''Melanda: Land of Mystery'' is a

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 ...

published by Wilmark Dynasty in 1980.

Description

''Melanda'' is a fantasy role-playing system. The game includes rules for

character creation Character creation (also character generation / character design) is the process of defining a player character in a role-playing game. The result of character creation is a characterization, direct characterization that is recorded on a charac ...

, combat, and magic, with descriptions of monsters, equipment, six character races, and the world of Melanda. Ability scores are determined by what skills the character studies as a youth. In the game's rune-carving magic system, a character learns various magic runes that modify and act on each other to create varying effects.

Publication history

''Melanda: Land of Mystery'' was designed by John M. Corradin and Lee C. McCormick and published by Wilmark Dynasty in 1980 as 56 loose-leaf pages, an outer folder, and two dice. The second edition was published in 1981 as a 64-page book. Supplements included '' Melanda: Land of Mystery Character Sheets'' and the adventure '' The Vampyre's Mirror''.

Reception

C.D. Martin reviewed ''Melanda: Land of Mystery'' for ''

Different Worlds ''Different Worlds'' was an American role-playing games magazine published from 1979 to 1987. Scope ''Different Worlds'' published support articles, scenarios, and variants for various role-playing games including ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Rune ...

'' magazine and stated that "''Melanda'' is an interesting design that suffers terribly from a lack of development. The people at Wilmark were too close to their work to see the problems it would pose for the average gamer. However, they should not be downhearted. ''RuneQuest'' is in its second edition and ''Tunnels & Trolls'' is in its fifth (!) incarnation. Someday there may be an expanded second edition ''Melanda'' that will live up to its full promise. Until then, fantasy role-players seeking different worlds are advised to try ''The Fantasy Trip'', ''RuneQuest'', or ''Tunnels & Trolls''."

Lawrence Schick Lawrence Schick is a game designer and writer associated with role-playing games. Early life and education Schick attended Kent State University in Ohio. Career Schick, as the head of design and development at TSR, brought aboard Tom Moldvay ...

called this game "several years ahead of its time", the combat system "quite original" and the magic system "Perhaps the most innovative".

References

{{reflist Fantasy role-playing games Role-playing games introduced in 1980