Issue #141 Vol. XIII, No. 8 S PECIAL ATTRACTION January 1989 Publisher 15 Not Human Enough: Mike Cook Humanoids have very simple tastes (and they like the taste of adventurers best). Editor Roger E. Moore 16 The Dragons Bestiary The Readers Want some excitement? Let the PCs meet a swamp-orc assassin tribe. Associate editor Fiction editor Robin Jenkins Barbara G. Young 22 Orcs Throw Spells, Too! Randal S. Doering Shamans and witch doctors must earn their magic but the price is steep. Editorial assistant Kimberly J. Walter 34 Boulder-Throwers and Humanoid Hordes Arthur Collins The bigger they are, the more you should worry. Art director Lori Svikel 38 Hey, Wanna Be a Kobold? Joseph Clay In just seven minutes, we can make you a humanoid. Production staff Paul Hanchette Betty Elmore Kim Janke Carolyn Vanderbilt O THER FEATURES Subscriptions U.S. Advertising Pat Schulz Sheila Gailloreto 44 The Ulfjarls Stone fiction by Mickey Zucker Reichert Was he sent out to die or to live? U.K. correspondent Lyn Hutchin 50 Role-playing Reviews Jim Bambra The state of the galactic gaming art: GDWs MEGATRAVELLER and SJGs U.K. advertising GURPS® Space games. Dawn Carter Kris Starr 64 The Role of Books John C. Bunnell Sorcerers from England, China, and the lands beyond. 68 The Game Wizards Mary Kirchoff Its trilogy time! New book releases from TSR, Inc. 72 The Role of Computers Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser Start the New Year on the right disk (or VCR tape). 80 Through the Looking Glass Karen S. Garvin Brown is a fine color for a horse, but not all the time! 88 The Marvel®-Phile David Edward Martin A mad scientist and a benevolent sorcerer on the same super-team. DEPARTMENTS 3 Letters 62 TSR Previews 92 Convention Calendar 6 Forum 84 Gamers Guide 98 SnarfQuest 14 Sage Advice 86 Index to Advertisers 102 Dragonmirth COVER Daniel Horne calls his cover painting Strength in Numbers, pointing out that the best thing you can have when you face a big problem is a friend who will help you solve it. Here, two gnome guards have discovered a qullan in their cavern treasury and theres only one solution to that problem. 2 JANUARY 1989 This is the first editorial Ive writ- ten since my mononucleosis passed (sort of) in late November. In my addled state, no coherent theme suggests itself to start the new year, so we will make do with Random notes What did you think of this issue? Do you have Value of EPT a question about an article or have an idea for a Were International! This issue new feature youd like to see? In the United Dear Dragon: of DRAGON® Magazine ends the States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® I am inquiring about the value of the EMPIRE series of U.S. and U.K. editions that Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, OF THE PETAL THRONE role-playing game were printed throughout 1988. U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON (copyrighted 1975 by TSR, Inc.). I received it Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry recently from my aunt, who paid a mere dollar Whatever you now see in the maga- Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. for it! My cousin and I both believe it may be a zine is the same material that collectors item. It contains all of its original appears everywhere, with the contents, in mint condition, minus the dice. exception of some cover changes. Holo-Dragon Kevin Collins DRAGON Magazine has had an Dearborn Heights MI international flavor for many years Dear Dragon: (see the editorial for issue #135). Have you seen National Geographic’s Decem- At the 1983 and 1984 GEN CON® Game Fairs, Wherever you happen to be, you ber 1988 issue? The cover is a hologram. It copies of this game in good condition sold for will get the best of what we have. would be interesting to see a DRAGON Maga- about $15-16. The price has probably increased Weve moved! Or rather, the TSR zine issue with a hologram on its cover. This is since then, but (as noted in the response to the Limited (formerly TSR UK Limited) an ideal for a special issue e.g., 150th issue or letter Golden oldies” in issue #135) the price 13th anniversary issue. Even if this might raise you’ll get depends on the buyer. Keep your offices have moved. Our readers in the price of the magazine for that issue, Im game in good shape and see what people want the United Kingdom and Europe sure faithful readers wouldnt mind the price. for it in game auctions, if you want to sell it. For should note the new address: TSR Im even sure that that issue would sell like more information on the EPT game, see “Role- Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hin- hotcakes! I dont know if youd be able to do playing reviews” in issue #128. ton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, England. this, but it would be great if you could. The TSR Ltd. offices offer subscrip- Emanuel Matos tions to DRAGON Magazine, too; see St. Bruno, Quebec Setting records the subscription information at the This idea has been suggested before (thanks to Dear Dragon: bottom of the first Forum page. several National Geographic covers), but the My gaming group has been playing AD&D® The mailing address for the edito- National Geographic Society has a far bigger games for about a year now. We are interested rial offices of DRAGON Magazine budget than we have. We haven’t checked on in trying to break the world record for continu- has changed, too. Our address is the exact cost, but a phone call to the National ous playing of the AD&D game [and] I am now: DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box Geographic Society revealed that the technical writing to you for the marathon rules. We 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147. problems the magazine’s staff faced in produc- would be much obliged if you could send us the No errer: This is the January rules and the current record. The most up-to- ing their two hologram covers were enormous, 1989 issue, but the copyright dates date record we have is 84 hours. as was the cost (and we’re talking about a maga- herein are correct. This issue was zine with 2.8 million readers). Oh, well! Mark Way No address given printed in late December 1988, so the copyrights are for 1988. Well Wheres Krynn? This is one of the most frequently asked change to 1989 dates in February. I questions we get at TSR, but we are the wrong mention this only to stop the flood Dear Dragon: people to ask. The offices of the Guinness Book of Ha, ha, you screwed up! letters I have noticed that there have been no articles of World Records should be able to help you we get. on Krynn for a good period of time (over a with this, since they publish the records. How- Changelings: In the last six year). I have tried to do my part as a writer to ever, we do not really recommend this activity months, weve had a number of staff help remedy this situation. I am sure others since of course it means prolonged periods of changes (as evidenced by the who love the world of Krynn and adventuring sleep loss. in it would also love to see more. Will there be masthead-box changes on page 2 of more on Krynn in the future? If so, I hope it is each issue). Some readers have in the very near future. Krynn has plenty of Computer glitch wondered what was going on. Brief- room to grow; will you help it by publishing ly: Two of our people gained new more about it? Dear Dragon: additions to their families and have Jeff Maxwell What happened to one of my favorite sec- left TSR for the more demanding Troy MI tions, The Role of Computers? I noticed in roles of parents (one is a free-lance DRAGON issue #139 that instead of The Role of writer whose material still appears Computers you had The Role of Books. I We have received very little material on here); one left and joined the staff of DRAGONLANCE® campaigns and only margin- would like The Role of Computers returned. a magazine in California; three left ally more material on the WORLD OF Thank you. GREYHAWK® setting. Though these settings are Ted Leng TSR to pursue free-lance work as widely played, few have written to us about North Caldwell NJ writers and/or editors; one got mar- them. It would be easiest to tailor a group of ried and changed her name (but still characters, magical items, monsters, or new The Role of Computers and Role-playing works here); and weve rearranged spells to fit one of these settings for our “Lords Reviews were bumped from issue #139 at the the job positions of the rest (after last moment due to a number of problems. & Legends,” “Bazaar of the Bizarre,” “The Continued on page 43 Dragon’s Bestiary,” and “Arcane Lore” columns. Barring unforeseen events, these columns will Perhaps some of our readers would like to try continue to appear in the magazine on a regular this (nudge, nudge). basis or at least as regular as we can manage. DRAGON 3 disbelieving and saving throws. I rule that intelligence is always checked when dealing with illusions, no matter how powerful or experienced the person is.