This
year, for 0E RPG Appreciation Day, I (as Mothshade Concepts) have been
invited to contribute to the observances. It seems that, during the
development of my Avremier 0E project, I've managed to offer a
significant contribution to our hobby community. Color me thrilled
beyond my wildest expectations. Truly.
This
all began a few years back with a sudden passion to revisit and examine
the first version of the Dungeons & Dragons game. The "collector's
reprints" were being released, but I found them insufficient for my
needs. I was going for historical accuracy, so I pursued the original
booklets and gathered a complete collection. From there, I set about to
compile and edit a "compleat volume" of OD&D rules for my own
reference. The idea was to teach myself the rules (having started
playing with the Moldvay-Marsh-Cook B/X game) from a historical
perspective, and see if I could actually complete such a project - in
preparation for the Avremier 0E work to come. The intent was for a
three-volume set that presented every relevant 0D&D reference I
could find - from Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, The
Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch
Wizardry, Gods Demigods & Heroes, The Strategic Review, and The
Dragon. Each book would be compiled and edited for clarity and
completion - not changing the rules or presenting any personal bias of
my own. Just a cyclopedia of everything I felt worthy of inclusion. As
far as I knew at the time, no one else had done this. Also, I wasn't
interested in a clone of 0E.
Flushed
with modest success, but exhausted from research, cross-referencing,
compilation and editing, I published a free PDF (not having contributed
any original material) of my "Compleat Men & Magic" for the use and
abuse of anyone that cared to have it. Though two more volumes are
obviously in the works, I found the need to diverge from my intended
path to realize a different concept.
This began the Avremier 0E project - where everything unexpectedly exploded.
I'll talk about that in the second part of this three-part saga.
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