Info overload
Dear DRAGON,
    I have noticed a sudden change in the AD&D
game. Rules have been added to and molded,
book covers and artists have changed dramatically,
novels are appearing, modules are coming
out with greater force and frequency, and your
articles are hard to keep up with. With all this
rush of new material, and the added confusion of
many good new games coming out, I am finding
it very difficult to keep up on the rules and additions.
I think that this is affecting my play, and I
feel swamped. Why the changes, and am I alone
in these feelings?

Jim Robinson
Sam Jose, Calif
(Dragon #109)

    I'm sure you're not alone, Jim, but I don't
think the changes you perceive are anything to
get really worked up about. One of the strong
points of a good role-playing game such as the
AD&D® game is that it can be as simple or as
complex as you choose to make it. We put out
support material because there's a demand for it,
but you aren't required to own every accessory
product in order to play the game.

Don't be dismayed by the abundance of game
and game-related material; instead, consider it an
opportunity for you to pick and choose, so you
can tailor your game the way you want it. -- KM
 

House organ?
Dear Editor,
    I write with one small point: if DRAGON
Magazine is a "Monthly adventure role-playing
aid," why do "TSR Previews" and "TSR Profiles
" rate their own departments? If the magazine
is a house organ, call it a house organ;
otherwise treat TSR's advertising like everyone
else's advertising! (Of course, the vast preponderance
of DRAGON articles are TSR-oriented
anyway, so it's really a house organ no matter
what you do. . . .)

Rudolph von Abele Jr.
Washington, D.C.
(Dragon #109)

It's not good form to answer a question with a
question, but I have to do it this time: What does
listing "Previews" and "Profiles" as departments
have to do with the magazine being (or not being)
a ?Monthly adventure role-playing aid"? How
does this define DRAGON® Magazine as a house
organ, considering that the departments list also
includes several other regular features that have
nothing to do with TSR? I?m not really sure what
Rudolph is getting at, especially since his argument
seems to circle back on itself at the end of
his letter.

If you think this magazine is a house organ,
nothing I can say is going to change your mind.
But some of you might be honestly wondering.
So, just for grins, let?s look up ?house organ? in
the dictionary. The term is defined as ?a publication
typically in magazine format issued perioditally
by a business concern to further its interest
among employees and sales personnel or among
agents and customers.? The key words, of course,
are "to further its interest."

If DRAGON Magazine was a house organ, it
would not contain advertising for any non-TSR
products; it would not include articles on the
SPACE OPERA and TRAVELLER® games,
for instance, both of which are featured in this
issue; it would not use articles such as "A different
design" (issue #108), which does TSR no
good whatsoever; and it probably wouldn't have
features such as Snarfquest, Wormy, the convention
calendar, and the World Gamers Guide, to
name a few.

I'm sorry if I've belabored the point, or if I?ve
sounded defensive. Maybe I simply should have
said this: If DRAGON magazine really was a
house organ, do you think my boss would ever
have let me publish this letter? -- KM

Computer query
Dear Dragon
While recently looking through some of my
back issues, I wondered what ever became of
"The Electric Eye." I think that this feature
would still be an interesting part of the magazine,
and I hope that you revive it some day.

Kevin Lyman
New Orleans, La.
(Dragon #110)

Funny you should ask, Kevin. "The role of
computers," which begins on page 38 in this
issue, represents our re-entry into coverage of
computers and computer games. It's been almost
four years since the last appearance of "The
Electric Eye," our first venture in this area, and
as we all know, the scope and quality of computer
games have both increased dramatically in the
meantime.

Responses from the reader survey we published
in #107 are still being tabulated, but we've been
able to draw some definite conclusions already
One of those conclusions is that most of you do
want the magazine to cover computer gaming,
and particularly role-playing game software.
Fortunately, we were recently approached by
Hartley and Pattie Lesser with a proposal to
provide us with just such a column, and the result
of their first effort is inside.

Hartley and Pattie are a husband-and-wife
team from California who have been doing this
kind of writing for a few years. They make it
their business to keep up on what's happening in
the game software industry, and their columns for
DRAGON Magazine will concentrate on the
kinds of games that we think most of our readers
would prefer -- in other words, adventure and
role-playing games. If you have a particular
question or comment about a computer game,
send it to the magazine and we'll see that it is
forwarded to the experts. -- KM

Two kinds of art
Dear KM,
After we received issue #109, my wife pointed
something out to me. She said, ?When there is a
female on the cover, she is generally scantily clad
and well proportioned, but when there is a guy
on the cover he is covered from head to toe and
looks like a jerk.?

I?m inclined to agree with her after looking
back in retrospect. She would like to see some
nice-looking guys on the cover ? ?a hunk.? I
have no problem with that. It might even entice
some more women to get into the game.

Another thing I have to say has to do with
when you started making posters available of the
front covers: Bravo for ?Lady Valshea?! More
should become available! I can?t say enough ?
the Lady Valshea poster is beautiful!

Scott P. Devine
Salem, Mass.
(Dragon #111)

Practically all of our cover paintings fall into
one of two categories; let?s call them ?fine art?
and ?game art.? Fine art is just that: a painting
that is rendered with such a high degree of technical
excellence that we can?t pass it up. That
category includes, but is not limited to, paintings
of scantily clad, well-proportioned women, such
as Keith Parkinson's "Lady Valshea" (#106)

Game art must also be well rendered, but has
an extra element that makes it even more attractive
to us: it depicts a scene that could occur in a
game context. "Attack of the Taer" by Daniel
Horne (#109) features a monster from the
AD&D® game and a man who is wisely (considering
the circumstances) outfitted in the best armor
his gold pieces could buy.

We don't go out looking for fine art, but if
someone shows us a beautiful painting we?ll
consider it. The cover of this issue, by the way, is
fine art: As you're probably already noticed,
those aren't "game" dragons that Denis Beauvais
has depicted--? but how could we turn down such
a striking piece of art?

We do actively solicit game art; in fact, Daniel
Horne produced "Attack of the Taer" in response
to our specific request for something game-related.
(And if you liked that painting, wait till
you see his next one.)

If someone shows us a painting of a "hunk,"
and it strikes us as something we'd be proud to
print, then we'll do that. But if that hunk is
engaged in combat with a monster, he'd better be
wearing more than a scowl and a loincloth.

On the subject of posters, I have to set the
record straight: "Lady Valshea" was not offered
for sale by DRAGON Magazine, and we (the
magazine) have no plans to get into the poster
business. We have encouraged several of our
cover artists to make posters available, however,
and we recently got word that Robin Wood is
doing just that; see the space at the right.-- KM
 

Komputer kudos
Dear Hartley and Pattie,
I enjoyed your introductory article, "The Role
of Computers," very much. One subject I would
like to see covered is on computer programs
which aid DMs of ADVANCED DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS® games. For example, they might
speed up character or random encounter generation
(combat resolution is probably most fun to
do by hand).

I know of a few commercial products in this
area, but I suspect the real stars are homebrewed
programs that few people know about.
Perhaps the best way to start this investigation
is to include a call for programs from your
readers in one of your columns.

Thanks for your help.

Allen Cohn
Millbrae, CA
(Dragon #115)
 

More columns?
Dear Dragon:
I am impressed with the new format and style
for DRAGON Magazine. I thought that when the
modules left, the magazine would die for sure.
However, you've managed to keep the quality of
this magazine high.

Unfortunately, something is still missing. The
modules gave DRAGON Magazine a certain style
that cannot be easily duplicated. A character(s)
of the month column, as mentioned by Pat
Lieberg, would be a great cure for this lost
style. I?m sure you would have no trouble getting
characters (I could keep you supplied for a
long time). I read the POLYHEDRON? Newszine
and realize that you avoid overlapping material.
The question in my mind is: Why? If you have
good material, it will sell, overlapping or not.
DRAGON Magazine will not undergo an ?identity
crisis? if you begin this; it will only become
more distinctive.

The resurrected Sage Advice column is great.
Keep this feature and try to include it in every
issue. Bazaar of the Bizarre is also excellent. It
would be great to have a one-page section of
this column every month.

Another feature that I and many of my
friends would like to see is a ?New Worlds?
monthly section. You could have readers submit
their campaign worlds in a specified format,
and publish them. I realize that this would be a
monumental task, but monumental tasks pay off
the most. You could detail parts of Greyhawk,
Blackmoor, Dune, Kara-Tur, Ringworld, and the
Forgotten Realms in this section. I would really
love to see Ed Greenwood?s world mapped out.

    Niel Brandt
    Janesville WI
    (Dragon #121)

We will certainly consider the character
column and the one on new worlds for
DRAGON Magazine. Some details would have to
be worked out first, however -- such as the
question of whether or not we have enough
space for them. More on this issue later.

As has been noted before, you are going to get
a big dose of Ed Greenwood's FORGOTTEN
REALMS campaign world very soon now. See
The Game Wizards column from issue #119 for
details. -- Roger Moore
 

Recordbusters
Dear Dragon:
My friends and I are interested in breaking
the world's record for continuous AD&D® game
playing. Could you send me information on this
or tell me where to send for it?

    Peter C. Rauch
    Colorado Springs CO
    (Dragon #124)

Sorry, Peter (and the dozen or so other
gamers who have written to ask this question).
We have no idea where you can obtain information
on the current records for any sort of
gaming. We also have no interest in printing
such records, whether they are legitimate world
records or not, because such stunts don't
encourage good health habits. (I can't imagine
sitting down and gaming for more than six
hours at a stretch nowadays, anyway My son
wouldn't stand for it.) -- Roger Moore
 

More changes
Dear Dragon:
In the ?Letters? section of issue #121, one of
the letters was headed ?More Columns.? For
some reason, the heading was followed by a
question mark. Well, in that case, my answer is
an emphatic yes.

Niel Brandt?s idea for a ?New Worlds? section
is excellent. Anything could be included ? The
Known World, Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Middleearth,
the Wizard?s World (from Alan Dean
Foster?s Spellsinger novels), Mognamund (from
the Lone Wolf gamebooks) ? the possibilities
are endless.

I think you could expand your "Gamers'
Guide" feature (you know, the one with ads for
game merchants) to be more like the "World
Gamers' Guide" and "Overseas Military Gamers'
Guide" by including the addresses of U.S.
gamers who play unusual, hard-to-find games or
have lots of trouble finding gamers in their
area.  Also, since I (and a lot of other people I
know) enjoy the posters you put out once in a
while, you could put in a two-page pull-out in
the middle of the magazine each month, containing
that issue's cover art, or a promo for a
new product, or whatever.  A "character of the
month" would be interesting as well.

Finally, puh-leeese bring back ?The Marvel®-
Phile? and ?The Role of Computers? as regular
features! Please!

P.S. Are you listed in the Readers' Guide to
Periodical Literature?

    Mike Sugarbaker
    Berkeley CA
    (Dragon #124)

In reverse order: No, we?re not in the Readers'
Guide to Periodical Literature; gaming articles
are not that important, I suppose. ?The Marvel-
Phile? has been slightly irregular due to Jeff?s
work schedule, but it?s still around. ?The Role of
Computers? is proving to be more popular all
the time; currently, it alternates with ?The Role
of Books? feature, but this may change soon.

Your suggestion that we run the addresses of
gamers is one that we ourselves have discussed,
particularly with reference to a classified-ads
section in which gamers could post listings of
items for sale, items needed, announcements of
gaming groups, etc. It was also suggested to me
by a gamer on an Austin computer bulletin board
that we publish a list of phone numbers for BBSs
featuring role-playing game set-ups and subboards
which discuss gaming topics. We?d like
more feedback on these ideas from readers
before we act on them (see this month's editorial).

As for a "New Words" department: Send more
mail on this one, folks. How would you like such
a feature set up? What information on a game
world do you think is important? -- Roger Moore
 

Future writers
Dear Dragon:
I am a DM with thoughts of college
next year.  If someone wanted to work for
your magazine or one like it, what classes should
he take and what are some good colleges to go
to?  Also, is there any money in writing fantasy
material?  Are there a lot of job opportunities for
a fantasy writer?  Who can a young writer send
manuscripts to, to see if they are any good?

    Michael Clement
    Peshtigo WI
    (Dragon #124)

If you've read the past "Profiles" on the magazine
staff members here at TSR, Inc., you are
undoubtedly aware that there is no established
method for getting into the games or games
magazine business.  We currently have no openings
on our staff; our main interest now is in
locating high quality freelance writers who can
produce gaming articles.  The only requirements
for one to be such a writer are creative familiarity
with games, and the ability to express one's
ideas clearly and neatly on paper (as per our
Writers Guidelines).

Is there any money in writing fantasy material?
That depends. We pay about $0.04 per word for
articles in DRAGON® Magazine, and almost no
one has ever made enough from writing fantasy
gaming material to support himself without
having a regular job (unless he was employed as a
game designer). Even people who write fantasy
fiction usually do it as a sideline to better-paying
responsibilities.

If someone seriously wishes to write game
material for any game company or periodical, I
strongly recommend the following:

1. Know your material. If you want to write
articles or modules for a particular game, know
that game system inside out and read everything
available on it.

2. Know your market. Contact the company or
periodical you wish to write for, get their guidelines
for game designers and writers, and keep in
touch with at least one of the staff members
there. Find out what sort of gaming material
they wish to see, and discuss some of your ideas
with them. Then, too, find out if the company
has some sort of product disclosure form that
must be submitted with your article, module, or
game design.

3. Strive to improve your writing and communications
skills. Pay close attention to your spelling
and grammar, and make sure that your writing is
neat, clean, clear, and professional in style. This
helps enormously in gaining the respect of the
people you wish to work with, and it reduces the
chances for error.

Beyond this, all you need is luck. There are no
colleges (or classes) for game designers and
games magazine writers. -- Roger Moore
 

Collectible copies
Dear Dragon:
I own a number of old copies of DRAGON
Magazine. All are in fair condition and I am
interested in what these issues are worth as
collectibles. Could you please send me a list of
what these issues are worth? Thank you very
much for the help you can give me.

John Van Erp
Folsom CA
(Dragon #126)

Anyone who is seriously interested in collecting
games and gaming magazines would do well
to invest in a copy of the Game Buyer?s Price
Guide, a book published by TSR, Inc., in which
the sale prices of many hundreds of items from
the GEN CON Games Fair auctions of 1983 and
1984 are given. Prices have tended to be fairly
erratic for many of the older issues, but the
price guide at least gives you an idea of your
collections minimum worth. The guide can be
ordered from the Mail Order Hobby Shop, P.O.
Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. It costs $5.95
and is stock number TSR9977.
 

Where letters go
Dear Dragon:
Just a quick request: What exactly does happen
to these letters and Forum comments we
send in? Who reads them? Who handles them?
Where do they go? Just out of curiosity, I wonder
what happens to all of my letters. Are they
all read by the head people there and responded
to? Or does some secretary, who doesn?t
know a thing about the games, pick the ones
that look interesting, or does a computer pick
randomly a few which make it to the important
people? What?s the scoop? What goes on behind
the scenes? I?m sure everyone would be interested
in knowing.

Chuck Amburn
Casselberry FL
(Dragon #126)

You're the only one to have asked this question,
actually, but the usual situation is this: The
mail is opened and read by Eileen Lucas, then
sorted out to the appropriate staff member.
Letters and Forum pieces for this magazine
come to me (Roger Moore); I read them all
eventually, though some delay is inevitable. I
respond to some when I can; others are
dropped into files for use in future columns if
they seem interesting enough. You send it, and
we read it -- no secretaries, no computers, no
random selection. Deadline and scheduling
pressures prevent fast responses, but we're
working on it.
 

World Saving
Dear Dragon:
Christopher DeGraffenreid made a good point
in the "Letters" column in issue #123. He
inquired about what was going to happen to his
favorite worlds, Oerth and Krynn, now that the
new campaign setting is the FORGOTTEN
REALMS setting.

We all know now that the DRAGONLANCE®
and WORLD OF GREYHAWK fantasy adventure
settings will be continued, but the primary
emphasis will be on the Forgotten Realms. Will
any of the existing Greyhawk adventures be
compatible with the Realms? Will future adventures
be made so? And what about all Realms
modules to be: Will they be interchangeable
with Greyhawk? I think these are questions we
all want answered.

Most importantly, the letter in issue #123 left
out an entire fantasy setting. What about
Nehwon, home of Lankhmar? Will it be continued
or de-emphasized? I am the DM for some
friends in this very realistic and fun world, and
I wouldn?t trade it for any realm. Why don?t you
all open up and tell us all what is happening in
these many and varied worlds?

Steven Wardell
Ridgefield CT
(Dragon #127)

Most adventures designed for one world or
another might be converted to fit another game
world, with a lot of luck and lots of work by the
DM. No adventures are planned which will be
usable with several worlds, however Modules
which are designed for one world alone were
created to carry the flavor of that world and its
inhabitants, and this flavor doesn?t carry well
from world to world.

Warren Spector informs me that a 128-page
Castle Greyhawk module is due out in January
1988, and a hardcover Greyhawk sourcebook is
being prepared, much like the recently released
DRAGONLANCE® Adventures volume.

Many of the adventures from DUNGEON
Adventures were designed to be used in any
campaign world, and a few are specific to one
world (such as Oerth or Krynn). Fill out the
subscription card in this issue and check it out.

The world of Nehwon is on hold for the time
being ? but watch for further developments.
 

Swords & Spice
Dear Dragon:
As an AD&D® game player and Dungeon
Master, the game becomes a lot more fun and
exciting when unique items come into play. I
mean, it?s not often that you find a talking
sword that has the ability to take over the mind
of its wielder and give him several special
powers. Have you ever thought of releasing a
magazine section, or even a hardback, on
unique magical items of gods or heroes, telling
how they were made, who made them, who
were their previous owners, etc.? Backgrounds
on special items like these would be very interesting
and could also spice up even the dullest
dungeon adventure.

Chad Hanneman
Solon IA
(Dragon #127)

We have considered collecting all of the magical
items ever described in DRAGON® Magazine
and putting them together in a "Best of" collection,
with some additional material as well.
We?ve also considered doing this for all of the
monsters that have appeared in ?The Dragons
Bestiary? and ?Creature Catalog? features.
 

TSR BBS Q&A
Dear Dragon:
Have you ever thought of starting your own
bulletin board system like the Steve Jackson
Games Illuminati BBS (its number is (512) 447-
4449, 300/1200 baud)? If you did this, it would
give the readers a direct link with you, and we
could just send you our comments via modem.
The board would also allow you to put up
previews and notices of upcoming games and
products from TSR. You could even put up a
classifieds section, which is usually the main use
of a bulletin board.

Ben Franco
Long Beach CA
(Dragon #127)

We are still collecting letters from gamers who
would like a BBS for TSR, Inc. The idea does
seem to have some merit, though we have also
found that running such a system would be a
very challenging job (to put it mildly).
 

Hoist the flag!
Dear Dragon:
I was curious why you changed the flag of the
magazine (you know, the big "DRAGON
Magazine" logo on the cover). . . . It?s different,
and I like the new format. I especially like
having the month and year on the cover. Before,
if you wanted to figure out what month and
year the magazine was from, you had to open
the magazine and look at the bottoms of pages.

It's a small thing, but a great convenience.

While I'm at it with the covers, I would like to
compliment you on the artwork you've been
able to get.  It is good enough to hold my
attention for a few minutes before I launch into
digging through the magazine.

One other thing: What font do you use?

Mark R. Mulik
Neosho MO
(Dragon #130)

We changed the logo because we got tired of
calling our periodical a “monthly adventure
role-playing aid” when it is actually a magazine.
Stephanie Tabat designed the new logo, and we
are in seventh editorial heaven over it. We're
glad you like it.

Thank you, too, for your praise of DRAGON
Magazine’s artwork. We’ve been very proud of
it, and we have more high-quality art coming in
every issue. Our art director, Roger Kaupp,
deserves some praise too, even if he does chase
editors around with plastic mailing tubes.

The body copy of this magazine is 9-point
Zapf Book Light with a leading of 10, set on a
14-pica margin in 3-column format.  Certain
sections like "Letters" and "Forum" columns
are set in 8-point type with a leading of 9.  The
body copy of the magazine (like its logo) has
changed several times over the years; it used to
have Baskerville II type, and before that we
used Triumvirate Regular.
 

Roger returns
Dear Dragon:
Just out of curiosity, whose job is it to decide
on a color for the DRAGON logo, the logo's
perimeter, and the outline of special features
printed on the cover?  I think he, she, it, or
whatever does a fine job.

Tony DeFigio
Edinboro PA
(Dragon #130)

We’ll tell Roger Raupp you like his work.
 

A brief message
Dear Dragon:
Robert: "How many gamers does it take to
change a light bulb?"

H.P.: ?I don?t know, how many gamers does it
take to change a light bulb??

Robert: ?Eighteen; three to build a pyramid to
the socket, three to devour all chips, soda,
popcorn, and stray house pets, one to put in the
bulb, and the rest to argue about a six-monthold
DM call.?

Michael Cecil
Belleville IL
(Dragon #131)

Thanks.
 

It won't happen
Dear Dragon:
I'm worried. I've been playing the AD&D®
game for eight years now and have enjoyed
every aspect of it, up to and including DRAGON
Magazine. The reason for my unnerved state is
concern for the popularity now and in the
future of the AD&D game.

I live in Canada, and during the past few years
I've found it next to impossible to find active
gamers. I hope (knock on wood) that the day
never comes when I go to pick up the latest
edition of DRAGON Magazine and find to my
overwhelming horror that it?s been cancelled,
due to insufficient sales.

Please, say it won't happen.

Marc Webber
Belleville, Ont.
(Dragon #132)

As for finding new gamers, see the last letter
on page 3 of issue #130. You might also consider
joining a play-by-mail game; see the first letter
in the “Letters” column for issue #126 for more
information. We reviewed a good PBM game in
issue #131 as well (the Alamaze game).
 

An artful reply
Dear Dragon:
Your magazine is great! You are doing a wonderful
job! The cover art gets better and better
every issue! Have you ever thought about creating
a portfolio of all your artwork? It would be
a great-selling item.

Jason Sauvie
Flint MI
(Dragon #133)

Well, thank you very much! Funny you should
ask about an art collection, because we’ve done
exactly that. The Art of DRAGON® Magazine is
now on sale from TSR, Inc. This wonderful
volume sells for $16.95 (£9.95 in the UK), and is
available from the Mail Order Hobby Shop (see
the mail-order address on page 4) or in a hobby
shop or book store near you.
 

Four questions
Dear Dragon:
I am sending this letter to help answer some
questions that have been on my mind for quite
some time now:

1. When will there be a Best of DRAGON
Magazine Anthology, volume VI?

2. When will there be a Best of DUNGEON
Adventures Anthology?

3. When will the second edition of the AD&D®
game be released?

4. Having a nice day?

Johnny Melton
Toulon IL
(Dragon #133)

1. We are tentatively scheduling an anthology
of the best modules to have appeared in
DRAGON Magazine for early 1989.

2. A similar anthology of the best modules to
have appeared in the first year or two of
DUNGEON Adventures is scheduled for release
in late 1989.

3. As of this writing, the second edition is still
undergoing playtesting by selected gaming
groups, which are coordinated through the
RPGA™ Network. In July, the game will undergo
another editorial revision based on the playtesting
results. Limited playtesting will take place
after that, and the game should be released in
early 1989.

4. So far, it’s been okay.
 

Letter from the editors
Dear Readers:
As the cover of this issue notes, this is
DRAGON® Magazine's twelfth anniversary in
print. DRAGON® Magazine started as a littleknown
gaming periodical and has grown into
the largest, most popular, and most widely
distributed role-playing game magazine there is.
We could not have done it without you, and you
have our sincere appreciation.

Sir Isaac Newton once noted in a letter that if
he saw farther into the realm of physics than
others, ?it is by standing upon the shoulders of
Giants.? The same may be said of our achievements
in producing DRAGON® Magazine. We
extend our thanks and best wishes to everyone
who contributed to this magazine in any part
over the years. Many of our writers and former
staff members are still active in the field of
gaming and publishing. We particularly extend
our appreciation to Kim Mohan, who was for so
long the cornerstone upon which this magazine
?s very existence rested.

We?ve come a long way in twelve years ? and
we plan to be around for a long time to come.
Your comments and support make it all worthwhile.

Thank you!

The editors and staff of
DRAGON Magazine
(Dragon #134)
 

Odds & ends
The following letters were actually received
by the editors of DRAGON Magazine and, except
for minor editing, appear as they were written.

Dear Dragon:
Recently my AD&D® game character, Waldorf,
a 358th-level magic-user, created the nuclear
bomb. Due to this action, all of Greyhawk has
been utterly obliterated, except for a 3 × 4 mile
island with a castle called Castle Waldorf.

All creatures from the Monster Manuals were
destroyed due to large amounts of nuclear
fallout. All the deities work in a salt mine under
Waldorf?s castle. I would greatly appreciate it if
everyone would mail their character sheets to
me so that I may tally up Waldorf?s experience.
All of the game manuals and modules are now
totally false and untrue. Any profit made from
TSR?s merchandise from this day onward should
be mailed to Waldorf?s castle (in gold pieces, of
course).

Of course. However; you forgot to enclose a
self-addressed stamped envelope. We regret that
Waldorf must lose the experience points and
gold for his victory.

Dear Dragon:
My friends and I have been playing the AD&D
game for over six years now. Our major characters
have levels in the millions, maximum scores
for almost every ability, and can obliterate five
planes of the Abyss in a round. We have moved
on to other games and have developed other
major characters in those games. We have
created creatures that are barely a challenge for
our characters. After a while, role-playing got
boring. I haven't played for about two months. I
would like to know how I can have fun with
these high-level characters.

Perhaps you should meet Waldorf.

Please tell Waldorf that I have successfully
completed making my savings roll, and ask him
how much damage I took from the atomic
bomb.

P.Y.
No address given, but we
assume it was Greyhawk
(Dragon #149)

My character, "Fist" Xavier Redlance, has
become ultimately powerful. . . . He owns three
or four completely paid-for and fortified castles.
He and his mount, a 14-HD cloud dragon (?Phantom
?), could wipe out Tiamat in one round of
combat, or obliterate five tarrasques or even
Waldorf. He is a 60th-level knight/23rd-level
bard/23rd-level druid/l4th-level illusionist. . . .
His two weapons are a mounted Dragonlance
and a + 6 two-handed holy avenger. He is also
psionically imbued.

Tell Waldorf that not all of the planet was
obliterated. ?Fist? Xavier has two of his castles
completely surrounded by granite (i.e, they?re
three miles underground). The one thing he
hasn?t done is design a device to clean up postexplosion
radiation, but he is currently working
on the problem. He can come out because his
armor is resistant to just about any substance
known to man (or Waldorf).

Travis Fox
Virginia Beach VA
(Dragon #149)

Recently, my AD&D® game character, Mirv
the Outrageous (a 360th-level mage who had
developed long-range space travel and left his
home in the Forgotten Realms) discovered a
small barren world. There were only a few
inhabitants on it, on a 3 x 4-mile island with a
castle. After infiltration, Mirv and his comrades
discovered the castle?s name: Castle Waldorf.
Beneath the castle, working in a salt mine, were
the deities of the realm. What a horrible fate.

So Mirv and his friends returned to their ship
and destroyed all of the remaining life on the
island through the use of saturation bombing
(phosphorus and antimagic bombs) and Mirv?s
favorite spell, power word nuke, a tenth-level
spell. They then returned to the island in radiation
gear and liberated the poor gods who, due
to their lives among the stars, were immune to
radiation at ground zero. Unfortunately, the
owner of the isle was standing directly at
ground zero when Mirv?s spell hit. We truly
mourn his loss.

Jake Lovell
Louisville KY
(Dragon #149)

I was a little disturbed when I read the letter
about Waldorf in issue #137. Well, it just so
happens that my 421st-level magic user, Alkeronus,
was in outer space for the last year
and just decided to come back to Greyhawk.

Alkeronus was, of course, ticked off, so he
decided to destroy Waldorf and his castle. With
his supreme power, Alkeronus made the sun go
supernova, which completely disintegrated the
planet. Waldorf is dead, and I expect the character
to never be used again. Waldorf, you should
have known better than to mess with Alkeronus
?s alehouse!

Wade Beckman
Sioux Falls SD

We regret to inform Waldorf the magic-user
that he is in eternal servitude to Shamogroth
Darkmane, a 511th-level Krynn minotaur barbarian
and his 89-person barbarian horde.
Shamogroth was on his home plane avenging
the destruction of his original barbarian tribe,
so he was absent during the holocaust.

Unfortunately for Waldorf, Shamogroth
returned to his home forest to see that it was
devastated. Shamogroth then searched for the
only safe place on Oerth to return from the
Border Ethereal: Castle Waldorf. By now, Mr.
Darkmane was very steamed (and a little hungry),
so he and his group of barbarians (ranging
in levels from 100 to 300) plundered the castle
and destroyed it and all within, save Waldorf
and the deities. Shamogroth released the gods,
who promptly did away with Waldorf?s power
by exposing him to a little Negative Material
plane torture, then repopulated Greyhawk.

Shamogroth is now an epic hero and is
watched over by the good and kind gods, and
Waldorf is now chained to the bottom of the
Valley of Eternal Pain, created by Shamogroth
and his divine friends. Sorry, Waldorf.

James Collins & Jason Ross
Woody CA
(Dragon #149)

In response to this so-called wizard Waldorf?s
recent letter, I will not send my character sheets
to Mr. Waldorf, simply because I am the most
powerful being in Greyhawk. Maybe you have
heard of me: I call myself the Dungeon Master.
And just let me say that I?ve been getting pretty
annoyed with Waldorf lately, so watch it!

D.M.
Spotsy VA
(Dragon #149)

My 1st-level assassin from Waterdeep in the
Forgotten Realms was teleported to the world of
Greyhawk. He survived the dangers of radiation
with his suit of + 5 radiation-proof leather
armor. He sought out Waldorf?s castle and made
it into the throne room while wearing his cloak
of elvenkind, then shot Waldorf with his blowgun
and a needle of slaying cheaters doused
with Type A cheapo poison he bought at the
Waterdeep Assassins? Guild. Waldorf dropped
with one shot. My assassin then freed all the
gods under the castle, and they have started to
repair and rebuild the world of Greyhawk.

I think that for this deed all the people at TSR,
Inc. need to send me a written thank you....I
also think Waldorf should mail me his character
sheet and list of possessions and magical items,
so I can total the experience points for my new
14th-level Guildmaster Assassin.

Chris Bishop and Trent Ocobock
Yakima WA
(Dragon #149)

Here is your ?thank you.? The editors also
wish to thank Bloodstone of Furondy (a 386thlevel
magic-user) for decapitating Waldorf with
a sling, Natricia (a 394th-level magic-user/214thlevel
fighter/296th-level cleric) for recreating
Greyhawk and challenging Waldorf (?as his
damage was such a bother to fix?), Oharan
Morshall (?The Drow From Below? who replaced
Lolth) who suggested polymorphing
Waldorf (?Waldorf Slaad has a nice ring to it,
doesn?t it??), and all the other characters (and
players) who wrote to us. Live long and prosper.
 

Enough, already
Dear Weaklings:
Upon hearing of Waldorf’s insubordination [in
DRAGON issues #137 and 149], I would like to
show you a truly powerful character. His name
is Thor, and he is a 6,253rd-level magic-user, a
25,001st-level cleric, and a 3,000,000th-level
fighter. Once he sneezed and destroyed the
entire Forgotten Realms world, so think of what
will happen when he wields his 80’-long sword
+5,682. Waldorf’s enslaving of the gods was
very unrealistic, since all the gods are servants
of Thor, and furthermore [The remainder of
this letter has been deleted by the editor for
reasons that must be all too painfully apparent.
We continue now with our regular “Letters”
feature.]

(Dragon #152)
 

The final word
Dear Dragon,
I have had it with Waldorf and the 100 + level
campaign. I?m stuffing a hammership with
nilbogs and ramming Waldorf?s castle. If I act
fast, I can catch all of his demi-followers at the
victory celebration. The nilbogs will convert all
the damage they take into hit points and wipe
out the survivors. The End (I hope!).

Douglas M. Burck
Boyd KY
(Dragon #177)



Your plan worked perfectly Congratulations.
Waldorf is officially dead!
 

Dear Dragon:
Who is responsible for Sturm's death? Will
Sturm be resurrected?

Some blame Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman,
but if you read Dragons of Winter Night,
you?ll see that Kitiara was responsible. No.

Dear Dragon:
I would like for you to know that I agree that
the second edition of the AD&D game is a
wonderful idea. It?s going to repair mistakes
such as a sling stone cutting off a person?s head,
which happened to me once.

How perfectly dreadful.

Dear Dragon:
I would like to know what would be the
characteristics of the offspring of a unicorn and
a horse that was then bred back with a unicorn.

The characteristics of the offspring of a unicorn
and a horse would not change, no matter
what it was bred with.

Dear Dragon:
Stop making your game. I killed all the
monsters.

All but Waldorf.

Dear Dragon:
Could you send me all the information you
have?

All of if?

Dear Dragon:
I have found Isildur?s ring (photo enclosed).

We have examined your photo, and we regret
to report that the ring therein is a part of the
young woman?s bathing suit, holding together
the suit?s top and bottom halves. It is not
Isildur?s ring.

Your most revered Mr. Moore:
I?ve loved all your movies, especially your
portrayal of Ian Fleming?s British secret agent,
James Bond, 007. Personally, I think you?re
much better than this new guy, Timothy Dalton.

Thank you very much.

Dear Dragon:
I got one of your DRAGON Magazines, and I
found that the old issues were all sold out. All
you have to do is photocopy all the pages, and
you could send them to me. I would be so happy
I might subscribe to DRAGON Magazine and
send more nice letters.

But then again, you might not.

(Dragon #137)
 

Odds & Ends II
The following letters were actually received
by the editors of DRAGON Magazine and, except
for minor editing, appear as they were written.

Dear Dragon:
I?m a new subscriber, and I love your magazine.
This is my first letter, so I have high hopes
you?ll answer me. This isn?t your everyday
letter. It deals with sexuality among the different
races in the AD&D game. I hope you can
answer the questions I was brave enough to ask.

[Remainder of letter deleted by editor.]

Um . . . next!
 

Dear Dragon:
Being a high priest in good standing of Zeus, I
am slightly perturbed at having been called
upon or, as the case often is, yelled at to heal
wounded fools who haven?t sense enough to run
from such dangers as red dragons or Asmodeus
himself, or to chase away skeletons, zombies,
and other such undead merely because the
remaining members of the party have no wish
to fight the beasts themselves.

If you please, explain to your readers that we
clerics have studied to accomplish better things
than to turn the undead and to heal idiots.

Certainly. We can’t have that going on.
 

Dear Dragon:
A couple of years ago, I was in some mall in
Penn. I saw a strange-looking man with dark
sunglasses and a cane. It may have been my
imagination but he met this lady. They started
to talk about overthrowing TSR.

It was your imagination
 

Dear Dragon:
My character was recently polymorphed into
a worm. Another character cut my worm/
character in half. If both halves were each
allowed to grow into two whole worms, then
were polymorphed back to my character?s
regular form, would I have two identical characters?
And since both parts are equal, I will not
have to worry about them trying to kill each
other, such as it would be with a clone, right?

Our sage refused to answer this question and
handed the letter back to the editors. We think
you will get two midgets instead of two normal
characters, since each half of a worm grows
back to form a shorter worm. You’ll have to
decide which half of the worm got the brains.
Better still, perhaps you should take up chess.
 

Dear Dragon:
I would like to submit this article on dwarf
mud wrestling. I am a 40-year-old homemaker
and mother of two.

We almost accepted this article, which suggests
that your editors should take up chess,
too.
 

jDear Edcitor.
I rote to yo avoubt 3 moith s ago and yout
didn;t asndteer. Mye charcther agot won of its
folowers fptregndnt. what can I doo abvout
thiso . . My dungon gasyer saisd too cal dr Ruth
about ist on Her nexst showe. I dont thind I
shoukd beleive him. He sayis he ist seroiws.
Whot do yoo thindk. I alsot whant to knowed
syhty there is nakerd babies on Led Zep;
asblums.(is Houses of the Holydl ). ;l + -0 Whyu
do ythinmsk.

You’re still not getting an answer.
 

Dear Dragon:
Is there such a thing as an elf sapper?

Yes, but you cannot get much sap from them.
 

Dear Dragon:
Hello, I would like to know what the cow
skulls are for.

Keeping cow’s brains warm
 

Dear Editor,
Your readers are interested in adventure,
mystery, and romance. We at Mush Alaska offer
a unique adventure that will be of interest to
them: a trip to Mount McKinley via dog sled.

Yes, yes, a trip to Mount McKinley by dog sled
would be a wonderful idea for many of our
readers. We quite agree.
 

Dear Dragon:
I would think that many young people might
not try to get things published, thinking that
anything they write would be inferior to most
DRAGON articles. I would like to point out
something to these people. If you?ve seen many
recent issues of DRAGON Magazine, you?re
bound to have noticed the name of Jeff Grub.
What most people don't realize is that Mr. Grub
is in ninth grade. I happen to know this because
he rides my bus, which means that he is just
one of us young folk. Yet he has had many
articles published in DRAGON Magazine, he has
written a TSR module, and he's even designed
the MARVEL SUPER HEROES® game. Not to say
that Jeff is necessarily your average teenager,
but nonetheless.

Though the Jeff Grubb (two b’s) who works at
TSR long ago left the ninth grade, your letter
gave us many hours of enjoyment. We thank
you. Jeff liked your letter, too, despite us.
 

Dear Dragon:
I?m 14 and my brother has a very powerful
assassin and he said he would whip the snot out
of the most powerful demon. I want to know
how I can defeat my brother?s character. I?ll give
you some information about him. [Half page of
character statistics follow.]

We suggest using the eraser on a #2 pencil.
That should do the trick.
 

Dear Dragon:
Want me to send you a quick and easy system
for picking up girls, using the 30-sided die?

Yes, but not for publication.
 

(Dragon #144)
 

Next index?
Dear Dragon:
Will you ever consider a separate index of
past reviews of books and games? When do you
expect a follow-up index to your Ultimate Article
Index?

Matthew Pritchard
Houston TX
(Dragon #138)

We used to index the items that were
reviewed in DRAGON Magazine, but discontinued
that practice as time went on (and the
number of things to index grew longer). Time
will tell whether we index the titles of reviewed
books and games.

We are considering several options for publishing
another index for DRAGON Magazine.
We could either create a yearly index, to be
published each December, or a cumulative index
that would either appear every so often in the
June anniversary issue (as has been done
before), as a separate booklet, or in a future
Best of DRAGON Magazine anthology. Designing
such an index, however, would be a difficult and
time-cosuming task, and we’re not sure how
soon we’ll be able to get to it. We will make an
effort to have an index created and published
by the end of 1989 — but we cannot make any
promises!

More errers
Dear Dragon:
I am writing to point out two mistakes I found
while reading DRAGON issue #136. The first
mistake I found was in the article "A Room for
the Knight," in Table 1, Inn Prices. According to
this table, a four-star inn costs 5 gp to stay there
for one night, yet it only costs 15 sp to stay
there one night and get a meal. The second
mistake I found was in the "Long Arm of the
Law." The very first sentence in the article
starts, "DRAGON issue #155 printed many thief-orientated
articles . . ." But this was printed in
the new issue, #136. DRAGON issue #155 is not
due out for another year and a half. Would you
please clear up these two mistakes?

Jeff Darby
Lawrence KS
(Dragon #138)

The first line under “Lodging” in Table 1 from
“A Room for the Knight” should have read “1
night without meal.” The second line should
have read “1 night with meal.” The weekly and
monthly lodging prices reflect discounts offered
for prolonged visits, with meals. All prices are,
of course, subject to change as the DM desires,
and are offered only as guidelines.

The reference to issue #155 should have been
to issue #115, the November 1986 issue.
 

Things to come
Dear Dragon:
How about adding a small section in each
issue which states what will be in the next issue,
or at least a few highlights?

Matt Amundsen
Marietta GA
(Dragon #140)

We don't do this because there is always the
chance we will have to change the magazine’s
contents at the last minute. Changes in advertisement
layouts, placement of articles using
color, and other glitches have unexpectedly
rearranged the contents more than once,
though we do schedule themes for issues and
expect to regularly use certain features such as
reviews. So, no “next issue” announcements.
 

Okay to copy
Dear Dragon:
Often, I find myself in a situation in which
there is a great article in DRAGON Magazine
that I want to put into my role-playing binder
without butchering my magazine. Is it okay to
photocopy material for private use?

Damian Bruniany
Pittsburgh PA
(Dragon #140)

Yes, you can photocopy anything you like (for
your personal use only) out of DRAGON Magazine.
We onIy object if such copying is done for
profit — say, if you ran an advertisement saying
you would sell photocopies of the DRAGON
issue #1 you have in your gaming library for $5
apiece. If you made a copy of an article to give a
friend but made no profit from it, that’s fine,
too.
 

Holo-Dragon
Dear Dragon,

Have you seen National Geographic’s December
1988 issue? The cover is a hologram. It
would be interesting to see a DRAGON Magazine
issue with a hologram on its cover. This is
an ideal for a special issue ? e.g., 150th issue or
13th anniversary issue. Even if this might raise
the price of the magazine for that issue, I?m
sure faithful readers wouldn?t mind the price.
I?m even sure that that issue would sell like
hotcakes! I don?t know if you?d be able to do
this, but it would be great if you could.

Emanuel Matos
St. Bruno, Quebec
(Dragon #141)

This idea has been suggested before (thanks to
several National Geographic covers), but the
National Geographic Society has a far bigger
budget than we have. We haven’t checked on
the exact cost, but a phone call to the National
Geographic Society revealed that the technical
problems the magazine’s staff faced in producing
their two hologram covers were enormous,
as was the cost (and we’re talking about a magazine
with 2.8 million readers). Oh, well!
 

Setting records
Dear Dragon:
My gaming group has been playing AD&D®
games for about a year now. We are interested
in trying to break the world record for continuous
playing of the AD&D game [and] I am
writing to you for the marathon rules. We
would be much obliged if you could send us the
rules and the current record. The most up-to-date
record we have is 84 hours.

Mark Way
No address given
(Dragpm #141)

This is one of the most frequently asked
questions we get at TSR, but we are the wrong
people to ask. The offices of the Guinness Book
of World Records should be able to help you
with this, since they publish the records. However,
we do not really recommend this activity
since of course it means prolonged periods of
sleep loss.
 

The three best
Dear Dragon:
I felt compelled to compliment the following
articles, which appeared in DRAGON issues
#135 and 136: "When Game Masters Go Bad," by
Sherri Gilbert; "The Mix-&-Match Module," by
Marcus L. Rowland; and especially "Fifty Ways
to Foil Your Players," by Jape Trostle. Although
all are fine articles, the last is probably the best
I've seen in any gaming magazine.

Ideas such as foils move us away from psychopathic,
greedy, and often moronic ?adventurers?
who feel out of place above ground or out of
the fray. This article is a shining example of how
to turn a campaign into interactive fantasy
rather than wholesale slaughter.

These articles are also excellent due to their
compatibility with all FRPGs. Not all of your
readers use AD&D® game material. These
articles make the magazine more universal.

Mark Horsford
APO NY
(Dragon #142)

We enjoy running articles that are applicable
to a wide range of role-playing games. Many
“generic game” articles are too vague to be of
use, but we’ll look for those that have lots of
specific and useful information.
 

Artists need mail
Dear Dragon:
I just wanted to tell you (and I?m sure many
people share my feelings) that the artwork on
the covers of your magazine is sensational. I
was wondering if TSR or another company is
producing posters from the covers of DRAGON
Magazine, and if so, where can I reach these
people
.
Chris Kasparian
Staten Island NY
(Dragon #146)

Thank you very much. If there is a particular
artist or piece of artwork that you are especially
interested in, you can write to the artist, c/o
DRAGON Magazine P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva
WI 53147, U.S.A.), and enclose a self-addressed,
stamped envelope with your letter: Write only
the artist’s name and your return address on
the SASE, and we’ll fill in the artist’s address (we
prefer not to give out the full addresses of our
contributors). Some artists have color prints
available of their work.

You might also wish to see The Art of
DRAGON Magazine, a 128-page, full-color collection
of artwork from past issues of the magazine.
This book is available from most hobby
and game shops for $16.95 (£9.95 in the U.K.).
You can also get this book from the TSR Mail
Order Hobby Shop (P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva
WI 53147); write for a free catalog.
 

Column questions
Dear Dragon:
I have three questions:

1. Can technological items be submitted for
?Bazaar of the Bizarre?? It would be great to see
new equipment for TOP SECRET/S.I.?, MARVEL
SUPER HEROES®, STAR FRONTIERS®, and other
high-tech games.

2. Can ?The Ecology of? articles be written on
monsters that have appeared in ?The Dragon?s
Bestiary??

3. How about a new feature, similar to ?The
Ecology of? articles, featuring the psychologies
of creatures rather than their physiologies? It
could focus on the cultures, beliefs, myths, and
religions of relatively intelligent creatures. Such
a column would be a great place to learn more
about the various humanoids, as well as the
much-neglected creatures of faerie.

Joshua M. Jeffryes
Slater IA
(Dragon #146)

Technological items certainly have a chance of
appearing in the “Bazaar of the Bizarre” column,
though it would be the first time that happened.
We’d prefer “The Ecology of” articles be confined
to “official” monsters given in the game
books (for the AD&D? D&D? GAMMA
WORLD®, and related games). Finally, many
“The Ecology of” articles have given details on
the lives and cultures of fantasy creatures, such
as “The Ecology of the Mind Flayer” (issue #78).
We once ran an article called “The Psychology
of the Doppleganger” (issue #80), which went
into some of the areas you mentioned. We do
have a special section planned on creatures
from faerie realms, probably set for next year,
that you might find of interest.

A failure to imaginate
Not everyone likes everything that
appears in DRAGON® Magazine, as
you might well guess. Among the
critical letters we receive are those
that protest material that doesn?t
exactly fit what you might think of
as a typical FRPG campaign, with
elves, dwarves, unicorns, and a
pseudo-medieval human culture
crossed with The Lord of the Rings.
For example, the special section on
African monsters that appeared in
issue #122 produced several letters
asking why we bothered to run it. A
similar reaction came from one
writer when we ran the new
undead in issue #138 and from
another writer when we ran the
prehistoric mammals in #137. We
were taken aback by the number of
letters from readers who didn't like
druids, after we ran the section on
them in issue #119; one writer said
druids simply didn?t fit within a
medieval-style campaign.

Now, don?t get me wrong, because
I rather like medieval-style campaigns,
too. But variety is the spice
of life -- even life in fantasy games
? and without it, a long-running
campaign can be described using the
words of a character from one of
Margaret Weis?s little-known fantasy
classics: ?How borrrring.?

What we have here, to paraphrase
from Cool Hand Luke, is a failure to
imaginate. Given a little time and a
perverse imagination, it is possible
to make up an entertaining short
adventure involving almost any
monster, magical item, or character
type that falls out of the ordinary.
Some AD&D® game players don?t
use Oriental Adventures, but what if
a group of shipwrecked Oriental
monsters or evil NPCs met your
characters face-to-face? A game
designer once mentioned his desire
to write a humorous module in
which the PCs find an island populated
only by monsters that no one
likes, such as the flumph from the
FIEND FOLIO® tome. One of the
African monsters from issue #122
could appear in a zoo, on an island,
in a wizard's laboratory, as a foreign
NPC wizard?s pet, or as a special
wandering monster on a quest of its
own in any campaign. And the Manual
of the Planes is rich with unique
settings, each worth a visit.

More daring Dungeon Masters
may wish to make broader changes
in their campaigns using such new material.
A world in which the animal life is
largely prehistoric would be an interesting
setting, and you could preserve nearly all
of the trappings of a medieval culture as
well. Replacing rhinos with arsinotheres
and elephants with deinotheres, using the
article "Into the Age of Mammals" in issue
#137, gives the world a special flavor that
makes it stand out from others that might
have been like it. Many DMs allow their
NPC orcs to gain levels, PC demi-humans
to have unlimited level advancement, and
so on ? with more drastic results than
having funny-looking elephants.

More radical changes can be made in a
campaign world with unique material and
still allow for entertaining play. The world
of Krynn from the DRAGONLANCE® saga
is further removed from the medieval
mold of the typical campaign, with the
heavy presence of draconians, dragons,
kender, gnome technologists, minotaurs,
and unique magic-using classes and spells.
At the extreme, one has Kara-Tur, the
Oriental land in which only the mechanics
of the AD&D game have been preserved,
giving wholly new monsters, magical
items, and character classes on top of an
entirely non-Western culture. Both Krynn
and Kara-Tur have strong followings, too.
Being different is not being unpopular.

We still want to know what you think of
DRAGON Magazine's articles, and we don?t
believe that everyone who hates an article
lacks imagination. We enjoy presenting
unique material for role-playing because
imagination is what fantasy is all about.
Unique material challenges one to think in
new ways and to get a broader view on
life, even if we are just talking about
games. Sit down with a pencil and paper
sometime and jot down a few notes on
how to use a game item you first thought
was useless, whether you found it here or
in a game manual. Be creative and see
what happens. Your players may never
forgive you.

* Tower of Midnight Dreams, the D&D Cartoon
Show Book that revealed that Uni the
Unicorn was female. No, seriously. The quote?s
on page 48.

(Dragon #140)
 

Imaginate that!
Dear Dragon:
I am writing in response to the editorial
column you published in issue #140 ("A failure
to imaginate”). I quite agree with you that articles
that differ from the “normal” medieval
setting should also be published in DRAGON®
Magazine because readers do like them. My
personal feeling is that for every reader who
objects to an article, there are at least two who
must have loved it but did not bother to write to
you about it.

For example: Other readers’ complaints aside,
I loved the special section on druids in issue
#119. The articles improved the druid character
I was running so much that the former DM of
that group is now himself playing a druid in our
new campaign. And about the claims that druids
do not fit into a medieval world: What about
Merlin, who is the best-known wizard in all
medieval literature? He was a druid!

Another example concerns the disputed
article on new undead, back in issue #138. You
should have seen the look on my players’ faces
when the “dry bones” skeletons kept reassembling
themselves! The players were sure that
some hidden, evil spell-caster was continuously
casting animate dead just to annoy them! They
were furious, especially when they figured out
that the cleric must be of at least 11th level in
order to cast this spell four times a day.

Thanks again for a wonderful magazine, and
for all those helpful and enjoyable articles .

Amit Izhar
Kiron, Israel
(Dragon #147)
 

SSI & etc.
Dear Dragon:
I?m just writing in to tell you guys what a
great job you?re doing. But now I have a few
questions and comments.

1. How about an article on cantrips for Oriental
Adventures?

2. I LOVED the cover artwork on issue #146.
It was superb!

3. Where do I send clues for ?Clue corner? ?

4. I?m really going to miss SnarfQuest. Are
there any plans for a new regular series?

5. I own Pool of Radiance, and I just love it.
Does TSR or SSI have any plans for an Oriental
[computer-game] setting?

Jason Dunn
Calgary, Alberta
(Dragon #150)

1. Any article on cantrips should fit the AD&D
2nd Edition game version of the spell cantrip.
The idea sounds okay, though we would be
choosy about the article itself.

2. Thank you. We’ll let Keith Parkinson know
that you liked his work.

3. Send your computer-game clues for “The
Role of Computers” to: Hartley and Patricia
Lesser, 179 Pebble Place, San Ramon CA 94583,
U.S.A.

4. We are still working on plans for a new
graphic story but have nothing definite yet.

5. At the moment, no Oriental Adventures
computer game is in the works. However, you
might be interested to know that upcoming
AD&D computer games from SSI, Inc. include
the following (these are working titles only):

Dungeon Masters Assistant, Volume II, for
creating PCs and NPCs, with magical items;

Dragons of Flame, an action-arcade sequel to
Heroes of the Lance, set in the DRAGONLANCE®
saga at Pax Tharkas;

War of the Lance, a strategic fantasy war
game about the DRAGONLANCE saga;

DRAGONLANCE FRP, which uses the same
game system as Pool of Radiance and Azure
Bonds, and which allows a party to explore
Krynn in the time following the DRAGONLANCE
Legends trilogy;

Dragonflight, a dragon-riding flight simulator
for the DRAGONLANCE saga; and

Dungeon Bash, a sequel to Azure Bonds in a
dungeon environment.

There are several Oriental-style computer
games on the market, however; just consult
“The Role of Computers” column for details.

(Dragon #150)
 

Every 2 weeks?
Dear Dragon:
I am writing in hopes of getting your magazine
to go at least bi-monthly. Once a month is
just not enough! I really like your articles,
fiction section, computer and book reviews,
everything about your magazine. But once I
read the month’s issue, I have to wait a whole
three weeks to get more of this great magazine.
I know you have enough on your hands already,
but I just like this magazine too much to get it
just once a month. So please, please, please go
bi-monthly at least.

Jonah S. Ewell
No address given
(Dragon #151)

Yours is exactly the kind of letter we love to
receive here, but if we tried to put this magazine
out once every two weeks, we would have
to be taken to the Great Lakes Home for Self-
Lobotomized Editors within the first two issues
(I think you meant bi-weekly or semi-monthly
instead of bi-monthly, but I’ve heard the term
“bi-monthly” used for either meaning.) You
should seriously think about subscribing to
DUNGEON® Adventures, which would give you
more than enough material to keep you going.
See our subscription cards in this issue.
 

Overseas notes
Dear Dragon:
With the exception of a couple of issues,
you’ve done a great job of entertaining and
informing us gamers who are overseas serving
the military. It hurts to see all the great stuff
coming out that we won’t see for another year
(e.g., the AD&D® 2nd Edition Player's Handbook
will probably be in the Stars & Stripes bookstore
in September 1992).

I have a few questions for you:
1. whatever happened to the “Daily Planet”
(DC™ HEROES game) Gaming Supplement?

2. Why don’t you have the World Gamers
Guide? I’m here on the 662nd plane of the Abyss
(actually at Giebelstadt AAF in Germany, same
difference), and I need to do some gaming!

3. When is the nest Best of DRAGON Magazine
Anthology?

4. Are there plans to republish the Finieous
Fingers Treasury (oh please, please, grovel,
grovel, licking your boots, beg, beg)?

Michael S. Webster
APO NY
(Dragon #151)

1. The “Daily Planet” supplement was actually
an advertisement series from Mayfair Games,
supporting its licensed DC HEROES game. There
are no plans at present to start the series again.

2. We discontinued “The World Gamers Guide”
feature in DRAGON Magazine with issue #131.
The magazine’s increased distribution worldwide
was responsible; we were simply getting
too many entries to publish, and the space
devoted to the feature was not benefiting the
majority of our readers. We still encourage
gamers the world over to organize gaming
groups, set up conventions, and use the resources
of their local game and hobby stores.

3. We made mention in issue #133’s “Letters”
column that an anthology would be released in
early 1989, but the anthology was dropped from
the production schedule. We have no further
anthologies planned for now, though some
anthology types have been discussed. What
would you like to see if we did decide to publish
an anthology of material from DRAGON Magazine?
Write now and tell us.

4. We have no plans to reprint The Finieous
Treasury, the collected graphic adventures of
Finieous Fingers the thief and his friends, that
was released by TSR, Inc. in 1981. Finieous left
DRAGON Magazine years ago for another gaming
magazine that is no longer published. However,
the new adventures of Finieous, Fred, and
Charly now appear in Space Gamer magazine,
published by 3W, Inc. (4070 West Street, Cambria
CA 93428).
 

Back to BBSs
Dear Dragon:
After reading Roger Moore’s editorial in issue
#146 (“R.I.P.: RPGs?”), I thought of another use
for computers on the subject of RPGs. For those
with modems, there is always the option of BBSs
[bulletin board systems]. Many BBSs have ongoing
RPGs, usually run by the users. I myself call
a number of BBSs that have RPGs to play, and
one BBS is devoted completely to RPGs.

While computer games are excellent (and
getting better) for the gamer, BBSs provide a
way to play your favorite game and get the
human contact that makes the game fun.

Aaron Goldblatt
Fort Worth TX
(Dragon #151)

The BBS games that I’ve seen work more like
play-by-mail (PBM) games, but they do introduce
interaction with real people. Some on-line
computer services offer real-time role-playing
games, like the CompuServe® Information
Service’s Island of Kesmai fantasy game (see
“Kesmai and Beyond,” in issue #149) and licensed
SNIPER™ World War II computer game
(see “The Game Wizards,” in issue #148).

For what it’s worth, TSR, Inc. has no objection
if gamers wish to play TSR’s games on-line
through BBSs. However, such use cannot be
made for profit; no one can charge other players
to play in a TSR game. I recall seeing one
BBS system that was completely devoted to the
AD&D® Oriental Adventures system; another—
the “Illuminati” BBS—is operated by Steve Jackson
Games in Austin, Tex. (512-447-4449, 24
hours, 300/1200/2400 baud).
 

And from Germany?
Dear Dragon:
I?m going to ask a few questions:

1. Who is the German publisher of the AD&D
game?

2. What is the publishing date for the German
AD&D 2nd Edition game?

3. What is the address for German friends to
use when mailing proposals and questions (as
you surely notice it?s a little bit complicated to
write all ideas in a foreign language)?

Martin Fide
Hamburg, West Germany
(Dragon #153)

I called Malcolm Mitchell at TSR Ltd. in the
U.K. and learned the following:

1. TSR Ltd. is now the publisher of the German
translation of the AD&D game.

2. The German edition of the AD&D 2nd
Edition game will be on sale in January 1990.

3. All article proposals and convention announcements
for DRAGON Magazine will have
to be in English; no one on our staff in Wisconsin
is proficient in German. You may, however,
write to TSR Ltd., and your letters will be
answered in German by the staff there. A
special branch of the RPGA™ Network will be
established for German gamers in 1990.
 

On mudslinging
Dear Dragon:
I usually find your periodical enlightening,
and I read the letters to the editor and “Forum”
first. But after I read Michael Henits’s letter in
issue # 151’s “Forum,” my copy almost went in
the garbage. I feel that that letter had no place
in a periodical that is supposed to promote
RPGs. When the RPG community should be
trying to improve its image, we allow a minority
to determine how the public views us. How
many parents have read Michael’s letter and
kept their children from playing? How many
new players have read that letter and decided
to quit playing?

I realize that you (the editor), in keeping with
the ideal of a free press, do not want to resort
to censorship of the letters to “Forum.” But does
Michael’s letter really belong in your magazine?
In issue #113, page 6, you specifically state: “We
won’t print letters that, in our opinion, don’t
make sense or are abusive, insulting, or overly
sarcastic in tone.” Does not Michael’s letter fall
into this area? If not, what does it take to be
unacceptable for printing?

I believe that it is not only the editor’s responsibility
but also the writer’s responsibility to
present an idea without regressing to mudslinging
and name-calling.

Mike1 J. Walters
Mason City IA
(Dragon #154)

Selecting letters for ?Forum? is an interesting
task. I run most of the letters that I get that
seem suitable for ?Forum? though 1 do not run
them all. I discard letters that are boring, redundant,
or incomprehensible (either badly written
or just really off the wall?and some of the
latter I?II run anyway for fun). Second-guessing
the readers? interests is always tricky; but that?s
what I?m paid for.

If a letter contains some comments that might
be personally insulting to a particular individual,
then I either edit out the comments or
discard the letter, whichever is rnore worth
doing. I generally like to keep a polite magazine
?but I also like an interesting magazine, one
that catches the readers? attention.

That?s where the letter from Michael Henits,
Eric M. Paulson, and Gregory H. Graham came
in. Yes, the comment about the personalities and
habits of AD&D® game players was insulting,
though it wasn't directed at anyone in particular.
But the rest of the letter expressed some
opinions that seemed fairly important to me,
and after some thought I decided to let even the
nuisance comments stand. I recall thinking
something on the order of: ?This ought to get
the readers all stirred up!? Judging from the
mail, I was correct in that assumption.

I would venture to say that not a single parent
or gamer ditched role-playing in his or her
house because of that letter. I don?t agree with
everything I get for ?Forum,? but I feel that all of
the letters we have run in that column have
made positive contributions to the gaming field
(even the letters on whether or not mages
should wear armor, or whether dragons or
adventurers are rnore powerful). If nothing else,
they show that gamers still love gaming.

At any rate, I don?t make a habit out of running
letters that call the players of a certain
game ?weenies.? But I do look for material that
expresses valid points and problems in gaming:
game snobbery, public misperceptions of gaming,
campaign balancing, better ways of playing
and refereeing games, etc. And as I said before,
1 look for material that I feel will make the
magazine more interesting to read. I?m like a
kender (as perhaps we all are) in that I hate
being bored. It never hurts to occasionally
throw a salamander into the woodpile.
 

No contest
Dear Dragon:
The thing that we’ve been waiting for here at
HQ is a contest, such as designing a scenario,
writing a tournament, even designing a game.
Nobody’s asking for 50% of your stock, a
$10,000,000 cash prize, or a partnership with
TSR. We’re just looking for a challenge. The
prize should promote gaming overall, such as a
paid trip to a major gaming convention, some
products, or maybe even a a lifetime subscription
to DRAGON Magazine or DUNGEON®
Adventures. RPGA™ Network single-person or
club memberships would also bring submissions
and subscriptions pouring in.

Alex Iwanow, President
Polyhedron Challengers
East Brunswick NJ
(Dragon #154)

When asked why DUNGEON Adventures has
never run a module-design contest, editor
Barbara Young replied that in a sense, subrnitting
modules to the magazine was in itself a
contest. If your module ?wins? by being accepted,
you receive a check from TSR, Inc., and
tens of thousands of gamers across the world
will read and use your adventure. Why did
DUNGEON Adventures need a contest?

The same is true for DRAGON Magazine,
though our ?contest? is concerned with writing
the best articles and creating the best artwork
possible. If you ?win,? your material is paid for
and becomes known in gaming circles the world
over. (Well, we don?t pay for ?Forurn? and ?Letters
? pieces, but you still get the fame.)

True, getting a one-of-a-kind prize is a nice
thing. But you can?t have very many winners
that way. Getting printed in this magazine is a
challenge in itself?and one in which you, Alex,
have succeeded.
 

Odd & ends III
Dear Dragon:
A recent letter you printed really caught my
eye. It was in the letters section of issue #144
(page 95) and said: ?Want me to send you a
quick and easy system for picking up girls, using
the 30-sided die?? Do you have a copy of this
system, and would you please send me one if it
is available?

Trying to pick up girls has always been an
aspect of the game we like to play whenever
our party is stopped in a town or city. This
sideline helps everyone in the group relax after
we have endured some heavy-duty gaming.

However, our DM insists on using tables and
charts for our every action. Since there is no
other system for picking up girls, I think this
would really help our game. Our DM tries to
roll the dice and improvise, but that isn?t really
satisfactory to our very competitive characters.
I have already been caught in too many barroom
fights over women, and if the system is
good it may stop some bickering within our
group.

(Dragon #156)

The AD&D® 1st Edition Dungeon Masters
Guide has a useful harlot encounters table on
page 192. But trust us when we say that the
DMG is probably the last thing you need right
now. Go outside and get some fresh air.
 

"Best of" fever
Dear Dragon:
I?ve been an avid reader of this magazine for
seven years now. I love all of the articles and
input from the many who read and research
with it. I have collected a lot of the issues from
#100 on, but I?ve been waiting for The Best of
DRAGON Magazine anthology, volume VI. . . .
Can you tell me when I can expect it, or if there
is ever going to be one?

(Dragon #158)

We have been discussing the possibility of
another "Best of" anthology, but we have not
been able to get it approved for our product
schedule. However, it's still being kicked around.
If you would like to see volume VI, then by all
means write to us and tell us what you would
like for it to contain: Monsters? Magical items?
New spells? Special articles for DMs? Some of
your own favorite articles? Be specific when you
write. The more letters we get, the better the
chances are that a new ?Best of? will appear!
 

A few concerns
Dear Dragon:
I have a few concerns that I hope you can
help me with:

1. What is the oldest undiscovered mistake in
the history of DRAGON Magazine? Kim Mohan
mentioned something about this in issue #102
(page 3) but refused to say anything else about
it. If you cannot tell me what it is, could you at
least give the readership a general hint if, in
fact, this mistake is still undiscovered?

2. Are there any plans for producing SSI
computer games that are based on a TSR game
besides the AD&D® game? For example, I think
that a GAMMA WORLD® computer game would
be very interesting.

3. How about a SPELLJAMMER? computer
game from SSI?

4. Are there any foreseeable plans for a mass
compilation (perhaps a hardcover book) of all of
the variant classes and races published in
DRAGON Magazine?

5. Did Waldorf or Tharizdun destroy
Greyhawk? If so, how does Mika continue to
adventure in the so-called destroyed lands? Or
should I just disband all cohesion as I usually do?

6. Is there any such thing as a lawful-neutral
dwarven paladin? I seem to recall something in
a previous issue about just such a character. If
so, what are the rules for one?

Zach Howard
Crownsville MD
(Dragon #159)

1. We don?t know the oldest un-discovered
mistake in the history of the magazine because
it is still undiscovered (nyuk, nyuk).

2. Mention was made of a BUCK ROGERS?
computer game in ?Buck is Back,? in issue #157.
The GAMMA WORLD game has been discontinued
and we have stopped running articles on it
in this magazine, but just between us, I agree
that such a computer game would be very
entertaining. POLYHEDRON? Newszine will
cover the GAMMA WORLD game.

3. Again, this is a neat idea, but we will have
to wait and see what comes up.

4. The chances are about nil for any hardbound
compilation of DRAGON Magazine material.
However, we are still taking votes for
material for a future ?Best of? anthology (as per
the reply to a letter in issue #158). Write down
the articles and material you would most like to
see in such an anthology, and send your votes
to: DRAGON Magazine Anthology, PO. Box 111,
Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.

5. Waldorf claimed to have destroyed the
lands of Greyhawk (see DRAGON issue #137,
"Letters"), but this was fixed later on by an
assortment of characters (see issue #149, ?Letters
?). Tharizdun was himself destroyed or
imprisoned long before he or his followers
could destroy the world of Greyhawk (see WG4
The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, now out of
print). Mika (of Rose Estes? GREYHAWK® novels)
would never notice anything different regardless
of what either of these two did. You can
disband all cohesion if you like, but I haven?t the
faintest idea of what you mean by that.

6. The reference to lawful-neutral dwarven
paladins came from an editorial comment I
added to a ?Sage Advice? question in issue #118,
page 69. Basically, a poorly explained rule in an
extremely old set of rules for the D&D® game
(Supplement 1, Greyhawk) produced some
confusion that allowed oddities like the above to
appear The glitch was fixed in later rule books,
but a few of the more unusual character types
continued to see play in various campaigns.
 

Short & strange
Dear Dragon:
I was wondering, how much damage does a
paper cut do?

The actual damage is nil, but the character
experiencing it will easily believe that he has
been attacked by a sword of sharpness from the
pain alone. See the AD&D® 1st Edition Dungeon
Masters Guide, page 166, or the AD&D 2nd
Edition DMG, page 186.
 

Still more coming
Dear Dragon,
For the past eight months, I have been waiting
for someone to notice the similarity between the
name ?Finella Ciri? in your ?Twilight Empire?
series and the name ?Cirilli Finla? in the AD&D
module N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God.
Don?t misunderstand me, as I personally like the
series, but I was surprised that nobody noticed.

Also, I have found the bloodflower of issue
#167 in ?The Dragon?s Bestiary? to be very
similar to the vampire roses of D&D® module
X1 Castle Amber: Another similarity occurs
between the scroll of mapping on page 10 of
POLYHEDRON issue #58 and the various
magical maps in DRAGON issue #125, in the
"Bazaar of the Bizarre."

Finally, you mentioned in the editorial of issue
#161 that that issue held the only article on
romance in your memory. This is true, except
for the short section on romance in DRAGON
issue # 117, in "Fun Without Fighting." That
section does not compose the entire article, but
it is worth mentioning anyway.
 

Wesley Lin
Phoenix AZ
(Dragon #170)

Steve Sullivan, who writes the ?Twilight Empire
? series, said he got the name Finella (an
Irish Gaelic name that means ?white shouldered
?) out of a baby book; ?Ciri? is the short
form of her family name. Thus, similarities
between Fin and Cirilli Finla are coincidental.

TSR?s fantasy games (and probably those of
every other game company) have seen a long
procession of blood-sucking plants in their rulebook
pages, starting with the vampire vine and
vampire tree mentioned in the D&D game?s
Supplement IV, Gods, Demigods, and Heroes
(long out of print). Your editors were not aware
of the vampire roses of X1, but as the latter is
now also long out of print, it doesn?t matter. It?s
a popular idea, and apparently, so are magical
maps that do your cartography for you. I wrote
an editorial on the independent-invention problem
for DRAGON issue #148. Sometimes everyone
has the same good idea at once, and
sometimes they have the same idea several
years apart and almost no one remembers the
first one. We once received module proposals
from two authors (one in Texas and one in
England) who each wanted to create a dungeon
in an iceberg populated by people called
?bergmen? ?-in each case led by humans named
Ingemar and Ingrid. One thought we had stolen
his idea and given it to the other author (which
we hadn?t), and in frustration we dropped the
whole project.

And my apologies to author Scott Bennie for
forgetting about his discussion of romance in
role-playing in his excellent article, ?Fun Without
Fighting.? So much for my being an expert
on romance. (No smart remarks from readers,
please.)
 

Shadow monster
Dear Dragon,
I have just received your issue #170, and it is
great. I have just one question. In the article,
“Crossing Dragons With Everything,” it says that
there is a “shadow” dragon, but I have never
heard of one. Where might I find the statistics
for it?

Jon Tacey
Brementon WA
(Dragon #174)

The dreaded shadow dragon, originally described
in the AD&D® 1st Edition Monster
Manual II (pages 58-59), reappeared in the
AD&D 2nd Edition Monstrous Compendium,
GREYHAWK® Appendix (MC5).