Dragon Publishing released Dragon #87 in July 1984. It is 100 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00.
The cover is called "The Enchanted Forest" by Jack Crane and is a colourful scene featuring adventurers under attack from hostile vegetation. Crane painted six covers for Dragon and has a whimsical style that reminds me a little of Jim Holloway. Interior artists include Ruth Hoyer, Roger Raupp, John Pierard, Harry Quinn, Dave Trampier, Jerry Eaton, Bob Lilly, Clyde Caldwell, Kurt Erichsen, Keith Parkinson, and Larry Elmore.
This issue's special attraction is "Whiteout" by Merle Rasmussen, a Top Secret adventure set in the desolate expanse of Antarctica. The mission revolves around the activities of an ultra-survivalist group known as the Children of Neptune (CON). Agents are tasked with infiltrating Atlantis II, an isolated research station controlled by CON, to thwart their plans for world domination. It is an ambitious free-form adventure that details 50 individual CON members and the entire 72-room Atlantis II facility. The unforgiving Antarctic weather is key, especially on the initial approach. It could be a terrific adventure, but it requires a skilled referee.
"Beyond the Dungeon: Part 1" by Katharine Kerr encourages Dungeon Masters to explore outdoor adventures. The article provides practical rules for handling aboveground scenarios, including movement, visibility, terrain, and mapping. Kerr's goal is laudable, and she gives some valuable suggestions, but the whole thing felt overly pragmatic and finicky (such as the table telling you that tall grass decreases your speed by 10 feet per minute). I would have preferred advice on creating evocative landscapes or suggestions for interesting overland encounters.
"The Ecology of the Dryad" by Shaun Wilson continues the popular ecology series by examining this well-known forest creature. As usual, the article has two parts: the first is a fictitious lecture on the dryad by a sage, and the second is various AD&D gaming notes. The fiction is a little dry this time, helping me appreciate Greenwood's gift for making the prior entries less didactic. This article was Wilson's only RPG publication.
"The Legacy of Hortus" by cover artist Jack Crane provides a humorous and magical reimagining of common plants. For example, dandelions are stealthy, carnivorous creatures with leonine heads. Each entry comes with a whimsical illustration, and Crane also depicted several of the plants on the cover. It's a fun and lovingly illustrated article, but I'm surprised the editor didn't include AD&D statistics for each creature.
Author John E. Stith brings us "Simon Sidekick," a coming-of-age story in which a shy boy learns the value of relationships in a lunar colony. The author creates a believable world and a compelling and sympathetic protagonist. However, the plot is too predictable, and the conflict too neatly resolved for this to be an entirely satisfying story. Stith has written many science fiction novels and stories, and his book "Manhatten Transfer" is currently being turned into a pilot starring Casper Van Diem and Walter Koenig.
"Gods of the Suel Pantheon" continues Len Lakofka's series with entries for Kord, the god of strength and courage, and Phaulkon, the god of the open air. As with the previous article in the series, this one asserts the copyright belongs to Gary Gygax, which makes me wonder how much he contributed to the creation.
The Ares Section has 14 pages of science fiction content and includes three articles:
The cover is called "The Enchanted Forest" by Jack Crane and is a colourful scene featuring adventurers under attack from hostile vegetation. Crane painted six covers for Dragon and has a whimsical style that reminds me a little of Jim Holloway. Interior artists include Ruth Hoyer, Roger Raupp, John Pierard, Harry Quinn, Dave Trampier, Jerry Eaton, Bob Lilly, Clyde Caldwell, Kurt Erichsen, Keith Parkinson, and Larry Elmore.
This issue's special attraction is "Whiteout" by Merle Rasmussen, a Top Secret adventure set in the desolate expanse of Antarctica. The mission revolves around the activities of an ultra-survivalist group known as the Children of Neptune (CON). Agents are tasked with infiltrating Atlantis II, an isolated research station controlled by CON, to thwart their plans for world domination. It is an ambitious free-form adventure that details 50 individual CON members and the entire 72-room Atlantis II facility. The unforgiving Antarctic weather is key, especially on the initial approach. It could be a terrific adventure, but it requires a skilled referee.
"Beyond the Dungeon: Part 1" by Katharine Kerr encourages Dungeon Masters to explore outdoor adventures. The article provides practical rules for handling aboveground scenarios, including movement, visibility, terrain, and mapping. Kerr's goal is laudable, and she gives some valuable suggestions, but the whole thing felt overly pragmatic and finicky (such as the table telling you that tall grass decreases your speed by 10 feet per minute). I would have preferred advice on creating evocative landscapes or suggestions for interesting overland encounters.
"The Ecology of the Dryad" by Shaun Wilson continues the popular ecology series by examining this well-known forest creature. As usual, the article has two parts: the first is a fictitious lecture on the dryad by a sage, and the second is various AD&D gaming notes. The fiction is a little dry this time, helping me appreciate Greenwood's gift for making the prior entries less didactic. This article was Wilson's only RPG publication.
"The Legacy of Hortus" by cover artist Jack Crane provides a humorous and magical reimagining of common plants. For example, dandelions are stealthy, carnivorous creatures with leonine heads. Each entry comes with a whimsical illustration, and Crane also depicted several of the plants on the cover. It's a fun and lovingly illustrated article, but I'm surprised the editor didn't include AD&D statistics for each creature.
Author John E. Stith brings us "Simon Sidekick," a coming-of-age story in which a shy boy learns the value of relationships in a lunar colony. The author creates a believable world and a compelling and sympathetic protagonist. However, the plot is too predictable, and the conflict too neatly resolved for this to be an entirely satisfying story. Stith has written many science fiction novels and stories, and his book "Manhatten Transfer" is currently being turned into a pilot starring Casper Van Diem and Walter Koenig.
"Gods of the Suel Pantheon" continues Len Lakofka's series with entries for Kord, the god of strength and courage, and Phaulkon, the god of the open air. As with the previous article in the series, this one asserts the copyright belongs to Gary Gygax, which makes me wonder how much he contributed to the creation.
The Ares Section has 14 pages of science fiction content and includes three articles:
- "Freeze! Star Law!" by Kim Eastland details the interstellar police in Star Frontiers.
- "Luna: a Traveller's Guide" by Marc W. Miller describes the Moon in the universe of Traveller.
- "A Field Guide to Lunar Mutants" by James M. Ward has information on the macrobes and plants of Tycho Center in Gamma World.
- Stalking the Night Fantastic by Tri-Tac Inc. is an investigative RPG blending horror and urban fantasy. Players are agents of Bureau 13, sent to find and fight the paranormal creatures that threaten the world. The setting is intriguing, but the system suffers from complex mechanics, scattered rules, and unbalanced gameplay. Reviewer Jerry Epperson concludes, "It's not a terrible game, just a very near miss."
- The Forever War by Mayfair Games is a tactical infantry combat wargame loosely based on Joe Haldeman's novel. While it features fast-paced gameplay and customizable scenarios, it omits key elements from the book, like time dilation and space battles. The high price further diminishes its appeal. Reviewer Steve List concludes, "...it is reasonably fun to play... But neither the quality of the components nor the design justifies the $17 price tag."
