White Dwarf: Issue #44

Though I was – and remain – a big fan of Daniel Collerton's "Irilian" series of articles, the first two installments of which appeared in the previous two issues, issue #43 of White Dwarf (August 1983) isn't one for which I'd had any strong memories. You'd think I'd have remembered the cover by Jim Burns, if nothing else, since it's quite unlike what I consider a "typical" WD cover. That might be because the magazine was still in the midst of its "new look," the last phase of which would be implemented in issue #44, according to editor Ian Livingstone. In any case, re-reading this issue almost felt like I was reading it for the first time, even though I know I owned a copy in my youth.

"On ICE" by Marcus L. Rowland is a Traveller article that focuses on Interstellar Charter Enterprises (ICE), a business that rents starships – and starship crews – to those who lack them. Of course, ICE offers other services as well, those of a criminal variety, such as outfitting their rented vessels with equipment and modifications for engaging in smuggling, piracy, etc. The article details not just ICE itself but also the kinds of scenarios in which they might be involved. Rowland even provides three sample patron encounters as examples of how the organization might be used in a campaign.

"Open Box" reviews Shadows of Yog-Sothoth for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu, to which it gives its highest rating (10 out of 10). Despite its shortcomings, I think that's more than fair, especially in 1983, since it was the only example of a complete, prewritten CoC campaign available at the time (and it is quite good). Meanwhile, Illuminati Expansion Sets 1 and 2 both receive 6 out of 10. I don't believe I ever owned or played these expansions, so it's hard for me to judge the fairness of these ratings. On the other hand, I owned all four of the AD&D modules reviewed: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (9 out of 10), The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (9 out of 10), Against the Cult of the Reptile God (8 out of 10), and Danger at Dunwater (8 out of 10). The two Gygax modules are true classics and among my favorites; the other two are also quite creditable, though I'd probably have given them both 7 out of 10, but that's a quibble. Finally, there are reviews of two Endless Quest books – Revolt of the Dwarves and Revenge of the Rainbow Dragons – both of which garner 5 out of 10. 

Dave Langford's "Critical Mass" begins his column complaining about the lack of contemporary British science fiction and fantasy authors in a UK book marketing campaign, which, I suppose, is fair, though it doesn't hold much interest almost forty years on. Much more interesting is his praise of Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. Langford has a few small criticisms – he wouldn't be Dave Langford if he didn't – but, by and large, he recommends the series highly. He even uses its excellence to get in another dig at Stephen R. Donaldson (one of his favorite sports, as I recall). 

"True Sight" by Lewis Pulsipher is a short column discussing "realism in D&D and other fantasy role-playing games." This topic was no doubt a tired one even in 1983 and certainly is so now. However, Pulsipher manages to make it more interesting by noting that the kind of realism that interests him is believability. To that end, he focuses on three areas: familiarity, self-consistency, and completeness. It's an unusual approach but, in the course of the article, he manages to raise some good questions for any referee to consider. I still wonder why the article references "realism" in its subtitle, since the article doesn't spend much time on that topic as it's usually understood in gaming circles (perhaps Pulsipher had nothing to do with the subtitle?).

"Counterpoint" is a new column devoted to boardgames. Its inaugural article, by Charles Vasey, spends most of its single page on extended discussions of two games: Sanctuary from Mayfair Games (based on the Thieves' World anthology series) and Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective. Vasey likes both games a great and he spends some of the column musing on the similarities between the RPG Call of Cthulhu and the Holmes game. It's an angle I hadn't considered before, but it makes sense after a fashion.

"Dealing with Demons" by Dave Morris is the first part of a series dealing with demon summoning in RuneQuest. The first part presents rules for magical protections, binding, and pacts, not to mention curses and possession. It's rather remarkable article, full of good ideas for incorporating demonology into RQ for those so inclined. Accompanying it is a comic strip that imparts some genuine information about the process of summoning demons, in addition to being funny. I remember the second and third parts of this article quite well, so it was good to have the chance to re-familiarize myself with the first one.

The computer column, "Microview," looks at combat resolution computer programs for both Tunnels & Trolls and AD&D. The former is given a completed program by D.G. Evans, while the latter gets only an overview (by Noel Williams) of what one would need to consider before making such a program for use with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Articles like this are of interest only as historical artifacts and this one is no exception. Part three of Daniel Collerton's "Irilian," however, continues to delight. This issue's installment offers information on another quarter of the town and its businesses and inhabitants. This one is noteworthy for including details on certain guilds – or "gilds" in the Old English it uses for naming – like the guild of beggars. 

"Rune Rites" presents two new monsters for use with RuneQuest, most notably the golem (and the necessary spell create golem). The theme of this month's "Fiend Factory" is "Tribes and Tribulations," meaning intelligent monsters that organize themselves into tribes. None of them are particularly notable, I'm sorry to say, and the less said about the "Blacklings," halfling counterparts to the drow, the better. Graeme Davis's "Seeing the Light" is much more intriguing. It's a simple system for handling religious conversion of monsters and NPCs by clerics. There's also another "Gobbledigook" comic strip.

Issue #44 continues to demonstrate that White Dwarf is really hitting its stride at this time. The selection and quality of its articles continues to be solid, with several of them being worthy of examination even today. I'll admit to finding it odd that there's not a single Call of Cthulhu article in this issue, but I have little doubt that's only a temporary absence. As I've no doubt written several times previously, I associate White Dwarf most strongly with four RPGs: AD&D, Traveller, Call of Cthulhu, and RuneQuest (all of which, to varying degrees, I can see as influences upon Games Workshop's later Warhammer Fantasy Role Play). Since the first three are in my pantheon of the favorite roleplaying games of my youth (and the fourth has subsequently been added), it's little wonder why I continue to enjoy these weekly re-reads.