Inspirational Source Material

A good D&D campaign is imaginative and creative.  Sometimes a little research is useful to improve a dungeon, flesh out a scenario, and provide inspiration for a campaign.  Books on folklore, mythology, fairy tales, bestiaries, and knightly legends can often help the DM fill in important details of a campaign, but fictional tales and fantasy novels usually provide the best sources of inspiration.

Tom Moldvay, D&D Basic rulebook (1981)

Tom Moldvay included an extensive list of inspirational source material in the D&D Basic rulebook (pg B62).*  While similar to the list appearing in Appendix N in the AD&D 1e DMs Guide, Moldvay's list is more extensive, and includes non-fiction.

*special thanks for assistance in compiling the list was extended to Barbara Davis, Children's Librarian at the Lake Geneva Public Library, in the credits to the rulebook

In reproducing Moldvay's list, authors and their works have been linked to wikipedia entries, where available.  An exception are the many non-fiction titles, most of which have been linked to archive.org, where they can be accessed.

Writers and their books appearing in Appendix N are indicated by an asterisk (those appearing in my "Appendix O" subset are indicated by a second asterisk).

(I've taken the liberty of correcting several typos, but have otherwise reproduced the list as it appears on pg. B62.  Certain entries can also probably be better organized, but I've left that job for another time...)

For those interested in delving deeper into the literary source material that inspired the development of D&D, the Appendix N Book Club podcast is highly recommended.

Fiction: Young Adult Fantasy

Alexander, Lloyd - The Book of Three (1964); The Black Cauldron (1965); The Castle of Llyr (1966), et al.

Baum, L. Frank - The Wizard of Oz (1900); The Emerald City of Oz (1910); The Land of Oz (1904), et al.

Bellairs, John* - The Face in the Frost* (1969); The House with a Clock in Its Walls (1973); The Figure in the Shadows (1975), et al.

Cover to the first edition of A Princess of Mars (1917) by Edgar Rice Burroughs, published by A.C. McClurg.  (Story originally serialized in All-Story Magazine from February - July, 1912).  Illustration by Frank E. Schoonover.

Burroughs, Edgar Rice** - A Princess of Mars** (1912/1917); At the Earth's Core** (1914/1922); Tarzan of the Apes (1912/1914), et al.

Carroll, Lewis - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865); Through the Looking Glass (1865)

Garner, Alan - Elidor (1965); The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (1960); The Moon of Gomrath (1963), et al.

Le Guin, Ursula K. - A Wizard of Earthsea (1968); The Tombs of Atuan (1971); The Farthest Shore (1972), et al.

Lewis, C. S. - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950); Prince Caspian (1951); The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" (1952), et al.

Non-Fiction: Young Adult

Barber, Richard - A Companion to World Mythology (1980)

Buehr, Walter - Chivalry and the Mailed Knight (1963)

Coolidge, Olivia - Greek Myths (1949); The Trojan War (1952); Legends of the North (1951)

see also Men of Athens (1962); Lives of Famous Romans (1965)

d'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin - Norse Gods and Giants (1967); Trolls (1972)

see also d'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths (1967)

Hazeltine, Alice - Hero Tales from Many Lands (1961)

Hillyer, Virgil - Young People's Story of the Ancient World: Prehistory - 500 B.C. (1966)

Jacobs, Joseph - English Folk and Fairy Tales (1890)

Cover to Castle (1977) by David Macauley, published by Scholastic.  The fictional castle depicted was based on Conwy Castle in North Wales.

Macauley, David - Castle (1977)

see also Castle, PBS special (1983)

McHargue, Georgess - The Beasts of Never (1968); The Impossible People (1972)

see also Mummies (1972); Meet the Werewolf (1976); Meet the Vampire (1979); Meet the Witches (1984)

Renault, Mary - The Lion in the Gateway (1964)

Sellow, Catherine F. - Adventures with the Giants (1950)

Sutcliff, Rosemary - Tristan and Iseult (1971)

Williams, Jay - Life in the Middle Ages (1966)

Winer, Bart - Life in the Ancient World (1961)

Fiction: Adult Fantasy

Anderson, Poul** - Three Hearts and Three Lions** (1961); The Broken Sword** (1954); The Merman's Children (1979), et al.

Anthony, Piers - A Spell for Chameleon (1977); The Source of Magic (1979); Castle Roogna (1979)

Asprin, Robert - Another Fine Myth (1978)

Brackett, Leigh* - The Coming of the Terrans (1967); The Secret of Sinharat (1964); People of the Talisman (1964), et al.

Campbell, J. Ramsey - Demons by Daylight (1973)

Davidson, Avram - The Island Under the Earth (1969); Ursus of Ultima Thule (1973); The Phoenix and the Mirror (1969), et al.

de Camp, L. Sprague* - The Fallible Fiend* (1973); The Goblin Tower (1968), et al.

de Camp, L. Sprague** and Pratt, Fletcher** - The Incomplete Enchanter** (1941); Land of Unreason (1942), et al.

Dunsany, Lord** - Over the Hills and Far Away (1974); The Book of Wonder (1912); The King of Elfland's Daughter (1924), et al.

Eddison, E. R. - The Worm Ouroboros (1922)

Eisenstein, Phyllis - Born to Exile (1978); Sorcerer's Son (1979)

Farmer, Philip Jose* - The Gates of Creation* (1966); The Maker of Universes* (1965); A Private Cosmos* (1968), et al.

Finney, Charles G. - The Unholy City(1937); The Circus of Dr. Lao (1935)

Heinlein, Robert A. - Glory Road (1963)

Howard, Robert E. - Conan; Red Nails (1936); Pigeons from Hell (1938)

Lee, Tanith - Night's Master (1978); The Storm Lord (1976); The Birthgrave (1975), et al

Leiber, Fritz** - The Swords of Lankhmar** (1968); Swords Against Wizardry** (1968); Swords Against Death** (1970), et al.

Lovecraft, H. P.** - The Doom that Came to Sarnath (1920); The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath (1943); The Dunwich Horror (1929)

Merritt, A. E.** - The Moon Pool** (1918/1919); Dwellers in the Mirage** (1932); The Ship of Ishtar (1924), et al.

Moorcock, Michael** - The Stealer of Souls** (1963); The Knight of the Swords (1971); Gloriana (1978), et al.

Mundy, Talbot - Tros of Samothrace (1934)

Niven, Larry - The Flight of the Horse (1973); The Magic Goes Away (1976)

Norton, Andre* - Witch World (1963); Year of the Unicorn (1965); The Crystal Gryphon (1972), et al.

Offutt, Andrew - The Iron Lords (1979); Shadows Out of Hell (1980)

Pratt, Fletcher* - The Blue Star* (1952/1969); The Well of the Unicorn (1948)

Smith, Clark Ashton - Xiccarph (1972); Lost Worlds (1944); Genius Loci and Other Tales (1948)

Stewart, Mary - The Crystal Cave (1970); The Hollow Hills (1973); The Last Enchantment (1979)

see also The Wicked Day (1983); The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)

Stoker, Bram - Dracula (1897)

Swann, Thomas Burnett - Cry Silver Bells (1977); The Tournament of the Thorns (1976); Moondust (1968), et al.

Cover to the first single-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings (1968) by J.R.R. Tolkien, published by Allen & Unwin.  Illustration by Pauline Baynes.

Tolkien, J. R. R.** - The Hobbit** (1937); The Lord of the Rings** (trilogy; 1954-1955)

see also The Silmarillion (1977)

Vance, Jack** - The Eyes of the Overworld** (1966); The Dying Earth** (1950); The Dragon Masters (1963), et al.

Wagner, Karl Edward - Bloodstone (1975); Death Angel's Shadow (1973); Dark Crusade (1976), et al.

White, Theodore H. - The Once and Future King (1958)

Zelazny, Roger** - Jack of Shadows** (1971); Lord of Light (1967); Nine Princes in Amber** (1970), et al.

Some additional authors of fantasy fiction are:

Beagle, Peter S.

Bok, Hannes

Cabell, James Branch

Carter, Lin*

Cherryh, C. J.

Delany, Samuel R.

Fox, Gardner*

Gaskell, Jane

Green, Roland

Haggard, H. Rider

Jakes, John

Kurtz, Katherine

Lanier, Sterling*

McCaffrey, Anne

McKillip, Patricia A.

Moore, C. L.

Myers, John Myers

Peake, Mervyn

Saberhagen, Fred*

Walton, Evangeline

Wellman, Manly Wade*

Williamson, Jack*

Short Story Collections

Carter, Lin (ed.) - The Year's Best Fantasy Stories (in several volumes; 1975-1988); Flashing Swords! (also in several volumes; 1973-1981)

Offutt, Andrew* (ed.) - Swords Against Darkness* (in several volumes; 1977-1979)

Non-Fiction

Borges, Jorge Luis - The Book of Imaginary Beings (1957, 1967/1969)

Cover to The Age of Chivalry and Legends of Charlemagne (1992) by Thomas Bulfinch, published by Doubleday.  (Originally published separately in 1859 and 1863, respectively).  Illustration The Accolade (1901) by Edmund Leighton.

Bulfinch, Thomas - Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable (1855), The Age of Chivalry (1859)

see also Legends of Charlemagne (1863)

Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend (1949, 1950, 1972)

Origins 80: Dwellers of the Forbidden City

Origins 80, sponsored by Strategy and Fantasy World, was held at Widener College in Chester, Pennsylvania, June 27-29, 1980.  The AD&D tournament was "Dwellers of the Forbidden City" by David "Zeb" Cook.

Ad for Strategy & Fantasy World, from The Dragon #39 (July, 1980), sponsors for the Origins Game Fair in June, 1980

There were no ads in The Dragon (apart from one advertising group transportation to Origins in The Dragon #38 (June, 1980) and Jake Jaquet's editorial in The Dragon #40 mentioned the location "was changed to Widener at the last minute, due to a scheduling problem with the University of Delaware, where the convention was originally supposed to be held".*

*the location was given as 293 Walchaerts Ct., Newtown Square, PA in The Dungeoneer #15 (Jan-Feb, 1980) and then Valley Forge Shopping Center, King of Prussia, PA in The Dungeoneer #16 (March-April, 1980), #17 (May-June, 1980)

A prior ad in The Dragon #36 (April, 1980) stated "This convention season, TSR Periodicals will be sponsoring tournaments at four major conventions across the country." Michicon IX (June 6-8), Origins (June 27-29), Gen Con XIII (August 21-24), Pacificon (August 29 - September 1).  The "Aerie of the Slave Lords" was held at Gen Con, but I'm not sure about the other two.

The  tournament  scenario is given in the background of the published module, and involved "The Forgotten Entrance" (areas A1 to A10).  The characters used were the first six listed in the "Character Roster", and players were given 3.5 hours to complete their objective.

Sources of Inspiration:

"Dwellers of the Forbidden City" was described as "a lost jungle city in the great tradition of  Edgar Rice Burroughs" by Eric Boyd in Dungeon #116, although perhaps owes more to the "Weird Tales" era than to either Burroughs or Haggard.

When asked about the influence of "Red Nails" by Robert E. Howard, Cook responded:

Well, I'm not surprised by the "Red Nails" reference since that was what I was clearly going for. It's my favorite Conan story and the city was based off of it. It was originally something I did for my own campaign and then used it as my resume when I applied to TSR.

David Cook, from an interview with James Maliszewski

(July 3, 2009)

*for those interested, Cook discusses "Dwellers of the Forbidden City" in this interview on Grogtalk (May 23, 2020) from 2:45:30 to 2:48:40

Players map of the Forbidden City, from Dyson Logos' blog (June 7, 2015)

The published adventure was presented as more of a wilderness micro-setting with several, loosely related encounter areas, rather than as a traditional dungeon, allowing for a much more open-ended, sandbox-style game.

Perhaps because the tournament portion only comprised a small part of the finished module "Dwellers of the Forbidden City" was not published as part of the C or "Competition" series, but was originally going to be released as part of the S or "Special" series, according to The Acaeum.

The module is notable for the introduction of several new monsters, including the aboleth, bullywug,* mongrelman, pan lung,* tasloi, yellow musk creeper,* and yuan ti (similar to the "sons of Set" from JG 88 "Dark Tower" by Jennell Jaquays, likewise inspired by "Red Nails")

*the bullywug was created by Luke Gygax and appeared in the AD&D 1e Fiend Folio (released at Gen Con XIV in August, 1981); the pan lung originally appeared in the article "Chinese Dragons" by David Sweet in The Dragon #24 (April, 1979) and was reprinted in the Fiend Folio; and the yellow musk creeper was created by Albie Fiore and also appeared in the Fiend Folio

Other Settings:

As with prior early tournament modules, "Dwellers of the Forbidden City" was shoehorned into "The World of Greyhawk" setting, although fits quite nicely into "The Wild Lands" of the D&D game world, from X6 Quagmire! on Mystara.

Map of Serpent Peninsula from X6 Quagmire! (left) and Champions of Mystara (right) indicating the location of Onyo Maata, a suitable location for I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City

I've previously posted my ideas for a X6/I1 Quagmire/Dwellers of the Forbidden City mash-up over at the Piazza, including BECMI stats for bullywugs, mongrelmen, tasloi, and yuan ti.

Having run this adventure a few years ago, I think it has great potential to be expanded (perhaps as part of the Goodman Games "Original Adventures Reincarnated" series).

Lost Civilizations

J. Eric Holmes, editor of the original Basic Set (1977), wrote a "fantasy supplement" to the "Source of the Nile" board game (published as "Lost Civilizations: A Fantasy Supplement for Source of the Nile" in The Dragon #24):

The game gives a vivid feel for the danger and excitement of exploration in the nineteenth century. What it was missing, I thought, were the kind of encounters that Allan Quartermain or Lord Greystoke would have had under similar circumstances. So, for the fantasy fans, like myself, who enjoy the game but would like to have the kind of adventures one would find in the works of H. Rider Haggard or Edgar Rice Burroughs, and with all respect for Maker and Wesely’s fine game, I offer the Fantasy Supplement: Lost civilization in Source of the Nile.

J. Eric Holmes, The Dragon #24

Holmes was a lifelong fan of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs (he even got the chance to meet Burroughs while both were living in Hawaii, at which time Burroughs autographed his copy of "Tarzan and the Leopard Men").

Holmes later wrote an authorized Burroughs pastiche "Mahars of Pellucidar" (1976), followed by a sequel "Red Axe of Pellucidar" which was never published, (although we may see a posthumous release in the near future).

Cover to The Dragon #24 (April, 1979).  Illustration by "Elrohir", a pseudonym used by artist Kenneth Rahman.

I was scheduled to play "Source of the Nile" with none other than Ross Maker at Gary Con XII, before it got canceled, and so signed up for a virtual session as part of Virtual Gary Con XII.  Our host used Holmes' rules for lost civilizations, which greatly enhanced the game.

Further Reading:

English novelist H. Rider Haggard is widely credited as the originator of the "lost world" genre.  Much of his work is in the public domain, accessible on Project Gutenberg:

King Solomon's Mines (1885), downloadable here

She: A History of Adventure (1887), downloadable here

Haggard went on to write several more stories involving Allan Quatermain (from "King Solomon's Mines") and Ayesha, or "She who must be obeyed".

"Tarzan and the Ancient City" by Milan Fibiger, from the portfolio "Tarzan as Art" (2007).

Edgar Rice Burroughs, the "master of the pulps" owes a literary debt to Haggard, and was a naturally gifted storyteller, influencing countless other writers (including Robert E Howard).

Burroughs' "Tarzan" tales* are filled with lost cities, such as Opar, forgotten outpost of sunken Atlantis, and the twin cities of Cathne, City of Gold, and Athne, City of Ivory.

*the Tarzan novels are presently being re-issued as part of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library, complete with extras and stunning painted covers by Joe Jusko.

The First Fantasy Campaign: Description of Mechanical Marvels

The next section in JG 37 "The First Fantasy Campaign" is titled "Description of Magical Items" although is listed as "Description of Mechanical Marvels" in the Table of Contents.  These technological items, like the Blue Rider's and Stephen the Rock's battle armor, are examples of Blackmoor's science-fiction elements.

Illusion Projector:

Can create the 3D image of anything and animate that image. Range is line of sight, no limit, and image must be less than 100 yards on a side. (A technological effect similar to the "phantasmal forces" spell).

 

Skimmer:

Can cross stretches of water at great speed, 50 mph and greater, as well as marsh and short (10 yards) stretches of low unobstructed land. Hitting a snag will wreck the Skimmer and cause the occupants one Hit Die in damage per 5 mph of speed. Chance of hitting a snag is about 1% per 100 miles of water, 5% in marsh and 5% every time any land is crossed. All encounter chances can be ignored due to its speed.

 

Borer:

 

 

Borer, illustration by Allan Alegado, from Dave Arneson's Blackmoor (Zeitgeist Games, 2004)

 

Can dig through ten yards of any material every hour. Makes a hole 10' x 10' as it goes. It has no weight but can only move about 1 mph. (Certainly inspired by the "iron mole" from At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs).

 

Screener:

Shuts out all outside sounds, light, magic, etc. Those within the barrier are behind the equivalent of +5 Magic Armor. Magic cannot pass the barrier, although Fireballs and Lightning Bolts can attack the outside.

 

Tricorder:

Will give the operator complete physical information about any item it is pointed at. Has a range of 100 yards, only metal will block its effect. Will only give out that information that is specifically asked (saying "tell me everything" will get an automatic 30 day lecture on the basic universe which will run it's course no matter what the operator does. Similar answers to other general questions have also occurred! (Clearly based on Star Trek's tricorder).

 

Medical Unit:

Will Heal all wounds within 24 hours and cannot "get out" early. (Similar to the Medical Kit as described in The Temple of the Frog).

 

Entertainer:

Any jolly you ever wanted, and some that might kill you. User loses track of time and is open to attack. Roll ten-sided dice for hours of use. Cures all fatigue and raises fighting level by one for the rest of the day.

 

Educator:

Teaches you how to use these mechanical marvels. One tape in machine, other tapes can be used as treasure finds, etc.

 

Robot:

 

 

Robot, illustration by Allan Alegado, from Dave Arneson's Blackmoor (Zeitgeist Games, 2004)

 

Roll one 6-sided die for Armor Class, and another die for the number of Hit Dice. All Robots have a 10% chance of being able to throw one Lightning Bolt every tum up to 20 Bolts. (Robots are mentioned in OD&D vol. 2 and featured in The City of the Gods).

 

Controller: Allows players to get Robots to do what the player wants, otherwise, there is only a 20% chance you can use the Robot, 20% chance it is defective, 60% that it is hostile.

Edgar Rice Burroughs in Lake Geneva

Edgar Rice Burroughs, the man who created such memorable characters as John Carter of Mars and Tarzan of the Apes, was born on September 1, 1875.  Burroughs' influence on gaming is profound, but few realize that he also once visited Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Those wargamers who lack imagination, those who don’t care for Burroughs’ Martian adventures where John Carter is groping through black pits . . . will not be likely to find DUNGEONS & DRAGONS to their taste. But those whose imaginations know no bounds will find that these rules are the answer to their prayers.

Gary Gygax, from the forward to OD&D v1: Men and Magic

Burroughs' first sale "Under the Moons of Mars" was published in 1912, followed by over two dozen additional tales in the pulps over the next five years alone.  Originally from Chicago, he spent several months in southern California before returning to Illinois in April, 1917.

Intensely patriotic, much of Burroughs' writing during World War I involved wartime sentiments.  Tarzan battles German soldiers in East Africa in "Tarzan the Untamed".  The Caspak Trilogy, starting with "The Land That Time Forgot", was also written during this period.

Having prior military experience, Burroughs was able to obtain a commission as captain in the Illinois state militia, Company A, Second Infantry on July 19, 1917, taking his oath of allegiance as a captain in the reserves on May 3, 1918.

Camp Steever, Lake Geneva, Summer 1918.  Source: wikimedia commons

That summer, Burroughs and his company participated in military training from August 12-26 at Camp Steever, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  While there, he wrote to his daughter, Joan:

Young Men's Christian Association of Camp Steever
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin ~ Military Training Camp for Boys

Tuesday*

My dear little daughter -

I have a few minutes before next drill period so I thought I would write you, Mamma & the boys; but as I will have time for but one letter this must be for all of you.

They called us out at ten last night and instructed us in night operations across country. We got back at 12:15 am. All pretty tired as we had had bayonet fighting & hand grenade throwing in the after noon -- the former very strenuous.

I think we have trench work this afternoon; but am not sure.

I hope you had a pleasant trip home

 *undated, but probably August 13 or 20, 1918

Upon his return to Oak Park, Burroughs related his experience to lifelong friend Bert Weston in a letter dated August 28, 1918, stating "I put in an interesting and profitable two weeks..."

Ed returned to Camp Steever shortly thereafter, wishing "to see the battalion from the outside." after which he wrote another letter to Weston, dated September 4:

Geneva is a deep, clear-water lake. The water is never warm and the swimming is fine. It is one of the deepest lakes of its size in the country and goes right off within a few feet of the shore into deep water. At one place Government soundings show it to be 1027 ft. deep but I did not go down to verify the report. I derived considerable benefit from the training, especially in the matter of the new spirit of military instruction. I believe three months intensive training in an officer's training camp would make me a regular guy again as I feel that I was after my five years at Orchard Lake. I notice in the new draft law that bald headed men with three children are to be put into A-1 class so I suppose you and I will soon be in the front line trenches.

Excerpt from: Cohen, Matt (Ed.)  Brother Men: The Correspondence of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Herbert T. Weston.  Duke University Press, Durham and London, 2005.

In September, Burroughs was promoted to major and assigned to the command of the First Battalion, Second Infantry, making the cover of The Oak Parker.  After the war, he returned to California, where he would spend the next major phase of his life.

It's doubtful whether Gary Gygax or anyone in Lake Geneva knew that Edgar Rice Burroughs participated in military training in their town during World War I - but it makes for an interesting footnote in the history of role playing games, nevertheless.

The Strategic Review #3

"The Strategic Review" served as "the newsletter of Tactical Studies Rules" and covered topics in military miniatures, games, and swords & sorcery. Vol. 1, No. 3 (Autumn, 1975) was released in July, 1975 (8 pages).


TSR News:

Announcements regarding "TSR Hobbies" a division for marketing miniatures, under Brian Blume's supervision, and "TSR Games" to publish Mike Carr's "Fight in the Skies" (5th ed.) "as well as a super-fun fantasy boardgame in the near future" (in reference to David Megarry's "Dungeon!")

There is mention of M.A.R. Barker’s "Empire of the Petal Throne" to be released around mid-July, "and it will be the ultimate in fantasy gaming", following a teaser for "the upcoming fantasy game "Petal Throne" in the advertisement for "War of Wizards" in SR #2

Finally, there is an early reference to the infamous "Tomb of Horrors":

Meanwhile, we are getting ready to run some D&D tournament games at Origins I, and from what AH says the games will be filled to capacity (but wait until the players find out just how horrible a place they will be “dungeoneering” in!).

Creature Features:

The Strategic Review #3 was described as the upcoming monster "monster" issue in SR #2, as well as in a boxed advertisement on the last page of the 1st printing of the Greyhawk supplement (where "over a dozen new monsters" are promised).

Nine new monsters are described in the "Creature Feature" section, in addition to eight tongue-in-cheek creatures as part of a humorous article by Wesley D. Ives (not covered, below).  Many became instant classics, while others remain obscure:


The Yeti (Abominable Snowman):  These tribal creatures appear in module G2 "The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl", acting as scouts for the frost giants.  They use snow leopards (from the AD&D 1e Monster Manual) as their "hunting dogs" and pets.

The Shambling Mound (or the "Shambler"): Inspired by the comic book creature "The Heap", according to Gygax.  I've always thought that a Shambling Mound would make a good wandering monster for "The Fens" on the wilderness map in module B2 "The Keep on the Borderlands".

The Leprechaun: Included in the Wandering Monster Table in the 1st printing of the Holmes Basic rulebook (July, 1977), but removed in the 2nd printing.  These appear in an illustration by David Sutherland in module B1 "In Search of the Unknown" but don't appear in the adventure.

The Shrieker: Included in the Wandering Monster Table in the 1st printing of the Holmes Basic rulebook (July, 1977).  Removed in the 2nd printing, despite an entry for "Shrieker" being added to the monster section.  These also appear in module B1 "In Search of the Unknown".

The Ghost: Although not "true Undead", these creatures (like phase spiders) are described as ethereal.  I've included the Ghost from SR #3 when running "The Creature of Rhyl", an adventure written for use with the Holmes Basic rules.

Naga: Drawn from East Asian folklore, three types are described, the Guardian Naga (Lawful, "found in sacred places"), the Water Naga (Neutral, living in palaces "deep beneath the surface of large ponds and lakes), and the Spirit Naga (Chaotic, and "totally evil").

The Wind Walker: Described as airy, telepathic, ethereal creatures, living in high mountains, or in deep caverns.  They are sometimes forced into servitude by storm giants.  The only early illustration depicting them is from the AD&D Monster Cards (Set 4) in 1982:

Wind Walker, color illustration by Erol Otus, from the AD&D Monster Cards (Set 4).

Little is known about these creatures, or was even remembered by the man who invented them.  In a post on the Q&A Thread with Gary Gygax on EN World, back in 2004, Gygax stated:

About three years back I was playing in an OAD&D game and a wind walker was encountered.  Damned if I could remember just how to attack the critter effectively, so my PC ran away, managed to escape while it was busy attacking others.

The Piercer: Included in the Wandering Monster Table in the 1st printing of the Holmes Basic rulebook (July, 1977), but removed in the 2nd printing.  These appear, along with a Roper, a Shambling Mound, Shriekers, and a Lurker Above in "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth".

The Lurker Above: In addition to its use in the Metro Detroit Gamers "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" tournament adventure, by Gary Gygax (WinterCon V, 1976), one of these creatures also appears in module G3 "Hall of the Fire Giant King".


Wargaming World:

Cimmerian swordsman, one of the Conan series-inspired "Swords & Sorcery" line from MiniFigs.

We are given an update on the "Conan" line of miniatures by MiniFigs:

In #1 we mentioned a "Conan" line to be released by Miniature Figurines, Ltd, but it is not yet available — quite.  The new range will actually be called "Swords & Sorcery", with over 125 figures initially and they look good.  Although they are not "officially" to be for games based on the Conan series, many of these figures will be ideal for such usage (TSR helped MiniFigs in laying out which figures would be adaptable to such usage, so we know of what we speak).

There is mention of the "Battle Report" newsletter, a fanzine published by the American Wargaming Association.  Issue #4 includes "Dirty Tricks for the Dungeons" a D&D article by Bill Hoyer, a member of the LGTSA.

Finally, Europa 6-8 (April, 1975) is described as being "so thick it took me hours to read through!"  A triple issue, it contains the article "How to Set Up Your Dungeons & Dragons Campaign (Part II of a Series) by Gary Gygax.


Mapping the Dungeons:

A contemporary glimpse into Dave Arneson's "Blackmoor" campaign is given:

Dave (The Fiend) Arneson relates the following: “We had an interesting game this weekend in preparation for the great SUPER-NAZI confrontation. A band of heroes went through the ol’ teleporter, and after mucking around awhile (robbery, kidnapping, murder, rape, etc.) the locals sent the police and army after them. (The Germans thought it was guerrilla activity.) The army finally found the farm they were using as a camp and moved in to search it. While thus busily employed the heroes returned from a foray and ambushed them. It was The Great Svenny, Marty the Elf, Richard the Hairy, and 5 berserkers against 26 soldiers with 2 cars, 2 trucks, 4 light mg’s, 2 motars (60 mm), and the usual bevy of small arms. Marty the Elf and 2 berserkers were killed, while the troops lost 7 KIA and 1 wounded before fleeing — good thing too, for shortly thereafter the remainder of the heroes’ force arrived, 3 magical types and another 12 berserkers! The Nazis will certainly be back in strength, and this will result in a big battle..." The LGTSA fought a somewhat similar action in May, and the German patrol managed to save about one-third of its force. However, a panzerfaust certainly takes a troll out in a hurry, and had the Krauts been alert they might have done pretty well.*  The surviving veterans of such a fantastic confrontation would prove to be stout competition for dungeon adventurers and friends.

*this became the basis of the article "Sturmgeschutz and Sorcery, or How Effective is a Panzerfaust Against a Troll, Heinz?" by Gary Gygax, published in The Strategic Review #5


Deserted Cities of Mars:

Sepia plate by John Allen St. John, frontispiece for Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1920)

The final article in SR #3 is "Deserted Cities of Mars" by Jim Ward, which succeeds in distilling the atmosphere of the abandoned cities described by Burroughs, scattered across the dead sea bottoms of the red planet, and occupied by warlike Tharks and Warhoons.

As written, the piece was no doubt intended for the short lived "Warriors of Mars" game, but could easily be used to help construct a deserted city in a D&D game, for characters transported to the red planet (whether by cursed scroll, or by other means).

Barsoomian Races & Animals

The Wilderness Wandering Monsters tables in OD&D vol 3 The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures list a number of Barsoomian Races & Animals.  For instance, in the "Men" subtable, under the Desert (Mars) column:

These various Barsoomian races are described in Warriors of Mars, (pgs 41, 44):


Red Martians:

The red race is the most numerous upon Barsoom, and its members run the gamut from the most superb fighters to the most abject cowards.  It is this race which maintains most of the inhabited cities upon the planet, and, excluding the Green Martians, they account for perhaps 75% of the population.

Red Martians appear human, but are oviparous.  Their eggs incubate for 5 Martian years (almost 10 Earth years) after which their offspring hatch as fully-formed youngsters.


Green Martians (Tharks, Warhoons, et al):

These strange creatures are all nomadic, roaming about the dead sea bottoms of Barsoom.  There are many tribes of Green men, the largest being the Tharks, the fiercest the Warhoons.  Smaller tribes are not noted on the map.  They typically take their tribal name from the abandoned city which they have chosen to house their Jed or Jeddak.  Of all their warlike abilities, their marksmanship with the Radium Rifle is by far the most outstanding.  They are not prone to use their 40' lances against humans, except in large battles against many times their own number of Red men for example.  They do, however, employ them extensively against other Green peoples.  The sword is undoubtedly their favorite weapon!  There are perhaps two million Green tribesmen on Barsoom, with a total population of perhaps five million when females and children are considered.

Green Martians are 15' tall, with six limbs (4 arms and 2 legs, although the lower set of arms can also be used as legs).  They are likewise oviparous.

Note:  The "Sand Folk" described in Blackmoor module DA3: City of the Gods (1987) appear to be modeled after Green Martians, although with some differences.


White Martians (Orovarians, Therns):

This category includes the almost extinct Orovarians who have blond or auburn hair and the bald Therns who wear yellow wigs.  Although the latter are somewhat ignoble, both types are among the staunchest of fighters.  They regard all races as beneath them, although they are somewhat in awe of the First Born.  All Therns are not of equal ability, the best of the type being awarded the title of Holy Therns.  These latter constitute perhaps a third of the type.  The white race comprises perhaps 10% of the Barsoomian population, with the Orovarians having only about 3%.  Orovars are found only in lost cities; Therns inhabit the Valley Dor at the South Pole and some colonies within Red Martian cities.

The Holy Therns are the major villains of the first Mars trilogy.  In an OD&D campaign, I would give them psionic abilities.


Black Martians:

The black race is perhaps the single finest type upon all Barsoom, for its members are above average in both height and musculature.  They are handsome in appearance and brave beyond compare.  Furthermore, their bravery is matched by their fighting ability.  They claim to be the "First Born" of all Barsoomian humans, and this is what they call themselves.  Others, however, know them as the Black Pirates because of their propensity for raiding and plundering.  They comprise about 5% of the population.  The Black Martians inhabit the underground world of Omean and the "Rift" in the northern part of the Western Hemisphere.

Introduced in the second Mars novel "The Gods of Mars" as the enemies of the Therns, the Black Pirates of Barsoom are portrayed as a valiant race.


Yellow Martians (Okarians):

These sturdy, black-bearded men are known as Okarians.  They live in domed cities scattered about the northern polar region.  As a race they are exceptionally capable fighters.  Their chief weapons are the javelin, the long sword, the "cup shield", and hook sword.  Any fighter engaging an Okarian with sword, hook sword, and cup shield would not violate the Barsoomian Code if he were to counter with long sword and short sword.  The Yellow men comprise about 10% of the total population.

Introduced in the third Mars novel "The Warlord of Mars" as a legendary, polar-dwelling race.


In the "Optional Arid Plains" subtable, we find 8 Barsoomian creatures listed:

Descriptions for many of these creatures are lacking in "Warriors of Mars", but may be found in the excellent "A Guide to Barsoom" by John Flint Roy, published in 1976 (and referred to continuously throughout the making of the film "John Carter" (2012).


Apt:

A white-furred beast of the northern polar regions.  Its head is like that of a hippopotamus - large, and with a tremendous mouth, but with a pair of horns growing downward from the lower jaw.  The eyes are large, reaching from the top of the head down to the lower jaw, and are made up of several thousand ocelli each.  Each ocellus has its own lid, and the apt has independent control of as many as he wishes - a few for use in bright sunlight and snow, or many for the dark caves which are its home.  It has a pair of arms extending forward from the shoulders.  These terminate in hands with which it seizes its prey.  The apt stands six to eight feet at the shoulder, and its fur is highly prized for garments and throws.  At one time, the Okarians considered the apts sacred and forbade hunting and killing them.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

A six-limbed arctic creature, apts only sleep 1 day a month.

Banth:

The lion of Barsoom.  A savage beast of prey roams the dead sea bottoms.  It is almost entirely hairless, having only a tawny mane about its neck.  Its hide is yellow and it has a powerful tail.  Its long, lithe body is supported by ten powerful legs; its enormous jaws are equipped with several rows of long, needle-like fangs; its mouth reaches to a point far back of its tiny ears; and its enormous protruding eyes of green add the last touch of terror to its awful aspect.  Banths roam singly or in packs.  They have a low, moaning cry when hunting, and a terrifying roar for paralyzing their victims.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

Calot:

The Barsoomian dog.  About the size of a Shetland pony, with a head somewhat like a frog's, and ten short legs.  Its jaws are equipped with three rows of long, sharp tusks.  Faster than an Earthly greyhound, it is the fleetest animal on Barsoom.  Highly intelligent, it is loyal to its master, a ferocious fighter, and has tremendous endurance.  It is omnivorous, although mainly a meat-eater.  Domesticated by the green men, it is used as an individual watchdog or in packs to guard the herds and camps.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

Darseen:

A chameleon-like reptile, inasmuch as it can change color at will.  No further information is available concerning this creature.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

Gygax added some details in "Warriors of Mars", stating:

This is a generic name for Martian reptiles.  There are small darseen, little chameleon-like lizards, and great reptiles capable of severing the head from a man in one bite.  It is these latter sort which are considered in the rules.  The largest mentioned is the monstrous albino lizard beneath Kadabra.  The tables consider darseen to be about half again as big as a monitor lizard, and if larger ones are encountered it should be adjusted accordingly.

Orluk:

A fur-bearing animal of the polar regions, and one highly prized for its magnificent  black-and-yellow-striped coat.  We are given little information about this creature, except that it is an "elephantine beast of prey".

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

Another arctic creature, Gygax states:

We are taking a few liberties with this monster, for ERB never really described the Orluk, other thans to say it was a black and yellow striped arctic-dwelling carnivore.  It is weasel-like in appearance, being about the size of a jaguar.  The orluk has four legs, great fangs and a lust for blood like the little Jasoomian animal it resembles in form.  Although it has a keen sense of smell, it has rather weak eyes or else it would be far more deadly than it is.

Sith:

An almost-extinct giant insect found in the Kaolian Forest.  It resembles a bald-faced hornet about the size of an ox.  It has powerful jaws, a mighty, poison-laden stinger, myriad-facet eyes covering three-quarters of its face, and it can move with lightning-like speed in any direction.  Its venom has certain commercial uses and is the best weapon against the sith itself.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

Thoat:

The Barsoomian steed.  The giant thoat used by the green men "towered ten feet at the shoulder; had four legs on either side; a broad flat tail, larger at the tip than at the root, and which it held straight out behind while running; a gaping mouth, which split its head from its snout to its long, massive neck...it was entirely devoid of hair, but was of a dark slate color and exceeding smooth and glossy.  Its belly was white, and its legs shaded from the slate of its shoulders and hips to a vivid yellow at the feet.  The feet themselves were heavily padded and nailless".  The thoat can live almost indefinitely without water, getting sufficient moisture from the moss that covers so much of the surface of Barsoom - and is also its main source of food.  The rider guides his mount by telepathic means, using neither bridle nor reins.  A form of saddle is employed, sometimes with elaborate trappings and blankets.

excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

White Ape:

A colossal, ape-like creature, white and hairless except for an enormous shock of bristly fur upon its head.  It stands from ten to fifteen feet in height, has an intermediary set of limbs (arms) midway between its upper and lower limbs.  The eyes are close together and non-protruding; the snout and teeth are much like that of an African gorilla.  The white apes are tribal by nature; they have a spoken language; they carry clubs; and some even wear strips of hide in imitation of the harness of the green men.  Their homes are the deserted cities scattered across the planet.

 excerpt from "A Guide to Barsoom" (1976)

In terms of developing statistics for Barsoomian creatures, Nathan Mahney used movement rates from "Warriors of Mars" and extrapolated Hit Dice in this post on his blog.

"Monster File Number One" (Dragon Tree Press, 1981), provided stats for Plant Men, Calot, Banth, Thark, Ulsio (the Martian Giant Rat), Apt, Orluk, and Martian Ape, (according to Finarvyn in this post on the OD&D Discussion boards).

There is a fan-made OD&D supplement, "Warriors of Mars" inspired by Gygax & Blume's rules, as well as an addendum "Adventures on Mars" (reviewed on Swords & Stitchery in 2012, here).

Warriors of Mars

The Mars novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs were a major influence on the early D&D game.  Martian races and creatures even appeared in the Wilderness Wandering Monsters tables in OD&D vol 3 The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures.

The "Warriors of Mars" rules for miniature wargames, published by TSR in July, 1974 (six months after the original D&D rules), are a standalone set of rules for adventures on Barsoom.  While not compatible with OD&D, they are useful as a sourcebook.

Warriors of Mars: The Warfare of Barsoom in Miniature (July, 1974) by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume.  Illustrated by Greg Bell.  Downloadable at archive.org

The forward by Gary Gygax states "this project was done at the request of the firm which originated the miniature figures for this singular aspect of wargaming".  The firm is identified as Hinchliffe Models (later Heritage Models) in Jon Peterson's Playing at the World (2012).

For a look at the Hinchliffe and Heritage miniatures, see articles by Laurence Dunn at erbzine, reprinted from the Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association (ERB-APA) fanzine, issue #100, issue #101, issue #102, and also this website.

The book is divided into 3 parts (Land Warfare, Aerial Warfare, and Notes on Personality Figures, Barsoomian Races & Animals) followed by a series of combat tables.  There is also a map of Barsoom (depicted below) and 24 interior illustrations.

Map of Barsoom, from Warriors of Mars (TSR, 1974)

Part I: Land Warfare

This section provides rules for mass combat (tables for missile fire, melee, and morale are in the back of the rulebook), a paragraph on seiges, and rules for individual combat (tables for animals vs. animals and/or men, and men vs. men are also in the back).

The rules for individual combat involve rolling 3d6, with its bell-shaped probability curve, so that advancement in fighting skill with increasing experience is not linear.  The maximum level attainable is 12th, (John Carter is 13th).

There is only one character "class" (that of a "fighting man").  An "experience" points table is included for defeating Martian animals or warriors, capturing enemy warriors or items such as fliers or treasure, and freeing prisoners.

There are also guidelines provided for individual adventures, from mapping the wilderness (with encounter tables based on the terrain), to exploring deserted cities (see also "Deserted Cities of Mars" by Jim Ward in SR #3), or plunging the labyrinthine pits beneath (using D&D).


Part II: Aerial Warfare

Illustration by Greg Bell, from Warriors of Mars.  Fliers modeled after cover illustration for the 1973 Ballantine edition of "Swords of Mars", by Gino D'Achille.

The next section covers aerial combat, with rules for movement, fliers, fire, elevation & depression of guns, damage, ramming & collision, grappling, boarding, bombing, air-to-ground combat, and ground-to-air combat (with tables for boarding, bombing, and aerial combat).


Part III: Notes on Personality Figures, Barsoomian Races & Animals

The final section is fairly brief, containing short, descriptive paragraphs on various "NPCs", including John Carter, Ulysses Paxton, Carthoris, Tars Tarkas, Solon of Okar, and others, such as Mors Kajak, Tardos Mors, Kantos Kan, et al.

There are also short descriptions of the various Barsoomian races (red, white, black, yellow, green) and animals (white apes, darseen, malagor, orluks).  Other animals are not covered, since they are already described in sufficient detail in the novels.


In summary, "Warriors of Mars" is a standalone game, unrelated to D&D, but could serve as the backbone for creating a series of adventures on Burroughs' Barsoom.

Incidentally, Ernie Gygax's character "Erac's Cousin" was transported to Barsoom in Gary's original Greyhawk campaign.  Some of the details are posted in this thread at the Piazza.*

*Gygax recounts the tale in "Dual to the Death: The First Dual Classed Character" published in Dragon #319 (May 2004).

On a final note, J. Eric Holmes, editor of the 1977 D&D Basic Rulebook, as well as a noted Burroughs enthusiast, ran "Dungeons and Dragons on Barsoom" at Gen Con in 1978-1980.

Update (Apr 24, 2021): A copy of "Warriors of Mars" was put up for auction by Wayne's Books on Apr 18, 2021, see "Warriors of Mars (1974): A Rare Lost Cousin of D&D"