A bit of a fun thought experiment.
It's 1978. You find a Holmes basic set that has one additional RPG book in it, and that's what you have to develop a campaign from. It can be any book from 1978 or earlier - but only one. What would you pick, and how would you use it?
Greyhawk. This book adds so much its a must to have if you only get one other book.
ReplyDeleteThe Keep on the Borderlands! It's all you need...
ReplyDeleteJonathan Perkel B2 Keep on the Borderlands was published in 1979 as a replacement for B1 In Search of the Unknown. A 1978 Holmes boxed set would already contain either Dungeon Geomorphs and Monster & Treasure Assortment, or a copy of B1.
ReplyDeleteCHIT, you're right. I got my Holmes set in 1979 so...
ReplyDeleteStarguard!
ReplyDeletetin-soldier.com - Starguard Directory
The Glass Harmonica by Barbara Ninde Byfield 1967
ReplyDeleteEDIT: Players Handbook
ReplyDeleteWill Arnold it came out in 1978
ReplyDeleteWilderlands of High Fantasy ... or the crazy option, EPT.
ReplyDeleteEmpire of the Petal Throne. :D
ReplyDeleteArduin
ReplyDeleteIn an alternative universe, me2 opens the box to find All The World's Monsters.
ReplyDeleteMe3, meanwhile, is happily rolling up Samurai characters using the Manual of Aurania.
ReplyDeleteMichael Thomas there is definitely a late '70s California D&D: Holmes, Arduin, Warlock, Manual of Aurania, All the World's Monsters, and a stack of Alarums & Excursions.
ReplyDeleteJudges Guild Installment J by itself. Or maybe Tegel. Also plus one on what Gabor Lux and Andy Action said. I also wouldn't complain if I found Gamma World in the box instead of a D&D supplement.
ReplyDeleteDO IT, Noah Stevens !!!
ReplyDeleteNoah Stevens Do it!
ReplyDeleteNoah Stevens We delved into that before in Interzone. I think they rebuilt the bar by now.
ReplyDeleteEither a collection of Russian Fairy Tales or The Mars Series collection by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
ReplyDeleteThe Arduin Grimoire
ReplyDeleteThe Realm of Yolmi. :P But seriously, I’d take the Manual of Aurania and put together a fun world just like Chris and Dr. Holmes did.
ReplyDeleteSee, my response is Metamorphosis Alpha and using it to run Dungeons & Mutants, but Noah Stevens's Naked Lunch idea sounds brilliant
ReplyDelete"A morbid taste for bones", by Ellis Peters, 1977. First of the novels of medieval mysteries with Brother Cadfael.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions, all!
ReplyDeleteI'll also pick Metamorphosis Alpha, but I'll use it for an idea I've posted about before. PCs start in the Domed City and explore the dungeon upward to a land populated by MA monsters.
ReplyDeleteI think I’d go with the ‘77 Monster Manual. Absent any other books, I’d use hints of things in it (discussions of the lower planes in the devils/demons section, psionic entries, etc.) to craft additional rules for Holmes (Holmes own tantalizing bits regarding other character classes and higher levels would likewise fire my imagination...I’d hope).
ReplyDeleteOf course, in 1978 I was five years old so the chances of me running a coherent game would be pretty slim. However, just having the illustrations in the MM is enough to translate to LARPing success at recess.
: )
I’ve seriously considered Beauty & the Beasts. Love some of the stuff in there.
ReplyDeleteI'll speak up for Book of the Weird by Barbara N. Byfield
ReplyDeletePerhaps, Judges Guild: Ready Ref Sheets
ReplyDeleteJohn Stater Book of the Weird is the reprint of The Glass Harmonica
ReplyDeleteEmpires of the Petal Throne ... it strikes me as a great mix of D&D and John Carter of Mars, plus other weird stuff. I'm desperate to try EPT, but have so many D&D games going already ...
ReplyDeleteBo Hansson's "Music Inspired by The Lord of the Rings" (1970). ...oh...you said book. Um...Ready Ref Sheets, then.
ReplyDeleteMetamorphosis Alpha: because it implies possibilities beyond “Fantasy Medieval” and/or “Science-Fantasy”
ReplyDelete(I.e., adventuring at “TL:0” ... to borrow notation from ‘Traveller’ ... which has yet to be mentioned?)
#Pellucidar
Denis McCarthy I scanned the list for BoW, but should have noted the author's name in your post. You have good taste sir - I salute you!
ReplyDeleteJohn Stater it is one if my favorites, abd I have it from Zeb Cook that it was a direct influence on the MM.
ReplyDeleteJohn Fenton do you mean Booty and the Beasts? Great, weird choice.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IDfvhG56rB5LfM359wpES-S6B-Iz534JdaNpy9z7FHxmVTSZCNI6IzPj8TxkeF5xlhigF0WH4SVr5zjf5_2A32dKxUtX8GO8yvk=s0
ReplyDeleteTony Rowe Yes indeed.
ReplyDeleteSquad Leader. I intentionally ignored RPG books, and considered other games in general. First thought was Outdoor Survival, which led me to Squad Leader, as ASL isn't out yet.
ReplyDeleteIt would be time to make custom chits.
I'm surprised no one suggested men & magic.
ReplyDeleteJudges' Guild Ready Ref Sheets. Lots of ideas to expand and flesh things out.
ReplyDelete