When-ing the comeback inn

[Havard]

This quote from Rob Kuntz will be relevant to this discussion:

First I want to say that it is very refreshing to see you so actively involved at digging for the actual facts, and thus truth, of the matter(s), Havard. Rather than inuring to pure speculation and misinformation which I oftentimes see on many blogs and fora, you take the valued route of the true researcher and should be commended for doing so. Secondly it is something of worth. I believe that many forget how young this industry actually is, and perhaps with the passing back-to-back of EGG and David this has now re-rooted a growing interest in its salient parts, not just in identifying its "Play" parts, which is only a small piece of that whole, but in examining and really understanding its roots and where those bear from, which can lead those of invested concern to completely appreciate what has been achieved and what these holistic parts will continue to achieve. My memoirs and essays will cover a good section of that matter, and in between I will offer what I can.

Now to your questions.

The Castle & Crusade Society's map as drawn by EGG, and as published in Domesday Book #6 (1971), was not meant as a game campaign/game map but as a figurative representation of the holdings accorded to the Society's members (and this is where, for example, EGG's C&C moniker 'Earl of Walworth' springs from, which is of course a direct reference to Walworth County, Wisconsin whereat my home town of Lake Geneva is located). I reiterate that for the express purpose of what is to follow. It is certain that David incorporated the idea of this at some point into Blackmoor (again 1971-1972), whether stated or not, as he references it in FFC. Thus Dave was the first to actually expand upon its original intent in that manner; and when EGG drew the colored and expanded version of it for the area representing the environs of the Greyhawk home campaign (1973), this incorporated the name "Blackmoor". At that point my 'campaign' was already one (or merged) with that whole and as noted elsewhere either in print, on the net or at my blog. Further, when the Folio version of WoG was published, the idea of incorporating parts of other campaigns was already well defined, so that EGG envisioned Len Lakofka's campaign (thus the namesake, though as Len has noted, its location was misplaced due to Darlene's finished WoG map design) and even, much later, Frank Mentzer's Aquaria as fitting into the whole. At one point I believe there was even mention of Jim Ward's "Dragonkind" following a similar path. We also have 'Perrunland' for Jeff Perren, etc.; and I will even note here that the history of these names is not completely researched and I have found at least two so stated from those proposing such correlations which are incorrect or lack pertinent primary matter as presented.

What we have is just that. No more, unless the Minneapolis gamers were in turn forwarding their own realms or campaigns based upon it. This was a tacit thing then, incorporating maps and such, and has only taken upon a secondary significance as the history of the evolution of the game is researched. But getting the facts straight is always important for matters pertaining to good scholarship.

As for participation of gamers fromto LG/Minneapolis. We have Mike Mornard, Dave Arneson, David Sutherland (though he played in MAR Barker's original Tekumel campaign),
Mike Carr (who may have played while visiting and/or/employed by TSR, I have no knowledge of Mike playing in Greyhawk Castle under EGG, though this could have happened as Gary and I did not always maintain direct comms when and if a game DM'ed by himself or I took place), and of course David Meggary, who follows a similar pattern as Mike Carr did. That doesn't exclude the possibility. It is more than possible as we were always entertaining new adventures and hosts of people arriving at a drop of the hat mention; and that these may have occurred without my knowledge is also possible.

I am glad you continue to take interest in such things, Havard. I am sure my products, which include historical matter, as well as several books of upcoming essays and related research will be of interest.

Happy Gaming!

RJK

_________________
"How can we create the literature of the strange if we stay in well-mapped lands?"--Orson Scott Card, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.

http://www.pied-piper-publishing.com
http://lordofthegreendragons.blogspot.com/

source: http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewt ... &start=735

-Havard