I was rereading my holmes edition and saw something I had glossed over previously about determining initiative; that...

I was rereading my holmes edition and saw something I had glossed over previously about determining initiative; that if dex scores between opponents is within 2 points, you roll a d6 to decide. One could extrapolate that initiative is dex + d6, perhaps to speed things up

Quick question for the rules experts, is a heavy crossbow fired once every 3 rounds or 4?

Quick question for the rules experts, is a heavy crossbow fired once every 3 rounds or 4? The reason I ask is it says light crossbows are like heavy weapons and fire basically once every 2 rounds but that heavy crossbows take twice as long to load and fire. Any thoughts?

This list made the rounds several weeks ago. I shared on my social media, but have now added it to my blog.

This list made the rounds several weeks ago. I shared on my social media, but have now added it to my blog.

https://followmeanddie.com/2018/12/29/rpgs-that-influenced-me/
https://followmeanddie.com/2018/12/29/rpgs-that-influenced-me/

The kid got the new Oregon Trail handheld for Xmas.

The kid got the new Oregon Trail handheld for Xmas. I somehow missed this game as a kid. It took about an hour but on my first try I successfully navigated my carpenter and his family - with no deaths - to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. So I still haven't experienced the infamous death by dysentery.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/circuitbreaker/2018/3/24/17155538/the-oregon-trail-handheld-portable-game-review
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/circuitbreaker/2018/3/24/17155538/the-oregon-trail-handheld-portable-game-review

Mapping Holmes: A Theory

Mapping Holmes: A Theory

I have long wanted to do a map inspired by Holmes world as it appears in the Tales of Peril collection. On review I have come to two conclusions and would like my fellow Holmes scholars input.

Portown as it is described in the Blue book Sample Dungeon is inspired on the fictional Arkham from Lovecraft's stories, particularly "The Festival". Mapping it too close to the "Maze of Peril" world is a mistake.

I think Holmes' "Tales of Peril" world was inspired by the geography around the Black Sea and Northern Turkey.

I think Portown was inspired by Holmes "port city" of Bythinium.

Bythinium (also called Claudiopolis), was a Roman city near present-day Bolu in north-western Turkey.

Holmes world was inspired by the geography of classical myth; especially the "Golden Fleece" locations around the the Black Sea. The city of Caladan's name was inspired by Dune; but the Greek origin of that fictional world's ruling dynasty is a clue.

This part of the world had numerous Greek colonies in the ancient era and Byzantine states in the medieval world.

I think Caladan may be roughly where roman Claudiopolis was in his fictional reality.

The forest terrain would also make sense.

Heraclea Pontica would be a good possible candidate for the location of Holmes' relocated Bythinium. I think he just kept Caladan's old name but just moved the location North. Also the term could refer to the entire area.

Another clue is that north of this area is the legendary home of the classical Amazons, a major faction along with Pirates and Dagonites in Holmesian world.

Homles' lost city could be in a fictional Arabian desert south of here (matching Howard's Nameless City) and his East Africa inspired locations also make sense (Eastern Africa was heavily influenced by medieval Islam).

Aren't there also references in Holmes Tales of Peril to the "Iranian coast"? Portown's "Islamic culture" to the South?

Tell me what you think!

A play report

Thom Hall wrote:

(a post of mine taken from another private forum tonight)
Played our first D&D game with my son (age 5) tonight. My wife Kristi ran the game and used the blueholme ruleset. It's holmes basic d&d but expanded to level 20. It was fantastic fun as anticipated but after the first combat my son inspired these: shark toothed arrows (+1 damage)

He was playing a centaur armed with a bow and shot this sharklike creature with arms and legs coming ashore while our party slept near by. After killing the thing with the help from his pop's fighter (he woke me up to help) he decided he wanted to make arrows from the shark teeth. Kristi and I both were surprised by his suggestion and she absolutely allowed it. The result was simply arrows that deal a bit more damage but the story behind them will be one as a beardo gamer dad I will never forget. :)

My "Return to the Tower of Zenopus" con scenario is now retitled In Search of the Brazen Head of Zenopus.

My "Return to the Tower of Zenopus" con scenario is now retitled In Search of the Brazen Head of Zenopus. As mentioned previously, Mike Mearls is running a "Return to the Tower of Zenopus" at Gary Con this year, so this motivated me to change the title. I like the new title better, as it's both more original and more descriptive. After all, it's not really a return to the Tower, just the dungeons, plus finding the missing talking mask is a "win" for the scenario (Murray wants it, naturally). The "In search of" is of course a nod to the title of B1. The other part comes from an old post about the talking mask, linked below. #brazenheadofzenopus
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2012/03/brazen-head-of-zenopus.html?m=1

Holmes for the Holidays 2018! Comment over on the blog to enter.

Holmes for the Holidays 2018! Comment over on the blog to enter.

https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/holmes-for-holidays-2018.html?m=1

Question to the group.

Question to the group. What would you say are the major STYLE changes between Holmes (Blue Book) Basic and Moldvay (Red Book) Basic?

Back in the day, we played them both, often interchangeably, but now some 40 years later I want to go back and cover some of the nuances that a 10-year-old me would not have seen or really appreciated.

Not looking for scholarship here (although that is appreciated!) I am looking more for experiences and opinions.

This kind of has a Holmes vibe to me😎 It's from an old Dragonmagazine. (Hat tip to Wayne's books for the pic)

Scott Mob wrote:

This kind of has a Holmes vibe to me😎 It's from an old Dragon magazine. (Hat tip to Wayne's books for the pic)

A handout I made for my "Return to the Tower of Zenopus" convention game --- a Player Map for the Zenopus Dungeon.

A handout I made for my "Return to the Tower of Zenopus" convention game --- a Player Map for the Zenopus Dungeon. It uses J. Eric Holmes' original drawing for the dungeon, but with the key removed. Use with the original or any sequel.

https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/player-map-for-zenopus-dungeon.html
https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/player-map-for-zenopus-dungeon.html

A handout I made for my In Search of the Brazen Head of Zenopus convention game --- a Player Map for the Zenopus...

A handout I made for my In Search of the Brazen Head of Zenopus convention game --- a Player Map for the Zenopus Dungeon. It uses J. Eric Holmes' original drawing for the dungeon, but with the key removed. Use with the original or any sequel. #brazenheadofzenopus

https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/player-map-for-zenopus-dungeon.html
https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/player-map-for-zenopus-dungeon.html

Big auction going on with a number of DCS and Roslof art pieces.

Big auction going on with a number of DCS and Roslof art pieces.
https://m.ebay.com/sch/the_collectors_trove/m.html?_sop=10&isRefine=true&_pgn=13&_nkw=seller:the_collectors_trove&_sasl=the_collectors_trove

Heads up, true believers: Luke's limited edition Garycon dice just went up for sale.

Heads up, true believers: Luke's limited edition Garycon dice just went up for sale. This set of 5 dice replicates the colors (and the 20-sided d10) of our beloved low-impact dice set. 500 sets are available, stock is already down to under 430. Note this is a pre-order. (I was very pleased with the Gary Con IX Dice Bag he offered this way a few years ago.)

https://garycon.com/http:/garycon.com/product-category/bazaar/roll-with-gary/
https://garycon.com/http:/garycon.com/product-category/bazaar/roll-with-gary/

Return to the Keep on the Borderlands has a mimic variant called the Shy Tower, this could be one of those

Return to the Keep on the Borderlands has a mimic variant called the Shy Tower, this could be one of those

Originally shared by Brett Slocum

The dread gazebo

https://www.etsy.com/listing/507077083/the-dread-gazebo-dd-game-piece#
https://www.etsy.com/listing/507077083/the-dread-gazebo-dd-game-piece#

A 1973 preview in Airfix Magazine - months before D&D was first published - of one of the earliest fantasy miniature...

A 1973 preview in Airfix Magazine - months before D&D was first published - of one of the earliest fantasy miniature lines, Mythical Earth by Minifigs. Tolkien was still alive when this was published! Read more here:

https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/1973-preview-of-mythical-earth-minifigs.html
https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/1973-preview-of-mythical-earth-minifigs.html

The earliest ad for the first Basic Set? From the 1977 Gen Con Souvenir Program. Read more here:

The earliest ad for the first Basic Set? From the 1977 Gen Con Souvenir Program. Read more here:
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/1977-gen-con-x-souvenir-program.html?m=0

The earliest ad for Holmes Basic?

The earliest ad for Holmes Basic? Found in the 1977 Gen Con X Souvenir Program, pics courtesy Demos Sachlas. Read more here:

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/1977-gen-con-x-souvenir-program.html
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2018/12/1977-gen-con-x-souvenir-program.html