What does the word "Vorpal" come from?

[Plane Sailing]

My friend Tom Keogh's father, an artist, illustrator,

Aha, hence Keoghtoms ointment (although I'm surprised he wasn't the source for those marvellous pigments

 

[orsal]

Blackaddar used in dealing with Dr. Johnson in the quoted skit. Tom came up with SF device the uctrodynamic decompulsitator to frillibate nexual pretarders.

Did you just say frillibate nexual pretarders? On ENWorld? Gary, I'm not sure Eric's grandmother is OK with that.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Aha, hence Keoghtoms ointment (although I'm surprised he wasn't the source for those marvellous pigments

Doh!

How could I have made such a gaff, not having them from Keoghtom? Fact is Tom was an artist like his pappy, and won an Audabon prize for one of his airbrush illos of a bird--don't recall the species. There is a werewolf drawing of his in the old Greyhawk supplement to D&D, in fact.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Did you just say frillibate nexual pretarders? On ENWorld? Gary, I'm not sure Eric's grandmother is OK with that.

Yes, thanks for the caution! As Eric happens to have a grand daughter of mine in one of his classes, I need to be doubly careful about using such language, so I'll contrapilize my normal vergalicty hencforth.

Heh,
Gary

 

[Henry]

...I need to be doubly careful about using such language, so I'll contrapilize my normal vergalicty hencforth.

Predulently so, morptuiferous sage.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Predulently so, morptuiferous sage.

Your exsalubratious aplutions are too kind. Stop, or you'll rurn my head!

Harpasicly faludented, I remain your servant,
Gary

 

[Jehosephat]

Yes, thanks for the caution! As Eric happens to have a grand daughter of mine in one of his classes, I need to be doubly careful about using such language, so I'll contrapilize my normal vergalicty hencforth.

Heh,
Gary

Boy, Gary, you do get around. The things one learns about you. To start with your responsible for this phenomenon known as Dungeons and Dragons. That's amazing in and of itself. But you didn't stop there. You're a world traveller. You have a vocabulary that rivals Noah Webster. You're friends with the guy who's dad invented the bird that bobs up and down and looks like it is drinking from the glass. I know you've been on 60 Minutes. You did voice work on Futurama. I read that Dr. Joyce Brothers played in the Dungeonland adveture(were you the DM?). Now to find out, you have a grand daughter that has a class with Eric Noah. Boy if anyone ever gets to say "been there, done that" it is you.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Boy, Gary, you do get around.

Hi Jehosephat

Well, I used to anyway... Getting old now and not so adventurously mobile as I once was. Still a lot of the world I want to see too!

The things one learns about you. To start with your responsible for this phenomenon known as Dungeons and Dragons. That's amazing in and of itself. But you didn't stop there. You're a world traveller.

Only if you count North America, the Carribean Islands and Western Europe, tossing in Morocco in Africa. As i said, there's a lot of the world I've yet to see that I'd enjoy visiting. Too bad for me that I dislike traveling, so getting there is a tediious chore, but being there is great!

You have a vocabulary that rivals Noah Webster.

Now that you mention that, I must tell you that I am related to Noah Webster on my maternal maternal side of the family. On the maternal paternal side I am also related to Daniel Webster--those two gentlemen otherwise unrelated.

You're friends with the guy who's dad invented the bird that bobs up and down and looks like it is drinking from the glass.

Yes, that was my best friend, Tom Keogh's father, Thomas K. Keogh, Sr. Sadly,both are deceased. He was working for Chaney Instruments here in LakeGeneva when he came up with that novelty item.

I know you've been on 60 Minutes. You did voice work on Futurama. I read that Dr. Joyce Brothers played in the Dungeonland adveture(were you the DM?). Now to find out, you have a grand daughter that has a class with Eric Noah. Boy if anyone ever gets to say "been there, done that" it is you.

True. Because of the D&D game I have done a slug of TV, radio, magazine, and newspaper interviews and been featured in stories. I played D&D with both Andrea Norton and Dr. Joyce Brothers, serving in the DM role, of course. When Orson Wells liked the film script based on fantasy action that I had co-written with another fellow, agreed to play the main supporting role in the story if we got a movie deal, I hoped to have the distinct honor and priviledge of DMing for Orson. Regretably, I had to leave the West Coast to see to TSR business in Lake Geneva, so the opportunity was lost. As for my grand daughter Ashley Gygax, it was she who informed me of the fact that Eric was her teacher in library class. I was quite surprised!

As for being there and doing that, some of those experiences are sufficient on a one-off basis, others are highly desirable for repetition As a non-contraversial example, and speaking as a gastronome, dining in Lyons, France, at Paul Boucouse's restaurant.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Henry]

Gary, the more I hear stuff like this, the more you're reminding me of the two great-uncles from the movie Secondhand Lions - minus the millions of dollars hidden in the barn out back, of course. It's a treat sometimes to listen to someone who's enjoyed their lives, wherever they've gone and what they've done.

I'll quit, because this thread passed "Vorpal" a long time ago, and has started to enter into "Gary Gygax Q&A Chapter 7" territory.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

My friend Tom Keogh's father, an artist, illustrator, and inventor of the little bird that sits on the edge of a glass and periodically dips its head down as if drinking,

As long as we're on Simpsons quotes:

Herb: Okay, now before I tell you about my idea, I'd like to show you this.

Homer: ....It's DRINKING THE WATER!

Herb: Take it easy, Homer. Now this is an example of how one little idea, carefully marketed..

Homer: This is the greatest invention in the world! You'll make a million dollars!

Herb: No, Homer, that invention is out already. I'm just usin it as an example..

Homer: Hehehehe he's goin back for more!

Herb: Gagh! <takes bird away>. Homer, this is my invention. Of course, with these blueprints, you'll have to use your imagination.

Homer: <blueprints turn into a drinking bird> Hmm...what the...hmm...Hehehehe

Herb: It's a baby translator. It measures the pitch, the frequency, and the urgency of a baby's cries. Then it tells whoever's around, in plain English, exactly what the baby is trying to say. Everything from change me to turn off that damn Raffi record

Marge: Mmm, that's a very clever idea!

Herb: All I need is a couple of thousand dollars to build a prototype. You'll have your money back in thirty days, I swear.

Lisa: I think we owe a debt to Uncy Herb. He took us into his home and dad destroyed him.

Bart: Dad, you know some shiester's gonna bilk you out of your money. It may as well be your brother.

Homer: Alright Herb, I'll lend you the two thousand bucks. But you have to forgive me and treat me like a brother.

Herb: Nope

Homer: Okay, then just give me the drinking bird.