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Araka-Kalai
''Araka-Kalai'' is a role-playing game supplement for ''HârnMaster'' published by Columbia Games in 1987. Publication history ''Araka-Kalai'' was the first supplement created for ''HârnMaster'', written by Edwin King and Dave Kowan, with art by Eric Hotz. It was published in 1987 by Columbia Games as a 44-page book, with two center-bound cardstock character sheets. Contents Araka-Kalai is a campaign setting centred on the Pit of Araka-Kalai, a massive toxic sinkhole, and the undiscovered caves underneath it, which include creatures, shrines, and cults. The Pit itself is filled with a strange organic sludge as well as the ruined temple of the god Ilvir. The supplement includes seven short adventure scenarios which take place in the area, although several of the scenarios are only undetailed sketches. Reviewer Ken Rolston noted that "The adventures themselves are really little more than scenario outlines, though one or two provide enough detail to qualify as complete adventure ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HârnMaster
''HârnMaster'' is a fantasy role-playing game based in the fantasy world of Hârn. The system, like the world, was designed primarily by N. Robin Crossby. History ''Hârnmaster'' was published as a role-playing game using the Hârn setting by Columbia Games in 1986. All previously published ''Hârn'' supplements were intended to be system independent but Columbia gauged reader interest and decided to produce a game system specifically for the Hârn setting. N. Robin Crossby led the design and based the new game on notes for designs that he had saved from the 1970s. Columbia began to focus on supporting the ''Hârnmaster'' role-playing game rather than just the setting, and published their first ever Hârn adventures, '' 100 Bushels of Rye'' (1988) and '' The Staff of Fanon'' (1988), and the rules supplement '' Pilots' Almanac'' (1988), followed books about magic and other supplements for the game. Columbia also resumed publication wargames including the Hârn miniatures wargame ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbia Games
Columbia Games is one of the oldest manufacturers of board wargames, and has also produced the '' Hârn'' role-playing game as well as various card games and collectible card games. Their wargames are notable for using small wooden or plastic blocks instead of the more conventional cardboard counters. The company, originally titled Gamma Two Games, started in Vancouver, Canada, but after ten years changed its name to Columbia Games, and eventually moved to Blaine, Washington. It is currently run by founder Tom Dalgliesh and his son Grant. Gamma Two Games In 1971, Tom Dalgliesh, Lance Gutteridge and Steve Brewster all graduated from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, and decided to start a Canadian games company called Gamma Two Games. They published their first game in 1972, the block wargame titled '' Quebec 1759''. Brewster left the company soon after its formation, and was replaced by Ron Gibson. The company produced two more wargames, ''War of 1812'' in 1973, and ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Role-playing Game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting or through a process of structured decision-making regarding character development. Actions taken within many games succeed or fail according to a formal role-playing game system, system of rules and guidelines. There are several forms of role-playing games. The original form, sometimes called the tabletop role-playing game (TRPG or TTRPG), is conducted through discussion, whereas in live action role-playing game, live action role-playing (LARP), players physically perform their characters' actions.(Tychsen et al. 2006:255) "LARPs can be viewed as forming a distinct category of RPG because of two unique features: (a) The players physically embody their characters, and (b) the g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Hotz
Eric Hotz is a graphic artist and illustrator. Early life and education Hotz was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada and studied at Simon Fraser University, Langara College, and Capilano College, mainly studying archaeology, art history, fine arts and commercial art. Career Hotz worked for ''First Encounter Magazine'' (DELF) from 1983 to 1984, for Columbia Games Inc. from 1984 to 2000, and was the in-house illustrator, production editor, and cartographer. His work included interior color, black line art, map work, and cover art, for Columbia's fantasy role-playing world ''Hârn''. He also produced board game map art for Columbia's board wargames including ''Rommel In The Desert'', ''EastFront'', ''WestFront'', ''1812'', ''Bobby Lee'', ''Sam Grant'', and many other titles. Hotz did the design and art for the role-playing game '' High Colonies'' (1988) for Waterford Publishing House Ltd. In 1992, he started working freelance for Columbia Games, and his work included art for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Character Sheet
A character sheet is a record of a player character in a role-playing game, including whatever details, notes, game statistics, and background information a player would need during a play session. Character sheets can be found in use in both traditional and live-action role-playing games. Almost all role-playing games make use of character sheets in some fashion; even "rules-light" systems and freeform role-playing games record character details in some manner. The role-playing video game equivalent is known as a status screen. Some non-role-playing games, such as some board games and party games, also use records that could be compared to character sheets. History The first role-playing game published, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1974), did not include a character sheet. The first one ever published was in the ''Haven Herald'' fanzine of Stephen Tihor published on May 3, 1975. One month after, another character sheet was released in the APA magazine '' Alarums and Excursions' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Rolston
Ken Rolston is an American computer game and role-playing game designer best known for his work with West End Games and on the computer game series ''The Elder Scrolls''. Tabletop role-playing games Ken Rolston began working as a professional games designer in 1982. Rolston spent twelve years as an award-winning designer of tabletop role-playing games. His credits include games and supplements for ''Paranoia'', ''RuneQuest'', '' Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay'', ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', and ''Dungeons & Dragons''.: February 13, 2007, press release Ken Rolston worked as a writer on ''Basic Role-Playing'' for Chaosium. Rolston also worked on the '' Stormbringer'' and ''Superworld'' lines for Chaosium. Rolston joined the ''Paranoia'' team as its fourth creator soon after he was hired at West End Games in 1983, and he was responsible for adding atmosphere to the rules written by Greg Costikyan, the results of which were published at GenCon in 1984. Rolston wrote a complete man ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dragon (magazine)
''Dragon'' was one of the two official magazines for source material for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game and associated products, along with ''Dungeon (magazine), Dungeon''. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, ''The Strategic Review''. The final printed issue was #359 in September 2007. Shortly after the last print issue shipped in mid-August 2007, Wizards of the Coast (part of Hasbro, Inc.), the publication's current copyright holder, relaunched ''Dragon'' as an online magazine, continuing on the numbering of the print edition. The last published issue was No. 430 in December 2013. A digital publication called ''Dragon+'', which replaced ''Dragon'' magazine, was launched in 2015. It was created by the advertising agency Dialect in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, and its numbering system for issues started at No. 1. History TSR In 1975, TSR, Inc. began publishing ''The Strate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TSR (company)
TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had been unable to find a publisher for ''D&D'', a new type of game he and Dave Arneson were co-developing, so he founded the new company with Kaye to self-publish their products. Needing financing to bring their new game to market, Gygax and Kaye brought in Brian Blume in December as an equal partner. ''Dungeons & Dragons'' is generally considered the first tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG), and established the genre. When Kaye died suddenly in 1975, the Tactical Studies Rules partnership restructured into TSR Hobbies, Inc. and accepted investment from Blume's father Melvin. With the popular ''D&D'' as its main product, TSR Hobbies became a major force in the games industry by the late 1970s. Melvin Blume eventually transferred his shares to his ot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hârn Supplements
Hârn is a campaign setting for fantasy role-playing games, designed by N. Robin Crossby, and published by Columbia Games in 1983. In 1998 Crossby founded Kelestia Productions (KP), an electronic publishing e-company. KP and Columbia Games now independently produce printed and online materials for use with Hârn-based role-playing campaigns and fiction. The role-playing game, ''HârnMaster,'' was developed specifically for use with Hârn. History The campaign world of Hârn was first described in the '' Hârn campaign set'' (1983) from Columbia Games, which contained a folio with a general overview, with background, history, and religion of the island of Hârn along with the small Hârndex encyclopaedia, and a map of Hârn drawn by N. Robin Crossby. Shannon Appelcline described that "Hârn was broadly based on Norman England, with some fantasy elements appearing through dwarves, elves and orcs. It was low magic and ..tried to create a genuinely real setting, based on careful r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
