D&D General *Hobbits* in a late-80s AD&D product

[pemerton]

I'd always thought that Hobbits were expunged from D&D by the end of the 1970s. But learned yesterday that this is not the case!

REF4 The Book of Lairs II was published in 1987. On p 42 it has a medusa-based scenario. And it begins:

Local shepherds tell of a strange, ancient structure nestled amongst the hills (an old abandoned monastery, it is rumored) that is crowded with statues of dwarves, hobbits, elves, and humans.​

(emphasis added)

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Oopsie.

Don't let the Tolkien estate know. They might sue.

 

[Reynard]

It is actually an interesting question: are D&D halflings hobbies? If so, which versions?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And so it was that The Book of Lairs II spelled the end of TSR.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Local shepherds tell of a strange, ancient structure nestled amongst the hills (an old abandoned monastery, it is rumored) that is crowded with statues of dwarves, hobbits, elves, and humans.

That's kind of all over the place and not in the fun way. Woof.

 

[Morrus]

But remember, Tolkien was NOT a major influence on D&D. Despite the elves, dwarves, hobbits, ents, balrogs, wraiths, and Arag… erm I mean ranger. No sirrey! No influence here! Honest, guv!

(Said a guy who had been threatened with a lawsuit by the Tolkien estate).

 

[Alzrius]

Sneaky, tricksy little hobbitses!

 

[Lanefan]

That's kind of all over the place and not in the fun way. Woof.

How so?

 

[Old Fezziwig]

How so?

The structure is close enough that shepherds have knowledge of it, such that they can say it's crowded with statues of victims. It's old enough and far enough away that its function isn't well-remembered but not so old that the shepherds can't tell the races of the statues, which suggests that it's in passable repair, the shepherds have explored, and the area's somewhat well-traveled if there are lots of victims. To me, it just feels like there's a lot of stuff to kind of straighten out. It feels over-written, like it's trying to do too much.

 

[Parmandur]

The structure is close enough that shepherds have knowledge of it, such that they can say it's crowded with statues of victims. It's old enough and far enough away that its function isn't well-remembered but not so old that the shepherds can't tell the races of the statues, which suggests that it's in passable repair, the shepherds have explored, and the area's somewhat well-traveled if there are lots of victims. To me, it just feels like there's a lot of stuff to kind of straighten out. It feels over-written, like it's trying to do too much.

What, questionable logic and writing??? In a TSR product from the late 1980s?????