Aitch Eye
First Post
I don't think this breaks the rules on starting a new discussion on an existing topic. While there's a thread discussing specifically the sealed section of the magazine, I thought that after 28 responses it might be too late (as well as rude) to usefully introduce a general discussion of the rest of the magazines contents.
Dragon Magazine: 300 Issues of Roleplaying History, by Kim Mohan, Dale Donovan, and Dave Gross. Three former editors reflect on their time at the magazine. Has a two-page spread of all 300 covers.
The Bestiary: Hellish Fangs on Abyssal Wings, by James Wyatt, illustrated by Sam Wood. Five varieties of fiendish extraplanar dragons: Howling (Pandemonium), Pyroclastic (Gehenna), Rust (Acheron), Styx (lower planes), and Tarterian (Carceri).
Bazaar of the Bizarre: By the Hands of Hags, by Wesley Schneider. Nine twisted and mostly primitive or mundane looking magic items.
How Far Should You Go? Choosing the Right Level of Evil for your Campaign, by Monte Cook. After a brief discussion of four things you need to do to make sure your group is comfortable with the potential content of a game, it divides campaigns into four broad types: lighthearted, standard, mature and vile. It then gives examples of how each type of campaign handles certain elements (such as PCs, adventures, slavery, rape, gore), with a sidebar on how the Book of Vile Darkness might be used with each.
The following two articles are in the sealed section ("Mature Audiences Advisory: Vile Content Inside").
Arcane Lore: Secrets of the Skinscribes, by James Jacobs. 14 spells developed by a group of necromancers. Most are simply vividly gory or gross; however one deals with overtly sexual necrophilia, another with impregnation. A number of spells contain the "Corrupt" component, which causes ability score damage in place of material components. (There's already a well-progressed thread discussing these here.)
Minions of Darkness: More Monster Cultist Prestige Classes, by Eric Cagle. Four 5-level PRCs for devotees of various monsters: the Faceless One (doppelgangers), the Deep Thrall (krakens), the Shoal Servant (kuo-toas) and the Tiger Mask (rakshasas).
Class Acts: The Flesheater, by Monte Cook. 10-level prestige class for savage, evil halflings that gains capabilities in unarmed combat and poison use.
The Risen Dead: Four New Undead Templates, by Wizards of the Coast R&D. The Mummy, wight, wraith and the ghost brute (from creatures without the "sense of self" to become normal ghosts). A sample creature is given for each (ogre mummy, troglodyte wight, merfolk wraith and ghost brute cat.)
Ecology: Shrouded in Death: The Ecology of the Mummy, by Terry Edwards. With background on different mummy types (and rules variations for bog, clay, and ice mummies), and sections on their society, use as NPCs, creatures to pair them with, tactics mummies and PCs can use against each other, and a sample tomb for an ice mummy.
Scale Mail. The letters section has an FAQ on future contents of the magazine and its current relationship with WotC.
Up on a Soapbox "The Incomplete Villain," by Gary Gygax. The genesis, present, and possible future of Wastri the Hopping Prophet, Gygax's "favorite unrealized villain."
Elminster's Guide "Old Angrath's Smokehouse," by Ed Greenwood. Rural business known as a meeting place for Harper's.
DM's Toolbox "Who Plays This Game?" by Stuart Pearson. Introducing people who have never played to the game.
Silicon Sorcery "Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne," by Jonny[sic?] L. Wilson. Two divine spells adapted from the computer game, Geyser and Venomous Vapor, and a few adventure ideas.
Sage Advice, by Skip Williams. Focusing on Deities and Demigods, Faiths and Pantheons, clerics and paladins.
Living Greyhawk Journal
Playing Pieces: Denizens of Darkness, by Frederick Weining. Follow-up to "The Vault of the Drow" in Dragon #298, presenting eight NPCs.
Dragon Magazine: 300 Issues of Roleplaying History, by Kim Mohan, Dale Donovan, and Dave Gross. Three former editors reflect on their time at the magazine. Has a two-page spread of all 300 covers.
The Bestiary: Hellish Fangs on Abyssal Wings, by James Wyatt, illustrated by Sam Wood. Five varieties of fiendish extraplanar dragons: Howling (Pandemonium), Pyroclastic (Gehenna), Rust (Acheron), Styx (lower planes), and Tarterian (Carceri).
Bazaar of the Bizarre: By the Hands of Hags, by Wesley Schneider. Nine twisted and mostly primitive or mundane looking magic items.
How Far Should You Go? Choosing the Right Level of Evil for your Campaign, by Monte Cook. After a brief discussion of four things you need to do to make sure your group is comfortable with the potential content of a game, it divides campaigns into four broad types: lighthearted, standard, mature and vile. It then gives examples of how each type of campaign handles certain elements (such as PCs, adventures, slavery, rape, gore), with a sidebar on how the Book of Vile Darkness might be used with each.
The following two articles are in the sealed section ("Mature Audiences Advisory: Vile Content Inside").
Arcane Lore: Secrets of the Skinscribes, by James Jacobs. 14 spells developed by a group of necromancers. Most are simply vividly gory or gross; however one deals with overtly sexual necrophilia, another with impregnation. A number of spells contain the "Corrupt" component, which causes ability score damage in place of material components. (There's already a well-progressed thread discussing these here.)
Minions of Darkness: More Monster Cultist Prestige Classes, by Eric Cagle. Four 5-level PRCs for devotees of various monsters: the Faceless One (doppelgangers), the Deep Thrall (krakens), the Shoal Servant (kuo-toas) and the Tiger Mask (rakshasas).
Class Acts: The Flesheater, by Monte Cook. 10-level prestige class for savage, evil halflings that gains capabilities in unarmed combat and poison use.
The Risen Dead: Four New Undead Templates, by Wizards of the Coast R&D. The Mummy, wight, wraith and the ghost brute (from creatures without the "sense of self" to become normal ghosts). A sample creature is given for each (ogre mummy, troglodyte wight, merfolk wraith and ghost brute cat.)
Ecology: Shrouded in Death: The Ecology of the Mummy, by Terry Edwards. With background on different mummy types (and rules variations for bog, clay, and ice mummies), and sections on their society, use as NPCs, creatures to pair them with, tactics mummies and PCs can use against each other, and a sample tomb for an ice mummy.
Scale Mail. The letters section has an FAQ on future contents of the magazine and its current relationship with WotC.
Up on a Soapbox "The Incomplete Villain," by Gary Gygax. The genesis, present, and possible future of Wastri the Hopping Prophet, Gygax's "favorite unrealized villain."
Elminster's Guide "Old Angrath's Smokehouse," by Ed Greenwood. Rural business known as a meeting place for Harper's.
DM's Toolbox "Who Plays This Game?" by Stuart Pearson. Introducing people who have never played to the game.
Silicon Sorcery "Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne," by Jonny[sic?] L. Wilson. Two divine spells adapted from the computer game, Geyser and Venomous Vapor, and a few adventure ideas.
Sage Advice, by Skip Williams. Focusing on Deities and Demigods, Faiths and Pantheons, clerics and paladins.
Living Greyhawk Journal
Playing Pieces: Denizens of Darkness, by Frederick Weining. Follow-up to "The Vault of the Drow" in Dragon #298, presenting eight NPCs.
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