''Clockwork Mage'' is an adventure for

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

s published by

Mayfair Games Mayfair Games was an American publisher of board game, board, card game, card, and roleplaying games that also licensed German-style board game, Euro-style board games to publish them in English. The company licensed worldwide English-language pub ...

in 1985.

Plot summary

''Clockwork Mage'' is an adventure scenario designed for

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...

s of levels 2-5, in which the characters must search through the manor of two wizards when their practical jokes between them go out of control, and the characters must find the items to restore everything to normal. ''Clockwork Mage'' is an adventure in which the

s get in the middle of a long-lasting conflict between two older wizards who harass each other using elaborate tricks and practical jokes.

Publication history

''Clockwork Mage'' was written by Susan Stone and M.E. Allen, with a cover by Janny Wurts, and was published by

in 1985 as a 32-page book with a center-bound map screen. The adventure module was part of the ''

Role Aids ''Role Aids'' is a line of role-playing game supplements published by Mayfair Games starting in 1982 intended for use with ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''. Publication history As a veteran role-playing gamer, Bill Fawcett (writer), Bill Fawcett de ...

'' line.

Reception

Rick Swan reviewed the adventure in ''

The Space Gamer ''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...

'' No. 76. He noted how the ''

'' line had been gradually improving up to that point, saying how "''Clockwork Mage'' is another terrific effort, one that'll give a lift to all but the most jaded ''AD&D''ers." Swan commented on the adventure's plot, stating "if that's not enough to hook you, wait'll you meet the Sims, a new class of creature that's sort of a cross between a robot and Pinocchio. I won't give any more away, but will add that it's unlikely your group has ever played an adventure quite like this." He continued: The practical joke aspect of ''Clockwork Mage'' is so much fun, I wish the designers had done more with it. You'll find yourself wanting more jokes and 'unconventional' obstacles. ..The style of the adventure begs for a grand, solid twist at the end; where's the slam-bang battle with an army of Sims or the final joke-to-end-all-jokes? The reward at the end is unbelievably skimpy, but you'll see an easy – and obvious – solution to that problem when you read the module." Swan concluded his review by saying, "It's not often you run across a module with a sense of humor. It's rarer still to find a module for ''AD&D'' that, after all these years, can still make a claim to originality. ''Clockwork Mage'' can claim both. Add great graphics, a clear presentation, and a striking cover, and you've got one of the best fantasy supplements of the year."

Reviews

*'' Game News'' #6 (Aug., 1985)

References

{{reflist Fantasy role-playing game adventures Role Aids Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1985