September 1981 Dragon 1 Dragon Vol. VI, No. 3 Vol. VI, No. 3 September 1981 Publisher. Jake Jaquet Editor-in-Chief. Kim Mohan There is a bit of a new trend in gaming “Live” role-playing games are much Editorial staff . Bryce Knorr that I find a bit disturbing, and perhaps it more an exhibition (like a Wild West Marilyn Mays should be food for thought for all of us. I shoot-out on a movie lot or an SCA dem- Gali Sanchez refer to the recent interest in so-called onstration) than actual game playing. Sales. Debbie Chiusano “live” games, especially of the “assassin” I’m for any activity that is fun for the Circulation . Corey Koebernick or “killer” varieties. participants and harmless to everyone Office staff . Cherie Knull. These types of games are billed as else. But the “live” role-playing games, Roger Raupp role-playing games, and in the strictest particularly the assassin type, may not Contributing editors. Roger Moore definition of the word, I guess they are. be entirely harmless to everyone else. Ed Greenwood What disturbs me is that they are being Physical games — spectator sports, for This issue’s contributing artists: equated by the non-gaming public (or by example — can cause harm to the partic- Clyde Caldwell Bruce Whitefield those with limited gaming experience) ipants. But the spectators of those sports Roger Raupp Will McLean with heroic fantasy and science fiction are willing spectators, and they aren’t on Susan Collins Dexter Pratt role-playing games — and the types are the playing field while the game is going James Holloway J. D. Webster not the same. on. “Live” games are often played in pub- Harry Quinn Phil Foglio I’m not picking on Steve Jackson here, lic. Sooner or later there will be an injury although he claims his recently released to a “spectator” (bystander), and if it DRAGON magazine is published monthly by happens to occur in the wrong place at Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR Hobbies, KlLLER game is the first commercially Inc. The mailing address of Dragon Publishing available set of rules for the genre. My the wrong time, the headline will read is P.O. Box 110. Lake Geneva WI 53147: tele- first exposure to “live” games was many something like, “Student Injured in Role- phone (414) 248-8044. years ago in college, and I’ve seen them playing Game at Local College.” And all DRAGON magazine is available at hundreds played several times since then. “Live” of us sitting at tables with paper-and- of hobby stores and bookstores throughout the United States and Canada, and through a limit- games are also not necessarily of the pencil role-playing games will be equat- ed number of overseas outlets. The magazine assassin type either — I’ve known of a ed with those folks wearing masks-and can be purchased directly from Dragon Publish- few LOTR interpretations, also. chasing each other around with water ing by subscription. Rates are as follows, with all payments to be made in advance: $24 for 12 Live games may be role-playing games, pistols and bean shooters. issues sent to a U.S. or Canadian address; $50 but they are not the same as what we Perhaps a more serious consideration, U.S. for 12 issues sent via surface mail or $95 for 12 issues sent via air mail to any other country. have come to call adventure role-playing though, is how the non-gaming public is games (D&D® and AD&D™ games, Tra- going to view these games even if no one A limited quantity of certain back issues of DRAGON magazine can be purchased directly veller, RuneQuest, etc.). Live games re- gets hurt. Most of us, at one time or from the publisher by sending the cover price quire physical action. In the assassin another, have been called upon to ex- plus $1.50 postage and handling for each issue games, this involves stalking a person plain our reasons for playing paper-and- ordered. Payment in advance by check or mo- ney order must accompany all orders. Payments designated as a target (the stalker may pencil adventure role-playing games, par- cannot be made through a credit card, and be a target as well) and performing a ticularly the heroic fantasy type. Despite orders cannot be taken nor merchandise “re- served” by telephone. Neither an individual cus- “kill” with, for example, a squirt of a wa- our best efforts to explain, there are still tomer nor an institution can be billed for a sub- ter pistol to represent a gun shot, or an many who view such a pastime as some scription order or back-issue purchase unless Alka-Seltzer tablet to represent poison. sort of escape from reality, or worse, just prior arrangements are made. The attraction of this type of simula- from seeing some people sitting around The issue of expiration for each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each sub- tion escapes me. Steve says in his ads for a table with books and dice! How are scriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes of ad- KlLLER that the game will “test your re- they going to look at people chasing dress for the delivery of subscriptions must be flexes and ingenuity in a way no paper each other and playing assassin? received at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the change in order to insure uninter- game ever will...” I’m sure it would, but I fail to see the attraction for “live” role- rupted delivery. why bother? If I want to test my reflexes playing (and in some cases I think it is All material published in DRAGON magazine against another person, I can think of just an excuse for a good water balloon becomes the exclusive property of the publisher many ways that do not involve even sim- fight), but I’ll grant that the type has its upon publication, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior to publication. ulated weapons — or, if weapons are the place in the overall list of games that may DRAGON magazine welcomes unsolicited sub- point, we could meet at the local skeet be played. But, like anything else in this missions of written material and artwork; how- and trap club. Ingenuity? Working on world, perceptions (mine included) de- ever, no responsibility for such submissions can be assumed by the publisher in any event. Any this magazine tests it about as fully as I pend upon perspective. While I grant submission which is accompanied by a self- care to have it tested. But, I digress... that there is a place for “live” role- addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned to the contributor if it cannot be What we have here is a type of game in playing, others will not. And it is a very published. which ingenuity and strategy are secon- small step from condemning “live” role- DRAGON™ is a trademark for Dragon Publish- dary to the performance of physical ac- playing games to condemning all role- ing’s monthly adventure playing aid. All rights tions, and the only concessions to role- playing games. on the contents of this publication are reserved, playing are an alias and performing feats and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in part without prior permission in writing of thespian skill like “dying in a very real- from the publisher. Copyright 1981 by TSR istic or artistic fashion” (worth 5 points in Hobbies, Inc. USPS 318-790. ISSN 0279-6848. KILLER). While this is role-playing, it is Second class postage paid at Lake Geneva, limited to the extent of a person’s physi- Wis., and at additional mailing offices. cal abilities and acting talent. 2 September 1981 Dragon again, we point out that articles in DRAGON magazine are nothing more than suggested ways to change or enhance your game, and there’s nothing “official,” in any sense of the word, connected with our presentation of these (or any other) pieces of writing. The longest single article inside (except for the module, of course) is the latest in our continuing line of suggested new non-player characters for an AD&D campaign: Andrew Dewar’s vision of the Oracle. For some NPCs of deity-level status, take a he awesome task of digging (yes, sometimes liter- look at the Bogatyrs, a collection of legendary old Russian ally) our way through scores of hefty manuscripts heroes (and the villains they fought) which serves as the first is over. The hours upon hours spent poring over installment of “Larger: Than Life,” a new feature devoted to page after page have finally produced results. It is descriptions of super-high-powered characters on a par with with a great sigh of relief and a similarly large the personalities in the DEITIES & DEMIGODS™ Cyclopedia. fanfare (taaa—daaa!) that we present The Garden of Nefaron, On a more philosophical note, we offer you “Some universal the winning entry of International Dungeon Design Contest II. rules” from contributing editor Roger Moore on how to design a If you got the idea from the above paragraph that it was more personalized universe that works the way a universe should. than a bit of work going through all the entries, then I guess I got And in the same vein, the second installment of John Prados’ the point across. That point is made, not to make you feel sorry series in Simulation Corner on making a working model of your for us (after all, nobody told us to have the contest), but in very own game design.