Revisiting Greyhawk

Swords & Sorcery Adventure
In his Foreword to Supplement I, Greyhawk, Gary Gygax refers to "...the swords and sorcery of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS games." The fantastical fiction stories written by pulp magazine and science fiction authors and generally termed "swords and sorcery" served as an inspiration for the authors and players of the World's Original Fantasy RPG. Emulating the swords and sorcery style adventure story was seen as a goal of the early game, which combined with a new gaming phenomenon growing in popularity, specifically the underground dungeon, and an increasing audience for fantasy, in part due to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, resulted in a large market for the new hobby which surprised even the creators. To feed the desire for the public to know more about this new wonder, TSR published additional material in the form of more Little Brown Books they titled "Supplements". The first two supplements are titled after the home campaigns of the two original authors, Greyhawk and Blackmoor.

Supplement I sets the standard for future additions to the popular system of TSR Rules. Included are additional classes, new spells and more monsters, magical treasures, "...and various additions to the suggestions and rules for adventuring above and below the ground." Future supplements to the Original Game and later versions published by TSR will follow the format set forth in Greyhawk. The organization of Supplement I mimics that of the original three Little Brown Books with sections devoted to Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure and The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures. It is the additions under Men & Magic that signal a major alteration to the Original Rules. Supplement I adds a fourth character class, Thieves, to the milieu. Thieves may be neutral or chaotic in alignment, but not lawful, "...although lawful characters my hire them on a one-time basis for missions which are basically lawful."

Thieves progress in certain basic abilities including opening locks, listening for noise behind closed doors, hide in shadows, move with great stealth, and strike silently from behind. The abilities improve with level advancement. Hear Noise is listed as starting at a 2 in 6 chance, the ability to Open Locks and Remove Traps starts at a modest 15% and 10% respectively. The scores needed to Pick Pockets or Move Silently is 20%, and Hide In Shadows is 10% at level 1. Striking silently from behind grants the Thief a 20% (+4) bonus to hit and inflicts double damage. Thieves can also climb nearly shear surfaces, but Supplement I does not offer a numerical value for this ability, rather stating at level 1 there is a 13% chance of falling while climbing.
I find the Thief class troublesome on two levels. 1) The ability scores needed to succeed are so poor at 1st level (except Listening for Noise?) as to suggest nothing but failure most of the time, failure leading to discovery and conflict;  2) The use of a percentage mechanic seems inconsistent with the d6 and d20 dice used to determine outcome in other abilities, and;   3) By the inclusion of Thieves, Supplement I seems to imply that these abilities are unique to Thieves and therefore unavailable to non-thieves. No moving silently for Magic Users. No striking from behind advantage for Fighting Men. How about listening for noise at closed doors?
Non-human characters, elves, dwarves and hobbits (halflings), all have class restrictions and level limits in the White Box. presumably to encourage players to choose human characters. Thieves have no level limits for dwarves, elves, half-elves (a new race introduced in Greyhawk) or hobbits who all may continue "...to advance to the highest levels." Inclusion of half-elves as a player character race option expands the scope of the milieu in an interesting way. In Vol. 1, Men & Magic it states under the heading Other Character Types: "There is no reason that players cannot be allowed to play as virtually anything, provided they begin relatively weak and work up to the top". Whether inspired by certain characters found in Professor Tolkien's work, or based on some other source in the Greyhawk campaign, half-elves are described in Supplement I as a mix of elvish and human heritage and may advance as Magic Users and Fighting Men similar to the rules for elves and may be Thieves per Supplement I. The book states, "There are no half-elf Clerics, for in this regard their human side prevails." However, it also states "...half-elves with a basic wisdom score of 13 or more may also become clerics.
Some "fixes" or houserules that can make Greyhawk Thieves more appealing to me include placing level limits on the class for demihumans consistent with White Box. The low starting percentages for Thieves can be mitigated by the referee treating Thieves abilities rather like Keepers often treat skills in Call of Cthulhu, that is assign a "bonus" to easy traps, locks, etc. thereby making it more likely Thieves will succeed. Thieves are not a bad idea, but I do think they belong in certain campaigns and not so much others. If the referee fancies a lot of urban intrigue and sculduggery, by all means include Thieves. Perhaps even encourage most players to pick the class for their PC. Thieves may make an appearance in campaigns centered upon dungeon delving, but I personally would leave them out. Thieves and paladins (a new sub-class of fighting men introduced in Greyhawk) don't work in the same party because - Alignment! Supplement I states, "They [paladins] will associate only with lawful characters."
It seems that the half-elves require some explanation as well. I rather like the approach taken in the Midgard Worldbook by Kobold Press which portrays half-elves as being folks with some elvish blood. They are termed the elfmarked and they may manifest certain elvish traits. I have borrowed this idea for my own home-brew campaign where a 30+ year war between the elves and men has resulted in the true elves withdrawing from the world leaving only a scattering of humans with elvish blood (half-elves) behind.

"...it appears that there will never be an end to the development of fresh ideas..." - E. Gary Gygax, Supplement I, Greyhawk, 1975

Print on Demand

What a Boon!
Today we have digital images of game product, both old and new, which can be affordably printed and bound to create physical books through print on demand services. While I do make use of digital images on various electronic devices, my preferred media remains the physical book. I like to hold a book, flip through the pages and even smell the paper and ink. I am "old school". I even prefer to get my daily news by reading a printed newspaper...and get my hands dirty with ink. It seems suiting given what I frequently read in the news.

There are many titles available as print on demand that would otherwise not be available to the small number of consumers who would purchase them. The volume of sales does not warrant a large commercial print run and marketing. The Glorantha setting reference volumes written by world creator Greg Stafford are interesting to me as a devotee of the Glorantha setting and I appreciate their being available as print on demand softcover books. For the uninitiated, the Heortling people are the inhabitants of Dragon Pass who worship the storm pantheon including Ernalda the earth goddess and Orlanth the storm god. The Stafford Library series does for Glorantha something similar to what The Silmarillion does for Middle Earth.

Out of print since 1978, the first edition of RuneQuest is also a print on demand product available through Chaosium and Lulu Publishing. This is the first role-playing game to use the Glorantha setting discovered and revealed by Greg Stafford. RuneQuest introduces a novel roll under d100 skill based system that by-passes character class and allows all player characters access to magic. The d100 system developed by Steve Perrin & Friends for The Chaosium serves as the basis of many later games published by Chaosium and has come to be known as the Basic Role-Playing system. Print on demand service has brought many of the older role-playing publications into availability again at prices much lower than those found in the secondary market. They are generally printed from digital scans of the original so the content is the same as the original, but there can be occasional scanning issues (which are often corrected once reported).
The combination of availability and price makes print on demand a nice option for the niche consumer and there are many titles available through this service that are not available in any other physical format. I have become a fan of print on demand.

Chivalry & Sorcery 3rd Edition

Role-Play in a Feudal Way
Chivalry & Sorcery 3e is G.W. Thompson's take on the work of Edward Simbalist and Wilf Backhaus, the original authors of C&S. It is interesting that Mr. Simbalist and Mr. Backhaus dedicate this 3rd edition to the Society for Creative Anachronism (S.C.A.) - a medieval society reenactment group. The S.C.A. educates its members about the feudal system practiced in Europe during the middle ages and its popular re-interpretation in literature including the King Arthur legends. The Society holds events where members dress in period costume and assume the manners and customs they associate with chivalry and feudal society. I believe that spirit is also present in C&S as a role-playing game.
To appreciate C&S one must have some interest in medieval feudalism. The game, in all its editions, encourages role-play in a shared fictional society where the norm of play includes expected modes of behavior based on the code of chivalry, deference to those PCs and NPCs with higher social standing and an interest in the day-to-day lives of your imaginary characters. The reward is (according to the authors) an immersive experience only possible when role-playing in a believable setting.
The 3rd Edition introduces the central mechanic concept to the C&S rules using what the authors call the Skillscape system. Basically it is a skill based mechanic using a d100 roll under test for success and a third d10, called a Crit Die, used to determine the quality of success or failure (thus rolling 3 d10). Each skill in the game has a success and failure table on which is described the Crit Die effect. Success on the wine making skill may result in an average vintage to a truly great vintage depending on the value rolled on the Crit Die. Failure in the wine making skill roll can vary results from disastrous to below average wine.
C&S 3e remains a class based system. The character classes, referred to as Vocations, include Warriors, Thieves, Clergy and Mages with sub-classes of each. Skills, including those used in combat, are based on the Vocation (the word "class" refers to the social hierarchy in C&S). The Mage Vocations includes the Druid, Witchcraft, Enchanters, Magicians (Generalists), Necromancers, Power Word Mages and Thaumaturges.
The authors say that the C&S 3e core rulebook is all that is needed to play the game. It is supported by the recommended Game Master's Handbook which includes information on how to create a fantasy setting, design monsters for the system, and advice on how to run a feudal campaign using the C&S game. A very brief bestiary is included at the end of the core rules, but the supplemental C&S Creatures Bestiary volume contains many more. Supporting volumes on Knighthood and Sorcery are listed in the back of the core book and may appeal to some seeking additional system material.
Published in 1996, C&S 3e attempts to bring feudal role-playing to a more modern audience by offering a universal mechanic, the Skillscape system, an updated layout, new artwork, and a single volume presentation of the core rules. The updates are aimed at producing a game system where mechanics take a back seat to role-play, but the need to continually consult the rule book for the critical tables associated with every skill seems to be at odds with this goal. The rules to C&S have always been about perceived "realism" and produce a somewhat slow system, although one with a lot of period feel and flavor.

Role-Play Can Ruin The Game

...when it hinders the shared fun.
What started out as "Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures" and was quickly referred to as an "adventure game" eventually became known as the first "role-playing" game. The hobby of role-playing quickly gained popularity and at least by the mid 1980s folks were referring to the collective hobby as "role-playing" (with or without the hyphen). Many rule systems start their explanation of the rules of play by defining role-play as something like putting yourself into the role of your adventurer or player character. Some compare it to acting a part as in a radio drama. "Good" role-playing for some groups may consist of staying "in character" during the game. The goal is to not play yourself, but to make game decisions by thinking what would my character do?
The effort to stay "in character" and make decisions at the table based on what you think your character would do can be problematic. It can get in the way of the group having fun and can even cause arguments and hurt feelings. When staying "in character" leads to an evilly aligned PC doing something objectionable or even harmful to the party of adventurers, thereby adversely affecting everyone else's fun, it is poor sportsmanship to claim, "It's what my character would do!" Playing a character is not an excuse to behave poorly, even if the character is not a nice person. Such behavior violates the implied social contract that everyone at the table is there to have fun. The game is based on mutual cooperation, shared entertainment and courtesy to other players. This must come first, for without a commitment to these principles there can be no fun.
Less obvious is the conflicts which arise over different character motivations. Each role-player will tend to pursue the motives of their character during the game which may run contrary to the motives of other characters in the group. The key word is "group". This hobby involves playing a cooperative game that requires groups to work together to succeed and enjoy the shared fun.
It is therefore a good idea to take the whole playing a role concept in perspective. The role-play may need to stop at some point for the people playing the game to discuss going forward and what makes sense in terms of the shared fun. The characters are imaginary constructs that serve a purpose only so long as the game is enjoyable. The characters are not real people and we all need to keep that in perspective. If we drop the role-play in order to advance the game along mutually agreeable lines we succeed, if not and the game is ruined, we fail. Playing the game in a manner that benefits the players, not just their character(s), is an important consideration.

Chivalry & Sorcery 2e

Realistic Medieval Role-Play
The second edition of Chivalry & Sorcery comes as a box set. It divides the rules into three staple bound books (and increases the font size slightly). The second edition retains much of the spirit and feel of C&S 1e and is presented in a somewhat more user friendly format. The focus remains on role-playing in a realistic interpretation of a medieval feudal society with an emphasis on knighthood and chivalry. The fantasy elements (elves, dwarves and haeflings/hobbits) rely heavily on Tolkien for inspiration. Magick draws primarily from several historic traditions, such as alchemy, astrology, necromancy and witchcraft. Mythological beasts, including centaurs, minotaurs and harpies, are included to add a fantastical element to play. Role-play is defined as taking place inside a fictional society with rules and consequences and what one does between adventures is almost as import as the adventuring itself. One may play a thief or brigand in C&S, but should expect to be pursued by the forces of law and order.

The first book is devoted to character generation. It starts with game master advice regarding the implied setting parameters which are based on feudalism. It goes on to inform the player just what all makes role-playing in a setting based on feudalism different from that of our own society. Freedom and independence are quite lacking in feudal society and how one addresses their social superiors is very important. Character creation rules can be largely random and rolling on the tables can result in the character starting out as a serf or an escaped slave, or a prince of the realm. How such disparate personalities would end up adventuring together in a feudal setting poses some challenges. The C&S philosophy is don't expect equality (that is a modern American value). Of course the game master could just start all the characters with the same social birth rank. C&S is an old school game and the authors state clearly that game masters can alter the rules. C&S aspires to create a certain type of milieu, one quite different from what is found in many other FRPGs. C&S seeks to create a realistic feeling milieu where the character is living out their imaginary "life" in believable circumstances consistent with our knowledge of feudalism.

The second volume starts off with a discussion of chivalry including its progression over the centuries and its practicality as a way of life. Role-playing a character under The Chivalric Code requires attention to one's personal honor, one's word, obligations and alliances. Vol. 2 continues with a detailed discussion of the Chivalry & Sorcery Marketplace and shows how that can be based on a realistic assessment of medieval economies. A discussion of the Cleric as a player character, the medieval church and clergy, tournaments and jousting follows. The section on Individual Combat takes us to the end of Vol. 2. The C&S combat rules are somewhat complex and allow for the use of tactics as well as arms and armor all based on examples from the European middle ages. The knightly class has distinct martial advantages in C&S, which makes it fun to play a knight.

The third volume covers Magick & Magicians of all varieties. Like C&S 1e, 2e relies heavily on historical traditions of the supernatural powers (magic/magick) for inspiration. Magick practitioners may rely on their natural ability as Primitive Talent Magicians or seek schooling and practice magick as a form of sage knowledge. Elves and hedge wizards rely on primitive magick whereas scholarly magicians may study Drug Trance Magick, the Minor and Major Arcana, Alchemy, Astrology, Divination, Witchcraft, Conjuration, Enchantment, Necromancy, Thaumaturgy, Power Word Magick and Magick Square Mysticism (among others). The many spell descriptions are often very brief and much is left open for the referee/Game Master and players to determine regarding how magick effects play in C&S. Vol. 3 concludes with 35 pages of bestiary including demon profiles, beasts, NPCs (dastardly knights, infamous brigands, evil priests, wicked witches and villainous magicians), monsters (mostly mythological) and the undead.

The C&S 2e line of products includes the revised Sourcebook and Sourcebook 2, which are both based on the 1e equivalents. Sourcebook includes several articles, many written by C&S co-author Edward Simbalist, which I find an entertaining read. Articles included cover outdoors adventure, weather, monster design and the Forester class. As is usual in C&S this material relies heavily on the real world and a knowledge of history, which seems to be Mr. Simbalist's strong suit. Even in drawing upon fantastic influences, Mr. Simbalist refers frequently to various sources including the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, R.E. Howard, Michael Moorcock and Fritz Leiber. His discussion of the nature of monster mentality is quite thought provoking even today, suggesting monsters be designed and run in a logical, believable manner by the referee who should rely on knowledge of how intelligent beings and animals behave, what they eat and how most of them operate under a self preservation motive. Mr. Simbalist's article on feudal economics again rests firmly on research and this type of research, rather than the active imagination which fueled much of Mr. Gygax and Mr. Arneson's content, appears to form the basis of his game writing. The C&S 2e Sourcebook concludes with a new battle system for tabletop ancient and medieval miniatures games. The author mentions that he is a miniature wargamer (much like Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson) and he provides for us his Battle System for those who also enjoy battle games using large numbers of painted miniature figures.

While I greatly enjoy the content found in Sourcebook, some of that found in C&S Sourcebook 2 I find less inspiring. As the color illustration by Robert Charrette suggests, Sourcebook 2 contains an extensive discussion of doors, locks and breaking in. Mr. Simbalaist seems to be making a point here about realism and for my taste, there are more charts, values and mechanics describing how to adjudicate bashing down doors and picking locks than I care to use while at the table. Reading the articles does inform the referee/ gamemaster, in perhaps a useful way, regarding the reality of such common elements of a fantasy medieval roleplay adventure game and this knowledge can be used generally sans the specific C&S mechanics, which are optional as the author states. In fact, C&S is entirely presented in a very old school manner deferring to the gamemaster as having the ability to alter rules and procedures as well as create new content for their world.
The random table is a staple of old school games and Sourcebook 2 contains many. An article on how to determine what spells a non-player magician knows includes a number of them. Weaponsmithing, alchemical materials and magical items are the subject of their own articles and here I find some interesting and usable content, although much of it pertains to down-time between adventure. Sourcebook 2 also contains a couple useful articles on peasant revolts and how news and mail would be conveyed in a feudal society which can generate several ideas for adventure or can just form part of the background for PCs running a manor. Sourcebook 2 concludes with Phil McGregor's pen and paper strategic warfare system which allows for large-scale battle, siege and naval to be part of the campaign without the use of miniature figures.
I like C&S 2e almost as much as C&S 1e. C&S 2e is more accessible with its larger font (still small-ish by today's standards), better binding (Red Book tends to shed pages) and generally lower second hand prices. C&S has a very different "feel" to it when compared to White Box and most other FRPGs old and new. Red Book C&S talks about what the authors term "the Grand Campaign", which perhaps is an idea unique to C&S. The way I understand the Grand Campaign is that it sets out to immerse the players in a make-believe world through their imaginary characters who lead realistic lives from birth to death including a detailed down-time between adventures. The alliances and chivalric honor the PC amasses is at least as important as the fights and adventures one encounters during exploration of the imaginary world based on a feudal model. The fact that C&S provides very little mechanical reward for acting in character seems consistent with the design philosophy that this immersion in play is its own reward.
C&S is one of the "reaction RPGs" that were part of the zeitgeist of its 2nd generation era. It sets out to "fix" the problems the authors perceive to exist in other games (and states so quite clearly in several 1e passages). The details discussed and the general point of view expressed by the C&S authors are inspiring and I feel that in some ways I am more informed and equipped to referee and play all other games including White Box after a careful reading of C&S.

Chivalry & Sorcery: The Quest For Medieval Realism

...and an alternative approach to role-play
Chivalry and Sorcery (C&S) is an older game system first published in 1977 (Red Book) by Fantasy Games Unlimited. A second edition appeared as a 3 volume box set in 1983. It changed the focus slightly by  removing the tabletop wargame rules for medieval battles using miniature figures which had been part of the "complete system" of the red Book. In 1997 a third edition of C&S was released with most of the references to the historical middle ages removed. This edition focused on fantasy tropes mostly drawn from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. The fourth edition (The Rebirth) reinserted some of the medieval material from previous editions.

C&S has been a somewhat controversial game from the start. The first draft named Chevalier was created by Ed Simbalist and Wilf Backhaus as a more realistic version of TSR's White Box. The authors state in the first edition that they wondered what their characters were doing in between dungeon adventures and thus began their work on a more "realistic" system that reflected many aspects of the historical middle ages including feudalism, chivalry and the monotheistic church. This allowed them to follow the non-dungeon advancement of their characters. The first edition (Red Book pictured above) was published by Fantasy Games Unlimited in 1977 and was billed as the complete game system.
In C&S magick (always spelled with a "k") is present, but relies heavily on concepts drawn from historical sources - think Tarot cards, the Kabbalah, alchemy, astrology and witchcraft. The fantasy elements borrow heavily from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, and although hobbits, elves and dwarves are mentioned as possible player characters, they can seem downplayed in favor of a more realistic, historical approach to the game setting. I get the impression the authors may have had more interest in history than fantasy literature, which can explain the differences in emphasis between C&S and the Original Fantasy Role-Playing Game. In many ways the C&S first edition is a study in feudal European history in the form of a role-playing adventure game with some fantastical elements added, perhaps in order to market a "complete RPG system". Being a history buff and avid role-player (who also enjoys fantasy stories), C&S appeals to me in all its editions.
In keeping with a realistic approach to the middle ages, feudalism with its rigid social hierarchy and limited upward mobility is a central theme in the game and affects play in several ways. Players may take the role of a serf or peasant (rolling randomly can produce such), but this severely limits the PC's freedom and access to wealth. It is suggested by the authors that the GameMaster (a term possibly coined by them) start all characters as members of the knightly class who therefore have access to better weapon training as well as more personal freedom and the ability to form relationships with the more powerful nobility while rising in social rank. Traditional warrior knight, church clergy or adept dabbling in magick are all careers which the character may pursue and which cast PCs as members of the feudal society.
The authors of  C&S point out the limitations of the dungeon as a basis of play and encourage the game master to develop a world based on an historic model (they suggest a version of medieval France which they themselves use). Tournament, chivalry, courtly romance, fealty and the medieval Christian church provide PCs with reasons to adventure and can play a bigger part in the game than the traditional fantasy conflict of good verses evil (Law vs. Chaos), although that is certainly a part of the game as well. The Red Book uses an alignment system based on law and chaos scores along a numerical continuum (1-20) with the low end being lawful behavior respecting religion and social institutions.
The authors describe "places of mystery" where monsters and treasure may be found in the fantasy campaign. These are described as ruins, enchanted forests, faerie mounds and the like (fantasy "dungeons" are denigrated as impracticable fabrications). The "fantasy campaign" is presented as one way to play C&S, but not the only way. Suggested monsters, like magick, rely heavily on historic sources and the work of Professor Tolkien (with a nod to R.E. Howard and Fritz Leiber). This gives C&S a feel quite different from White Box. (Apparently, the game presented in White Box has more widespread appeal as evidenced by its success.) C&S is a niche product, but one with a devoted following as evidenced by the number of revised editions that have been published and its influence on later settings and games such as Harn/Harnmaster (and possibly RuneQuest which promotes a similar "immersion" within the game setting).

Over the years and editions there have been several sourcebooks and supplements for C&S. The first for Red Book, titled simply Sourcebook, adds the Forester as a player character type and contains a rather extensive article on wilderness adventures including several detailed random encounter tables. The Sourcebook also contains an extended discussion of magick and siege warfare.  Realism as a basis for the game's mechanics remains a central theme throughout C&S and the Sourcebook includes a resource article on medieval economies which takes an historic look at commerce and coinage and is useful information for many campaign settings of a fantasy nature. (Scarcity of coin and reliance on barter can give a milieu a realistic feel and knights and nobles require peasants to feed them.) The material in Sourcebook is interesting and useful well beyond C&S. It can inform any fantasy role -play experience.

The cover illustration on Sourcebook 2 (copyright 1981) suggests something about doors and locks and indeed inside are articles on doors and locks with several extensive tables on their construction and in-game statistics aimed to help the referee determine just how long it will take a stout fellow with a wood ax to cut through that dungeon door. Overkill, yes, in my opinion this is not something I care to go into detail about, but here it is in "official print". I do wonder how others have received such articles? With tongue in cheek? Maybe? Sourcebook 2 also includes more on the subject of magick, including a number of random tables to help determine just what spells an NPC magick user might know. An article or two on taking the miniatures rules to the strategic level, including siege warfare. There are also articles on weapon smiths and magic items.

The supplement Swords & Sorcerers adds popular Viking culture as a player character option along with the Mongols and Celts offering the C&S game master cultural material to broaden the scope of the setting and to explore role-playing outside feudal Europe. Each culture described has its own magick elements connected to historical tradition while remaining consistent with the way C&S generally approaches magick. Included are some cut-apart rune cards for use with the Viking wyrdsmith.

The Knights' Companion is a supplement for 3rd edition C&S that discusses feudalism, chivalry, courtly love and heraldry, all from an historical perspective. With much of it written by original C&S author Edward E. Simbalist, The Knights' Companion once again demonstrates the emphasis Mr. Simbalist places on roleplaying as a way to explore a setting soundly based on an historic societal model, in this case feudalism. From the beginning C&S has been about roleplay in a realistic feudal milieu where expectations of character behavior are based on birth and social class. A significant part of the challenge and enjoyment for roleplaying in a setting based on feudalism, or any other society vastly different from our own, is making decisions about your PC's behavior consistent with the game setting society. In other words, playing a knight in a way that seems consistent with our understanding of knighthood and feudalism. To that end, doing a little research into the history of European feudalism seems appropriate.
So what do I think of Chivalry & Sorcery? Although I have only played the game twice (2nd edition in the mid 1980s), I continue to collect the old volumes and they are frequently reread. I enjoy the idea of C&S (and role-playing in a realistic feudal milieu) immensely. The problem is that the system demands a devotion to history and a medieval mindset that is extremely alien to most Americans. In many ways C&S is a simulation study within a game. The King Arthur Pendragon and HarnMaster rules are similar in that the referee and players have to be willing to confine their play to be consistent and believable with regard to a perception of what the medieval European society was like (maybe with some Tolkienesque fantasy tropes thrown in).
As a student of the middle ages, I love the idea of gaming in this period. (The most success I have had with something similar is running Call of Cthulhu set during the crusades.) I don't mind solo gaming, but to get the most from a game like C&S it needs to be a group experience. (This isn't a dungeon delve, which can be done solo.) My favorite C&S edition is Red Book - 1st edition. It seems the original authors are more straightforward in what they are wanting the game to be and although the print is quite small, the material in the Red Book seems more complete with the miniatures game included. I can also hear the author's voice more clearly in the 1st edition text giving me a more personal connection which I enjoy. I never met either Mr. Simbalist or Mr. Backhaus, but I do appreciate their take on gaming and their contribution to the hobby.

The Game I Like

ODD Clones
The original White Box was published in 1974 and is aimed at wargamers as an audience. Shortly after publication word of this new game spread outside the wargames hobby and people who had never played a wargame became interested in the three Little Brown Books. The folks at TSR soon recognized that an opportunity existed for them to introduce their new game to folks outside the established hobby and in 1977 published the first Basic Set as a way to bring new players into adventure role-playing. The result was the 1977 Holmes Basic edition (edited by J. Eric Holmes) which is to this day among my favorite role-play volumes.
The Old School Renaissance (OSR) has given rise to many new clones, retro rule sets, simulacra and rules inspired by the Original Role-Playing Game (and older games in general). Delving Deeper (DD) is among my favorites for a number of reasons. First, it adheres fairly close to the original three Little Brown Books. The Thief Class is present, but is optional. DD retains the elf race as one alternating between the Fighting Man and Magic User class - just like I read it in those three LBBs. It uses a five "saving throw" classification system, three alignments and descending armor class (ascending is an option) - the mechanics for each are only slightly altered from the original. It also includes rules for jousting similar to those found in Chainmail. The names of some of the classic monsters are changed as DD uses the OGL and SRD. The author, Simon J. Bull, makes certain interpretations and adds his own comments, explanations and original content to the game, making it more beginner friendly perhaps than the original and an interesting alternative for an experienced White Box player.

Iron Falcon by Chris Gonnerman is another OSR retro-clone which adheres closely to the original three LBBs. Mr. Gonnerman also draws from Supplement I, Greyhawk (Iron Falcon - note the similarity) as many consider the three LBBs together with Supplement I to be a more complete game than the three LBBs by themselves. I disagree somewhat however as I am not a fan of the Thief class, variable hit dice for the classes, or variable weapon damage (the two work better together). The half-elf race seems an odd inclusion in the original Greyhawk as various sources have indicated Mr. Gygax, whose campaign was named Greyhawk, was opposed to half races. (The half-elf concept seems to have been borrowed from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien?)
Iron Falcon, Delving Deeper and the other OSR systems drawing heavily from the original TSR games add their own interpretive content. In the old days we might call it "house ruling". Their unique take on a well known original is what gives these publications value to me personally. I find there are many good ideas in these OSR "labors of love" and I frequently borrow from them for my own White Box games. They also serve the function of allowing an affordable option (many have free digital versions) for folks who are interested in the out-of-print games and also offer a vehicle for publishers of new game aid material (including adventure modules) without violating copyright.
Swords & Wizardry and the many variants that have been published using it as a basis are generally of interest to me as well. The one thing Matt Finch does with his Swords & Wizardry (S&W) game which I disagree with is his reliance on the single saving throw value. I rather prefer the original Saving Throw Matrix (which is included as an option in the "White Box" version of S&W) as it adds more variety to the character class and gives the referee more flexibility when calling for a saving throw. Multiple saving throw values are more character sheet data to keep track of and they vary only slightly between the classes, but the White Box character sheet is still a pretty simple affair. S&W has had an enormous impact on the hobby and serves as the basis for a large body of game aids, adventure modules and other OSR simulacra. (Its value to the hobby is well established.)