Adventure (Colossal Cave) map

Awesome map for the first text adventure game, Adventure aka Colossal Cave

http://www.spitenet.com/cave/images/AdventureMap.jpg

This DF post shows all of the interior artwork from the UK Holmes Basic rulebook.

This DF post shows all of the interior artwork from the UK Holmes Basic rulebook. The art is by Fangorn aka Chris Baker, later artist for the Redwall series (UK covers only). The title page artwork also shows the cyclops humanoids, and its a redraw of the US one, so in this picture they are replacing orcs. The other one is slightly larger, so could be a re-skinned ogre.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=20401#p779812

From the Alien Shores blog. One image from the UK Holmes rulebook is NSFW.

Wereshark by Hill Cantons

Wereshark by Hill Cantons. #wereshark

Originally shared by Chris Kutalik

Landshark...
http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2013/04/hill-cantons-bestiary-wereshark.html

"There are a few lawful-neutral dwarven paladins running around in certain long-term AD&D® and D&D® game campaigns...

"There are a few lawful-neutral dwarven paladins running around in certain long-term AD&D® and D&D® game campaigns because of a poorly explained rule in the old Supplement 1, Greyhawk, for the original boxed D&D® game set" - Roger E. Moore, Dragon #118 (1987), referring to the fact that in the Greyhawk Supplement (1975), paladins had to be Lawful but there is no mention of them having to be human.

More discussion of this here:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=61028

New: "Holmes Supplement: Portown", by Thorkhammer on Dragonsfoot.

New: "Holmes Supplement: Portown", by Thorkhammer on Dragonsfoot. Free download via Lulu. I haven't looked over the whole thing yet, but the map is based on an earlier map by Paleologos that I like a lot.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=61025

#dungeonboardgame

#dungeonboardgame
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-in-progress-diy-cards-for-dungeon.html

Just realized I could attach permanent links to this community, so I went ahead and added a few.

Just realized I could attach permanent links to this community, so I went ahead and added a few. They are over in the sidebar on the left.

Not my blog, not my article, but fascinating reading:...

Not my blog, not my article, but fascinating reading: http://swordandshieldrpg.blogspot.com/2011/07/holmes-compares-his-basic-d-boxed-set.html

From the Super Galactic Dreadnought blog: nicely-crafted Kobold, Goblin, Orc, Hobgoblin, Gnoll and Bugbear XP tables...

From the Super Galactic Dreadnought blog: nicely-crafted Kobold, Goblin, Orc, Hobgoblin, Gnoll and Bugbear XP tables for Holmes Basic.

Discussion of Gygax's Amulet of Protection from Good in B2. Old thread (2011), but was bumped a few days of ago.

Discussion of Gygax's Amulet of Protection from Good in B2. Old thread (2011), but was bumped a few days of ago.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=48047

Another version of the French translation of Holmes has been recently discovered by Lurker Below, a member of the...

Another version of the French translation of Holmes has been recently discovered by Lurker Below, a member of the Acaeum. The translation is the same but the formatting is different. It appears to be earlier based on the lack of layout. It was also accompanied by a French translation of the monochrome B1, which I hadn't seen before. See the thread below for some pictures of the translations.
http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=210517#p210517

RPGnet forum thread asking "What differentiates the Holmes basic set from OD&D and B/X?"

RPGnet forum thread asking "What differentiates the Holmes basic set from OD&D and B/X?"
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?685059-Tell-me-about-Holmes-Basic-D-amp-D

A very old website, but still useful and interesting if you've never seen it.

A very old website, but still useful and interesting if you've never seen it.
Credited to "Aardy R. DeVarque"
http://www.hahnlibrary.net/rpgs/tsrfonts.html

Futura for the win. It's the font used in the AD&D 1E MM, PHB and DMG, as well as Holmes Basic.

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

Futura for the win. It's the font used in the AD&D 1E MM, PHB and DMG, as well as Holmes Basic.

The link below was originally shared by Jeremy Whalen 
http://blog.solopress.com/design-guide/top-5-most-popular-fonts-for-printing/

From the Fear No Darkness blog, a one-sheet pdf of a Werebear class for S&W.

From the Fear No Darkness blog, a one-sheet pdf of a Werebear class for S&W. Derived from the one in White Dwarf #17 and "partly inspired by the HOLMES basic set (where he mentions parties comprised of dragons, werebears, humans, centaurs and elves)"

ZENOPUS ARCHIVES: The Blue Book in Swords & Wizardry

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-blue-book-in-swords-wizardry-4th.html

For collectors: a newly discovered print variant of the rulebook, thanks to an Acaeum member.

For collectors: a newly discovered print variant of the rulebook, thanks to an Acaeum member.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/basic-rulebook-new-print-variant.html

A few Holmes comments from A&E

A few Holmes comments from A&E

A&E #20

From - Many Worlds By Margaret Geminani pg#4

Holmes: An enjoyable tale.


From - The Portal To Temporalana #13 By Wayne Shaw Pg#3

Eric and Chris Holmes (or vice versa): I don't know guys. I never read the story because I am too busy laughing at Chris' drawings. This is right up there with the mage fireballing the mouse.


A&E #24

From - A page from the Verdigris Testament By Steve Marsh Pg#2

Eric Holmes Writes, "In addition to playing Dungeons and Dragons every week-end, other projects at present include work on a new novel based on the game. My sequel to Mahars, Red Axe of Pellucdar, is never going to be released by ERB, Inc. I had hoped to do several more, the next to be Swordsman of Pellucidar, etc., but chances of getting any of it published is presently nil.

"Probably all your subscribers have read Sword of Shannara by now... the problem with the book, I feel, is that Brooks has undertaken to tell the story of Lord of the Rings all over again... I hope Brooks decides to do a story of his very own, soon.

"Minifigs is out with a whole new D&D line... and Old Guard has beautiful Empire of the Petal Throne figures. I have gouth(sp) them all. ....As a friend of mind(sp) remarked to Gary at the Aero Hobbies in Santa Monica, "You've found the secret! You've discovered how to turn lead into gold!


A&E #25

From - Many Worlds By Margaret Geminani pg#4

Eric Holmes:  Fred Bolin is working on a theory of the Blink system which will enable people to teleport between his two worlds and Tellus.

From - I Would Have Made a Great Platinum Dragon #10 By Bill Seligman Pg#3

Eric Holmes: the new revised D&D is written extremely well, at least. Kudos to you, sir, at least future DMs will not have to struggle with what we had.


A&E #26 

From - Many Worlds By Margaret Geminani pg#3

Eric Holmes: you might contact the Burroughs Bibliophiles

Attacks of Opportunity in Holmes Basic (pg 20):

Attacks of Opportunity in Holmes Basic (pg 20):

“If combat is broken off, the fleeing party must accept an attack without any return on his part, the attacker adding +2 to his die roll for hit probability, and the armor class of the fleeing party can not include a shield”

and

“A character in melee may withdraw from combat if there is space beside or behind him to withdraw into. His opponent gets a free swing at him as he does so with an attacker bonus of +2 on the die roll, and shields do not count as protection when withdrawing”

and
“If an opposing figure is killed or withdraws, the attacker may advance or pursue immediately — if the player desires — or he may take some other action.”

Left in response to a query on the Rockett Science blog:
http://rockettscience.com/2013/04/13/how-long-have-opportunity-attacks-been-around-in-fantasy-rpgs/

New walk-through cartoon for S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks:

New walk-through cartoon for S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks:
(spoiler alert: avoid this if you are going to play the module)
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/toon/BarrierPeaks

My Reaper Miniatures Kickstarter package arrived today!

My Reaper Miniatures Kickstarter package arrived today! It's the basic Vampire Level with a case in place of the Sophie. The minis are mostly in individual bags, so it took awhile to unpack. The number of figures is somewhat overwhelming. I'm happy with the Bones quality. They are somewhat bendable so should be ok for kids.

Holmesian Alignment

Chris Kutalik:

I wrote something.

http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-curious-cosmology-of-holmesian.html

OD&D reprint pre-order price down to $87 on Amazon.

OD&D reprint pre-order price down to $87 on Amazon. That makes it about $12 for each of the 7 booklets. Includes a price guarantee if the price drops lower.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786964650

Palladium Weapon, Castle, & Armor Compendiums

Wayne's Book wrote:

Palladium Weapon, Castle, & Armor Compendiums
http://waynesbooks.com/Weaponbooks.html

In the years before Palladium became -- for all intents and purposes -- The RIFTS Publishing Company, they released an interesting variety of RPG supplements. My favorites are the Weapon, Castle, & Armor Compendium series. Each book tackles a particular region and time. They are inexpensive, and contain great background material by Matthew Balent, with line drawings, floorplans, and sketches by Michael Gustovich, Michael Kucharski, Kevin Siembieda, Mary Walsh, and others. There have been numerous editions over the years.

The original City State of the Invincible Overlord was released on pdf a few days ago.

The original City State of the Invincible Overlord was released on pdf a few days ago. "scanned from Bob Bledsaw's own in-house copy". $3.50. There's a four page preview.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/113262/Guide-to-the-City-State&affiliate_id=195558

From the Applied Phantasticality Blog, here's a combat sequence incorporating the order of combat (spells, missile,...

From the Applied Phantasticality Blog, here's a combat sequence incorporating the order of combat (spells, missile, melee, movement) from Holmes with the 1d6 initiative from B/X or Labyrinth Lord. From the Applied Phantastically blog:
http://appliedphantasticality.blogspot.com/2013/04/combat-sequence-revised.html

I hope I won't get skewered for this, but here are my impressions of Holmes.

I hope I won't get skewered for this, but here are my impressions of Holmes. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2013/04/holmes-ian-surprises.html
http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2013/04/holmes-ian-surprises.html

ZENOPUS ARCHIVES: David Sutherland Day

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/david-sutherland-day.html

4-4 is the birthday of DCSIII: #dcsIII

4-4 is the birthday of DCSIII: #dcsIII
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/david-sutherland-day.html

If you missed it, on April Fools' Day WOTC posted two awesome "walk through" cartoon maps as a tie-in to the...

If you missed it, on April Fools' Day WOTC posted two awesome "walk through" cartoon maps as a tie-in to the Dungeons of Dread compilation:
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-walk-through-tomb-of-horrors.html

You are probably going to be much less excited about this than I am: I just got my copy of Holmes Basic, complete...

You are probably going to be much less excited about this than I am: I just got my copy of Holmes Basic, complete with B1 and the original box. The box is a little beat up, but what else can you expect? A little staple rust I guess... :-)

Stonehenge Site of First 'Rock' Concert - ScienceNOW

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/04/stonehenge-site-of-first-rock-co.html