Dragon #359, Cassandra's Smoke Screen

September 2007 marked the end of an era for me in my gaming life. One of the  things I connected most with gaming ended. There will be people that say it  did not end as it is still published electronically but to me it ended. A  digital magazine is not the same. I prefer hard copy gaming material to a PDF  copy. The only PDF material I have ever bought were the Dragon Magazine and White Dwarf archives and copies of the RPGA  modules through Pazio a few years, or more, back.

Dragon 359 is what I am referring to as you already know. For the last five  or six years of its existence I had subscribed to the magazine, and before  that I made pilgrimage to either the FLGS or Borders, even though I had not  played any of the version of the game it was supporting at that time. I still  opened up every issue and at least skimmed every article though many I still  read in full. There is always something you can take from almost anything is  the way I try and look at it.

The issue was very much a serious let down. I am harsh with goodbyes and last  issues/episodes of anything. I want them to be full of things that will  remind me of the good times and both make me sad to see them go but feel good  about it at the same time. The final episodes of MASH and Babylon 5 come to  mind as good examples of this. Issue 359 of the Dragon was not. In the end  the best thing about it ended up being the Dork Tower strip but I love the line "So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

The only other redeeming parts of the issue were the cover art...thank you  Mr. Elmore though I did not really see it as all that much of a tribute to  the first issues cover. The next is the article "Unsolved Mysteries of D&D"  which was moderately reflective. Lastly was the Top Ten issues of Dragon  Magazine. I include the list only because it really let me know that it was  time for the publication to go. Below is the list of issues as they ranked  them:

1) #75
2) #76
3) #318
4) #336
5) #3
6) #72
7) #127
8) #315
9) #298
10) #116

I won't make commentary on this other than that they got two issues in the  list that deserved to be and close to where they should. To have three issues  in the 300s is just not right. Goodbye Dragon Magazine you had a great run and me from 50 to 359 which is longer than anything else other than the game  that started you.


Spell:

Cassandra's Smoke Screen

Level: Third
Range: 9"
Duration: 5 Rounds + 1 Rounds/Level
Ares of Effect: 1" Sphere/Level
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 4 Segments
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user causes a stationary field of smoke to  come into existence. The field will be centered at the point they specify  during casting. The field is composed of a smoke that is not physically  harmful in and of itself to those caught in it.

Beings caught in the field can not be detected by normal vision nor with  infravision or ultravision work. Those inside will not be able to see via  those methods either. Those in the field will be basically bind not being  able to see past one actual inch.

Those trying to move in the field will have a 16% or 25% chance, the actual  number is based on the sue of squares or hexes for mapping, of moving in the  right direction. For each turn moved the DM should roll a d4/D6 and on a one  the victim moves in the right direction. While in the field in addition to  the disorientation effect movement rates are halved.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups  last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology  may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I  did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any  duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :)  Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If  anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in  advance and all I ask is proper credit.