Drmg042, Dragon
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Tell them you saw it in Dragon magazine.
Dragon
Vol. V, No. 4
Someone should be selling “I Survived
GenCon” T-shirts . . . I’d buy one. Each
year at this time (the day after the conven-
tion ends) I find myself reflecting on the past
96 hours of madness — for several years as
just a gaming attendee, and now for the last
couple of years as an exhibitor and staff
member.
I’m not going to try to sum up GenCon
XIII in the few hundred words of space I
have here at this time — but I would like to
touch on a few points while things are still
fresh in my mind.
First, the logistics of running a four-day
convention with 4000+ attendees are only
slightly less difficult than memorizing the
DMG. Congratulations from
The Dragon
for a successful convention go out to Con-
vention Director Will Niebling; Convention
Coordinator Joe Orlowski; Day Managers
Paul Schwab, Len Lakofka, Bill Hoyer, and
Bob Blake; PAW President Dave Arneson;
PAW Convention Coordinators Terry Ras-
mussen and Patty Craig; PAW Liaison Mark
Nickel; and especially to all the convention
staff, without whom all the directors, coordi-
nators, managers, presidents, and liaisons
would have looked very silly.
Also high on
The Dragon
“thanks a
bunch” list is the nameless PAW person
working the loading dock during the rain
Thursday morning when Dragon Publishing
arrived with metric tonnes of boxes, cases,
and displays and who later showed up to
help load us up again Sunday afternoon.
We owe you one (at least). And my person-
al thanks are extended to Steve Brown,
Mark Herro, and especially Pam O’Neill for
their generous help at the Dragon Publishing
booth.
OK, I’ve already called GenCon XIII “suc-
cessful.” What does that mean? It means
nothing horrible happened and quite a few
good things did. Thus far I’ve heard no com-
plaints as to how any of the tournaments
were run, no complaints as to security in the
dealer area, and no one lost/got ripped off
for any personal possessions or merchan-
dise — the three common complaints of any
convention. Of course, I’m not officially in-
volved with GenCon in any manner except
as an exhibitor, and there may have been
problems I have no knowledge of, but I did
notice the lack of grumblings that have circu-
lated the hallways of many of the conven-
tions I have attended in the past few years.
On the more tangible positive side, I did
hear many good comments as to the organi-
zation of the convention as a whole, particu-
larly with regard to event registration. An in-
crease in the number of staffers manning the
many information booths was a welcome
sight, there was an organized daily update
information sheet available, and just a gen-
eral “togetherness” that comes with a con-
vention held repeatedly in one location and
organized by many of the same people year
after year.
Vol. V, No. 4 October, 1980
Publisher
E. Gary Gygax
Editor
Jake Jaquet
Assistant Editor
Kim Mohan
Editorial Staff
Bryce Knorr
Circulation & Sales
Corey Koebernick
Office Staff
Cherie Knull Dawn Pekul
This month’s
contributing artists:
Steve Oliff Jeff Dee
Todd Lockwood Jim Roslof
Roger Raupp Bill Willingham
Kenneth Rahman Gail Gierahn
However, “successful” is one thing, “out-
standing” is another. What would I consider
outstanding? Good question. I can sit back
and think what would be ideal to an ex-
hibitor, and what would be ideal to a gamer,
and the two just don’t have many points in
common. The exhibitor wants professional
exhibit facilities: partitioned booth space,
good lighting, electrical outlets in his booth
area, good traffic flow, convenient loading
and unloading facilities, assistance with
physical set-up, a dealer-only “retreat” area,
guaranteed exhibit-area security, profession-
al security service/banking facilities, etc. The
gamer wants well-organized game registra-
tion, knowledgeable information service
sites, adequate physical facilities for game
playing, convenient and reasonable eating
and drinking areas/services, nearby and
reasonable lodging, and a convenient park-
ing area and/or public transportation.
DRAGON magazine is published monthly by
Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR Hobbies, Inc.
The mailing address of Dragon Publishing is P.O.
Box 110, Lake Geneva, WI 53147; telephone 414-
248-8044.
DRAGON is available at hundreds of hobby
stores and bookstores throughout the United
States and Canada, and through a limited number
of overseas outlets The magazine can be pur-
chased directly from Dragon Publishing by in-
dividual subscription. The subscription rate within
the United States and Canada is $24 U.S. for 12 is-
sues. Outside the U.S. and Canada, rates are as
follows: $50 U.S. for 12 issues sent surface mail,
or $95 U.S. for 12 issues sent air mail.
The unique aspect of gaming conventions
is the participation by the attendees. Most
gatherings labeled “conventions” are really
trade shows. When XYZ Hardware has a
“convention,” they contract a professional
convention facility, bring in all the manu-
facturers, and open the doors to the con-
vention-goers. Everybody goes in, picks up
samples or buys new products, then goes
out and enjoys a night on the town, or goes
back to the hotel and calls the wife and kids.
Chances are, they don’t care if the room
they’re in is costing $75 a night or if the
snack bar at the convention site runs out of
Coke. They’re there to check out the show,
do some business, and have a good time.
A limited selection of DRAGON back issues is
available by mail from Dragon Publishing for cover
price of a particular issue plus $1.00 per issue
ordered for postage and handling. No issues prior
to #22 are available. The cover price for issues #22-
31 is $2.00, for #32-36, $2.50, and for #37 to
present, $3.00. Payment must accompany all
orders. If one or more issues in an order is sold
out, a credit slip will be substituted which may be
exchanged for cash or merchandise from Dragon
Publishing.
The issue of expiration for each subscription is
printed on each subscriber’s mailing label.
Changes of address for subscriptions must be re-
ceived by Dragon Publishing at least 30 days prior
to the effective date of the change in order to
guarantee uninterrupted delivery.
Gaming conventions, on the other hand,
must provide more for the attendees, both in
physical facilities and services. I’ll bet that
one could put on the most fabulous gaming
convention ever at the Hilton convention
center in Las Vegas — but it would cost
everyone attending $200 a day (not count-
ing the casinos!). And there lies the crux of
the matter — having the facilities the exhibi-
tors want and the gamers want at a price
that doesn’t prohibit gamers from attending.
An exhibitor can have the most lavish facili-
ties available this side of Taj Mahal and it
doesn’t mean a thing if no one can afford to
attend.
All material published in DRAGON becomes the
exclusive property of the publisher upon publica-
tion, unless special arrangements to the contrary
are made prior to publication.
DRAGON welcomes unsolicited submissions
of written material and artwork: however, no
responsibility for such submissions can be as-
sumed by the publisher in any event. No submis-
sion will be returned unless it was accompanied
by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of suf-
ficient size. All rights on the contents of this publi-
cation are reserved, and nothing may be re-
produced in whole or in part without securing
prior permission in writing from the publisher.
Copyright 1980 by TSR Hobbies, Inc.
(Turn to page 53)
Second class postage paid at Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin 53147.
2
October, 1980
Dragon
OO!
Did that scare you? No, I guess BOO! doesn’t
have the same impact when the boss makes you start the
column with a funny-looking “B” . . .
That scary start was supposed to be the second indica-
tion of the fact that this is a special Halloween issue. You can get
yourself in the right frame of mind for October 31 by reading and
using all the chills and thrills we’ve crammed between the covers.
The first indication of our tribute to Halloween is this month’s
cover painting. “The Doomed” represents artist
another eight pages of potential for thrilling new encounters-five
new Giants in the Earth from
Tom Moldvay
and a quartet of new
cages in Dragon’s Bestiary.
Leomund’s Tiny Hut is back after a short respite with
Len La-
long look at the inner planes of existence, and From the
Sorcerer’s Scroll makes a return appearance with
Gary Gygaxs
admonitions not to be a Dungeon Milquetoast. Sage Advice hasn’t
been handed out for a couple of issues,
so Jim Ward
and
Will
provided some answers to your questions for us. Because
the questions are coming in such quantity, we’re hoping to find room
for more answers in every issue from now on.
This month’s feature review by
Steve Oliffs
first
appearance on the cover since issue #14.
The Halloween art doesn’t end there, either. Check out, if you
dare, the big black & white drawing by
is a detailed
examination of John Carter, Warlord of Mars. Also in Dragon’s
Augury are evaluations of two new games, Swashbuckler and Time
Tripper, and the Starmaster play-by-mail game.
Regular columnists
Tony Watson
on page 6,
which leads off a special “Things to tease, tempt and terrify” sec-
tion—four of the scariest
D&D
and
AD&D
variants we could dig up.
Still not spooked? Okay-in the dead center of the magazine
you’ll find The Mansion of Mad Professor Ludlow, our first haunted
-house module, for which we are grateful to publisher
Todd Lockwood
give us more
observations on their specialties in Simulation Corner and The Elec-
tric Eye. For a lighthearted look at an unusual session of gaming,
enjoy The Day of the Dwarf by
John Prados
and
Mark Herro
Gary Gygax
Gay, upon hearing of our plans for a
Halloween observance, said, “Say, Jim’s got a haunted house that’s
a lot of fun. Why don’t you see if you can use it?” Obviously, we did
just that. We hope you find it a lot of fun, too.
Our regular offerings of new critters and new characters provide
Jim Ward.
Roger Moore.
Our colorful conclusion this month is another chapter in the saga
of Jasmine, followed by a special surprise Wormy. If the last panel of
this episode doesn’t at least make you open your eyes all the way,
maybe you should have someone else check your pulse. — Kim
SPECIAL ATTRACTION
The Mansion of Mad Professor Ludlow: A spooky AD&D
adventure—J. Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . .Al-A16
Leomund’s Tiny Hut: The inner planes —
L. Lakofka
. . . . . . . . .
24
T. Moldvay
Tauno Kraken’s-Bane
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sir Geros Lahvohettos
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
James Eckert/Gorbash
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Orvar-Odd
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Heidrek
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Convention schedule
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Simulation Corner: State of the art —
32
32
33
34
35
37
40
42
OTHER FEATURES
Demons, Devils and Spirits —
T. Moldvay
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
The Possessors
—A.
Parker
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Patron Demons —
L. Pulsipher
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14
This group catches on quickly: CWA-Con report —
Laking
J. Prados
. . . . . . . . . . .
W. Fawcett
36
The Electric Eye: Adventuring by computer —
M. Herro
. . . . . . .
Chained to the wall in Houston: NANCON report
—F.
Joines
.
36
Dragon’s Bestiary
Quatsch —
Readers react to Ringside —
B. Blume
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
38
A. South
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
44
45
46
47
The Day of the Dwarf —
R. Moore
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
Necroton —
P. Meyers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Well Spirit —
G. Holley
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
REGULAR COLUMNS
Out on a Limb
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sandbats/Swampbats —
J. Mattson
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
Dragon’s Augury
John Carter, Warlord of Mars —
From the Sorcerer’s Scroll: Meaningful monsters —
G. Gygax
.
16
T. Watson
. . . . . . . . . . .
48
50
51
52
57
58
59
Minarian Legends: The History of Pon —
G. Rahman . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18
Swashbuckler —
W. Fawcett
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sage Advice —
J. Ward, W. Niebling
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
Time Tripper —
T. Watson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The fifth fantastic adventure of Reginald Rennup
. . . . . . . . .
Jasmine —
W. Fawcett
If your mailing label says TD-42
this is your last issue-resubscribe!
by Darlene
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wormy —
by Tramp
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
kofkas
Niebling
and author
Giants in the Earth —
The Restless Dead —
G.
Starmaster —
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