Dragon Publishing released Dragon #92 in December 1984. It is 100 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. This issue features clerics, ettins, and spellbooks!
The cover is called “Bridge of Sorrows,” painted by Denis Beauvais, and captures a wizard, barbarian, and centaur facing off against a wyvern. The colours are gorgeous! Interior artists include Jeff Butler, Roger Raupp, Bob Maurus, John Gilmore, Jeff Easley, Dave Trampier, Joseph Pillsbury, Denton Elliott, Richard Tomasic, and Larry Elmore.
This issue’s special attraction is “The Sword of Justice” by Jon Mattson, an adventure for Basic D&D. A village judge enlists the heroes to retrieve an ancient magical sword that glows in the presence of lies, which will help bring a killer to justice. The adventure is a straightforward dungeon crawl, with the party hunting for the sword in an abandoned mansion. There are some conventional monster encounters, several traps, and a few basic tricks. It’s a solid but unexceptional introductory adventure. Mattson had been contributing to Dragon since issue #24, but this was his final appearance.
Clerics take the spotlight in a trio of articles. “Clerics live by other rules” by E. Gary Gygax offers guidance on making clerics and druids distinct in your campaign. Long-time readers of Gygax will note he was inconsistent on the desirability and permissibility of modifying the rules of AD&D! In this article, he suggests that Dungeon Masters tailor the spells and powers granted by each deity, even withholding certain spells that conflict with a god’s portfolio (for example, a sun god might dislike darkness spells). Perhaps the most interesting part of this piece is the glimpse into how he runs clerics in his own Greyhawk campaign.
Next, “First, spread the faith” by Paul Vernon suggests people should roleplay clerics as true champions of their deities. He is doubtless correct when he says they are treated as “walking medical kits” rather than devoted priests. Vernon states that a cleric’s motivations should revolve around serving and expanding their religion—preaching to companions, converting unbelievers, and upholding their deity’s tenets. I’d respond that not every deity and priest will focus on proselytizing, but I agree that at least some should. Vernon was a British game designer and frequent contributor to White Dwarf and Imagine.
In the same vein, “The more, the merrier” by Bruce Barber introduces rules for clerics to convert NPCs and earn experience points as a reward. Your cleric attempts conversions using a mix of roleplay and die rolls, earning bonus XP based on the difficulty and significance of the subject. It comes with a fun reaction table, with entries ranging from enthusiastic conversion to violent rejection. This article was Barber’s only RPG publication.
Lenard Lakofka brings “Gods of the Suel Pantheon” to a close with the final three deities in the series: Lydia, Bralm, and Jascar. Lydia (goddess of music, knowledge, and light) is a benign deity whose priests value learning and song; Bralm (goddess of insects and industry) enables her faithful to cast druid spells and take the form of an ankheg. Jascar (god of hills and mountains) grants his high-level clerics the ability to shape-change into a pegasus and immunity to petrification. I would have liked a little more information about what the worship of these gods actually entails; nevertheless, it is a well-crafted conclusion to a significant lore series.
“Let the Horse Buyer Beware” by Robert Harrison proposes an expanded approach to horse purchases, with size, quality, and training affecting price, hit points, and speed. It’s not something I’d use at my table, but I imagine there are those wanting to distinguish between a prime stallion and a hopeless nag. This one-page article was Harrison’s only RPG publication.
Ed Greenwood makes a double appearance this month. First is “The Ecology of the Ettin,” an exploration of the two-headed giant. Greenwood once more frames the piece as an in-character account (this time by “Raujur the Ranger”) and complements it with footnotes providing the game stats and clarifications. We learn about the ettin’s habits, diet, and the dynamics between its dual heads (Greenwood surprisingly asserts that they never argue). It is a competent but more prosaic piece than some previous entries.
Greenwood also contributes “Pages from the Mages III,” continuing his series on the famous spellbooks of the Forgotten Realms. Through the persona of Elminster, he divulges the secrets of four more arcane tomes. One example is Aubayreer’s Workbook, the long-lost book of an ancient mage, which contains standard spells as well as unique high-level magic like Phase Trap and Thunderlance. Greenwood provides a rich backstory for each book, along with the new spells or magical effects they hold. It’s inspiring stuff for anyone who wants to enrich their next magical haul, and it’s no surprise this series enjoys such a stellar reputation.
For fans of DragonQuest, Paul M. Crabaugh offers “Going Up and Getting Wet,” an advanced set of rules for climbing and swimming. The base chance is determined by skill rank and then modifiers are applied for surface types, ropes, armour weight, etc., giving the game a crunchy and realistic approach. Crabaugh was almost single-handedly supporting DragonQuest with new material at this stage.
“The Multi-Dimensional Caper” by Mark Acres is a pulp detective tale with a metafiction twist. Nick White is a hard-boiled private investigator who encounters a mysterious swordswoman claiming to be from another world. White is pure cliche but likable all the same, and the story’s pacing is good. However, the conflict feels underdeveloped, and the final resolution is not nearly as clever as needed, given the strange setup. Acres was a former TSR developer who was then working for Pacesetter.
The “Role of Books” is back, this time with three book reviews:
- The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is an intricate medieval mystery about a scholarly monk investigating bizarre murders in a remote monastery, and “is both useful and fascinating, but it’s also hard work.”
- The Riddle of the Wren by Charles de Lint is an evocative fantasy quest in which a young heroine journeys across magical worlds and is “a remarkably skilled blending of sincerity and subtlety.”
- Castles by Alan Lee and David Day is a beautifully illustrated book exploring mythological, historical, and literary castles, and is “highly recommended for those who have always enjoyed the magic and mystery inherent in castles.”
This issue has one game review. In TOON: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game from Steve Jackson Games, you play Saturday morning cartoon characters engaging in ridiculous antics. The mechanics are extremely simple and encourage creativity over tactics. Your character never dies—if your hit points hit zero, you simply sit out for three minutes before popping back up again, in zany cartoon fashion. It’s the ideal beer-and-pretzels game. Reviewer Michael Dobson concludes TOON is “a genuine good idea – an original (if unlikely) concept.”
The ARES Section returns, presenting about a dozen pages of science-fiction and superhero gaming material. It includes two articles:
- “The Six Million Dollar Mutant” by Bruce Humphrey brings cyborgs to GAMMA WORLD.
- “The Marvel-Phile” by Jeff Grubb details game stats for the Heralds of Galactus – the Silver Surfer, Nova, and Terrax.
And that’s a wrap! I thought “Pages from the Mages” stood out amidst some modest competition. Next month, we have rules for high-level druids, campaign building, and a daring new adventure!
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