About this episode

Miria reflects on her past while navigating a beautiful yet cruel landscape inspired by the Chronicles of Amber.

Miria contemplates her past as she, Edryk, and Kale cross the Divine Seed of Amber, a place of beauty, perfection, and cruelty. This episode draws its inspiration from the setting of the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny, one of the top six inspirations for Dungeons & Dragons listed in AD&D ‘s Appendix N . This scifi-dense story is mostly told in flashback. Much of my Scifi elements of my campaign are played using Cepheus Deluxe and White Star: Swords & Wizardry in Space, Galaxy Edition . I also mention a classic D&D monster, the Flail Snail. This issue introduces a race of humanoid cyborgs, The Zaeth . Zaeth: HD : 1; AC : 5 [14]; Att : Sonic Disruptor (1d6); SV : 18; Special : agility, bionics, sonar; MV : 12; AL : Neutrality; ML: 7; No. Appearing: 1d4; CL/XP : 3/90 Agility : Zaeth have thief abilities at a level equivalent to their hit dice. Bionics: Zaeth are immune to poison and disease. Their body temperature is always the same as the room. They cannot be healed with healing magic. Ultrasound: Zaeth can see texture in perfect darkness up to 120 feet away. I am also collecting emails for an AMA bonus epsiode!! Get in touch with me here! Music in this…

People in this episode

Host: Brian C. Rideout

Topics covered

• flashback
• sci-fi
• Dungeons & Dragons
• humanoid cyborgs
• fantasy
• game mechanics

Keywords

• Amber
• sci-fi
• Zaeth
• D&D
• Flail Snail
• Cepheus Deluxe
• White Star

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Free Music Alliance, Free Music Archive

Products: Cepheus Deluxe, White Star: Swords & Wizardry in Space, Galaxy Edition, Flail Snail

Books & works: Chronicles of Amber

More episodes of Swords Against Madness

• Episode 36: Detour · May 23, 2026 · 25 min
• Episode 34: Crocodile · April 11, 2026 · 28 min
• Episode 33: Abzu · March 21, 2026 · 28 min
• Episode 31: Where Time & Space Don’t Really Matter · January 31, 2026 · 29 min
• Episode 30: Strange Journeys · January 10, 2026 · 15 min
• Bonus: Bullets Against Madness 1: Wahpettons · December 23, 2025 · 50 min

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