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.

 

[diaglo]

I didn't know Diaglo had a twin brother.

my twin is female.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi Gary,
I'm interested in what you had in mind , when you created the law/chaos aspect of D&D?
Whenever I think of law vs chaos , i think of the Amber series. Was that what you had in mind? Or are there other books that inspired you, with regard to law/chaos?
Also why did you think law/chaos needed to be perpendicular to evil/good aspect?
Cheers,
Odysseus.

As Ken noted, the Elric books by Moorcock were the inspiration for having the two "alignments." I used them because neither had a particularly perjorative connotation. As "chaos" became more closely linked to "evil" in the minds of D&D enthusiasts I devides to separate ethical bents into the nine alignments used in original AD&D.

Cheers.
Gary

 

[Henry]

Here's a good one, Gary: Which would be your preference, if you had to choose one or the other as a personal maxim? Moorcock's version of Law, or his Chaos? Did you have a preference for your characters?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Here's a good one, Gary: Which would be your preference, if you had to choose one or the other as a personal maxim? Moorcock's version of Law, or his Chaos? Did you have a preference for your characters?

Hi Henry,

Despite my Swiss heritage, I tend to be far too much of a free spirit and rebel to favor Law over Chaos in my gaming

Cheers,
Gary

 

[BOZ]

so you espouse the swiss virtue of neutrality then?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

so you espouse the swiss virtue of neutrality then?

Heh...

You clearly don't know the Swiss very well.

They tend to make Scotsmen look generous, and they are also very orderly and somewhat mercenary, shall we say...

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Serendipity]

History geekery in progress, pay it no mind.........

so you espouse the swiss virtue of neutrality then?

Neutrality is a relative. The Treaty of 1815 that ended the Napoleonic Wars absolutely forbid the Swiss (not quite the 'passive chocolate exporting banker' sterotype of today) from exporting mercenaries. There's a reason the Swiss Guard *still* have a commission to pull secret service type duty on the Pope.

 

[jokamachi]

Hey, Gary,

I noticed that Troll Lords has slated the upcoming (Zagyg's) castle ruins for a late June release. Are there any tidbits you can share with us regarding that segment of the great castle?

Sincerely,

jokamachi

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hey, Gary,

I noticed that Troll Lords has slated the upcoming (Zagyg's) castle ruins for a late June release. Are there any tidbits you can share with us regarding that segment of the great castle?

Sincerely,

jokamachi

The Trolls overlooked the year after giving the month as June. that will be 2007

Yggsburgh, the campaign base, with some dungeon areas in it, will be releasing, though, although I have yet to check the final map for the town, so I would suppose it will come in August :\

Come to the Lake Geneva Gaming Convention at the end of July and get the straight word from the Trolls, Rob Kuntz, and me

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Jupp]

Neutrality is a relative. The Treaty of 1815 that ended the Napoleonic Wars absolutely forbid the Swiss (not quite the 'passive chocolate exporting banker' sterotype of today) from exporting mercenaries. There's a reason the Swiss Guard *still* have a commission to pull secret service type duty on the Pope.

Hehe yeah we were available in six-packs back then...Too bad that trade stop in 1815 happened. We were quite successfull exporting ourselves Imagine today you would get a multiclassed Banker/Chocolatier/Mercenary Swiss...we wage war while earning money and producing chocolate...YAY for the Swiss!!