Just for fun...

Just for fun...

Barsoomian creature art by Chris Holmes, from 1980!

Barsoomian creature art by Chris Holmes, from 1980!

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/d-on-barsoom-art-by-chris-holmes.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/d-on-barsoom-art-by-chris-holmes.html

Jon P with an early newspaper article from Tampa on the growing fad of D&D.

Jon P with an early newspaper article from Tampa on the growing fad of D&D. It's from the early August of '77, but no mention of Basic, not really surprising since it was first released only weeks before at Origins.

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

A 1977 newspaper article from the Tampa Tribune tells us a bit about the early spread of D&D in Florida.

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/11/d-in-news-1977-you-too-can-be-wizard.html

Tony Dowler makes beautiful maps!

Tony Dowler makes beautiful maps!

Originally shared by tony dowler

Meyrezthegomen, the Pink Maze, Citadel of the Drow. #mapvember

Sages in Holmes/Portown?

Herman Klang wrote:

Does anyone know what sages were like in Holmes/Portown? The rumors talk about a sage Ethbran.

There is a character called Ethbrand in something called the Dreamer's Cycle who might be the inpsiration (it's contemporary epic fantasy).

Was there a sage that Bonger and Zereth consulted?

I want to have one ready to go in case my players decide to do something other than rush in blindly.

To our esteemed Zach H : I believe I asked this before and if memory serves you may have stated you wished to wait...

To our esteemed Zach H : I believe I asked this before and if memory serves you may have stated you wished to wait until things were ironed out, etc. but, is there still hope that your Holmes Ref doc/stuff may hit Lulu?

I wish there was a legit pdf of Holmes, as I'd love to have it + the Holmes Ref doc put together in a simple, lite, spiral-bound thing....

Barring that, the Holmes Ref as a saddle-stitched extra for our old Blue books would be SO cool and so useful, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.
Yay? Nay? Now? Later? You wish? What?

Jon P on the invention of random generated dungeons:

Jon P on the invention of random generated dungeons:



Originally shared by Jon Peterson

An October 1974 account of the invention of randomly-invented dungeons, before TSR got the idea into print.

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-invention-of-randomly-generated.html

You are the first to know!

You are the first to know!

The PDF goes on sale tomorrow and the sale runs for a few days... Grab FEI v2 for 30% off...
http://www.rpgnow.com/product/226492/FANTASTIC-EXCITING-IMAGINATIVE--Volume-TWO--INNER-HAM

An aquatic Dragon of sorts, with Basic-type stats for your Basic-type gaming enjoyment...

Review of the recent POD reprint of the original Empire of the Petal Throne RPG, by R'lyeh Reviews

Review of the recent POD reprint of the original Empire of the Petal Throne RPG, by R'lyeh Reviews

http://rlyehreviews.blogspot.com/2017/11/an-original-rpg.html?m=1
http://rlyehreviews.blogspot.com/2017/11/an-original-rpg.html?m=1

An option for expanded ability scores for the Holmes Ref, adding bonuses & penalties for Strength, Wisdom and...

An option for expanded ability scores for the Holmes Ref, adding bonuses & penalties for Strength, Wisdom and Charisma

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/expanded-ability-scores-for-holmes-ref.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/expanded-ability-scores-for-holmes-ref.html

Jim Kirkwood, "Tales from a Melnibone Tavern", 1991.

Jim Kirkwood, "Tales from a Melnibone Tavern", 1991.

Great album with music reminiscent of Tangerine Dream & cover art like a 1970s fantasy role-playing game.

Originally shared by Michael Clarke (SpiralMagus)

If you're into the dungeon synth genre (and electronic fantasy music) - be sure to follow The Dungeon Synth Archives on Youtube. They're uncovering lost gems such as this. Brilliant stuff - must investigate Jim Kirkwood further.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMbWp_GWFHs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMbWp_GWFHs

Some optional rules for thieves for the discerning Holmes Ref

Some optional rules for thieves for the discerning Holmes Ref
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/some-thief-options-for-holmes-ref.html?m=1

Was there ever a list made of Holmes and Blueholme specific blogs?

A new post on those original "low impact" dice we love so much:

A new post on those original "low impact" dice we love so much:

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/dice-of-gods.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/dice-of-gods.html

A new post on those original dice we love so much

A new post on those original dice we love so much

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/dice-of-gods.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/11/dice-of-gods.html

Herman ran a Blueholme game at Tridentcon this past weekend, here are his notes on the game.

Herman ran a Blueholme game at Tridentcon this past weekend, here are his notes on the game.

Originally shared by Herman Klang

Here is a brief report of how my BLUEHOLME session went down at Tridentcon 2017. Not a full recap. TLDR; Everyone had fun. Sorry I used Holmes Basic Character sheets and not Blueholme ones.

Are you ready for FANTASTIC! EXCITING! IMAGINATIVE! Volume Two?

Are you ready for FANTASTIC! EXCITING! IMAGINATIVE! Volume Two?

Because Volume Two is ready for you...

http://www.bygrinstow.com/products/fei.html

Dyson's Caves of Chaos Cave A, Kobold Lair. Watch out for the pit trap!

Dyson's Caves of Chaos Cave A, Kobold Lair. Watch out for the pit trap!

Originally shared by Dyson Logos

#Mapvember2017 - Map 12 - Kobold

While Tucker's Kobolds get played up a lot, for many of us the first encounter with Kobolds was within this cave. And while they weren't the master combatants with split-move-and-fire tactics, they did leave guards hiding in the trees outside of the cave, and had a pit trap on the way in.

Holler down the hall to get your co-horts a-running this way!

Holler down the hall to get your co-horts a-running this way!

Fantastic! Exciting! Imaginative! Volume Two is about to make its way into your world(s)!

Details to come...

B1 ran with DCC

B1 ran with DCC

Originally shared by Chris Lauricella

AcadeCon: ran B1- In Search of the Unknown for a full table of DCC neophytes and had a blast. Again I was blessed with a group of eager players who wanted to have a good time and the game delivered in spades. Heroic deeds and heroic deaths were witnessed from the first encounter forward and I am certain we had more than one convert to DCC after the last die was rolled.

Pre-Tridentcon gaming. Assault on the Temple of Elemental Evil, usingBattlesystem rules.

Pre-Tridentcon gaming. Assault on the Temple of Elemental Evil, using Battlesystem rules.

Several early TSR ads found by Jon, inc one for the first print of the Basic Set that I hadn't seen before.

Several early TSR ads found by Jon, inc one for the first print of the Basic Set that I hadn't seen before.

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

A vintage Dungeons & Dragons advertisement: Slain Any Wicked Dragons Lately?

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/11/vintage-ad-slain-any-wicked-dragons.html

Tridentcon

Herman Klang wrote:

I will be at Tridentcon in Baltimore this weekend running some Blueholme/Holmes basic. It is my first time running a game at a con. It will either be a disaster or great or somewhere in between.

Another pop-punk classic from the Holmes Basic / early AD&D-era, 1979's Three Imaginary Boys, the debut album of the...

Another pop-punk classic from the Holmes Basic / early AD&D-era, 1979's Three Imaginary Boys, the debut album of the Cure.

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

The Cure's debut album from 1979, Three Imaginary Boys, deluxe reissue from 2004.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Imaginary_Boys

Interesting thread on "The Worlds of Gary Gygax" on the Piazza forum.

Interesting thread on "The Worlds of Gary Gygax" on the Piazza forum. I contributed a few tidbits: the Realm/Borderlands from B2, the Barony of Horn from GW1 The Legion of Gold, and the ELDER WORLDS, a solar system setting created for a sci-fi version of Lejendary Adventures.

Originally shared by The Piazza

Gary Gygax fans: Can you help with this list?:
http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=18825

Do you know how many fictional worlds Gary Gygax created...or helped create? Havard is creating a list of them all. Are there any that he missed? Do you know of any obscure worlds that most fans don't know about?

Dyson's Gnoll Lair from B2

Dyson's Gnoll Lair from B2

Originally shared by Dyson Logos

#Mapvember2017 Map 06 - The Gnoll Lair

One of the smaller lairs in the Caves of Chaos, I had forgotten how this lair only connects to the lower level of the Shrine of Evil Chaos (via that secret passage).

My intent when I release the full redraw of the Caves is to release it as a vector image so it can be scaled as needed for miniature play and with a sub-grid of 5' squares in addition to the 10' flagstones in these drawings.

If you are going to North Texas RPG Con my Discos & Dragons Holmesbasic game has been scheduled

If you are going to North Texas RPG Con my Discos & Dragons Holmes basic game has been scheduled

https://tabletop.events/conventions/ntrpgcon-2018/schedule/64

Dyson's take on part of the Caves of Chaos (Goblins-Hobgoblins-Ogre).

Dyson's take on part of the Caves of Chaos (Goblins-Hobgoblins-Ogre). One popular variant is to split the Caves of Chaos up into lairs that are further apart on the B2 wilderness map. This would work well for that.

Originally shared by Dyson Logos

#Mapvember2017 - Map 01 - Goblins, Hobgoblins, and an Ogre

Six years ago I worked on a project to redraw this particular map and the maps that go with it. I never finished them, and n top of it I long ago lost the original drawings.

But with Keep on the Borderlands coming back soon officially for D&D5e, I figured it was about time I redrew them again, this time with the goal of making a vector format version that can easily be blown up to any size needed - I'll even add in a 5' sub-grid in dotted lines for the final version for everyone wanting to have battlemaps for the module.

"The newly discovered void is nearly 100 feet long.

"The newly discovered void is nearly 100 feet long. The cavity is above and similar in size to the Grand Gallery, a passage through the pyramid's belly that leads to the King's Chamber."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/02/cosmic-rays-reveal-mysterious-void-in-egypts-great-pyramid/

Currently on sale!

Currently on sale!
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/208800/BLUEHOLMETM-Journeymanne-Rules?term=blueholme&test_epoch=0

Generating random numbers using only six-siders.

Originally shared by Gerald Williams

Generating random numbers using only six-siders.