Hi y'all,

On p154 of my DMG (1979 revised) it talks about how a Stone of CONTROLLING Earth Elementals can be used to SUMMON an E.E. in line with the Brazier, Bowl and Censer.

I'm sure I've read previously that it used to be used for CONTROLLING E.E.s - namely 24HDs worth of Elemental.

Could some of you with older DMGs please have a looksee and let me know if I'm dreaming


[One of my PCs thought the same too. Think we might have been reading a PDF of an different version Efreet cover. I remember thinking that 24HD would only get one and a half E.E.s in the Earth Temple of ToEE]

Nothing on the Errata page nor the rest of the WWW
http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_dmg.html

Or does anyone else have a bright idea about where I might have come across a device for controlling one and a half rough Earth Elementals? No, not 3.5 DMG.

Thanks,
BJS

Here's the OD&D description (and yes, the elemental control items were all lumped together in one description).

Elemental Control Items: These four devices call up the Elemental indicated. Only the owner of the item may use it. All are rather bulky and require one turn to set up or store away if they are carried with an expedition. They will summon the Elemental in but one turn. No spell is required. Elemental strength is 12 Hit Dice.

To control an elemental in OD&D, one must look at the Conjure Elemental spell.  Basically, you have to maintain concentration, or you lose control of your elemental.  You can't control more than one elemental.

The AD&D description does mention that the stone can summon a 12HD elemental IF the material is rough stone.  The elemental is only 8HD if sand is the material.  But there is nothing there about 24HD elementals.  In fact, the Monster Manual mentions the largest elemental that can be summoned (16HD).

AD&D 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual mentions elementals of up to 24HD (source: Planet ADND) but the Stone in that edition still only summons 8 or 12HD elementals.

Thanks guys. Sounds like Mass Hallucination then!

The 24HD bit was to control a total of 24HD - i.e. 3 x 8 or 2 x 12 or just 1 at 16

Thus I wasn't too worried about the stone controlling all four 16HD E.Es in the ToEE and taking the fun out of it.

Still most odd, though.
BJS