Dragon Magazine #213
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SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Godsmen, Bleakers, Guvners, and Takers 10 — Rich Baker Discover the secrets of the PLANESCAPE™ setting’s factions. The Demiplane of Shadow — Edward Bonny 22 Add this land of twilight nightmares to your AD&D® game. Planar Personalities — Michele Carter & 32 Bill Slavicsek Meet four NPC residents of Sigil, the City of Doors. 42 You Never Know Who’ll You’ll Meet — Larry Granato Use these encounter lists to spice up your planar campaign. FICTION Harvesting the Boneflowers — Joe Luniewicz 72 From dust we come, to dust we return. DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published tion throughout the United Kingdom is by Comag monthly by TSR, Inc., PO. Box 756 (201 Sheridan Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI 53147, United States Middlesex UB7 7QB, United Kingdom; telephone: of America. The postal address for all materials from 0895-444055. the United States of America and Canada except Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-class subscription orders is: DRAGON® Magazine, PO. Box mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues 111, (201 Sheridan Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI sent to an address in the U.S.; $36 in U.S. funds for 12 53147, U.S.A.; telephone (414) 248-3625; fax (414) issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12 issues 248-0389. The postal address for all materials from sent to an address within the United Kingdom; £30 for Europe is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church 12 issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 in U.S. End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223- address, or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent air 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., PO. 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 Printed in the U.S.A. U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribu- change without prior notice. The issue of expiration of 2 JANUARY 1995 REVIEWS Role of Books — John C. Bunnell 50 Browse through a selection of Arthurs. Eye of the Monitor — Jay & Dee 57 Join our stalwart reviewers through their adventures customer support. Role-playing Reviews — Rick Swan 88 We proudly present in-depth reviews of Chaosium’s NEPHILIM* and White Wolf’s WRAITH* games. Through the Looking Glass — Bob Bigelow 112 Get Bob’s views on the latest figures. FEATURES First Quest — Lester Smith 8 Does Les even remember his first role-playing experience? Sage Advice — Skip Williams 85 This time around, Skip muses on magical enigmas of the AD&D game. Rumblings — The staff 94 Catch up on news around the gaming industry. Series Magic — Steven Schend 96 Our chronicler gets a visit from Khelben himself—almost. Elminster’s Notebook — Ed Greenwood 100 Study the “ambitious youngster,” Aldreth Fireshar. DEPARTMENTS 4 Letters 103 Libram X 6 Editorial 106 Dragonmirth 67 Forum 108 Gamers Guide 78 Convention Calendar 120 TSR Previews each subscription is printed on the mailing label of stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: Writers’ Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All 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 IRCs with your SASE. Inc. Therefore, TSR will not be held accountable for (PO. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.) or from Advertising: For information on placing advertise- opinions or mis-information contained in such material. TSR Ltd. For a free copy of the current catalog that ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. All ® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, lists available back issues, write to either of the above ads are subject to approval by TSR, Inc. TSR reserves Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Most 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., P.O. Box 756, 201 Sheridan Springs Road, of any product without mention of trademark status publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, contact: should not be construed as a challenge to such status. are made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd. ©1994 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. missions can be assumed by the publisher in any expense from any alleged wrongdoing that may arise Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., event. Any submission accompanied by a self- out of the publication of such advertisements. TSR, U.S.A., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any advertising Send address changes to DRAGON Magazine, TSR, returned if it cannot be published. We strongly recom- contract for which the advertiser and/or agency of Inc., P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. mend that prospective authors write for our writers’ advertiser fails to comply with the business ethics set USPS 318-790, ISSN 1062-2101. guidelines before sending an article to us. In the forth in such contract. United States and Canada, send a self-addressed, DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. DRAGON 3 What did you think of this issue? Do you have and of DUNGEON® Adventures for possible level, all very much in the spirit of the “killer a question about an article or have an idea for a Masque articles and adventures. dungeons” TSR became famous for in the early new feature you’d like to see? In the United William W. Connors 1980s. The DRAGON MOUNTAIN® adventure States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® boxed set from 1993 (TSR product #1089, $30), Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, is a huge, incrediblv nasty adventure for PCs of U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON levels 10-15. (For more details, the DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Gaming on Krynn MOUNTAIN adventure was reviewed in Hinton, Cambridge CBl 3LB, United Kingdom. If DRAGON issue #200.) you wish your letter to be published, you must Many of TSR’S campaign settings have outstand- sign it. We will not publish anonymous letters. Dear Dragon, ing potential for high-level adventures. I’ve always We will withhold your name if you request it. I have been reading the DRAGONLANCE® wanted to take a high-level, magic-rich party of novels for nearly a year now. I’ve thought that lawful and good PCs—with at least one holy sword- playing in the world of the Companions of the bearing paladin—into the domains of the Lance would be fun. I was wondering what RAVENLOFT® setting and conduct a guerilla war More Masque books would be good to have in order to play. against the various Darklords. I think such a Ben Thompson campaign would be a blast, full of action, tension, material? Salt Lake City UT and machinations. The SPELLJAMMER®, DARK SUN®, and PLANESCAPE™ campaigns all handle The one absolutely essential game product for high-level PCs very well. Dear Dragon, any DRAGONLANCE campaign is the Tales of TSR is publishing a veritable torrent of materi- Yes! Thank you, TSR, Inc., for publishing the the Lance boxed set (TSR product #1074). This al in 1995 suited for high-level action. Available RAVENLOFT® Masque of the Red Death cam- $20 set contains all you’ll need to get a Krynn in July of this year will be the BIRTHRIGHT™ paign set.