Dragon Magazine #219
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Issue #219 Vol. XX, No. 2 July 1995 SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Publisher At Swords Point Christian Williams TSR, Inc. 10 Sometimes its more fun to dodge and parry than Associate Publisher hack and slash. Brian Thomsen Run! A Guide to Heroic Flight Robert S. Mullin Editor 16 Learn how brave Sir Robin runs away. Wolfgang Baur Out of Armor Gregory Detwiler Associate editor A guide to fancy footwork and armor-free combat Dave Gross 20 for DMs and players. Fiction editor Barbara G. Young FICTION Art director Larry W. Smith Breaking the Wall Lois Tilton 72 Is it better to cooperate with an evil necromancer and Editorial assistant Michelle Vuckovich liveor to resist and die? Production staff Tracey Isler REVIEWS Subscriptions Role-playing Reviews Allen Varney Janet L. Winters 48 A look at the thousand and one adventures for the U.S. advertising AL-QADIM® campaign. Cindy Rick Eye of the Monitor Jay & Dee U.K. correspondent 57 Get the lowdown on Star Trail of Arkania, Citadel of the and U. K. advertising Dead, 1830, and Warcraft. Carolyn Wildman The Role of Books John Bunnell 68 The finest of fictionand a quick peek at the M:tG reference guide. DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 1062-2101) is published Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, monthly by TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, Middlesex UB7 7QE, United Kingdom; telephone: Lake Geneva WI 53147, United States of America. The 0895-444055 postal address for all materials from the United States Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-class of America and Canada except subscription orders is: mail are as follows $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Road, sent to an address in the U.S ; $36 in U.S. funds for 12 Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.; telephone (414) 248- issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12 issues 3625; fax (414) 248-0389. The postal address for all sent to an address within the United Kingdom; £30 for materials from Europe is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR 12 issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 in U.S. Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other 3LB United Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), address, or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent air 44-223-212517 (international), telex: 818761; fax (0223) mail to any other address. Payment in full must accom- 248066 (U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international). pany all subscription orders. Methods of payment Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available from include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, game and hobby shops throughout the United States, Inc., or charges to valid MasterCard or VISA credit Canada, the United Kingdom, and through a limited cards; send subscription orders with payments to: number of other overseas outlets, Distribution to the TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 5695, Boston MA 02206, U.S.A. In book trade in the United States is by Random House, the United Kingdom, methods of payment include Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. cheques or money orders made payable to TSR Ltd., Distribution to the book trade in the United Kingdom is or charges to a valid ACCESS or VISA credit card; by TSR Ltd. Send orders to: Random House, Inc., send subscription orders with payments to TSR Ltd., Order Entry Department, Westminster MD 21157, as per that address above. Prices are subject to U.S.A., telephone: (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribu- change without prior notice. The issue of expiration of Printed in the U.S.A. tion throughout the United Kingdom is by Comag each subscription is printed on the mailing label of 2 JULY 1995 Through the Looking Glass Robert Bigelow 112 Looking Glass concludes with a lion-sized review. FEATURES First Quest Mike Nystul 8 Sometimes, a blob of lead can change your life. Pirate Crews and Retinues James R. Collier 26 What happens when specialized fighters gain followers? Ecology of the Black Pudding Johnathan Richards 35 Deep below the earth, two adventurers come face-to-face with a slimy terror. A Colourful Weekend of Euro-gaming Roger E. Moore 41 Roger bares all about his trip to Merrie Olde England. Sage Advice Skip Williams 81 When optional rules create headaches, Skip provides relief. The Wizards Three Ed Greenwood 90 Ed, the wizards, and a few, friends get together for a COVER weenie roast. This issues cover painting by Tony Szczudlo shows us the swirling heart of The Game Wizards Lester Smith The Battle of Sorrows Field, a battle 100 A short history of the DRAGON DICE game. from the BIRTHRIGHT setting. This is only a portion of a much larger painting Whats a Wizard to Do? Anne Brown that will grace the cover of the 102 Is the BIRTHRIGHT setting nothing more than a BIRTHRIGHT boxed setbut you saw it here first. To see the complete painting, battleground for musclebound fighters? Heck, no! check out the poster insert in this issue. Rumblings Michelle Vuckovich 104 Catch up on all the latest news, innuendo, and game industry gossip. DEPARTMENTS 4 Letters 107 Libram X 6 Editorial 110 Dragonmirth 44 Convention Calendar 112 Gamers Guide 85 Forum 124 TSR Previews each subscriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes of Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, address for the delivery of subscription copies must be address; include sufficient American postage or and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of International Reply Coupons with the return envelope part without first obtaining permission in writing from the change in order to assure uninterrupted delivery. In Europe, write to Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGON the publisher. Material published in DRAGON® Maga- Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues is Magazine, TSR Ltd; include sufficient return postage zine does not necessarily reflect the opinions of TSR, available from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop or 1RCs with your SASE. Inc. Therefore. TSR will not be held accountable for (201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva WI 53147, Advertising: For information on placing advertise- opinions or mis-information contained in such material U.S.A.) or from TSR Ltd. For a free copy of the current ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. All © designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, catalog that lists available back Issues, write to either ads are subject to approval by TSR, Inc. TSR reserves Inc ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Most of the above addresses. the right to reject any ad for any reason. In the United other product names are trademarks owned by the Submissions: All material published in DRAGON States and Canada, contact: Advertising Coordinator, companies publishing those products Use of the name Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva of any product without mention of trademark status publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, contact: Advertising should not be construed as a challenge to such status are made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine Coordinators, TSR Ltd. ©1995 TSR. Inc. All Rights Reserved All TSR char- welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material Advertisers and/or agencies of advertisers agree to acters. character names. and the distinctive likenesses and artwork; however, no responsibility for such sub- hold TSR, Inc. harmless from and against any loss or thereof are trademarks owned by TSR. Inc. ORIGINS missions can be assumed by the publisher in any expense from any alleged wrongdoing that may arise is a trademark owned by the Games Manufacturers event. Any submission accompanied by a self- out of the publication of such advertisements. TSR, Association. addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any advertising Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis. returned if it cannot be published. We strongly recom- contract for which the advertiser and/or agency of U.S.A. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: mend that prospective authors write for our writers’ advertiser fails to comply with the business ethics set Send address changes to DRAGON Magazine. TSR. guidelines before sending an article to us. In the forth in such contract. Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road. Lake Geneva WI United States and Canada, send a self-addressed, DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790. lSSN 1062-2101. stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: Writers’ Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All DRAGON 3 What did you think of this issue? Do you have You’ll be glad to know that Bob Lessl is still very Gosh, Alex, we didn’t know you cared. The a question about an article or have an idea for a much alive and well. Both fiction and Libram X periodicals staff also enjoyed the dragon amper- new feature youd like to see? In the United reappeared last month after short absences; we sand (call us sentimental), but the old logo has States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® try to avoid these hitches as much as possible in been around for quite a while. The new logo Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Rd., Lake the future. Our policy, however, is to print was designed to modernize the look of the Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: fiction only when we get a story that Barbara game, not to annoy anyone.