The epics of Homer were handed down by word of mouth long before they were recorded. The fanciful carvings of mythical creatures in Egypt and the Middle East are but early records of man's love for things of the imagination. The Brothers Grimm entertain us with their prose, while the painter Goya fascinates with his depictions of fantasy in flight.

Today, especially there is an explosion of imaginative art-films, books, games-all employing fantasy to relieve the tension and tedium of the mundane world. It is with considerable pride they recognizes that the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS product line has stimulated much of this rekindling of one of our most ancient loves.

Fantasy indeed! DUNGEONS & DRAGONS gaming involves the creation of whole worlds in the mind and imagination of the player. This is a shared fantasy in all respects, for game master and all who assume the personae of the heroic characters who will adventure in these mythical realms of the imagination are linked through the medium of the play, the excitement, and sheer wonder of magic and swords, dragons and strange creatures, lost cities and vaults of treasure hidden far beneath the ground we walk upon. It is axiomatic: One picture is worth a thousand words. If fantasy gaming is adventuring in the mind, then how can it possibly exist without pictures? Words there are aplenty but never enough of the fantastic illustrations to help us "see" and "experience" the beauty, horror, and mystery of the realms where magic and monsters are everywhere! Not before this work, that is. Here, at last, is a beginning of vision.

What visions you are about to experience! Masters of the Arts Arcane in full panoply, Heroes in battle array, and the Fair Damsels for which derring-do is done are here. So, too, are the evil adversaries who must be overcome to win through to the mystical grail at quest's end.

How do such creatures appear? In as many variations and forms as you can imagine! We are dealing with fantasy, after all, and there are as many ways of imagining a monster or mage as there are different perceptions among us. You are given the enviable status of Judge. You will select which of these works of art are true to the subject-as you see it!