Dragon Magazine #109
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DRAGON 1 SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS GEN CON® 19 Preregistration Booklet center 24 pages AGENT 13 and the Invisible Empire Poster by Jeff Butler OTHER FEATURES 8 Customized classes Paul Montgomery Crabaugh Design your own adventurers for D&D® game play The barbarian cleric Thomas M. Kane Publisher 19 He keeps the tribe in touch with the spirits Mike Cook 18 Fighters for a price James A. Yates Editor-in-Chief Rules to make mercenaries work for you Kim Mohan 28 Worth its weight in gold John Olson Editorial staff The social significance of dwarven whiskers Patrick Lucien Price 32 The ecology of the displacer beast Bill Mickelson Roger Moore . then again, the article might really start on page 34 . The role of books Reviews by John C. Bunnell Editorial assistance 35 Eileen Lucas 38 War Machine revisited Garry Spiegle Designers modifications to the D&D Companion Set rules Art, graphics, production 44 The uncommon tongue Gregory Andersen Roger Raupp Close enough to be readable, distant enough to be fun Kim Lindau 50 Locals arent all yokels Ralph Sizer Subscriptions Advice on not taking townsfolk for granted Pat Schulz 52 Blades with personality Sam Chupp Advertising Magic swords that have more than just statistics Mary Parkinson 54 Giant-sized weapons Stephen Martin Try to imagine a short sword as tall as a dwarf. Contributing editors Hooves and green hair Bennet Marks Ed Greenwood 58 Two new half-breeds for the AD&D® game universe Katharine Kerr 64 Administrators advice John J. Terra This issues contributing artists Tips on making and maintaining a TOP SECRET® campaign Daniel Horne 70 Valkyrie W. J. Hodgson Marvel Bullpen Joseph Pillsbury Storms brew when a valkyrie challenges the will of Odin Richard Tomasic Roger Raupp Stephen Hearon Janet Aulisio THE ARES SECTION Larry Elmore Hank Jankus Fighting the Good Fight Stephan Jones David Trampier Keith Parkinson 78 Advanced melee rules for SPACE OPERA gaming 80 Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies Kim Eastland Covert cults and societies in STAR FRONTIERS® gaming 82 The Double-Helix Connection Michael Brown Mutants and mutations in the TRAVELLER® system 86 A Change of Diet Tom Adams Vampires, cannibals, and the GAMMA WORLD® game 88 The MARVEL®-Phile Jeff Grubb The second annual index of Marvel Super Heroes 91 The Keys to Good SF Sherri Gilbert Advice on starting a science-fiction campaign DEPARTMENTS 3 Letters 62 TSR Previews 98 Dragonmirth 4 World Gamers Guide 94 Convention calendar 99 Snarfquest 6 The forum 96 Gamers Guide 102 Wormy 60 TSR Profiles COVER Attack of the Taer is Daniel Hornes way of saying hello, and our way of welcoming him to the roster of DRAGON Magazine cover artists. It seems as though this brave fighter has made his saving throw against stench, but his real problems may be just beginning. 2 MAY 1986 In the middle of everything Both of the special attractions in this issue are out of the ordinary, and I think youll need to know a little more about tally by a business concern to further its interest each of them to fully appreciate them. So, Info overload among employees and sales personnel or among here goes. agents and customers. The key words, of course, Dear DRAGON, are to further its interest. Some of you have been politely pester- I have noticed a sudden change in the AD&D If DRAGON Magazine was a house organ, it ing us to publish posters, and now were game. Rules have been added to and molded, would not contain advertising for any non-TSR book covers and artists have changed dramati- products; it would not include articles on the taking our second step in that direction. cally, novels are appearing, modules are coming SPACE OPERA and TRAVELLER® games, Bound into this issue, around the GEN out with greater force and frequency, and your for instance, both of which are featured in this CON® Convention preregistration book- articles are hard to keep up with. With all this issue; it would not use articles such as A differ- let, is your oversized introduction to rush of new material, and the added confusion of ent design (issue #108), which does TSR no AGENT 13 and the Invisible Empire, many good new games coming out, I am finding good whatsoever; and it probably wouldnt have the first book in a new series of adventure it very difficult to keep up on the rules and addi- features such as Snarfquest, Wormy, the conven- novels from TSR. This dynamic painting tions. I think that this is affecting my play, and I tion calendar, and the World Gamers Guide, to by Jeff Butler is a minor variation on the feel swamped. Why the changes, and am I alone name a few. cover art for the book, which will be in in these feelings? Im sorry if Ive belabored the point, or if Ive Jim Robinson sounded defensive. Maybe I simply should have stores sometime this summer. Sam Jose, Calif. said this: If DRAGON magazine really was a Agent 13, also known as The Midnight house organ, do you think my boss would ever Avenger, is the creation of authors Flint I'm sure you're not alone, Jim, but I don't have let me publish this letter? KM Dille and David Marconi. His purpose in think the changes you perceive are anything to life is to foil the schemes of the Brother- get really worked up about. One of the strong hood, a sinister organization that kid- points of a good role-playing game such as the napped him as a child and trained him in AD&D® game is that it can be as simple or as Open question the arts of power. When he learned of complex as you choose to make it. We put out their evil aims, Agent 13 (the name the support material because there's a demand for it, Dear Editor, Brotherhood gave him) escaped from the but you aren't required to own every accessory In issue #106, the article about enchanted product in order to play the game. doors was very interesting and useful, but it organization. Now, in 1937, as the threat Don't be dismayed by the abundance of game doesnt say anything about how to open the of World War II is becoming more real, he and game-related material; instead, consider it an Dread Portal safely or without destroying it. has begun to wage a one-man war against opportunity for you to pick and choose, so you Could you give me some advice? the Brotherhood and its plans for world can tailor your game the way you want it. KM Christian Lainesse domination. Arthabaska, Que. If you think that sounds like good mate- rial for a TOP SECRET® game, well . The description says that anyone touching the we thought of it first. Were planning to House organ? door directly is affected by the imprisoned publish some game materials (character wraith but you dont have to touch a door to and weapon descriptions, maybe a sce- Dear Editor, open it. Is that enough of a hint, or do I have to I write with one small point: if DRAGON knock you over the head? KM nario or two) in magazine form within a Magazine is a Monthly adventure role-playing few months, trying to link AGENT 13 aid, why do TSR Previews and TSR Pro- and the TOP SECRET system, and the files rate their own departments? If the maga- game department may follow that up with zine is a house organ, call it a house organ; Plans change some accessories later. otherwise treat TSRs advertising like everyone elses advertising! (Of course, the vast preponder- Dear DRAGON, And whats so special about the conven- ance of DRAGON articles are TSR-oriented In your answer to Mark Baxter (Letters, #106), tion booklet? We do it every year, and anyway, so its really a house organ no matter you stated . he (Gary Gygax) has no plans at every year a few people grumble about what you do. .) present to preview these classes through articles Rudolph von Abele Jr. in the magazine. In From the Sorcerors having to pay for something they cant Washington, D.C. Scroll in issue #65, Mr. Gygax said he would try use. Well, first of all, the booklet is not to get these classes in the magazine before they part of the magazines regular 104 pages, Its not good form to answer a question with a get into a book, including putting two in one so if its useless to you then the worst you question, but I have to do it this time: What does article. can say is that you got what you paid for. listing Previews and Profiles as departments What caused this discrepancy? Did the Kindly Second, the booklet is invaluable to the have to do with the magazine being (or not being) Editor forget about that article after three and a thousands of people who want to partici- a Monthly adventure role-playing aid"? How half years? pate in the convention. And, obviously, does this define DRAGON® Magazine as a house Brett Hansen the magazine is the best vehicle we have organ, considering that the departments list also Pittsburgh, Pa. for getting the information to a lot of includes several other regular features that have The two words in black type on top of this nothing to do with TSR? Im not really sure what people efficiently. letter say it all. Time marches on, and intentions If you cant use the information, Im Rudolph is getting at, especially since his argu- sometimes march off in a different direction than genuinely sorry.