Only 7.99!

Only 7.99!

Originally shared by Mark Hunt

It's what everyone is talking about!

Anybody here from Alberta?

Anybody here from Alberta? In the 1970s, Chivalry and Sorcery grew out of the original D&D scene in Edmonton, via an OD&D variant they produced called Chevalier that was influenced by the Warlock rules (from Caltech) and Empire of the Petal Throne. http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/warlock-influenced-chivalry-sorcery.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/warlock-influenced-chivalry-sorcery.html

I've been reading Maze of Peril by Holmes before I fall asleep.

Herman Klang wrote:

I've been reading Maze of Peril by Holmes before I fall asleep. I am surprised by the parallels between it and my Portown campaign using the sample dungeon.

I probably shouldn't be but some of the things were eerie. I didn't know about the Dagonites but put a Kuo Toa temple.

During the first session the PCs find the temple and steal a stature just like Boinger et al. on their first adventure in the underworld.

This leads to problems that follow both parties out of the underworld and into the town.

I mean I guess we both read Shadow over Innsmouth and then drew some maps, so it shouldn't be that surprising.

Take a look at how Warlock influenced the development of Chivalry & Sorcery - specifically, the Chevalier prototype,...

Take a look at how Warlock influenced the development of Chivalry & Sorcery - specifically, the Chevalier prototype, when it was still a D&D variant.
Anybody have the 1st edition of C&S for further comparison?
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/warlock-influenced-chivalry-sorcery.html

Holmes Article in Analog

Posted by Tony Rowe

Currently free on DriveThruRPG.com...

Currently free on DriveThruRPG.com...
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/83885/Skull-Mountain?src=cab_col

NPC Class: Plague Doctor

Herman Klang wrote:

I made this NPC class for a Holmes Basic adventure I ran (The last before I switched to BLUEHOLME™). It looks pretty generic but relies on Holmes's rules for making potions.

Originally shared by Herman Klang

Chris P.  I wrote up the class.

https://dungeonsofklang.blogspot.com/2018/02/npc-class-plague-doctor.html

With the D&D Rules Cyclopedia back in print again (sort of), I continue an old series of mine about odd little...

With the D&D Rules Cyclopedia back in print again (sort of), I continue an old series of mine about odd little design choices in the D&D RC. this one takes a look about dungeons in that pinnacle of D&D books.

This article from The Dragon #22 (Feb 1979) is interesting because itcites an impressive sales figure for HOLMES'...

Olde House Rules wrote:

This article from The Dragon #22 (Feb 1979) is interesting because it cites an impressive sales figure for HOLMES' BASIC of 4,000 a month! But it's also prescient with respect to the role computers would eventually play, although it appears Gygax never anticipated edition wars and the like. To quote the master...

"I envision only minor expansions and some rules amending on a gradual, edition to edition, basis..."

Yeah, good luck with that, Gary. Anyway, this really speaks to the mainstreaming of D&D back in the day and how TSR worked to make it happen! These dispatches are a fascinating read for sure...

AMAZING clip art scans including Holmes Basic...!

AMAZING clip art scans including Holmes Basic...!

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2018/02/vintage-ad-1980-do-it-yourself-edition.html

My map from this weekend’s session: “In Search of Norvin’s Tomb”.

My map from this weekend’s session: “In Search of Norvin’s Tomb”. Tales of The dwarf lord Norvin - once a great warrior ages ago - don’t speak of a kind demihuman, but a conquering fiend driven to madness on an endless search for treasures beneath the earth. But what caused this insanity?

Awesome note on this is that Norvin was actually one of only two surviving party members from a campaign I ran years ago. Roles have reversed and now I a character, and the DM (Herman Klang - who was one of the original campaign’s members who perished in the epic campaign finale) brought back Norvin as a session hook. I absolutely love when that happens - especially when the characters turns out to no longer be a good guy!

https://dungeonsofklang.blogspot.com/2018/02/sunday-i-ran-adventure.html

What do you think the best scale is for hex maps?

What do you think the best scale is for hex maps? According to Delta's D&D Hotspot, the original Outdoor Survival map can be inferred to have a scale of 1 hex=3 miles (see http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2012/02/damn-you-gygax-part-3.html for details). I've seen D&D and OSR hex maps commonly use a scale of either 5, 6, or 10 miles per hex.

I meant to post this earlier, but Thom Hall is running two sessions of a Holmes Basic game at DunDraCon 42 tomorrow!

I meant to post this earlier, but Thom Hall is running two sessions of a Holmes Basic game at DunDraCon 42 tomorrow!

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/holmes-basic-at-dundracon-2018.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/holmes-basic-at-dundracon-2018.html

Great tribute post by OHR!

Great tribute post by OHR!

Originally shared by Olde House Rules

Today is (or would have been) the birthday of J. Eric Holmes, author of the first introductory set for D&D, the so-called Holme's Basic Set! Sure, we all loved AD&D (and it was certainly an improvement over the original in terms of production and content); however, Holmes was the FIRST to produce an actual introductory version of the game that explained HOW TO PLAY, and for that, we owe the good doctor (who would have been 88 today) our thanks. If there's a gaming heaven, he's rolling natural twenties with Gygax and Arneson and taking on hordes of orcs under Castle Greyhawk...

Today is the birthday of J. Eric Holmes, who would have been 88 today.

Some good points about BLUEHOLME™ made by Herman Klang, and my "designer's thoughts" behind those decisions.

Some good points about BLUEHOLME™ made by Herman Klang, and my "designer's thoughts" behind those decisions. I'd be most interested to know what the members here think. :-)

Originally shared by Herman Klang

I got blueholme to save my Holmes books. I have a few complaints. 1 It's minor shit. 1. The scrolls table doesn't have a scroll of three wishes. This is a huge change. I liked it on there it gave the potential for crazy stuff to happen if you were doing procedural generation.

The other is going to sound dumb. Too many spells. I know. I just think that fewer spells would motivate players to research their own spells.

Another thing is the stronghold rules seem to allow you to build at any level. This eliminates the drastic cnhange potentially that occurs at name level in the way the game works.

If course I can house rule all this stuff. It's just that I am using this book every week and with players that might now be buying the book who are new to dnd.

So the concept of house rules is a little iffy with them.

Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun...

Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun...

Originally shared by John Stater

Damn space squids

https://talesfromweirdland.tumblr.com/post/170890033843/space-invaders-1978-concept-art-by-its-creator
https://talesfromweirdland.tumblr.com/post/170890033843/space-invaders-1978-concept-art-by-its-creator

Replica original TSR dice may be available soon via this guy on Etsy.

Replica original TSR dice may be available soon via this guy on Etsy. I saw this on the Acaeum first, and then on Facebook.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThresholdDiceworks
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThresholdDiceworks

Jon with a look at early variant based on the original D&D draft (or a version thereof).

Jon with a look at early variant based on the original D&D draft (or a version thereof). Includes another glimpse of the original draft (aka "Guidon D&D"). Second level clerics were called Friars and only required 500 XP. Sort of a lost level 1.5!

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

A look at an early and unpolished set of rules adapted from the 1973 Guidon D&D first draft, featuring interesting variations on combat and spellcasting systems.

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-forgotten-variant-x-fragments.html

Trent with AD&D write-ups of two late/post TSR Gygaxian monsters, the Losel and the T'roul (aka Thoul)

Trent with AD&D write-ups of two late/post TSR Gygaxian monsters, the Losel and the T'roul (aka Thoul)

https://mystical-trash-heap.blogspot.com/2018/02/d-lost-gygax-monsters-part-1.html

Is it possible the two attacks with a dagger rule is a mistake? Just an oversight?

Tried my hand at a simple isometric dungeon map for the first time.

Paul Haupt III wrote:

Tried my hand at a simple isometric dungeon map for the first time. Much more time consuming than other mapping, but I'm really diggin' how it's progressing.

Holmes Edition is wonderfully flexible.

Holmes Edition is wonderfully flexible. I just ran my 9th grade daughter and her friends through a session using holmes basic but they were in an alternate modern universe of their high school including elves, daemons, etc. Very Fun. :)

A ghoul from Room P in Zenopus' dungeon and a wereshark.

Steven Muchow wrote:

A ghoul from Room P in Zenopus' dungeon and a wereshark... The 41st anniversary expedition module for NTRPGCon 2018 is moving along.... Level 1 is updated and Level 2... is going to be exciting... There may be a Texas-style monster or two. I live in the Austin area after all...

Why is there still no Holmes Basic PDF? Is there a deep state conspiracy to suppress it?? #releasethepdf

If you haven't heard, the Rules Cyclopedia is now available in print-on-demand from DriveThruRPG/RPGnow.

If you haven't heard, the Rules Cyclopedia is now available in print-on-demand from DriveThruRPG/RPGnow. This book is the culmination of the Basic/Classic D&D line that started off with Holmes' work on the original Basic set.

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/rules-cyclopedia-now-available-in-print.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/rules-cyclopedia-now-available-in-print.html

This is an interesting blog posting for those that haven't read it.

This is an interesting blog posting for those that haven't read it.
http://www.erbzine.com/mag57/5797.html

Spotted over at the Acaeum: the cover of the Tunnels & Trolls FantasyCalendar 1980.

Spotted over at the Acaeum: the cover of the Tunnels & Trolls Fantasy Calendar 1980. I assume the art is by Liz Danforth. Scott Mob I think will like this. Gabor Lux perhaps, too, given his recent T&T interest.

https://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?cache=1&f=2&t=16819&c=1

Finished my sewer dungeon mini map for my son’s first dungeoncrawl.

Paul Haupt III wrote:

Finished my sewer dungeon mini map for my son’s first dungeoncrawl. Added some color to the water, some subtle detailing, plus a few hints at some denizens...

Zenopus Note --- See also: http://ofdiceandmagik.blogspot.com/2018/02/have-fun-mapping-castle.html

Gary Con attendees: there is a Keep on the Borderlands game using Holmes Basic on Friday from 11-3.

Gary Con attendees: there is a Keep on the Borderlands game using Holmes Basic on Friday from 11-3. Still has 5 openings right now. I won't be able to sign up as it starts during my Friday game. Thanks to Demos Sachlas for pointing this out. https://tabletop.events/conventions/gary-con-x/schedule/1233

Gary Con general (silver badge) registration opens up tomorrow at noon CST.

Gary Con general (silver badge) registration opens up tomorrow at noon CST. As I posted previously, I have two scheduled sessions of the Return to the Tower of Zenopus, on Fri and Sat morning from 9-1. The Friday game is now full but the Sat game still has 5 openings: https://tabletop.events/conventions/gary-con-x/schedule/118
#brazenheadofzenopus (FYI I had to cancel my attendance)

This Hill Cantons post was intended as satire, and it's both funny and true in that respect - but it also double as...

This Hill Cantons post was intended as satire, and it's both funny and true in that respect - but it also double as a pretty awesome name generator for old school dungeons. Kinda reminded me of Zach H's awesome Holmesian name generator : )

http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2011/09/old-school-module-name-generator.html
http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2011/09/old-school-module-name-generator.html