The premiere game of Star Sword has begun, and sixteen barons are now competing for the throne of the kingdom of Samerien. Star Sword is a fantasy experience, providing you with all the enjoyable aspects of pbm gaming. Star Sword allows you to mix diplomacy and strategy to your liking. Set in a medieval fantasy environment, Star Sword enables you to become one of sixteen barons racing to meet the requirements as set forth by the Archmage Ilinar. The first baron to recover the Star Sword, a magical artifact of immense power, will become king of Samerien. An alternate method of gaining the throne is available for the more conquest-minded players, so that victory can be reached through quest or conquest.
Each baron starts the game with two loyal heroes of his choosing, and a troop of 50 human mercenaries. Within his castle a baron also finds gold and horses, and possibly even a magic item. With the starting gold, treasures found, and taxes collected a baron can quickly hire more heroes and troops to aid in his efforts at becoming king. The kingdom of Samerien holds many different races and classes of beings; from Amazons to Undead Warriors, from good to evil and in-between.
As a player of Star Sword, you'll have a chance to search long-forgotten ruins, siege castles, take control of settlements, and deal with the other barons, monsters, and inhabitants of Samerien. Action and intrigue is everywhere in Samerien, be it in the crowded streets of the Golden City or the ruins of the Old Goblin Castle. A newsletter provided free with each turn assures that you'll be in the thick of it from the start. Alliances may be formed, and enemies declared. You'll have wilderness to explore, peasants to care for (or overtax without mercy), troops to lead, and spell casters to command. Do all this well, and none will question that you are the one entitled to be ruler of Samerien.
Game number one of Star Sword has been full of surprise and deception - with many more expected. The baron known as the Necromancer started the game with sending false messages to all other barons under the guise of another baron, and has succeeded in confusing all while he and his forces attacked the settlement of Hurl's Way. The guards of the small river city were mercilessly slaughtered by a surprise attack employing a Dragon Blast spell from the Necromancer, and an ambush by archers and a troop of 50 men. A merchant offering the Mace of Regeneration for sale there did not leave quick enough, and the Necromancer himself forcibly took the mace for his own. The entire kingdom is nervously anticipating the Necromancer's future plans.
To combat this evil baron, many of the other barons are joining together into The Greater Alliance. Meanwhile other barons and their many heroes and troops are searching the land for treasures and other objects which will aid them in becoming king of the land. One such baron, Soltan Gris by name, has lost a second scouting force to bandits while searching for Niloth's Tower, a ruins said to still be haunted by the evil sorceror who built it.
Big happenings in game number one of Star Sword. At the end of turn #7, two castles have changed owners, and one baron has had the misfortune of dying. A hidden ruins has been discovered by brave adventurers, who then discovered how nasty the guardian, a Vampire Warrior, can be. The letters have been dripping with diplomacy, or scalding with scandal.
The Necromancer still seems to be expanding without check, though another baron, Duncan Silvernought, may soon force a showdown. The Greater Alliance appears to be faltering, but if Baron Essex II gets involved they may be able to vanquish the Necromancer yet. Essex II had to leave his study at the Mages Guild prematurely, as his uncle, the late Baron Essex died mysteriously within the Golden City. Within the jungles around the Amazon City, Baron Ugezod is poking abouth the Haunted Palace of Silim, after his heroes and mercenaries made short work of a band of hobgoblins living there. Many of the other barons and their forces are quietly exploring the land, occassionally meeting monsters or finding treasure or information that furthers their cause. Though they are not making the headlines, these barons are still just as likely to end up king of Samerien.
Entertainment Plus is proud to announce the start of game number two of Star Sword. Many significant enhancements have been made to Star Sword since game number one began earlier this year. Player reviews have been favorable, and steady progress towards full computerization is being made.
In game number one, the contest for the throne in Samerien is getting fierce. Three castles and one settlement have been attacked and taken over by turn number ten. The small farming village of Barlenoats was able to resist a take-over attempt by Baron Necromancer, with the battle going down to one city guard left standing. Baron Strange has announced the discovery of a Key of Ilinar, which when joined with two other keys will allow him to recover the Star Sword and become king of Samerien.
Other action includes Baron Lord Corwin's efforts to kill a dragon which a few of his forces stumbled across a few turns ago. The discovering units were slain, and Lord Corwin vowed revenge. He assembled the might of all his heroes and troops, and met the dragon again. The beast proved too powerful again though, much to Corwin's dismay.
Within the Lizardman Village an unidentified spell caster summoned an army of ghosts, which attacked the guards of the village and reduced their ranks by one-third. Across the Lake Tupeltas in the hills surrounding the Old Goblin Castle ruins, the Ranger Lord Rudolf Cliffjumper was viciously slain by a demon called forth by the use of a Soul Snatch spell. This came only one turn after Rudolf killed Death Stalker, a necromaner serving Baron Necromancer. Baron Ugezod, who had hired Rudolf to serve him, was quoted to say "Well, if that's the way Necromancer wants to play..."
With game number two of Star Sword well under way, and game number one experiencing castles changing owners daily, Entertainment Plus is happy to report that both games are going quite well. Star Sword is growing to the needs and suggestions of the players, as enjoyment and playability is our main concern. A third game may be started within a month or two; check the next issue if interested.
The barons are being quick to spread out and expand their forces in game number two, which has just started. By the looks of the troops and heroes being sought after, most of the barons are planning to become supporters of all that is good and just. What will happen when the barons start confronting each other has yet to be seen. Only one alliance of note so far, the S.T.U.D.S. (Society To Uniformly Destroy Servants of evil), comprised of Baron Aragorn and Baron von Ziarovich.
Game number one has many contenders at the moment, any one of which is possible within a few turns of winning the game by conquest. Baron Necromancer had four of the six castles or settlements required under his rule at one point, but has subsequently lost one or more to vengeful attacks by other barons. Yet other barons are quite happy to stay out of the fighting as they search the kingdom, venturing into ruins and finding fierce monsters guarding fabulous treasures.
Summoning undead warriors to be used for troops seems to be on the rise among the barons, which has some of the citizens of the kingdom alarmed. Of equal concern is the rash of thefts occuring within the settlements, which now involves more than just the despised Baron Necromancer and his master thief Eddie Mummy. Phenix, a rogue under the hire of Baron Lord Corwin escaped into the twisting alleys of Sleastin with a Scroll of Resurrection. Haggar Siverus, a lizardman shaman serving Baron Harbeck did not fare so well, and was caught in the act of stealing with the Plains Barbarian Camp. Considered a killing offense by barbarians, the attempted theft cost Haggar his life.
Recent battles include some of Harbeck's men defeating a group of giant spiders within a secret ruins, where the adventurers are now searching about for more treasures. One fight outside the gate of the Golden City involved two necromancers hired by Baron Necromancer, and an automation enchanted to serve Baron Lord Corwin. Directed to kill any forces of Baron Corwin, the two necromancers attacked the magically animated fighting machine, but only succeeded in geting one of themselves killed as the other retreated to the safety of the Golden City.
That was the final excerpt for Star Sword to appear in Paper Mayhem. Looking back I do regret not announcing through Paper Mayhem my decision to not start a third game of Star Sword. Games number one and two continued on to their completions, after which work on Adventurers Guild began.
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