September 1980 The Dragon 1 Tell them you saw it in The Dragon The Dragon Vol. V. No. 3 Vol. V. No. 3 September 1980 The incredible rise in popularity of ad- can overhear a couple players say, “Re- Publisher venture role-playing gaming over the past member last month when we played in E. Gary Gygax couple years is still, at times, hard to be- John’s campaign. .” and “You know, Editor lieve, or rather, hard to rationalize. One of once I played in this game where....” Jake Jaquet the more common rationalizations I see a Sure, you’ll hear a lot of first-person ac- lot of nowadays (including in a recent Asso- counts, “I did this,” and “I did that,” but Assistant Editor ciated Press article in the Miami Herald) is that is only a convenient shorthand for “El- Kim Mohan the theory that there is a little “hero” in dric the Bold did this or that.” It’s telling the Editorial Staff each of us, repressed by today’s societal story that is important. Bryce Knorr mores and structure; that there is no room Circulation & Sales in our “civilized” world for avenging the Personal accomplishments in game Corey Koebernick wronged, seeking adventure for adven- terms are merely the formulation of ideas, ture’s sake, and so forth; that our modern- elements of the story, in which the player Office Staff day culture with its governmental organiza- may take pride, just as the author of a novel Cherie Knull Dawn Pekul tions, judicial system, and assembly lines in may take pride in a particularly clever twist This month’s Detroit frustrates this inner “hero”; and in the plot. The sense of accomplishment contributing artists: that adventure role-playing offers a chance comes not from some deep-seated inner to ease this frustration. desire to wield a broadsword or pilot a James Holloway Kenneth Rahman spaceship, but from the ability to recount a I do not agree. scenario where such things happen. Roger Raupp Mike Gilbert While the above rationalization sounds Now, you’re reading this and saying to Gail Gierahn Jim Roslof good on the surface, it can be carried a step yourself, “So, Jake thinks people who play further and argued then, that those who adventure role-playing games are frustrat- Ed Greenwood play military simulation games have some ed writers.” Well, I wouldn’t say it exactly THE DRAGON is published monthly by Dragon Publish- ing, a division of TSR Hobbies Inc. The mailing address inner desire to be leaders in war, or those that way myself, but in the broadest sense, of Dragon Publishing is P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI who play Monopoly® are would-be real es- yes, I do. We’re given fairy tales and bed- 53147; telephone 414-248-8044 tate barons lacking any compassion (“pay time stories when we’re young, both classic THE DRAGON is available at hundreds of hobby stores your rent or go to jail, sorry, no exten- and bookstores throughout the United States and Cana- and spur-of-the-moment, and when Moth- da, and through a limited number of overseas outlets, or sions . .”). er asks why we’re out of bed at 10:00 pm can be purchased directly from Dragon Publishing by we come up with reasons like a monster in individual subscription. The subscription rate within the United States and Canada is $24 for 12 issues. Outside Adventure role-playing gaming has, in- the closet or snakes under the bed. Pretty the U.S. and Canada, rates are as follows: $50 for 12 trinsic to its very framework of rules, the soon television takes the place of family issues sent surface mail, or $95 for 12 issues sent air mail. All payments for subscriptions to Canada and generation of an epic tale. In the broadest members as the storyteller, and who hasn’t overseas must be in U.S. currency. sense, all games generate a story, but ad- turned to a companion during a TV show venture role-playing gaming is of such a and said, “You know, if I had written this Back issues of THE DRAGON are available from Dra- scope as to make the generation of the tale gon Publishing for the cover price plus 75 cents for show. .”? postage and handling for each magazine. Cover prices clearly visible. Indeed, with a little judicious of the magazines are $2 for TD-22 through TD-31, $2.50 name-changing many of the fantasy adven- Reading books, watching television, lis- for TD-32,33,35 and 36, and $3 for TD-37 and there- after. Payment for all individual orders must be made in ture novels now on the market could be tening to Grandpa’s stores about WWI— advance. accounts of sessions of adventure role- they’re all passive. We want to tell a story or The issue of expiration for each subscription is printed playing games. And it is this, the weaving of two ourselves—not just re-telling someone on each subscriber’s mailing label. Changes of address the fabric of the story, I feel, that holds the else’s, but creating our own. And what bet- for subscriptions must be received by Dragon Publish- ing at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the fascination of the game. ter way than an adventure role-playing change. game? If we indeed do have some aspect of Most participants in an adventure role- All material published in THE DRAGON becomes the inner self that lies frustrated and unfulfilled, exclusive property of the publisher upon such publica- playing game have neither the time nor the it is an aspect of the bard, the tribal story- tion, unless special arrangements to the contrary are training necessary to write and publish a teller, the court historian, or just plain and made prior to publication. fantasy/science fiction novel—but the simply The Muse. While THE DRAGON welcomes unsolicited submis- game allows the creation of essentially the * * * sions of written material and artwork, submissions can- not be returned unless accompanied by a self- same story with a fraction of the effort. Lis- addressed, stamped envelope, and no responsibility for ten to a couple of people recounting the such material can be assumed by the publisher in any event. All rights on the contents of this publication are happenings of a session of an adventure reserved, and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in role-playing game and you’ll hear phrases part without permission in writing from the publisher. that could have come directly from a work Copyright 1980 by TSR Hobbies, Inc. by Vance or Tolkien or Lucas. And just as Second class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin people open a conversation with “In The 53147. Return of the King where. .” or “You know that part in Star Wars when. .” one 2 September 1980 The Dragon the basic game, two each by Roberto Camino and George Paczolt, occupying seven pages inside. The popular Giants in the Earth feature is bigger than ever this time around, featuring three famous females from fantasy and two Norse heroes besides, plus a pair of auxiliary articles on the magical effects of dragon’s blood. Also bigger than ever this month is Dra- gon’s Augury, which is led off by Tom Wham’s extensive look at four of Avalon Hill’s new game programs for home microcomputers. Computer buffs will also appreciate The Electric Eye, in which he hardest part of writing “Cover to Cover” every columnist Mark Herro offers three programs designed to make the month is trying to decide which articles and features to DM’s job easier. And for more information about Avalon Hill, check list first, which parts of the magazine to emphasize. out John Prados’ Simulation Corner, which puts forth the observa- Because our readers’ tastes are so varied, we try to tions of veteran gaming executive Tom Shaw. Three of the most make Dragon as diversified as we can in the space dastardly and devious designs in our DD&DD file await you inside. If available. That leaves me with a variation of the “comparing apples any characters are still left standing after contending with these. we’ll and oranges” problem: Is an article about one aspect of the gaming whip up some more tantalizing traps in the near future. hobby more “significant” than another one, just because of the Tom Moldvay, who wrote Giants in the Earth and also contri- subject matter? No, of course not—it all depends on what you, the buted half of the debate on dragon’s blood, also produced The reader, enjoy the most. And I guess that means that it doesn’t really Silkie, which leads off this month’s Dragon’s Bestiary. It is followed matter what I list first, or second, or last: what does matter is what you by the Tomb Tapper, another of Ed Greenwood’s creations. You’ll like, whether it’s at the beginning or the end of “CTC.” also find Ed’s name on some of the items in Bazaar of the Bizarre. This month’s main attraction (at least, in our opinion) is “The This month’s “charts & tables” offering is by Holly Lovins, who Halls of Beoll-Dur,” which was the third-place winner in the first offers a system to determine the physical appearance of elves, International Dungeon Design Contest. The 16 pages of perilous dwarves and halflings. Terry Ford goes Up on a Soapbox to talk paragraphs, masterful maps and illustrious illustrations can be found about the virtues of good generalship, and Glenn Rahman’s series in the center of the magazine, and can be easily removed if you so of Minarian Legends continues with a look at the history of the Trolls.