Dragon Magazine - 20 years ago

[Quasqueton]

Since the contents for the current Dragon is now posted for discussion, it's time to post the contents of 20 years ago. . .

Dragon #69
January 1983

SPECIAL ATTRACTION

Arrakhar's Wand -- A new fantasy boardgame.

OTHER FEATURES

Runes -- Article about runes in history. Includes runic alphabets for several languages. Phil Taterczynski and Roger Raupp.

Runestones -- Article about runes in the Forgotten Realms. Includes a runic alphabet and some inscriptions. Ed Greenwood.

Be Quest -- Fiction regarding runes. Atanielle Annyn Noel.

Castles by Carroll, Wawel Castle -- 1 page for historical notes on a Polish castle (very light text, mostly image). Mike Carroll.

Everybody Eats Everybody On Sunday's Planet -- Fiction. Jeff Swycaffer.

Charting the Classes -- Statistical analysis of the AD&D classes (many charts). Roger E. Moore.

Caped Crusaders and Masked Marvels -- Article on superhero RPGs. Roger E. Moore.

Ready for Anything -- Article on all kinds of "non-standard" or special equipment. Lewis Pulsipher.

More Pages from the Mages -- Magical books from the Forgotten Realms. Ed Greenwood.

Weapon Statistics -- Article for the Top Secret RPG. No author listed.

REGULAR OFFERINGS

Out on a Limb -- Letters from readers.

From the Sorceror's Scroll -- The first "split class": Thief-Acrobat. Plus a small note about the "correct procedure for determining falling damage in the AD&D game" (1d6 per 10' fallen, cumulative - 30' = 1d6+2d6+3d6.). Plus also a half page on TSR Status Report. All by E. Gary Gygax.

Deities & Demigods -- From the World of Greyhawk: Istus and Obad-Hai. E. Gary Gygax.

Featured Creatures -- Fungus: Ustilagor and Zygom. E. Gary Gygax.

Leomund's Tiny Hut -- The Entertainer character class. Lenard Lakofka.

Convention Schedule

United Nations -- Game review. Tony Watson.

Jasmine -- Game review. Merle M. Rasmussen.

The Role of Books, Pt. II -- Reviews on non-game books for use in gaming. Lewis Pulsipher.

What's New -- Phil and Dixie on Christmas gifts. Phil Foglio.

Wormy -- Dave Trampier.


Quasqueton

 

[Crothian]

That;s cool to look back on it. Brings back memories.

 

[WayneLigon]

Mmmm, Wormy. Always wondered why it just ... stopped like that, with no explanation.

 

[Alzrius]

Mmmm, Wormy. Always wondered why it just ... stopped like that, with no explanation.

So we never did find out about that huh? I always thought someone somewhere had an explanation and I just missed it...its too bad, I liked that comic too.

 

[Quasqueton]

bump

I hope I'm allowed one self bump.

Many people mentioned in my last such thread that they wanted to see this each month. So I'll just bump this one time to hopefully keep the thread on the first page till the work week starts.

Quasqueton

 

[Eridanis]

Mmmm, Wormy. Always wondered why it just ... stopped like that, with no explanation.

If the folks over at Pied Piper are to be trusted, Dave Trampier is working as a cab driver in Carbondale, Illinois. Don't want anything to do with gaming, gamers, or art. Kinda sad, really, unless he's truly happy.

 

[Terraism]

Someone want to fill me in on Wormy?

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I miss pages from the mages. It would be nice to see that make a come back in the pages of Dragon.

 

[grodog]

For Wormy's current info, see http://newshound.de.siu.edu/online/stories/storyReader$1382

Several old-timers from TSR have positively ID'd the picture as Tramp.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

For Terraism:

Wormy was a comic in the back of Dragon Magazine. It contained the adventures of many different creatures, including some very stupid goblins; a hillbilly cyclops with a giant, cyclopean bloodhound for a pet; and extremely cool talking panther with a pair of black wings on its back (Gruenhwyvar is just a pussy); a bunch of other stuff.

The comic followed a storyline of sorts and had something of a cult following. Frankly, I didn't get it. The visuals were fantastic - the story was all over the shop. The only Wormy story that I liked was a one pager where an adventurer orc (armour, several weapons huge pack on his back) comes into a bar and orders a drink; then he tries to pay for it with a single gold piece about a foot and a half across and four inches thick - it leaves a dent in the bar. The bar tender asks if he's "got anything smaller?" The adventurer fishes about and comes up with a ruby the size of his fist. It was a great lesson in the possible difficulty of spending your treasure.