[Revels & Rhymes] A "World's 1st" Fantasy RPG That Never Was

[El Borak]

Has anyone seen this thread over at DF from back in 2015 [Revels & Rhymes] A "World's 1st" Fantasy RPG That Never Was.

King Truffle IV asked himself the question

During that time, I began to wonder: what would the world's first roleplaying game look like if it had been invented by a Shakespearean theater troupe instead of a wargaming club?

He provides a link to a five page pdf titled Revels & Rhymes: First Folio -- The Original Shakespearean Fantasy Roleplaying Rules.

[True Black Raven]

I like the name, even though the premise doesn't do a lot for me. The posters name is pretty neat though.

[hengest]

I also like the poster's name (on DF).  

There's something I quite like about this.  I think the following are factors:

1) It's kind of different.
2) The mechanic looks pretty simple, but weird enough that I can't just figure it out in my head.  I would need to sit down and roll a bunch to figure it out.
3) It's not over-written or too defined. 
4) I can see this mechanic, if I get the idea at all, being adapted for use in D&D (i.e. more familiar mechanics with this inserted) in some limited context.
5) I like the notion of players and Faerie types.  I've been working on semi-related stuff and wonder if this could be slotted in anywhere.

The link he gives still works, for anyone who wants to check out that thread linked in the OP here...

[Admin Pete]

Apr 11, 2021 19:52:20 GMT -5 hengest said:

I also like the poster's name (on DF).  

There's something I quite like about this.  I think the following are factors:

1) It's kind of different.
2) The mechanic looks pretty simple, but weird enough that I can't just figure it out in my head.  I would need to sit down and roll a bunch to figure it out.
3) It's not over-written or too defined. 
4) I can see this mechanic, if I get the idea at all, being adapted for use in D&D (i.e. more familiar mechanics with this inserted) in some limited context.
5) I like the notion of players and Faerie types.  I've been working on semi-related stuff and wonder if this could be slotted in anywhere.

The link he gives still works, for anyone who wants to check out that thread linked in the OP here...

Great necro hengest, this is wild. King Truffle IV is a great name, I followed the link to the download and also checked his profile, he last logged in at DF five and a half years ago. That is a shame.

His profile says:
Interests:Old-school gaming; fitness; geology & paleontology
Location:Los Angeles, CA

[Admin Pete]

King Truffle IV also started this thread at DF.

Great & Small: The Roleplaying Game Of Animal Fantasy

He says

My, ahem, pet project. Fuses concepts from classic versions of D&D and the original Bunnies & Burrows, to facilitate adventures and campaigns with non-anthropomorphic animals, in the style of stories like Watership Down, Tailchaser's Song, or The Guardians Of Ga'Hoole.

greatandsmallrpg.blogspot.com/

Totally free material open for alpha-testing and feedback.

Thanks all around.

and he says

"I can haz advenjur?"

Animals have fascinated tale-tellers and audiences for thousands of years. They have been major characters in both children's and adult's literature for as long as stories have been told, but they have rarely been the focus of a role-playing game. Until now.

Great & Small: The Roleplaying Game Of Animal Fantasy gives you the opportunity to spin your own animal epics in the style of classic stories like Watership Down, Tailchaser's Song, The Book Of The Dun Cow, or The Guardians Of Ga'Hoole. In a game of G&S, you can be a rabbit, a cat, an owl, or even some more exotic creature like a unicorn. Or, you can take the role of Beast Master, the game's referee, who guides and challenges the other player's characters. The whole animal kingdom is at your fingertips with just the roll of a few dice.

Great & Small uses a classic, easy, and familiar set of rules to give you the ability to play animal characters in a variety of contexts. Whether you want to mix and match with humans, dwarfs, and elves, or leave the long-paws out of the action entirely, you can use these rules, based on the original fantasy role-playing game, to re-tell the great animal epics, or create brand new stories of your very own.

Primp your claws. Unfurl your feathers and take flight. Or dive to the deepest depths. It's all possible with Great & Small.

[Admin Pete]

His blog Great & Small: The Roleplaying Game Of Animal Fantasy

His last post was Thursday, July 21, 2016, but there is a lot of information that is worth checking out.

[Admin Pete]

He also has a second blog that is worth checking out Tales From The Haunted Jukebox

The last post here was also in July 2016.

As usual when some really creative person stops posting, you wonder what happened and hope that they are alive and thriving.

[Morton]

This King Truffle IV is wild and crazy, d-d shame he is not hanging out here or even anywhere to be found.

[hengest]

Apr 24, 2021 23:42:09 GMT -5 Morton said:

This King Truffle IV is wild and crazy, d-d shame he is not hanging out here or even anywhere to be found.

You have to wonder about these creative types and what they do in real life or if anyone even knows they do this stuff.  Well, I guess just be glad they do it.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Apr 30, 2021 16:17:46 GMT -5 hengest said:

Apr 24, 2021 23:42:09 GMT -5 Morton said:

This King Truffle IV is wild and crazy, d-d shame he is not hanging out here or even anywhere to be found.

You have to wonder about these creative types and what they do in real life or if anyone even knows they do this stuff.  Well, I guess just be glad they do it.

A lot of these creative types, never know they are one. I hope he did not quit posting because he got discouraged about the lack of encouragement and interest in what he was doing. I think you (in my case) have to do it because you love it and enjoy it and that you have to not care about the reception (especially online). Then, with no expectations, if you get any approval or encouragement it is all gravy. I was fortunate, the first four years I played and reffed, I got enough approval and encouragement for a lifetime. I had that going for me when I ran into the massive amount of naysayers, idea killers and gatekeepers our online hobby is infested with. Five years ago some of the gatekeepers called us a "little bubble community" but we are still here and still kicking. Size has never been the goal here, the goal has always been and always will be helping people play OD&D and sharing fun ideas.