Just to give my readers a heads up of what to expect in the near future!
I am going to be posting reviews of clones of OD&D. I know most of them have been out for quite some time; however, I am going to do a review of several and then give you my take on which ones I like the best and why.
The ones that I am going to review are:
Swords & Wizardy - Whitebox edition
Swords & Wizardy - Core
Delving Deeper
Grey Matter
Iron Falcon
Seven Voyages of Zylarthen
Full Metal Plate Mail
There are others of course; however, I believe that these are a good place to start.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
James M. Ward, creator of Metamorphosis Alpha
James M. Ward, creator of Metamorphosis Alpha, TSR Alumni, and a great
guy has been in the hospital for about a month now due to complications
from diabetes. They've already removed part of his foot and going to
have more procedures done and he is hoping to avoid amputation. My wife
has diabetes and has already had issues with her feet and eyes, so I
really feel for Jim.
Jim is a freelancer and the medical bills are mounting, since a lot is not covered by insurance. Please visit his GoFundMe and help him out.
Go Fund Me for Jim Wards Medical Bills
Some of you may be interested in a 40th anniversary expansion for the world's first sci-fi RPG!
Metamorphosis Alpha: Epsilon City - Kickstarter Goodman Games
Jim is a freelancer and the medical bills are mounting, since a lot is not covered by insurance. Please visit his GoFundMe and help him out.
Go Fund Me for Jim Wards Medical Bills
Some of you may be interested in a 40th anniversary expansion for the world's first sci-fi RPG!
Metamorphosis Alpha: Epsilon City - Kickstarter Goodman Games
Monday, July 27, 2015
Review of a Greyhawk-Holmes Basic D&D based Adventure by R.C. Pinnell
Swamp Women
by R.C. Pinnell
For Novice to Intermediate Levels
3rd through 6th Levels
6-9 players
Click on the image to see a larger image!
Click on the image to see a larger image!
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this (Swamp Women) from Mr Pinnell to take a look at and offer feedback to him and now I am writing my review of the adventure having read all the way through it many times. I have reffed and played OD&D since the early fall of 1975. I will warn you that this is the first review I have attempted and I am trying to not give too much away so I may be light on the details some of you might like to see.
This scenario is intended to be run using the Holmes Basic D&D rules with the OD&D Greyhawk supplement. However, author also gives suggestions as to how to run the game under other Classic D&D rule-sets or their clones. Additional rules info that may be needed, depending on the rule-set you choose to use are found in the Appendices. Recommendations for the makeup of the adventuring party are also provided.
The background given is quite intriguing pitting a riverside community and its economic future against a matriarchal tribal society. A band of tribeswomen are on a religious vision quest unbeknownst to the villagers and that is what is creating the economic woes of the community.
A bit a getting started advice is given and then a bit more background of the community of Cragmore along with brief details of three major NPCs. Then a section of Gossip and Rumors is provided which is in my opinion, both highly entertaining and highly useful for the DM to provide the players with a lot of information which may or may not be entirely true. Again some very useful advice is given to the DM in how to use this information.
While there is a "plot" and "mission" there is room for a number of encounters within the map that are unrelated to either, which in my mind is a bonus.The various areas are well-described and their are excellent maps provided (and it would be easy to extend the main map if desired. The map is well indexed and several random encounter tables are provided. DMing advice is given in a number of location and in my mind is good sound advice.
I would suggest that a DM using this adventure should use some 3 x 5 note cards to make some salient notes for quick access during the game. In my opinion, this would be a very good adventure for a less experienced DM to run since a lot of general how to advice is given on using the adventure and that it lends itself to different levels of complexity in the ways it can be played. While it is designed for a lot of roleplaying, it can be run in other styles. If you are a starting a campaign and are going to combine homebrew with materials from other people, this would be a good way to get things started.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
To all who read this blog, your assistance is requested especially if
To all who read this blog, your assistance is requested especially if you live outside the USA or your first language is not English. I am getting ready to update a lot of my Old School Gaming Resource Links, which includes blogs, OSR games and other games, resource sites, publishers, fan magazines, and much more. I am interested in including links in as many languages as possible. Please post links to all of these kinds of things in the format of :
Name of the blog/game/site/etc. following by the link
Examples:
Delving Deeper http://forum.immersiveink.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=113
Aventuras en la Marca del Este http://www.lamarcadeleste.com/
I would like to extend all of my lists, including, but not limited to:
Ye Olde School List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You
Ye Olde School Fan Magazines
Ye Olde School Blogs
Ye Olde School Forum List
Ye Olde School Resource Sites
To include the maximum possible number of products both free and for sale, in all possible languages so that it theese lists will be of the maximum possible use to the maximum number of people.
If you would like to write a brief and concise informative statement about each item that would also be good. And it would be great if you identify the language you are posting in.
My deepest appreciation to anyone and everyone who contributes.
Name of the blog/game/site/etc. following by the link
Examples:
Delving Deeper http://forum.immersiveink.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=113
Aventuras en la Marca del Este http://www.lamarcadeleste.com/
I would like to extend all of my lists, including, but not limited to:
Ye Olde School List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You
Ye Olde School Fan Magazines
Ye Olde School Blogs
Ye Olde School Forum List
Ye Olde School Resource Sites
To include the maximum possible number of products both free and for sale, in all possible languages so that it theese lists will be of the maximum possible use to the maximum number of people.
If you would like to write a brief and concise informative statement about each item that would also be good. And it would be great if you identify the language you are posting in.
My deepest appreciation to anyone and everyone who contributes.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 018
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Bobbery-pack - A pack of hounds of different breeds, or oftener of no breed at all, wherewith young officers hunt jackals or the like; presumably so called from the noise and disturbance (known as a bobbery) that such a pack are apt to raise.
May-dew - The dew collected off the grass with sponges, used as a cosmetic. As late as the 1930's Scottish girls gathered May-dew at dawn during the month of May and partook of its beautifying virtues.
Joggs - On the outside of the church, strongly fixed to the wall, are the joggs. These were made use of, when the weekly market and the annual fair stood, to confine and punish those who had broken the peace, or used too much freedom with the property of others. The stocks were used for the feet and the joggs for the neck of the offender, in which he was confined at least during the time of the fair.
Album nigrum - The excrement of mice and rats, formerly used both externally and internally as a remedy, but now very properly abandoned.
Fence-month - The month during which, in England, hunting in any forest is prohibited. A month in which it is unlawful to hunt in the forest because in that month the female deers fawn; it begins fifteen days before Midsummer.
Bobbery-pack - A pack of hounds of different breeds, or oftener of no breed at all, wherewith young officers hunt jackals or the like; presumably so called from the noise and disturbance (known as a bobbery) that such a pack are apt to raise.
May-dew - The dew collected off the grass with sponges, used as a cosmetic. As late as the 1930's Scottish girls gathered May-dew at dawn during the month of May and partook of its beautifying virtues.
Joggs - On the outside of the church, strongly fixed to the wall, are the joggs. These were made use of, when the weekly market and the annual fair stood, to confine and punish those who had broken the peace, or used too much freedom with the property of others. The stocks were used for the feet and the joggs for the neck of the offender, in which he was confined at least during the time of the fair.
Album nigrum - The excrement of mice and rats, formerly used both externally and internally as a remedy, but now very properly abandoned.
Fence-month - The month during which, in England, hunting in any forest is prohibited. A month in which it is unlawful to hunt in the forest because in that month the female deers fawn; it begins fifteen days before Midsummer.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 017
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Snollygoster - A shrewd, unprincipled person, particularly a politician.
Twitter-light - formerly used instead of twilight.
bedchamber - meaning bedroom
Zafty- A person very easily imposed upon or taken advantage of.
Interlard - To put lard or fat between layers of meat. Metaphorically, to mix what is the solid part of the discourse with fulsome and irrelevant matter. Thus we say, "to interlard with oaths, compliments," etc.
Hemicrania lunatica - Pain in the head arising from changes in the moon.
Fulhams - Loaded dice are called high- and lowmen, or high and low fulhams, by Ben Jonson and other writers of his time, either because they were made at Fulham [between Kensington and the Thames, in London], or from that place being the resort of sharpers.
Snollygoster - A shrewd, unprincipled person, particularly a politician.
Twitter-light - formerly used instead of twilight.
bedchamber - meaning bedroom
Zafty- A person very easily imposed upon or taken advantage of.
Interlard - To put lard or fat between layers of meat. Metaphorically, to mix what is the solid part of the discourse with fulsome and irrelevant matter. Thus we say, "to interlard with oaths, compliments," etc.
Hemicrania lunatica - Pain in the head arising from changes in the moon.
Fulhams - Loaded dice are called high- and lowmen, or high and low fulhams, by Ben Jonson and other writers of his time, either because they were made at Fulham [between Kensington and the Thames, in London], or from that place being the resort of sharpers.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 016
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Groaning-cheese - Cheese provided on the occasion of child-birth. It was the practice to cut the groaning-cheese in the middle, and by degrees to form it into a large kind of ring, through which the child was passed on the day of christening.
Rat-rhyme - To repeat from memory without attaching any meaning to the words; anything repeated by rote. The fanciful idea that rats where commonly rhymed to death in Ireland arose probably from some metrical charm or incantation used there for that purpose.
Snapper-back - in foot-ball, a center rusher . . . Neither the snapper-back nor his opponent can take the ball out with the hand until it touches a third man.
Ruckle - A loose heap or pile; figuratively, a ruckle of bones, a very lean person.
Fowerty-frappers - Fireworks of any kind.
Simmiting - An inclination or fondness for a person of the opposite sex; related to simmity, to look after admiringly, to pay attention to.
Groaning-cheese - Cheese provided on the occasion of child-birth. It was the practice to cut the groaning-cheese in the middle, and by degrees to form it into a large kind of ring, through which the child was passed on the day of christening.
Rat-rhyme - To repeat from memory without attaching any meaning to the words; anything repeated by rote. The fanciful idea that rats where commonly rhymed to death in Ireland arose probably from some metrical charm or incantation used there for that purpose.
Snapper-back - in foot-ball, a center rusher . . . Neither the snapper-back nor his opponent can take the ball out with the hand until it touches a third man.
Ruckle - A loose heap or pile; figuratively, a ruckle of bones, a very lean person.
Fowerty-frappers - Fireworks of any kind.
Simmiting - An inclination or fondness for a person of the opposite sex; related to simmity, to look after admiringly, to pay attention to.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 015
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Cuckoo-ale - Ale drunk out of doors to welcome the cuckoo's return. The cuckoo was looked upon as the embodiment of spring in early times, and the weather was supposed to change as soon as it appeared.
Ragrowtering - Playing at romps, and thereby rumpling, roughening and tearing the clothes to rags, or playing the rogue in a wanton frolic; from ragery and rout, tumultus. Risking the damage of clothes by rude or rough personal handling in play.
Man of straw - The old clothes of a man, stuffed with straw; hence, an imaginary person, a person of little consequence put forward to deceive.
Tricked up and made fine; a metaphor taken from a horse's hounces, which is part of the furniture of a cart-horse which lies spread up on his collar.
Apple-john - An apple, so called from its being at maturity about St. John's Day, May 6 . . . Sometimes called the Apples of King John which, if correct, would militate against the notion about St. John's Day. . . In the United States there is a drink called apple-jack, which is apple or cider brandy.
Cuckoo-ale - Ale drunk out of doors to welcome the cuckoo's return. The cuckoo was looked upon as the embodiment of spring in early times, and the weather was supposed to change as soon as it appeared.
Ragrowtering - Playing at romps, and thereby rumpling, roughening and tearing the clothes to rags, or playing the rogue in a wanton frolic; from ragery and rout, tumultus. Risking the damage of clothes by rude or rough personal handling in play.
Man of straw - The old clothes of a man, stuffed with straw; hence, an imaginary person, a person of little consequence put forward to deceive.
Tricked up and made fine; a metaphor taken from a horse's hounces, which is part of the furniture of a cart-horse which lies spread up on his collar.
Apple-john - An apple, so called from its being at maturity about St. John's Day, May 6 . . . Sometimes called the Apples of King John which, if correct, would militate against the notion about St. John's Day. . . In the United States there is a drink called apple-jack, which is apple or cider brandy.
OD&D - The OSR and Innovation - A Few Thoughts
I have recently read Where Should the Innovation in the OSR Be - Rules or Settings? over at Tenkar's Tavern; Settings or Rules or Both and Why Not, Another Giveaway over at Gothridge Manor; and Innovation: settings, rules, or... what? over at Greyhawk Grognard and see also +Michael S, +Tim Shorts, +Joseph Bloch, and +James Spahn.
So I decided to weigh in with a few comments of my own.
Now before I comment I would like to establish exactly where I am coming from on this. As of this coming fall I will have been playing and reffing OD&D for 40 years. I don't consider myself to be part of the OSR, since for me there is nothing to revive, since I never left old school gaming and OD&D to begin with. For me it is as fresh and new as when I started. I have not played any of the retro-clones (see my list of those products Ye Olde School List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You!) but I have copies of the free ones and have looked through them for ideas. The ones that are for sale I am curious about, but not enough to spend money on them yet. I don't have any problem with anyone making money on their labor at all. But when it comes to new rulesets based on OD&D or Classic D&D, I want to look before I buy. That is just me, now if I like your ruleset - i.e. I find it readable and with no deal breakers then I might be enticed to purchase a product based on your ruleset. As I said, I am all about promoting OD&D - see The Ruins of Murkhill - True OD&D - Original Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Worlds for this blog and OD&D - Campaigns and House Rules Discussion for my forum.
Now on to my comments concerning the OSR and Innovation. The above noted essays on the noted blogs mentioned Empire of the Petal Throne, Blackmoor, Spears of the Dawn, Arrows of Indra, White Star, Carcosa and others.
Now the question of where should the innovation be Rules or Settings is to me fairly simple. IMO the main efforts for innovation should be going into settings, new spells and new monsters. Let me elaborate on this a bit, when it comes to new rules/house rules/rule sets I say keep them coming, write all of the clones, retro clones, retro games you want and I will happily use any new rule that looks like fun and if it does enhance fun I will keep it.
However, when it comes to settings and to me this does mean new spells and new monsters, I was surprised that no one mentioned The Arduin Grimoire (The Arduin Trilogy). Dave Hargrave started Arduin as an OD&D campaign and then when he published he was forced by TSR to change it from what was essentially an unofficial OD&D supplement into its own game. It was a extraordinary setting with many new spells and new monsters and it had all kinds of innovations many of which were brought out 20-25+ years later by others as new things, but they weren't new at all. So I say aspire to be the next "Arduin", be truly innovative in a way that goes way beyond just a new setting or a new spell or a new monsters, create something that really breaks the mold. Those are things worth buying!
But here is the thing for me, I am not going to use your setting the way you write it, I am going to mine it for ideas to mix with my own ideas and then use it IMC the same way I steal rules and use them IMC.
Over on my forum, I am encouraging people to post their campaign worlds and we have several that we have started and along with that, information about campaigns and game play. One fellow plays on a Jupiter sized world and it is a generation game that has been running for over 40 years and he is starting to post about the current characters that are 7 and a half real world years into circumnavigating the globe. To me that is something I want to read about and I hope it runs hundreds if not thousands of posts. Others are brand new worlds, some just beginning and I want to see where they go. I want to see things that stir me up and make me care.
I suppose that is really what I want from the OSR - not just your rules, settings, monsters and spells - I want to hear about your campaign and see your maps - I want to know what weird things your players did and the strange things they found when they explored your world. I want to see and read about things that I would not think of. I am not a deep thinker like some of the bloggers are, so just my 2 coppers.
So I decided to weigh in with a few comments of my own.
Now before I comment I would like to establish exactly where I am coming from on this. As of this coming fall I will have been playing and reffing OD&D for 40 years. I don't consider myself to be part of the OSR, since for me there is nothing to revive, since I never left old school gaming and OD&D to begin with. For me it is as fresh and new as when I started. I have not played any of the retro-clones (see my list of those products Ye Olde School List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You!) but I have copies of the free ones and have looked through them for ideas. The ones that are for sale I am curious about, but not enough to spend money on them yet. I don't have any problem with anyone making money on their labor at all. But when it comes to new rulesets based on OD&D or Classic D&D, I want to look before I buy. That is just me, now if I like your ruleset - i.e. I find it readable and with no deal breakers then I might be enticed to purchase a product based on your ruleset. As I said, I am all about promoting OD&D - see The Ruins of Murkhill - True OD&D - Original Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Worlds for this blog and OD&D - Campaigns and House Rules Discussion for my forum.
Now on to my comments concerning the OSR and Innovation. The above noted essays on the noted blogs mentioned Empire of the Petal Throne, Blackmoor, Spears of the Dawn, Arrows of Indra, White Star, Carcosa and others.
Now the question of where should the innovation be Rules or Settings is to me fairly simple. IMO the main efforts for innovation should be going into settings, new spells and new monsters. Let me elaborate on this a bit, when it comes to new rules/house rules/rule sets I say keep them coming, write all of the clones, retro clones, retro games you want and I will happily use any new rule that looks like fun and if it does enhance fun I will keep it.
However, when it comes to settings and to me this does mean new spells and new monsters, I was surprised that no one mentioned The Arduin Grimoire (The Arduin Trilogy). Dave Hargrave started Arduin as an OD&D campaign and then when he published he was forced by TSR to change it from what was essentially an unofficial OD&D supplement into its own game. It was a extraordinary setting with many new spells and new monsters and it had all kinds of innovations many of which were brought out 20-25+ years later by others as new things, but they weren't new at all. So I say aspire to be the next "Arduin", be truly innovative in a way that goes way beyond just a new setting or a new spell or a new monsters, create something that really breaks the mold. Those are things worth buying!
But here is the thing for me, I am not going to use your setting the way you write it, I am going to mine it for ideas to mix with my own ideas and then use it IMC the same way I steal rules and use them IMC.
Over on my forum, I am encouraging people to post their campaign worlds and we have several that we have started and along with that, information about campaigns and game play. One fellow plays on a Jupiter sized world and it is a generation game that has been running for over 40 years and he is starting to post about the current characters that are 7 and a half real world years into circumnavigating the globe. To me that is something I want to read about and I hope it runs hundreds if not thousands of posts. Others are brand new worlds, some just beginning and I want to see where they go. I want to see things that stir me up and make me care.
I suppose that is really what I want from the OSR - not just your rules, settings, monsters and spells - I want to hear about your campaign and see your maps - I want to know what weird things your players did and the strange things they found when they explored your world. I want to see and read about things that I would not think of. I am not a deep thinker like some of the bloggers are, so just my 2 coppers.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 014
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Settlers' matches - A name occasionally applied to the long pendulous strips of bark which hang from the Eucalyptus and other trees during decortication, and which, becoming exceedingly dry, are readily ignited and used as kindling wood.
Octogamie - Marrying eight times. From Latin ecto, and Old French gamie (marriage).
Purse Proud - Haughty on account of wealth.
Extranean - An outsider, stranger; one not belonging to a household . . . in the grammar school at Aberdeen, the extranean was one who had not gone through the regular curriculum from the lowest to the highest classes, but had come from other schools for the last quarter in order to get a final drill or finishing touch before going to compete for the university bursaries or scholarships.
Seeksorrow - One who contrives to give himself vexation.
Chair-days - A time of repose; the evening of life.
Crump - One that helps solicitors to affidavit- men and overseers . . . who, for a small sum will be bound or swear for anybody, on that occasion putting on good cloaths to make a good appearance, that bail may be accepted.
Settlers' matches - A name occasionally applied to the long pendulous strips of bark which hang from the Eucalyptus and other trees during decortication, and which, becoming exceedingly dry, are readily ignited and used as kindling wood.
Octogamie - Marrying eight times. From Latin ecto, and Old French gamie (marriage).
Purse Proud - Haughty on account of wealth.
Extranean - An outsider, stranger; one not belonging to a household . . . in the grammar school at Aberdeen, the extranean was one who had not gone through the regular curriculum from the lowest to the highest classes, but had come from other schools for the last quarter in order to get a final drill or finishing touch before going to compete for the university bursaries or scholarships.
Seeksorrow - One who contrives to give himself vexation.
Chair-days - A time of repose; the evening of life.
Crump - One that helps solicitors to affidavit- men and overseers . . . who, for a small sum will be bound or swear for anybody, on that occasion putting on good cloaths to make a good appearance, that bail may be accepted.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 013
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Snickle - A snare for birds, constructed of horsehair.
Invalid's table - At Yale college in former times, a table at which those who were not in health could obtain more nutritious food than was supplied at the common board.
Queer rooster - An informer that pretends to be sleeping, and thereby overhears the conversations of thieves in night cellars.
Fangast - A marriageable maid.
Quill-driver - A scrivener, a clerk, satirical phrase similar to "steel bar driver," a tailor.
Cramp-rings - Ring(s) made out of old coffin-lead , and worn as a preservative against cramp.
Aroint - A word of aversion, to a witch or infernal spirit, of which the etymology is uncertain . . . It occurs in Shakespeare's Macbeth, "Aroint thee, witch, the rump-fed ronyon cries"
Snickle - A snare for birds, constructed of horsehair.
Invalid's table - At Yale college in former times, a table at which those who were not in health could obtain more nutritious food than was supplied at the common board.
Queer rooster - An informer that pretends to be sleeping, and thereby overhears the conversations of thieves in night cellars.
Fangast - A marriageable maid.
Quill-driver - A scrivener, a clerk, satirical phrase similar to "steel bar driver," a tailor.
Cramp-rings - Ring(s) made out of old coffin-lead , and worn as a preservative against cramp.
Aroint - A word of aversion, to a witch or infernal spirit, of which the etymology is uncertain . . . It occurs in Shakespeare's Macbeth, "Aroint thee, witch, the rump-fed ronyon cries"
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 012
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Weeping-ripe - Ready to weep; ripe for weeping. A notion long prevailed in this country that it augured ill for a matrimonial alliance if the bride did not weep profusely at the wedding. As no witch could shed more than three tears , and those from her left eye only, a copious flood of tears gave assurance to the husband that the lady had not plighted her troth to Satan, and was no witch.
Shinnock - The game of shinny . . . resembling hockey, the and club used for the game.
Bog-oranges - Potatoes. A phrase perhaps derived from the term "Irish fruit, " which by some strange peculiarity has been applied to potatoes, for even the most ignorant Cockney could hardly believe that potatoes grow in a bog.
Gabriel's hounds - These phantom hounds, jet black and breathing flames . . . frequent bleak and dreary moors on tempestuous nights, and woe betide the unlucky wretch who chances to cross their path.
Weeping-ripe - Ready to weep; ripe for weeping. A notion long prevailed in this country that it augured ill for a matrimonial alliance if the bride did not weep profusely at the wedding. As no witch could shed more than three tears , and those from her left eye only, a copious flood of tears gave assurance to the husband that the lady had not plighted her troth to Satan, and was no witch.
Shinnock - The game of shinny . . . resembling hockey, the and club used for the game.
Bog-oranges - Potatoes. A phrase perhaps derived from the term "Irish fruit, " which by some strange peculiarity has been applied to potatoes, for even the most ignorant Cockney could hardly believe that potatoes grow in a bog.
Gabriel's hounds - These phantom hounds, jet black and breathing flames . . . frequent bleak and dreary moors on tempestuous nights, and woe betide the unlucky wretch who chances to cross their path.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 011
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Riding the hatch - In the district about the Land's End, a custom once prevailed known as riding the hatch. Persons suspected of immorality were mounted on the half-door (a Dutch door), which was then violently rocked until they fell off. If the accused fell into the house, he was judged to be innocent; if into the street, guilty.
Keak - A distortion or injury of the spine that causes deformity. It seems to have some affinity with the Cheshire word kench . . . "a twist or wrench, a strain or sprain." Our term, however, is never used but for a wrench in the spine.
Curglaff - the shock felt in bathing when one first plunges into the cold water; hence curgloff, panic struck.
Box harry - To live in a poor manner, or on credit. To go without food; to make a poor or coarse meal; to rough it; to take things as they are . . . Hence Boxharry-week, the blank week between pay-weeks when the workmen lived on credit or starved.
The phrase "to box Harry" probably means to box or fight, the devil.
Riding the hatch - In the district about the Land's End, a custom once prevailed known as riding the hatch. Persons suspected of immorality were mounted on the half-door (a Dutch door), which was then violently rocked until they fell off. If the accused fell into the house, he was judged to be innocent; if into the street, guilty.
Keak - A distortion or injury of the spine that causes deformity. It seems to have some affinity with the Cheshire word kench . . . "a twist or wrench, a strain or sprain." Our term, however, is never used but for a wrench in the spine.
Curglaff - the shock felt in bathing when one first plunges into the cold water; hence curgloff, panic struck.
Box harry - To live in a poor manner, or on credit. To go without food; to make a poor or coarse meal; to rough it; to take things as they are . . . Hence Boxharry-week, the blank week between pay-weeks when the workmen lived on credit or starved.
The phrase "to box Harry" probably means to box or fight, the devil.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 010
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Man-browed - Having hair growing between the eyebrows. Here is is deemed unlucky to meet a person thus marked, especially if the first one meets in the morning. Elsewhere, it is a favourable omen. The term, I suppose, has been primarily applied to a woman, as by this exuberance indicating something of a masculine character, having brows like a man.
Almner - An officer of a king or prince's house whose function is carefully to collect the fragments of meat and victuals and distribute them . . . and likewise to receive and faithfully distribute *cast horses, robes, money and other things given in alms. He ought also to excite the king with often admonitions, especially on festival days, to be bountiful in giving alms, and to beseech that his rich robes may not be given to parasites, maskers and stage-players.
*Cast Horses - A horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor reposition himself to roll the other way. A horse can be injured from this and have to be put down.
Water-quake - A disturbance of water caused by volcanic action.
Man-browed - Having hair growing between the eyebrows. Here is is deemed unlucky to meet a person thus marked, especially if the first one meets in the morning. Elsewhere, it is a favourable omen. The term, I suppose, has been primarily applied to a woman, as by this exuberance indicating something of a masculine character, having brows like a man.
Almner - An officer of a king or prince's house whose function is carefully to collect the fragments of meat and victuals and distribute them . . . and likewise to receive and faithfully distribute *cast horses, robes, money and other things given in alms. He ought also to excite the king with often admonitions, especially on festival days, to be bountiful in giving alms, and to beseech that his rich robes may not be given to parasites, maskers and stage-players.
*Cast Horses - A horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor reposition himself to roll the other way. A horse can be injured from this and have to be put down.
Water-quake - A disturbance of water caused by volcanic action.
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.CP3EVp8Q.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
A
horse can get stuck - or cast - in his stall. A horse is said to be
cast when he has lain down or rolled and managed to position himself
with his legs so close to the wall that he can neither get up nor
reposition himself to roll the other way. - See more at:
http://www.equisearch.com/article/help-your-cast-horse-your-horses-stall#sthash.oD9SwJPy.dpuf
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 009
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Resurrection Men - body-snatchers, those who broke open the coffins of the newly buried to supply the demands of the surgical and medical schools. The resurrectionist took the corpse naked, this being in law a misdemeanor, as opposed to a felony if garments were taken as well.
- First applied to Burke and Hare in 1829, who rifled graves to sell the bodies for dissection, and sometimes even murdered people for the same purpose.
Thraw - The Scots thought formerly, and may do still, that to die with what they call a thraw, that is, in pain and contortion, was an indication of having lived an ill life.
- To die with a thraw is reckoned an obvious indication of a bad conscience. When a person was secretly murdered, it was formerly believed that if the corpse were watched with certain mysterious ceremonies, the death-thraws would be reversed in its visage, and it would denounce the perpetrators and circumstances of the murder.
Scrofula - Hard swellings of the glandules of the neck and ears; the King's Evil - so called because it was thought that the touch of the King would cure it.
Resurrection Men - body-snatchers, those who broke open the coffins of the newly buried to supply the demands of the surgical and medical schools. The resurrectionist took the corpse naked, this being in law a misdemeanor, as opposed to a felony if garments were taken as well.
- First applied to Burke and Hare in 1829, who rifled graves to sell the bodies for dissection, and sometimes even murdered people for the same purpose.
Thraw - The Scots thought formerly, and may do still, that to die with what they call a thraw, that is, in pain and contortion, was an indication of having lived an ill life.
- To die with a thraw is reckoned an obvious indication of a bad conscience. When a person was secretly murdered, it was formerly believed that if the corpse were watched with certain mysterious ceremonies, the death-thraws would be reversed in its visage, and it would denounce the perpetrators and circumstances of the murder.
Scrofula - Hard swellings of the glandules of the neck and ears; the King's Evil - so called because it was thought that the touch of the King would cure it.
Monday, May 18, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 008
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Snuff-dipping - A mode of taking tobacco practiced by some of the lower class of women in the United States, consisting of dipping a brush among snuff and rubbing the teeth and gums with it.
Primovant - In ancient astronomy, that sphere which was supposed to carry the fixed stars in their daily motions, to which all the other orbs were attached.
Celibatist - A person who is unmarried.
Hungerslain - Having a famished appearance. The term is freely applied where circumstances hardly warrant it, as in the case of a family who occupy a large residence without having the means to provide suitable attendance.
Clapperclaw - to jangle and claw each other about. (from Dutch & German klappen, to strike.
- To tongue-beat, to scold.
- To scratch, maul, fight in an unskillful manner; generally used of women . . . Hence, clapperclaw, a noisy woman.
- A man having his face scratched by his wife is said to be "clapper-claad."
Snuff-dipping - A mode of taking tobacco practiced by some of the lower class of women in the United States, consisting of dipping a brush among snuff and rubbing the teeth and gums with it.
Primovant - In ancient astronomy, that sphere which was supposed to carry the fixed stars in their daily motions, to which all the other orbs were attached.
Celibatist - A person who is unmarried.
Hungerslain - Having a famished appearance. The term is freely applied where circumstances hardly warrant it, as in the case of a family who occupy a large residence without having the means to provide suitable attendance.
Clapperclaw - to jangle and claw each other about. (from Dutch & German klappen, to strike.
- To tongue-beat, to scold.
- To scratch, maul, fight in an unskillful manner; generally used of women . . . Hence, clapperclaw, a noisy woman.
- A man having his face scratched by his wife is said to be "clapper-claad."
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 007
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Daw, in common speech, is to awaken; to be dawed, to have shaken off sleep, to be fully awakened and to come to one's self out of a deep sleep.
Chilblains - An inflammation of the feet, hands, &c., occasioned by cold . . . Chilblains are treated by accustoming the parts to exposure, stimulant, terebinthinate and balsamic washes.
To thrash chilblains with holly is an old-fashioned cure, but in some places it is only efficacious if the feet are crossed during the painful operation.
Snoutfair - A person with a handsome countenance.
Screevers - Writers of false or exaggerated accounts of afflictions and privations . . . professional begging-letter writers. Persons who write begging-letters for others sometimes, though seldom, beg themselves. They are, in many cases, well supported by the fraternity for whom they write. A professional of this kind is called by the cadgers their "man of business." Their histories vary as much as their abilities, generally speaking, they have been clerks, teachers, shopmen, reduced gentlemen, or the illegitimate sons of members of the aristocracy, while others, after receiving a liberal education, have broken away from parental control and commenced the profession in early life, and will probably pursue it to their graves.
Daw, in common speech, is to awaken; to be dawed, to have shaken off sleep, to be fully awakened and to come to one's self out of a deep sleep.
Chilblains - An inflammation of the feet, hands, &c., occasioned by cold . . . Chilblains are treated by accustoming the parts to exposure, stimulant, terebinthinate and balsamic washes.
To thrash chilblains with holly is an old-fashioned cure, but in some places it is only efficacious if the feet are crossed during the painful operation.
Snoutfair - A person with a handsome countenance.
Screevers - Writers of false or exaggerated accounts of afflictions and privations . . . professional begging-letter writers. Persons who write begging-letters for others sometimes, though seldom, beg themselves. They are, in many cases, well supported by the fraternity for whom they write. A professional of this kind is called by the cadgers their "man of business." Their histories vary as much as their abilities, generally speaking, they have been clerks, teachers, shopmen, reduced gentlemen, or the illegitimate sons of members of the aristocracy, while others, after receiving a liberal education, have broken away from parental control and commenced the profession in early life, and will probably pursue it to their graves.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 006
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Clock-faces - A favorite name for the small circles of ice formed upon a pool when it begins to freeze over.
Bundling - Bundling used to be a widely diffused Welsh custom before marriage. (It was also practiced in the American south up through the 1800's and perhaps longer in some areas) The betrothed or engaged pair went to bed or more frequently lay together, in their clothes . . . Even among families of good position it is tacitly recognized and tolerated, and it was at the outset the product of the clothed state, where touch had to play the part of sight in the unclothed. It is a rigorous condition that no liberty be taken with the dress. Prudent mothers gave daughters approaching bundling age a "courting-stocking" completely covering the girl's body from the waist downwards, with room for both legs within it; such stockings . . . were often heirlooms.
Bundling boards - A wooden board the length of the bed and 8-12 inches in width that was placed upright in the bed between the bundling couple.
Drink-meat - Ale boiled, thickened with oatmeal, and spiced.
Town-bull - It was formerly the custom to keep a bull for the common use of the town.
Clock-faces - A favorite name for the small circles of ice formed upon a pool when it begins to freeze over.
Bundling - Bundling used to be a widely diffused Welsh custom before marriage. (It was also practiced in the American south up through the 1800's and perhaps longer in some areas) The betrothed or engaged pair went to bed or more frequently lay together, in their clothes . . . Even among families of good position it is tacitly recognized and tolerated, and it was at the outset the product of the clothed state, where touch had to play the part of sight in the unclothed. It is a rigorous condition that no liberty be taken with the dress. Prudent mothers gave daughters approaching bundling age a "courting-stocking" completely covering the girl's body from the waist downwards, with room for both legs within it; such stockings . . . were often heirlooms.
Bundling boards - A wooden board the length of the bed and 8-12 inches in width that was placed upright in the bed between the bundling couple.
Drink-meat - Ale boiled, thickened with oatmeal, and spiced.
Town-bull - It was formerly the custom to keep a bull for the common use of the town.
Friday, May 15, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 005
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Gull-groper - A bystander that lends money to the gamesters.
Blutterbunged - confounded, overcome by surprise.
Minnock - To affect delicacy, to ape the manners of one's superiors.
Word-wanton - Obscene in speech.
Taghairm - A wild species of magic was practiced in the district of Trotternish that was attended with a horrible solemnity. A family who pretended to oracular knowledge ... was sewed up in the hide of an ox and , to add to the ceremony, was placed on a precipice beside a waterfall. The trembling enquirer was brought to the place where the shade and the roaring of the waters increased the dread of the occasion. The question is put, and the person in the hide delivers his answer. And so ends this species of divination styled taghairm.
Vomitory - a door of a large building by which the crowd is let out; from the Latin vomitorious.
Gull-groper - A bystander that lends money to the gamesters.
Blutterbunged - confounded, overcome by surprise.
Minnock - To affect delicacy, to ape the manners of one's superiors.
Word-wanton - Obscene in speech.
Taghairm - A wild species of magic was practiced in the district of Trotternish that was attended with a horrible solemnity. A family who pretended to oracular knowledge ... was sewed up in the hide of an ox and , to add to the ceremony, was placed on a precipice beside a waterfall. The trembling enquirer was brought to the place where the shade and the roaring of the waters increased the dread of the occasion. The question is put, and the person in the hide delivers his answer. And so ends this species of divination styled taghairm.
Vomitory - a door of a large building by which the crowd is let out; from the Latin vomitorious.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 004
Continuing the list of olde archaic words for your enjoyment and enlightenment:
Duck-shoving - A cabman's phrase. In Melbourne, before the days of the trams, the wagonette-cabs used to run by a time-table from fixed stations at so much a passenger. A cabman who did not wait his turn on the station rank, but touted passengers up and down the street in the neighbourhood of the rank, was called a duck-shover.
Fumbler - An unperforming husband, one that is insufficient: Fumbler's Hall, the place where such are to be put for their nonperformance.
Sal ammoniac - a volatile salt of two kinds. The ancient type was a native salt generated in inns where pilgrims ... used to lodge, who traveling upon camels, urinating in the stables; out of this urine arose a kind of salt, denominated ammoniac. The modern sal ammoniac is entirely factitious, and made in Egypt with soot, a little sea salt, and the urine of cattle.
Grave-merels - It is thought unlucky on the Borders to tread on the graves of unbaptized children ... He who steps on the grave of a stillborn or unbaptized child, subjects himself to the disease of grave-merels. ...There is a remedy for the grave-merels, though not of easy attainment. It lies in the wearing of a sark, thus prepared: The lint must be grown in a field which shall be manured by a farmyard heap that has not been disturbed for forty years. it must be spunby an old Habbitrot, that queen of spinsters, it must be bleached by an honest bleacher, in an honest miller's milldam, and sewed by an honest tailor. On donning this mysterious vestment, the sufferer will at once regain his health and strength.
Duck-shoving - A cabman's phrase. In Melbourne, before the days of the trams, the wagonette-cabs used to run by a time-table from fixed stations at so much a passenger. A cabman who did not wait his turn on the station rank, but touted passengers up and down the street in the neighbourhood of the rank, was called a duck-shover.
Fumbler - An unperforming husband, one that is insufficient: Fumbler's Hall, the place where such are to be put for their nonperformance.
Sal ammoniac - a volatile salt of two kinds. The ancient type was a native salt generated in inns where pilgrims ... used to lodge, who traveling upon camels, urinating in the stables; out of this urine arose a kind of salt, denominated ammoniac. The modern sal ammoniac is entirely factitious, and made in Egypt with soot, a little sea salt, and the urine of cattle.
Grave-merels - It is thought unlucky on the Borders to tread on the graves of unbaptized children ... He who steps on the grave of a stillborn or unbaptized child, subjects himself to the disease of grave-merels. ...There is a remedy for the grave-merels, though not of easy attainment. It lies in the wearing of a sark, thus prepared: The lint must be grown in a field which shall be manured by a farmyard heap that has not been disturbed for forty years. it must be spunby an old Habbitrot, that queen of spinsters, it must be bleached by an honest bleacher, in an honest miller's milldam, and sewed by an honest tailor. On donning this mysterious vestment, the sufferer will at once regain his health and strength.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 003
Some more olde words to lighten up your day and stimulate your thinking!
Duck's dinner - A drink of water without anything to eat.
Wolfshead - An outlaw, meaning a person who might be killed with impunity, like a wolf.
Shoot the moon - To remove furniture from a house in the middle of the night without paying the landlord.
Shuttle-gathering - An expedient for stopping weaving factories without breaking the machinery. The shuttles from the looms were forcibly gathered and taken away by the discounted weavers and, as they could not be replaced for several weeks, business had to be suspended.
Eyeshot - sight, glance, view. Hence, eye-reach, the range or reach of the eye; extent of vision.
Duck's dinner - A drink of water without anything to eat.
Wolfshead - An outlaw, meaning a person who might be killed with impunity, like a wolf.
Shoot the moon - To remove furniture from a house in the middle of the night without paying the landlord.
Shuttle-gathering - An expedient for stopping weaving factories without breaking the machinery. The shuttles from the looms were forcibly gathered and taken away by the discounted weavers and, as they could not be replaced for several weeks, business had to be suspended.
Eyeshot - sight, glance, view. Hence, eye-reach, the range or reach of the eye; extent of vision.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 002
Continuing on with some of these fun archaic words:
Pixilated - Led astray, as if by pixies; confused, bewildered. Also intoxicated.
Pixilated - An early American expression derived from the word pixies, meaning elves. They would say, "The pixies have got him, " as we nowadays (1930's) would say a man is balmy.
Pixilated - To use the word in the sense of crazy is not correct. A Vermonter would not hesitate to use crazy if that conveyed his meaning. A pixilated man is one whose whimseys are not understood by practical-minded people ... More nearly a synonym of 'whimsical.'
Tree-geese - A name given to barnacles, from their supposed metamorphosis into geese.
Fiddler's green - A name given by sailors to their dancehouses and other places of frolic on shore; sailors' paradise.
Pixilated - Led astray, as if by pixies; confused, bewildered. Also intoxicated.
Pixilated - An early American expression derived from the word pixies, meaning elves. They would say, "The pixies have got him, " as we nowadays (1930's) would say a man is balmy.
Pixilated - To use the word in the sense of crazy is not correct. A Vermonter would not hesitate to use crazy if that conveyed his meaning. A pixilated man is one whose whimseys are not understood by practical-minded people ... More nearly a synonym of 'whimsical.'
Tree-geese - A name given to barnacles, from their supposed metamorphosis into geese.
Fiddler's green - A name given by sailors to their dancehouses and other places of frolic on shore; sailors' paradise.
OD&D - Old Forgotten English Words - 001
When you play OD&D do you ever throw in any old archaic words for flavor. Not everyone's players would appreciate it, I am sure; however, many of us enjoy words and play many different word games. I am a Scrabble fan myself; however, when I play I have one house rule - if an English word appears in any dictionary I can access the word is valid. When you play Scrabble using the OED and others it greatly increases the number of words available.
Here are a few archaic words, how many do you know?
Sough - the sound of the wind amongst the trees, the sound of one sleeping.
Sic-Sic - Said to pigs when called to the trough by those who think little that they are speaking pure Saxon, in which sic is pig.
Pulpatoon - A dish made of rabbits, fowl, etc., in a crust of forced meat.
Forced Meat - Minced and highly seasoned meat.
Martingale - A gambling term which means the doubling of a stake every time you lose, so that when you win once, you win back all that you have lost. So called from the fact that, as in all fair games you must win once, you have a safe hold of fortune. The difficulty is to obtain a bank large enough to do this effectively ... in a fair game.
Curtain-lecture - A lecture or homily delivered by a wife to her husband when in bed, upon the shortcomings and errors of his daily life.
Here are a few archaic words, how many do you know?
Sough - the sound of the wind amongst the trees, the sound of one sleeping.
Sic-Sic - Said to pigs when called to the trough by those who think little that they are speaking pure Saxon, in which sic is pig.
Pulpatoon - A dish made of rabbits, fowl, etc., in a crust of forced meat.
Forced Meat - Minced and highly seasoned meat.
Martingale - A gambling term which means the doubling of a stake every time you lose, so that when you win once, you win back all that you have lost. So called from the fact that, as in all fair games you must win once, you have a safe hold of fortune. The difficulty is to obtain a bank large enough to do this effectively ... in a fair game.
Curtain-lecture - A lecture or homily delivered by a wife to her husband when in bed, upon the shortcomings and errors of his daily life.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
OD&D - Dave Arneson passed away on April 7th of 2009 and I missed it!
Dave Arneson passed away on April 7th of 2009 and I missed the date. Fortunately there are others out there who are better at keeping track of things than I am. More on that in a moment. Has it really been 6 years since Dave Arneson passed away? I never played in one of his games, but by all accounts it would have been an incredible experience as he was a highly gifted referee. He was brilliant and creating Blackmoor which lead directly to OD&D was the leap of inspiration that no one else made. Would someone else have eventually made that leap, likely yes, but he did it first.
Fortunately Bruno Galan over at Eye Ray of the Beholder is better at remembering things than I am. So go to his blog and read Thank You For Everything, Dave Arneson and thank him for remembering what many of us did not.
I also missed that Gary Gygax the co-creator of OD&D passed away on March 4th of 2008 and that M.A.R Barker the creator of Tékumel: The World of the Petal Throne passed away on March 16th of 2012. Both of these were brilliant men and great referees. I also regularly miss the fact that Dave Hargrave the creator of Arduin passed away on August 29th of 1988 (a man that was ahead of his time as he walked directly in the gonzo footsteps of Dave Arneson). To all reports he was also a highly gifted referee. These men not only created games, but they knew how to play them in legendary fashion. They should all be remembered and honored. I again thank Bruno Galan for reminding me of that.
Fortunately Bruno Galan over at Eye Ray of the Beholder is better at remembering things than I am. So go to his blog and read Thank You For Everything, Dave Arneson and thank him for remembering what many of us did not.
I also missed that Gary Gygax the co-creator of OD&D passed away on March 4th of 2008 and that M.A.R Barker the creator of Tékumel: The World of the Petal Throne passed away on March 16th of 2012. Both of these were brilliant men and great referees. I also regularly miss the fact that Dave Hargrave the creator of Arduin passed away on August 29th of 1988 (a man that was ahead of his time as he walked directly in the gonzo footsteps of Dave Arneson). To all reports he was also a highly gifted referee. These men not only created games, but they knew how to play them in legendary fashion. They should all be remembered and honored. I again thank Bruno Galan for reminding me of that.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
OD&D - The Original Intended Audience & Basic Assumptions - 04 - Even More Follow Up
I wanted to do a follow-up from some of the comments I received on this topic for those who may have missed it.
hedgehobbit wrote:
Role-playing is about the experience and not "the character".
Role-playing is a tool that is used to allow the player to experience, as much as possible while sitting at a table in a basement, what it would be like to actually be a character in a dark dungeon surrounded by monsters. Today, there's the assumption that the player creates a character that has goals, likes/dislikes, and behaviors that are entirely separate and distinct from the player. That wasn't always the case. As a result OD&D doesn't have rules like personality mechanics, social skill, social "combat", etc as those things would distract from the player's ability to experience the world first hand.
+Gordon Cooper made this reply:
One of the things hedgehobbit has observed from reading about OD&D is that "Role-playing is about the experience and not 'the character,'" and that "As a result OD&D doesn't have personality mechanics, social skill, social 'combat...'"
I'd argue that role-playing has been about both from the beginning, and how much any individual player or referee is concerned about the virtual experience vs. faithfully portraying a character has always been a balance (or lack thereof) based on his or her preferences. Not everyone needs social interaction rules or role-playing compliance rules (I sure don't), but even OD&D had alignment rules, and you can bet the original players enjoyed hamming it up as their characters. Heck, they were inspired to do it in the first place from the proto-role-playing they did when they were playing miniature war games. As a war gamer, you might not even sympathize with your side, but it's often more fun to pretend you do and try to think and make decisions like the military leader you are representing. It's a purely voluntary form of playing "in character," with no codification necessary.
I find that I am in agreement with +Gordon Cooper on this particular point. I would be interested in more comments.
Google + and People who post NSFW stuff
I really hate to have to remove people from my circles, especially when I like the majority of what they post. But when they insist on posting NSFW stuff they leave me no choice. It is not about being a prude or censorship, its about common decency and common sense.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
OD&D - The Original Intended Audience & Basic Assumptions - 03 - More Follow Up
Another thing that occurred to me while we are on this subject is that
so many people object to Descending Armor Class. As many know the
founders were familiar with other games that used Descending Armor Class
IIRC in regard to ships. So again it comes down to background.
In my case I grew up on a farm and here are two quick examples: Shotguns come in .410, 32 Gauge, 28 Gauge, 24 Gauge, 20 Gauge, 18 Gauge, 16 Gauge, 15 Gauge, 12 Gauge, 11 Gauge, 10 Gauge, 8 Gauge, 4 Gauge, 3 Gauge and 2 Gauge. Some of these are rare, uncommon, or collector only and the .410 is roughly 67 Gauge. In shotguns the smaller the number the larger the diameter of the bore.
A similar situation exists with wire gauge. Wire gauge runs from 0000, 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, ... ... 37, 38, 39, 40. With 40 being the smallest and 0000 the largest.
These are two real world examples that I dealt with from early childhood, which made Descending Armor Class simple to both understand and to learn.
In my case I grew up on a farm and here are two quick examples: Shotguns come in .410, 32 Gauge, 28 Gauge, 24 Gauge, 20 Gauge, 18 Gauge, 16 Gauge, 15 Gauge, 12 Gauge, 11 Gauge, 10 Gauge, 8 Gauge, 4 Gauge, 3 Gauge and 2 Gauge. Some of these are rare, uncommon, or collector only and the .410 is roughly 67 Gauge. In shotguns the smaller the number the larger the diameter of the bore.
A similar situation exists with wire gauge. Wire gauge runs from 0000, 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, ... ... 37, 38, 39, 40. With 40 being the smallest and 0000 the largest.
These are two real world examples that I dealt with from early childhood, which made Descending Armor Class simple to both understand and to learn.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
OD&D - The Original Intended Audience & Basic Assumptions - 02 - Follow Up
As a follow up to my previous post I present the following quoted from my forum: These guys are way more articulate that I am:
Mr Darke over on my forum started a new thread:
Another poster jmccann rightly noted the following in regard to Point 6 above:
And then another poster wrote:
hedgehobbit wrote:
Mr Darke over on my forum started a new thread:
This is coming off a mention that The Perilous Dreamer and I had in this thread. For those that do not want to read it, we hit on something that had been missed in the standard set of assumptions by OD&D and, by extension, the OD&D clones. This could serve to explain why there can be such a disconnect between players of later editions and the game or the belief that the rules are somehow incomplete or hard to follow. Rather than give a lengthy discussion on this I will start with what I have noticed.
Point 1: Chainmail
It is assumed in the LBBs that the Player/DM will have a copy of Chainmail as well as D&D. While many of us know this it is overlooked to the point that the clones mostly use the alternative combat system. However, Chainmail was a part of the game from the beginning and was later removed. Most of the clones out there did not port this over to their game and I do feel something was lost.
Point 2: Experienced Gamers
D&D was not written for novice gamers. Besides Chainmail, there seems to be an assumption that the players would be gamers of some stripe. For the most part, I feel this would be miniature games but games like those of Avalon Hill could be included. The game was not written for , nor geared to, novice players. While a DM could teach from it, this would take patience on his part especially with non-gamers.
Point 3: Well Read
I thought of splitting this up into two points but one will serve. The assumption here is that those playing would be versed in fantasy and S&S literature as well as history. Notice there are no descriptions of equipment, armor or weapons? I believe that this was an issue of space but also an issue of believing that players would know what the equipment was or would look them up. This would also serve in creating the campaign and adventure.
Point 4: Older Players
With the above we can guess that the target D&D player was much older than what we see now. High School and College age would be the low end of the scale here with the higher end going well into adulthood. This would maximize the above points and their potential. It was not until later that the game was geared to a younger audience and this leads me to believe D&D's target audience was at least 18 to 20 years old.
Point 5: Everything Else was to be Added by the Group
Older players would have the time, resources, and knowledge to make their own additions to the game. With systems under their belts, a miniature collection and knowing how rules work the idea would be that any additions would be made in group. Yes, the supplements were planned as were articles from Strategic Review and The Dragon. However, this would not trump the assumption that many things would come from in group and would be shared by others.
Point 6: Times and Culture
The original game was a product of its time and culture. If you look at what was used for the game and the amount of time a player would have to create there is a disconnect between 1974 and 2015. We have less time to work on leisure, game aids like miniatures are a lot more rare and many of the toys and figures used in those days do not exist anymore.
There was also little to no gaming consoles, VCRs or DVDs were not around and television only had a few channels. The amount of media we consumed was a lot less and time was more available to work on the hobby. Now we are in a place where every minute of your time is demanded for something and entertainment screams at you from all sides. Its far easier to fire up Final Fantasy than it is to create a campaign and find players.
The above are just what I have seen and observed as well as things that the clone makers need to take into account. While some of these can be worked on, the final point is one we have to make ourselves.
I would love to hear how you guys see this.
Another poster jmccann rightly noted the following in regard to Point 6 above:
Point 6: Times and Culturejmccann wrote:
We have less time to work on leisure, game aids like miniatures are a lot more rare and many of the toys and figures used in those days do not exist anymore.
I agree with a lot of your points, but I don't think this is correct at all. By the late 70s, there were many lines of fantasy miniatures as well as historical, but there are many, many more fantasy miniatures available today than during the mid-70s. A lot of early D&D groups did a lot of conversions. And miniatures are a lot easier to get due to the internet today.
As for toys and figures, yes, a lot from back then are out of production, but I am pretty sure there is way more choice now, and w/ ebay, you can often get older stuff. So I really dispute this part of post.
And then another poster wrote:
hedgehobbit wrote:
Here are a list of assumptions I've discovered since first looking at early D&D:
Game club-style open table sessions
Whomever shows up (or is invited) that session plays. There isn't a "party" except for whomever is currently at the table. As a result, XP is earned individually and class-v-class balance is much less important. The character's are not assumed to all be the same level.
Role-playing is about the experience and not "the character".
Role-playing is a tool that is used to allow the player to experience, as much as possible while sitting at a table in a basement, what it would be like to actually be a character in a dark dungeon surrounded by monsters. Today, there's the assumption that the player creates a character that has goals, likes/dislikes, and behaviors that are entirely separate and distinct from the player. That wasn't always the case. As a result OD&D doesn't have rules like personality mechanics, social skill, social "combat", etc as those things would distract from the player's ability to experience the world first hand.
The setting takes precedence over everything
The setting is persistent and of supreme importance. Everything else, the rules, the party, the character classes, equipment lists are subservient. The game world isn't generated during a special pre-game session and isn't beholden to character traits like "one unique thing" or "Icons" etc. [None of that would make sense considering the above.]
Encounter balance is about choice, not fair fights
The deeper you go, the harder it gets. Players choose the difficulty level of the campaign by the actions their characters make. The DM isn't responsible to make sure the players always win.
Zero to Hero (if you're lucky)
Because there is no party per se, it's up to each individual to make his or her way up to the top. Achieving name level is a goal and a difficult task. It isn't something that all characters will eventually get to just by showing up. XP is NOT a pacing mechanic.
These three posters I believe have covered the subject thoroughly and completely and much better than I could since I am so close to the subject that I just assume so much of the above is just the way it is and don't generally realize how remarkable it really is.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
OD&D - The Original Intended Audience & Basic Assumptions - 01
When OD&D was first published back in January of 1974 there were some basic things that are usually overlooked. The common view point these days is that OD&D is essentially the same as the later versions, just not as well organized and full of unpolished stuff. I have always viewed OD&D as radically different from all of the versions that followed. I did have never viewed the later versions as being better organized not as having filled in holes in the rules or as having resolved ambiguities. I have always viewed those later versions as fixing things that were not broken. However, I believe that the difference in viewpoint is due to a number of things that are not being considered. This post has developed out of a discussion over on my forum.
The title of the game is:
So the game in the very beginning had an intended target audience of adults and not just any adults. The target audience were adults who played wargames set in the medieval period who also had an interest in fantasy. Adults who were well read in fantasy, history and played wargame(s). This is very much a niche audience. History shows us that the game sold and because of that was distributed and came to the attention of many who did not belong to the niche described by those four things: not all were adults, not all were wargamers, not all were students of history, although the majority were into fantasy. This resulted in a flood of questions being sent into TSR that initially baffled Gary Gygax and his staff, since they were used to people like themselves that played wargame(s) and were used to house-ruling things during the course of play. They did not understand why so many people needed help imagining things and creating things.
Because of this additional audience AD&D was written that defined way more things and tried to answer most of the common questions with rules. For this and a number of other reasons the Holmes, B/X and BECMI D&D versions were created and these were for market reasons aimed at a much younger audience that were not wargamers, were not well-read in fantasy or history and that resulted in what I consider a completely different game from OD&D.
To quote Mr Darke on my forum:
The title of the game is:
Dungeons & Dragons - Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures
So the game in the very beginning had an intended target audience of adults and not just any adults. The target audience were adults who played wargames set in the medieval period who also had an interest in fantasy. Adults who were well read in fantasy, history and played wargame(s). This is very much a niche audience. History shows us that the game sold and because of that was distributed and came to the attention of many who did not belong to the niche described by those four things: not all were adults, not all were wargamers, not all were students of history, although the majority were into fantasy. This resulted in a flood of questions being sent into TSR that initially baffled Gary Gygax and his staff, since they were used to people like themselves that played wargame(s) and were used to house-ruling things during the course of play. They did not understand why so many people needed help imagining things and creating things.
Because of this additional audience AD&D was written that defined way more things and tried to answer most of the common questions with rules. For this and a number of other reasons the Holmes, B/X and BECMI D&D versions were created and these were for market reasons aimed at a much younger audience that were not wargamers, were not well-read in fantasy or history and that resulted in what I consider a completely different game from OD&D.
To quote Mr Darke on my forum:
This also may be why OD&D and the clones can be hard to grasp for newer players, especially those coming from newer D&D editions. While you can clone the rules you cannot clone the assumption that a player or DM would have a working knowledge of the Hundred Years War, Howard's Conan tales or know how medieval weaponry worked. This is something to think on and something I think those that make the clones need to consider.I agree with this and I believe that he hit the proverbial nail on the head.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)