_./ Issue #221 Vol. XX, No. 4 September 1995 Publisher SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS TSR, Inc. In Dreams-Dave Gross Associate Publisher 10 Venture beyond the walls of sleep, into the land of Brian Thomsen the dream wizards. Editor Magic of Kings, Magic of the Land-Kevin Melka Wolfgang Baur 16 Potent magic comes from a mage-king’s connection to the Associate editor land he rules. Dave Gross 20 The Little Wish-Jon Winter Fiction editor Is a cantrip magical garbage or an overlooked treasure? Uses for Barbara Young the apprentice’s favorite (and only) spell. Ley of the Land-Carrie Bebris, Anne Brown, and Ed Stark Art director 24 Larry Smith To master the greatest magic, a wizard regent needs conduits of magical power. Editorial assistant Michelle Vuckovich Production Staff REVIEWS Tracey Isler Role-playing Reviews-Rick Swan Subscriptions 42 Ricks wades in to do battle with a horde of new combat rulebooks, Janet L. Winters including the AD&D® game’s new optional Combat & Tactics volume. U.S. advertising Eye of the Monitor-Jay and Dee and JB Cindy Rick 115 The scoop on High Seas Trader, Hammer of the Gods, U.K. correspondent and Toh Shin Den. and U.K. advertising The Role of Books-John Bunnell Carolyn Wildman 49 New fantasy novels, Star Trek, and the Magic: The Gathering anthology. 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. The postal address for all materials from the United Subscription: Subscription rates via second-class States of America and Canada except subscription mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues orders is: DRAGON® agazine, 201 Sheridan sent to an address in the U.S.; $36 in U.S. funds for Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, U.S.A.; tele- 12 issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12 phone (414) 248-3625; fax (414) 248-0389. The issues sent to an address within the United Kingdom postal address for all materials from Europe is: £30 for 12 issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United any other address, or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223- sent air mail to any other address. Payment in full 21 2517 (international); telex: 818761; fax (0223) must accompany all subscription orders. Methods of 248066 (U.K.), 414-223-238066 (international). payment include checks or money orders made Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available from payable to TSR, In., or charges to valid MasterCard game and hobby shops throughout the United States, or VISA credit cards; send subscription orders with Canada, the United Kingdom, and through a limited payments to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 5695, Boston MA number of other overseas outlets. Distribution to the 02206, U.S.A. In the United Kingdom, methods of book trade in the United States is by Random House, payment include cheques or money orders made Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, payable to TSR Ltd., or charges to a valid ACCESS Ltd. Distribution to the book trade in the United or VISA credit card; send subscription orders with Kingdom is by TSR Ltd. Send orders to: Random payments to TSR Ltd., as per that address above. 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 SEPTEMBER 1995 FEATURES First Quest-Mike Stackpole 8 Canada to Vermont, via Arizona, tunnels, and trolls, Arcane Lore: Zalas Book of Barriers-John W. Baichtal 32 Away with ye! Making abjuration fun. Eight Ways to Tame the Dark Overlord-Peter Zelinski 36 Helping PCs survive and flourish against archvillains. Dragons Bestiary: Lords of Chaos-Edward Bonny 72 The frog-men are coming! The frog-men are coming! Rumblings-Michelle Vuckovich 54 All the latest news, gossip, and a few items that might be a little of both. Bazaar of the Bizarre: Magical Items for Familiars- 83 James R. Collier Helpful features for helpful creatures. Ecology of the Crystal Spider-Rudy Thauberger 87 A web of sunlight, a shell of steel, and a mind the size of a walnut. 101 Uses for a Portable Hole-Kevin N. Haw COVER 90 Would you believe that six canoes fit in one of these babies? After a wait that was far too long, veteran Sage Advice-Skip Williams illustrator Larry Elmore presents the 100 third in a seasonal series that began on This month, the sage tackles questions about rogues, magic, and the the cover of issue #163 and continued mysterious samovar. with #188. The first represented Autumn, followed by Winter. This one, entitled The Game Wizards-Steve Schend Appeasing Karita?, represents Summer. 112 The BLOOD WARS™ checklist for the Powers & Proxies expansion set, plus variant rules for the planar card game. DEPARTMENTS 4 Letters 103 Libram X 6 Editorial 106 Dragonmirth 65 Forum 109 Garners Guide 96 Convention Calendar 120 TSR Previews magazine. Changes of address for the delivery of the above address; include sufficient American part without first obtaining permission in writing from subscription copies must be received at least six postage or Internation Reply Coupons with the return the publisher. Material published in DRAGON® weeks prior to the effective date of the change in envelope. In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o Magazine does not necessarily reflect the opinions of order to assure uninterrupted delivery. DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., include sufficient TSR, Inc. Therefore, TSR will not be held accountable Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues is International Reply Coupons with your SASE. for opinions or mis-information contained in such available from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop Advertising: For information on placing advertise- material. (201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. ® designated registered trademarks owned by 53147 U.S.A.) or from TSR Ltd. For a free copy of the All ads are subject to approval by TSR, Inc. TSR TSR, Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, current catalog that lists available back issues, write reserves the right to reject any ad for any reason. In Inc. Most other products names are trademarks owned to either of the above addresses. the United States and Canada, contact: Advertising by the companies publishing those products. Use of Submissions: All material published in DRAGON Coordinator, TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, the name of any product without mention of trade- Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, contact: mark status should not be construed as a challenge publisher, unless special arrangements to the con- Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd. to such status. trary are made prior to publication. DRAGON Advertisers and/or agencies of advertisers agree ©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All TSR Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of writ- to hold TSR, Inc. harmless from and against any loss characters, character names, and the distinctive like- ten material and artwork; however, no responsibility or expense from any alleged wrongdoing that may nesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. for such submissions can be assumed by the publish- arise out of the publication of such advertisements. ORIGINS is a trademark owned by the Games er in any event. Any submission accompanied by a TSR, Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any adver- Manufacturers Association. self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size tising contract for which the advertiser and/or agency Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., will be returned if it cannot be published. We strongly of advertiser fails to comply with the business ethics U.S.A., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: recommend that prospective authors write for our set forth in such contract. Send address changes to DRAGON Magazine, TSR, writers’ guidelines before sending an article to us. In DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva WI the United States and Canada, send a self- Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, ISSN 1062-2102. addressed, stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in DRAGON 3 What did you think of this issue? Do you this. As I live in Canada, this means that have a question about an article or have the price for this issue would he nearly Computer an idea for a new feature youd like to eight dollars Canadian. Because I sub- see? In the United States and Canada, scribe, I didnt pay this, but if I bought my Credibility write to: Letters, DRAGON® Magazine, 201 magazine at the newstand, I would be Dear Dragon, Sheridan Springs Rd., Lake Geneva WI unwilling to pay more for a CD. A brief word about your regular reviewers, 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, I have listened to the CD; of four tracks, Jay and Dee: Comments like, We couldnt DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church two simply talk about the CD project in understand it, even after playing it for four End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, general.