Dragon #346

[Glyfair]

What can you tell us about the Impiltur article?

Not much. It's a Forgotten Realms article and deeply tied into the Forgotten Realms with a large amount of background. As I'm not interested in that campaign world very much, I've only really scanned it.

From the looks of it, if you are an FR fan you'll be very satisfied with it.

 

[Tharian]

Just received my copy today. I really enjoyed those Scout feats and plan to make use of some of them when the time comes to select new feats.

Haven't quite gotten through the rest of the issue though.

 

[Arnwyn]

What can you tell us about the Impiltur article?

I just got my issue yesterday, and I'm very impressed with this article. One of the best Dragon articles I've seen in quite a while. I also happen to have it in the office with me today, so I can actually talk about it coherently.

It's about 15 pages long, and has the following main headings:
- The Lay of the Land (The Easting Coast, The Uplands, The Farwater)
- Sites and Landmarks (The Barrowlands, The Citadel of Conjurers, Dargrath's Caverns, The Hill of Tombs, The Shimmerglade)
- People & Society
- Religion
- Magic
- Law and Order
- The Lure of Adventure
- History of Impiltur (timeline from -160 to 1374)

The artwork ranges for good (the Citadel of Conjurers) to terrible (poor Queen Sambryl - what have they done to you?). Pretty much: the location artwork is incredible, the NPC artwork is so horrible it made my eyes explode out of their sockets and run away screaming (<- hyperbole).

There are also small sidebars noting the coinage of Impiltur, as well as a new Regional Feat ("Pureheart").

 

[Glyfair]

Regarding my earlier post, I did in fact recieve my issue of Dungeon. So, by some amazing post office magic, I did recieve my copy of this the day after they shipped it!

I'm not expecting this to happen often, but it was pretty cool.

 

[Swordsage]

I just got my issue yesterday, and I'm very impressed with this article. One of the best Dragon articles I've seen in quite a while. I also happen to have it in the office with me today, so I can actually talk about it coherently.

It's about 15 pages long, and has the following main headings:
- The Lay of the Land (The Easting Coast, The Uplands, The Farwater)
- Sites and Landmarks (The Barrowlands, The Citadel of Conjurers, Dargrath's Caverns, The Hill of Tombs, The Shimmerglade)
- People & Society
- Religion
- Magic
- Law and Order
- The Lure of Adventure
- History of Impiltur (timeline from -160 to 1374)

The artwork ranges for good (the Citadel of Conjurers) to terrible (poor Queen Sambryl - what have they done to you?). Pretty much: the location artwork is incredible, the NPC artwork is so horrible it made my eyes explode out of their sockets and run away screaming (<- hyperbole).

There are also small sidebars noting the coinage of Impiltur, as well as a new Regional Feat ("Pureheart").

Thanks Arnwyn. Much appreciated. Was there a map of the kingdom?

The Swordsage

 

[Arnwyn]

Thanks Arnwyn. Much appreciated. Was there a map of the kingdom?

Ah, sorry. I forgot to mention that - yes, there is indeed a map. Small, but it's definitely there. It uses the new-style FRCS type map, but has many locations noted (including most if not all those listed in the article, from a cursory look).

 

[Farewell2kings]

Scouts

I'm glad you guys liked the scout article. Paul Leach made some changes to it in order to use the alternate class feature rules from PH II (which I don't own yet). I was envisioning the "cavalry scout" alternate scout class as a good class for goblin worg riders to take, but also good for desert nomads and other horse-cultures. Add a lance to the fast riding cavalry scout with extra skirmish damage and you have a pretty awesome open terrain threat. The scout-sniper was toned down a bit from what I had submitted, but I understand why those changes were made.

Hey, my first article in Dragon magazine!! I submitted my first piece to them in 1982 for the "Adventure Design Contest." Never heard anything about it (it was handwritten, ha ha). I never would have thought that 24 years later I would finally see something of mine in print.

 

[Greg K]

Can someone please give me a summary of the Sacred Enforcer and variant class features for the monk? Thanks.

 

[Glyfair]

Can someone please give me a summary of the Sacred Enforcer and variant class features for the monk? Thanks.

The main thrust of the article is Fighting Styles (ala Unearthed Arcana). They are all titled "Sacred Path of <Deity>" (Heironeous, Hextor, Moradin, St. Cuthbert, Wee Jas & Yondalla).

The 3 alternate class features for Sacred Enforcers* are Sacred Strike (lose ki strike or improved evasion, gain a smite attack specific against a deities listed enemies when using the deities favored weapon), Unwavering Dedication (lose still mind, can take levels in cleric/paladin/blackguard without being prevented from taking further monk levels) and Wholeness of Others (lose wholeness of body, gain a variation on paladin's laying of hands).

They also add the additional restriction that a Sacred Enforcer who abandons their deity also becomes an "Ex-Sacred Enforcer" in addition to the monks usual situation for becoming non-lawful.