Here's a great write-up by order99 on Dragonsfoot about how he expanded Holmes himself when he didn't have access to...

Here's a great write-up by order99 on Dragonsfoot about how he expanded Holmes himself when he didn't have access to any other D&D manuals. Lots of creative solutions.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1421299#p1421299

Downloaded Mazes & Perils (thanks for the link folks!) and gave a it quick skim.

Downloaded Mazes & Perils (thanks for the link folks!) and gave a it quick skim. Interesting to see what was included and what was not rules-wise. You've got your standard abilities and four player character races. Exceptional strength similar to AD&D was in there, which surprised me a bit. Race as class is out, with AD&D style class options and level limits. Initiative is Holmes style, by DEX. Options are included for variable HD types for classes, variable weapon damage (standard is everything does 1d6), and rolling dice for initiative rather than using DEX. Interesting approach, will have to give it a closer read when I get a chance.

Question for the collective.

Question for the collective.. There have been OSR adaptations of nearly every version of D&D ever released (Labyrinth Lord for B/X, OSRIC for AD&D, etc.) but I have yet to see an OSR adaptation of Holmes. Have I just not run across it, or does one not exist? If not, any theories why? (beyond the obvious that Holmes only covered lvls 1-3, and thus saw considerably less long term play)

Appendix N article on Black Gate

Thomas Bulfinch

"Appendix N" thoughts by James M, with a focus on the list in Moldvay, though Holmes is mentioned too.

http://www.blackgate.com/2013/09/24/sea-change/

Overview of the Manual of Aurania, 1977 non-TSR supplement for OD&D with new classes & monsters.

Overview of the Manual of Aurania, 1977 non-TSR supplement for OD&D with new classes & monsters.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-manual-of-aurania-1977.html

Magira Random Names

Daniel Boggs (Dragons at Dawn, Champions of ZED) adapted the Random Names table to generate names based on Magira, a German shared world for wargaming dating back to the '60s.

http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2013/09/random-names-magira-style.html

Today's post is a transcription of a new class for OD&D, Beornings, from the 1977 non-TSR publication, The Manual of...

Today's post is a transcription of a new class for OD&D, Beornings, from the 1977 non-TSR publication, The Manual of Aurania. Posted with the original author's permission.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/beornings.html