The Unimpressive Fictional Legacy of Dragon+

 Dragon Magazine from its start was a magazine of variety. At its inception this included fiction. The first issue even he part 1 of 6 of the novella “The Gnome Cache” by Garrison Ernst, a pen name for Gary Gygax. Other famous writers would even appear in the early pages, Harry Otto Fischer, Fritz Leiber, Andre Norton, Fletcher Pratt, L. Sprague de Camp, and Gardner Fox worth noting.

Dragon+ was a short lived, mediocre, sequel. Only half the heart was put into it, and there is no excuse because it was digital only—the last 71 issues of Dragon were also digital only. After six years of digital only content, the magazine was sunsetted in December 2013. 

But like a Phoenix it survived. In April 2015 Dragon+ was born as a successor to both Dragon and Dungeon magazines. While this gave hope for free content compatible for your fifth editions table, it was a sickly Phoenix. Issues came out bimonthly, making six a year. It lasted 7 years itself, the 41st and last issue releasing in March/April 2022 before being quietly shut down in July.

I failed to cover this when it happened, as my blog was on hiatus. I can’t say I know how the business was ran, but I feel there was much more fiction that could have been. Dragon+ was a wan light when the novel line ended. In 14 issues fiction appeared, all being somewhat connected to the Forgotten Realms as the flagship setting of the current product. The last piece came in October 2020 when “Ice Out” was released as a tie-in to Rime of the Frostmaiden. 

Apparently it tied into Candlekeep Mysteries too, and beyond that there has been very little attention given to the Realms from the sorcerers who live on the shore. 

While the recent movie tie-ins provide some light, the novel lines death accompanied with the death of short fiction in Dragon magazine marks a disdapointingdissapointing state. While fiction did decrease after the 1990s in Dragon Magazine, the venue still saw the likes of George R. R. Martin and others. When I think of Dragon’s legacy I can see much worthwhile fiction in the thousands of pages. I can’t say I see the same in Dragon+. 

I did see Ed Greenwood was part of a Spin a Yarn panel at GenCon and I had hoped it would be set in the Realms. Alas, even that hope was futile. We’ll see what happens from here.

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Review: Tomb of Annihilation Tie-in Fiction

There are two stories split into four parts that connect to the 2017 adventure Tomb of Annihilation. In recent years most Forgotten Realms fiction we have gotten are short stories from Dragon+ that relate to the recently released adventures, such as Ice Out for Rime of the Frostmaiden, Kallinor's Charge for Descent Into Avernus, A Man & His Dog for Storm Kings Thunder, and so forth. Today let us get into the gritty, undead-filled jungles of Chult.

Prelude

From Dragon+ issue 14 from June 2017, by Bart Caroll.

Pion, in Neverwinter regales us with the local news: a curse over death,  resurrections are not working, and what about those who were resurrected in the past? (RAFO)

Pion is a gambler, but someone needed to check out the cleric Alfin Biscop’s house, he’d been gone for more than half the twelvemonth. Pion gets the job somehow, poor luck working for the Shadow Thieves. It’s interesting as Pion often thinks in the term of lancebords and chess.

We also get a brief follow up for the antics of the first part of Prelude, where an artificer is in the Positive Material Plane, also known as the Positive Energy Plane and the Plane of Life.

Good, but exceptionally short. There is little here, and it really works as a prelude.

Part 1

Found in Dragon+ issue 15 from August 2017,  by Adam Lee

The story starts with an epigraph by Jessamine, Merchant Prince of Chult, this adds a nice touch, rare enough in fantasy novels, let alone short stories.

Qawasha is a chultan druid of Port Nyanzaru and Kupalué is a vegepygmy. They are partners and work as guides for Jobal the Spider.

There isn't much of a story here, just Qawasha explaining his past. It’s relaxing and fun to read as he explains his interest in the jungle and ruins. He also touches on the influx of foreigners coming to Chult.

Part 2 

From Dragon+ issue 16 October 2017.

We learn that Kupalué means “weed that walks” and that special drink called chatali can be brewed from a plant in the jungles. I am curious if this is similar to coffee or chocolate.

The story starts with the flowering of the two’s friendship, continuing right where part 1 leaves off. But this is mostly dialogue of Qawasha describing the lost city of Mezro to a curious visitor from Baldur’s Gate.

It’s interesting but mostly exposition in the form of dialogue, not much story.

Part 3

From Dragon+ issue 19, published April 2018.

This part is longer and better.  I think fans of the Lost Empires series (my review here

chwinga, elemental spirits native to Chult

) would enjoy this tale. This is one of the few tales in Chult besides The Ring of Winter and The Fanged Crown.

This last part of the tale really shows us a beginning. Qawasha is truly the main character and the title is bit misleading as it could easily be called “Qawasha, Kupalué, Samrith, and Zara.” This last part we also get a sliver of combat for the first time, for those looking for action.

This is an Acceptable tale, if it had more substance beyond just being a prologue, the writing would easily elevate it to good. So for the tie-in fiction for Tomb of Annihilation we have a prelude and a prologue, nothing too exciting. I have not played Tomb of Annihilation though, are any of these characters present? 

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Review: Kallinor's Charge by Mark Price & David Roomes

Kallinor's Charge is a piece of Tie-in fiction to the recent adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus. It can be found for free in Dragon+ issue 28, which was published in October 2019. It is the last piece of fiction before Ice Out was released just last month; a sad reminder that sometimes we have to wait a whole year for more Realms fiction. Just like the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist tie-in fiction stories, Kallinor's Charge is also written by Mark Price and David Roomes.

Our protagnist is Captain Kiran of the Hellriders of Elturel. She and her two lieutenants Lyra and Mallor are sent to Darrow Estate from Candlekeep. Kallinor, an almost legendary, retired Hellrider, has something they believe can save Elturel, which has been taken completely into Avernus, the first layer of the Hells. This artifact is the staff Imminent Light. The trio does not understand the consequences of wielding the staff, though warned by Kallinor. They find out the hard way, witnessing the infernal curse.

Price and Roomes have shown they make a good writing duo, and I'd like to see a novel from them like we have seen from other Realms' duos in the past. The imagery is great, the emotions are described well, and the combat narrated smoothly.

An interesting ending, one I want to find out more about. Is Kiran in the adventure? Yet another I have not experienced for myself. This is Exceptional. The last paragraph is a lovely echo of the first, I really appreciated it when I noticed; it works well. 

"There she stood, poised at the threshold, poised in readiness."

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Review: Waterdeep Dragon Heist Tie-In Fiction

There are two tie-in short stories for the adventure Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. These can both be found for free in Dragon+, and off course take place in the titular Waterdeep, the City of Splendors. 

Secrets of the Deep by Mark Price and David Roomes from issue Dragon+ issue 20 published in June 2018. Braya is a thief of the streets of Waterdeep. Her mentor, Tyben, is dead. Tyben knew about a treasure beneath the city though, and some toughs want to beat it out of Braya and his corpse. The story is extremely short, and comes to a swift close one it picks up.

We learn that Braya was taught a good philosophy from Tyben. He was oddly a worshipper of Umberlee, Queen of the Depths. Braya is quick on her feet like any rogue, and uses a knife to stunning effect.

I have not experienced Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, so maybe there are connections I’m missing. The tale is Acceptable, it's too short but wrapped together nicely. Coupled with the next story, it works as a good introduction.

Raven’s Reckoning is by the same two authors and also follows Braya as she searches for the Vault of Dragons. It can be found in Dragon+ issue 23 from December 2018. 

The 7th of Flamerule, Lliira's Night. The story starts as Braya negotiates a deal involving wine with the elf Sneer of House Amaris and the dwarf Scar of Clan Roardun. She is posing as a member of the Vintners, Distillers, Brewers Guild. 

She has a new partner, since Tyben’s death, Grudal has made the duo complete. He doesn't get really any screen time, and is almost pointless.

The scandal is going fine until two critical parts explode, and another party Braya recently got on the bad side of shows up. This become dicey fast, and it becomes a race as to who can get the prize of a certain key. A brawl breaks out and the Nine Hells break loose. 

An aside, Funnily where there probably is suppose to be a break it looks like the coding is off. Ignore the stuff in brackets! 

Anyways, Raven's Reckoning is a fun followup to Secrets of the Deep. It is not a conclusion, for that's for the players of the adventure to experience. The story is Good.

"Dry or sweet?"

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Review: A Man & His Dog by Bart Carroll

A Man & His Dog is a piece of tie-in fiction for Storm Kings Thunder in issue 9 of Dragon+, which was published in September 2016. The tale is written by Bart Carroll, digital marketing manager for Wizards of the Coast. As always with the Dragon+ stories, they are free if you get the app on your phone.

The not-so-pretty look of a 5e Blink dog

Ranger for the Emerald Enclave, Gibbet, is in a small town north-east of Waterdeep, Beliard. The citizens are fleeing from a fire giant and his pack of hellhounds. Gibbet is specifically hunting giants, for one destroyed his hometown of Catherine's Crossing when he was just a boy. His dog, Blencan, is a blink dog, and also a survivor from an elven village waylaid by a fire giant.

This specific giant is going from small, basically defenseless villages, to pillage singular magic items to add to his armor. He seems to be making this armor so he can free the Primordial Maegera and withstand her intense heat.

There were some clever things in this story; we explore magical arrows, wearing heraldry devices, and how people can get ekenames. It's a personal story, our protagonist is quiet and gives off a sad vibe. There were a few surprises, though there was not much chance of seeing them coming; that is forgivable because of its short length. This is a fresh Realms take on a classic trope. A Man & His Dog is Good, for what it is.

I have not experienced Storm King's Thunder for myself, but those who have, let me know how you feel about this tie-in story in regards to the whole campaign.

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Review: The Thweem by Adam Lee

 The Thweem is a short story "by Chris Perkins, written by Adam Lee", whatever that collaboration means. It can be found for free in Dragon+ issue 4, published October 2015. The short story is a tie-in to the Rage of Demons storyline. It is a short tale about a flumph named Freemo and its experience in the Underdark during the tumult of 1485-1486 DR.

A flumph

Flumph's are one of the only good species of the subterranean Realms; as the fifth edition Monster Manual states: "Trust a flumph". They speak telepathically together in their little cloisters, a look as shown above.

The tale itself revolves around thweem, as one could probably guess from the title. Thweem, known as Faerzress to the drow, is an odd sort of magical radiation only found in the Underdark. During the story the thweem becomes contaminated and infects Freemo, who becomes irritated and aggressive, or full of rage.

Following his infection he subsequently leaves his cloister of flumph (flumphs? flumphi?) and has an encounter with mind flayers and their undead Elder Brain. The story is really silly, uses a handful of juvenile insults, and I think most would find it appropriate for younger audiences. Like Ice Out, it is also written in first person, which may help younger audiences enjoy the story more. The most confusing part with the storytelling though is the lack of quotation marks. Most dialogue is inner monologue, and when the flumph communicate with each other it is telepathically, and no quotation marks are used, neither are the thoughts indicated otherwise, such as with italics. The only time quotation marks are present is for the brief moment humans are present and speak, and one time the Elder Brain says "what", which is probably a mistake; as far as I know they can't project a voice beyond psionic means.

Overall The Thweem is fun short story. For those who like Drizzt, you will receive a pleasant surprise of a cameo at the end of the story. I enjoyed my time reading the story, and it was fun being in Freemo's alien head. I think The Thweem is Good, and I'd encourage those fans of the darker parts of the Forgotten Realms to get a little taste of the Underdark in this tale.

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Review: Ice Out by Greg Tito

 For those of you who are unaware, Dragon+ is a bimonthly e-magazine started in 2015 that replaced Dragon and Dungeon magazines after they went out of print in 2013. In the recently released issue 34 there are a host of Icewind Dale related goodies --even a solo adventure-- but of course my favorite is the Forgotten Realms fiction morsel of Ice Out by Greg Tito. Remember that Dragon+ is free, so go ahead and give this a read if you wish. 

The "cover" art for Ice Out

The story follows gnome Darma Fizzlebottom. The first thing I noted is that the story is written in first person. A couple sentences near the start are in third person, which was a tad confusing, but since most tales in the Realms are told in third person, first felt a little odd but after a couple paragraphs it was fine. It could easily work as a journal entry, memoir, or report.

Our adventurous, waterdhavian gnome naively braves the tundra from Bryn Shander. On here escapade we are introduced to nine cast members to set up a classic whodunit mystery (the worthy priest of Lady Luck was my favorite). Darma is an investigator by trade and seems to have an uncanny knack for reading people.

The story relies on the swift thinking Darma and is peppered with gnomish humor. multiple "swear[s] to Garl” are mentioned. This works as a euphemism but fits the lore of the Realms; Garl Glittergold is a gnome deity with the domains of luck, trickery, and protection. Also Elminster's Razor was an ingenious homage to Occam's Razor.

Overall it is a short read, and I rate it as Good. It ends well and I think we could get another tale about Darma. I loved the surprise of Fluffy and Orilothal at the end, as well.I believe fans mysteries in the Realms would enjoy this little hearthfire tale; check out my review of Spellstorm for another mystery. I also think this shows a good median for given fans fiction, since it has been rather short for years. Maybe with more stories like this, we can slowly expand the library of Realm's works, and mayhap get some more novels beyond Drizzt sooner rather than later.

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You can track my current progress here.