The Cosmology of DragonRaid

 

Games are frequently used as educational tools, so it's no surprise that someone would employ a role-playing game for teaching purposes.  However, it is counter-intuitive that – during the heyday of the Satanic Panic – a role-playing game would be used “to impart Christian truth.”  Yet, DragonRaid, intended as a “discipleship tool,” was published in 1984.  According to the New Player Briefing:

Other fantasy role-playing games create open-ended situations that have the tendency to reinforce worldly values and philosophies.  Many of them even generate unrighteous interest in the occult.  But DragonRaid is radically different in that it uses the imagination to convey a biblical understanding of good and evil.

The game's designer, Dick Wulf, played Traveller and D&D.  He knew that role-playing games are not inherently satanic and recognized their engaging value; so he designed DragonRaid as an “Adventure Learning System.”  Unfortunately, many in the Christian community were not as open minded as Wulf and DragonRaid was decried.  Additionally, gamers were not inclined (nor are they now) to embrace a 'Christian' RPG.  DragonRaid was virtually alienated from the communities it attempted to serve.  Regardless, the game is sold to this day and the current publisher is evidently preparing a second edition.

The setting of DragonRaid is the planet EdenAgain.  (Wulf had a penchant for creating proper nouns by combining two words but still capitalizing the 'first' letter of the 'second' word.)  “[A]t the outer reaches of the universe,” EdenAgain orbits the star Warfare.  The planet was instantly “forested and peopled.”  Early on...

...that pristine world came under the aggressive attack by the Evil One...[T]he Great Red Dragon known as Abaddon took one malignant egg from the dragon Kakia and transported it across the universe.  In EdenAgain's atmosphere, the dragon ovum divided before birthing, hatching nine evil, writhing serpents in a land of peace-loving people.

The serpents were the forerunners of the nine varieties of dragons:  crystal, gaze, fluorescent, firedrake, dream, slime, shadow, sea serpent, and rainbow; each with its own attributes.  Due to the enchantments of the dragons, the people were deceived; they “found themselves separated from the Eternal Presence and discovered that their peacefulness had vanished.”  The dragons “invited...nearby worlds to send the worst of their kind” to EdenAgain.  From these worlds came goblins, orcs, trolls, and other “dark creatures.”

Eventually, the OverLord of Many Names (one of those names being Jesus Christ) appeared on EdenAgain to initiate the Great Rescue, “which continues to this day...”  The OverLord led “carefully chosen people toward the southern portion of the land and laid bare the deception that had gripped them.” At the southern end of the continent of Talania, the OverLord created the Liberated Land, a refuge for the chosen people.  The Liberated Land is completely protected from the Dragon Lands by the Peaks of the New Beginning and “a dense Mist Barrier that rises from the untamed oceans.”

The chosen people became known as the TwiceBorn “because of their 'second birth,' when the OverLord rescued them and set them free from dragon enchantment.”  They “have an everlasting desire to follow the OverLord in heart, mind, and will.”  Player characters are TwiceBorn inhabitants of the Liberated Lands.  Having graduated from the DragonRaider Academy, the PCs are LightRaiders who go on missions to the Dragon Lands in order to thwart evil.  Hence the titular 'DragonRaid' is not a raid by dragons, but a raid against dragons.  The OnceBorn (otherwise known as dragon slaves) are humans who reside in the Dragon Lands and remain under dragon enchantment.  LightRaiders are prohibited from killing the OnceBorn because some of them “will meet the OverLord” and “agree to be rescued.”  Other intelligent beings are fair game.

As indicated above, the New Player Briefing uses the phrase “Other fantasy role-playing games.”  This would seem to be an admission that DragonRaid is a fantasy RPG, yet on the same page is the statement, “DragonRaid is the polar opposite to fantasy role-playing games.”  Certainly, the point of DragonRaid – “promoting practical Christian growth” – is different from its contemporaries, but DragonRaid clearly falls under the rubric of fantasy role-playing games.  In many RPGs, the goal of the player characters is to amass material wealth and power.  In other RPGs, player characters confront a threat to civilization.  In DragonRaid, PCs aren't after wealth or power, nor is their civilization threatened.  Ensconced in the Liberated Land, the TwiceBorn are beyond the influence of the Evil One; instead, LightRaiders volunteer to be pawns of the OverLord in His machinations.  In this sense (at least), DragonRaid is quiet different from the 'other' fantasy role-playing games.

The Dragons of Atlantasia

Dragons are the ultimate being on Atlantasia and any should think several

times before seeking out an encounter with one of these amazing creatures.

                                                                                  – John Holland
                                                                                    The Realms of Atlantasia:
                                                                                    The Game Master’s Bible


Although your humble host has touched upon Atlantasian dragons in prior posts, readers of this blog will doubtless appreciate a post dedicated to the “ultimate being on Atlantasia.”  Seeing as how we just discussed Dragons in Adventures in Fantasy, now would seem to be a good time to talk about Atlantasian dragons.  First, let it be known that dragons in Atlantasia are nigh invincible; not even hookers^* would stand much of a chance against a dragon.  All dragons are spellcasters and no one can disrupt these spells while they are being cast; nothing must be allowed to diminish the dragons' capacity to overwhelm player characters.

The types of dragon include:  air, fire, water, earth, light, shadow, and chaos.  There are also ‘guardian’ dragons.  According to page 161, “Guardian dragons are the babies of the dragon world.”  It seems that guardian dragons are undifferentiated and they do not become a ‘regular type’ until adolescence (i.e., one thousand rebirths/years).  Furthermore…

Guardian dragons have a habit of choosing another life form and study that form throughout its life (this can lead to all sorts of trouble as the guardian dragon will put this life form through many different tests to see how they will react).  If this occurs, the guardian dragon will stay until the life form dies.

Aww, how cute!  It turns out there is a 5% chance that the guardian dragon will choose a player character to study.  Isn’t that adorable?  Guardian dragons have five ‘attacks’ per semi-segment; they will cast four devastating spells, then turn invisible.  Holland tells us that “not even a mindweaver^** can locate an invisible guardian dragon.”  If they were detectable, it might actually be possible to harm a guardian dragon.  Do guardian dragons actually guard anything?  There is nothing that suggests they do; Holland specifically states that guardian dragons do not have treasure hoards.

I guess individual dragons mature at different rates.  The age range for adolescence is 1,000 to 10,000 rebirths but the age range for young adults is 2,500 to 25,000 rebirths and the adult age range is 11,000 to 30,000 rebirths.  There is also a 10,000 rebirth overlap between the elder and ancient age ranges.

Air dragons have 25 attacks per semi-segment, they are immune to “all air-based magic” as well as any spells cast at less than 65th level.  Also, “they will turn into airform before any physical attacks happen.”  I guess Holland means that the dragon will assume airform before anyone attacks the dragon.

While fire dragons only have ten attacks per semi-segment, they are immune to fire-based magic and any spells cast at less than 70th level.  Also, “only fire enchanted weapons will be able to withstand the heat near the dragon.”  Wouldn't 'fire-based magic' include 'fire enchanted weapons'?

As might be expected, water dragons are immune to water-based magic (and any spells cast at less than 70th level).  They have only eight attacks per semi-segment and they can’t even fly.  Like fire dragons, only fire enchanted weapons can hit a water dragon.

Not surprisingly, earth dragons are immune to earth-based magic; however, other spells must be cast at no lower than 80th level to be effective.  “Only dwarven forged weapons with a 90% or better to hit will have any chance of touching an earth dragon.”  To offset these advantages, earth dragons only get five attacks per semi-segment.

Light dragons are immune to “cosmic-based magic” and any spells cast at less than 80th level.  In order to hit a light dragon, the weapon must be (1) magical and (2) “from darkness.”  They get ten attacks per semi-segment.  Long-term readers might recall that light dragons “are beings of light and therefore, in a dragon’s neutral way, are pure compassion.” Has anyone managed to figure that one out?

Shadow dragons “are ominously, [sic] beautiful, shiny, [and] black-scaled.” However, there’s a problem in that “their scales actually absorb all light within 40’ of their body.” So how does anyone know what they look like? Also, wouldn’t shadow dragons be blind if light cannot reach their eyes? Naturally, they are immune to “dark-based magic” as well as any spells cast at less than 90th level. In order to hit a shadow dragon, a weapon must be “made from light.”

Lastly, there are chaos dragons. When chaos dragons mate, they dance through various dimensions and there is a 30% chance that a player character “will be caught” and become “deposited on some other dimension.” Their breath weapon is called “chaos rift” and it “sends chosen targets into chaos.” (Is that equivalent to death?) Don’t even think about magic spells; page 168 explains…

…any spell cast at a chaos dragon is absorbed and thrown back at the caster at x 100. Plus, any spell cast at a chaos dragon and the dragon will automatically know that spell…[sic]

Only “a weapon made from a combination of all magic” can hit a chaos dragon. The number of attacks a chaos dragon can perform per semi-segment is randomly determined; it can be as low as two or as many as fifty.

** According to page 67, ‘hookers’ in Atlantasia have 25th level thief abilities and 10th level assassin abilities.  Imagine what the pimps must be like.

** Mage-types with 'mind magic'

On Atlantasia You Will NEVER Find a Silk Cap!

When we last left our nascent Atlantasian character, Johann Nederland – Spy Mage, we were attempting to determine if he had sufficient fiscal resources to afford a quarter-staff (price = 400 gold chips). (A wooden spear only costs 200 gold chips; maybe Johann could buy a spear and remove the spearhead.) Johann has two platinum chips. How many gold chips are they worth? John Holland, the author of The Realms of Atlantasia, doesn't provide any details regarding the rates of exchange among the various types of “chips.” That's OK, Johann will save the platinum chips for a rainy day. After cashing in the jewels, he has 900 gold chips to spend.

I really want him to have a quarter-staff so I have him buy one. This leaves five hundred gold chips. Johann is going to look somewhat conspicuous with 'saddlebags of charity' but no horse. Well, the cheapest mount is a pony at 750 G.C., so the Spy Mage will just have to look conspicuous. Perhaps it's just as well, in Atlantasia ponies have to eat or they'll die. (I don't think Johann could afford the food.)  Fortunately, Johann has a 'blanket of translocation' so his transportation needs are covered. Also, with the 'saddlebags of charity' he doesn't have to pay for room and board.

There is no indication in the rules that mages cannot wear armor; in fact, page 67 suggests that they can wear armor. Leather shin guards, bracers, chest protector, and helm have a combined cost of 350 gold chips. Johann has 150 gold chips left.

On page 37, there is a clothing chart; rows represent articles of clothing and columns represent material. So, if you wanted a cotton tunic, you would check the “cotton” column of the “tunic” row to find the price (9 silver chips). Unfortunately, Johann does not have any silver chips and no way to convert platinum or gold chips to silver chips. I guess he will just have to shell out for high-end clothes. Costs are not listed for silken hats; evidently, such things are not possible in realistic Atlantasia. A silk cloak, tunic, breeches, and stockings have a combined cost of 49 gold chips. Before spending the remaining 101 gold chips, let's see what else needs to be done with Johann.

Remember, Johann has a Ring of Reward (+ 1-2 psychic strength) and a Ring of the Gods (+ 1-2 all attributes). I have determined randomly +1 or +2 for each attribute (+ 2-4 for psychic strength). Johann's current attributes are:

Strength 6 (constitution 4)

Intelligence 12 (mental quickness 6)

Wisdom 9 (mental retention 12)

Dexterity 10 (agility 7)

Charisma 6 (magnetism 5)

Psychic Strength 15 (psychic defense 11)

This entitles Johann to: +1 damage bonus, +4 languages, +25% to diplomatic rolls, +3 to spell rolls, +25% to reaction rolls, +10% to pickpocket rolls, +20% to charm rolls, x5 spell damage, +25% to spell save rolls.

Johann has a magic resistance of 32% with regard to his school of magic (which we haven't chosen yet). His mental resistance is also 32%.

Remember when we calculated Johann's weapon proficiency at 25%? I hope you didn't think that was his 'to hit' number. Weapon proficiencies merely modify the 'to hit' number. Everybody's 'to hit' number starts at 10%. Because Johann's weapon proficiency is only 25%, his 'to hit' number is reduced to 5%. (If Johann had a 100% weapon proficiency, his 'to hit' number would be 20%). Because of his strength and dexterity, Johann's 'to hit' number is increased to 25%. Well, what do you know? It matches his weapon proficiency score after all!

Johann's base defense is 20%.

'Magic Source Points' are determined by rolling 3d6 and applying modifiers. Due to his high psychic strength, Johann has 20 magic source points.

Thanks to a high mental retention score, Johann can memorize a total of eight spells for any given cycle (1d4 + modifiers).

With regard to languages, everyone knows Common and (for non-humans) their racial language. “Cosmic Magi will also know Light Dragon.”* Cosmic Magi? I think we just found Johann's school of magic. Watch out Atlantasia, here comes Johann Nederland – COSMIC Spy Mage!

Well, it looks like I'm going to milk this Atlantasian character 'set-up' for all it's worth.  Next time I'll try to select spells.

* Light Dragon – According to page 165,

These are magnificent beings to behold! They are 150' - 200' long and encased in glowing gold scales. These dragons are beings of light and therefore, in a dragon’s neutral way, are pure compassion. However, that compassion could be turned against you if you interfere with what the dragon is compassionate about.

Can someone please explain to me the logical flow from "beings of light" to "dragon's neutral way" and then to "pure compassion"?  That would be great.