TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Ron said:

Nice try but wouldn't you agree that some real world politicians positions or alliances are quite close to service to evil entities? I am pretty sure that some of the clearly evil men of history thought they were just using extreme methods to extreme situations but, still, they were working toward the greater good.

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Nice try nothing

We are speaking of actual historical societies here, not the individuals that have gheaded them up. without doubt many of them have been purely malign and wholly evil, but they does not mean that the populace at large believed that they were serving the malign and evil.

If Caligula, Hitler, Atilla the Hun, Genghis Khan, Tammerlane, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot thought they were working for a greater good, then Lord save us all from such do-gooders

Cheers,
Gary

At the risk of interrupting the current tension convention, I have some more mundane GH-focused questions with which to annoy our good and gracious respondent.

And once more, Mr. Gygax, both my profound thanks for taking the time to answer, and apologies if these are issues which have been raised before.

In "The Village of Hommlet," you refer to the Druidical religion as "The Old Faith" in several places. Yet this never seemed to have been more fully developed. Can you elaborate on the relationship between the Druidical "Old Faith" and the (presumably) newer Clerical religions in the Flanaess? Is this simply a facet that never got fully explored? Would that be the Flan faith (with the attendent implication that the Flannae deities were served originally by druids rather than clerics)?

A similar question in regards to the Baklunish religion. I do recall that the full development of the Bakluni faith was something intended, but never realized, but had you put any thought into how such a thing might be, even if such never appeared in print? Did you envision a new class of Baklunish priests, whose foreign (non-Oeridian/Suloise) religion was supported by a priesthood of different nature than either the Clerics or the Druids? One can only wonder at the features of the Imam class...

And, as long as I'm on this particular bent, if the Gods and Goddesses of different religions, how did you envision the spill-over of certain deities (Istus, etc.) from one pantheon to the other? Could there, for example, be both clerics and druids of Obad-Hai?

And, finally for this round, could you give some insight into the nature of the Golden Man who haunted the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk? I've heard various conflicting stories about it being a trick, an illusion, something to distract the players with an impossible-to-gain treasure, and so forth. I've even heard that it was in fact the Jeweled Man rather than the Golden Man, but I daresay the former is something that I read from your own pen, and the latter not.

Thanks again.

Thulcondar

Thulcondar said:

At the risk of interrupting the current tension convention, I have some more mundane GH-focused questions with which to annoy our good and gracious respondent.

And once more, Mr. Gygax, both my profound thanks for taking the time to answer, and apologies if these are issues which have been raised before.

In "The Village of Hommlet," you refer to the Druidical religion as "The Old Faith" in several places. Yet this never seemed to have been more fully developed. Can you elaborate on the relationship between the Druidical "Old Faith" and the (presumably) newer Clerical religions in the Flanaess? Is this simply a facet that never got fully explored? Would that be the Flan faith (with the attendent implication that the Flannae deities were served originally by druids rather than clerics)?

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My pleasure to oblige.

The implication in regards "The Old Faith" is that it was a shamanistic religion that had no formal pantheon of deities. The original inhabitants, the Flan, were indeed those that were the pribnciple adgerants to that belief system. It wasn't explored because it was not particularly meaningful to the module or the setting

A similar question in regards to the Baklunish religion. I do recall that the full development of the Bakluni faith was something intended, but never realized, but had you put any thought into how such a thing might be, even if such never appeared in print? Did you envision a new class of Baklunish priests, whose foreign (non-Oeridian/Suloise) religion was supported by a priesthood of different nature than either the Clerics or the Druids? One can only wonder at the features of the Imam class...

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The plan was to introduce a new pantheon of deities. Obviously that never eventuated...nor will it ever unless WotC decides to do so.

And, as long as I'm on this particular bent, if the Gods and Goddesses of different religions, how did you envision the spill-over of certain deities (Istus, etc.) from one pantheon to the other? Could there, for example, be both clerics and druids of Obad-Hai?

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Pretty much the same as happened in actuality in ancient times here on earth. Adonis and Isus, for example, were made a part of a pantheon previously foreign to them, In AD&D terms that would simply make the deity in question that much more potent.

IMO druids do not serve any deity other than Nature and its manifestations.

And, finally for this round, could you give some insight into the nature of the Golden Man who haunted the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk? I've heard various conflicting stories about it being a trick, an illusion, something to distract the players with an impossible-to-gain treasure, and so forth. I've even heard that it was in fact the Jeweled Man rather than the Golden Man, but I daresay the former is something that I read from your own pen, and the latter not.

Thanks again.

Thulcondar

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Details of The Disappearing Jeweld Man? Certainly not! That subject will be discussed in general terms in one of the forthcoming Castle Zagyg Dungeons modules, but even there I do not intend to reveal how that encounter operated in my original campaign

Cheers,
Gary

Col_Pladoh said:

The real test comes tomorrow aganst those rotten Vikings I am relatively sure that the Bears will win, but I am hoping for a shutout or a low score 3, 6, or 7 points for the Viks

It was a shame that the Lions managed to get a touchdown...

As if I got paid for Bears wins.

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Whaaa?? You're not a Packers fan?!?

mhensley said:

Whaaa?? You're not a Packers fan?!?

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I was born in Chicago, a FIB, and grew up about four blocks from Wrigley Field where the Bears played in the 1940s. Thus, even though my maternal family has lived in Wisconsin since c. 1836, and I summered here from the time I was an infant ot a month old, until we removed to Lake Geneva just before my eighth burthy, I have remained loyal to Da Bears.

Over the years I have sofened my anti-Packer feelings, however. I no longer regard them as hated rivals of the Bears but rather as the team I root for if the Bears are not playing them.

Here is a good story about the subject of fandom:

Two young lads were playing catch with a football in Lincoln Park when a pit bull came running up and attacked one of the boys. Thinking quickly, the other one grabed a fallen tree limb and struck the dog so hard as to kill it.

A passing man hurried over, introduced himself to the two lads as a sports writer for the Chicago Tribune. To the boy that had clobber the pit bull he said: "What a brave deed! I'll write this up in the paper. How does this sound? 'Brave Bears fan rescues friend from deadly pit bull attack'"

"I am not a Bears fan," the kid said in response.

"Oh, sure. then how about this headline? 'Proud Packer fan pummels attack dog to save his pal's life."

"No, I am not a Packer fan either."

"What team do you like?

"The Vikings."

"Okay, then here's the header for the column: 'Vicious little Vikings fan kills family pet in Lincoln Park."


Gary

Every time you post a reply to my questions, it's a treat.

I'll dutifully await the revelations about the Disappearing Jeweled Man in an upcoming TLG product. But now at least I got the proper name...

Thul

Daaaaaa Bearssssss... (who, i might add, are totally awesome so far this year!)

Thulcondar said:

Every time you post a reply to my questions, it's a treat.

I'll dutifully await the revelations about the Disappearing Jeweled Man in an upcoming TLG product. But now at least I got the proper name...

Thul

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Many the player in my old gaming group would have given their best magic item to get the lowdown on the Disappearing Jeweled Man. The many chases after him brought fox hunts to mind, but the PCs didn't have a pack of hounds

Cheers,
Gary

BOZ said:

Daaaaaa Bearssssss... (who, i might add, are totally awesome so far this year!)

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I'll be watching Sunday night...another tough game methinks

BTW. I remember Sid Luckman, Bulldog Turner, Ed Sprinkle, and Bill George

Cheers,
Gary

Col_Pladoh said:

Many the player in my old gaming group would have given their best magic item to get the lowdown on the Disappearing Jeweled Man. The many chases after him brought fox hunts to mind, but the PCs didn't have a pack of hounds

Cheers,
Gary

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I don't suppose you'd be willing to write up the original "how the encounter operated" in a sealed envelope to be opened in the event of your demise?

(That's D&D fans for ya; other family or friends want to know who's getting what in a will -- D&D players want to know the campaign secrets.)