Issue #223 Vol. XX, No. 6 November 1995 The Lords of the NineColin 10 McComb Publisher TSR, Inc. The Lords of the Nine Layers of Baator have been revealed at last. Do you dare Associate Publisher read about them? Brian Thomsen Primal RageRob Letts and Wayne A. Haskett Editor-in-Chief 24 Straight to your campaign from the hottest video game of our Pierce Watters time come three new demigods. Editor The Right Monster for the Right AdventureGregory Anthony J. Bryant 81 W. Detwiler Picking your scenario appropriately will make the many Associate editor Dave Gross horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos that much more terrifying. Fiction editor Barbara Young FICTION Art director Larry W. Smith Winters KnightMark Anthony 92 Adarr was ancient, but he was Queen’s Champion; only he Editorial assistant could face the great wyrm and save the land from desolation. Michelle Vuckovich Production staff Tracey Isler REVIEWS Subscriptions Janet L. Winters Role-Playing ReviewsRick Swan 42 Bugs take over Chicago, Rick considers Asia, and TSR parodies U.S. advertising the tabloid industry. Cindy Rick The Role of BooksJohn C. Bunnell U.K correspondent 51 What’s good and what’s not in the latest F&SF books? and U.K. advertising Carolyn Wildma DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published Kingdom is by Comag Magazine Marketing, Tavistock monthly by TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE, United Lake Geneva, WI 53147, United States of America. Kingdom; telephone: 0895-444055. 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House, Inc., Order Entry Department, Westminster Prices are subject to change without prior notice. The MD 21157, U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000. issue expiration of each subscription is printed on the Newsstand distribution throughout the United mailing label of each subscriber’s copy of the 2 NOVEMBER 1995 Getting Opmotized-David Zeb Cook 63 Window 95 vs. Games. And the winner is... FEATURES First QuestTom Dowd 8 First there was SF. Then Tolkien. Then Gaming. Dragons Bestiary: Four Guardian Gargoyles 20 John W. Baichtal If you think you know all about gargoyles—think again. TM DRAGON DICE Magical Effect CardsLester Smith 30 A gaming accessory to make your DRAGON DICE warfare easier. Bazaar of the Bizarre: Nine Rings to Rule Them All 35 Robert S. Mullin Nine new rings for attack, defense, and esoteric pursuits. Winter Fantasy 96Scott Douglas 48 Find out what’s happening at winter’s biggest gaming con. Ecology of the ChitineBelinda G. Ashley 56 A drow scout reports her observations of a tribe of Chitine. Sage AdviceSkip Williams 77 This month, the sage continues to tackle questions about TM PLAYER’S OPTION . 114 Interview: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman Sue Weinlein COVER The authors of the newest DRAGONLANCE® novel, Dragons of Our cover this month is by former TSR Summer Flame, discuss Krynn, writing, and the dawning staff designer Roy Parker. Painted origi- Fifth Age. nally as an interior piece for an article that never made it to press, it works very well representing our beastly theme. We havent forgotten the painting (or Roy) DEPARTMENTS and are pleased to present it as this months cover. Help! Im fell and I cant get up. 4 Letters 88 Floyd 6 Editorial 103 Libram X 69 Con Calendar 110 Gamers Guide 73 Forum 119 TSR Previews magazine. 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We strongly rec- of advertiser fails to comply with the business ethics Wisconsin, U.S.A., and additional mailing offices. ommend that prospective authors write for our writ- set forth in such contract. Postmaster: Send address changes to DRAGON ers’ guidelines before sending an article to us. In the DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. Magazine, TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, United States and Canada, send a self-addressed, Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, ISSN stamped envelope (9%“ long preferred) to Writers’ rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, 0279-6848. Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in DRAGON 3 I can relate to the frustration, but the soft- More TSR Critiques, ware analogy is actually an anomaly. Take another common item purchased and Please updated: the automobile. lf you buy a 1995 Corvette, you cant expect them to give you Dear Dragon, a discount when the 1996 model comes We need your reviewers to start critiquing out. As to the advance notice of version most, if not all, TSR products. Why? updates, well, you got one, in D RAGON Because no one else does. I know you Magazine #220. The new version is out in dont want to be perceived as a house November. organ, but I think we deserve to be given a As to the viability of your- purchases, con- review of items we might actually buy sider them all valid. Weve added to Athas, instead of deservedly obscure games that thats all. very few of us care about. After all, we buy DRAGON Magazine primarily to help our AD&D® game, right? So why arent the majority of these goods reviewed where Whither Krynn ? their main buyers can read them? Dear Dragon, I cheered when I saw the review of Recently Ive noticed a dramatic drop in AL-QADIM® in issue #220! That is exactly the number of DRAGONLANCE® products and what we need more of.