A week or so ago, I got an alert in my email that one of the items I've been on the prowl for on eBay had come up for sale; FGU's "Bireme and Galley", which is a set of naval rules for use with ancient and medieval ships, as an adjunct to their Chivalry and Sorcery game. So I clicked on the link and took a peek, and discovered a list of RPGs as long as my arm, with a "buy it now" price of $150.
Now, immediately this raised some alarm bells for me, because there were no pictures of the books themselves, no indication as to their condition, and although the seller had been on eBay for 2 years, had only a single feedback in all that time. And that as a buyer. So more red flags.
But then my gaze lingered hungrily over the list of promised treasures. The entire set of C&S books, including the much-coveted "Saurians". Empire of the Petal Throne and Legions of the Petal Throne, the wargame to do large-scale battles. Adventures in Fantasy, Dave Arneson's RPG post-D&D, which I had heard of but never seen. Bushido. A ton of Fantasy Trip stuff. Arm's Law, Claw Law, and a ton more ICE stuff. Palladium's The Mechanoid Invasion (all three books). Space Opera. Other Suns. GDW's Dark Conspiracy game, and most of the supplements. TSR's Star Probe and Star Empires. And tons more.
But it was a "buy it now" auction, and I knew at least a few hundred fellow collectors had to have gotten the same eBay email as I did, so the clock was ticking, so I would probably lose the opportunity if I waited to ask the seller about the condition of the items.
I took the chance, and rolled the dice. I figured that if it was a hoax, I'd be protected by either eBay or PayPal, and if the stuff was in terrible condition, I might be able to salvage something out of it.
So today while I was at Dexcon I got a text from my wife saying that two large boxes arrived, but they were "poorly wrapped".
Uh-oh, I think. I'm doomed. I blew it.
But then I got home. The boxes really were in terrible shape, entire edges ripped open revealing the contents of the box, one had the post office blue and white "arrived in damaged condition" tape resealing one of the edges. Double uh-oh. Anything placed in the box in the wrong direction would have slipped out along the way. I opened the first box.
Gold. Pure old-time RPG gold. Everything in great condition. Sure, the things that had originally come in boxes were missing the boxes. A few things were punched for 3-hole binders (but I'm going to have to do some research on those; they might have come that way). I'm sure a few maps are missing here and there, but more were included than I had dared hope.
I started taking stuff out of the boxes, and it was all the same. In GREAT shape, and a trip back in time to the early 80's and mid-late 70's. Tons of stuff I used to own, had heard of but never seen, and had never before heard of. Mostly RPGs but a few wargamey things and miniatures rules that were naturals for an RPG collector of the era to have acquired. Things I've been pining for for years, like Saurians, Bireme and Galley, Star Probe, and Star Empires. And it just kept coming out of the box, stacks and layers of it. Behold...
Ebay been veryvery good to me. :-)
EDIT: Here's the list as it appeared on eBay. I still haven't cross-referenced everything, but it seems to be a complete list.
Warhammer 40,000 rogue trader.
Warhammer fantasy
Warhammer campaign the enemy within, shadows over Bogenhafen
hIgh fantasy, rules
adventures in high fantasy and Fortress Ellendar
moorguard
Earthdawn (FASA)
legions of the petal throne.
Empire of the petal throne.
Sword's path glory book 1, book 2.
The reptiliads (RAFM co.)
Tunnels and trolls. Fifth edition.
Sword Lords (archive)
wizards and warfare (Leicester wargames)
adventures in fantasy.
archworld (fantasy games Unlimited)
middle Earth role-playing (ICE).
Thieve's Guild 1-10, Haven, Secrets oif the LAbyrinth, Within the Tyrant's Demesne
call of Cthulhu
Dragonsquest books1-3 (SPI) .
Adventure one the Palace of Ontoncle
adventure two the blade of allectus
Cities: the game Master's guide - Stephen Abrams and John Everson.
Midkenmia press: The city of carse, outland cities
thieve's world.
The spirit stones.
Trader.
Dark assassin
catacombs of the bear cult.
Chivalry and sorcery (FGU)
sourcebook
Saurians (FGU)
Arden.
sourcebook 2.
swords and sorcerers.
bireme and galley.
the Dragon Lord.
Rapier and dagger.
Destrier
Bushido (FGU) book 1 and 2 small and full-size.
Valley of the mists.
The land of the rising Sun (FGU)
Powers and perils (Avalon Hill) books 1 through 5+ tables was character record plus adventure record.
Power of the dead.
Perilous lands .
Encounter, combat, and magic screens.
The Lord of creation (Avalon Hill) rule book, book of foes.
the fantasy trip (meta-gaming)
Melee
Wizard(Spells only)
advanced melee.
advanced Wizard.
in the labyrinth
The Fantasy Master's Codex
Fantasy Master's Screen
the forest Lords of dhad
the warrior Lords of darok
interplay numbers one through eight.
Death test
death test 2
master of the amulets.
Orb quest
Dragons of underearth
the fury of the Norsemen.
The Lords of underearth
Security Station
Grailquest
Treasure of the Silver Dragon
Treasure of the Unicorn Gold
Runequest (Chaosium)
scorpion Hall.
The snow King's bride
Runequest (Avalon Hill) books 1 through five.
Adventure book
city book.
Daughters of darkness
dorastor land of doom
eldarad velocity map book only.
Dangerous journeys (GDW)
Mythus prime.
mythus
Mythus magick
torg (West End games).
Rulebook
World book.
Adventure book
Chaosium
basic role-playing.
Future world.
Super world.
Magic world.
ICE
Character law and campaign law.
Arms law and claw law.
Spell law.
Future law.
tech law
the world of Vog Mur
the shade of the sinking plane.
Rolemaster companion.
Rolemaster companion 2
space master companion.
The Palladium role-playing game.
The Mechanoid invasion
The Mechanoid invasion book 2. The journey.
The Mechanoid invasion book 3 home world.
Weapons and castles.
Weapons and armour.
Weapons and assassins.
Weapons and castles of the orients.
Battle Lords of the 23rd century (optimus design)
no man's land planetary Atlas.
The Galactic underground.
Lock n load.
Superhero 2044 (game science)
renegade Legion legionnaire (FASA)
alien space (lou Zocchi)
strike team Alpha (lou Zocchi)
fringeworthy (Tri Tac)
rogue 417
war of the sky cities (FGU)
space Opera, volume 1 (FGU)
space Opera, volume 2 (FGU)
space Opera ground and air equipment (FGU)
space Marines (FGU)
space Opera star sector Atlas one. The Terran sector (FGU)
space Opera martigan belt (FGU)
starships and spaceman (FGU)
Other Suns (FGU)
book 1 characters and skills.
Book 2 starships and world building.
Starfleet wars (superior models)
StarRovers (?)
Universe (SPI)
spacefarers guide to planets: Sector 1 (Little Soldier Games)
hero systems rulebook (hero games) number 500
fantasy hero (hero games) number 502
villains and vigilantes (FGU)
enemies hero games.
champions hero games.
TSR
top-secret
Star empires
Star Probe
space quest
Steve Jackson games.
Killer
FASA
SHadowrun (7100)
the grimoire (7106)
Street samurai catalog (7104)
GDW
dark conspiracy (2100)
New Orleans (2101)
darktek (2102)
heart of darkness (2103)
Hellsgate (2104)
dark races, volume 1 (2106)
among the dead (2107)
proto-dimensions sourcebook, volume 1 (2109)
ice daemon (2111)
PC booster kit (2112)
nightsider (2114)
minion nation (2115)
traveler 2300
players manual.
Referees manual.
The tricolors shadow.
all edition one.
2300 A.D.
adventures guide
directors guide
Energy Curve (1031)
Kafer Dawn (1032) two copies
Now, immediately this raised some alarm bells for me, because there were no pictures of the books themselves, no indication as to their condition, and although the seller had been on eBay for 2 years, had only a single feedback in all that time. And that as a buyer. So more red flags.
But then my gaze lingered hungrily over the list of promised treasures. The entire set of C&S books, including the much-coveted "Saurians". Empire of the Petal Throne and Legions of the Petal Throne, the wargame to do large-scale battles. Adventures in Fantasy, Dave Arneson's RPG post-D&D, which I had heard of but never seen. Bushido. A ton of Fantasy Trip stuff. Arm's Law, Claw Law, and a ton more ICE stuff. Palladium's The Mechanoid Invasion (all three books). Space Opera. Other Suns. GDW's Dark Conspiracy game, and most of the supplements. TSR's Star Probe and Star Empires. And tons more.
But it was a "buy it now" auction, and I knew at least a few hundred fellow collectors had to have gotten the same eBay email as I did, so the clock was ticking, so I would probably lose the opportunity if I waited to ask the seller about the condition of the items.
I took the chance, and rolled the dice. I figured that if it was a hoax, I'd be protected by either eBay or PayPal, and if the stuff was in terrible condition, I might be able to salvage something out of it.
So today while I was at Dexcon I got a text from my wife saying that two large boxes arrived, but they were "poorly wrapped".
Uh-oh, I think. I'm doomed. I blew it.
But then I got home. The boxes really were in terrible shape, entire edges ripped open revealing the contents of the box, one had the post office blue and white "arrived in damaged condition" tape resealing one of the edges. Double uh-oh. Anything placed in the box in the wrong direction would have slipped out along the way. I opened the first box.
Gold. Pure old-time RPG gold. Everything in great condition. Sure, the things that had originally come in boxes were missing the boxes. A few things were punched for 3-hole binders (but I'm going to have to do some research on those; they might have come that way). I'm sure a few maps are missing here and there, but more were included than I had dared hope.
I started taking stuff out of the boxes, and it was all the same. In GREAT shape, and a trip back in time to the early 80's and mid-late 70's. Tons of stuff I used to own, had heard of but never seen, and had never before heard of. Mostly RPGs but a few wargamey things and miniatures rules that were naturals for an RPG collector of the era to have acquired. Things I've been pining for for years, like Saurians, Bireme and Galley, Star Probe, and Star Empires. And it just kept coming out of the box, stacks and layers of it. Behold...
EDIT: Here's the list as it appeared on eBay. I still haven't cross-referenced everything, but it seems to be a complete list.
Warhammer 40,000 rogue trader.
Warhammer fantasy
Warhammer campaign the enemy within, shadows over Bogenhafen
hIgh fantasy, rules
adventures in high fantasy and Fortress Ellendar
moorguard
Earthdawn (FASA)
legions of the petal throne.
Empire of the petal throne.
Sword's path glory book 1, book 2.
The reptiliads (RAFM co.)
Tunnels and trolls. Fifth edition.
Sword Lords (archive)
wizards and warfare (Leicester wargames)
adventures in fantasy.
archworld (fantasy games Unlimited)
middle Earth role-playing (ICE).
Thieve's Guild 1-10, Haven, Secrets oif the LAbyrinth, Within the Tyrant's Demesne
call of Cthulhu
Dragonsquest books1-3 (SPI) .
Adventure one the Palace of Ontoncle
adventure two the blade of allectus
Cities: the game Master's guide - Stephen Abrams and John Everson.
Midkenmia press: The city of carse, outland cities
thieve's world.
The spirit stones.
Trader.
Dark assassin
catacombs of the bear cult.
Chivalry and sorcery (FGU)
sourcebook
Saurians (FGU)
Arden.
sourcebook 2.
swords and sorcerers.
bireme and galley.
the Dragon Lord.
Rapier and dagger.
Destrier
Bushido (FGU) book 1 and 2 small and full-size.
Valley of the mists.
The land of the rising Sun (FGU)
Powers and perils (Avalon Hill) books 1 through 5+ tables was character record plus adventure record.
Power of the dead.
Perilous lands .
Encounter, combat, and magic screens.
The Lord of creation (Avalon Hill) rule book, book of foes.
the fantasy trip (meta-gaming)
Melee
Wizard(Spells only)
advanced melee.
advanced Wizard.
in the labyrinth
The Fantasy Master's Codex
Fantasy Master's Screen
the forest Lords of dhad
the warrior Lords of darok
interplay numbers one through eight.
Death test
death test 2
master of the amulets.
Orb quest
Dragons of underearth
the fury of the Norsemen.
The Lords of underearth
Security Station
Grailquest
Treasure of the Silver Dragon
Treasure of the Unicorn Gold
Runequest (Chaosium)
scorpion Hall.
The snow King's bride
Runequest (Avalon Hill) books 1 through five.
Adventure book
city book.
Daughters of darkness
dorastor land of doom
eldarad velocity map book only.
Dangerous journeys (GDW)
Mythus prime.
mythus
Mythus magick
torg (West End games).
Rulebook
World book.
Adventure book
Chaosium
basic role-playing.
Future world.
Super world.
Magic world.
ICE
Character law and campaign law.
Arms law and claw law.
Spell law.
Future law.
tech law
the world of Vog Mur
the shade of the sinking plane.
Rolemaster companion.
Rolemaster companion 2
space master companion.
The Palladium role-playing game.
The Mechanoid invasion
The Mechanoid invasion book 2. The journey.
The Mechanoid invasion book 3 home world.
Weapons and castles.
Weapons and armour.
Weapons and assassins.
Weapons and castles of the orients.
Battle Lords of the 23rd century (optimus design)
no man's land planetary Atlas.
The Galactic underground.
Lock n load.
Superhero 2044 (game science)
renegade Legion legionnaire (FASA)
alien space (lou Zocchi)
strike team Alpha (lou Zocchi)
fringeworthy (Tri Tac)
rogue 417
war of the sky cities (FGU)
space Opera, volume 1 (FGU)
space Opera, volume 2 (FGU)
space Opera ground and air equipment (FGU)
space Marines (FGU)
space Opera star sector Atlas one. The Terran sector (FGU)
space Opera martigan belt (FGU)
starships and spaceman (FGU)
Other Suns (FGU)
book 1 characters and skills.
Book 2 starships and world building.
Starfleet wars (superior models)
StarRovers (?)
Universe (SPI)
spacefarers guide to planets: Sector 1 (Little Soldier Games)
hero systems rulebook (hero games) number 500
fantasy hero (hero games) number 502
villains and vigilantes (FGU)
enemies hero games.
champions hero games.
TSR
top-secret
Star empires
Star Probe
space quest
Steve Jackson games.
Killer
FASA
SHadowrun (7100)
the grimoire (7106)
Street samurai catalog (7104)
GDW
dark conspiracy (2100)
New Orleans (2101)
darktek (2102)
heart of darkness (2103)
Hellsgate (2104)
dark races, volume 1 (2106)
among the dead (2107)
proto-dimensions sourcebook, volume 1 (2109)
ice daemon (2111)
PC booster kit (2112)
nightsider (2114)
minion nation (2115)
traveler 2300
players manual.
Referees manual.
The tricolors shadow.
all edition one.
2300 A.D.
adventures guide
directors guide
Energy Curve (1031)
Kafer Dawn (1032) two copies
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