the cause of the current events. He may initially appear as an antagonist, but he is more tragic than villainous. 

Clues: Gereth holds key information about the origin of the curse, including details about his ancestors’ role in the dark rituals that gave rise to the black flower. However, he is reluctant to help, fearing the curse will claim him if he gets too involved. 

Encounters: Players may need to convince or force Gereth to reveal his knowledge. Depending on how they interact with him, he could become an ally or a source of further danger.

Mira, the Flower's Guardian 

Role: The protector of the black flower (or the force controlling it). 

Description: Mira may appear as a mysterious woman tied to the supernatural elements of the story, possibly a spirit or an ancient being tasked with guarding the cursed flower. 

Background: She may be connected to the original ritual that created the curse and now serves as a manifestation of the flower’s dark magic. Her motivations are ambiguous—she might want to protect the flower to prevent greater harm or use its power for her own ends. 

Clues: Mira holds critical information about how the flower can be destroyed or controlled. However, her intentions are unclear, and trusting her could lead the players astray. 

Encounters: Mira is likely to appear in the final stages of the adventure, perhaps offering to help the players—though her true motives may remain hidden until the climax.

Key Encounters

The encounters in "The Black Flower" are designed to build tension and heighten the sense of unease. They focus on atmosphere, puzzle-solving, and occasional supernatural confrontations rather than straight combat.

The Discovery of the Flower 

Location: Ancient burial ground near the village. 

Description: Early in the investigation, the players visit the site where the black flower was discovered. The area is filled with eerie silence, and strange carvings can be found on nearby stones. The flower itself is a dark, unnatural-looking plant, surrounded by the decaying remains of animals or people who have come into contact with it. 

Challenge: Players must examine the site carefully, looking for clues about the flower’s origin. They may need to avoid disturbing the flower too much, as touching it can cause illness, madness, or worse. 

Potential Encounter: Ghostly apparitions may appear at the site, warning the players to leave or showing glimpses of the past events that caused the curse. This encounter is more atmospheric than combative, setting the tone for the rest of the adventure.

Visions and Dreams 

Location: Various locations (inn, village, etc.) 

Description: As the players investigate, they begin to experience unsettling dreams or visions tied to the black flower’s magic. These may occur when they sleep or even while they are awake, providing cryptic clues or warnings about the curse’s nature. 

Challenge: Players must interpret the meaning of these visions. The dreams could include imagery of the cursed family’s past sins, the ritual that created the flower, or glimpses of what might happen if they fail to lift the curse. 

Potential Encounter: In one vision, the players might see the family performing a ritual to summon a dark entity that is now bound to the flower. They may encounter this entity later in the story, either as a spirit or a physical threat.

Supernatural Attacks 

Location: Throughout the village and surrounding countryside. 

Description: As the players dig deeper into the mystery, supernatural forces tied to the flower begin to attack the village. People may be found dead or driven insane, animals act strangely, and the natural world seems to turn hostile. 

Challenge: These supernatural events are meant to escalate the tension. For example, villagers may fall ill with no apparent cause, or their eyes may turn black like the flower’s petals. Players need to find ways to protect themselves and others from these forces while continuing their investigation. 

Potential Encounter: At night, the players could be attacked by creatures born from the curse—perhaps ghostly figures, or even corrupted animals controlled by the flower’s magic. These are physical threats, but they serve to increase the players’ sense of urgency.

The Ritual Chamber 

Location: Ruins or crypt connected to the cursed family. 

Description: The players eventually discover a hidden chamber or ruins where the black flower was originally used in a dark ritual. This location is crucial to lifting the curse, but it is also heavily guarded by supernatural forces. 

Challenge: Players must decipher old inscriptions, locate a key artifact, or perform a counter-ritual to end the curse. The room itself may have traps, magical wards, or illusions designed to protect the flower’s power. 

Potential Encounter: A final confrontation with a spirit or demon bound to the flower occurs here. This could be the original entity summoned during the family’s ritual or the cursed spirit of one of the ancestors themselves. Combat here would be challenging, with the entity drawing power from the flower, making it difficult to defeat.

Confronting the Guardian 

Location: Near the black flower. 

Description: If the players meet Mira or another guardian figure, this confrontation represents a key decision point in the adventure. Depending on how they’ve handled the investigation, Mira may offer to help them destroy the flower or mislead them into performing a ritual that strengthens the curse. 

Challenge: This is a moral and intellectual challenge as much as a physical one. Players must decide whether to trust the guardian and follow their advice or take matters into their own hands. The outcome will influence how the curse is lifted or whether the players inadvertently make things worse. 

Potential Encounter: If the players reject Mira’s guidance, she may turn on them, revealing her true nature. This could lead to a final battle or a tense negotiation.

Outcome

The adventure culminates in the players either successfully lifting the curse, which may involve destroying the black flower or dispelling the dark magic tied to it, or failing, allowing the curse to continue or even grow stronger. The resolution may depend heavily on the decisions made in the ritual chamber and their interactions with the NPCs, particularly Mira and Sir Gereth.

The outcome can range from a tragic ending where the curse consumes the village, to a bittersweet resolution where the players end the curse but at great personal cost.

The stat blocks for "The Black Flower" primarily cover supernatural entities, cursed creatures, and the guardian of the black flower. Here’s an outline of potential stat blocks for key encounters.

Cursed Villager (Minor NPC/Encounter)

These cursed villagers serve as minor threats, affected by the black flower’s influence. They act erratically, and in some cases, violently. 

STR 10-12
CON 10-11
SIZ 9-11
DEX 8-10
POW 5-8
INT 7-9
CHA 6-8 

HP 11 

Skills: 

• Dodge: 25% 
• Melee Weapons: 30% 
• Unarmed Attack: 35%

Abilities: 

• Cursed Mind: Due to the influence of the black flower, these villagers are under the control of the supernatural entity. They may become violent or act irrationally. 
• Madness Check: Players who spend too much time near them might experience hallucinations or nightmares. 
• Madness: 1d4 sanity loss when interacting with a cursed villager (GM discretion).

Black Flower Guardian (Major NPC/Encounter)

This could be a spirit or entity tied to the flower, guarding it from destruction. Mira, as described earlier, could take on this role. 

STR 8-10
CON 12
SIZ 13-14
DEX 15
POW 16
INT 13
CHA 15 

HP 15 

Skills: 

• Dodge: 55% 
• Melee Weapon (Dagger or Staff): 40% 
• Manipulation (Magic): 75% 
• Stealth: 60% 
• Lore (Ancient Rituals): 70%

Abilities: 

• Spellcasting (RuneQuest magic system): 
• Dominate Human: Forces a target to obey commands (POW vs POW roll). 
• Spirit Combat: Engages in ethereal combat with other spirits or characters tied to the spiritual plane. 
• Curse: Affects the target with a temporary debilitating curse, reducing one characteristic (like POW or STR) for a set duration (1d6 days). 
• Illusionary Presence: The guardian can create illusory duplicates of themselves or other creatures to confuse players. 
• Roll against POW to disbelieve illusions. 
• Aura of Fear: Any who come within 10 feet of the guardian must roll against POW or be paralyzed by fear (failure means they lose an action for 1d4 rounds).

Weaknesses: 

• Vulnerable to certain rituals or objects tied to the black flower’s origin. Players might discover a way to weaken the guardian using ancient knowledge.

Cursed Spirit (Mid-Level Combat Encounter)

This spirit represents the malevolent force bound to the black flower, often tied to the cursed family’s dark history. This could be a wraith, shade, or similar entity. 

STR 8-10
CON 13
SIZ 10-12
DEX 14
POW 16-18
INT 10
CHA 10 

HP 12 

Skills: 

• Dodge: 45% 
• Unarmed Combat (Spirit Strike): 50% 
• Stealth: 60% 
• Intimidation: 70% 
• Spirit Combat: 75%

Abilities: 

• Spirit Strike: Deals POW damage to an enemy in spiritual combat. If the target loses POW, they may lose access to their magic for a certain number of rounds. 
• Ethereal Form: Can phase through physical objects and attacks, though magical weapons or spells can still harm the spirit. 
• Aura of Despair: Any living being near the spirit must make a POW check or suffer from visions of their worst fears (reducing their effectiveness in combat by -10% to all rolls for 1d4 rounds). 
• Drain Life: On a successful attack, the cursed spirit can drain 1d4 points of POW from the victim. If the victim reaches 0 POW, they die, and their body is left as a desiccated husk.

Weaknesses: 

• Bound to the Black Flower: The spirit’s strength comes from the black flower’s magic. If the players begin a ritual to destroy the flower or sever the curse, the spirit loses 1 HP per round until it dissipates.

Black Flower’s Final Manifestation (Major Combat Encounter)

In the final stages of the adventure, the black flower might manifest as a powerful supernatural force, combining both physical and magical threats. 

STR 16
CON 15
SIZ 16
DEX 12
POW 20
INT 8
CHA 5 

HP 18 

Skills: 

• Dodge: 30% 
• Tentacle/Root Strike: 60% 
• Magic Resistance: 80%

Abilities: 

• Tentacle/Root Strike: The flower can lash out with magical roots or tendrils. This attack deals 1d8 damage and can restrain targets, forcing a STR vs STR roll to break free. 
• Corrupting Pollen: The flower releases toxic pollen that weakens the players’ resolve. All within a 20-foot radius must make a CON check or suffer from a -20% penalty on all rolls for 1d4 rounds. 
• Aura of Corruption: Any living being within 10 feet of the flower must make a POW check or suffer from the "Cursed" condition. This reduces their maximum POW by 1 point for every round spent near the flower. The POW can be restored with a powerful ritual after the flower is destroyed. 
• Summon Cursed Spirits: Every few rounds, the flower can call upon 1d4 cursed spirits or cursed villagers to fight for it. These spirits are weaker than the primary cursed spirit but still dangerous.

Weaknesses: 

• Tied to the Ritual: The flower’s power can only be weakened or destroyed by completing a specific ritual or using an artifact discovered during the investigation. 
• Vulnerable to Magic: The flower is particularly susceptible to magic that counters curses or purification spells. Attacks involving fire, holy symbols, or salt might deal extra damage.

General Notes for Encounters in "The Black Flower" 

The encounters are designed to build atmosphere and tension, with a mix of psychological and physical challenges. Many of these stat blocks assume that players will need to use magic, wit, or specific knowledge (gleaned from the investigation) to gain an advantage in combat. 

The adventure encourages players to engage with NPCs and utilize their skills creatively, meaning that not all interactions will require high skill percentages. Clever role-playing, teamwork, and narrative creativity can lead to successful outcomes even when skill checks are low. 

Morale and Sanity: Players may face sanity checks or POW rolls during particularly intense encounters, as the supernatural elements could erode their mental resilience over time. 

Weaknesses: Most creatures are tied to the black flower and draw their strength from its curse. Players can exploit this if they discover ways to weaken the flower or dispel its magic. 

Clearly ChatGPT hasn't quite got the hang of how scenarios were written back then, but its notes for "The Black Flower" are considerably more extensive than anyone actually needs to whip up a game session. (If it were really my scenario I'd make the black flower curse a MacGuffin and have the meat of the adventure involve somebody exploiting the curse for reasons of their own.) If you feel like giving it a go, tell us all about it in the comments. And if you're one of those who is fretful about AI in general, this article will help dispel some of the more paranoid myths.

A touch of class

Roleplaying began as an offshoot of tabletop wargaming, so it makes sense that early RPGs used character classes. Each character was a unit type reduced to the level of an individual. As more character classes got added, each kludging a new build, it eventually became obvious that we needed a full and consistent skill system, hence the emergence of games like The Fantasy Trip (a sort of halfway house) and then Runequest and GURPS.

Each approach has something to be said for it. Character classes are friendly to new players as they tell you the kind of role you'll be playing. Having a single number for experience level has some advantages too. In Dragon Warriors we used level (well, rank) when resolving fright attacks from entities such as ghosts, on the grounds that a character who has knocked around for a while would be more hard-bitten and resilient than a novice.

Completely freeform systems like GURPS let you spend your advancement points wherever you like. That can lead to some oddities. A highly skilled warrior might have put no points into Will, in which case he's just as easy to scare as the raw recruit. That would be less likely to happen in Runequest because you advance in skills by using them, meaning that a gunslinger, say, will logically pick up all the peripheral skills of the trade -- Ride, Dodge, Scan, Track, etc -- as well as shooting.

Forty years on, games like Apocalypse World use playbooks which are effectively character classes, again helping players to conceptualize their character. I'll admit I chafe at all that special-casing myself, as well as disliking the intrusion of rules constraints on the world. In a Forged in the Dark campaign set in Legend, my playbook says I'm a Dreamer. As far as I'm concerned I'm a knight -- that's the diegetic role I have in the campaign. But Knight is another playbook. It's mildly disorientating, not a big problem, but on balance I still prefer skill-based systems.

Coincidentally, character classes vs skills is one of the topics for discussion on the October episode of Improvised Radio Theatre With Dice. They also seem to prefer diegetic restrictions to rules-based ones, for example the taboos placed on a Storm Bull initiate or a priest of Belkhanu, which are integral to the campaign setting.

All of this preamble is to introduce an article I originally published in White Dwarf issue 49 (January 1984) in an effort to entice D&D players into giving Runequest a try by providing them with the easy-in of character templates. There were some grumbles from readers, as I recall, who thought I was trying to jettison RQ's skills-based mechanics. Quite the reverse.

RUNES IN THE DUNGEON

One of the great strengths of RuneQuest is its system of skills, which players mix and match to create the kind of character they want. But many, particularly younger players, are put off by such complexity. They would rather have the available skills organized into distinct groups character classes, in other words. Here is a variant set of rules for RQ then. All you will need to play it is the standard RQ rulebook.

Rules Changes

Since not all characters can use magic, there is a special POW gain rule: a character gets a chance (10%) of a POW increase roll after any adventure in which he resisted a hostile spell. Magic-users also get the usual POW increase roll for a successful magical attack. Any character can increase his score in a skill by using the skill successfully in a scenario and later making an experience roll in the usual way. However, the character classes restrict the skills in which a character can buy training.

Fighters

1. Fighters roll STR and CON on 2d6+6. Only they can buy training in these characteristics.
2. Fighters start with all combat skills at 25%, plus bonuses. They can take any two combat skills at 30% plus bonuses. They can buy combat training at the usual rates.
3. They start with 2d100+350L* worth of arms and armour, plus 5d20L cash.

Magic-Users

1. Magic-users roll POW on 2d4+10. They start with 3 points of battle magic, and get another point each time they make a successful POW increase. They can also buy spells. They cannot use the spells available to thieves.
2. Magic-users can wear any armour up to cuirboilli (hardened leather); metal armour would disrupt their spells. Their combat skills start at the usual base chance, plus bonuses. They can use any weapon. They cannot buy combat training except for Quarterstaff and Dagger, both at four times normal cost.
3. They can buy training in Sage skills and all Alchemy skills except blade venom preparation. They do not need to pay for associate membership of the Alchemists Guild first.
4. Only magic-users can use spell matrices and magical crystals.
5. They start with armour of their choice (up to that permitted), a staff and a dagger. They get 4d20L cash.

Witches

1. Witches (the term covers both sexes) are a sub-class of MU. A character must have POW and CHA both 16+ to qualify for this class.
2. All the above rules relating to magic-users apply to witches also, except that they have access only to the following spells: detect spirit, spirit shield, healing, dispel magic, xenohealing, befuddle, detect magic and dullblade.
3. Witches have the following powers of a standard RO shaman: possession of a fetch (all fetches have INT 3d6 and POW 2d6+6), store POW on the spirit plane, special POW increase roll, cure disease ability, return from the dead, and the chance to control spirits.

Thieves

1. Thieves roll DEX on 2d6+6, SIZ on 2d6+4 (the usual SIZ roll for RQ characters is now 2d6+6). Only they can buy DEX training.
2. Only this class can buy training in the thievish skills. They start at a base chance of 25% plus bonuses in all of these.
3. They can wear any armour they want, but anything heavier than cuirboilli imposes a Move Silently penalty. Their combat skills start at the usual base chance plus bonuses – except for Shortsword and Small Shield, with a base chance of 20% plus bonuses. They can use any weapon and can buy weapons training at twice the usual cost with the exception of Shortsword and Dagger training, which are bought at the usual rates.
4. Thieves can buy certain spells (they call them cantrips) from their guild: silence, invisibility, speedart and detection blank. These spells are bought at 1½ times the cost listed in RQ and are not available to magic-users or witches. Thieves can buy Sage skills and (from their guild) the techniques of preparing blade venom and systemic poison.
5. All thieves make their Defence increase rolls as though they had an INT of 18.
6. They start with 1 d100+250L worth of arms and armour, plus 5d20L cash.

Rune Level Characters

When he has POW of at least 15 and three skills at 90% or more, a fighter becomes a Lord. A thief meeting these requirements becomes a Master Thief. Like a Rune Lord in standard RQ, these characters can increase their skills beyond 100%. They also have the advantage that even when their POW is depleted, they resist spells with their normal characteristic POW. They do not get any of the other advantages or responsibilities of a Rune Lord.

When a magic-user (or witch) has a POW of at least 18 and is at 90% or higher in Read & Write Own Language and Read & Write Manuscript (counts as "Other Language"), he qualifies as a Wizard. This is rather like a Rune Priest in standard RQ: the Wizard gets an allied spirit, access to Rune spells, and an easier POW gain roll of (25-POW)x5%, rather than the usual (21-POW)x5%. He has less time to practice his Combat, Stealth and Manipulation skills and cannot now increase these beyond DEXx5%. If they were already better than that, they fall to DEXx5%.

A Wizard can study the Rune spells. He acquires a Rune spell by permanently relinquishing points of POW above 18. Each time an increase roll takes him over 18 POW he can choose to take more Rune magic. if his characteristic POW (not current POW) ever drops below 18 he will need to build it up again before he can use his Rune spells. A Wizard recovers expended Rune spells at the rate of one point per day, at sunrise. Wizards select an element to align themselves with (Earth, Fire, Air, Water and Darkness). This determines the elemental that the Wizard can summon with the runepower spells.

Using the Variant

I envisage all this being used in a medieval-type campaign rather like the usual D&D universe (standard RQ has an ancient world setting.) The cults are much reduced in importance because Wizards, Lords and Master Thieves do not derive their abilities from a cult. Thus you are free to use in your campaign whichever deities and demi-gods (no plug intended) seem suitable. This is particularly useful for Games Workshop's Questworld pack which will be RuneQuest in a gothic/traditional fiction style of fantasy world. It is also useful for those who think the RQ game system is excellent but dislike the bronze age setting of Glorantha, or for those wishing a quick character generation in RQ.

* L stands for lunars, originally the currency of a specific civilization in Glorantha but which became used generically for any coinage in RuneQuest-based worlds such as Questworld.

A madeleine cake moment

 

When I was a teenager discovering the works of H P Lovecraft, Robert E Howard, August Derleth and all those old boys, I became obsessed with the dream of collecting Weird Tales (it had to be a complete set, obviously; dreams cost nothing) which then seemed about as hoarily remote as an Akkadian epic on unearthed pottery fragments.

Weird Tales in fact folded only a few years before I was born. Those classic authors who now seemed so far off that they brushed shoulders with Homer? They died less than four decades before I read them. Derleth in fact was still batting.

Four decades. To a teen that's like the lifecycle of Asimov's Foundation, so it was with a slight shock that I realized it's been just as long since Jamie and I first got drawn into the orbit of White Dwarf and Games Workshop. For a while Jamie was writing The Dice Men, a book about that era, for Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. (I think he's off the project now, but you can still read an excerpt by him on the crowdfunding page till Unbound remember to delete it.)

I'm back on the Grognard Files this month talking about those far-off days. All the secrets, all the dreams. As Dirk remarks on the podcast, it's basically Games Workshop: the rock & roll years.

Don't call him Chun!

Before you read a word of this scenario, written by Oliver Johnson and originally published in White Dwarf 58, for goodness’ sake read Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth. If you’ve already read it, read it again. Imprint it on your mind, because this is the literary equivalent of taking a sledgehammer to a Fabergé egg collection. I don’t know what Oliver was thinking (he admires Vance as much as I do) but we were young and we had to pay the rent.

To minimize the vandalism and to preserve the mystery and wonder of the original stories, I’ve changed the names. Chun the Unavoidable (never described in the story, and therefore all the scarier) becomes Papu the Ineluctable here, and so on. I’ve left archveults and IOUN stones because D&D already laid its sticky fingerprints all over those. Why am I even publishing it, then, you ask? Because Games Workshop didn’t buy the copyright, it’s Oliver’s scenario, and completists may want to see it. But those are excuses, of course, not explanations.

All right, don't say you haven't been warned…

"UNAVOIDABLE"

a Dying Earth scenario by Oliver Johnson

INTRODUCTION
The following short adventure is based on “Liane the Wayfarer”, one of Jack Vance's excellent fantasy stories from the first Dying Earth collection. It provides a basis for introducing some of Vance's creatures to the campaign – particularly appropriate because Vance was one of Gary Gygax's prime sources of inspiration.

Lith the Weaver has entered into an infernal agreement with Papu the Ineluctable, a supernatural being who is custodian of the Tapestry of Ariventa in the Palace of Whispers. In exchange for the human eyeballs with which his cloak is embroidered, Papu gives Lith a thread or two of the tapestry. Lith is gradually reweaving the tapestry in her cottage. When it is complete, the tapestry forms a gateway to the magical world of Ariventa, where the process of ageing is arrested and all the fields and orchards are perpetually golden with harvest. The tapestry is now, after many years' work and grisly payment on Lith's part, almost half restored.

THE ADVENTURE
As the characters are travelling across moorland close to the Forest of Illimitable Green, which is on their left, strange blue scaled and crested humanoids burst from the bushes — an ambush!

Archveults
No Appearing: 1-20
Armour Class: As worn, usually 5
Movement: 12"
Hit Dice: 1+1
Treasure: Individuals N, S,T
Attack: By weapon type or galvanic impulse
Alignment: Any Intelligence: Average and up

Archveults are an intelligent species from another world. They have shimmering blue scales, a large black crest over the domed skull, and a hooked beak/snout, but otherwise essentially humanoid in form. Archveults can reach 12th level as fighters and 9th level as assassins or thieves, but are not restricted at all as to level of magic-use. There are no archveult clerics.

All archveults have the special ability to generate an electrical discharge through their bodies which will cause a character touched to pass out for 2-12 rounds if a saving throw vs paralysis is not made. Whether or not the save is successful, the character will take 1-4 points of damage. Once the galvanic impulse has been used, an archveult will take 10-60 minutes to build up the electrical charge for a second such attack.

Archveults mine IOUN stones (see Dungeon Master’s Guide), and any archveult magic-user of 4th level or higher has a 10% chance of having 1-10 Stones.

Archveults are only encountered on this world in small adventuring groups of 1-20 individuals. This particular group of bandit archveults consists of:

• Xexamedes: 5th level archveult magic-user; AC9; HP15; Move: 12"; Spells: friends, jump, magic missile, shield, strength, web, lightning bolt; six IOUN stones (types 2, 4, 6, 6, 7, 14); 6 platinum pieces.
• Xexamedes' bodyguard — Three 2nd level archveult fighters; AC4; HP11, 9, 10; one attack at 1-8 (longsword); each has 1 platinum piece, one has a Potion of Healing.

If Xexamedes is searched, a small map will be found, showing a clearing in the Forest of Illimitable Green. It also mentions the Tapestry of Ariventa, apparently a gateway to another world.

As the characters are passing through the forest they eventually come across a cottage in a picturesque clearing. All is not well, however, for a muffled sobbing can be heard within. On closer investigation they find a beautiful woman lying on the floor before a tapestry stretched on a frame. It appears to have been torn in half, the remaining. section showing a pleasing panorama of golden fields and meadows where happy folk cavort and play.

Looking up, the woman blurts out, 'I am Lith. The tapestry you see before you is the last artistic representation of the paradise of Ariventa. It has been rent by the monster Papu the Ineluctable, who but half an hour ago burst in and ravished me before tearing my cherished tapestry in a spirit of gleeful malice. Track him down to his haunt and bring back the half of the tapestry he has taken — he cannot be far hence — and my gratitude will be forever yours.'

Any ranger, and any thief or assassin above 3rd level, will spot the inhuman tracks leading from Lith's cottage. (A ranger of greater than 3rd level will also notice that the tracks have been made on more than one occasion in the last week or so.) Lith will not accompany the party. If anyone attempts to coerce her, she will call on the magical defence which protects her within her cottage: daggers which materialize out of the air. She can call on up to twenty daggers. Each strikes as a 6th level fighter. After striking once, a dagger will disappear forever, so Lith will be sparing in their use.

Lith: 3rd level MU; AC10; HP6; Chaotic Neutral. Spells — friends, dancing lights, pyrotechnics.

The tracks lead out of the woods onto a barren moor. An ancient city must once have stood here; as far as the eye can see are ruined plazas, shattered columns and low, crumbling walls. High above in the sky, the characters notice what at first seem to be half a dozen hawks or large bats. They swoop down from an immense height, nearly blacking out the sun with their enormous wings. More closely, the characters can see the possibility of many antecedents combined in a single nightmarish hybrid—each has a globular belly covered with silvery fur, claw-like hands on dingy leather wings, a horny snout like that of a stag beetle, an array of white fangs like knife blades... They emit almost human cries of pleasure as they swoop to attack.

Lutomons
No Appearing: 1-12
Armour Class: 6
Movement: 6"/24"
Hit Dice: 2d8+ 1
Treasure: None
Attack: 1 bite/claw for 1-8
Intelligence: Average

They are about five feet long and have a fifteen foot wingspan. Vicious predators, they will attack anything that appears vaguely edible. They are not stupid, however, and will break off any combat if necessary.

Passing further into the ruins, the characters discover a partially ruined grotto. Standing in a recess is a beautiful black statue of a strange being. It is draped with creepers and blotched with patches of moss.

This is not a statue but a creature called a teostalt. It will wait until the characters pass before leaping to attack them from the rear. If they do pass, characters should be automatically surprised.

Teostalt
No Appearing: 1
Armour Class: 3
Movement: 15"
Hit Dice: 6d8+ 1
Treasure: 30% chance of 1-3 pieces of jewellery
Attack: Two claws for 2-9 each
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Intelligence: Average to high
Notes: Surprises a party on 1-5; is never itself surprised

Perhaps created by some ancient magician, teostalts have the form of a handsomely muscled man with dull sable skin, and slit golden eyes like a cat's. Teostalts are able to remain motionless for many hours at a time in order to catch their victims unawares. Their only food is human flesh, which they desire with a constant and terrible craving. They will often taunt people they are pursuing, or implore them to surrender in tones mockingly plaintive. Teostalts are about human sized on average.

Further on, the tracks are lost on the edge of a broad plaza bordered by broken pillars. Many long-dead corpses lie around — both of noble fighters and serfs, bound together only by death and the fact that their eyeballs have been gouged out. Ahead there is a ruinous temple, its inner recesses lost in shadow. A curious whispering noise seems to come softly from all around, but the characters cannot make out what is being said.

They approach the temple and enter its pillared hall. On the far wall, above an altar carved to represent thousands of tormented faces, they see the golden radiance of the other half of the tapestry. No sound can be heard now. The susurration they noticed outside has gone. They cannot see any other entrances to the building apart from the one they entered by, but the dust on the floor here has not been disturbed for some time.

By standing on the altar stone, characters can easily reach the tapestry. As they take it down, they uncover a dark recess in the wall behind it. From this leaps Papu the Ineluctable.

Papu the Ineluctable
No Appearing: 1
Armour Class: 1
Movement: 15"
Hit Points 36 (from 8 dice)
Treasure: G, H
Attack: Two claws for 2-16 each, surprises on a 1-6
Special Attacks: Surprised characters must save vs fear (at +1) or stand defenceless for 1-3 rounds.
Special Defences: Cannot be surprised.

Papu's face resembles that of a large baboon, the white face patch composed of bare bone, with empty sockets where the nose and eyes should be. The rest of his enormous body is covered with black, glistening fur and there is about him a noxious animal reek. He wears a cloak of human eyeballs laced on silk threads. Papu runs with ferocious speed on all fours after anyone who attempts to escape him. He tears the eyes from his victims and laces these onto his cloak. After slaying any group of adventurers whom Lith dupes into going after him, he detaches some threads from the tapestry and takes them to her cottage as repayment.

Papu is very large — he would stand some eighteen feet tall if upright. He takes his soubriquet from a special magic power. Once on a victim's trail, he can follow unerringly until the victim is caught. Even travelling to another dimensional plane will not shake off Papu's pursuit.

CONCLUSION
It may seem that Lith cannot lose out in this scenario — if the players defeat Papu, how will they ever know they've been suckered? In order to give them a chance to lay the blame where it belongs and exact revenge on Lith, have Papu speak to himself while he is fighting. 'Ah, Lith, you have sent fine sets of eyes for me this time!' That should give them enough of a clue. The players may take the tapestry back to Lith, and she will indeed be grateful (after her initial shock of seeing the players alive). Unfortunately, she doesn't actually have anything of value to give them as reward. The players may themselves engineer the situation so that they can use the tapestry. In this case, the referee will have to work out the results — perhaps a campaign set in the world of Ariventa?