Looking at Gygax Magazine, Issue #2

Sorry folks; first there was the "crud," then there were the doctor's visits, now a tooth is bothering me. The never ending cycle.

Gygax Magazine #2 contains just a little more Sci-fi this time around and Luke and Ernie both make contributions again.

 

Luke Gygax presents us with an Adventure Module – "The Blighted Lands" – on page 40. He informs us that it is a new fantasy setting that he is developing called Okkorim (Oh-kor-em). It's a desert setting with a few new humanoid and monster types. The setting is taken from Arabic and Middle Eastern cultures. Having read it, it sounds like a nice little adventure to add to an existing campaign.

Ernie Gygax takes us for another walk down Memory Lane, talking about how the game shifted from War Gaming to Role Playing and the role played by Jeff Perren and Chainmail. Jeff thought "fantasy" was a four letter word, until Gary Sr. brought him 'round.

Tim Kask discusses "Tactics in Samurai Battles," a game with which I am unfamiliar. Apparently it is a game of Dueling and the article is written in a way to give advice to those who play that game.

Jay Libby presents an article featuring the Dr. Who universe. I've never been that interested in Science Fiction and am unfamiliar with Dr. Who – never having seen an episode – but Jay sounds as though he knows what he's talking about.

Leonard Lakofka regales us with another "Leomund's Secure Shelter" piece, in which he revised the way he looks at Death in the game.

Jon Peterson revisits the past with a look at an early document of the game known as the Dulluhn Manuscript. Such early erratum never ceases to fascinate me and I encourage all who would to check out this article, page 20.

Jess Hartley offers etiquette advice for people meeting new gamers for the first time, of those who are being introduced into a new group for the first time. The advice is sound for either situation.

Bryan Pope helps build a spell book for those playing in the Mage Wars game. This is a game with which I am unfamiliar, but I read the article with interest. It is advice for those seeking a deep, tactical battle scenario.

Ken St. Andre presents us with an article comparing the Adventures of Heroes, Kings and Champions with those of ordinary people. His article makes you think about the type of adventure you want to play.

Vincent Florio talks about the Old School Renaissance and its influence on modern gaming and particularly modern gamers, looking for that Old School experience. A very nice read, on page 30.

Jeffery Talanian then takes us on a trip of the macabre nature. Drawing from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Music of Erich Zann" we are visited by creatures of an alternate universe, or perhaps an alternate reality. You decide.

Gordon Dritschilo introduces us to a new monster for Savage Worlds rule system. It'll make you rethink those tattoos.

Shane Ivey takes us back to the Dale-lands, post Smaug. This adventure involves trolls – that can withstand sunlight – and takes place between the time of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Even Dol Guldur has a place in this one, not to mention Laketown and the Lonely Mountain.

Eric Hindley offers advice on how to introduce Super-Science into your game. Not really my thing, but I'm sure that many would/will find it interesting all the same.

Rodrigo Garcia Carmona discusses "Dueling through the Ages" and how such fights might fit into your campaign, not to mention how you might adjudicate such a fight and rules by which such a fight might be handled.

Brian Liberge visits yet another game with which I am unfamiliar, with his article "Lost Wonders of Caelmarath" in the lands of Midgard. This is something I still have to Google.

Rich Burlew presents us with another excellent "Order of the Stick" comic; I really like these.

 

Alas, we don't get "Marvin the Mage," or "What's New? With Phil and Dixie" this time around. Instead, we're presented with "Full Frontal Nerdity," by Aaron Williams. I have no idea why the switch, but Aaron does a nice job of entertaining us, so . . .

Well, that does it for this edition. Next Post? "The Manor," issue #2. Can't wait to see what Tim Shorts did with this one!

See you in a day or so!