$21.75 for one magazine is a little steep, but there's no way I was going to miss out on Bruce's new episode of the Princess Ark. If I had the money, I would have gone for a subscription instead, since the price is only $78.95 to Japan. But unfortunately I don't.
I'm looking forward to discussing Bruce's latest work with you all in about a month, but in the meantime I would like to request everyone to be careful what you say about the article.
Wow, it's been a while since we've had to worry about spoilers! Feels good. ;)
Wow, it's been a while since we've had to worry about spoilers! Feels good. ;)
*note to self, transcribe VotPA article on WotC boards to ruin Thorf's day ;)*
*note to self, transcribe VotPA article on WotC boards to ruin Thorf's day ;)*
I certainly wouldn't object to that! :D But I don't think the moderators here would like it very much. ;)
I certainly wouldn't object to that! :D But I don't think the moderators here would like it very much. ;)
Yeah, there is that minor problem. :P
Yeah, there is that minor problem. :P
Scan and spam, Ike- scan and spam.
Regards
Gary
I have a deal with my FLAGS dealer that he'll save a copy of every issue of Dragon for me, rather than getting a subscription. This means i'll get the issues later than most people in the US, but I hope someone will still be interested in discussing the article after I get my hands on it too...
Håvard
...but I hope someone will still be interested in discussing the article after I get my hands on it too...
Hey, it's the first "official" new thing we've had in 13 years.
We have to discuss it to death. And then a bit more. :D
Absolutely. It would be nice to see SOME interest shown to Mystara. It's one of the few worlds I know that is EXTENSIVELY mapped by its fans and had those Almanac's describing each country AND events going on. Forgotten Realms is huge, but lacks the mapping coverage of Mystara. Dragonlance on the other hand, you have Ansalon and that's about it? Mystara is just so much more. Too bad really.
Dragonlance also has another continent, Taladas, though Im not sure how popular it ever was with the fans. They seem mostly interested in discussing characters and events from the novels though. Mystara is much more open to fan creativity.
And Thorf, you are right...we have to discuss this one to death! We have had other Mystara articles appear, but this one won't suffer from the "nothing but conversion" syndrome that has been the problem with the Campaign Classics articles etc. Plus, noone will question its officialness being written by Bruce himself
Håvard
Issue 344 just appeared at my FLGS, and I had a very quick glance. The article is billed as a "lost installment" of the VotPA series. There are a couple of illustrations in there, a few capsule descriptions of the main characters in Haldemar's crew, and a couple of other tidbits.
Now then, here is the main question. Dragon has gone up in price a fair bit since I last bought it ($9.99 plus tax!!!) Has anyone here bought it yet? If so, could you please tell us what you thought? On a related note, are there any other good articles in that issue?
Geoff
Geoff... You had it in your hands and you didn't buy it??
Maybe this sounds silly, but I just can't justify (to myself) spending even ten dollars on a magazine for the sake of having a six-page article that I might enjoy and/or use.
I don't know...maybe I've been too focused on the micro-level details of helping to run a household...or I've been a civil servant for too long
That said, I trust the judgement of people here. If most people like the article, then it would probably be a worthwhile purchase.
Geoff
Maybe this sounds silly, but I just can't justify (to myself) spending even ten dollars on a magazine for the sake of having a six-page article that I might enjoy and/or use.
I don't know...maybe I've been too focused on the micro-level details of helping to run a household...or I've been a civil servant for too long
That said, I trust the judgement of people here. If most people like the article, then it would probably be a worthwhile purchase.
Geoff
Although I find it difficult to spend that kind of money to support a few pages, I still want to find a copy, just because it's the 30th anniversay edition. (That and a mate of mine thought it had stopped being published after WotC bought TSR (IIRC))
Dragon has gone up in price a fair bit since I last bought it ($9.99 plus tax!!!)
A clerk accidently charged me the Canadian price once (only in U.S. dollars). I was in the parking lot before I realized the mistake; fortunately, she gave me a refund.
If so, could you please tell us what you thought? On a related note, are there any other good articles in that issue?
Haldemar disguises himself with aranea venom in order to uncover a conspiracy involving the highest levels of the Alphatian government and the Nucleus of the Spheres. Then there's a bit of a twist.
It holds together as a stand-alone story and as a continuation of the series, but unfortunately there are no new lands detailed, as was usually the case in Princess Ark installments. It's an interesting snapshot of Alphatian politics, but probably not going to inspire a great deal of discussion and speculation by fans. The article on the lost city of Cynidicea beneath the Alasyian Desert in Dragon #315 was probably more significant, though it didn't have Bruce Heard's stamp.
I really liked the article on planar dragons and enjoyed the Greyhawk stuff (the Wizards Three and the Gord the Rogue story), but overall it was a fairly thin issue. How much use you'll get out of it depends on whether or not you use the current ruleset (for example, the statistics for the shapechanging aranea venom potion are in 3rd edition terms, as are of course the planar dragons), and whether or not you care about Mordenkainen's love of chocolate or the Mirror Queen of the Vale of the Mage.
I absolutely loved it!
Has Bruce's writing gotten better since the old VotPa or is it just my Mystara depravement that's leading me to believe that this is the best story yet?
It gave me quite a few new ideas and lots of new questions, especially regarding what Eriadna is up to.
More on this later...
Håvard
Is there an Eriadna's picture? Or some other picture?
There are three illustrations.
1) A Lupin, attacking one of the PA crewmen (Talasar?)
2) Same crewman on the ship with others in the background, includes a "snapshot" of the PA from a distance with what appears to be Mystara in the background.
3) Empress Eriadna.
I loved the illustrations, done by Attila Adorjany, whose art you can see more of here.
The style reminded me somwhat of Eberron, but I liked it
Håvard
Of course the article mentioned the old issues the articles were in and it mentions the Champions of Mystara boxed set ... hopefully the lack of any inprint versions of the storyline will help lead to a call for a revision and reprinting of it?
Regarding the VotPA article itself I wish the last line of the article meant that we were getting more - and I don't mean one episode every 13 years
Regards
Gary
FYI - Paizo have released a Web Enhancement/Errata for Dragon 344. There is no VotPA content but if you want a look it is here.
Regarding the VotPA article itself I wish the last line of the article meant that we were getting more - and I don't mean one episode every 13 years
Regards
Gary
well yeah, hopefully the reaction from people other than us (who might be reasonably be expected to be pro the article) is good and that Bruce is also able and willing to write more should that become an option.
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/dragon/generalDiscussion
Håvard
My local gaming store doesn't sell anymore Dragons. Apparently there are not enough buyers.
Vern