DEER CRUD,

EYE AGREEE DAT DE ORCS SHOLD FITE ELEVENS AND MUNCHKINS BUT ME HAVE QUESTIN(?). U BUY CLUB WHIT KOBOLD TALE, ME KOBOLD AN ME NO SAIL ME TAIL ME SAIL ORC EAR. ME SA U KNOW FARE TO KOBOLD ME TRIBE SA WAR ON ORCS! ME SA WAR ON ELEVENS! ME SAY WAR ON MUNCHKINS!, AN ME RITE, YOU WRONG.

ME GOT AXEE AN ME KEEL ORC WHIT AXEEZ. U CLUB IZ A CHILDEZ WAEPUN, ME HOLE TRIBE GOT AXEEZ AN WE KEEL U!

KOBOLD UNTIE!

Greetings! First off, I agree with [Jil] that monetary contributions shouldn't receive any XP [under the new Experience Points System]. I am in Dragonslayers to learn new things and "socialize" with people who have similar interests, and learn a few new ideas. If money becomes an issue, offer deals for reregistering early.

I agree with Gennie Summers about Crimsonvale. But I joined Dragonslayers just recently. Is there any way to get a recap? [Yes! See "From the Editor's Desk" this issue -- Editor] Also, I would be interested in learning about games in progress of members. Unfortunately, I don't have the skill that Jill showed in issue #17 with "Night Visitors."

Steve Dashiell's idea of dividing Dragonslayers geographically has promise. I would like to add a small suggestion: don't try it by mail. Start it by having a small party/meeting at some central spot. People showing up will show how serious people would be. Talk by long distance/letter is very cheap.

Now for my personal contribution. I enjoyed the literary review in issue #17, and I suggest that a member should read as many Sci. Fi./Fantasy works as possible, especially established authors who have developed a series/world. That will show the player how a character's action could affect events in other locations. And for Game Masters that don't have time to make their own world, you can find a wealth of material. My favorite author is Mercedes Lackey. Her sword "Need" is going to be used in a future private game. (She only plays to be with me and the idea of the sword "Need" is the first thing that's excited her). The Krynn and the companions are more complex than I could develop. But if any of my mages get a familiar, the familiar will have a personality along her examples. My favorite idea is her use of psionics.

If my players get interested in psionics, it will be rare, and if anybody gets them, it'll be one psionic skill that'll grow stronger per level and [Mercedes Lackey's] choice of psionics is realistic. I'm always on the lookout for new authors and new worlds.

The "Wizard's Closet" is excellent. I'll be using that when my players start quoting the book "on spells" as "guild" spells, so it would be very hard for them to acquire it.

Hello, here I am again. I'm pretty much a newcomer to DU but I'm glad I joined. I also like the club newszine and reading other people's submissions. I must say Chain-Mail gets better and better, thanks to the efforts of all involved. I really take my hat off to whoever came up with the idea of the personality profile ["Club Profiles"]. Before it came along the names of the club members were just that -names. Now we can read whatever they tell us, in their profile and personality can be associated with the name. Also again I will pay tribute to Jil Conway and her brilliant idea of a "Club Forum." Judging by the amount of letters that have appeared in her brain child, it is an undisputed success. Her idea ought to be worth a bundle of experience points. Hey Jil, do I get anything for campaigning for you? Ha ha! Another good idea was the constantly updated directory in each issue of Chain-Mail. I also enjoy monsters, especially monsters with a nasty trick or two up their sleeves (as would be evidenced by my submitted monster, and thank you Gennie Summers for the praise of my efforts). I really enjoyed Curtis Price's monster, the Dercher Yar. Heck, I think I'm jealous! Why didn't I think of that? Ha, ha!

I agree with Will Nesbitt that players should receive experience for playing in club PBMs. If participation is the goal of the [EPS1, participation should be rewarded. It may be too late to add it to the original draft, but we could add it as an amendment. As always, quality should be awarded above quantity so I suggest an award of 20 points for the best two players and 10 points for the other players. These could be awarded per turn with the GM's vote being the only vote in individual turns, and voting as Will suggested for the other turns, with no awards after the sixth turn so the GM gets more points per game that players. I hope we cane adopt this for it is as sound as playing in a club game at a convention. My two cents are added to Will's.

I recently had the opportunity to read quite a few back issues of Chain-Mail, ones published before I joined the club. It was a delightful experience. We've had some pretty creative members, and some very useful columns. A very helpful column, which has seen recent resurrection, was "Ranger Rick's Round Table." Another column I enjoyed, which apparently appeared only in issue #1, was "Pointers for PBMs" by Rick Emerich. In light of the fact that PBMs are a valid item per the EPS, and under discussion re: point assignment, I think this column should definitely be resurrected. Advice could be presented by Rick or by other club DMs, perhaps even a different DM each issue. Keith Mercer, Jeff Young, Will Nesbitt, Ben Gregory, and Gennie Summers come to mind. (Don't ask me, I'm still a fledgling). I have been playing in PBMs for several years now, but have only recently begun to DM. I would greatly appreciate any advice an experienced PBM DM could offer.