Kobold Quarterly 008
Founded by Wolfgang Baur in 2006, Kobold Quarterly attempted to fill in the gaps where Dragon Magazine left off. Its growth was slow at first, but when Wizards of the Coast announced the cessation of (print) publication for both Dragon and Dungeon in mid-2007, KQ started to take off. Now seen by many fans as the de facto heir to Dragon’s lofty throne, KQ continues to publish useful material of all kinds for fans of the world’s most popular tabletop role-playing game.
I found this issue to be thoroughly engrossing. Like any such publication, there are things one is excited about using at the next opportunity, and some things one would rather not deal with; KQ seems to have very few of the latter and tons of the former. The magazine is well-written and extremely useful for any fan of table-top role-playing in general, and of Dungeons and Dragons in particular. It provides both crunchy details and an eye-in-the-sky overview covering any given topic thoroughly.
Kobold Quarterly gives one a strong sense of being intimately connected to the D&D world, while at the same time having the independence to move in directions not necessarily approved of by Wizards of the Coast. In essence, KQ represents the best of both worlds.
Issue number eight includes – among other things – Tim Connors giving us a look at a batch of extra-dimensional horrors to add a little otherworldly terror – and a few surprises – to any campaign. Ross Byers provides readers with an extensive overview of Golems: their history, the myth and lore surrounding them, and a breakdown of game-term stats for these magically imbued guardians. In addition, this issue also offers some excellent advice on how to stage a memorable barroom brawl by Steven Robert; a disturbing new PC race by Andrew Hind; book reviews by Cynthia Ward and Pierce Watters; and wrapping up the issue, an article on the cults and heresies of KQ’s home grown setting, Zobeck, by Wolfgang Baur.
The centerpiece of the issue is an interview with legendary fantasy author R. A. Salvatore, wherein he discusses several current and upcoming projects – like his work with Studio 38 on a fantasy MMORPG – and talks a bit about Drizzt (of course) and world building. Of particular interest to me were this issue’s look at Medieval Medicine by Phillip Larwood; a ready-made oracle (with a handsome map) perfect to drop into any campaign by Paul Leach; and an in-depth article by Joshua Stevens on Glyph Magic, sure to please the calligraphers among us by elevating their art to magical status.
KQ is available in both print and download subscriptions, and I’ve met more than a few people who use both. The only real problem I’ve found with Kobold Quarterly is in its name; four times a year is far too seldom for such a sterling publication to appear. Still, the fact that it doesn’t follow a monthly schedule means that perhaps the magazine can spend a bit more time on each article, bringing the best possible material to print with each issue. Take a few moments to visit the Kobold Quarterly web site at http://www.koboldquarterly.com/ . There you’ll find links to the web store as well as other pages of interest including a forum covering, among other topics, Wolf Baur’s ground-breaking (and award-winning!) Open Design program. Not only is it worth your time to investigate Kobold Quarterly further, if you’re like most people you’ll want to start getting copies of this magazine for your very own on a regular basis.
Want to learn more about Kobold Quarterly Issue 8? Read on…
- KQ8 Editorial: New Voices
- Game Cryer: Review by Bill Bodden
- Kore Dice: Interview with Cartographer Sean Macdonald
- RPGAggression: Interview with Publisher Wolfgang Baur
- Atomic Array: Episode 015: Kobold Quarterly 008
Drop by Kobold Quarterly.com to pick up your copy today!