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Arduin
The Arduin Trilogy covers
DesignersDavid A. Hargrave
Publishers
  • David A. Hargrave (1977–1978)
  • Grimoire Games (1978–1983, 1990s)
  • Dragon Tree Press (1984–1988)
  • Emperors Choice Games and Miniatures (2002–)
Publication1977–present
GenresFantasy, Science fiction, Horror
SystemsCustom

Arduin is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid-1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was the first published "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, although it was based primarily in the medieval fantasy genre.

Development history

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Arduin was one of the earliest challengers to TSR's Dungeons & Dragons. It began in the mid-1970s as a personal project Hargrave created to share with friends, but became so popular that he was inspired to publish the material.[1]

Hargrave was one of several early RPG players from the San Francisco Bay area to also become a game designer, having started by creating variant rules for his weekly Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The setting of Arduin was heavily house-ruled and included hundreds of players and was situated in a neutral ground between nations that were once at war with each other.[2]: 315–318  Greg Stafford of Chaosium played in the Arduin game run by Hargrave for a while around 1976, and he approached Hargrave to get the game system published as "The Arduin Grimoire".[2]: 318  Chaosium listed the resulting book on its publication schedule for February 1977 to be its first role-playing game product, but the company instead rejected the incomplete manuscript that Hargrave submitted.[2]: 318  Hargrave self-published The Arduin Grimoire in 1977 and two follow-up Grimoire books in 1978, and the three books became what was known as The Arduin Trilogy.[2]: 319–320  They are, in order, The Arduin Grimoire (1977), Welcome to Skull Tower (1978), and The Runes Of Doom (1978).

The Arduin books attempted to add many interesting and notable features to the fantasy role playing milieu. In addition to new rules, the Arduin Trilogy contained unique new spells and character classes, new monsters, new treasures, maps, storylines, extensive demonography, and all sorts of charts and lists which detailed the Arduin "multiverse", many of which were new to role-playing gamers of the time.

Dave Hargrave appreciated the "brilliant idea" behind the original "Dungeons & Dragons", but was dissatisfied with the rules and playability of the game and decided to come up with his own design for fantasy role playing rules. [3] Although the Arduin books did not explicitly claim to be a Dungeons & Dragons supplement, they were treated as such by most users. As follows, there was contention in the RPG world that the Arduin system lacked cohesion. It was only with the publication of the later book The Arduin Adventure (1981) that a true standalone system began to evolve, where other systems were not needed to adequately run a game. The Arduin Adventure was eventually written to replace use of the D&D core book. Material from all of these were subsequently used as the basis for The Compleat Arduin (1992), a standalone system.

Publication history

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The original Arduin suite of supplements, dungeon modules, and gaming aids were initially self-published (1977–78), but were then later produced by Grimoire Games. Dragon Tree Press produced four further Arduin supplements in the mid-1980s before the Arduin rights and properties were purchased by David Bukata and George De Rosa of Emperors Choice Games and Miniatures in 1998.

Grimoire Games

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Grimoire Games was a publishing company run by Jim Mathis. Active from 1978 to mid 1981, Grimoire Games's primary focus was the early Arduin series of RPG supplements, written by Hargrave. The Arduin Trilogy is the most famous of the Hargrave supplements.

Hargrave sold Arduin in 1978 to one of his players, Jim Mathis, who started Grimoire Games out of a UC campus apartment in Berkely to publish Arduin material by Hargrave beginning with a series of four adventure modules and two boxed sets.[2]: 323–325  By the time The Arduin Adventure was published in 1981, the company was experiencing increasing financial challenges, and in 1984 its last publication for many years was 100 copies of the Arduin: A Primer booklet of revised rules; Mathis moved to San Diego and continued to sell products from the company for a few years.[2]: 326–327  Hargrave continued to publish Arduin material through Dragon Tree Press until he died in 1988, at which point the rights to Arduin returned to Mathis and Grimoire Games.[2]: 328 

Mathis worked with Mark Schynert to complete the last unfinished Arduin manuscript by Hargrave, and Grimoire Games eventually published it as The Compleat Arduin in 1993 with financial assistance from a games distributor; however the large work was expensive and outdated and only sold less than half of its print run, and the distributor took a loss, and it became the last publication by Grimoire Games.[2]: 328–329 

Partial bibliography

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Reception

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In 2019, Goodreads carried a cumulative rating of 4.21 out of 5 for the first of the Arduin Trilogy publications, The Arduin Grimoire, Volume 1.[9] The second Arduin volume, Welcome to Skull Tower, carried a 2019 rating of 4.08 of 5,[10] and the final volume of the original Arduin trilogy, The Runes of Doom, a rating of 3.91.[11]

In the April–May 1979 edition of White Dwarf magazine (Issue 12), Don Turnbull gave the just-published Trilogy a below average rating of only 4 out of 10, finding it disorganized, hard to read, and "a mass of information, no doubt useless to some and useful to others." Turnbull concluded "I could not advise anyone to buy The Grimoire from which to learn the fantasy game hobby from scratch, but if you want what is in effect a D&D supplement, don't mind the price and are prepared to be selective in what you extract from it, there will no doubt be useful snippets you could find."[1]

In the Oct-Nov 1979 edition of Different Worlds (Issue 5), Mike Gunderloy admired the huge amount of supplementary information in the Arduin Trilogy that could be added to a D&D campaign. But he admitted the trilogy was not perfect, especially "the lack of organization. Rules relating to a single subject are often in different parts, even different volumes, of the trilogy. Worse, not only are there no cross-references to related sections, there is no index either." But Gunderloy concluded that any D&D gamemaster looking to improve their campaign world needed the trilogy: "No referee who has decided to expand his world should be without a copy of The Arduin Trilogy. Buy it, you'll be amply rewarded in the form of ideas and enjoyment."[12]

Lawrence Schick, in his 1991 book Heroic Worlds, described Arduin as a "Fantasy system, derivative of Original D&D. In fact, the first Arduin rulebooks were thinly-disguised supplement for D&D – only later did Arduin grow into a stand-alone system. Arduin rules and scenarios are frequently unencumbered by the restraints of conventional good taste."[13]

In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "with the Arduin zines, Hargrave plants the first seeds of transgression in RPGs. The zines seem calculated to shock, in the same way that some lurid heavy metal album covers sought to fluster squares with cartoon skulls, demons, and blood. That whiff of the forbidden would stick to RPGs for years, and it might be Arduin's greatest legacy."[14]

Reviews

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Controversy and criticism

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In 1977, TSR objected to certain contents of the first Arduin book. David Hargrave negotiated with TSR about two points. First, Hargrave's foreword made it appear as though he advocated people copying game books (such as D&D) without buying them. Hargrave removed that foreword from later editions. Second, a Prismatic Wall spell in Arduin appeared to be plagiarized directly from D&D; Hargrave changed some of the description, including some colors. Hargrave further distanced himself from controversy by using white-out and typing correction tape to mask all direct references to Dungeons and Dragons, and then the volumes were reprinted exactly that way. In some versions of the Arduin printings, these so-called "corrections" are clearly visible.[16]

Arduin mechanics

[edit]

Much criticism was made of Hargrave's combat mechanics, to the point where many Game Masters simply used either their own versions, or those of TSR.[citation needed]

Greg Stafford and Chaosium

[edit]

While David Hargrave was considered one of the "best of the best" of game masters, he was also known for having a somewhat volatile personality. The original role-playing community at large was split between love and mere tolerance of Hargrave's passions, and his infamous falling-out with Greg Stafford, which resulted in Hargrave naming an Arduin spell after him as revenge, is one such example.[17] The spell was called Stafford's Star Bridge (The Arduin Grimoire, Volume 1, Page 41):

Stafford's Star Bridge is a 9th Level Mage (Magic-User) spell. It produces a rainbow-hued bridge of coruscating light that is 5 ft (1.5 m) wide and 20 ft (6.1 m) long per level of the caster over the level needed for use. The bridge will carry any weight, and it cannot be hit by non-magical things. The bridge can also be "keyed" to support any single type (or more), letting all others fall through selectively.

Hargrave felt that Stafford had betrayed him over a Chaosium publishing deal, thus "falling through selectively". According to Stafford, Hargrave was later very upset with himself for having created this spell and for his behavior in the situation.

Notable illustrators

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Phraint vs. Vroat (1979) by Erol Otus (from The Howling Tower)

Several notable illustrators worked on Arduin materials at various times over the years, including the following:

Erol Otus
The first printings of The Arduin Grimoire (specifically, The Arduin Trilogy, Vol. 1) contained artwork by Erol Otus, an artist who would later become known for his illustrations appearing on and in TSR's Dungeons & Dragons publications.[18]
Otus' artwork was later removed from subsequent printings of The Arduin Grimoire.
Greg Espinoza
Greg Espinoza contributed many of the Arduin covers and interior illustrations (close to 80 pieces) from approximately 1978 to 1981. He drew many of the monster and artifact cards for several of the standalone dungeon modules, and also painted the box art (with airbrushing by Anthony Delgado) for Grimoire Games' The Arduin Adventure. Espinoza has created high-level work for decades via Blackthorne, TSR, Malibu, Eclipse, Antarctic Press, Tundra/Kitchen Sink Press, and Image Comics, among others. His Image Comics graphic novel "Pug" (with Derek McCulloch) was nominated for the 2011 Spinetingler Award, in the category of Best Crime Comic/Graphic Novel. In 2009, he was hired by Emperor's Choice Games to create new cover art for a hardcover reprinting of the original Arduin Grimoire Trilogy.
Brad Schenck
Brad Schenck (also known as Morno) contributed the cover of Welcome to Skull Tower (AG II). His is also the original design for the Arduin "Shield" now featured by Emperor's Choice Games and Miniatures as their trademark. He also did the cover for The Arduin Adventure rule book.
Michio Okamura
Michio Okamura was a regular contributor from the earliest volumes of the Arduin books, his distinct woodcut art style was featured on the cover of Dark Dreams (AG VI). Michio would later find employment at Blizzard North where he worked on Diablo and Diablo II.

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Arduin

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Arduin is a and fantasy role-playing game system created in the mid-1970s by American designer David A. Hargrave. Originally published as a supplement to , it features detailed rules for character creation, combat, magic, and adventure in the world of , incorporating diverse races, classes, spells, monsters, and artifacts. The system's foundational text, The Arduin Grimoire, appeared in 1977, followed by volumes II and III in 1978, collectively known as the Arduin Trilogy. Hargrave self-published these through his company Grimoire Games, drawing from his campaigns to blend traditional fantasy with cross-genre elements such as , horror, and pulp adventure, making Arduin one of the earliest RPGs to integrate such eclectic influences. He continued expanding the line with additional modules, item collections, and worldbooks until his death on August 29, 1988. Posthumously, the system evolved through further editions: Arduin II (also called Compleat Arduin), a d100-based revision completed in the 1990s by collaborators Mark Schynert and James Mathis, and Arduin Eternal (Arduin III), a detailed d100 edition focused on cultural depth and magic developed by Monty St. John before being discontinued. Currently, Emperors Choice Games & Miniatures publishes and supports the original Arduin system as its primary edition, adapting it to a for broad compatibility with other RPGs while preserving Hargrave's expansive lore of the Arduin continent and surrounding realms. Arduin is renowned for its gonzo aesthetic—characterized by over-the-top power levels, intricate illustrations, and a vast array of unique content like prismatic golems, techno-wizards, and multidimensional threats—that influenced early RPG design by emphasizing creative freedom and world-building scale. The setting's centerpiece, of Arduin on the continent of , serves as a hub for epic-scale adventures, supported by resources such as detailed maps, dungeon modules, and artifact decks that enhance play across fantasy, sci-fi, and hybrid campaigns.

Overview and Development

Origins as D&D Supplement

David A. Hargrave, a wargamer and early enthusiast of the nascent game scene, began playing shortly after its 1974 release while living in the . As a and member of the International Gamers Association, Hargrave quickly immersed himself in the game, launching a weekly campaign set on the world of , where Arduin served as a neutral hub amid warring nations and nexus gates linking diverse realms. This campaign emphasized high-stakes play, with over 700 player characters perishing in its brutal encounters, attracting dedicated participants who traveled significant distances to join. Arduin originated as Hargrave's custom house rules for , designed to enhance his campaign's dynamism and incorporate multi-genre elements blending fantasy with and horror. Drawing from the gonzo spirit of early RPG supplements like , Hargrave introduced innovative mechanics such as detailed tables that added vivid, variable damage effects to combat, reflecting his preference for gritty, unpredictable outcomes over standard D&D resolution. He also expanded playable options beyond traditional human-centric characters, allowing non-human races like the massive Great Grey Beasts as viable player choices, which fostered a broader, more inclusive approach to character creation in his sessions. Hargrave first shared these house rules informally through playtesting at local conventions, notably debuting elements of Arduin at the inaugural DunDraCon in 1976, where attendees experienced its eclectic mix of phaser-wielding techno-mages and demonic incursions alongside classic fantasy tropes. This grassroots dissemination highlighted Arduin's roots in the collaborative, experimental ethos of the Bay Area's early RPG community, prioritizing player-driven storytelling and genre fusion over rigid adherence to core D&D rules.

Evolution into Standalone RPG

The release of The Arduin Trilogy between 1977 and 1978 represented the first major step in formalizing David Hargrave's house rules into published materials, transitioning Arduin from informal D&D supplements to a more structured body of work. The Arduin Grimoire (Volume I) appeared in 1977 as a self-published booklet, introducing expanded character classes, spells, monsters, and combat tables that built upon but extended beyond D&D's framework. This was followed in 1978 by Welcome to Skull Tower (Volume II), which added adventures, new magic systems, and mechanics, and The Runes of Doom (Volume III), which further developed the setting with rune-based magic and additional lore. Collectively known as , these slim, photocopied volumes—each around 100 pages—were distributed through gaming conventions and , amassing a among players seeking innovative additions to their campaigns. Hargrave's core design philosophy emphasized a cross-genre approach, merging traditional swords-and-sorcery fantasy with elements to create a versatile system unbound by genre conventions. This intent manifested in rules that integrated medieval weaponry and arcane spells alongside futuristic technology, such as laser pistols and energy shields, allowing characters to navigate worlds where elves might wield blasters or dragons confront starships. By deliberately eschewing D&D's implicit fantasy purity, Hargrave aimed to foster boundless , drawing from his extensive playtesting campaigns to populate Arduin with eclectic threats and treasures that reflected this fusion. A pivotal advancement came with The Arduin Adventure in , Hargrave's first effort to codify a complete, self-contained ruleset independent of D&D's core books. Published as a boxed set by Grimoire Games, it provided streamlined guidelines for character generation, skill resolution, and basic gameplay, complete with dice, character sheets, and introductory scenarios—making Arduin accessible to newcomers without prerequisite knowledge of other systems. This publication shifted Arduin toward autonomy by standardizing mechanics like percentile-based skills and variable damage by weapon type, while retaining the Trilogy's eclectic flavor in sample content. The system's maturation culminated in The Compleat Arduin (also known as Arduin II), a 1992 two-volume compendium assembled posthumously by Mark Schynert and James Mathis from Hargrave's notes and prior works. Spanning over 450 pages across Book One: The Rules (character creation, combat, and magic) and Book Two: Resources (monsters, treasures, and world-building tools), it unified and revised the fragmented rules into a cohesive standalone RPG, incorporating feedback from years of play and expansion modules. This edition emphasized modular design, enabling players to customize complexity levels while preserving Arduin's signature blend of high-fantasy chaos and sci-fi improvisation.

Publication History

Early Self-Publications

David A. Hargrave self-published the first three volumes of the Arduin Grimoire series in the late 1970s from his base in the of , marking an early example of independent RPG supplement production. The inaugural volume, The Arduin Grimoire, appeared in 1977, followed by Welcome to Skull Tower and The Runes of Doom in 1978, all produced as small-press, staple-bound pamphlets using local printing resources and Hargrave's personal funds. These early editions embodied a DIY approach, with Hargrave typing the manuscripts and overseeing production at modest local print shops, resulting in low-budget features such as buff-colored covers, microscopic fonts for dense content, and frequent misprints or editing errors like typos. The content emphasized expansive additions to fantasy role-playing, including new races, character classes, spells, and monsters designed to enhance gameplay without strict dependence on official rulebooks beyond the basics. Initial distribution relied on direct sales at gaming conventions, such as the debut of the first volume at DunDraCon II in California, supplemented by mail-order options to reach enthusiasts nationwide. Sales occurred primarily through convention booths and personal networks, with small, limited print runs—often requiring multiple reprints due to demand—keeping costs low but production quality variable and copies scarce today. This grassroots model highlighted the challenges of amateur publishing in the nascent RPG industry, including financial constraints that limited advertising and broader reach, yet it fostered a dedicated following among players seeking innovative, homebrew-style expansions.

Grimoire Games and Mid-1980s Releases

In 1978, Grimoire Games was established in , by Jim Mathis to professionally publish and distribute the Arduin role-playing game materials originally created by David A. Hargrave. Mathis partnered with Hargrave, who served as the primary designer, and collaborated with the International Gaming Association for early distribution efforts. This marked a shift from Hargrave's prior , enabling reprinted and expanded editions of the core Arduin Grimoire volumes I through III, which were bundled into The Arduin Trilogy boxed set in 1980 for broader accessibility. Grimoire Games also produced supplementary gaming aids, including sets of cardstock figures such as Arduin Monster Cards, Arduin Weapons Cards, Arduin Artifact Cards, and Arduin Treasure Pak, which provided tactile elements for gameplay. During its active period from 1978 to around 1981, Grimoire Games released several modules to expand the Arduin setting, starting with (Arduin Dungeon #1) in 1979, followed by The Howling Tower (#2), The Citadel of Thunder (#3), Death Heart (#4, combined with an overland adventure), and Nomad's Lair (#5) in 1980. These modules introduced detailed adventures, new monsters, and treasures tailored to Arduin's multiverse theme, emphasizing cross-genre encounters. In 1980, the company also published The Arduin Adventure, a standalone introductory ruleset and six-level module designed to ease new players into the system's complexities while including original Arduin-specific elements like nexus points and hybrid races. Following Games' decline due to ongoing financial difficulties, including shortages and limited , Hargrave continued Arduin development through Dragon Tree Press starting in 1984. This imprint released Arduin volumes IV through VIII between 1984 and 1988, expanding the rules with new spells, character options, and lore: volume IV (The Lost , 1984) added specialty mages and arcane rituals; volume V (Dark Dreams, 1985) explored and horror elements; volume VI (The , 1986) detailed and necromantic mechanics; volume VII (Shadowlands, 1987) covered divine and themes; and volume VIII (The Winds of Chance, 1988) introduced probability-based magic and fate manipulation. A limited-run Revised Arduin: A Primer (1984, approximately 100 copies) attempted to streamline earlier rules but saw minimal distribution. Grimoire Games and subsequent mid-1980s efforts faced persistent economic challenges, exacerbated by Hargrave's in 1982, which restricted production and advertising. Publications halted temporarily after Hargrave's death from a heart attack on August 29, 1988, at age 42, leaving the Arduin line in limbo until later revivals.

Post-Hargrave Revivals

Following David A. Hargrave's death in , the rights to Arduin reverted to remnants of Grimoire Games, which facilitated the compilation and release of The Compleat Arduin as a revised and reorganized edition of earlier materials. This two-volume set—Book One: and Book Two: Resources—was published in 1992, with content completed posthumously by collaborators including Mark Schynert and James Mathis to consolidate Hargrave's D100-based and battle mechanics. A third volume focusing on treasures and additional resources followed in 1994, providing an updated foundation for the game's core rules and setting elements. During the mid-1980s interim period under Dragon Tree Press (1984–1988), several Arduin supplements were produced, but following Hargrave's passing, the rights transitioned away from that publisher amid financial challenges. In 2002, Emperors Choice Games & Miniatures acquired the Arduin rights and properties, enabling a new era of reprints and expansions under its stewardship. This acquisition supported the release of End War (Arduin Vol. IX) in 2002, the final volume in the original Grimoire series, which detailed apocalyptic scenarios and integrated cross-genre threats into the Arduin world. Subsequent modern releases under Emperors Choice have focused on accessible formats and supplementary materials. Arduin Grimoire Trilogy, a consolidated edition combining the original trilogy with the Arduin Adventure and bonus materials, was issued in 2008 to aid new players in grasping the system's basics. In 2023, the Arduin Artifacts & Monster Card Set was published, featuring 64 illustrated cards depicting unique artifacts and monsters drawn from early dungeon modules, designed for easy integration into gameplay. The 2024 Arduin Country Map (30.5” x 39.5”) followed, offering a detailed poster-style overview of over 1,300 locations in the Arduin setting, including mountains, towns, and forests, to enhance campaign navigation. In 2024, Emperors Choice launched a Kickstarter for the Arduin Fantasy Map Art Collection, updating classic maps including the Country of Arduin. A September 2025 Kickstarter funded "Arduin's Portal to Adventure", introducing new content to the system. Emperors Choice has driven community efforts through reprints of classic volumes and digital availability, including free PDF downloads of The Compleat Arduin Book One on its website, alongside paid digital editions on platforms like DriveThruRPG to broaden access for enthusiasts. These initiatives preserve Hargrave's legacy while supporting ongoing fan-driven campaigns without altering the original mechanics.

Game System and Setting

Core Mechanics and Rules

Arduin's core mechanics build upon the foundational elements of early while introducing a highly detailed and flexible ruleset designed for cross-genre play, emphasizing customization and tactical depth. The uses standard polyhedral , with a d20 serving as the primary resolution mechanic for many actions in the original publications, though later volumes incorporate d100 rolls for certain subsystems like battle factors. This framework supports both fantasy and elements seamlessly, allowing players to mix medieval weaponry with advanced technology without mechanical penalties. Character creation is one of Arduin's most distinctive features, offering extensive options for race-class combinations to foster unique player characters. The system includes twenty distinct playable races, ranging from traditional fantasy staples like humans, elves, and dwarves to unconventional choices such as —lion-like humanoids organized in pride structures—and androids, synthetic beings with technological origins. Each race comes with specific ability score modifiers (across six core attributes: strength, dexterity, , , , and , plus ego in some iterations) and level limits per class, which balance power levels while encouraging diverse builds; for instance, receive bonuses to strength and but face restrictions in magic-using classes due to their primal nature, while androids gain advantages but penalties to -based interactions. Classes number over thirty across the core volumes, including core archetypes like fighters and mages alongside specialized roles such as traders, technos, rune weavers, psychics, and witch hunters, with no inherent restrictions on multi-classing or split-class progression—players can advance in multiple classes simultaneously using comprehensive rules for experience allocation and ability synergy. The combat system provides granular resolution for both and ranged engagements, incorporating detailed tables for weapon-versus-armor interactions, advanced maneuvers, and variable damage outcomes to simulate realistic tactical choices. Weapons are categorized by type, with specific charts determining base damage, speed factors, and penetration against armor classes; for example, a might inflict 1d8 damage but receive modifiers based on the opponent's value and the attacker's battle factor. and fumbles add unpredictability and consequence—rolling a natural 20 triggers a critical hit table with effects like doubled damage or debilitating injuries, while a natural 1 invokes a fumble table potentially causing weapon breakage or self-injury. Science fiction elements integrate directly, with rules for blasters and energy weapons; a typical blaster might deal 2d6 damage plus a range modifier (e.g., -1 per 10 feet beyond short range) to account for accuracy falloff, allowing hybrid scenarios where fire clashes with swords. Magic and psionics form an expansive subsystem, with over 1,000 spells cataloged across the core grimoires, organized by order of power tied to the caster's experience level and including categories for , illusionary, and summoning effects. Spells range from low-level utility like enhanced stealth to high-level cataclysms, with unique mechanics such as spell attack factors for offensive casting that pit the mage's power against the target's defensive aura. Psionics complement this with over 100 powers, divided into disciplines like , , and , resolved via willpower checks and fatigue costs to prevent overuse. Non-human races access specialized magic variants, such as primal or techno-infused systems not available to standard humans. Skills and experience progression emphasize holistic character growth beyond , featuring a comprehensive non-combat skill system with percentile-based resolutions for activities like stealth, lockpicking, or trading. Stealth, for example, uses a base percentage modified by dexterity and environmental factors, rolled against a difficulty threshold to determine success in evasion or scenarios. is awarded through a streamlined system that factors in victories, treasure recovered, and achievements, distributed flexibly across multi-class characters without penalties—allowing a techno-barbarian to advance equally in technological invention and prowess. This approach promotes long-term campaign play, where characters evolve through accumulated skills and levels without rigid class silos.

World of Arduin and Cross-Genre Elements

The World of Arduin, also known as the World of Khaas or the planet Ssass-Khaa, centers on the continent of Khaora, the second-largest landmass among seven continents spanning diverse latitudes and longitudes, featuring biomes that range from dense forests and radioactive wastelands like the Great Burn to misty seas, towering mountains, and river systems. Khaora houses the core region of Arduin, a densely populated area with over 74 countries, each characterized by unique societies, customs, and militaries, including elven realms shaped by ancient conflicts and techno-hives powered by advanced rune technology. Cosmologically, the setting incorporates the Great Wurm Road as an extensive underworld network and the Vaults of the Weaver as a perilous dungeon complex delving into ancient, monster-infested depths, connected by Nexus Gates—portals that facilitate travel across temporal, spatial, and dimensional boundaries, including links to uncharted worlds and other realities. Factions in Khaora encompass over 30 sentient races, such as , elves, wolflings, deodanths, and , alongside guilds, secret societies, and colleges that drive ongoing conflicts, including tensions between human settlers and elven domains rooted in historical Elf-Human Wars. Delvers—adventurers drawn to the for fortune and glory—often clash with established powers, while alien invaders from starfaring races arrive via portals, exacerbating strife in a lore spanning eons from the god wars of the Kthoi era to more recent upheavals. Central to this history is the Great War, also called the Wars, a cataclysmic event involving the arrival of extraterrestrial forces and the blending of medieval weaponry with futuristic technologies, leaving legacies of ruined civilizations and contested territories across the continent. Arduin's cross-genre integration manifests in the seamless coexistence of fantastical and science-fictional elements, where dragons soar alongside crashed spaceships like the Khai-Zirin, vampires lurk in shadows near robotic constructs, and portals such as Nexus Gates bridge medieval realms with sci-fi dimensions, enabling techno-magic hybrids like runeweaving that manipulates mana through advanced devices. This mashup extends to diverse biomes, where elven forests border high-tech hives and underworld lairs house both mythical beasts and alien artifacts, creating a gonzo tapestry that defies traditional genre boundaries. Campaigns in the World of Arduin emphasize pulp-style narratives centered on exploration of wilderness, urban intrigue, delves, and interplanar voyages, with delvers pursuing treasure in high-mortality adventures that reward bold risks amid the setting's unpredictable dangers and vast opportunities. The open, "anything is possible" structure supports immersive, epic across fantasy, sci-fi, and horror, fostering a sense of through detailed cultural and environmental layers.

Bibliography

Core Grimoires and Books

The foundational texts of the Arduin role-playing system are the nine volumes of the Arduin Grimoire series, authored primarily by David A. Hargrave and published between 1977 and 2005. These books serve as supplements and expansions to early , introducing custom rules, character options, and world-building elements that blend fantasy with and other genres. The first three volumes, collectively known as the , establish the core and setting, while subsequent volumes delve into specialized themes, and later compilations reorganize the material into a more cohesive standalone system. Volume I: The Arduin Grimoire (1977), a self-published booklet exceeding 100 pages, lays the groundwork by introducing expanded character creation options, including new races such as kobolds, orcs, and hobgoblins treated as playable classes with unique abilities and limitations. It features comprehensive charts for melee and missile weapons, and fumble tables to add realism and unpredictability to battles, and over 100 new spells for magic-users, covering offensive, defensive, and utility effects like "Demon Death" and "Talisman of Ward." Additional content includes guidelines, alignment systems, archetypes, poisons, diseases, monsters, and treasures, all designed to enhance tactical depth in gameplay. Volume II: Welcome to Skull Tower (1978) builds on the first volume with approximately 80 pages of expansions, adding eight new character classes such as the (focused on and ), (with mental powers), (emphasizing raw strength and survival), rune weaver (rune-based magic), (technology-infused abilities), medicine man (healing and herbalism), and witch hunter (anti-magic specialist). The book introduces space creatures and aliens to incorporate elements, alongside new treasures like magical artifacts, dozens of spells, and monsters drawn from Hargrave's campaign notes, emphasizing cross-genre adventures in the Arduin world. Volume III: The Runes of Doom (1978), completing the trilogy at around 100 pages, further develops the setting with rules for character aging, a revised hit-point system for greater durability, and new mechanics for items and . It includes over 100 new monsters, additional spells, and detailed world-building elements such as noble families, bandits, denizens, and legendary figures of Arduin, alongside expansions on treasures and gods to support ongoing campaigns with richer lore and divine influences. The later volumes, published from 1984 to 1987 under Hargrave's direction (with Volume IX appearing posthumously in 2005), shift toward thematic explorations while adding incremental rules and content. Volume IV: The Lost Grimoire (1984) compiles campaign insights with 147 pages of new arcane and priest spells (over 50 total), integration tips for other RPG systems, modified character creation, alignment discussions, combat variants, and glossaries of terms, monsters, and treasures to aid adaptation. Volume V: Dark Dreams (1985) focuses on the "dark side" of Arduin, including thieves guilds like the Black Rabbit Gang, rare metals, and associated perils. Subsequent volumes continue this pattern: Volume VI: House of the Rising Sun (1986) emphasizes societal structures, noble houses, assassins guilds, and dragon magic; Volume VII: Shadow Lands (1987) explores shadow realms and undead; Volume VIII: The Winds of Chance (1988, published posthumously) details the campaign setting, gods of Arduin, 67 religions, and martial arts; and Volume IX: End War (2005) culminates in apocalyptic scenarios with divine wars, mass battles, and endgame lore. Each volume typically spans 100-150 pages, adding specialized spells, items, and setting details without overhauling core rules. In the , Hargrave's collaborator Mark Schynert compiled and revised the material into The Compleat Arduin, a two-volume set totaling approximately 500 pages published by Grimoire Games in 1992. Book One: The Rules provides step-by-step character generation with examples across multiple races and classes, a unified battle factor combat system supporting , , and engagements, over 125 weapons with damage tables, a modular with 300+ spells, disciplines, and mechanics for 60+ deities. Book Two: Resources expands with over 100 treasures (including creation tools), 200+ monsters, world maps, history, and setting overviews integrating prior grimoires. An index organizes references for quick access to spells, items, and rules, transforming the scattered grimoire content into a standalone RPG core.

Modules, Cards, and Maps

Arduin dungeon modules, released primarily through Grimoire Games in the late 1970s and early 1980s, provided structured adventure frameworks that integrated the system's cross-genre elements, featuring detailed maps, encounter tables, and narrative hooks tied to the World of Arduin setting. These modules typically spanned 20 to 50 pages, emphasizing high-stakes exploration in wizard towers, haunted structures, and interconnected realms, with challenges scaled for parties of 4 to 8 characters. For instance, Arduin Dungeon No. 1: Caliban (1979), authored by David A. Hargrave, presents a perilous high-level adventure in a four-level wizard's tower and subterranean complex, complete with hand-drawn maps of chambers, traps, and lairs populated by unique Arduin monsters like prismatic dragons and techno-wizards. Similarly, Arduin Dungeon No. 2: The Howling Tower (1980) offers a low-level entry point with maps of a cursed coastal fortress, focusing on survival against spectral guardians and environmental hazards. Arduin Dungeon No. 3: The Citadel of Thunder (1980), designed for mid-level groups, includes four interconnected maps of a storm-ravaged citadel, along with set-piece encounters involving elemental forces and ancient artifacts. The series culminates in Arduin Dungeon No. 4: Death Heart (1980), a high-level module that links the prior adventures through a central necromantic hub, featuring expansive maps of undead-infested ruins and climactic boss battles. Cardstock aids in Arduin enhanced gameplay by providing tangible references for treasures, foes, and equipment, often bundled with modules or sold separately to streamline combat and loot distribution. Hargrave's original designs included illustrated cards printed on durable stock, allowing players to draw randomly for surprises during sessions; these were reprinted and expanded by Emperor's Choice Games in later years. A representative example is the artifact and monster card sets accompanying the four dungeon modules, comprising 32 artifact cards (detailing magical items like the Orb of Storms with cross-genre sci-fi effects) and 32 monster cards (stat blocks for creatures such as slave girls or vibro-blades-wielding cyborgs), each with artwork and usage notes for quick reference. The 1982 Arduin Miniatures set extended this concept into physical play aids, offering cardstock standees of key monsters and characters with integrated stats, enabling visual tracking in battles without full miniatures. More recently, the 2023 Artifact & Monster Card Set by Emperor's Choice reprints and augments these with over 100 cards, including new entries for hybrid techno-fantasy threats, printed on parchment-like stock for thematic immersion. Mapping products for Arduin emphasized the campaign 's scale and detail, serving as both practical tools and artistic pieces derived from Hargrave's personal sketches. The City of Talismonde map (1980), depicting the bustling capital with its 600,000 seasonal inhabitants, districts of elven spires, orcish slums, and portal nexuses, was hand-drawn by Hargrave to facilitate urban involving intrigues and multiversal incursions. Large-scale maps, such as the Country of Arduin (first published in 2000 by Emperor's Choice, with a 2024 updated edition), span 2 by 3 feet on faux-parchment, illustrating the kingdom's terrain from the Mulger Barrier Mountains to the Sea of Screams, complete with a detailed of settlements, dungeons, and cross-genre anomalies like crashed starships. These maps integrate seamlessly with core rules for navigation and hex-crawling, often including indices for locating module sites like Caliban's tower. Unique play aids, such as Hargrave's custom campaign notes reproduced in limited runs, provided personalized hex overlays and event trackers, though these remain scarce outside collector circles.

Recent and Collectible Items

In the 21st century, Emperors Choice Games & Miniatures revived interest in Arduin through a series of high-quality reprints and new compilations, beginning with the Arduin RPG Reprint Series from 2008 to 2010. This included the Arduin Trilogy (2008), which consolidated the original Volumes I-III of the Arduin Grimoire along with The Arduin Adventure into a single, reformatted volume for improved readability and accessibility as an updated starter set. Later releases in this period featured Arduin Eternal: Culture and Index Book (2010), providing expanded lore and organizational aids drawn from Hargrave's unpublished notes. Exclusive post-2000 publications extended the core Arduin Grimoire line with Volume IX: End War (2005), the final installment in the original series, focusing on apocalyptic scenarios and compatible with fantasy systems. Limited-run digital versions of these works, including PDFs of the Trilogy and individual Grimoires, became available through platforms like DriveThruRPG starting in the late , offering collectors affordable access without the need for physical copies. In 2025, Emperors Choice launched a Kickstarter for Arduin's Portal to Adventure, a compilation including all four dungeon modules, updated maps, and additional play aids, funded by September 30, 2025. The company also announced Arduin Bloody Arduin, a new edition of the RPG in development for release in late 2027, building on the original system with modern adaptations. Arduin artifacts hold significant appeal for collectors due to their scarcity and historical value. Hargrave's original self-published first editions from the 1970s, particularly signed copies of The Arduin Grimoire Volume I, routinely fetch $100 to $500 at auctions and resale sites, depending on condition and provenance. Custom items from the era, such as the 1980s Arduin-themed polyhedral dice sets distributed at conventions, are even rarer one-of-a-kind pieces, often bundled with early modules. Original manuscripts penned by Hargrave remain elusive, with few verified examples in private collections, underscoring the handmade nature of early Arduin production. As of 2025, Arduin lacks dedicated digital tools, apps, or virtual tabletops, with revivals prioritizing physical reprints and limited print-on-demand options over modern software adaptations.

Reception and Controversies

Initial Reviews and Praise

Upon its release in 1977 and subsequent volumes in 1978, The Arduin Grimoire garnered praise in early role-playing game magazines for its expansive and imaginative content designed to enhance Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. A review in The Campaign magazine highlighted the first volume as containing "a wealth of charts, commentaries, and instructions," emphasizing its utility as a rich supplement for expanding D&D gameplay with new mechanics, races, and adventures. Similarly, White Dwarf issue #12 (April/May 1979) reviewed volumes I through III, awarding a rating of 4 out of 10 while acknowledging the evident creativity in Hargrave's world-building and monster designs, despite organizational shortcomings. Community reception has remained positive over time, with users on rating The Arduin Grimoire Volume I an average of 4.21 out of 5 based on data from 2019, lauding its detailed world-building and cross-genre elements that blend fantasy with . This acclaim extends to its influence on later games, such as Palladium Books' Rifts, where creator Kevin Siembieda drew inspiration from Arduin's gonzo style of mixing disparate genres like magic, technology, and horror into a cohesive . Critics and players specifically praised the depth of Arduin's monster , which introduced over 200 unique creatures across the early volumes, each with detailed ecologies, behaviors, and roles in the world of rather than mere stat blocks. This approach inspired early RPG fanzines and supplements, encouraging creators to develop personalized campaign worlds with vivid, integrated lore beyond standard D&D tropes. Hargrave's legacy in gonzo RPG design—characterized by subversive, high-energy elements that challenged conventional fantasy—continues to be recognized as foundational, with Designers & Dragons: The '70s describing as "appreciated and respected for its gonzo imagination" that captured the raw fun of early .

Criticisms of and

Critics have frequently pointed to the disorganization of Arduin's rulesets, describing the original volumes as a haphazard pile of content lacking clear indexing or logical progression, which forces players and referees to engage in what one reviewer termed " archeology" to uncover and integrate rules. This issue persisted even in the compilation known as The Compleat Arduin, which consolidated material from earlier trilogies into two volumes totaling approximately 454 pages of densely packed, unconsolidated rules across disparate sections without comprehensive cross-referencing. The result was a system where essential mechanics, such as new attributes or combat modifiers, were introduced abruptly and required extensive cross-volume consultation, exacerbating usability challenges. Balance problems further compounded these organizational flaws, with elements like high-damage sci-fi weapons—such as phasers and lasers—integrated into a primarily fantasy framework, often clashing with level-based progression and rendering traditional fantasy encounters unbalanced or trivial. Complex tables for weapon proficiencies, spell interruptions, and morale checks demanded constant reference during play, while class powers varied wildly: fighters suffered from static saving throws and slower advancement, whereas spellcasters like Star-Powered Mages gained double mana pools and regeneration, tipping encounters toward overpowered casters despite attempted nerfs like extended times. These imbalances stemmed from Hargrave's design, which layered byzantine exceptions onto core mechanics, such as percentage chances for prone falls or rope breakage by weight, turning routine actions into finicky calculations. Playability suffered under this weight, with the system's high lethality—evident in risk-reward XP structures that encouraged deadly gambles leading to frequent total party kills—combined with overwhelming options for races, classes, and abilities, often described as inducing "brain-rot" from decision and tracking overload. A 2024 review highlighted how the sheer volume of overlapping chimerical elements paralyzed tactical choices, rendering sessions tedious rather than engaging, particularly without streamlined aids for newcomers. This complexity even drew satirical commentary from in the (1979), where the fictional Vacuous Grimoire causes readers to lose 1 point of and 2 points of upon perusal—a clear nod to Arduin's cognitive demands. Hargrave's "kitchen sink" design philosophy, which amalgamated fantasy, sci-fi, and pulp tropes into a single eclectic system, was faulted for producing incoherence when juxtaposed against more structured contemporaries like Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, where rules adhered to consistent genre boundaries and modular integration. While this approach generated innovative ideas, such as multi-genre character builds, it ultimately prioritized raw creativity over balanced, accessible play, leading to critiques that Arduin overwhelmed rather than empowered participants. In 1977, TSR, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, objected to the content of the first Arduin Grimoire, sending a cease-and-desist letter to David Hargrave citing potential trademark and copyright infringement, including the verbatim lifting of a spell from D&D materials and promotional claims of compatibility with the game. Hargrave's foreword in the book, which encouraged readers to copy and adapt rules without regard for publishers' rights, further exacerbated the concerns. Negotiations ensued, with TSR's Tim Kask noting the slow pace of communication via mail, ultimately leading to a settlement where Hargrave agreed to revisions in subsequent printings to remove direct D&D references and explicit content deemed objectionable. A notable community feud arose between Hargrave and Greg Stafford of Chaosium around the failed publication of Arduin Grimoire. Stafford initially approached Hargrave in 1977 to publish the material as a standalone RPG, previewing elements in Wyrm's Footnotes #2, but rejected the manuscript due to its dense complexity, typographical errors, and heavy reliance on D&D rather than a beginner-friendly system. Hargrave's anger led to public tensions, exemplified by a 9th-level spell in Arduin Grimoire Volume I named "Stafford's Star Bridge," which created a rainbow-hued bridge that could selectively cause individuals to fall through—widely interpreted as a pointed jab at Stafford. The discord intensified in 1980 with a New West magazine article that portrayed Stafford positively while depicting Hargrave and his games negatively, contributing to boycotts and heated exchanges at conventions. Broader community disputes stemmed from Hargrave's often abrasive personality and accusations of in early Arduin volumes, which alienated some players and designers within the nascent RPG scene. These interpersonal conflicts, combined with the explicit and unconventional elements in Arduin materials, led to splits among gaming groups, with some embracing Hargrave's innovative cross-genre approach while others viewed it as disruptive or derivative. The TSR legal action was resolved without a full after Hargrave's revisions, though it cemented Arduin's "unofficial" status as a D&D supplement for several years. Similarly, the Hargrave-Stafford subsided by 1983, when included Hargrave's adventure "Black Devil Mountain" in its anthology The Asylum & Other Tales, signaling reconciliation and occasional future collaborations. Arduin transitioned to a fully standalone system with the 1980 release of The Arduin Adventure by Grimoire Games, alleviating ongoing compatibility concerns and allowing independent publication thereafter.

Legacy and Contributors

Modern Revivals and Influence

In recent years, Emperors Choice Games & Miniatures Corp. has spearheaded efforts to revive Arduin through physical and digital products, focusing on reprints, maps, and new support materials. In 2023, the company announced progress on Arduin Bloody Arduin, a comprehensive RPG rule system compatible with various fantasy games, featuring 25 races and 20 classes, with development emphasizing proprietary mechanics adaptable to other systems. By 2024, this included the successful for the Arduin Fantasy Map Art Collection, which funded updated maps of the Arduin continent and surrounding areas, alongside art prints to sustain physical hobbyist interest. The 2025 Kickstarter further expanded this, offering limited-edition box sets of the original Arduin Trilogy, new mega-dungeons, and adventure modules designed for compatibility with OSR systems like Swords & Wizardry and , alongside physical miniatures and card sets for gameplay enhancement. These revivals have been complemented by 2025 YouTube content highlighting David A. Hargrave's enduring influence. Videos such as "Dave Hargrave's Legacy with Emperors Choice Games & Miniatures" (August 2025) explore Hargrave's innovative world-building and cross-genre approach, drawing connections to Arduin's role in early RPG evolution. Similarly, "View over the Milieu 24 - Arduin" (October 2025) examines the setting's esoteric elements, while "Return to Arduin (The Arduin Grimoire vol 1)" (October 2025) discusses its practical applications for modern game masters, reinforcing Hargrave's foundational contributions to imaginative play. These documentaries, often tied to ongoing Kickstarters, have helped reintroduce Arduin to newer audiences amid the OSR resurgence. Community engagement remains vibrant through online forums and fan adaptations, though digital tools and video game adaptations lag behind. The official Arduin forum on arduin.com hosts discussions on integrating Arduin elements into contemporary systems, with threads from 2023–2025 covering rule clarifications and homebrew expansions. Fans have pursued conversions to OSR frameworks and Fifth Edition , adapting Arduin's diverse races and classes—such as prismas and th elf—to streamlined mechanics for easier play, as evidenced by shared playtest materials in spaces. However, while physical revivals thrive, comprehensive digital tools like virtual tabletops or official apps are absent, and no adaptations have emerged, limiting broader . Arduin's legacy as a pioneer of gonzo, multi-genre RPGs continues to inspire contemporary designs, with 2024 analyses recognizing it as a precursor to blended fantasy-sci-fi worlds. Its debut introduced interstellar wars alongside medieval fantasy, influencing the DIY ethos and chaotic creativity seen in modern OSR titles that mix horror, technology, and without rigid boundaries. Recent reviews highlight this impact, noting Arduin's rejection of genre limits as a template for games emphasizing player-driven over structured lore. Looking ahead, community momentum via Kickstarters signals demand for official digital editions and fresh modules to modernize Arduin. The Portal to Adventure campaign included PDF versions of core volumes and adventures, fulfilling calls for accessible formats while teasing expansions like Arduin Bloody Arduin's full release. Ongoing fan advocacy on dedicated forums pushes for updated digital tools and new content to bridge Arduin's vintage appeal with current RPG trends, potentially expanding its reach beyond niche OSR circles.

Notable Illustrators and Artists

Erol Otus provided the distinctive cover art for the first printing of The Arduin Grimoire Volume I in 1977, featuring his characteristic surreal and psychedelic style that depicted bizarre monsters and evoked the chaotic multiverse of Arduin. Otus, a prominent early fantasy artist known for his work on Dungeons & Dragons materials, also contributed interior illustrations to Volume I, as well as later pieces to Volumes II and III in subsequent editions. Bradley W. Schenck, working under the pseudonym Morno, delivered interior illustrations for The Arduin Grimoire Volume II (Welcome to ) and the Arduin boxed set in 1980, with his artwork emphasizing intricate depictions of alien races, techno-fantasy elements, and otherworldly encounters that complemented Arduin's blend of and fantasy. Schenck also created the for the dungeon module (1978), further showcasing his ability to render dynamic, genre-fusing scenes. Greg Espinoza contributed extensively to Arduin's visual identity, producing cover art for multiple modules including , The Howling Tower, and The Citadel of Thunder, as well as interior and over 80 pieces across the early Grimoires from 1978 to 1981; his detailed, adventurous illustrations often portrayed heroes in perilous situations, blending classic fantasy with Arduin's unique flair. Michio Okamura, recognized for his woodcut-inspired , provided interior illustrations for modules like and the set, adding precise, evocative details to creatures and environments that enhanced the game's immersive depth. David A. Hargrave himself supplied numerous crude yet energetic sketches throughout the original Grimoires and modules, capturing his personal vision of Arduin's eclectic world in raw, hand-drawn form. In the , Emperors Choice reprints incorporated digital recolorings of these and other artworks, revitalizing the visuals for modern audiences while preserving the original aesthetic.

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