Tough Times It’s the year of a presidential election, and things are tough babes” or “why don’t you just give it away for free.” In the best all over. of all possible worlds we would accommodate all of your No, this is not the beginning of some great contemporary desires, but unfortunately we are neither Aladdin’s genie nor fictive opus that I am writing. It is merely my assessment of the Bill Clinton, and times are tough. way things are. If there is something we can do to make DRAGON Magazine I’m not going to say that things would be better if we had better for you, let us know. More GREYHAWK® setting, more art, more Democrats in Congress or a Republican in the White more fiction, more really ugly NPCs — none of it is out of the House or a quick demolition of the two-party system. I have question. my own opinions on these matters, but this is not the place for Unlike Congress, we are not deadlocked... and we care. them... but still, things are tough all over, and that affects DRAGON® Magazine. (I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize for Paper costs keep rising, mom & pop game shops close, and any inconvenience you might have experienced in obtaining you, the gentle consumer, have fewer dollars to spend than copies of the past few issues of DRAGON Magazine at your local your parents did when they were your age. hobby shop or book store. The distributors/chain retailers with Nobody said life was fair, and there is not much we can do whom we do business have embraced what I consider to be an about it — except for DRAGON Magazine, that is. If you have less unfortunate and ill-advised buying system philosophy called money to spend, then it is up to us to make the magazine even “just-in-time,” whereby they order as few copies up front as pos- more worthwhile. We can’t control the costs of production or sible on all titles, expecting to be able to re-order more inven- the selling price in the market. The only thing that we can con- tory instantaneously when they sell out. Magazine print runs trol is the value of the magazine itself, and that is our objective. are based on initial orders, and since a new issue appears each We want every issue of DRAGON Magazine to sing with month, reorders are usually non-existent. playable materials that you can’t wait to bring to your next We will always try to estimate the print runs with enough Saturday night dungeon crawl. We want you to be wowed by margin to cover your demands, but it is very hard when our color and black and white art the likes of which you can’t find distributors/chain retailers are being short-sighted and conser- elsewhere. These are the direct responsibilities of Editor Dave vative. In the long run you, the consumer, are the one being Gross and Art Director Larry Smith, and both of them are most inconvenienced, and of this I am sorry. Once again, I exceptional at their jobs. never said that life was fair.) We want DRAGON Magazine to be as important to you as The Wall Street Journal is to a businessman. We owe it to you, and in tough times, that’s the least we can do. But the buck doesn’t stop there. It’s a Brian Thomsen two-way street. You have to tell us Associate Publisher & what you want, and I don’t mean Ogre “lower the price” or “more hot Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Editor Art director TSR, Inc. Brian Thomsen Pierce Watters Dave Gross Larry W. Smith Associate editor Associate editor Subscriptions U.S. advertising U.K. correspondent/advertising Anthony J. Bryant Michelle Vuckovich Janet L. Winters Cindy Rick Carolyn Wildman Printed in the USA # DRAGON 230 3 June 1996 Volume XXI, No. 1 Issue #230 The Orbs of Dragonkind Roger E. Moore Eight powerful artifacts from the world of Oerth, each as dangerous to the wielder as to the dragons they were designed to control. Page 8 Dragonslayers Wolfgang Baur You’ll need every possible edge to join the ranks of the dragonslayers. Page 18 Dragons of Legend John D. Rateliff From Fafnir to Smaug, the dragons of fantasy literature range from the fearsome to the absurd. Page 24 Fire on the Five Peaks Ed Stark Two of the terrible wyrms of Cerilia are nearly lost to legend. One of them is even more dangerous dead than alive. Page 30 4 JUNE 1996 Columns 3. The Wyrm’s Turn Tough times and good values. 6 . D-Mail Wyrms of the North What’s on your mind. Ed Greenwood The premier installment of a new series 50 . Cons& Pros detailing the most powerful dragons This summer, the hottest gaming is at a con- of the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting. vention near you. Page 36 53 . Role of Books John C. Bunnell gives us a tip on the best new Arcane Lore: Dragon Dweomers fantasy novels. Robert S. Mullin Terrible new enchantments and powerful 60 . RPGA® Network News magical items to make the bravest Elminster’s Everwinking Eye rests in the Network’s dragonslayer tremble. own POLYHEDRON® Newszine Page 42 89 . Forum Rogue’s Gallery: Elves, optional rules, and the benefit of role- Heroes of the Highlands playing at an early age. Carrie A. Bebris & Duane Maxwell 93 . Sage Advice Four heroes from the BIRTHRIGHT® setting’s Skip Williams dispels confusion about spells, newest campaign expansion. magical items, and optional rules. Page 75 111 . Role-playing Reviews Rick Swan takes a look at the newest SF role- DRAGON DICE™ GAME: playing games. Rise of the Undead 120 . The Current Clack Dori Hein & Bill Olmesdahl Allen Varney keeps us up to date on the most The first in a new department! Introducing recent industry news and gossip. the undead, a powerful new force in the battle for control of Esfah. Page 86 Other Material 100 . DragonMirth 102 . Gamer’s Guide 103 . Knights of the Dinner Table 104 . Hellbound 108 . .. Floyd 116 . TSR Previews 62 Mirta’s God (DRAGONLANCE®: Tales of the Fifth Age) Mark Anthony With the passing of the gods of Krynn, what powers might take their place? # DRAGON 230 5 TSR decided to stop producing cam- The “back to basics” theme is important paigns for this, the original AD&D world. to us, and we’ll continue to cover both the I’m willing to wager there are many old- newest game settings and the old classics. timers out there like me who are look- Our readership includes both long-time play- ing for more articles and more modules ers and newcomers to the game, and we’ll dealing with this great campaign world. do our best to provide something for every Being a veteran of the game since one. We haven’t forgotten the veterans! 1976 (I still have my original white box set), I can proudly say that I’ve run the Worth their weight in gold whole gamut of the D&D® and AD&D Dear DRAGON Magazine, games. I’ve tried my best to keep up I’d like to give a huge “Well done!” to with the game worlds, but I haven’t Gregory Detwiler, Ed Greenwood, Jean been entirely successful. Unfortunately, Rabe, Ed Stark, and Roger E. Moore for there are many modules and acces- their parts in making issue #228 of sories that, due to some reason or other, DRAGON Magazine. I really like their articles. Back to Basics are now out of print. Note that this has Another huge well done to everyone else Dear DRAGON® Magazine, not in any way detracted from my at DRAGON Magazine. Since I have been a subscriber for enjoyment of the game. I’ve come to the I also have an opinion. I think DRAGON over 13 years, it should be apparent that realization that I simply cannot keep up Magazine should have a spell of the I have always enjoyed and gotten my with all the latest releases from TSR, so month in each issue, because everyone money’s worth out of your fine publica- I’ll limit myself to the ones that I can get like spells (except barbarians, of course). tion. When you announced that you the most use out of. Two of these will be If DRAGON Magazine thinks the spell is were changing the format, I’ll admit that DRAGON® Magazine and DUNGEON® cool, most everyone else will, too! my first thoughts were ones of alarm Adventures (the latter of which I have Oh, and I would like to know how I and doubt; however, being a fair-mind- subscribed to since issue #1). can purchase a solid gold d20. (I’ve ed person, I thought the least I could do I’d like to finish this letter by listing enclosed a SASE in case of a positive was give you a chance. I am happy to my personal favorite departments in the response!) report that the new format meets with magazine. “Bazaar of the Bizarre” has Yours truly, my complete approval. In fact, this is the always been very helpful. The “Ecology” Kevin Wayne Jones first time since I began subscribing that I series has also been a real “flesher Gamer for 11 Years! felt the need to write to you, applaud outer” for my campaign. “Rogues your efforts, and make a few comments. Gallery” has saved me several times by We’re lucky to have such talented con- There are many areas I like in the providing me with an interesting NPC I tributors.