Today we’re stepping into a strange and beautiful relic from the middle years of TSR - the CATACOMBS gamebooks, oversized labyrinths of fantasy art, mystery, and imagination.
This time, we’re opening Faerie Mound of Dragonkind (1987) - a book I remember staring at in catalogs as a kid, long before I ever held it in my hands.
No full playthrough today. No deep mechanics.
Just a visual journey through one of the most enchanting and collections of fantasy artwork I’ve rediscovered.
Come explore . . .
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From the Vaults of TSR’s Imagination
There’s something different about the CATACOMBS books.
They weren’t pocket-sized adventures like Fighting Fantasy or Endless Quest. These were big, oversized portals meant to be spread out, studied, and explored like ancient tomes. Each page feels less like a step in a story and more like a chamber in a living maze.
Faerie Mound of Dragonkind leans fully into that atmosphere. Clyde Caldwell’s cover alone sets the tone: mystical, dangerous, alluring— and inside, Valerie Valusek’s black-and-white illustrations bring the faerie realm to life with dreamlike wonder and dread.
Feasts, ruins, strange encounters, quiet moments of beauty . . . and just enough danger lurking beneath it all.
I never played this one back in the day.
But boy, did I always want to.
Flipping through it now feels like finally stepping into a place I’d already visited a hundred times in my mind.
Now, let’s take a look at some of my favorite Valerie Valusek illustrations in this gamebook.
"My dear, you've set your gaze upon the quintessential frontier type. Note the lean silhouette... eyes closed by the sun, though sharp as a hawk. He's got the look of both predator and prey."
I didn’t know Billy Zane was a Fae!
Billy Zane from Tombstone (1993)
And there you have it - a glimpse into a faerie realm, but D&D CATACOMBS style!
The CATACOMBS books may not be remembered for their gameplay, but their artwork? That’s another story entirely. These pages are filled with imagination, atmosphere, and that unmistakable old-school magic that lingers long after the book is closed.
For those who noticed a couple blurred-on-purpose books in this edition’s cover image, we’ll be returning to this series soon (🤫there are two more fantasy-themed CATACOMBS books waiting to be explored!)
Until then, keep your eyes sharp and your ears pointed. Or is it your ears sharp and your eyes . . . never mind. Just make sure to keep any sharp parts of your face at a respectful distance from the Faerie’s Mound.
💬Tavern Talk
❓Did you ever encounter the CATACOMBS books back in the day or are these a new discovery for you?
❓Which piece of artwork pulled you in the most — the grand scenes, the eerie quiet moments, or the strange encounters?
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Great artwork in this one. Two things, 1. love the Tombstone quote and 2. the possibility of rolling an angry elf on the character sheet makes think of the scene from Elf in there meeting where he calls Dinklage's character an angry elf.
Great artwork in this one. Two things, 1. love the Tombstone quote and 2. the possibility of rolling an angry elf on the character sheet makes think of the scene from Elf in there meeting where he calls Dinklage's character an angry elf.
The art! Mind blowing! 🤯