Hargrave’s Old School

Reflecting on my re-reading of David Hargrave’s Arduin material, I realise that the “Old School” was never as homogeneous as many in the community would have us believe today. Hargrave was, perhaps, an outlying force in the hobby – contentious and loathed by some – but he was also a force for creativity and variety.

The main thought that has been noodling around my mind has been the simple truth that Hargrave’s own journey from Original Dungeons & Dragons towards his own Revised Arduin was evolutionary: he published the original Arduin Trilogy but it didn’t end there. After his death, his revised “Arduin, Bloody Arduin” was edited by his dearest friends to become “The Compleat Arduin“:

“But Dave was not satisfied with the trilogy, or the five supplements that followed it… For ten years he play-tested and wrote new rules almost continuously, trying to make the FRP experience easier and more accessible for the players…” (Compleat Arduin, Book 1, page iii)

In other words, this deeply “old school” Dungeon Master was a force for development and change. He wanted to expand the accessibility of the hobby. He also, it seems, wanted it to be as rewarding and fulfilling as possible. On the topic of his new player character types (aka “classes”), he wrote:

“Don’t be lonely, take a Troll to lunch. The world is a smaller place, but it is smaller still in relationship to the myriad worlds of the entire Alternity (alternative eternities). Do not be a small player from a small world. Embrace the whole Almanity, and give the different types [of character options] a chance. I think you will find that the world your game is in will become a lot more fun if you do.” – (Arduin Trilogy, page 10)

And that brings me to my own game…

Hargravian Variety

The other day I wrote that I would be running a Dungeons & Dragons game using some very specific house rules. In many ways, I stand by those decisions… except that I feel the desire to run a game that feels “old school” has overtaken the spirit of the original game.

Tale is told that when players of Dungeons & Dragons would telephone Gary Gygax, the game’s co-founder, and ask him about how this or that was meant to be done in the game… well, Gary would reportedly simply ask them what call they made, listen to their answer, and then affirm that this sounded just fine. The point? Originally, Gary expected Dungeon Masters to make the game their own:

“These rules are as complete as possible within the limitations imposed by the space of three booklets. That is, they cover the major aspects of fantasy campaigns but still remain flexible. As with any other set of miniatures rules they are guidelines to follow in designing your own fantastic-medieval campaign. They provide the framework around which you will build a game of simplicity or tremendous complexity — your time and imagination are about the only limiting factors…” (Dungeons & Dragons [1974], Book I, MEN & MAGIC, page 4)

Hargrave understood this. His works were doing just what Gary envisioned: he was expanding and developing his own campaign. Starting with the guidelines in the original game books, one can imagine Hargrave slowly adding, changing, and building Arduin. Sharing his ideas, as was the tradition in the old days.

His contribution was huge: new races, new classes, new spells, new magik items, new creatures… and a whole multiverse of adventure. It was the working of a Dungeon Master, wrought at his gaming table for his players and then shared to whomever was interested.

So what?

For me, the message is clear:

“Embrace the whole Almanity, and give the different types [of character options] a chance.”

Reading through my 5th Edition books again these past few days, the truth is that I should not be restricting choices in some attempt to return to the “way it was”. On the contrary, the role of the Dungeon Master is to give their players a rich and vibrant fantasy world into which they can step as heroes. Certainly, Hargrave was a believer in the brutal harshness of that world – his creations give little quarter and demand much of his player’s skill – but that is no excuse for not seeking to make the game as fun as is possible.

To my mind, it’s time to turn the dials to offer variety and richness in my gaming. Choices are the spice of fantasy roleplaying, that is the suggestion I have taken to heart. If they want to risk it, I want to give my players “the whole Almanity”… and the brutal challenges that come with it.

I’m going to “take a Troll to lunch.”

Game on!