TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh · May 29, 2007

Vyvyan Basterd said:
Hi Gary,

I'm sure you've answered this before and I have my own take on the subject, but a recent post on another forum prompted me to get your take.

Why were half-orcs included as a "core" race in 1E AD&D? Are their origins meant to be grounded in rape? If so, was this incidence common enough to warrant a complete race (with population data IIRC in the GH material)? Or was there another origin that the 1E PHB didn't go into?

Thanks!

Heh...

Who needs a rational for a race in a fantasy game? Half-elves, half-orcs, what's the difference? Both add choices to the game, and that is why they were included

Cheerio,
Gary

Vyvyan Basterd · May 29, 2007

Col_Pladoh said:
Heh...

Who needs a rational for a race in a fantasy game? Half-elves, half-orcs, what's the difference? Both add choices to the game, and that is why they were included

Cheerio,
Gary

Fair enough, some people need to rationalize and other like myself get sucked into debating them.

I can think of many reasons why half-orcs would exist beyond the simplistic scenario presented on the aforementioned thread. Some people just get stuck with one view and try to limit choice instead of trying to make it fit. I see monks removed from many games because the "flavor" the DM has stuck in his head doesn't fit "his" campaign world.

I agree with you that greater choice is a good thing.

Col_Pladoh · May 29, 2007

Vyvyan Basterd said:
Fair enough, some people need to rationalize and other like myself get sucked into debating them.

I can think of many reasons why half-orcs would exist beyond the simplistic scenario presented on the aforementioned thread. Some people just get stuck with one view and try to limit choice instead of trying to make it fit. I see monks removed from many games because the "flavor" the DM has stuck in his head doesn't fit "his" campaign world.

I agree with you that greater choice is a good thing.

Yup!

Half-orcs might well be the result of wedlock between a strange or desperate human and an orc. There is no single answer to any such question.

A DM not allowing monks in their campaign world is fine, but it shows a narrow perspective. Why not an enclave of immigrants of Oriental sort producing a few such individuals? Or even why not wandering monks from far off. Of course either approach will require some considerable adjustment in regards gaing levels after 8th, but that's an easy quest to set up.

Cheers,
Gary

gideon_thorne · May 29, 2007

Certainly, in a fantasy world, a martial order practicing mind over body techniques that enhance hand to hand or weapons combat, doesn't neccessarrily have to be of oriental cultural emphasis. ^_^

Vyvyan Basterd · May 29, 2007

gideon_thorne said:
Certainly, in a fantasy world, a martial order practicing mind over body techniques that enhance hand to hand or weapons combat, doesn't neccessarrily have to be of oriental cultural emphasis. ^_^

My favorite was the Living Greyhawk player that created his monk as a "Cuthbertian Pugilist." I like twisting the pre-writen flavor of classes and thinking outside the box. My Barbarian characters often receive "alternative-flavor" treatment.

Prince of Happiness · May 29, 2007

That was my feelings as well. I mean, hell, in the Western world, it was (still is) thick with some mighty odd esoteric orders and subcultures. I don't see how having a martial artist monk can be that much of a stretch when medieval Europe (which people use as the basis of rejecting the monk class) had extensive contacts with other cultures, particularly the far-wandering Vikings, Basques, Byzantines, Sicilians, and the Iberians.

haakon1 · May 30, 2007

Vyvyan Basterd said:
I can think of many reasons why half-orcs would exist beyond the simplistic scenario presented on the aforementioned thread.

I've had two PC half-orcs. One was the son of a human bandit and a female orc, raised by an orc tribe, as an orcish martial artist -- that would be an assassin.

The other was raised in a human-run orphanage and quested to become a paladin, learning the trade of both Fighter and Lawful Good cleric (of Heimdall) on the way. He never did achieve paladinhood. Few are called, but fewer are chosen.

Vyvyan Basterd said:
I see monks removed from many games because the "flavor" the DM has stuck in his head doesn't fit "his" campaign world.

To each his own, but I'm a fan of monks. Having a "religious" class with good fighting and scouting skills and interesting attitude to life? Why not!

Prince of Happiness · May 30, 2007

haakon1 said:
I've had two PC half-orcs. One was the son of a human bandit and a female orc, raised by an orc tribe, as an orcish martial artist -- that would be an assassin.

The other was raised in a human-run orphanage and quested to become a paladin, learning the trade of both Fighter and Lawful Good cleric (of Heimdall) on the way. He never did achieve paladinhood. Few are called, but fewer are chosen.

That's what I like to see! I could imagine criminal organizations and the gentry "breeding" half-orcs for their selective qualities, or as accidents of fate in the slums ("I wonder why she insisted on keeping her veil on the whole time." "It was Carnival, I was drunk, how would I know???") of the great cities and rural cesspools ("Wanna breed?" "Shore uh do like that."). Always this rape scenario...bleh.

Nahat Anoj · May 30, 2007

Wind Dukes

Hi Gary,

When I was cutting my gaming teeth on AD&D 2e, I found the brief passage of the Rod of Seven Parts in the AD&D 2e DMG - which describes the ancient Battle of Pesh between the Wind Dukes of Aaqa and Miska the Wolf-spider - to be evocative and intriguing. I presume you were the creator of this mythology (my apologies if I'm wrong!). If so, could you tell us what your sources of inspiration were (if any)? I'm particularly interested in the sources for the Wind Dukes.

Thanks!
Jon

ps Sorry if this question has been answered before - there's a lot of material to search through, and I don't have access to the search function!

Col_Pladoh · May 31, 2007

Jonathan Moyer said:
Hi Gary,

When I was cutting my gaming teeth on AD&D 2e, I found the brief passage of the Rod of Seven Parts in the AD&D 2e DMG - which describes the ancient Battle of Pesh between the Wind Dukes of Aaqa and Miska the Wolf-spider - to be evocative and intriguing. I presume you were the creator of this mythology (my apologies if I'm wrong!). If so, could you tell us what your sources of inspiration were (if any)? I'm particularly interested in the sources for the Wind Dukes.

Thanks!
Jon

ps Sorry if this question has been answered before - there's a lot of material to search through, and I don't have access to the search function!

Well...

As a matter of fact I had nothing to do with 2E, other than to have been the creator of the game from which it derived, so I can not be of any assistance.

Cheerio,
Gary

TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

Vyvyan Basterd

Adventurer

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

gideon_thorne

First Post

Vyvyan Basterd

Adventurer

Prince of Happiness

First Post

haakon1

Hero

Prince of Happiness

First Post

Nahat Anoj

First Post

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

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