DUNGEONOLOGY

A handy travel guide to the Sword Coast’s sprawling Underdark, along with helpful hints for prospective questers thereto.

Both confirmed gamers and readers seeking a peek into the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse will be entertained by this album-sized vade mecum. Drawing from his extensive travels in the Forgotten Realms, “author” and recurrent D&D character Volothamp Geddarm offers both general tips (“Never underestimate the power of lucky socks”) and specific advice about what magical gear and weaponry to pack for an expedition. He also introduces four standard RPG character types, select monsters, and some of the pure- and half-blood races of humanoids visitors may encounter. Most of these are light-skinned, though renowned dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden and some of the “humans” are somewhat darker. A sparse array of special features ranging from a large foldout map of the Sword Coast to information about spells and dragons in booklets, attached or otherwise, and a 3-D lenticular tile embedded in the rear cover supplement the detailed painted views of exotically armored heroes and leering villains, ravening creatures, and firelit subterranean mazes on every page.

A taste of adventure for all who would delve D&D’s lightless depths for virtual treasure.