The Tapestry that is Troll Lord Games What TLG does offer are supplements with internal con-

sistency. There are reasons, supplied to the Referee, why

Troll Lord Games is dedicated to creating material for
your gaming enjoyment, yet, there is more to TLG than
rehashing old ideas in glossy paper. TLG is a tapestry in
the making. A tapestry that relates the tale of an ongo-
ing story. It is a tale only partially told, awaiting the
final threads of completion.
Our products are not particular to any gaming style but,
rather, ones that can easily accommodate many styles.
Within our books you will find, amongst many things,
histories of the worlds of Erde and Inzae and a host of
adventures which often pit the role player in you against
the rules master. As with any ongoing story there is not
always a reward at the end. Davis remarked to me once,
referring to his module, “Dogs of War,” “there is no trea-
sure, your just lucky to be alive!” TLG brings you all the
tools you need to run exciting and unusual games. How-
ever, these represent only a shell of what it takes for a
Referee to run a game. The details, the texture, will
come from you. To help you along, settings with histo-
ries, mythologies, guilds, magic items, spells, classes,
languages and races are all outlined, adventures with all
the accompanying hooks, dangers, riddles and pitfalls
only add more color to the overall tapestry that you, in
the end, must weave.
the Stone Dwarves are bound to their halls in Roheisen
Hohle. There is a reason the trolls of Gottland-Ne rule
from a throne called the “Elephant’s Back” (see this is-
sue). This is the mission of TLG, we mark our supple-
ments with depth, purpose and feeling. These are supple-
ments where there is a reason for being. The elements
of fantasy that we have all come to know and love are
here, elves, dwarves, halflings, dragon, orcs and so forth.
They are woven into the cultural geography in a rich
tapestry of magic and adventure. It is a tapestry you
must take up and continue.
Troll Lord Games is dedicated to bringing you quality
products, but they are products which require a different
type of gamer. They are products which necessitate a
gamer to be creative, to expand on what we have given
and battle or role play your way through Worlds of Epic
adventure.
TLG is a tapestry that you, the Referee and Player, must
finish weaving. The final threads are yours, and will by
your hand make the story whole.
~ Troll Lord Steve

Table of Contents
Welcome to The Seeker! This is our own in house Vol. 3, Issue 1
newsprint magazine that carries reviews, articles,
stories, RPG news etc etc. For letters to the editor, Editorial page 2
submissions, or simple questions and comments Letters & Reviews page 3
please contact the editors at seeker@trolllord.com Gary stabs the Angry Gamer
Review of “A Knight’s Tale”
Game Master’s Theatre page 4
Tips and Tricks
The Seeker: Journal of Intrepid Adventuring, Troll Lord Games, The World of Inzae page 4-5
and their logos are Trademark and Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 Of the Dwarves & the Trottigen Giants
Troll Lord Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All characters, The Poet’s Stump page 5
character names, and places herein and the distinctive likenesses Ode to a Salamander
thereof are trademarks of Troll Lord Games, LLC. This material Women & Gaming page 6-7
is protected under international treaties and the copyright laws of Why Women Game
the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized Rebecca Downey
use of the material contained herein is prohibited except for The Angry Gamer page 7
purposes of review. Material published herein does not reflect the On Game Night
opinions of Troll Lord Games or its staff, who are not liable for Historical Footnotes page 8-9
the opinions expressed herein. Products mentioned or appearing Beyond the Castle Walls
in ads herein are trademarks and copyright by the companies that Excerpts from the Codex of Erde page 10-11
publish those products. Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2002. Printed Gottland-Ne
in U.S.A. TLG Catalog page 12

2
 Trolls & Scrolls
Letters, Reviews and other Nuggets
To the Troll Who Tidies Up:
After reading “One Tolkein to Play,” I am moved to
speak to al those shameful gamers ignoring the
LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy...
Good show, chaps! It’s really a long and dull read, that
set, and in all who cares about British
shopkeepers fighting Adolph Hitler, the former dis-
guised as hobbits, the latter as Sauron and his
orcs.
For really meaningful swoords & sorcery tales that you
can apply to your ROG, get ahold of the
“Conan” boooks by Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber’s
“Fafhard & the Gray Mouser” novels, A. Merritt’s
books are superb, Jack Vance outdid himself with his
tales of “The Dying Earth! Likewise the stories
about Harold Shea done by deCamp and Pratt are
great, so too Poul Andersons work, that of
Michael Moorcock, Fred Saberhagen P.J. Farmer...
I could go on for a spell, but you get the idea. On the
totem pole of inspirational fantasy, I rate the
“Trilogy” pretty low. Now THE HOBBIT is another
thing entirely. Thats a fun read:)
Ciao,
Gary Gygax
HFP1001
MSRP $34.95
An RPG by Gary Gygax! 224 pages
Everything you always
wanted to know about
character generation,
skills, combat, and magic
is found in this, the
player's guidebook to the
Lejendary Adventure.
3
Movies in Review “A Knights Tale”
Davis Chenault
The stoics warn against great expectations. If one follows
this devious mental route little will be lost upon viewing this tale of
tales. Bear in mind, this cinematic creation is not about the Middle
Ages, it is not about jousting, it is not about chivalric Authorian
knights, nor is it a Shakespearean romance. It is a coming of age tale
mixed with rags to riches and cliched romance. The tableau is the
Middle Ages with romping Knights, damsels of great beauty, and
virile men a-jousting. It is intentionally disingenuous and the
Director lets you know this within moments. Thank you, this made
the rest of the movie pleasant to watch.
The opening joust, which occurs very shortly after the
films opening, is ushered in by a chorus of “We Will Rock You.”
The audience is chanting and swaying to the rhythm, the princesses
are dancing, and fat men jostle with each other in the audience while
swilling pints of beer. I was immediately taken back to the first
soccer match I ever attended. This sets the stage for the remainder
of the movie - a sorta campy, retro tale staged, presumably for
dramatic flourish, way back in the Middle Ages. Does it work? For
me, it did - but just barely. But my glass is always nearly empty and
anything more than that makes me giddy with happiness. For others,
well, I know tastes are different and expectations dissimilar.
Giving away the whole plot wouldn’t really hurt the film,
as the plot, in its entirety, is revealed within 20 minutes of its
beginning (relieving this viewer of that awful anxiety that
accompanies anticipation). But I shall refrain from giving it out,
only saying that it too is a veneer just as the setting. So pay it no heed
and it will pay you no heed. To wit though and to offer a frame, this
is the story of a peasant who clobbers his way to the upper
coagulants of the royal pile. To manage this, this young Prince sails
a sea of vicissitudes of such hazard that even Parcifal’s daring would
likely fail in their undertakings. There is the swirling and
magnificent social function and dance which every High School
student knows can be the death knell to one’s social (not to mention
sexual) conquests if not dealt with, with panache. There is also
haggling with merchants of death where great witticisms such as
“Will do this for free?” may just win our young Prince the day.
Though these seem great feats of such daring-do that any
film would stop here for fear of overwhelming its audience, the
director goes on adding intrigue, deception, romance, and spicing
everything up with a few comical interludes. The intrigue is shallow
and predictable serving only to offer a moral antipode for the hero.
The romance is no Romeo and Juliette and lacks the essential
element of sacrifice or loss to be truly heart rending. The backdrop
is fairly convincing with good special affects, dirty seconds, rough
garments and authentic appearing buildings. The jousts are erratic
though several thrusts of the lance are done well enough to convey
the pain one might feel upon being struck with such a formidable
weapon as the lance.
And ahhh the characters. For those interested in beautiful
things there is enough to admire here both for women and men
depending upon your needs. Be forewarned though, the only flesh
shown is the backside of a dirty emaciated Brit.
Continued on page 5
 Gamemastering Tips OF THE DWARVES & THE
and Tricks TROTTIGEN GIANTS
~Introducing: Jeff Inzae brought the dwarves into the
Ibach world though beguilements and offer-
Part of the GM’s hobby is preparation for the game they are running.
ings of unbridled wealth for the dwarves were reluctant
If you are the type who doesn’t have time to prep, my suggestion is to leave the world of their origin - Erde. Yet the dwarves
with a little time management and the game is important, you can are ever moved by promises of wealth and power so, in
squeeze out 3 hours per week for prep. Other are luckier, but use the end, they came. For, it is true that Inzae could do
their time unwisely. Here are some tricks and tips to make your prep little to build the great palaces in her imaginings or to
worth it.
remake the metals of the world into glittering baubles
A picture is worth a thousand words. Weather you use a scanner and so she had sought the dwarves out to create these
and desktop publishing or some photocopies and tape, making NPC things for her.
picture cards can help you and the players. Picture a regular sheet of
paper cut longways, facing you. Place the image of the NPC facing As is told elsewhere, the skills of these earliest dwarves
away from you at the far end, and the NPC’s stats at your end, facing
you. When the page is folded in half, it can be hung on your GM
in crafting stones and bending metals to their will were
screen so the players see the picture and you see the stats. This way unmatched by any save the greatest of beings. Inzae
the space behind your screen is clear, and the players can play off the offered unto them a magnificent array of gold and silver
image you present. You say the adventure doesn’t have NPC and other metals of greater quality and rarer nature, she
pictures? Wizard of the Coast has a hundred or more fantasy bade them remake the mountains as they willed and cre-
portraits available online:
ate what lie in their desires. She offered them a great
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/pc/pc20020108a freedom and the bounty of a world without competition.
Inzae allowed many ages to pass without fettering the
And there are plenty of web sites that have fantasy and sci-fi images dwarves to her will.
for this very use.

Match the Challenge to the Party. Nearly every adventure has a

During these ages, the dwarves created many wondrous
suggested power or level rating matching their challenge to the things and came to love and cherish both their creations
experience of the characters. Some games are easier than others to and their abilities and through these became bound to
convert to other character levels. The new D&D has a slick sliding Inzae and the world they helped build. Through magics
scale you can use to adjust the challenge, but even this can be a little of her own, Inzae closed the paths by which the dwarves
time consuming when you’re talking about a large change. My
advice is take a rainy day and gather your game of choice collection
could travel back to Erde and thence proceeded to en-
and make up an index of NPC’s from everywhere: adventures, slave them to her will. Many fought against this en-
sourcebooks, campaign material. For example: slavement and great number of these died or were scat-
tered to the furtherest corners of the world where they
Male Half-Elf Wiz5/Rog4…………………RtoEE 168 lay in hiding for many ages, fearing the wrath of Inzae.
This tells me I have a 5th level wizard/4th level rogue on page 168 of
the adventure Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. Within just a
few hours you will have a huge list you can scan to replace NPC’s in
an adventure ill suited for your characters. This past week I found a
great adventure for my 12th level party but it was written for
character levels 3-5. I simply went through and wrote in the columns
next to the unchallenging NPC’s the reference to their more capable
counterparts in other products I could reference during the game.

Jeff Ibach has been playing D&D since January first 1980. He's the
webmaster of DM's Haven and GamePlayNews. For questions or
comments he can be contacted at ocasek50@hotmail.com.
http://www.dmshaven,freeservers.com
http://www.gameplaynews.com

4
The others were forced to create a great palace for Inzae.
For uncountable aeons the dwarves carved and cut and
beat a whole range mountains down to create a palace
wherein Inzae would rest and peer out upon her creation.
Its wonderment was without compare. It spread for many
miles from the central throne. So much so that a year of
travel could pass before one might begin approaching it
outermost edges. The spires were all of gold and silver,
its streets gloried in gems, rubies, and diamonds and its
airy heights reached far into the clouds and were ever
snowed upon.

During this slavery the dwarves became much dimin-

ished for, as it is told, the earliest dwarves were great in
stature and mingled freely with the tallest of trees. And
only in times after the fall of Inzae have those earliest of
dwarves returned to the lands of their slavery. These
dwarves, the Trottigen Giants, now gather in numbers
and collect the massive Kreuts as an act of thanks to the Ode to a Dead Salamander
Gods for freeing them from the yoke of fear. They col-
lect these Kreuts and place them around great tunnels The battle continued to rage on
Bodies lying all around
carved shortly after their enslavement. Tunnels, it is
Swords stabbing and slinging
rumored, that once lead to the lands of the birth. Blood spilling onto the ground

Continued from page 3 The combat started to slow

The smoke started to clear
This hero is without a thousand faces stretching it to say he even
Our opponents were all defeated
has one. Though he has good posture and a square chin despite all the
pummeling on horseback The sidekicks are amusing and include a young There was nothing left to fear
Geoffrey Chaucer and the inventor of the Nike trademark. The Princess
(with a wardrobe ranging from Audrey Hepburn chic to Pat Bennatar street) The players counted their hitpoints
is a fairly bland and empty though beautifully gilded vessel. Her maid in The DM counted the dead
waiting is likewise a fair star upon which to gaze. Silence fell over the party
To the crux of the matter. A Knights Tale is worth a lazy As the DM scratched his head
afternoon at the movies. But do not go expecting Braveheart battles, Henry
the V speeches, The Lion in Winter plots, or Aurthurian romance. This is “Who’s salamander is this?”
a common tale, told throughout the ages about a boy becoming a man while
We heard him question us all
challenging and overcoming the social structure to win love and privilege.
It is a lighthearted telling without the burdens of consequence, loss, or No one had noticed the amphibian
moral dilemma (not to mention plot, dialogue and acting). Though Who someone had caused to fall
occurring 700 years ago, it is made for the 20th century child within,
connecting us through the past to our present though modern wardrobe Among the orcs and goblins
music and dance. The message rings as clear with this tale as it must have Giants and the like
with similar tales in the Arabian dessert 1000 years ago: challenge the A band of angry salamanders
social structure, make your way in the world, but do it with honor. A s Had joined in our bloody fight
this is a gaming zine I feel compelled to offer its utility to gaming. In a
word, none. Let me retract some. Take the joust scenes and a few
Someone had taken him down
panoramic shots, tape them, combine them, put them to good music and
play them back again and again prior to a game and perhaps one can create Struck him with all of their might
a gaming mood. But no one wanted to claim him
Best Actor: Roland; Best Actress: Maid in Waiting His death a meaningless plight
Best Plot Twist: Hahahah; Best Line: “huh”
Best Scene: Bleachers with jostling half-naked fat men swilling So this poem is in memory
beer or the bleachers with Princess leaning over to whisper to Maid in Of a poor salamander who died
Waiting while dressed like a goth Audrey Hepburn or midget tossing - oops Those experience points I’d have taken
wrong movie. If only I’d thought to have lied.
Overall: B-
--Laura Burns

5
 The historical figure is OK, but I’m more the Adventure
Seeker, and being a fantasy-gamer the idea of being
stuck in long dresses looking after the kids does not
appeal, regardless of the amount of politics involved.
My players are convinced that I love politics. I don’t
really, but I do not see how any game with a social aspect
WHY DO WOMEN GAME? can run without them.

Gawds I hate that question. I’m a gamer of some 15+ I am always careful to ground my player-characters into
years experience and, having played numerous games in the society in which they play. I give them detailed
numerous genres, I am still asked that question when I sit backgrounds, families that are supportive and worry
down to a new table with new people. Usually I am the about them (and arrange marriages for them). I give
only woman at the table. Only twice in my life have I them clan affiliations that can get them out of trouble but
been in games with more women than men. also limit what they can and cannot do. This also gives
them enemies (clan enemies) that they sometimes have
My current gaming set has another woman at the table to warily work with. Social consequences, especially
(but she plays a male character). To offset this, there is a when dolled out from people that they are suppose to
man who plays a female character. Since this is my care about, can be frightening. It also helps keep the
game, I often complain they conspired to do this just to player-characters in line. They are less likely to kill the
confuse me. It worked. annoying senator that they must protect because he is
from a rival clan and it is their clan’s honor that is resting
I’ve played and run the kill-it-all and take the treasure on their actions.
type of games, as well as the he/she who dies with the
most toys wins type games. I’ve also played and run Why Do Women Game?
murder mysteries, political intrigues, assassinations and
wars. I prefer the latter to the former, but being flexible
The damsel in distress is an odd image for me. Since I
in the type of game and plot is one of the best skills I
want to portray as little gender restriction as possible,
think a GM can have.
I’ve had to modify the social strata somewhat in any
game I run. Men and women may both stay home to tend
Why Do Women Game?
the house, lands and children. They are colloquially
called “Carers”, not house-wives/husbands. Men and
I prefer to look at the different styles not between women
women may both go out to work. These are people with
and men, but rather between the different gamers out
“Careers”. Armies allow both men and
there: Power gamers, Adventure Seekers, Political Nuts
women. Dating someone in your unit is
and Who-Done-It fans to name a few. Although women
called “kissing your sister”
are in the minority at most gaming tables, they - just like
and is socially unaccept-
their male counterparts, have varied styles and
able. However with contra-
preferences in play. I believe it is because of their
ception readily available
minority that most male gamers believe that all women
(and working) sexual liai-
hate the chain mail bikini and/or the historical figure of
sons with others in (or out)
the repressed woman image exists.
of the army is both common
and acceptable. Marriage is
Do they? I’m not big on either personally, but I have
more about children than
played and run both. Hey when I was a kid Barbie was
sex. Or at least, it should be
always rescuing Ken! As a joke I recently found a way to
since almost every pantheon
create and then magically make bits of the armor
seems to have a Bacchus
invisible. Thus you can wear a chain mail bikini and be
who promotes free sex; the
protected. Would I use it in a game? Sure - I’m just
60’s embodied in a deity, so
waiting for an opportunity.
to speak.

6
So you’ve got the man in distress, screaming in fear at On Game Night
the top of a tower guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. or
The knight, in full plate with a sword of dragon slaying
Game’s Labor Lost
+4 rides her charger up to the gate and vanquishes the
dragon after a long and vicious fight. Rescuing the
It is Wednesday night and time for some fun. This is a
prince, he gratefully asks for her hand in marriage.
game night. I have been looking forward to this since the
Together they defend and lead the country.
game last week. But there was no game last week. Well,
I am sure there was a good reason for the game being
Why can’t they both wear the pants? Why is a marriage
cancelled. When I think about it, I can’t think of any
or a meeting of equals seen as being so very rare? Why
good reason. Now I am getting mad. I need to call my
can’t it be so very common?
comrades and find out if the game is on tonight. I am
sure that I have nothing to worry about.
Games based in history are fun. They give a yardstick
with which to measure events, determine levels of
What?!! We are not starting until 8:30?! This is really
technology, education and even word use. But speaking
getting to be a royal pain. What is the excuse this time?
as a modern girl, I don’t like what I see as repressive
Two of the gaming crew have errands they have to run.
socialization being reenacted. It promotes negative
Another has to work later. One just wants to start later.
stereotypes, and does none of the broaden-the-mind and
What the heck is this all about. I receive the puny
open the heart type things I think role-playing is very
escuses that we never get started on time anyway, or I can
good at. Role-playing makes you think. At least, I think
be brought in later in the game. These excuses really
it should.
suck, and so do most of the other ones that come up
around game time. This is supposed to be our quality
You don’t want round towers, there are no water mills in
time for fun and it is turning out to be just another page
your world, literacy is limited; this is all fine and good.
in daily reality. I can get this abuse anywhere! Alright,
Set the technological and educational levels; but why
I need to just calm down. We are still going to play
copy the social levels as well? Personally I do not see the
tonight. We can still get some quality gaming time in.
attraction to playing a runaway serf with only a single
coin
I arrive for the game at 8:25. Ready for the game and
in his pocket, his father’s dagger and the clothes on his
excited, I enter and start preparing for the evening’s
back in a world of un-climbable social strata. Being on
session. One of my esteemed companions comes in and
the lowest rung is just no fun.
is immediately surprised. After asking why I am here, he
goes on to tell me that the game has been cancelled since
So Why Do Women Game?
“everyone” wanted to call the game off because we
would not really get anything accomplished this
Why Do Women Game?
evening.
Why do men game? Why does anyone game? Gaming is
I stormed out of the house after verbally abusing my
fun. It’s an excuse to regularly get together with friends/
host, who has now become an insignificant acquain-
family, talk about something other than work/school, eat
tance, and head home. I am very tired of this. I never
bad food and have fun.
want to game again. I hate all types of games, gaming
Rebecca Downey is a technical writer by day and a fantasy writer
and the word game in general! These strangers in my life
by night and sometimes even on weekends. She has written the odd are casuing me nothing but distress!!! This will never
review for Guild Companion and RPG.Net and hopes to be pub- HAPPEN AGAIN!!!
lished in the gaming industry in the near future. She can be con-
tacted for comment at rdowney@matrox.com. But, there is always hope for next week.

THE ANGRY GAMER

7
 BEYOND THE CASTLE
WALLS
THE CASTLE IN PEACE
The history of man is a history of struggle. Man has struggled against
the elements, against himself, and in our present age, against time.
No matter the contest, the battles of mankind*s past have defined his
present and laid the foundations for his future. No age or century can
claim predominance over another, but in the West some, more so
than others, have left greater impressions upon our historical
conscientiousness. The medieval period, when castles dominated
the political, military and cultural landscape of Europe, is such a
period. The stone walls, barbacans and high towers all reflect an age
defined by struggle. But, as with all such constructs, beyond the
walls, are people. They were men and women who lived out their
lives in relative obscurity. These people did not see their age as one
defined by the walls of their homes. Unlike modern man, these folk
did not define their lives by the yardsticks of the past or future, but
rather, they lived in the present. And these castles were their homes.
The medieval castle underwent a great many architectural and
technological changes during the long period wherein it dominated
the European landscape. What began as small, hill top mote and
bailey built largely of wood and protected by dirt ramparts and
palisades evolved into a far more sophisticated network of
buildings, walls, towers and courtyards, constructed of stone, and
mortared brick. The earliest castles were, by and large, built for
defense, but even as the physical structure of the castle began to
change, so too did its purpose.
As the manorial system developed in France and as the Carolingian
Imperial system broke down in Germany and Italy, castles rose in
importance because their owners rose in power and the castles
themselves became the centers of the local administration.
The stone castles dominated the village landscape and served as the
administrative centers of the manorial system. The local lord,
whether he was a knight or baron, usually ruled from a castle. The
castle’s presence in the village communities went beyond simple
governance however, and became an integral part of people’s daily
lives. Peasants and serfs were generally required to pay rent in both
yield and service. Yield constituted food, wine or beer, wood for the
cook fires, hay and other goods delivered and stored in the castles.
Services were paid by farming the manorial estates or through
maintaining the castle itself, a practice called noctes. In this
respectm, supplying and working in the castle became a constant in
the peasant’s life and the castle itself the center of that life.
The castle served other economic purposes as well. As strong points
along the lines of communication, straddling bridges and roads, they
became ideal places for tolls. The relative value of a castle, its size
and placement, made the castle a valuable economic tool for
treaties, dowries and other exchanges between lords of various
provinces. They frequently demarcated territorial borders as well.
Also, the castles became centers of religious worship. Lords
frequently had clergy in their households and eventually, as they
grew in wealth, added chapels to the castle inventory. This served to
establish the castle itself as a religious center in the community.
8
Castles took many forms. The majority assumed a simple geometric
pattern (generally a rectangle, square, or circle) and possessed at
least two, though sometimes as many as three and four floors. Others
ranged in complexity depending on the locale. Heidelberg castle in
Baden, Germany was (and still is) a massive affair with outer works,
a walled moat, gated bridge, towering walls and one high tower. It
could house several hundred people. Stozenfel castle in Germany
was a much smaller castle built atop a cliff. Narrow and long,
Stozenfel possessed several defensible courtyards and gates with
buildings built into the fortifications. It too could house more than
the average castle (see illustration).
No matter the size or shape of the castle, life inside was far from
ideal and in many cases less sanitary than the village houses. The
conditions were cramped, lighting was poor, and until the later
Medieval period with the advent of the fireplace, they were rarely
heated. Hay or rushes were used to carpet the floor. The latrine, if
there was one, was small, consisting of an open pit, preferably one
with running water beneath it. In this the master of the castle had to
house his family, his soldiery, his domestic staff, and in times of war,
serfs under his charge.
The ground floor of the castle was usually dirt or in some cases
cobbled stone. The upper floors consisted of thick timbers
supported by massive beams and arches. Water was supplied to all
the floors through cisterns or in some cases by a central well inside
the castle. Room was always found for some form of pantry and in
the case of larger castles a buttery, kiln, and kitchen. Generally,
kitchens existed as separate wooden structures placed in the
courtyard, or along the walls, both to reduce the chance of fires but
also to free up more living space. Contrary to popular perceptions,
plaster almost always covered the interior stone work of the castle
wall while tapestries and other ornaments decorated the walls. Early
castles did not possess connecting tunnels or passageways. Space
A D20 SYSTEM SETTING & SOURCEBOOK. COM-
PLETE WITH A MINI-MODULE BY GARY GYGAX.
ON SALE NOW!!
was always utilized for one purpose or the other. Occasional outer
buildings were connected by covered walkways but these too were
utilized for living space.

Fire was a constant fear. The dry hay and grass on the floor posed a
constant hazard to a dwelling whose primary light came from
candles or torches. And contrary to popular opinion, the interior
space of most castles was wooden.

The Great Hall dominated the interior space and was invariably
placed on the ground floor, though in exceptional cases it was
located on the 2nd floor. In smaller castles, the Hall was a multi-
functional room, part administrative, part religious/ceremonial, a
dining room, and, all the while, serving as sleeping quarters for the
Lord and his family. In some more affluent castles a room was built
inside the Great Hall or just above where the Lord and his family
could gain some measure of privacy. Later, as room became
available in the larger castles, the lord and lady shared a room apart
from the rest of the castle, usually on the second floor, but even then,
their servants usually slept on the floor of their chamber.
In most castles, the men-at-arms slept and ate near their posts. The
upper floor rooms were partitioned by screens in order to house the
Lord’s children and the staff. Dogs wandered the halls and slept
where they would while the scullions slept where they worked.
The conditions were crowded and the damp, dirty quarters
frequently unhealthy. But life in the castle was not all bad. The
growth in size and intricacy of castles reflected the ever increasing
importance of castles (administrative, religious, economic and
military) on the medieval landscape and eventually offered greater
amenities to its inhabitants.
As a permanent structure, the castle offered several definite
benefits. Aside from military protection, castles suffered little
danger from the weather. And in a world dominated by life outdoors,
the warm cook fires of the great hall, surrounded by thick stone walls
gave the medieval lord a welcome home. The common room, or
Hall, with its arched high ceiling (almost always 20 feet or more)
could be cool in the Summer and kept relatively warm in winter. The
hay scattered on the floors covered all manner of debris and a
generous sprinkling of flowers could lighten the smell while the
spring and summer cleaning did much to clear out the mess.
The larger courtyards afforded a Lord with more space in which to
entertain his guests. He might stage tournaments or feasts here, and
display his wealth in comfort and security. The interior facade of the
walls changed accordingly with open balconies, staircases and
verandas to house the Lord and his guests. Often, offices, servants
quarters, stables, a livery and garrison house were added, making
the whole affair more affective as an administrative center.
The castle became a center of cultural development as well. Priests,
scribes, and troubadours all came to live in the later castles, enjoying
the relative comfort and security of their Lords.
To us castles symbolize an age of constant warfare. The symbolism
is not far from the truth. But when we look upon the ruined castles
which dot the European landscape, from Germany to Brittany, from
Scotland to Spain, we would do well to remember that they were
homes as well. Upon those walls, where men-at-arms stood in
constant vigilance, there were children at play. In the shadows of the
gates, built to withstand battering rams, wagons lumbered carrying
cabbages, carrots and other foods. In the great halls where men
girded themselves for war, families gathered around tables and ate
their fill, drank to be merry, sang and danced, all this in the shadow
of war. Castles are part of our heritage, a common heritage of
struggle and peace.

In later years, as Lords grew in wealth and power they added towers
and walls onto their already existing castles. Outer walls were
extending, anchored on towers and encapsulating larger courtyards. Next issue look for the second in this two part article, “The
Of course entirely new castles were built. Reflecting the growing Castle in Peace” and “The Castle in War.” As always
centralization of political power into the hands of powerful Lords direct comments to seeker@trolllord.com
these large castles dominated whole provinces.

As castle*s grew in size, so did their comfort. Additional living We heard tale of a great gathering in the fall of the
space meant more comfort, security and privacy for the Lord, Lady last year and we’ve come south too, to cross the Great
and his children, as well as their guests. Rooms became larger and
River and see for our own eyes this, the
they often had internal fire places. In the upper floors rugs replaced
the dirt and straw of yesteryear. Tile stoves provided heat in at least TrollKon 69
the ladies’ rooms (a thing not seen since Roman days) which helped October, 2002
dispel the aegis of winter. For more information contact Todd at toddtrolllord.com
www.trolllord.games

9

Gottland (short for Gottland-Ne, “The Land Without Gods”).
In the far north upon a hill of slag Lord Varucks, sits upon “the
Elephants Back” in Castle Nacht. He rules a land of troll, foul beast
and orc. There is no standard here, for he bares none, only totems
and poles displaying their grisly conquest.
Of the Lands of the Trolls: The Gottland is a broken land of stark
hills with little vegetation. To the north and west it borders the
Shadow Mountains, in the east the Inner Sea and the south the Ington
River (or Deep Flow in the Vulgate). It is best known for the bitterly
cold winds which blow off the mountains and through the Kleberock
Pass. The wind is forever whistling as it coils through the clefts and
rocks, mimicking the sounds of the dead. This horrible whistling has
given birth to the legends of the walking dead, where those who
suffered from the depredations of the Wizard Mongroul Nulak and
the Troll Lords are forced to wander the land as the damned. Strange
solitary trees dot the countryside, almost always dead, with scant
branches and no leaves. Despite this they remain firmly rooted to
the ground (see below for the nature of the Gottland Trees). The
Gottland is a forsaken land where little grows, but monsters abound.
Travel in the Gottland is difficult for there are no roads for wagons
or beasts, but rather broken trails winding through the twisted rock.
The Trolls from Nacht hound travelers as do various Orc and
Hobgoblin bandits. It is as inhospitable a place as the world has ever
known.
Though the Troll Lord Varucks lays claim to the whole country he
has direct control of little beyond Castle Nacht and the valleys to the
south. Even the Kleberock Pass is a wild place. This huge Troll (see
Monsters of Erde, p. ) is slow to act, but clever. He uses the threats
of pretended power to cajole the unwary into doing his bidding. He
wields two large hammers in combat, calling them by their names,
Var and Ucks. Varucks commands a powerful but small troop of
trolls in battle. When needed, he forces local tribes to give warriors
and material to raise a sizable, if disorganized, army of orcs and
hobgoblins.
But even these foul folk need goods, and at times, the very brave or
desperate bring caravans into the region. Recently, the Hanse cities
have established trading posts along the coasts in their growing trade
with the Hobgoblin King of Burnevitse. This has led to some
pitched battles with the inhabitants of the Gottland as the humans
and southern Hobgoblins strive to defend their growing trade and
the northern Humanoids seek to plunder it.
This trade has brought to the country even more disreputable
characters. The owners of the trading posts exercize little control
over the inhabitants, letting them do as they please so long as the
10
ships sail on time. This, of course, has attracted hosts of would be
adventurers, thieves, bandits, ruffians, explorers and any other
breed of man which seek to leave the perfumed comforts of
civilization behind them. The towns are rough affairs where only the
strongest survive.
Within the interior the scattered humanoid tribes are mostly
migratory. They feed off of livestock, cattle mostly, and a tough
breed of sheep. They are forced to move from one place after the
next, for the grazing is sparse. These groups tend to be small and
possessed of little wealth. Their greatest sport are the Cleaver Pits.
Once in awhile, the smaller bands gather together, dig pits here and
there and throw in contestants which fight to the death. These are not
unlike the Cleaver Pits in the Gelderland far to the south. In times of
turmoil these Orcs and Hobgoblins turn to the Troll Lords in castle
Nacht for protection, for the memory of the wizard lingers in the
hearts and minds of these people.
In the far west country, upon the slopes of the Shadow Mountains
and around the headwaters of the Ington River, the Olgrack Orcs
rule from their fortress of Rackenburg. Their Chief is a thin, wiry
Orc by the name of Uranoch Scatterskull. His name derives from the
split in his skull which is ever visible and forever dribbling puss and
blood. Uranoch is very intelligent and rules his Orcs by threatening,
pleading and cajoling them. They resist the Troll Lords whenever
possible.
In this thankless place on the edge of the world nothing is produced
other than terror and slavery. The creatures there are self sufficient,
depending on fishing and farming. The Orcs mine gold from the
Mountains and have recently begun carting it to the coast for trade
of arms. The one thing that brings the wary merchant are the flowers
found around the roots of the “Gottland Trees.” They are reputed
to have great healing powers and be the source of the troll’s
regenerative powers.
The Trees of the Gottland: Lonely things, these dead husks stand
with feet firmly rooted to the ground. Folks say that these are none
other than the souls of dead Trolls. As is common knowledge, Trolls
do not die like mortals, but live on until their life’s evil deeds weigh
them down, planting them to the ground. The most ancient of Trolls,
though they speak, cannot move for the weight of their own evil
deeds. Many argue that trolls are in fact the spirits of evil tress that
walked the world in the Days before Days. The Trolls, the tales
relate, are really the manifestations of the souls of those evil trees
and when a Troll dies, the twisted tree’s souls rise to feed upon the
corpse, to grow again into the trees of yesteryear. Around the base
of the “Gottland Trees” grow small patches of violet flowers, and
when pulped into a mush and used as a salve they can heal wounds
(1d4).
Upon Those Hills, even Trolls Feared to Tread: Early in the age
of Winter’s Dark, Nulak-Kiz-Din, called Mongroul and The Troll
Lord, established his great spired tower, Graugusse, in the Moravan
Plains. These plains lay beyond the Shadow Mountains and were, as
they still are today, accessible by crossing an overland trail which
led into the heart of his domain, the Kleberock, a pass of broken
country. In those days, when Unklar slept much, his minions warred
one with the other, so much so that they built towers and walls
against each other. So Mongroul built a wall to guard his own tower.
He summoned a great Troll Lord, Hasryck, to his side and bid him
to gather a host of his fellows to encamp upon the southern end of the
Kleberock and block egress to the Moravan Plains beyond.
Mongroul’s voice, laced with spells, captured the mind of Hasryck
and that troll set about doing the wizard’s bidding. He took mounds
of gold into the Shadow mountains to bribe others from their holes
and come to the Kleberock. The trolls who gathered there served the
gold of Hasryck if they did not serve the Troll himself. Hasryck
chastised the gathered Trolls from on high, castigating them, calling
them mules and the like trying to force them into building a castle
upon the footsteps of the pass. Trolls abhor work of any kind, and
they refused, but instead convinced Hasryck to gather slaves for the
labor. They entreated him to lead them to the stone giant halls where
they could “bind those fools as slaves.” Hasryck smiled, for this was
his intent all the while.
The Trolls gathered themselves for war, entering the mountains
beneath clouds of snow. They came upon the giants in one of their
many caverns. Hasryck bid them to quit the dark recesses of their
holes, “Come with us dear giants, bind yourselves to us and serve the
Trolls of the Kleberock. If you do this you will know only happiness
and contentment, for we shall allow you to build halls of stone for
us.” Unmoved at this speech, the giants laughed at the Trolls and
threw rocks at them. The war
which ensued shook the moun-
tain to its core. The giants
hurled boulders the size of
houses onto the heads of the
Trolls. The Trolls in turn,
threw spears and axes at the
giants. Many giants fell to
horrible wounds, but too, the
Trolls could not stand against
the rocks from above.
In the end a great wolf came
upon the field and bid Hasryck
to cease his attacks on the cave
entrance and wait for the giants to come forth. The wolf, of course,
was Mongroul and in this guise he stole into the cave. Once the
dread wizard entrenched himself there he summoned arcane magic
and unleashed them upon the giants. They fled from him, for those
giants bore superstition like a shield, tumbling out of the cave in wild
abandon. The Trolls pounced upon them, bound them in chains,
hauling them soon thereafter down the mountain.
Hasyrick ordered the giants to build a castle for the Trolls. They set
about this task reluctantly. But they gathered slabs of rock and piled
them on high, shaping them at the Troll Lord’s direction. It took
them many years, but in time a fortress of jagged rock took shape at
the very mouth of the Kleberock. They called it the fortress of
Nacht. There, Hasyrick ensconced himself, declaring himself
“Keeper of the Graugusse,” a title seldom heard in these days, but
one still dear to the Trolls. Other Orcs and Hobgoblins settled in the
surrounding country, building villages and squalid moats and bailey
castles. The Gottland, “the land without gods,” served as the
gateway to this realm and reflected the evil of its dark master.
11
So Hasyrick ruled the Kleberock for many hundreds of years until he
fell in battle with a Mammoth of such proportions that a single tread
could break boulders to dust. From the northern glaciers it
wandered into the fields south of the castle. Hasyrick made to attack
the beast, for such a trophy could not be passed over. The fatal
contest did not last long. The beast trampled Hasryick, gored him
with its great tusk, and finally tore the unfortunate Troll asunder.
The beast Hasyrick’s guard killed, though not before many more
Troll kin fell, and its corpse they hauled back to the slag castle.
There, another Troll Lord rose in Hasyrick’s place. Rodzek by
name, he took the corpse of the mammoth to the great hall, where he
ordered all to feast upon it. He then took the bones and built a
monstrous chair, upon which, he declared, “All Trolls who rule the
Kleberock must sit here, upon the elephant’s back.” The Trolls
rejoiced by drinking great quantities of beer. Rodzek ruled in the
Kleberock until the Winter Dark Wars.
None dared assail the Trolls or their fortress of Nacht until
Mongroul’s tower fell in ruin. When the lords of the west gave battle
to Malikor the dragon upon the heights of Thangondrim Mountain,
it ended in disaster for the Arch-magi. As is written “So great was
the Dragon’s fall that Thangondrim broke asunder and that most
ancient of mountains cast down. The quake drowned a host of
Mongroul’s Trolls in rock and slag and ended their days forever. A
great shuttering went through the
world and the hosts of Darkness
were everywhere dismayed and
hid themselves for a time.” (see
Moravain Plains, p. ) By these
acts and others, the power of the
mage passed from the north and
the Trolls of the Kleberock found
themselves without guidance.
A hero born of Gnome blood
came to castle Nacht soon after
the Winter Dark Wars concluded.
Olaf Tryggvason sought to treat
the Troll Lord with death for
crimes against his own clan years in the past. By stealth he avoided
the guards, coming to Rodzek’s hall by secret ways. He called out
to the Troll, bidding him come down from the “Elephant’s Back”
and give him justice. “But you are not but a little thing, Gnome.
How can I give you any justice.” Olaf swore at him to come down,
“You will give me justice or I’ll pay the passage!” Olaf smote the
troll a blow on the foot which roused him to anger. But even before
Rodzek could lift his great bulk from the chair, Olaf struck him again
with his hammer, cracking the bones in his knee. Rodzek toppled to
the ground where Olaf Tryggvason slew him with repeated blows of
his mighty hammer.
The Trolls of Nacht scattered at the death of their lord and for many
years the place remained a wild, dangerous country and it stood
abandoned by folk. Only recently has some order returned. The
Troll Lord Varucks, harking back to his younger years when he
served Hasyrick, has reentered castle Nacht and conquered much of
the region from the Kleberock pass to the Ington River, (called
“Deep Flow” in the Vulgate) in the south. He bound Trolls, Orcs
and Hobgoblins to him and so they rule in the Gottland, creatures of
ill intent and dangerous evil.
Troll Lord Games’ Product Catalog As many of you may have heard, Mr. Mac
Golden has decided to leave the Troll Dens.
Code Product Price Seeking to spend time with his beautiful new
1001 After Winter Dark Campaign $5.00 born daughter, Mac quietly left us on October
1002 Map to After Winter Dark $5.00
1010 The Codex of Erde (d20) $34.95 31st of last year. We’re going to sorely miss his
1101 The Mortality of Green (d20) $6.95 steady hand, calm head and unwavering desire
1201 Vakhund: Into the Unknown (d20) $6.95 to put out the best of the best in gaming mate-
1202 Dzeebagd: Under Dark . . . (d20) $7.00 rial. He is sorely missed. Come back to us Mac,
1203 Felsentheim: Dogs of War (d20) $6.95 whenever you can, the door is always open.
1301 The Fantastic Adventure(d20) $6.95
1401 A Lion in the Ropes (d20) $6.95
1501 Galal’s Grave (d20) $6.00
1601 The Malady of Kings (d20) $7.00 Seriously, say excuse
1801 The Heart of Glass (d20) $9.95 (April) Heehee!
1901 St. Anton’s Fire (d20) $6.95 (May)
me next

2101 Mortality of Green CD-ROM (d20) $10.00

2301 Fantastic Adventure CD-ROM (d20) $10.00
2401 A Lion in the Ropes CD-ROM (d20) $10.00
2501 Galal’s Grave CD-ROM (d20) $11.95

3001 The Canting Crew (d20) Gygax $34.95 (March)

3002 Everyday Fact . . . (d20) Gygax TBA

5100 Codex Germania (d20) Kuntz $34.95 (May)

5200 Dark Druids (d20) Kuntz $9.95 (Feb)

Availability
Direct from Troll Lord Games: All products (call at 501.661.0449
or email troll@trolllord.com)
From Wizard’s Attic or your distributor: All products
Cary Tyson of Sherwood Arkansas wins
last issues contest with this twist of word
on the picture! Your copy of Vakhund is
coming your way! Here’s an old one for
you. Which TV show from the early
‘80s’ cast is appears in the module A
Lion in the Ropes?

ON SALE IN FEBRUAR
EBRU Y 2002
ARY
12