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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 8300402" data-attributes="member: 27780">Polyhedron Issue 58: Mar/Apr 1991part 3/5Gaming Down Under: A little while ago, they opened up a branch in europe, so they could reduce the logistic hassles of international mail by sending all the subscriptions in one big package and then splitting them out to their final destinations locally, which also let them lower the prices a bit. Now Australia and New Zealand also have a local office and enjoy the same benefits. But they still need to work to link things up better. Even more than the USA, there's ridiculous amounts of barely populated land between the cities, and the east and west coasts are completely different scenes that barely know each other, with their own playstyle quirks in the way they run games. New Zealand may be in the same administrative territory, but it's even more of a mystery. Are there any conventions there at all?! If not, what can we do about it? This all feels much more like a beginning than a conclusion. Even after a decade, there are still many places where they've barely started reaching all their potential members. Let's hope it's not a false start, and there'll be more contributions of all sorts from their international members in the future to spice things up. The Legacy:  The adventure this issue is a Greyhawk branded one, which is even more unusual here than in Dungeon. Not that there's anything particularly Greyhawk specific about it apart from the pun names, but at least it's a token effort at inclusion. The PC's get hired to be the executors of a will. But first they have to find the gnome who's uncle died. This is a lot harder than it seems. Initially, it seems like you have a clear trail, but following it will lead you into one bit of trouble after another, some of them quite goofy. A re-enactment of the Black Knight from Monty Python, a comic relief talking toad, a village where everyone has a big secret, a wizard with a wand of wonder and the will to wield it, it's not pure comedy railroad, but it is both quite linear and with many silly moments. As usual, the Polyhedron selection criteria is far less concerned with consistent worldbuilding & long-term consequences of including certain things in your campaign, and more in setpiece action scenes, hurrying people along and making sure everything is neatly wrapped up in 4 hours. It's not utterly infuriating like some of the worst adventures they've published, but falls on the low end of the mediocre spectrum. Not one I have any interest in using.The Living Galaxy: Roger continues with worldbuilding and roleplaying advice that is pretty general and familiar, despite the topic trying to accomplish the precise opposite. How do you make alien worlds feel properly alien? What in it is impossible on earth, and how does that affect the evolution of the creatures that live there? Then, once you have the big logical bits down, what weird cultural stuff do they have? (which can of course vary widely between nations on the same planet) These usually have a reason for starting, but it might not be a good or clear reason, especially after centuries of gradual evolution. As in the previous times he's covered this, he reminds us that a little real world travel is crucial to broadening the mind, showing you that things you've always taken for granted don't have to be that way, and it's the little details that can really catch you out. This continues to be competent, but not groundbreaking in any way. Oh well, I'm sure it was useful to someone else.</blockquote>

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