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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Woot!!! Yaha!!! Score!!!
- Thread starter jester47
- Start date
Tarrasque Wrangler
First Post
Does it have the much-coveted Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythoi?
Teflon Billy
Explorer
jester47 said:
I wish I had known, I could've set you up.
Congrats man
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Rat. Bastard. Trade for a 2d printing?
RichCsigs
First Post
I'm not going to knock your purchase as this is one great book, but the rarity of this item may actually be one of the biggest D&D myths out there. Upon reading this thread, I did a quick search on E-bay and found 8 copies available right now (and those are just the ones I could peg as being "first prints" without too much work).
When TSR wanted to do a "gods" book, they found that the Cthulhu mythos was in public domain at that time, and thought that gave them the right to publish it. What they weren't aware of was that all previously published material was still owned by book publisher Arkham House and that they had contracted Chaosium to make a role playing game based on the Cthulhu myth. Also around this time, TSR had contacted Michael Moorcock about putting the Melnibonean mythos in the book. He gave them permission, but what he failed to tell them was that he also had entered into a contract with Chaosium to make a role playing game based on his Elric books. Unaware of these two facts, TSR went ahead and made the first printing of Deities & Demigods. It was then that they were contacted by lawyers for Chaosium.
The two companies sat down and came to an agreement. Chaosium would allow TSR to continue printing the book as is (with the two mythos in question allowed) provided they acknowledged Chaosium's license. With the next print run (the second), TSR added the following line to the bottom of the preface on pg. 4, "Special thanks are also given to Chaosium, Inc. for permission to use the material found in the Cthulhu Mythos and the Melnibonean Mythos."
With the next printing (the third), TSR decided it didn't want to give free advertising to a competing gaming company and just removed the Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythos.
Like I said, I don't want to "beat down" on your find, it's a great book and you paid an appropriate price given the condition, so enjoy. I just want to dispel this myth because I paid considerably more for my copy and was very upset when I learned that these are no harder to find than the mono-colored modules.
peace,
Rich
PS - printing information on Dieties & Demigods was taken from http://www.theacaeum.com
When TSR wanted to do a "gods" book, they found that the Cthulhu mythos was in public domain at that time, and thought that gave them the right to publish it. What they weren't aware of was that all previously published material was still owned by book publisher Arkham House and that they had contracted Chaosium to make a role playing game based on the Cthulhu myth. Also around this time, TSR had contacted Michael Moorcock about putting the Melnibonean mythos in the book. He gave them permission, but what he failed to tell them was that he also had entered into a contract with Chaosium to make a role playing game based on his Elric books. Unaware of these two facts, TSR went ahead and made the first printing of Deities & Demigods. It was then that they were contacted by lawyers for Chaosium.
The two companies sat down and came to an agreement. Chaosium would allow TSR to continue printing the book as is (with the two mythos in question allowed) provided they acknowledged Chaosium's license. With the next print run (the second), TSR added the following line to the bottom of the preface on pg. 4, "Special thanks are also given to Chaosium, Inc. for permission to use the material found in the Cthulhu Mythos and the Melnibonean Mythos."
With the next printing (the third), TSR decided it didn't want to give free advertising to a competing gaming company and just removed the Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythos.
Like I said, I don't want to "beat down" on your find, it's a great book and you paid an appropriate price given the condition, so enjoy. I just want to dispel this myth because I paid considerably more for my copy and was very upset when I learned that these are no harder to find than the mono-colored modules.
peace,
Rich
PS - printing information on Dieties & Demigods was taken from http://www.theacaeum.com
jester47
First Post
First and second printing status is debatable. From the www.aceaum.com site (whose accuracy is questionable at no fault of thier own):
However the same site, in the next section states that the 2nd half of what the previous section called the 1st printing counts as a second printing. I think WRT the Aceaum that thier "printing" refers to visible changes.
Thus as far as TSR is concerned, this is a 1st printing, whereas collectors will call it a second printing/variant.
Still, its a rare find if you don't want to go through some hoarding collector...
I have the same prob with Return to Lankhmar, everyone wants $60+ for it. Not gonna pay that when I have held a copy in my hand that would have cost me $3.
Aaron.
However the same site, in the next section states that the 2nd half of what the previous section called the 1st printing counts as a second printing. I think WRT the Aceaum that thier "printing" refers to visible changes.
Thus as far as TSR is concerned, this is a 1st printing, whereas collectors will call it a second printing/variant.
Still, its a rare find if you don't want to go through some hoarding collector...
I have the same prob with Return to Lankhmar, everyone wants $60+ for it. Not gonna pay that when I have held a copy in my hand that would have cost me $3.
Aaron.
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