Melf's Guide to Greyhawk Cover by Jeff Easley Revealed at Gary Con

Luke Gygax revealed the cover to his upcoming collaboration with Wizards of the Coast at Gary Con over the weekend. During an annual auction at the convention, Gygax revealed a painting by Jeff Easley featuring his famed character Melf. According to GamingTrend, which posted the news on Saturday, the painting will be used as a cover for the upcoming Greyhawk compendium being developed by Gygax and Wizards of the Coast, which was unofficially called Melf's Guide to Greyhawk. The painting was won by actor Vince Vaughn, who paid $5,000. You can check out an image of the cover below, courtesy of GamingTrend. More photos of the artwork can be found on that site.

Gygax and D&D Head of Franchise Dan Ayoub announced their collaboration earlier at Gary Con, with Ayoub emphasizing a desire to "mend the rift" between the Gygax family and Dungeons & Dragons. No specifics have been revealed for what the book will entail, other than that it will be set within Greyhawk. Greyhawk is also featured in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide, although at the time Wizards had no plans to further flesh out the setting beyond that book.

Wizards of the Coast also announced at Gary Gon that Gen Con would serve as an announcement hub for upcoming books starting this year, and that modules would be returning in some format tied to the new Seasons approach to promoting material.

 

[Remathilis]

If the rift is only between TSR and EGG, there is nothing to "heal" because they are both gone forever. If there is a rift remaining, it must be between the Gygax estate and the owners of D&D and/or Greyhawk (WotC). Right?

I mean, even if Gary and WotC made enough peace to agree to bury the hatchet, it's not like they chose to collaborate with each other. If nothing else, Luke is willing to work with WotC on D&D on terms better than acknowledging Mistakes Were Made. Maybe less of an armistice and more of a time healing enough wounds that both parties can find ground again to work.

WotC gets to have a Greyhawk book with a Gygax at the helm, adding prestige to the title. Luke gets to honor his father's legacy while extending his own brand to a larger audience. There is enough value added to each side to make this colab profitable and enough goodwill to make it possible. Even if the book isn't everything we want, that alone is hopefully another step in slowing the balkanization of the fandom.

A guy can dream...

 

[mamba]

if the press release talks about healing a rift, it must exist in some capacity between Gygax and WotC/Hasbro.

I agree, that cannot be between Gary and TSR, even if that possibly could have been the start of it.

I am not sure what that rift is supposed to be and do not think it needs mending even if it exists. They can try to mend it, sure, I just do not think it matters all that much either way

 

[Reynard]

I agree, that cannot be between Gary and TSR, even if that possibly could have been the start of it.

I am not sure what that rift is supposed to be and do not think it needs mending even if it exists. They can try to mend it, sure, I just do not think it matters all that much either way

It matters to them apparently. or, at least, the perception of them mending it matters to them.

 

[mamba]

WotC gets to have a Greyhawk book with a Gygax at the helm, adding prestige to the title. Luke gets to honor his father's legacy while extending his own brand to a larger audience.

and that most likely is why this project exists, rift or not

 

[Artamo]

I mean, I don't care one way or another. I just think if the press release talks about healing a rift, it must exist in some capacity between Gygax and WotC/Hasbro.

As to Greyhawk: I don't get it. I never have, not even 40 years ago.

I think that’s a good followup question for someone to ask Dan Ayoub possibly.

 

[mamba]

It matters to them apparently. or, at least, the perception of them mending it matters to them.

it would be nice if they said what they think the rift is, because I legitimately do not know…

Is it just that no one named Gygax has worked on D&D stuff for a while? That does not really matter and happens in almost any company that survives for decades (not that TSR even did…)

Is it the rift in playstyles that exist between what D&D is today and how Gary played it with Luke 50 years ago (and that maybe is what Luke prefers to this day)? I doubt this project can bridge that gap

I believe WotC are interested in this collaboration with Luke because it might get some old players nostalgic without driving away their current audience, and for Luke it raises his profile and reach. So some upsides for both with no obvious downsides to either, not because some dubious rift ‘needed’ mending

 

[Dire Bare]

it would be nice if they said what they think the rift is, because I legitimately do not know…

Try reading the several threads on this topic right here on ENWorld.

 

[mamba]

Try reading the several threads on this topic right here on ENWorld.

I have, I am still unclear on this. People speculating is not the same as a definitive answer.

Luke having worked on something during 3e and no longer being involved is not even necessarily a rift. People do not work for the same company for decades all the time

 

[Artamo]

Try reading the several threads on this topic right here on ENWorld.

Nobody here knows what it actually referred to. We’re all just making educated (perhaps wild?) guesses.

 

[Dire Bare]

Nobody here knows what it actually referred to. We’re all just making educated (perhaps wild?) guesses.

Yeah, we do.

At least those of us who have been in the fandom since the 80s. Or who have read or listened to the various books and podcasts on the subject.

It's not rocket science.