When I bought this figure last week, I has no idea who she was or what her relevancy was. I just thought she looked very cool and classic with her pink gown and two-tone cape. But later that night I took some clues from some Instagram comments and a D&D-fanatic coworker and started researching. Back in 1981 there was a painting used on several Dungeons & Dragons products (a rulebook and a basic box) featuring an unnamed sorceress woman protecting a treasure chest from a large dragon. I was never bit by the D&D bug in my youth (despite several valiant attempts), so this character is unfamiliar to me, but apparently her image is quite iconic for the longtime fans. I love that this seemingly simple figure I picked up on a whim has such a historic place in D&D lore. I love that modern toys give life to such obscure characters: Shield Maiden Sherrilyn, Lancer, and Greenlight come to mind and I adore them all the more for their unlikely existence. Let's check out the original D&D covergirl below!
Sorceress has a simple cape that seems to be made of some sort of vinyl.
The inside is brown and the outside is olive green.
Sorceress's only accessory is the Wand of Fire.
The "split skirt" articulation isn't new, but the exposed leg adds an interesting new level of detail.
Here are a couple uses of the Sorceress painting from 1981: The Basic Set and Rulebook.
Time for a Comparison Pic!
Cheers!
Cool figures. Loved the artwork from the old D&D packaging.
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