Here's a great write-up by order99 on Dragonsfoot about how he expanded Holmes himself when he didn't have access to...

Here's a great write-up by order99 on Dragonsfoot about how he expanded Holmes himself when he didn't have access to any other D&D manuals. Lots of creative solutions.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1421299#p1421299

Downloaded Mazes & Perils (thanks for the link folks!) and gave a it quick skim.

Downloaded Mazes & Perils (thanks for the link folks!) and gave a it quick skim. Interesting to see what was included and what was not rules-wise. You've got your standard abilities and four player character races. Exceptional strength similar to AD&D was in there, which surprised me a bit. Race as class is out, with AD&D style class options and level limits. Initiative is Holmes style, by DEX. Options are included for variable HD types for classes, variable weapon damage (standard is everything does 1d6), and rolling dice for initiative rather than using DEX. Interesting approach, will have to give it a closer read when I get a chance.

Question for the collective.

Question for the collective.. There have been OSR adaptations of nearly every version of D&D ever released (Labyrinth Lord for B/X, OSRIC for AD&D, etc.) but I have yet to see an OSR adaptation of Holmes. Have I just not run across it, or does one not exist? If not, any theories why? (beyond the obvious that Holmes only covered lvls 1-3, and thus saw considerably less long term play)

Appendix N article on Black Gate

Thomas Bulfinch

"Appendix N" thoughts by James M, with a focus on the list in Moldvay, though Holmes is mentioned too.

http://www.blackgate.com/2013/09/24/sea-change/

Overview of the Manual of Aurania, 1977 non-TSR supplement for OD&D with new classes & monsters.

Overview of the Manual of Aurania, 1977 non-TSR supplement for OD&D with new classes & monsters.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-manual-of-aurania-1977.html

Magira Random Names

Daniel Boggs (Dragons at Dawn, Champions of ZED) adapted the Random Names table to generate names based on Magira, a German shared world for wargaming dating back to the '60s.

http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2013/09/random-names-magira-style.html

Today's post is a transcription of a new class for OD&D, Beornings, from the 1977 non-TSR publication, The Manual of...

Today's post is a transcription of a new class for OD&D, Beornings, from the 1977 non-TSR publication, The Manual of Aurania. Posted with the original author's permission.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/beornings.html

Last week I had some down time and read through my copies of Holmes Basic, Moldvay Basic and the old Monster &...

Last week I had some down time and read through my copies of Holmes Basic, Moldvay Basic and the old Monster & Treasure Assortment (the final level 1-9 compilation version). Given its roughly contemporary publication date to Holmes (the original 3 booklets in 1977-78, the compilation in 1980), I figured the M&TA could make a good resource for a Holmes DM looking to quickly stock a dungeon a la B1.
One interesting thing I noticed about the 1980 M&TA compilation - it mixes monsters from several versions of the game. There are listings for crab spiders and caecilia (which I only recall being present in B/X), but also demons on the lower levels (only present in OD&D/Eldritch Wizardry and AD&D1e). I guess you could say that compilation had little something for everybody , or at least every edition available at that time.

An idea for a D&D campaign in the eastern portion of Middle-Earth. Posted as part of Tolkien Week.

An idea for a D&D campaign in the eastern portion of Middle-Earth. Posted as part of Tolkien Week.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-endless-caverns-of-tu.html

TSR OD&D Character Sheet from 1977

Here's a large-sized scan of the TSR OD&D Character Sheet from 1977 posted in a thread on the Acaeum. Of note are the AD&D-isms: AC10, Weapon Speed Factor, Wisdom Adj. I believe these were not explained until the Player's Handbook was released the following year (Jun 1978 per the Acaeum).

http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?cache=1&p=215751#p215751

Tolkien week continues...

Tolkien week continues...
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/tolkien-lives-at-waldenbooks.html

Please welcome Paul Fini of the Warlock's Home Brew blog. Some material from his blog was posted here a few days ago.

ZENOPUS ARCHIVES: Hobbit Day 2013

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/hobbit-day-2013.html

Last night I finished the first draft of Part 7: Treasures.

Last night I finished the first draft of Part 7: Treasures. That means I am now on the last chapter, Part 8: Campaigns. This chapter will be about designing adventures in the Underworld, the Wilderness, and the Realm. There will also be a slice of advice for referees on campaigns, house rules, character advancement, and the like. This, of all chapters, will be interesting to write because it relies very little on the d20 SRD or the original rules. It will, however, draw on Holmes's ideas on creating a fantasy life in a game without end.

Okay, before I get too excited, I know that the first draft is just the start of a lot of work - there is the first edit, the proofreading, the re-writing, the continuity checking - and that's even before we get to layout. But at least the end is in sight, and once layout is done I will be able to get quotations for artwork and see about setting up that Indiegogo for funding the same.

Which brings to mind a question, do any of you have any pointers with regard to making that all-important Indiegogo video? I must admit to complete ignorance on that front.

I take a look at TSR's advertising in Boy's Life magazine in the late '70s and early '80s.

I take a look at TSR's advertising in Boy's Life magazine in the late '70s and early '80s. Many of the ads are for Holmes Basic.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/tsr-ads-in-boys-life-1977-1982.html

Arrr............

Arrr............
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/talk-like-corsair.html

Warlock's Homebrew blog

You guys may have already ran across this site, but he's got a couple of good pages on why he has a thing for Holmes as well as a Skull Mountain style side cutaway view of his expanded Sample Dungeon: http://warlockshomebrew.blogspot.com/2012/08/why-holmes-sample-dungeon.html  and http://warlockshomebrew.blogspot.com/2012/03/zenopus-tower-cut-away.html

New Kothar and Kyrik blog

New blog by James Mishler dedicated to Gar Fox's Kothar and Kyrik books. Holmes mentioned Fox in a short list of authors in the "Dungeon Mastering as a Fine Art" section of the Basic rulebook.

kotharandkyrik.blogpost.com

2019 update: No longer exists, but can be found on the Internet Archive. Only two posts seem to have been made.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140223101352/http://kotharandkyrik.blogspot.com

This brings to mind the ape in the iron cage in the thaumaturgist's tower in the Sample Dungeon.

This brings to mind the ape in the iron cage in the thaumaturgist's tower in the Sample Dungeon. The article even mentions "clerics" keeping apes to show off the church's prosperity.
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/09/18/preventing-monkey-business-fettered-apes-in-the-middle-ages/

A Biblical "Skull Mountain":

A Biblical "Skull Mountain":

"Golgotha is referred to in early writings as a hill resembling a skullcap located very near to a gate into Jerusalem. A spot there is called Golgotha, - of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head". Since the 6th century it has been referred to as the location of a mountain, and as a small hill since 333"  #skullmountain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golgotha

A campaign journal by Paleologos.

A campaign journal by Paleologos.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1414701#p1414701

I've been blogging for two years now.

I've been blogging for two years now.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/zenopus-archives-year-two.html

The coolest Halloween costume in 1984? Warduke!

The coolest Halloween costume in 1984? Warduke!

From a catalog scan posted on the 2 Warps to Neptune blog:

http://2warpstoneptune.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/1984-placo-toys-catalog-advanced-dungeons-dragons-playsets/

D&D ads in Omni magazine in 1980

Chris tracks down some unusual D&D ads that ran in Omni magazine in 1980, near the end of the Holmes era/beginning of B/X.
http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-omni-style.html

Here's a blog, Refereeing and Reflection, that I've never come across before, with a long post looking at the...

Here's a blog, Refereeing and Reflection, that I've never come across before, with a long post looking at the Examples of Play in OD&D, Holmes, 1E, 2E, Rules Cyclopedia, EPT and Gamma World.
http://refereeingandreflection.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/definitions-demonstrations-tsr-era-dungeons-dragons-and-related-games/

Cut-Out Equipiment List

A Holmes Basic Set was found on Ebay recently with a small cut-out of the Equipment List with "Armor Class __ " written along the bottom edge. As I wrote in a follow up post, it's not a cut up reference sheet, since that has the two equipment lists side-by-side. It's either a cut-out of someone's else rulebook or a photocopy. I could see giving it to the players for reference, but the "Armor Class _" makes me wonder if it was intended to be a primitive character sheet. You could just mark/circle the items your character bought.

http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=215119#p215119

Recent blog post from new community member David Lynch whose first D&D set was a Holmes Basic from his grandparents.

Post from the 2 Warps to Neptune covering the famous 1981 TSR catalog inc the original Holmes Basic t-shirts, plus a...

Post from the 2 Warps to Neptune covering the famous 1981 TSR catalog inc the original Holmes Basic t-shirts, plus a bonus pic of a fancy TSR trade show display.
http://2warpstoneptune.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/1981-tsr-gateway-to-adventure-catalog/

Holmes Basic Box Set cover t-shirt still available

Holmes Basic Box Set cover t-shirt is still available from WOTC for $20, and they appear to have all of the sizes back in stock (M,L,XL,XXL,3XL). IIRC, shipping is ~$10 for one shirt but more reasonable if you buy multiple shirts.
http://www.dndmerch.com/red-dragon-cover-tee.html#.UiX7BbyE5Xc

Wayne pointed out today that B1 has at least one roll-under 3d6 stat check.

Wayne pointed out today that B1 has at least one roll-under 3d6 stat check. I took a look at the original Holmes version (1978), and found it in the Room of Pools. It's a CON check vs the effects of wine, with a failed roll resulting in intoxication for a number of hours equal to the difference between the result and the con score.

Holmes uses 3d6 checks in the pseudo-D&D RPG he presents in his 1981 book, but this is the first I've seen in any actual Holmes Basic product, and the earliest I've seen in a D&D product so far. I wouldn't be surprised if it shows up somewhere earlier though, such as Alarums & Excursions.