Issue 9 of White Dwarf nearly finishes up the transitional year of 1978. We saw a lot of changes int he magazine in the last year and there are still more to come.
In another editorial that seems taken from today's blogs or posting boards is the amount of "Realism" people want in their game. So much so in fact that they opted to withhold their letters page till next issue since so many were on the topic of realism.
Mike Ferguson gives us some new skills and rules for Traveller. The Fiend Factory is up and running again with FF faves such as the Svart and Umpleby. Ok, faves might be too strong of a word. There are half a dozen monsters here that didn't make the cut for the Fiend Folio and I have been wondering if there is enough here to make a "Fiend Folio 2" that never was. Let me think about that one.
Another instalment of "Valley of the Four Winds".
A mini-dungeon "The Lichway" for 6-8 1st level characters which looks like a blast. Interestingly enough one of the monsters introduced is the Susurrus. This monster will also later go on to join his Fiend Factory cousins in the Fiend Folio. The art used is identical (what what I can remember). And later go on to influence this author on a
magic item.
Kalgar is back and takes an odd twist. The adventures of Kalgar are no more than the dreams of some man and watched on some sort of high-tech viewscreen by another man and woman. Not sure where this is going yet.
Open Box gives reviews on Superhero 44 by Lou Zocchi and Legions of the Petal Throne from TSR. We are also treated to reviews of G1, G2 and G3 which get a 9/10 from Don Turnbull. Finally Judges guild gives us Citadel of Fire (6/10).
We get a new class in the form of the Foresters for Chivalry & Sorcery.
Treasure Chest is a mixed bag of some traps, useless items and instant ability scores for monsters.
The issue wraps up with a couple pages of ads.
