--- server/skills.c.orig	Tue Sep 16 03:44:12 1997
+++ server/skills.c	Tue Sep 16 03:44:27 1997
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@
 int write_scroll (object *pl, object *scroll) {
 
   int success=0,confused=0,chosen_spell=-1,stat1=get_skill_stat1(pl);
-  object *newScroll;
+  object *newScroll = NULL;
 
 	/* this is a sanity check */
 	if (scroll->type!=SCROLL){