Jabberwocky

[Jeph]

Actually, almost all of the 'made-up' words in Jabber existed before Caroll used them. He just knew about them. I'm pretty sure that vorpal just meant wavy, but I'm not 100%. It's also used in Peter Pan, to describe the sword of Hook's first mate (the guy that's supposed to be lovable).

But he did invent a few words in that poem that have come to see common use, most notably chortal.

 

[Zhure]

The monster is also featured in the classic OAD&D module The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror as well.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20020121x8

 

[Scarbonac]

The look of the Jabberwock is based on John Tenniel's illustrations done for the Alice's Adventures Through The Looking-Glass, IIRC.

 

[Angcuru]

I memorized the poem as part of an assignment in the 6th grade, about 21 years ago, and for some reason I still remember every word.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimbe in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in though.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with it's head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the more raths outgrabe.

Let's see... Father (Lvl 1 commoner) sends out his son, (a LVL 16 fighter {+16/+11/+6/+1}) to go kill the Jaberwock, and gives him a Vorpal Greatsword to get the job done. When he meets the Jabberwock, he wins the intiative roll and scores four hits, the last one a crit.

Unnamed Dude with Huge Sword: 1
Jabberwock: 0

Can anyone help but notice that the Jabberwock is wearing a shirt? Perhaps he's just a misunderstood forest creature who only wants to live in peace and drink tea all day....with his bug eyes...huge claws...bat wings...and 4 big-ass teeth.....riiiiiiight.

Hail the father of the vorpal enchantment: Lewis Carroll !!!!!!

 

[ColonelHardisson]

D&D stats for the Jabberwock first appeared during the 1e era, in Dragon issue 54, if I recall correctly. I seem to remember a Jim Holloway pic of it.

 

[bwgwl]

now we just need stats for Jubjub birds and bandersnatches (both regular and frumious varieties).

 

[Zander]

BTW, very early on in 1st Edition a miniature company produced an excellent figure of a Jabberwock (using as a model the image from the mediocre Michael Palin movie of the same name). I picked it up then and used it despite having no actual specs until 2nd edition.

If the miniature is based on this linked image of the jabberwocky from the film, it is essentially a copy of Sir John Tenniel's original illustration (see Angcuru's post above). The miniature was made by Ral Partha but also sold under licence by Citadel/Games Workshop. It was one of two miniatures of the jabberwocky sold by RP & GW. In the other the monster is rearing up. I have both minis.

 

[Banshee16]

D&D didn't invent vorpal swords.

Actually, I'm not 100% sure in my sources, but my copy of Jack the Giant Killer (which is either a different name for the same story as Jack and the Beanstalk, or is another story with the same character) refers to Jack possessing a vorpal sword. That story was written in 1820, I believe, whereas Alice in Wonderland etc. were written in 1872.

Banshee

 

[Angcuru]

A thousand gold peices to the one who discovers the origin of vorpal!

 

[demiurge1138]

. I'm pretty sure that vorpal just meant wavy, but I'm not 100%. It's also used in Peter Pan, to describe the sword of Hook's first mate (the guy that's supposed to be lovable).

Smee has a vorpal sword? No wonder Pan doesn't mess with him!
If anyone cares, I did 3e stats for the Jabberwock a long time ago, before Faeries and before I even knew about the 1e version.
Anyone interested can find it here by scrolling down a bit:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40276
I also pledge that I will have jubjub birds and bandersnatches, as well as a fruminious template, up on the Homebrew page within the week. Now, if only someone could give me a clue as to what either of these may look like...

Demiurge out.