Dragon's Eye: Prologue
It feels like ages ago now, but like so many roleplayers, I read the Choose Your Own Adventure-style books as a kid. Perhaps the earliest were the D&D versions, though I'm not certain of that. While on vacation with my dad and step-mom in Britain, I was introduced to the Fighting Fantasy series, which was more involved - with *gasp* use of dice, charts, and stats to resolve combat. And while the Lone Wolf series has a special place in my heart, I think the most mature (mind out of the gutter) of the adventure books I read were from the Swordquest line. They probably aren't really that outstanding as far as writing goes and were fairly linear, but certain little elements that were included made them stand out to me at the time.
Quest for the Dragon's Eye by Bill Fawcett was book two, though each was self-contained. Now, it's been a long time since I've read it last, so most of it is hazy. You play a thief-turned-soldier, and are sent in search of a magical gemstone to fight a demon. Naturally, the Dragon's Eye is the gem, right? Well, yes, but...
The dragon's eye was also a technique or philosophy. As I recall, it was something taught to your character by his former mentor. To "see through the dragon's eye" is to put yourself in someone else's shoes and see their perspective, that you may use that knowledge. At one point, the protagonist fights a lizard man in the desert (Desert lizard men? But in D&D, they're swamp dwellers! *gaspshock*). "You" are dealing with penalties due to shifting sands underfoot, while the reptilian seems to be fine. A successful roll gives the understanding that the lizard man is using its tail to brace and balance - and discovering that gives an edge in the fight.
For some reason, this concept stuck in my mind. To me, the Dragon's Eye is empathy, understanding, and an ability to see the side of something that isn't apparent. It's something I value highly - so much so that my own opinions are rarely strong enough to be worth fighting over. There's good and bad to that, but I usually feel it's worth it to be understanding over resolute.
Quest for the Dragon's Eye by Bill Fawcett was book two, though each was self-contained. Now, it's been a long time since I've read it last, so most of it is hazy. You play a thief-turned-soldier, and are sent in search of a magical gemstone to fight a demon. Naturally, the Dragon's Eye is the gem, right? Well, yes, but...
The dragon's eye was also a technique or philosophy. As I recall, it was something taught to your character by his former mentor. To "see through the dragon's eye" is to put yourself in someone else's shoes and see their perspective, that you may use that knowledge. At one point, the protagonist fights a lizard man in the desert (Desert lizard men? But in D&D, they're swamp dwellers! *gaspshock*). "You" are dealing with penalties due to shifting sands underfoot, while the reptilian seems to be fine. A successful roll gives the understanding that the lizard man is using its tail to brace and balance - and discovering that gives an edge in the fight.
For some reason, this concept stuck in my mind. To me, the Dragon's Eye is empathy, understanding, and an ability to see the side of something that isn't apparent. It's something I value highly - so much so that my own opinions are rarely strong enough to be worth fighting over. There's good and bad to that, but I usually feel it's worth it to be understanding over resolute.
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