Post by Vile Traveller on Feb 20, 2016 20:27:11 GMT -6
Firstly, I must offer my humble thanks to our landlord Finarvyn for letting me have my own corner of these marvellous boards for discussion of the BLUEHOLME™ Project. It's a truly happy place in my mind-map of the intertubes, and it's a joy and a privilege to talk to you all. 
Okay, down to business. Fin suggested that a "what is it" post might be useful to have at the top of the forum, so here we are. Well, the simple answer is this (to paraphrase Matthew's post from Dragonsfoot):
BLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules is a close emulation of Holmes for levels 1-3.
BLUEHOLME™ Compleat Rules covers levels 1-20 in the Holmes style, based on the Blue Book as well as his other books, articles, and short stories. It builds on the elements that set Holmes apart from the other editions, such as scroll creation and non-portable magic books, as well as concepts like allowing players to play pretty much any race. In terms of content, it expands on Prentice (and the Blue Book) by introducing additional elements, but only if they are mentioned by Holmes in his writings. These are not necessarily identical to their counterparts in OD&D, Strategic Review, or Dragon Magazine - the intent is always to stay with the "Spirit of Holmes".
To sum up, the BLUEHOLME™ Project will bring to the table another, but hopefully distinctively different, flavour of OSR play based on Dr J. Eric Holmes's vision world's most popular role-playing game.
Okay, down to business. Fin suggested that a "what is it" post might be useful to have at the top of the forum, so here we are. Well, the simple answer is this (to paraphrase Matthew's post from Dragonsfoot):
BLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules is a close emulation of Holmes for levels 1-3.
BLUEHOLME™ Compleat Rules covers levels 1-20 in the Holmes style, based on the Blue Book as well as his other books, articles, and short stories. It builds on the elements that set Holmes apart from the other editions, such as scroll creation and non-portable magic books, as well as concepts like allowing players to play pretty much any race. In terms of content, it expands on Prentice (and the Blue Book) by introducing additional elements, but only if they are mentioned by Holmes in his writings. These are not necessarily identical to their counterparts in OD&D, Strategic Review, or Dragon Magazine - the intent is always to stay with the "Spirit of Holmes".
- Additional classes: assassins, druids, illusionists, monks, paladins, and rangers
- Additional monsters mentioned by Holmes, e.g. Angles, Cyclopians, Dreenoi, Green Grabbers
- Not in the rules, but in the adventures, a setting based on the Outdoor Survival map and the OD&D implied setting detailed by Wayne Rossi, incorporating locations taken - you've guessed it - from Holmes's writings.
To sum up, the BLUEHOLME™ Project will bring to the table another, but hopefully distinctively different, flavour of OSR play based on Dr J. Eric Holmes's vision world's most popular role-playing game.
