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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I played in one of his games (Dragon Lairds) once at Gary Con & had him sign my Holmes Basic rulebook.

Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

So...there were definitely editing issues back then. Wham's Gnolls look very close in details to the illustrations in the Monster Manual, so he either prepared the drawing for the in-progress MM (supporting this he has other illustrations in the MM) or drew it based on seeing Sutherland's MM gnolls

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

In a twist, the 2nd edition of Holmes adds Gnolls to the Monster List but also removes them from the Wandering Monster table... 🫠

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

In the manuscript, Holmes inexplicably left gnolls out of the Monster List entries despite mentioning them several times elsewhere, including the Wandering Monster tables! 😮

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Yes, correct, the entry for Gnolls was added in the 2nd edition in 1978, which came out after the MM. See the discussion here in my Holmes Manuscript series: zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/03/part...

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

Part 25: "Horrors are Naturals for Dungeons"

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

Part 25: "Horrors are Naturals for Dungeons"

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I made this meme long ago:

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Mark CMG Clover @markcmg.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Interestingly, Gnolls aren't in (O)D&D or Holmes Basic but are in the 1EAD&D Monster Manual (1977) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_B... www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCnN... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Nat... www.abebooks.com/Zap-Comix-No... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_On... www.acaeum.com/indexes/rule...

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

"...the media had stoked interest in the descent and a Chicken Little “the sky is falling” alarmism—both serious and humorous—arose. The Washington Post alone ran some 30 stories about Skylab’s demise from April through July 1979." airandspace.si.edu/stories/edit...

airandspace.si.edu

Skylab is Falling!

Thirty-five years ago, on July 11, 1979, the first US space station fell out of orbit. It wasn’t a surprise or an error, nor was it a calamity. It was more like an intense meteor shower—sparkling and ...

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My mom had me play inside at least one day due to her being worried it might crash in our neighborhood

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Skylab crashed to Earth in 1979, during the era of Holmes Basic and early AD&D

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I remember being little and worrying about Skylab falling on us when I was playing outside

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I consider myself very fortunate to have seen them play at a festival in 1995, just over a year before they called it quits. Also only have one "album", but it's a 2CD set with 50+ songs...

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Lester B. Portly @patagames.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Working on a 6-panel folding game board for "wilderness adventure" based on Avalon Hill's Outdoor Survival board game from '72; recommend for overland travel in the Underworld and Wilderness booklet from the original D&D box set. #OSR #B/X #OSE #DND #RPG

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By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 11/09/2026

On my way to the swamp to do important swamp things (cover credited to “Alex,” D&D/RPG zine Alarums and Excursions #82, November 1982) oldschoolfrp.tumblr.com/post/8274721...

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originalgrognard.bsky.social @originalgrognard.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Some of the loot, from today’s used bookstore road trip! #rpg #ttrpg #marvel #dnd #gygax #usedbooks

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Paratime Tim @paratimetim.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Ghostbusters RPG advert from 1987 #WestEndGames #GhostbustersRPG #GhostToasties #HotRodOfTheGods #RPG #TTRPG

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I also have this image saved in my folder, with the title "Catalog Slide". I don't remember where I found it posted, but it shows a mock-up for TSR's Fantasy Forest #5 using the same artwork as ED-3.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I save the auction photos from when Jim Ward's photocopies of the typescripts for these modules were auctioned. I have 8 images for ED-3, and all of the interior images that are shown appear to be by Holloway rather than Otus.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Just took a close look at the scan of the cover of the unpublished educational module ED-3 Wizard's Dilemma on the TSR Archive, and discovered a purple "Erol Otus 81" signature hidden in the shadows to the left of the front gate. It is pretty obviously in his style, but this confirms it is his work.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The cover artist for the first two is Jim Holloway (who sneaks his name onto a book cover on ED2) and Erol Otus for the third

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

While unpublished, production on these modules went as far as full layout including typesetting, interior art and full color covers. You can see the covers on the TSR archive: www.tsrarchive.com/dd/dd2-ed.html

tsrarchive.com

Educational (ED) Series Adventures

A complete list of all Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game adventures and accessories

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

🔥 Watch this discussion with Shannon Appelcline to learn about TSR's unpublished ED (educational) series of D&D modules. I've known of these for a few years but this is a great overview of a lost piece of TSR history. The part on the ED modules starts at about 32:30 ⤵️

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Rindis @rindis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Issue #8 (ca. March 1974) of Lowrys Guidon magazine is now available in PDF on Wargame Vault! #LowrysHobbies #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/lowr...

Cover of Lowrys Guidon #8 from around March 1974. Upper portion has the return address and the bulk rate postal notice with a space for an address. The rest of it is art of a Sturmgeschutz III by Don Lowry.

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William Gibson @greatdismal.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Knowing that the plastic dinosaurs we played with as kids consisted, to whatever actual extent, of real dinosaurs.

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Somebody wake up Hicks @jonmarkhicks.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

There's an 'I Grew Up 80s' exhibition at the Northampton Museum and it's basically me.

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originalgrognard.bsky.social @originalgrognard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Which one are you reading first? Today’s thrift store haul! #greyhawk #forgottenrealms #dragonlance #starwars #usedbooks

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I've read 4/6 of those. I'd start with the Corum trilogy, then Gord, then Splinter

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Chris P. Wolf 🛸 Mostly Offline @chrispwolf.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Been listening to The Elusive Shift audio book and have learned mostly that you nerds need to find new things to argue about.

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Andy Fix @ajfixer.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Post the 4 Holy Books of your childhood.

Conan, by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague De Camp, and Lin Carter

Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rules, by Gary Gygax and Eric Holmes

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Robin Gibson @metalsnail.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Finished a thing I've been stewing on for a while, a lifepath generator for a knight-focused chainmail pbp campaign: metalsnail.bearblog.dev/knight-lifep...

metalsnail.bearblog.dev

Knight Lifepath Generator

This is for a potential chainmail tournament play-by-post campaign I want to run. Name Use the Zenopus Holmsian Name Generator. Age Roll 2d20+10 to deter...

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Urban-nomad @robpr.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Star Wars D6 understood something important: You don't need 37 abilities to feel like you're in Star Wars. Grab some D6s, jump behind cover, shoot at stormtroopers, completely botch the roll, and start improvising. Fast, cinematic, chaotic. Exactly as Star Wars should be. #TTRPG #OSR #D6

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

That's the same art that Slowdive used on the cover their most recent album

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Jonathan Tweet @jonathantweet.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

In early D&D, most monsters had baseline stats with the exception of Armor Class, which varied. If you knew a monster's Hit Dice, you also knew its attack odds, its saving throws, and its damage (always 1d6). Then add special abilities, such as a giant's special ability to deal 2d6 damage. Easy.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Yes! It's a highly sought after collectable. Only the cover is by Blanche; the interior illustrations are by Fangorn.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

📝 Graeme Davis (Warhammer Fantasy) on creating his first D&D dungeon with Holmes Basic in 1978: ⤵️

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Esoteric Collector @vcreedsabretooth.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Let's take a look at the history of Dungeons&Dragons Dice, a thread. #Dungeons&Dragons #Dice #TSR Part One Continued below...

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Thanks for the reminder of this! I am going to run the Zenopus dungeon at Gary Con next year for the 50th anniversary of Holmes Basic and will use these backgrounds to make things more interesting.

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girl with Shinigami eyes @diyanddragons.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Your writing is really evocative, Josh! 🔥 I liked when Zenopus Archives used the Normal Men monster listing (plus the hireling list, I believe) to make a list of PC backgrounds: zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/08/20-b...

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com

20 Backgrounds for OD&D

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Thanks for the reminder of this! I am going to run the Zenopus dungeon at Gary Con next year for the 50th anniversary of Holmes Basic and will use these backgrounds to make things more interesting.

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Epic thread, which I missed at the time. Love the topic - I had several sets of the "chinasaurs" as a kid - and learned a lot here.

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ktrey @ktrey.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

There are *subtle* changes in the D&D ones that I've thought far too much about. Instead of "Friendly" in Holmes Basic...Monsters might end up "Enthusiastic, volunteers help!" Which adds a completely different dimension:

Reaction Table from Holmes Basic D&D. 12 is "Enthusiastic, volunteers help" whilst 9-11 is "accepts offer, friendly"

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

As Mr Rogers said, "Look for the Helpers"

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Funny, but even for running D&D all I want is a room with one big table and no distractions (screens)!

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Zenopus Archives 🧙‍♂️ @zenopus.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Many of the illustrations in the UK version were re-dos. Here is the original Purple Worm vs adventurers by David Sutherland

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