tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post1476430216842637345..comments2024-03-22T02:46:36.248-07:00Comments on Playing at the World: A Forgotten Variant: Sir Pellinore's GameJon Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-31085124052627827672022-02-20T10:10:00.392-08:002022-02-20T10:10:00.392-08:00I was introduced to RPGs via Darkus Thel in late 1...<br />I was introduced to RPGs via Darkus Thel in late 1985/early 1986 by a friend of my then roommate. <br />He often told us of his latest gaming adventures & eventually we showed enough interest that he invited us to tag along to a meeting of NIGA - Northeastern Indiana Gaming Association - to watch & possibly play. <br /><br />At that point they were meeting at the University of St. Francis but later they were at a community room at a grocery store on the northeast side of Ft. Wayne.<br /><br />Don Moehlenkamp was nearly always present running games & James Mohow & Brian Coyle were fairly regular attendees & Game Masters, if memory serves. Kurt Moehlenkamp was present a lot until he took a 2nd job as the weekend overnight DJ at the local AOR station, WXKE 103.9 FM. <br /><br />I possess a numbered (75/250) edition signed by all 5 authors, well used. I had several other, unnumbered copies but sold/gave them away after moving to Florida in 1988.<br /><br />In addition, I have a photocopy of a typed page describing a new class, the School of Karnal Monsant, based heavily on the samurai of feudal Japan.<br /><br />And, a photocopy of a typed addition to the book listing new weapons, mounts, equipment & most interestingly, a hand written note that reads, "More To Come. Wagons, Carts & Chariots", with a handwritten "Copyright DCM, Inc. 1987" in the lower right corner. <br /><br />The authors were working on the expanded 2nd edition before I moved but I never saw it. Glad it came to be. Hearing of a 3rd edition is totally unexpected. It seemed at the time that only some of the 5 were doing much to expand the 1st edition into the 2nd. (First edition was all D6 based, like 1st edition Star Wars RPG. I'm curious if they switched to D10 or D20 like SW RPG & some others did.)<br /><br />Additionally, the authors were always welcoming well thought-out additions by experienced players. Things like mono-molecular Tylliad wire, grenade-like crystals (fire, cold, explosive, etc.), new spells and my personal favorite, the 5-D bag. A bag of holding with an unlimited capacity and the ability to call out verbally anything within. (Never put one inside another! Overwhelming damage results & you lose both & all contents.)<br /><br />I tried running the game several times after moving to Florida. I introduced quite a few people to RPGs with this terrific game. They found it as easy to pick up as I did & we all expanded into other RPGs & many genres. Sadly, all my games died horrible, squishy deaths as I am a terrible Game Master. <br /><br />That the game so easily accepts additions is a testament to how well the initial framework was set up.<br />One aspect of the game that differs from all others I've played is that damage incurred during melee combat is evenly divided amongst all involved. <br /><br />Now grab your dice and go to Thel!Fubar the Benevolent Despothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14184161753078553028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-750847455465509082020-08-31T22:02:03.125-07:002020-08-31T22:02:03.125-07:00i have and original copy of darkus thel. given to ...i have and original copy of darkus thel. given to me by a man who is now dead. never got to ask him about all of it.. He was supposedly apart of the crew that test ran the game.. i currently still run the game with my friends. i am a teenager. Long live darkus thel and if anyone has knowledge of this game please. contact me..Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05026197533429943687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-91791605757567147962020-05-07T12:59:40.150-07:002020-05-07T12:59:40.150-07:00I own a copy of the original print of the Darkus T...I own a copy of the original print of the Darkus Thel playbook (given to me by Jim Mohow himself), so I can vouch for its existence. I also participated in many DT adventures around 1986-89. Glad to hear the game is still enjoyed.Anghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01559662598047770977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-36766731001184280832018-02-15T02:21:36.888-08:002018-02-15T02:21:36.888-08:00Sir,yours is my favourite blog.Sir,yours is my favourite blog.Philosophical slumberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09585095964577331413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-15249835535852011732018-01-06T18:31:17.695-08:002018-01-06T18:31:17.695-08:00I actually remember Sir P's book on my local t...I actually remember Sir P's book on my local toy store's gaming rack in '79 or '80. I was only 9 or 10, and the low-budget game products with line drawings on the covers were puzzling to me. I had friends who could draw better than some of them, and I didn't understand how they related to D&D. Alec Semicognitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06507482266305964982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-13259701955815035802018-01-06T12:06:53.359-08:002018-01-06T12:06:53.359-08:00Very interesting. It would be quite interesting to...Very interesting. It would be quite interesting to read this game today.AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-58298540979544681692018-01-06T11:31:05.132-08:002018-01-06T11:31:05.132-08:00It still has tables running at PentaCon every year...It still has tables running at PentaCon every year, usually with Jim Mohow himself present. Jon, if you are interested in any of the history of DarkusThel, I can put you in touch with Jim Mohow and others who have played it from the beginning..Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00155931587953114680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-51547263466652318562018-01-06T10:03:53.897-08:002018-01-06T10:03:53.897-08:00So I did some digging, and found out the following...So I did some digging, and found out the following:<br /><br />The game was in development as early as 1979; designed by Donald C. Moehlenkamp, Kurt Moehlenkamp, and James August Mohow, with Robert Bausser and Brian Coyle.<br /><br />It was first published for sale in 1986 (1st Edition, black cover, Holmes-like saddle-stitched book). Published by Sorcerers’ Guild Publications, Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana.<br /><br />There was a second edition published in 1994; this one was hole-punched, like the 2nd Edition AD&D Monstrous Compendiums. Rarest of the editions, apparently.<br /><br />Third Edition was published in 2009, by Bluewater Miniatures of Heltonville, Indiana.<br /><br />All of the direct links I was able to find for Darkus Thel have, ironically, gone dark.<br /><br />As it was "in development since 1979," there may well be pre-publication versions that circulated amongst the gaming crowd in Fort Wayne as early as 79.<br /><br />https://anypit.com/revisiting-darkus-thel/<br /><br />https://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?cache=1&f=2&t=7913&c=1James Mishlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03510782553325944558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-88610455765515752012018-01-05T20:52:21.842-08:002018-01-05T20:52:21.842-08:00I have long heard that there was an early printing...I have long heard that there was an early printing of Darkus Thel that I've never seen; never been able to substantiate it though.Jon Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-43062432527193774312018-01-05T20:05:58.638-08:002018-01-05T20:05:58.638-08:00Another early variant of T& was Darkus Thel, b...Another early variant of T& was Darkus Thel, by James Mohow, published by the Sorcerer's Guild in Indiana. As late as the early 2000s it was still very popular in the area. There were several tables being run at every PentaCon in Fort Wayne, and I recall they had several at the early Indy Gen Cons. Not sure how it has been faring in the last decade or so. Sorcerer's Guild also did some art for Judges Guild back in the day. Some interesting ties there, might be some early days meat to them...James Mishlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03510782553325944558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-3591517047508505532018-01-05T17:48:52.933-08:002018-01-05T17:48:52.933-08:00This continues to be one of the most interesting g...This continues to be one of the most interesting gaming blogs on the Internet. Your choice of topic and way of expressing yourself is very good.pious agnostichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09043616958654007026noreply@blogger.com