The Realm of No • Page 2 • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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The Realm of No
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Mars
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:58 am

My guess would have been that Atari also wrote the Wiki entry - also very coincidental that he showed up here asking about it the same time the entry showed up. But he seems to be denying it.

No offence Atari, it is a curious item, but I don't think it really has much historical significance and this is also why I think its valuation would probably be pretty low. I seem to recall that at Gencon this year a number of pre-production manuscripts for 1st edition modules were sold in the $200 range - I think this was mentioned in the Gencon thread. When you compare this item with things like the Kalibruhn items or Dungeon Hobby Shop Dungeon it just doesn't match up for historical significance.

beasterbrook
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:03 am

Hmm...

On the subject of intentionally "fake" RPG items, the only one that I can think of off the top of my head is Issue 2 of Gorp, it was a fake runequest zine.. I believe that only 11 issues were made, 1 for each of the people involved in the scam and the one that was auctioned.. on the flip side this has becone a great collectable, and it waas in fact reprinted at least once (maybe twice) by the main person involved...

Can anyone else think of any fake rpg items??

Brette:)

Being healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Mars
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:24 am

There are the fake Gamelords items as well.

Xaxaxe
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:02 am

atari wrote:... so even if at worst it is a homebrew, it is a homebrew from the 1980's and has some historical significance.

It does? Why?

Badmike wrote:BTW, anyone alive could have sent any scribblings to TSR at any time to have it "rejected" by TSR. Please.

Amen. I'm honestly at a loss why people think this sort of thing is significant in any way. It's difficult to even imagine the amount of unsolicited crap that TSR must have gotten in the mail every single day back in the glory days.

Mars wrote:That Wiki entry looks like it is completely bogus and someone is out to try and make some money - this is one of the reasons I can't stand Wiki.

Amen, part II. A poorly written entry on the InterWebs' galactically awful "encyclopedia" is no reason for anyone to take any of this seriously.

+++++

My defense computer is sending me "shields up!" signals concerning just about every part of this development. I'm just glad that, personally, I don't collect the so-called "rares" or have much interest in collecting old mail from the TSR archives.

I'm telling you, though, guys ... photocopies and "homebrews." Those are going to be our two biggest headaches for the next few years: photocopies and homebrews.

Tharizdun
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:28 am

I am hoping that lordan still has his copy somewhere so that he can post it. The module would take a long time to explain. :lol:

In 2004, a member of The Acaeum, known as lordan posted information on his 4 of 10 The Realm of No! and inquiring about its value and origin. It is unknown whether he sold his copy or foolishly threw it in the garbage. :lol:

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:35 am

Mars wrote:My guess would have been that Atari also wrote the Wiki entry - also very coincidental that he showed up here asking about it the same time the entry showed up. But he seems to be denying it.

No offence Atari, it is a curious item, but I don't think it really has much historical significance and this is also why I think its valuation would probably be pretty low. I seem to recall that at Gencon this year a number of pre-production manuscripts for 1st edition modules were sold in the $200 range - I think this was mentioned in the Gencon thread. When you compare this item with things like the Kalibruhn items or Dungeon Hobby Shop Dungeon it just doesn't match up for historical significance.

For something to have historical significance, as Mars says, it has to be a part of history. And on no level does this item fit the bill. Despite the claims that it takes place on the World of Greyhawk, or that it was submitted to "T.S.R.", curiously no one of importance knows anything about No.

As Mars said, a bunch of pre-pubs of existing, classic modules in the letter series were sold at Gencon...and routinely got $100-$200 each. A pre pub for a unpublished homebrew from some guy I never heard of that may or may not have ever been submitted to TSR? If I need some toilet tissue, I'll give a ring. The item is a curio and nothing more.

Mike B.

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Xaxaxe
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:51 am

Wow, that Wiki entry is just ... awful. Even by Wiki standards.

"Unfortunately and without official reason, The Realm of No! was embraced by the staff at T.S.R. at the time but was never released. The was possible due to the controversial and odd nature of the module."

Yeah, whatever ... uh-oh, lunch is coming back up! Look out! :puker:

This is looking like a sad attempt at a scam. I'd love to be proven wrong ... but I'm not too worried about that happening.

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:59 am

Xaxaxe wrote:Wow, that Wiki entry is just ... awful. Even by Wiki standards.

"Unfortunately and without official reason, The Realm of No! was embraced by the staff at T.S.R. at the time but was never released. The was possible due to the controversial and odd nature of the module."

Yeah, whatever ... uh-oh, lunch is coming back up! Look out!

This is looking like a sad attempt at a scam. I'd love to be proven wrong ... but I'm not too worried about that happening.

What's the over/under for a copy of "Land of Blow" appearing on EBay...with links to the fake Wiki article and this forum? I'll give it a couple weeks...someone probably has a tax bill to pay and needs some cash before March.....

Mike B.

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bombadil
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:18 am

"..foolishly threw it in the garbage." Come on, lordan, fess up. You're the wiki author, aren't you?

Seems pretty clear atari is up to something.

Let mirth prevail!

Plaag
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:40 am

beasterbrook wrote:Hmm...

Can anyone else think of any fake rpg items??

Brette:)

4th edition D&D :wink:

ShaneG.

I reject your reality and substitute my own

beasterbrook
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:54 am

Mars wrote:There are the fake Gamelords items as well.

Actually I'd call this counterfeit not fake;)

Brette:)

Being healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Mars
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:54 am

beasterbrook wrote:
Actually I'd call this counterfeit not fake;)

Fair enough. The RIPGA modules also come to mind:

about878.html

atari
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:50 am

The module does exist, but I am guessing it is one of many submitted modules to TSR in the eighties that was rejected at some point. I have no clue to what these modules are worth and the validity of these letters or whatever they are to Gary Gygax. My copies don't have any such letter. Having played D&D in the golden era of the 1980's, I am familiar with 1st ed. books, but have never heard of this until last summer when I bought about six boxes of D&D, videogames, and stereo equipment from a garage sale. I'd like to scan the module but I don't have a scanner, that is why I was hoping that lordan or Degassy31 have access to a scanner. For me it's just curiosity because the Realm of No is so bizarre. The artwork is horrible, creepy, and laughable. I am thinking the wikipedia poster knows something about the module, but also has put in a bunch of bullshit because he/she has some vested interest in the module. Either he/she owns a early printing or he/she knows the author Kim Ryan and is trying to promote him in some way. Any completed homebrew, tsr rejection, and so on is of interest. I am not saying they are worth anything, but they still are interesting.

Mars
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:08 pm

I asked Gary about this and his comments speak for themselves:

Gary Gygax wrote:During the time period indicated I was not overseeing any creative submissions, but the premise set forth for the supposed module is such that I can not believe anyone at TSR would have been in the least interested in such a module.

I have never heard of it before reading your post and the Wikipedia entry.

It seems highly dubious, especially the part about 10 copies being submitted. That seems to aim at setting up a market for this work.

Cheerio,
Gary

I think it is safe to say there is no factual evidence that this was ever intended to be published in any form by TSR.

atari
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:26 pm

Gary does say during the time he wasn't overseeing any creative submissions, so then he would not know if this has been submitted to TSR or not. Perhaps the reason it was rejected was it didn't interest whomever was overseeing submissions. The module is weird and contains references to items in pop culture that there would have been no way for TSR to licence. It just may have been too weird for TSR to deal with. It is possible the ten copies eventually made it on the market around 1996 when lordan got his copy or earlier.

Xaxaxe
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:48 pm

The Wiki page is about to be deleted ... it's good to know they're not completely useless over there.

That should just about take care of this scam, which is looking more and more like an attempt to provide two reputable links (here and the Wiki) for an eBay auction. One potential source, though, is practically rolling on the floor with laughter; the other is about to delete the relevant page.

Game over.

atari wrote:Any completed homebrew, tsr rejection, and so on is of interest. I am not saying they are worth anything, but they still are interesting.

Again ... why?

Any idiot with a typewriter could have submitted any amount of drivel to TSR (actually, I'd guess many of the real bozos didn't even bother to type). Why is this of any interest to collectors?

I'd pay a few bucks for a TSR rejection letter, provided it was signed and not just a form letter ... I'd do it just for the curiosity factor. But as for the actual crap being rejected? I already get a great deal on toilet paper at Costco, thanks just the same.

Guido-the-Gypsy
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:57 pm

Xaxaxe wrote: I already get a great deal on toilet paper at Costco, thanks just the same.

This just begs for someone to create a "Choose Your Own Adventure" toilet paper. Everytime I make a visit to the can, I get to make some new choices . . . and I don't have to carry reading material with me as it is already there. If the adventure sucks, . . . well you get the point.

Let's git to killin'!!

g026r
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:19 pm

Xaxaxe wrote:The Wiki page is about to be deleted ... it's good to know they're not completely useless over there.

That should just about take care of this scam, which is looking more and more like an attempt to provide two reputable links (here and the Wiki) for an eBay auction. One potential source, though, is practically rolling on the floor with laughter; the other is about to delete the relevant page.

The thing is, had it not been mentioned here the Wiki page probably would have passed unnoticed for a decent period of time:

Nothing links to it; it's not in any D&D- or RPG-related categories; it probably would have sat for a while with various "needs improvement" templates and the seller could have used it in auctions (assuming that's what it was created for) with no immediate problems.

Unfortunately it doesn't necessarily meet the criteria for speedy delete (at least by my understanding), so I stuck into the queue to be deleted in 5 days without any discussion since I figured that would be quicker than putting it up for discussion.

"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."

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