Luke Gygax Interview! #2 — February, 2020 Second Apocalyptic Issue! Gamma World and Dungeons & This Second Issue! Dragons are the properties of Wiz- Three Adventures Sample file ards of the Coast. ThrowiGames, New Mutated Monsters LLC and Thom Wilson make no New Artifacts and Tech claims to IP rights or ownership of New Tech Flowcharts said products. The Gamma Zine Luke Gygax Interview fanzine merely celebrates the early science-fantasy and fantasy systems MonkeyBlood Maps Comic Strip by Travis Hanson of TSR and other companies. A Fanzine supporting early post-apocalyptic, science-fantasy RPGs— $9.00 Issue #2 specifically, First Edition Gamma World (by TSR). Reaching Farther—A Note from the Fanzine Creator I had hoped to get the second issue So, what’s new in this issue? Besides of this fanzine out by the end of 2019 having an extensive interview with but it just didn’t happen, mainly due none other than Luke Gygax, I’ve to the completion of two other series decided to add science‐fantasy and of books. Then, when I heard that the science‐fiction themes that fell out‐ Zine Quest initiative was returning side the first issue’s heavy post‐ for a second year, I decided that this apocalyptic setting. In this issue, issue would be my contribution to you’ll find a science‐fiction short that 2020 project. story and an adventure that is suita‐ ble for any generic sci‐fi RPG system. The great part about having a loose timetable for release is that it al‐ The same great categories of content lowed me to work on the material have continued in the second issue: sporadically, even complete large new artifacts, weird monsters, mini‐ portions of it long before the book’s adventures, solution flowcharts, and launch. That’s what ended up hap‐ short stories are all once again found pening—most of the material was in these pages. completed in mid– to late‐2019. Only —Thom Wilson this introduction was written in 2020. — Issue #2 Details — Fanzine Sections Content Page Issue #2 — February, 2020 v2n1 Fanzine Creator Letter 1 Completed: January 30th, 2020 Created by: Thom Wilson Interview with Luke Gygax 2‐4 Content by: Thom Wilson Horrors of the Wasteland 5‐6 Font Cover Illustration: Je Shields Class Option 7 Back Cover Illustration: Je Shields Logo: Thom Wilson Artifacts of the Ancients 8‐9 Comic: Travis Hanson The Millionaire’s Vault (Adv #1) 10‐14 Interior Art: Je Shields, Joey Docil, Forge Studios, Dean Spencer, Luigi Castellani, The Hunted, Chapter 2 14‐16 Skortched Urf’ Studios Paradise Island (Adv #2) 16‐22 Cartography: Dyson Logos (pg. 10, 17), Journey of a Lifetime, Prologue 23‐26 IronSpine (pg. 30) Editor: Joshua Newey Solution Flowcharts 27‐28 Sample file Rescue! (Adv #3) 29‐35 Upcoming Issues: #3 — late 2020 Information / Comic 36 1st printing—PoD edition 1 An Interview with Luke Gygax We are fortunate to have Luke Gyg‐ fantastical story. I remember looking ax, co‐creator of Legion of Gold, as our over the map of SE Wisconsin with interviewee for the second issue of him as he plotted out the adventure Gamma Zine! Imagine my excitement area. The Barony of Horn was meant and pleasure when he agreed to an to be a post‐apocalyptic Elkhorn, Wis‐ interview! I hope you find it as fasci‐ consin, which is where Jemmas—I nating as I did. mean Jim—lived. He even based the maps and landmarks of that area on Gamma Zine—How did you get in‐ the places around where he lived and volved with the iconic Gamma World worked. This is made pretty apparent adventure, the Legion of Gold? What by hints like Great Mitchigoom (Lake part did you play in the develop‐ Michigan), Rocky Ford (Rockford), ment of Legion of Gold? Did you write and Deerld (Deerfield). particular sections or design areas of the adventure? As I stated, I was about 10 years old. I didnʹt write any of the text for this Luke Gygax—I was about 9 or maybe module. I discussed the ideas and, in 10 years old at the time. I watched an conjunction with my dad, created the episode of Super Friends that had overarching story. I only have a “with some villains that glowed a bright credit” for the module since I was too yellow/gold color and smashed young to write the encounters and through walls in the episode. So, I such. It was a fun and wonderful went to my dad and told him that learning experience for a young man, there should be some tough bad and I appreciate my father doing that guys in glowing armor for the ad‐ for me. venture he was working on. That started a conversation wherein we GZ—How was it working with your fleshed out some ideas that made it father on the adventure? into the main adventure in Legion of LG—I spent much of my free time Gold. GW was fairly new and I think hanging out with my dad. He was my to set up a basic in‐ he was trying best friend and I greatly enjoyed talk‐ tro adventure with a home base for ing to him about games and gaming. I people to operate out of, much like a would typically get back from school T1 or B2 (probably more so the about 4PM, then Iʹd sit in his study in a latter). The characters in the game big comfy leather chair while he sat at are based on real people. For exam‐ his desk typing on an old typewriter. I ple, Jemmas the Warder is Jim Ward would look at D&D manuals or read Sample file and Ydal Eilffik is based on through the stuff he was writ‐ Kifflie Scott of TSR. So, as he does ing. For the project my dad simply with much of his work, Dad talked to me and got my opinions and was drawing on the things in his feedback before capturing the ideas in everyday life and morphing it to a writing. 2 GZ—Your father was known for his D&D and AD&D work. How is it that he came to develop a Gamma World adventure? Do you remember what his thoughts were on the sys‐ tem? LG—James M. Ward was one of the early players in Dadʹs games, and when he asked my dad about a sci‐ ence‐fiction version of D&D, my dad said, “I donʹt have time Jim, why donʹt you write it.” And so, Jim wrote Metamorphosis Alpha (MA), the first SF RPG, in 1976. That is one of my favorite games of all time, espe‐ cially when GMed by Mr. Ward. My Legion of Gold cover, art by Bill Willingham dad had the D&D group find a portal that took them to the Starship War‐ ous points, taking more and more of den and handed off the GM chair to his time. Jim while they played. They did so GZ—Did you have any part in pick‐ well that they formed a group called ing the cover art for the book? the Vigilists that became quite pow‐ erful in the starship. So my dad and LG—Yes! I told my dad that the bad the rest of the gang were all familiar guys had powered armor that with and enjoyed SF RPGs. In 1978, glowed yellow and they could crash TSR wanted a game based on a post through the walls! And thatʹs what apocalyptic Earth, something like we have on the cover. I didnʹt do any Hieroʹs Journey by Sterling La‐ art production or anything like that. nier. And so Jim developed Gamma GZ—Does Gamma World have any World (GW), which drew signifi‐ presence at Gary Con? Are there any cant inspiration from MA. My dad games of Gamma World played there wanted to make GW another strong each year? product line and so he put some effort into developing the beginning LG—We play all kinds of games at of a setting for people to base Gary Con, from the newest editions their GW adventures with GW1. Of of games such as D&D 5e and Path‐ course, D&D was by far the highest finder 2e to a whole series of games Sample file grossing product, and he wasnʹt able called The Legends of Wargaming that to make multiple GW modules and includes OD&D and miniatures war accessories. The business was grow‐ game scenarios from the ‘60s and ing at a furious pace and his role as ‘70s. Certainly, Gamma World is often President and/or CEO was, at vari‐ played at Gary Con, as well as MA, 3 sometimes run by James M. people. My primary job is as a mem‐ Ward himself. I have always enjoyed ber of the California Army National both systems and welcome Guard full‐time. So, operating Gary them wholeheartedly. Con takes up most of my spare time. However, I started a streaming GZ—Anything youʹd like to share event called Founders & Legends about the upcoming Gary Con? where I get together with friends and LG—Gary Con is growing by leaps play D&D and talk about the history and bounds each year. I am very and impact of the game. You can proud to be able to continue my fa‐ find some episodes on my YouTube therʹs legacy and be the public face of channel. I also recently finished a the Gygax family at Gary Con. We Kickstarter for The Lost City of Gax‐ are so fortunate to have the support moor, a sandbox adventure that I co‐ of so many great guests, from the authored with my brother, Ernie, founders of the industry like Tim back in 2001.