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Silven Trumpeter 08 - March 2004 Issuehttp://www.silven.com
The Silven
Trumpeter
The Ofcial Magazine of Silven Crossroads
COVER STORY
Carl Batchelor gives you thelow down on the top RPGs of 2004
 page 6
Confessions of a Lejendary Mind
We introduce you to a new column by DaleHolmstrom that focuses on the LA Game RPG. page 34
Sean Holland Visits the Persian Empire
This month Through the Lens of History takes a peek into ancient Persia. page 21
Bradford’s Speculations
Bradford dwells on miniature prices. page 51
 
Sound off!
Got an urge to send a note to oureditor? Would you like to volunteeras a writer? Have comments aboutan article?Write to Dana at :adriayna@yahoo.com
From the Editor 
In great literature, the hero is someone who stands out-someone who transcends his inner struggles and aws, overcomes incredibleodds, and gains the loyalty and respect of his peers. The inverse of that, however, is the tragic hero-the individual who continuallystruggles to overcome her problems, but is ousted in the end by a tragic character aw.Players tend to shy away from those characters with a tragic aw-after all, who really wants to play a Willy Loman or Oedipus typegure in the end? I recently began running a D&D game again after a six-month hiatus from the hotseat and at character creationrequired each character to have a character aw. Not something that would turn the PC into a tragic hero, but rather something thatwould make the character not only less than perfect but also more interesting. These same sorts of aws are present in the characterdevelopment of many CRPG games-no character is perfect, as none should be. Perfection is not a prerequisite for being a hero.What exactly is a hero in an RPG game? A perfect individual who can do no wrong? The unlikely candidate that ends up saving thevillage in the end? I think that there are as many types of heroes as there are characters. What makes a character heroic however,is not the plot the DM puts them through, nor the battles they ght-but rather how they approach said encounters, the bravery andingenuity they have to overcome them, and the respect they can gain from others. It is the challenge of the game designer or DMto maintain that delicate balance in a game between letting the PCs gain their victories with ease, allowing “perfect” characters to becreated, or the more realistic awed heroes that struggle and earn their respect. No PC wants to feel that she is continually strugglinguphill, but how much reward is it if a DM simply hands his players a victory?They key is ultimately to maintain a balance. A balance between a perfect character and an unplayable one, a balance betweenvictory and defeat, and a balance between, reward and challenge.This month our ezine features an interesting balance of articles. Our cover story by Carl Batchelor is an in-depth look at what 2003produced and what 2004 holds in store for the CRPG industry. Our Q&A with Gary Gygax focuses on some common RPG pitfalls andEytan Bernstein takes us through his second article on Pantheon Creation. We are also unveiling a new Lejendary Adventures columnby Dale Holmstrom.Best Regards,Dana Driscoll
Dn Drsc 
Editor In Chief Silven Crossroads E-zine
page 2
 
page 3
Gaming Advice
Antipodean Adventures ................................14
by Shane Cubis
Through the Lens of History ..........................21
by Sean Holland
Faith Based Initiative ...................................26
by Eytan Bernstein
Polyglot .....................................................31
by Dana Driscoll
Confessions of a Lejendary Mind....................34
by Dale Holmstrom
Gaming Aids
Cartographer’s Corner .................................54
by Kosala Ubayasekara
D&D / d20
The Feat Factory : Project VI ........................41
by Lance Kepner
d20 Speculations : Miniature Pricing ..............51
by Bradford Ferguson
d20 Villain : Niai, Witch of the Fen .................43
by Steven Russell
d20 Review : Chaositech ..............................48
by Steven Russell
d20 Review : Lords of the Nights ..................46
by Bradford Ferguson
Quillion’s Quill ............................................38
by Steve Russell
CRPG
A Giant Leap Year Forward for CRPGs .............6
by Carl Batchelor
Interviews
Chatting with Gary Gygax ..............................4
by Gary Gygax and Kosala Ubayasekara
Fiction
Rebels in the Dungeon : Part III ....................17
by Raymond Huling
Cherry Boys ...............................................10
by Edwad J. Kopp
Humor
RPG Wars ...................................................13
by Kou and Ali
The Adventures of Starlanko the Magnicent ...24
by Matthew J. Hanson
Two and a Half Dice Games ..........................40
by Lance Kepner
The Fodder Canon .......................................57
by Dana Driscoll and Lance Kepner
Legal
Open Gaming Licence ..................................59Publishers Notes and Legal Info .....................60
Contents Page
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