Post by Admin Pete on Mar 18, 2017 21:19:23 GMT -5
Arduin
Partially from Wikipedia, (The part in bold below is something that I added to Wikepedia several years ago and to the best of my knowledge is accurate, moreso than what was there before and has remained unchanged for several years)
Arduin is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid-1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was the first published "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, although it was based primarily in the medieval fantasy genre.
Brief history
Arduin began as a home brewed OD&D game, and became a personal project Hargrave created to share with friends, but became so popular that he was inspired to publish the material.
The original Arduin suite of supplements, dungeon modules, and gaming aids were initially self-published, but were then later produced by Grimoire Games. Dragon Tree Press produced four further Arduin supplements before the Arduin rights and properties were purchased by Emperor's Choice Games and Miniatures.
The Arduin books added many interesting and notable features to the fantasy role playing milieu. In addition to new rules, there were many classes, races, spells, and magic items that were new to role-playing gamers.
While the original series of Grimoire supplements were intended as supplements for original Dungeons & Dragons, mention of D&D was prohibited legally. Although the Arduin books did not explicitly claim to be a Dungeons & Dragons supplement, they were treated as such by most users. With the publication of The Arduin Adventure a true standalone system began to evolve, where other systems were not needed to adequately run a game. 'The Arduin Adventure' written to replace use of the D&D core book. Material from all of these were subsequently used as the basis for 'The Compleat Arduin', a standalone system.
The Arduin Trilogy
The first three Arduin tomes are known as The Arduin Trilogy. They are, in order, The Arduin Grimoire, Welcome to Skull Tower, and The Runes Of Doom.
The Arduin Trilogy contained unique new spells and character classes, new monsters, new treasures, maps, storylines, extensive demonography, and all sorts of charts and lists which detailed the Arduin "multiverse".
Arduin partial bibliography
Books
The Arduin Grimoire (Arduin Grimoire Vol. I), 1977. There are four different editions(printings) of this volume. These editions(printings) differ via internal verbiage, cover and back cover artwork and some internal artwork (p. 79, among others). The first edition (printing) of volume one features cover art by Erol Otus and references to Dungeons & Dragons. The second edition (printing) of volume one features cover art by Erol Otus and the references to Dungeons & Dragons have been whited out and typed over. The third edition(printing) has the cover picture of multiple characters fighting and on the back cover the female character is topless and is the David Hargrave character known as Shardra the Castrator that appears topless in the drawing on page 1 of Vol III The Runes of Doom, the page following the Table of Contents. The fourth edition (printing) and later printings, which comprise the vast majority of copies of Vol 1, are identical to the third edition (printing) except that the topless women on the back cover has a halter top (editorial swimwear) added to cover her up.
Welcome to Skull Tower (Arduin Grimoire Vol. II), 1978.
The Runes of Doom (Arduin Grimoire Vol. III), 1978. The first printings of the first three books were self-published by Dave Hargrave.
The Arduin Trilogy is a box set containing the first three Arduin Grimoires and published by Grimoire Games.
The Arduin Adventure, 1980. Arduin introductory boxed set. Contained the Arduin Adventure book (which was also available separately), a few sheets of magic items, three character sheets, and two 20-sided die.
Revised Arduin: A Primer, 1984. A short (11 page) booklet outlining the "battle factor" system featured in Compleat Arduin.
The Lost Grimoire (Arduin Grimoire Vol. IV), 1984
Dark Dreams (Arduin Grimoire Vol. V), 1985
The House of the Rising Sun (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VI), 1986
Shadow Lands (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VII), 1987
Winds of Chance (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VIII), 1988 (published posthumously)
Compleat Arduin, Book One: The Rules, 1992
Compleat Arduin, Book Two: Resources, 1992
End War (Arduin Grimoire Vol. IX), 2002 (published posthumously)
Cardstock items
Monsters from Arduin (24 monster cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Magic Weapons from Arduin (24 weapon cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Magic Artifacts from Arduin (24 Artifact cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Arduin Treasure Pack (a combination of the three items above).
Arduin Character Pack (illustrated character sheets; listed elsewhere as Arduin Character Sheets Combined Pack) This is a set of 24 character sheets for different Arduin races/character classes. Each sheet has a unique illustration.
Dungeon modules
Arduin Dungeon No. 1: Caliban (high level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 2: The Howling Tower (low-level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 3: The Citadel of Thunder (mid-level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 4: Death Heart (high-level wilderness and dungeon adventures)
Later releases
The Map of Arduin; A 2' × 3' four color poster-sized map of the Country of Arduin printed on parchment complete with legend and scale.
World Book of Khaas: The Legendary Lands of Arduin; A world guide to the country of Arduin and the world and continent upon which it rests. 865 pages of world/campaign material. Unique for size and the absence of any game mechanics.
Swords and Dragons Fantasy Card Game; Fantasy themed card game from the world of Arduin.
Vaults of the Weaver A compilation of the 4 Arduin Dungeons along with Hive Home (the only example of a Phraint Hive ever completed by their creator David A. Hargrave) and the 13 part Heart of Darkness campaign, both never before published. Vaults was compiled and co-authored by his friend Paul Mosher.
The Black Grimoire All of Dave Hargrave's published spells.
Partially from Wikipedia, (The part in bold below is something that I added to Wikepedia several years ago and to the best of my knowledge is accurate, moreso than what was there before and has remained unchanged for several years)
Arduin is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid-1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was the first published "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, although it was based primarily in the medieval fantasy genre.
Brief history
Arduin began as a home brewed OD&D game, and became a personal project Hargrave created to share with friends, but became so popular that he was inspired to publish the material.
The original Arduin suite of supplements, dungeon modules, and gaming aids were initially self-published, but were then later produced by Grimoire Games. Dragon Tree Press produced four further Arduin supplements before the Arduin rights and properties were purchased by Emperor's Choice Games and Miniatures.
The Arduin books added many interesting and notable features to the fantasy role playing milieu. In addition to new rules, there were many classes, races, spells, and magic items that were new to role-playing gamers.
While the original series of Grimoire supplements were intended as supplements for original Dungeons & Dragons, mention of D&D was prohibited legally. Although the Arduin books did not explicitly claim to be a Dungeons & Dragons supplement, they were treated as such by most users. With the publication of The Arduin Adventure a true standalone system began to evolve, where other systems were not needed to adequately run a game. 'The Arduin Adventure' written to replace use of the D&D core book. Material from all of these were subsequently used as the basis for 'The Compleat Arduin', a standalone system.
The Arduin Trilogy
The first three Arduin tomes are known as The Arduin Trilogy. They are, in order, The Arduin Grimoire, Welcome to Skull Tower, and The Runes Of Doom.
The Arduin Trilogy contained unique new spells and character classes, new monsters, new treasures, maps, storylines, extensive demonography, and all sorts of charts and lists which detailed the Arduin "multiverse".
Arduin partial bibliography
Books
The Arduin Grimoire (Arduin Grimoire Vol. I), 1977. There are four different editions(printings) of this volume. These editions(printings) differ via internal verbiage, cover and back cover artwork and some internal artwork (p. 79, among others). The first edition (printing) of volume one features cover art by Erol Otus and references to Dungeons & Dragons. The second edition (printing) of volume one features cover art by Erol Otus and the references to Dungeons & Dragons have been whited out and typed over. The third edition(printing) has the cover picture of multiple characters fighting and on the back cover the female character is topless and is the David Hargrave character known as Shardra the Castrator that appears topless in the drawing on page 1 of Vol III The Runes of Doom, the page following the Table of Contents. The fourth edition (printing) and later printings, which comprise the vast majority of copies of Vol 1, are identical to the third edition (printing) except that the topless women on the back cover has a halter top (editorial swimwear) added to cover her up.
Welcome to Skull Tower (Arduin Grimoire Vol. II), 1978.
The Runes of Doom (Arduin Grimoire Vol. III), 1978. The first printings of the first three books were self-published by Dave Hargrave.
The Arduin Trilogy is a box set containing the first three Arduin Grimoires and published by Grimoire Games.
The Arduin Adventure, 1980. Arduin introductory boxed set. Contained the Arduin Adventure book (which was also available separately), a few sheets of magic items, three character sheets, and two 20-sided die.
Revised Arduin: A Primer, 1984. A short (11 page) booklet outlining the "battle factor" system featured in Compleat Arduin.
The Lost Grimoire (Arduin Grimoire Vol. IV), 1984
Dark Dreams (Arduin Grimoire Vol. V), 1985
The House of the Rising Sun (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VI), 1986
Shadow Lands (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VII), 1987
Winds of Chance (Arduin Grimoire Vol. VIII), 1988 (published posthumously)
Compleat Arduin, Book One: The Rules, 1992
Compleat Arduin, Book Two: Resources, 1992
End War (Arduin Grimoire Vol. IX), 2002 (published posthumously)
Cardstock items
Monsters from Arduin (24 monster cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Magic Weapons from Arduin (24 weapon cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Magic Artifacts from Arduin (24 Artifact cards) (First and second printings with different images exist.)
Arduin Treasure Pack (a combination of the three items above).
Arduin Character Pack (illustrated character sheets; listed elsewhere as Arduin Character Sheets Combined Pack) This is a set of 24 character sheets for different Arduin races/character classes. Each sheet has a unique illustration.
Dungeon modules
Arduin Dungeon No. 1: Caliban (high level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 2: The Howling Tower (low-level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 3: The Citadel of Thunder (mid-level adventure)
Arduin Dungeon No. 4: Death Heart (high-level wilderness and dungeon adventures)
Later releases
The Map of Arduin; A 2' × 3' four color poster-sized map of the Country of Arduin printed on parchment complete with legend and scale.
World Book of Khaas: The Legendary Lands of Arduin; A world guide to the country of Arduin and the world and continent upon which it rests. 865 pages of world/campaign material. Unique for size and the absence of any game mechanics.
Swords and Dragons Fantasy Card Game; Fantasy themed card game from the world of Arduin.
Vaults of the Weaver A compilation of the 4 Arduin Dungeons along with Hive Home (the only example of a Phraint Hive ever completed by their creator David A. Hargrave) and the 13 part Heart of Darkness campaign, both never before published. Vaults was compiled and co-authored by his friend Paul Mosher.
The Black Grimoire All of Dave Hargrave's published spells.