Things you didn't know about D&D...

[Plane Sailing]

The Fiend Folio was I think based on the "Fiend Factory" series run in White Dwarf (when GW was a games importer).

Exactly right. The Fiend Factory was an excellent little section (especially when it got into themed mini-adventures for introducing the new monsters IMO). My first publication was in the very early days with the "Living Wall" renamed to the Stunjelly for the Fiend Folio. GW wrote to all the authors of creatures they liked and asked for permission to include them in the hardbacked Fiend Folio. My Shadow Demon had also been in the Fiend Factory but with an abominable illustration, the Qullan probably got in because of my gamesmanship. I figured that if they were going to have an A-Z of monsters they probably wouldn't have many starting with Q

Cheers

 

[mhacdebhandia]

The "C Stross" who invented the githyanki and githzerai is Charlie Stross, science fiction writer and author of Singularity Sky and The Atrocity Archives.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Just wanted to note that I've loved the Qullan ever since I first saw them. They kick butt.

 

[rounser]

I like em too...given that the creator's about, how do you pronounce it though?

 

[Algolei]

A lot of the material components for 1e spells are rather jokey -- e.g., a "small legume seed" for Gust of Wind, a set of brass knuckles (described rather obliquely) for Bigby's Clenched Fist.

Jokey, perhaps, but based on True Principles of Magic™.

 

[AuraSeer]

TSR originally stood for Tactical Studies Rules, but for most of it's history it didn't stand for anything, officially.

My understanding was that it stood for "The Strategic Review." Can anybody find a cite for one or the other?

 

[MonsterMash]

My understanding was that it stood for "The Strategic Review." Can anybody find a cite for one or the other?

The company name was started as Tactical Studies Rules as they were publishing tabletop wargames products (for miniatures - funny how things come round) and when they started publishing a magazine to support D&D it got call The Strategic Review to use the company name again (brand building).

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Piratecat!

Hey, if I remember correctly one of our British members (Upper Krust?) actually wrote the first shadow demon that was published in the Fiend Folio. Whoever it was also wrote two others, which were - err - less memorable. Anyone remember who that was?

Unfortunately it wasn't me - I was about six year old when that book was written...not to say I wasn't designing monsters way back then of course.

I just want to say brilliant job to Plane Sailing, the Shadow Demon was such an iconic monster - not least as Vengers sidekick.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Just wanted to note that I've loved the Qullan ever since I first saw them. They kick butt.

I like em too...given that the creator's about, how do you pronounce it though?

Hey I never knew those guys got any lovin'!

I always pronounced them cwullan with a short u and long a. Does that help?

Cheers!

 

[Ranes]

I think the television programme University Challenge has emerged in a number of countries but, if you don't know it, it's a knowledge quiz for teams representing individual universities.

In the mid-nineties, I happened to be watching it, when the following question came up - and I distinctly remember its odd wording:

"Which game, invented in 1974 by Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, was an evolution of earlier computer wargames?"

Now, one of the geeks buzzed and answered, "Dungeons & Dragons." He won the points and never got a date again.

But 'earlier computer wargames'? What waffle.

Anyway, I've been looking for outlet for that piece of trivia for years, so thanks.