''Villains' Lorebook'' is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...

The 160-page book features a two-page introduction, which explains that this book is companion volume to ''

Heroes' Lorebook ''Heroes' Lorebook'' is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Contents This book is an update of the 1989 ''Hall of Heroes'' supplement for ...

''. The book compiles information from novels and other sources, as well as 1989's ''

Hall of Heroes ''Hall of Heroes'' was an American independent comic book company that existed in the mid-to-late 1990s. Based in Elkhart, Indiana, Hall of Heroes operated from 1993 to 1999. The company's longest-running titles were two volumes of the antholog ...

''. The book describes 29 characters, each including an illustration, game statistics, suggestions for campaign uses, and a list of the sources consulted for each character's entry. Character descriptions appear on pages 6–59, and include such notables as

Artemis Entreri ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...

, Elaith Craulnober,

Fzoul Chembryl ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...

, Halaster Blackcloak,

Jarlaxle ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...

, Kymil Nimesin,

Manshoon ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...

, and

Szass Tam Szass Tam is a fictional character in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Description Szass is a lich, an undead necromancer. He is the leader and most powerful of the Red ...

. The book's center 16-page section (pages 81–96) presents a series of color illustrations depicting many of the characters described in the book in a variety of scenes. Pages 60–106 provides game statistics and descriptions for several monsters, as well as notable individual creatures like Errtu, Kazgaroth, and Tyranthraxus. A number of organizations are described on pages 107-126, such as the

Cult of the Dragon In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This s ...

, the Drow of

Menzoberranzan Menzoberranzan, the "City of Spiders", is a fictional city-state in the world of the ''Forgotten Realms'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The city is located in the Upper Northdark, about two miles below the Surbrin Vale, between the M ...

, the Red Wizards of Thay, and the Zhentarim. A number of magical items and

spells Spell(s) or The Spell(s) may refer to: Processes * Spell (paranormal), an incantation * Spell (ritual), a magical ritual * Spelling, the writing of words Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Spell'' (1977 film), an American ...

are described on pages 127-157. A list of sources mentioned throughout the book can be found on pages 159 and 160.

Publication history

The book, with product code TSR 9552, was published in 1998, and was written by Dale Donovan, with cover art by Todd Lockwood and interior art by

David Martin David or Dave Martin may refer to: Entertainment *David Martin (artist) (1737–1797), Scottish painter and engraver *David Stone Martin (1913–1992), American artist *David Martin (poet) (1915–1997), Hungarian-Australian poet and novelist *Dav ...

Fred Fields Fred Fields is an American artist whose work has appeared largely in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game from TSR. Biography Fred Fields was born in northern Kentucky. He grew up in the small town of Burlington, Kentucky. Fiel ...

Keith Parkinson Keith A. Parkinson (October 22, 1958 – October 26, 2005) was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book covers and artwork for games such as ''EverQuest'', ''Guardians'', ''Magic: The Gathering'', and '' Vanguard: Saga of Heroes ...

Jeff Easley Jeff Easley (born 1954) is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork for role-playing games, comics, and magazines, as well as non-fantasy commercial art. Early life Easley was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky in 1954. He spent time drawing as ...

, and Jennell Jaquays.

Reception

Notes

References

* Donovan, Dale. ''Villains' Lorebook'' ( TSR, 1998).

External links

*http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_764.html Forgotten Realms sourcebooks Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1998 {{ForgottenRealms-stub

Contents

Publication history

Reception

Notes

References

Further reading

External links