Dragon Roots #1

[Raven Crowking]

Just as an FYI, I have read through much of DR #1 (having written 4 articles for it).

Table of Contents:

From the Editor: 2
Letters to the Editor: 3
Freeport Preview: 4
The Tomb Raider: 6
In Memory Of: 12
Races & Paragons of The Middle World: 16
Faerie Encounters: 29
Table Talk: 36
Robilard's Tale: A Simple Life Campaign Story Vol 1: 46
The Last Minute GM: 56
Campaign Considerations: 58
What's Over There?: 60


The Tomb Raider is a new core class by C.E. Rocco.

In Memory Of is a retrospective on Mr. Gary Gygax.

Races & Paragons of The Middle World is material on human subdivisions from my own houserules. The fluff text could be used in nearly any campaign with some name changes. The paragon level class tables and special abilities are OGC. This subdivides humans into 10 fantasy racial types. Some of this information has appeared on EN World without the game statistics, and been very well received.

Faerie Encounters is another article I wrote, and update of one that was first requested for EN World Gamer before that magazine folded. It was posted on EN World for a time. This version is updated, and includes three new OGC monsters: Apple Tree Man, Bogan, and Buttery Spirits. Lutins are also described, but more as a hazard than as a monster.

Table Talk: A 4e play session of Keep on the Shadowfell. I find this sort of thing interesting, although there is as much group dynamics as D&D going on here!

I haven't read Robilard's Tale yet, but it is a "story hour" that includes both notes from the player and the DM in question.

The Last Minute GM by Bil White, a column offering "different traps, tricks and trouble that can easily be placed in any campaign setting." In this case, it offers an interesting door trap.

Campaign Considerations is a new column, focusing on Tropical Adventures in this case (and, in this case, written by me). Some information on designing and running adventures in the tropics, which includes hazards, a scavenger chain, and seven wilderness encounters.

What's Over There?: Temple of the Golden Ape, my first published adventure, is designed to be used when you need a site on the fly, or to be used as part of a planned campaign. As such, it hails back to an earlier form of modular adventure...exploring a site that may, or may not, be connected to the DM's world in larger ways, depending upon the needs of the gaming group. Includes one new OGC monster.

Not listed in the contents are the Adventurer preview on Page 5, Resistance is Futile on page 14, and various minor tributes to Gary Gygax througout the magazine.

All in all, I think that the 1st issue is a hefty, "full" read, and one that is sure to offer some gaming inspiration to almost everyone who reads it.

As in all things, though, YMMV.

RC

 

[Aus_Snow]

Hey, good to hear the magazine's kickin' along.

 

[DM-Rocco]

Hey, good to hear the magazine's kickin' along.

It is getting much easier to write with the help of many people who are rising to the occasion to send in material.

Dang, I didn’t see that I didn’t put resistance is futile or the adventurer in the table of contents. It is still a learning curve on a few things, but this issue turned out much tighter. With myself being able to concentrate on more editing than writing and the addition of 3 new editors, the issue is much cleaner. Also, I finally scored an interior artist to give the magazine a little umf.

Robillard’s Tale, if you are wondering, is my own character. When I play, I like to write stories so when I get home from a session I find myself writing bits of the session in a narrative. When I did a survey a lot of people said they didn’t like the short stories in Dragon Magazine so I at first wasn’t going to put in any my magazine. I had an idea that I thought might be a good fit. Robillard’s Tale is my characters story through the Simple Life Campaign. Then, the DM and I add in notes. I include things like why I picked certain feats, why the party did certain actions and I include my character and his progression. The DM includes his notes from the session. In future installments he will include his own custom monsters, magic items and DM notes on why we put the party in certain situations.

It is a first of its kind three prong assault that gives the reader a good narrative, PC and DM insight; a comprehensive study of an entire campaign from beginning to end. Of course this is only the first installment, so everything is a bit sketchy at first. I don’t want to give everything away in the first issue.

The DM notes are a bit limited on the first installment, our DM had an accident with a car when it hit him at 45 mph, so I let him off the hook to complete it.

One thing that didn’t make it into the magazine was a comprehensive campaign building article written by Paul Brazelton, the DM of Robillard’s Tale. He couldn’t get it finished with the accident so the first installment of that article will appear in Issue #2. It is designed to work with Robillard’s Tale. You will be able to see that he practices what he preaches as you read the campaign building article and then see elements of it in Robillard’s Tale.

I would be happy to field any questions if anyone has any others.