The Bestiary is a role-playing game supplement published by TSR in 1998 for the campaign setting Dragonlance: Fifth Age using the SAGA System of rules.
The Bestiary is a book of monsters written in the voice of fictional adventurer Caramon Majere.[1][2] Further commentary is provided by fictional scholar Bertram the Aesthetic.[3]
Publication historyedit
In 1984, TSR moved away from Greyhawk, their original campaign setting for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons by publishing the first adventures and companion novels for the world of Dragonlance. But after twenty years, TSR had ceased to publish any Dragonlance products. Seeking to revive the setting, TSR published Dragonlance: The Fifth Age in 1996, using the SAGA System of "fate cards" rather than second edition of D&D rules. Two years later, Stan! designed The Bestiary as a supplement, with artwork by Rebecca Mitchell and Matthew Mitchell. It was published in September 1998.[3]
Receptionedit
Writing for SF Site, Don Bassingthwaite commented, "Simply put, this is a really good book. No, let me rephrase that -- this is a really, really good book." Bassingthwaite noted "this is the type of product that has the potential to degenerate into lists of names and numbers really fast. Guess what? It doesn't! The Bestiary is very well written and beautifully illustrated. The numbers and game stats are -- hallelujah! -- secondary to descriptive text." He concluded, "The Bestiary is the best game product I've seen this year. The layout is good, the writing is fantastic, the art is great -- and most importantly, it's a useful game product. If you play Dragonlance: Fifth Age, I don't see how you can get along without this."[4]
In Issue 12 of the French RPG magazine Backstab, Michaël Croitoriu liked the artwork, saying, "the latest addition to the [Dragonlance: 5th Age] range is absolutely beautiful. The illustrators had a blast. The 230 pages of the supplement are certainly the best TSR has done in a long time." However Croitoriu was not excited by the writing style or content, noting, "let's make no mistake, the main interest of this work remains the superb illustrations as well as the SAGA characteristics." Croitoriu concluded by giving this book a below average rating of 5 out of 10.[5]
In Issue 118 of the French games magazine Casus Belli , Pierre Rosenthal complimented the interior art of Rebecca Guay, writing, "The magnificent wash drawings and the layout are reminiscent of the fantastic bestiaries of the Middle Ages. The text, mixing legends, real-life stories and hearsay, leaves room for dreams. A success![6]
Awardsedit
At the 1998 Origins Awards, The Bestiary won in the category "Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement."[7]
^Croitoriu, Michaël (November–December 1998). "Critiques". Backstab (in French). No. 12. pp. 47–48.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
^Rosenthal, Pierre (February–March 1999). "Têtes d'Affiches". Casus Belli (in French). No. 118. p. 87.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
^. Academy of Adventure Gaming, Arts & Designs. Archived from the original on 2007-10-31.
May 02, 2024
bestiary, dragonlance, bestiary, role, playing, game, supplement, published, 1998, campaign, setting, dragonlance, fifth, using, saga, system, rules, contents, contents, publication, history, reception, awards, referencescontents, editthe, bestiary, book, mons. The Bestiary is a role playing game supplement published by TSR in 1998 for the campaign setting Dragonlance Fifth Age using the SAGA System of rules Contents 1 Contents 2 Publication history 3 Reception 4 Awards 5 ReferencesContents editThe Bestiary is a book of monsters written in the voice of fictional adventurer Caramon Majere 1 2 Further commentary is provided by fictional scholar Bertram the Aesthetic 3 Publication history editIn 1984 TSR moved away from Greyhawk their original campaign setting for the fantasy role playing game Dungeons amp Dragons by publishing the first adventures and companion novels for the world of Dragonlance But after twenty years TSR had ceased to publish any Dragonlance products Seeking to revive the setting TSR published Dragonlance The Fifth Age in 1996 using the SAGA System of fate cards rather than second edition of D amp D rules Two years later Stan designed The Bestiary as a supplement with artwork by Rebecca Mitchell and Matthew Mitchell It was published in September 1998 3 Reception editWriting for SF Site Don Bassingthwaite commented Simply put this is a really good book No let me rephrase that this is a really really good book Bassingthwaite noted this is the type of product that has the potential to degenerate into lists of names and numbers really fast Guess what It doesn t The Bestiary is very well written and beautifully illustrated The numbers and game stats are hallelujah secondary to descriptive text He concluded The Bestiary is the best game product I ve seen this year The layout is good the writing is fantastic the art is great and most importantly it s a useful game product If you play Dragonlance Fifth Age I don t see how you can get along without this 4 In Issue 12 of the French RPG magazine Backstab Michael Croitoriu liked the artwork saying the latest addition to the Dragonlance 5th Age range is absolutely beautiful The illustrators had a blast The 230 pages of the supplement are certainly the best TSR has done in a long time However Croitoriu was not excited by the writing style or content noting let s make no mistake the main interest of this work remains the superb illustrations as well as the SAGA characteristics Croitoriu concluded by giving this book a below average rating of 5 out of 10 5 In Issue 118 of the French games magazine Casus Belli Pierre Rosenthal complimented the interior art of Rebecca Guay writing The magnificent wash drawings and the layout are reminiscent of the fantastic bestiaries of the Middle Ages The text mixing legends real life stories and hearsay leaves room for dreams A success 6 Awards editAt the 1998 Origins Awards The Bestiary won in the category Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game Adventure or Supplement 7 References edit The Bestiary The Bestiary RPGnet RPG Game Index a b Bestiary Guide du Roliste Galactique in French 2009 05 08 Retrieved 2024 04 28 Bassingthwaite Don 1998 The Bestiary SF Site Retrieved 2024 04 28 Croitoriu Michael November December 1998 Critiques Backstab in French No 12 pp 47 48 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a CS1 maint date format link Rosenthal Pierre February March 1999 Tetes d Affiches Casus Belli in French No 118 p 87 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a CS1 maint date format link Origins Award Winners 1998 Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts amp Designs Archived from the original on 2007 10 31 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Bestiary Dragonlance amp oldid 1221479150, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
