My review of the Blueholme Journeymanne Rules.

My review of the Blueholme Journeymanne Rules.

http://followmeanddie.com/2017/12/30/blueholme-journeymanne-rules-review/

Let's try this again:

Let's try this again:

I recently watched ANH, and for perhaps the first time ever I wondered "Why isn't Wedge at the rebel briefing"?

Well, apparently he is, but played by a different actor. He's the pilot sitting next to Luke, who says "That's impossible, even for a computer!". That actor was fired and then Denis Lawson was hired to play Wedge. And yet a third actor overdubbed the vocals for both.

[links redacted due to spam; make a quick google search to read more]

Wedge/Lawson would probably be better known if Lawson had been able to play him in the rebel briefing.

Also, if there had been a vintage Kenner "Wedge" figure.

(thank you Jarrett Crader for pointing out the spam comments in the original version of this post)

#skullmountain roast

#skullmountain roast

Originally shared by Grand DM

For the DM that likes to brew coffee with player tears on game night.

Jon Peterson with another 1970s newspaper article about D&D, this time a very flavorful 1976 article that ran in the...

Jon Peterson with another 1970s newspaper article about D&D, this time a very flavorful 1976 article that ran in the Washington Post.

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

Read this 1976 article about "the Duke and the Evil Balrog" showing how some early adopters still played Dungeons & Dragons like it was a wargame: with players providing the opposition and the dungeon master acting as a neutral referee.

Just got this in the mail.

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

Just got this in the mail. An 8-CD collection of Derek Jacobi reading the entirety of Tolkien's Tales From the Perilous Realm, including Roverandom (2 CD), Farmer Giles of Ham (2 CD), Adventures of Tom Bombadil (2 CD), Smith of Wootton Major (1 CD) and Leaf by Niggle (1 CD). I will post more impressions after listening. 3 copies left on Amazon if anyone else wants one:

https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Perilous-Realm-J-Tolkien/dp/0007237332/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Perilous-Realm-J-Tolkien/dp/0007237332/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid&sr

Return of the Fantasy Trip, which influenced the rules for Holmes' sample RPG in his 1981 book:

Return of the Fantasy Trip, which influenced the rules for Holmes' sample RPG in his 1981 book:

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/return-of-fantasy-trip.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/return-of-fantasy-trip.html

Merry Christmas Tree Monster!

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

Merry Christmas Tree Monster!

From the BEYOND ZORK game manual (1989, Infocom)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuVcwrKgk86_c5sGZmabiQzcZFQoBnU9LzXIeV7ewIDYRujoNDxjmUKqMfyqFv_gUFoyVfpCowBvTrAP_KvC9yiQyulGdNLEPZYtFBEmKIGc0elW-Nf_yog00gdTD5JT7eAll3hOTuZg/s1600/ctm.GIF

Not a #wereshark but looks like one

Not a #wereshark but looks like one

Originally shared by The Piazza

Mystara fans: Take a look at this free Sharkfolk PDF that Jeff Venancio and Daniel D. Justice have put onto DMs Guild:
http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19035

Havard wants to know if people think this could be used as a basis for Mystara's Shark-Kin. What do you think? Is it similar enough?

BLUEHOLME Journeymanne hardcover is the stuff of legend!

BLUEHOLME Journeymanne hardcover is the stuff of legend!
Amazing offering to our community, Michael Thomas - well done!

That Gary Gygax loved puns and anagrams is well established, as is the fact that I frequently miss examples of them...

Originally shared by James Maliszewski

That Gary Gygax loved puns and anagrams is well established, as is the fact that I frequently miss examples of them that have been staring me in the face for, literally, decades.

Re-reading Gary's Gamma World module Legion of Gold, I only just now recognized the significance of the name, Jemmas, Warder of the Barony of Horn.

I am an idiot.

Audio of Gygax Television Appearance Nov 79

From the era when Holmes was the intro game! This appearance probably helped drive sales of the Basic set for Christmas '79.

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

This is a real treat! Jon Peterson has found an audio recording of Gary's appearance on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow in November 1979. At the time Tomorrow was the late-night talk show that followed the Tonight show (so essentially the forerunner of Letterman). Gary was in his prime (41), and it shows in his voice - it's much less gravelly than what I've heard from the rare '00s recordings available on youtube. AD&D was "complete" - TSR had just published the DMG back in August. D&D was becoming a cultural phenomenon; this is also just a few months after D&D came to national attention when it was (wrongly) thought to be involved in the disappearance of James Dallas Egbert from mid-Aug to mid-Sep.

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/gary-gygax-on-tomorrow-with-tom-snyder.html

The audio is better than I expected from a home recording off the TV, and Jon helpfully provides a transcript of the entire show.

Underground Dwelling Denizens of the Deep!

Underground Dwelling Denizens of the Deep! In your comment please stat out and describe a monster that may normally be aquatic but could be found in an underground dungeon environ.

Holmes for the Holidays, 12/17 Update, including the Results:

Holmes for the Holidays, 12/17 Update, including the Results:

I recruited a dice elf to make the roll for me. There were 18 entries, so we used a spread of 1-20, with a 19 or 20 being re-rolled if it came up. To generate 1-20, we used dice from a Holmes set: a white twenty-sided die (numbered 0-9) and an orange six-sided die as a "control die". If the d6 comes up 1-3, the white die is read as-is, and if the d6 comes up 4-6, 10 is added to the white die. After a few practice rolls, we made the official roll...

[See picture below]

...which indicates that number 5 is the winner! That's Patrick Usher. Patrick, please get in touch with me at zenopusarchives at gmail.com.

Thanks to all who entered the contest. I hope to do a few more of these type of contests during the year next year as I have accumulated some extra stuff around here. Stay tuned, and happy holidays!
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/holmes-for-holidays-2017.html

Perhaps the final fate of Portown will be to be claimed by the sea, like the once prosperous English Port of Old...

Perhaps the final fate of Portown will be to be claimed by the sea, like the once prosperous English Port of Old Dunwich. See this review of an old book, Dim Corridors, about the town: http://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-map-of-old-dunwich-and-memory-of.html
http://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-map-of-old-dunwich-and-memory-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Wormwoodiana+(Wormwoodiana)&m=1

"Skull Island" concept art by Stephen Daniele, who did that Restenford map I posted earlier.

"Skull Island" concept art by Stephen Daniele, who did that Restenford map I posted earlier. Very #skullmountain with the walk-in cave mouth and eyes!

Can be found on his home page: http://stephendaniele.com/

http://stephendaniele.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/sda_con_SotA_skullisland.art_-1.jpg

Nice isometric map of Restenford (L1 Secret of Bone Hill) from an adventure in Dungeon #71

Nice isometric map of Restenford (L1 Secret of Bone Hill) from an adventure in Dungeon #71

https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=78769
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=78769

The 1979 Gateway to Adventure Catalog (the one later I got in my HolmesBasic Set back in the glory days of 1980)...

The 1979 Gateway to Adventure Catalog (the one later I got in my Holmes Basic Set back in the glory days of 1980)...

https://rpg.rem.uz/Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons/D%26D%20Basic%20%28Holmes%2C%20B%2C%20X%2C%20BECMI%29/1977%20Holmes/Gateway%20to%20Adventure%20-%201979%20TSR%20Catalog.pdf

Jon Peterson​​ with a 1977 TSR trade ad, aimed at retailers

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

Jon Peterson​​ with a 1977 TSR trade ad, aimed at retailers

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/vintage-ad-think-of-tsr.html?m=1
http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/vintage-ad-think-of-tsr.html?m=1

Jeff Grubb on a unfinished Gangbusters module he worked on at TSR in the mid-80s.

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

Jeff Grubb on a unfinished Gangbusters module he worked on at TSR in the mid-80s. Based on the product code assigned, this would likely have been GB6 Bases Loaded, if it hadn't been canceled. Mark Hunt​

http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2017/12/bases-loaded.html?m=1
http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2017/12/bases-loaded.html?m=1

I pretty much had the look of the kid in the front in the early 80s, including the aviator style huge glasses.

I pretty much had the look of the kid in the front in the early 80s, including the aviator style huge glasses.

Originally shared by Kyle Mecklem

Dungeons & Dragons buddies, 1983.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/comments/7jg1qy/my_dungeons_and_dragons_buddies_and_i_1983
https://i.redd.it/v49o743bol301.jpg

Holmes for the Holidays returns with a copy of MORDRED (1980) to give away!

Holmes for the Holidays returns with a copy of MORDRED (1980) to give away! Leave a comment on the blog if you don't have a copy and are interested in entering the contest.

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/holmes-for-holidays-2017.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/holmes-for-holidays-2017.html

This blog examines playing the original version of Traveller, the other game that debuted at Origins in the summer...

This blog examines playing the original version of Traveller, the other game that debuted at Origins in the summer of '77

Originally shared by Aaron Kesher

This. All of this.
https://talestoastound.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/traveller-out-of-the-box-the-expectations-of-a-traveller-referee-at-the-start-of-the-hobby/

#skullmountain in cinema

#skullmountain in cinema

Originally shared by Chris Holmes

You all reminded me of the film House on Skull Mountain, notable for one of the worst mat paintings ever. A similarly bad skull mountain appears in People that Time Forgot.
https://goo.gl/images/M2k4z8

A new post on the blog, looking at Gygax's dungeon level from the Hall of Many Panes (2005).

A new post on the blog, looking at Gygax's dungeon level from the Hall of Many Panes (2005).

Originally shared by Zenopus Archives

A look a late-era Gygax dungeon level harking back to his earliest designs:

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/gygaxs-dungeon-level-from-hall-of-many.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/gygaxs-dungeon-level-from-hall-of-many.html

Look, the Bumble lives in a Skull Mountain!

Look, the Bumble lives in a Skull Mountain! My wife noticed this while we watched the Rudolph special on broadcast TV last night. Still one of the best adventures ever ... I think a fun RPG could be made of this setting. PC classes are marginalized occupants of Christmastown: reindeer who doesn't make the cut, elf who hates toy-making, misfit toy or odd human explorer. You can travel to far off lands by stepping on an ice floe at the edge of the sea. #skullmountain

What he said...

What he said...

Originally shared by Jon Wilson (bygrinstow)

Stocking stuffers.
https://www.bygrinstow.com/products/fei.html

Jon P on an early OD&D variant from 1976, 75 pages and never professionally publishef

Jon P on an early OD&D variant from 1976, 75 pages and never professionally publishef

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

Some notes on an obscure early D&D variant that never managed to get a commercial publication: Catacombs and Caverns.

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-forgotten-variant-catacombs-and.html

Herman Klang wrote:

It think I turned the Holmes sample dungeon into a negadungeon by accident.

For Eric, post your suggestions for what happens if you don't "Keep on the Borderlands".

For Eric, post your suggestions for what happens if you don't "Keep on the Borderlands". For example, "Keep on the Borderlands or Cave into Chaos!"

Originally shared by Eric Norred

Remain on the Borderlands...

The first time I ever saw mention of B2 was in an ad in the back of the Endless Quest book "The Revenge of the Rainbow Dragons" and the ad omitted the first "The". Thus, being young and not knowing what a "keep" was, I imagined the title of the module was some sort of odd, foreboding warning....

NPC Class: Sage

Herman Klang wrote:

I went ahead and made a ridiculously complicated NPC class based on a discussion here last week.

https://dungeonsofklang.blogspot.com/2017/12/ethbran-and-sages-of-portown.html

Need an Xmas present for a woman in your life?

Need an Xmas present for a woman in your life? Target has new D&D ringer tees in stock. Uses the mid-80s Classic D&D line logo:

https://www.target.com/p/women-s-dungeons-dragons-174-short-sleeve-ringer-graphic-t-shirt-juniors-gray/-/A-52983645
https://www.target.com/p/women-s-dungeons-dragons-174-short-sleeve-ringer-graphic-t-shirt-juniors-gray/-/A-52983645

Another installment of the Tales of Peril Book Club: "Murray the Mage, It Is":

Another installment of the Tales of Peril Book Club: "Murray the Mage, It Is":
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2017/12/maze-of-peril-chapter-1-scene-3-murray.html

Some pre-gens or NPCs for your next game. Roll a d12, cross each off asused. Snagged from an Ebay auction.

Some pre-gens or NPCs for your next game. Roll a d12, cross each off as used. Snagged from an Ebay auction.