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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 3, 2018 9:07:43 GMT -5
The background theory development has helped me to introduce additional intrigue within Hommlet...
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 3, 2018 9:46:04 GMT -5
Is it possible that Tharizdun, imprisoned on a "dark star" = John Carpenter's film "Dark Star?"
Tharizdun a type of Commander Powell in cryogenic suspension who eventually gets jettisoned into space encased in ice from the Dark Star space ship, which is later to be found at a crash site in the barrier peaks?
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Post by geneweigel on Apr 3, 2018 12:16:00 GMT -5
Thats more in theme with a Robert W.Chambers idea of "Yrimid" or "Erlik's star" which is a wandering pseudoplanet briefly mentioned in his stories.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 3, 2018 14:03:30 GMT -5
Since the leather worker = EGG is a Jack-of-all-trades, I think this is a hint to find the famous "John" named version behind each craftsman in Hommlet. So VOH location #14 is a reference to John Carter, and #28 is a reference to John Carpenter? Who are we supposed to see from the other VOH craftsmen? For John Carpenter, the obvious reference is the 1978 film "Halloween". It's possible we are supposed to look back further to "Assault on Precinct 13"... John Carpenter's "Halloween" is in view, which is why it is stated that Brother Smyth will assume the role of religious advisor to the faithful in the absence of the druidical head. Brother Smith must have in the past run Smith's Grove Sanatorium...in "Halloween" we find another "Doyle", Tommy Doyle... Need to review Celtic traditions of Halloween & festival of Samhain... Since Tommy Doyle character is a tribute to the Alfred Hitchcock character Lt. Det. Thomas J. Doyle in "Psycho", I am looking into this next "Doyle" character reference. Janet Leigh {Psycho} and her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis {Halloween} both attended my alma mater, The University of the Pacific...
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 9:11:18 GMT -5
Artwork images are additional keys in VOH?
VOH artwork "Sumatran giant rats" = amusing+tantra+star??
There are 13 giant rats found in the moathouse location #13 storeroom and stairway to dungeon, and 13 is significant VOH numerology...
Does the stairway have 13 steps down? A 40 gp gold ring can be found on the 5th step down to the dungeon?
Does this mean the original TOEE has 13 levels, and key is to finding a hidden "ring" on the fifth level? A ring of "40?"
Is the shelved "10" flasks of oil in a jug significant?
A Zagyg puzzle?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 9:38:01 GMT -5
Artwork images are additional keys in VOH? VOH artwork "Sumatran giant rats" = amusing+tantra+star?? There are 13 giant rats found in the moathouse location #13 storeroom and stairway to dungeon, and 13 is significant VOH numerology... Does the stairway have 13 steps down? A 40 gp gold ring can be found on the 5th step down to the dungeon? Does this mean the original TOEE has 13 levels, and key is to finding a hidden "ring" on the fifth level? A ring of "40?" Is the shelved "10" flasks of oil in a jug significant? A Zagyg puzzle? Merkaba, wheels-within-wheels...
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 9:47:15 GMT -5
Artwork images are additional keys in VOH? VOH artwork "Sumatran giant rats" = amusing+tantra+star?? There are 13 giant rats found in the moathouse location #13 storeroom and stairway to dungeon, and 13 is significant VOH numerology... Does the stairway have 13 steps down? A 40 gp gold ring can be found on the 5th step down to the dungeon? Does this mean the original TOEE has 13 levels, and key is to finding a hidden "ring" on the fifth level? A ring of "40?" Is the shelved "10" flasks of oil in a jug significant? A Zagyg puzzle? Merkaba, wheels-within-wheels... Maybe I need to create an Attloi mystic NPC into this adventure...?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 10:00:58 GMT -5
Perhaps 10 different alchemical elements need to be combined and lit on fire in a tantric star merkaba configuration on the fifth level of the TOEE in order to access 40 node-gates?
Does the original TOEE have 5 node-gates per level from levels 6 through 13, for a total of 40 node-gates?
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Post by GRWelsh on Apr 5, 2018 13:46:36 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore.
The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference!
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 13:50:34 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore. The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference! Thanks for the tip, Gary, I had not discovered that!
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 14:12:38 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore. The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference! Is it possible Fred Saberhagen's "Holmes-Dracula File" from 1978 is in view?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 14:20:20 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore. The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference! Is it possible Fred Saberhagen's "Holmes-Dracula File" from 1978 is in view? Since there are two giant rats in the VOH module artwork, perhaps conflating of two different giant rat of Sumatra tales are in view here...?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 14:25:01 GMT -5
Is it possible Fred Saberhagen's "Holmes-Dracula File" from 1978 is in view? Since there are two giant rats in the VOH module artwork, perhaps conflating of two different giant rat of Sumatra tales are in view here...? Also 1975's "Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds" by Manly Wade Wellman...?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 14:36:24 GMT -5
There's also a Wolly Rat (Mallomys) genus - is this where Woolly Bay originated?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 5, 2018 15:16:08 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore. The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference! Is it possible Fred Saberhagen's "Holmes-Dracula File" from 1978 is in view? It seems "Holmes-Dracula File" is in view for TOEE because of the mysterious fettered door with separate heavy hasps...?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 6, 2018 9:14:41 GMT -5
I'm not sure about the nodes, but I like the idea of bringing in ancient or medieval alchemical lore. The Giant Rat of Sumatra in the Monster Manual is definitely a Sherlock Holmes reference! Thanks for the tip, Gary, I had not discovered that! So, since the Giant Rat of Sumatra indicates to pay closer attention to the monstrous denizens of the moathouse: 1) giant frogs MM illustration 2) huge spider MM illustration 3) giant snake MM illustration 4) giant rats VOH illustration 5) giant tick no MM or VOH illustration? 6) giant lizard no MM or VOH illustration? 7) green slime MM illustration 8) zombies MM illustration 9) ogre MM illustration 10) bugbears MM illustrations 11) gnolls MM illustrations 12) giant crayfish VOH illustration 13) ghouls MM illustration It's interesting how VOH picks up two monster illustrations that are absent in MM, while two other MM monsters remain unillustrated in either the MM or VOH? Let's look at the giant tick = tacit + King? VOH = understood or implied, without being stating, Stephen King work?! "'Salem's Lot" or "The Stand"? Or is it both of these, or else additionally other works of King?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 6, 2018 9:25:29 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip, Gary, I had not discovered that! So, since the Giant Rat of Sumatra indicates to pay closer attention to the monstrous denizens of the moathouse: 1) giant frogs MM illustration 2) huge spider MM illustration 3) giant snake MM illustration 4) giant rats VOH illustration 5) giant tick no MM or VOH illustration? 6) giant lizard no MM or VOH illustration? 7) green slime MM illustration 8) zombies MM illustration 9) ogre MM illustration 10) bugbears MM illustrations 11) gnolls MM illustrations 12) giant crayfish VOH illustration 13) ghouls MM illustration It's interesting how VOH picks up two monster illustrations that are absent in MM, while two other MM monsters remain unillustrated in either the MM or VOH? Let's look at the giant tick = tacit + King? VOH = understood or implied, without being stating, Stephen King work?! "'Salem's Lot" or "The Stand"? Or is it both of these, or else additionally other works of King? "The Shining" as well???!!!
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 6, 2018 9:29:07 GMT -5
Which of Stephen King's pre-1979 works are we intended to understand are in view in VOH?
Could it be that additional Stephen King 1979 and later works should be understood to be in view within TOEE?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 6, 2018 13:49:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip, Gary, I had not discovered that! So, since the Giant Rat of Sumatra indicates to pay closer attention to the monstrous denizens of the moathouse: 1) giant frogs MM illustration 2) huge spider MM illustration 3) giant snake MM illustration 4) giant rats VOH illustration 5) giant tick no MM or VOH illustration? 6) giant lizard no MM or VOH illustration? 7) green slime MM illustration 8) zombies MM illustration 9) ogre MM illustration 10) bugbears MM illustrations 11) gnolls MM illustrations 12) giant crayfish VOH illustration 13) ghouls MM illustration It's interesting how VOH picks up two monster illustrations that are absent in MM, while two other MM monsters remain unillustrated in either the MM or VOH? Let's look at the giant tick = tacit + King? VOH = understood or implied, without being stating, Stephen King work?! "'Salem's Lot" or "The Stand"? Or is it both of these, or else additionally other works of King? Looking at giant lizard next: Giant lizard = G. I. {harvester "Joe"} ant + {thunder} lizard? Possible to be ERB thunder lizard {apatosaurus/brontosaurus in MM} reference, and the G. I. {harvester} ants are the Hommlet Company, led by Myrmidon Rufus?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Apr 6, 2018 13:52:11 GMT -5
If not meant to be ERB's thunder lizard from the Tarzan comics, horned lizards are predators of harvester ants...
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