A recent pick up from Once Read Books out of Long Beach C, it's a supplement to my first ever
RPG purchase.
Physical Condition as advertised: "Paperback. GOOD. White and green illustrated wraps, approx. 8.5"x11", 94pp., bagged for protection, small creases to spine end, spine hinges, and corners, 3 holes punched into spine hinges, closed tear across middle hole on back cover, price sticker remains to middle back cover, rub-wear to covers, most pages detached from spine, many loose pages, no missing pages."
Physical Condition as received. Bagged as advertised, I'd describe the color as mustard yellow rather than green. The exterior flaws as noted, plus an additional small tear on the top of the back cover. Only the residue of the price sticker glue remains on the back, so no idea what the original selling price was. I want to say the original source book was in the $20 range, but I paid cash many miles and a few decades ago - and don't save my receipts. I'm not concerned about the holes punched in the book, as I did the same to my core rule book, some time around 1982, the Fantasy Games Unlimited bindings weren't of the highest quality.
Opening the package - the book is really feels like it's in remarkably good shape. Inside the front cover is inscribed "Paul Rado", in much neater handwriting than I ever had. Anyone know him?
Started paging through it to check for missing pages, the pages really are falling out as soon as I get past the preface, so I'll put it in a three ring binder right away. All the pages are there, the page count in the advertisement did not include the pages in the dedication, table of contents or introduction, so there are an additional seven pages, every one complete and legible at first pass.
Wow, look at the dedication page. I just read about Ed Simbalist
visiting Chaosium, now I see the connection to Arneson.
All the pages are there and in very good condition.
Layout - the font seems easier on the eyes that in the Sourcebook, but I suspect when I look at them side by side they will be the same.
Nope, I was wrong - this book is laid out in 9 point font, single column; the C&S Sourcebook is 6 point font, two columns per page. Thank you, unknown layout artist at Fantasy Games in 1978 - much easier on the eyes! It's divided into three sections, Nordic, Steppe Nomads and "Gaels and Picts" as a single section. Just leafing through it, I see that I'll want to do a post looking at each section, checking for new material versus repeating sections from the Sourcebook (reusing content from previous products was a bad habit Judges Guild had in their the Wilderlands campaign setting; first chance to see if FGU did it too.).
I'm very pleased with this purchase and will look to do business with Once Read Books again in the future. Maybe chase my old college roommate over there to look for bargains.
