Dragon (Issue 73 - May 1983)

Vol. VII No. 11 of Dragon Magazine.

Cover Art by Susan Collins.

This issue featured Forest of Doom, first place winner of the Module Design Contest, category A-2 (AD&D, levels 4-7).

From the editor-in-chief's description of the issue:

Why is a reader of DRAGON Magazine like a 10th level fighter about to enter the first level of a dungeon? Because the biggest problem either one of them has is figuring out where to start.

What you're holding is the largest, the most colorful, and the most diversified issue we've produced since Bahamut was a pup. Inside are 11 articles and features devoted to the D&D and AD&D games, plus more than a dozen other presentations designed to appeal to those of you who are also interested in other facets of the hobby of gaming.

At the head of the parade is "Forest of Doom," an AD&D adventure that was judged the best entry in category A-2 of our Module Design Contest. I wish I could tell you why it won, but that would be giving too much away.

Hot on the heels of the cavalier class, presented by E. Gary Gygax in our last issue, is the duelist - Arthur Collins' concept of a non-player character who has an entirely different code of honor.

Speaking of EGG, Gary has a couple of contributions in these pages - one direct and one indirect. "The Inner Planes," in his From the Sorceror's Scroll column, puts forth a consistent and colorful theory on the structure of the AD&D universe. "The whole half-ogre," composed by contributing editor Roger Moore, draws on an earlier piece of Gary's work and fleshes out what Roger calls "the best darn door-opener" you ever saw.

Most of the time, an AD&D playing session is - and should be - a group endeavor. But there are times, as pointed out by Katharine Kerr, when "The solo scenario" is the way to go.

As the second installment of what we hope will be a long-running series, offered herein is "The ecology of the catoblepas." Just about the only thing the article doesn't address is how to pronounce the critter's name - probably because nobody's ever been able to get close enough to one to ask it.

Lewis Pulsipher and Roland Gettliffe have collaborated to produce "Non-violent Magic Items," an extensive collection of objects that might be found around the house - if you have a very unusual residence.

Miniature-figure buffs will appreciate a couple of double-page spreads: "Photo finish," showcasing the handiwork of Mike Sitkiewicz and a group of "weird monsters" assembled by Kim Eastland for this month's Figure Feature" column.

I'm running out of space long before I've run out of things to talk about. But perhaps that's just as well: Half the fun of being a tough fighter in a tame dungeon is not knowing what's behind every door - but still being sure that whatever it is, it'll go down easy. - KM