TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.

 

[JamesM]

Gary,

If I recall correctly, the "real" Greyhawk campaign you ran in Lake Geneva was based (at least originally) on a variant map of the North American continent, with the City of Greyhawk located more or less where Chicago now stands. (Please correct me if this is mistaken)

How much of the nomenclature of the published World of Greyhawk derives from this original campaign? That is, was there a Furyondy and a Keoland or were these things you created for the folio that TSR published?

Thanks.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

...

Ah, Garrison Ernst. I wonder whatever became of him ...?

(Well, I am sure that the publishers that have released reprints of my fantasy yarns hope you are correct about the worth of my prose...)

As for Mr. Ernst, he is living in a small town in the Midwest with an old friend, Grumbald Pauncefot


Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary,

If I recall correctly, the "real" Greyhawk campaign you ran in Lake Geneva was based (at least originally) on a variant map of the North American continent, with the City of Greyhawk located more or less where Chicago now stands. (Please correct me if this is mistaken)

How much of the nomenclature of the published World of Greyhawk derives from this original campaign? That is, was there a Furyondy and a Keoland or were these things you created for the folio that TSR published?

Thanks.

You are correct about my original campaign world--I simply used existing maps of the world, or went from memory.

When I did the map for the World of Greyhawk product I made up 90% of the material on the spot...and liked it better than what I had been doing so switched my own campaign to the newly created world of Oerth. Only the places surrounding the City of Greyhawk came from my original campaign setting.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[JamesM]

As for Mr. Ernst, he is living in a small town in the Midwest with an old friend, Grumbald Pauncefot.

You have a flair for names -- Beek Gwenders, Philotomy Jurament, Ycore Rixle, etc. I know that names of this sort aren't the fashion in fantasy these days, but, as I've probably said too much already, they have a certain panache to them that I wish we'd see more of. Instead, we get either faux Tolkien (but without the good professor's philological depth) or jumbles of nonsense. Ah well.

I presume you simply read very widely as a child and as an adult and this accounts for your thesaurus-like command of the language? In running my own Greyhawk campaign, I've attempted to imitate your naming conventions so as to stay consistent with the style of the published names. The best I have managed is the clever use of anagrams, which is another lovely quirk of the names you've gifted to us.

 

[JamesM]

Only the places surrounding the City of Greyhawk came from my original campaign setting.

I also have a recollection that, once upon a time, the "map" of the area surrounding the City of Greyhawk was represented by the map of the old Avalon Hill game Outdoor Survival. I may be confusing the issue, because I remember that volume 3 of OD&D recommended this method of quickly generating wilderness terrain.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Hey Flexor,

I do enjoy single malt Schtch whiskeys, so yes. IMO Glenlivit is worth the extra cost. That said, it is not my favorite single malt. The ones I most enjoy are the pale, peaty-flavored ones.

Cheers,
Gary

Thanks for the reply. I bought a fifth and was just curious what your opinion on it was. We will have to raise a toast to your health before the game tonight.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

You have a flair for names -- Beek Gwenders, Philotomy Jurament, Ycore Rixle, etc. I know that names of this sort aren't the fashion in fantasy these days, but, as I've probably said too much already, they have a certain panache to them that I wish we'd see more of. Instead, we get either faux Tolkien (but without the good professor's philological depth) or jumbles of nonsense. Ah well.

I presume you simply read very widely as a child and as an adult and this accounts for your thesaurus-like command of the language? In running my own Greyhawk campaign, I've attempted to imitate your naming conventions so as to stay consistent with the style of the published names. The best I have managed is the clever use of anagrams, which is another lovely quirk of the names you've gifted to us.

About all I can say is that you are correct when you assume I have read extensively. This house is filled with books and some magazines as well. About all that I am not fond of in literature are the classics and best sellers

As for names, I often spend a n inordinate amount of time creating what I feel best suits the person, place, or thing.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I also have a recollection that, once upon a time, the "map" of the area surrounding the City of Greyhawk was represented by the map of the old Avalon Hill game Outdoor Survival. I may be confusing the issue, because I remember that volume 3 of OD&D recommended this method of quickly generating wilderness terrain.

Noppers! I had a rough map of the area around Greyhawk sketched out on an 8.5" x 11" sheet if paper--long since lost. The OS board was for outdoor adventures away from the city. The ponds were castles, and there one's PC or PC party couod oftenb engage in some chivlrous combat...or slap an evil knight or mage.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks for the reply. I bought a fifth and was just curious what your opinion on it was. We will have to raise a toast to your health before the game tonight.

Heh-heh-heh...

My son Luke was here just last Thursday sampling a tot of 18-year-old Glen Fiddich. He allowed he liked 12-year-old Glen Livet about as well.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[JamesM]

Gary,

Early roleplaying, much like the stories which were its primary inspirations, didn't always draw hard and fast distinctions between "fantasy" and "science fiction," as we're likely to do nowadays. Was this the case in your home campaign as well? I've often wondered if the conversion rules for Gamma World were written for reasons other than simply providing another option to the beleaguered DM or if the Mighty Servant of Leuk-o was more a robot than a golem (or if the distinction even makes any sense).

Thanks.