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Jeremy Crawford Discusses Details on Custom Origins
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<blockquote data-quote="Cadence" data-source="post: 8111085" data-attributes="member: 6701124"><p>I wonder if he was an early version of a Grey Power Ranger. They never use more power than seems required (hence they don't call out the Zords right away) . </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Heroes and wizards don't need to be human.</p><p></p><p>From the rules themselves we get Elric.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]127671[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>From Gygax's "Fantasy Wargaming a'la Tolkien" in Panzerfaust #60 in 1973 (see: <a href="http://www.deartonyblair.co.uk/2015/08/fantasy-wargaming-la-tolkien-by-gary.html" target="_blank">Fantasy Wargaming a la Tolkien by Gary Gygax</a>) using Chainmail Fantasy Rules, we get a Dwarf Hero (Dain and retinue), Elf Hero (Elvin King), Dwarf Hero (Thorin and Company), and 1 Goblin Anti-Hero. I'm not sure what to make of the "<em>name</em> and retinue" descriptor, but the Elvenking and Goblin Anti-Hero are listed alone as I would have expected.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]127675[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I think I was looking at a 3rd edition first printing:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]127673[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p>I was using this version: <a href="http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-blackmoor-timeline.html" target="_blank">A Blackmoor Timeline</a></p><p>Rawse the dwarf is played in 997 (1972). The half-elf Meridan Veslo is mentioned being played by someone, but it isn't clear how much later. Mello the halfling is mentioned in 995 (1971).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>One of my favorite games of all time had some folks using OD&D, some AD&D, and some B/X <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p>Which, if having races besides human was important, fits with the fellowship ones being the key ones people thought were important.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The complete listing of types in (I think) the 1st printing of 3rd edition are:</p><p>1) Hobbits</p><p>2) Sprites (and Pixies)</p><p>3) Dwarves (and Gnomes)</p><p>4) Goblins (and Kobolds)</p><p>5) Elves (and Fairies)</p><p>6) Orcs (with five types from Tolkien)</p><p>7) Heroes (and anti-heroes)</p><p>8) Super Heroes</p><p>9) Wizards (including Sorcerers, Warlocks, Magicians, and Seers)</p><p>10) Wraiths (Nazgul etc.)</p><p>11) Lycanthropes - two main types are Werebears and Werewolves.</p><p>12) Trolls (and Ogres) - They suffer no light penalty (so LotR and not Hobbit fitting) and true ones are credited to TH&3L.</p><p>13) Balrogs</p><p>14) Giants</p><p>15) Ents</p><p>16) Dragons - "is typified in Tolkien's The Hobbit" **</p><p>17) Rocs - Does not mention giant eagles</p><p>18) Elementals - I'm guessing Elric helped encourage this</p><p>19) Basilisk (Cockatrice)</p><p>20) Chimera (including Griffons, Hippogriffs, Wyverns, etc...)</p><p>21) Giant Spiders and Insects</p><p>22) Giant Wolves (including Wargs and Dire Wovles) - Have goblins riding on their back</p><p>23) Wights (and Ghouls)</p><p></p><p>Of the 23 entries, 17 are things that occur in the Hobbit and LotR [18 if we do what Gygax does in a 1973 article and count Eagles as Rocs]. Does that decently cover everything in the Hobbit and LotR if you add a variety of light sensitive trolls and Oliphaunts? That's a pretty good hit rate for someone compiling a list of monsters without having the book well in mind.</p><p></p><p>Of those mentioned, three are explicitly from Tolkien, and another three explicitly call out Tolkien.*</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The three fantasy races match the three in the fellowship. The LotR is specifically called out in the products. If the attention the LotR gets over the other sources had annoyed him for decades, that feels like a reason his mind would downplay their influence in retrospect.</p><p></p><p>* Do you know of an on-line copy of the full "“Fantasy Wargaming and the Influence of J.R.R. Tolkien," from La Vivandiere in 1974? It looks like it has some good quotes. <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2013/10/22/inspiration-and-emulation-tolkien-and-gygax/" target="_blank">Black Gate » Articles » Inspiration and Emulation, Tolkien and Gygax</a> <a href="http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2010/01/gygax-on-tolkien-again.html" target="_blank">Gygax on Tolkien (Again)</a> I think I'd like to read that in its entirety (and the various comments I can find on line) before commenting further.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>** As an aside, I like that it has the other future dragons of AD&D, with an extra too...</p><p>[ATTACH=full]127674[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cadence, post: 8111085, member: 6701124"] I wonder if he was an early version of a Grey Power Ranger. They never use more power than seems required (hence they don't call out the Zords right away) . Heroes and wizards don't need to be human. From the rules themselves we get Elric. [ATTACH type="full" alt="1603219231889.png"]127671[/ATTACH] From Gygax's "Fantasy Wargaming a'la Tolkien" in Panzerfaust #60 in 1973 (see: [URL='http://www.deartonyblair.co.uk/2015/08/fantasy-wargaming-la-tolkien-by-gary.html']Fantasy Wargaming a la Tolkien by Gary Gygax[/URL]) using Chainmail Fantasy Rules, we get a Dwarf Hero (Dain and retinue), Elf Hero (Elvin King), Dwarf Hero (Thorin and Company), and 1 Goblin Anti-Hero. I'm not sure what to make of the "[I]name[/I] and retinue" descriptor, but the Elvenking and Goblin Anti-Hero are listed alone as I would have expected. [ATTACH type="full" alt="1603225624830.png"]127675[/ATTACH] I think I was looking at a 3rd edition first printing: [ATTACH type="full" alt="1603220598239.png"]127673[/ATTACH] I was using this version: [URL='http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-blackmoor-timeline.html']A Blackmoor Timeline[/URL] Rawse the dwarf is played in 997 (1972). The half-elf Meridan Veslo is mentioned being played by someone, but it isn't clear how much later. Mello the halfling is mentioned in 995 (1971). One of my favorite games of all time had some folks using OD&D, some AD&D, and some B/X :) Which, if having races besides human was important, fits with the fellowship ones being the key ones people thought were important. The complete listing of types in (I think) the 1st printing of 3rd edition are: 1) Hobbits 2) Sprites (and Pixies) 3) Dwarves (and Gnomes) 4) Goblins (and Kobolds) 5) Elves (and Fairies) 6) Orcs (with five types from Tolkien) 7) Heroes (and anti-heroes) 8) Super Heroes 9) Wizards (including Sorcerers, Warlocks, Magicians, and Seers) 10) Wraiths (Nazgul etc.) 11) Lycanthropes - two main types are Werebears and Werewolves. 12) Trolls (and Ogres) - They suffer no light penalty (so LotR and not Hobbit fitting) and true ones are credited to TH&3L. 13) Balrogs 14) Giants 15) Ents 16) Dragons - "is typified in Tolkien's The Hobbit" ** 17) Rocs - Does not mention giant eagles 18) Elementals - I'm guessing Elric helped encourage this 19) Basilisk (Cockatrice) 20) Chimera (including Griffons, Hippogriffs, Wyverns, etc...) 21) Giant Spiders and Insects 22) Giant Wolves (including Wargs and Dire Wovles) - Have goblins riding on their back 23) Wights (and Ghouls) Of the 23 entries, 17 are things that occur in the Hobbit and LotR [18 if we do what Gygax does in a 1973 article and count Eagles as Rocs]. Does that decently cover everything in the Hobbit and LotR if you add a variety of light sensitive trolls and Oliphaunts? That's a pretty good hit rate for someone compiling a list of monsters without having the book well in mind. Of those mentioned, three are explicitly from Tolkien, and another three explicitly call out Tolkien.* The three fantasy races match the three in the fellowship. The LotR is specifically called out in the products. If the attention the LotR gets over the other sources had annoyed him for decades, that feels like a reason his mind would downplay their influence in retrospect. * Do you know of an on-line copy of the full "“Fantasy Wargaming and the Influence of J.R.R. Tolkien," from La Vivandiere in 1974? It looks like it has some good quotes. [URL='https://www.blackgate.com/2013/10/22/inspiration-and-emulation-tolkien-and-gygax/']Black Gate » Articles » Inspiration and Emulation, Tolkien and Gygax[/URL] [URL='http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2010/01/gygax-on-tolkien-again.html']Gygax on Tolkien (Again)[/URL] I think I'd like to read that in its entirety (and the various comments I can find on line) before commenting further. ** As an aside, I like that it has the other future dragons of AD&D, with an extra too... [ATTACH type="full" alt="1603223794735.png"]127674[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]
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