The Artist Leaves a Hidden Opinion

[LivingTriskele]

Heh, I just noticed the illustration on page 365, of the sorcerer-- this is a reprint from another book. I can't remember which. I do remember lying in bad with my girlfriend from way back when, who had an appreciation for many Pagan ideas. She read those runes verbatim, and if I recall, the message is pretty hilarious. I don't think Chaosium would have printed it (twice) if they had known. I can't tell for sure--will have to dig the older RQ stuff out of the basement to get a better look, just to make sure...

[Krimson]

I'm a little rusty, but I easily caught the word "BS" on the staff. I'll have to look closer later.

[sinisalo]

You're reading rq books in bed with your girlfriend? It was never that exciting surely?

[LivingTriskele]

Ah, the good old days, when we weren't so concerned with game mechanics but rather who got to wear the French maid outfit, and who got to wear the rubber Bullwinkle mask with the orange gag ball in its mouth...

No, actually we would both read to decompress before going to bed and she'd noticed the page while I was flipping through the book...

[Publius]

You're reading rq books in bed with your girlfriend? It was never that exciting surely?

That sounds like hot d-fourplay to me.

[SDLeary]

That sounds like hot d-fourplay to me.

OK... someone ready the firing squad!

SDLeary

[NickMiddleton]

Heh, I just noticed the illustration on page 365, of the sorcerer-- this is a reprint from another book. I can't remember which. I do remember lying in bad with my girlfriend from way back when, who had an appreciation for many Pagan ideas. She read those runes verbatim, and if I recall, the message is pretty hilarious. I don't think Chaosium would have printed it (twice) if they had known. I can't tell for sure--will have to dig the older RQ stuff out of the basement to get a better look, just to make sure...

"In this illustration of Zangrif Bei, an experienced adept, note the extensive rune carvings along his staff, and the tattoos in the palm of his right hand." It's on page 28 (Zangrif's stats are on page 31) of the Monster Book from Monster Coliseum, and Games Workshop reused the material in their hard backed RQ Monsters book.

It's by Kevin Ramos, an artist Chaosium used a lot in the mid-eighties and whom I believe they knew personally§ - I'd guess that both artists and caption writer knew what they were doing but the only way to be sure is to ask Steve Perrin (the author of the RQ material in Monster Coliseum) or Charlie Krank (credited for "Production and Layout" which presumably included art assignments, layout and captions).

Cheers,

Nick

§ there is a moving tribute to Kevin Ramos at the back of my second edition copy of Cthulhu by Gaslight - I remember his distinctive and powerful art from that, Monster Coliseum and other Chaosium publications (e.g. Spawn of Azathoth).

Edited September 26, 2008 by NickMiddleton

[LivingTriskele]

Okay, so I dragged my books out of the basement and sat down with Edred Thorsson's Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic. There are some runes in the illustration I can't identify but towards the end it definitely says "bullsh*t with magic assh*les..." (I put the * as not to offend anyone).

This artist was one of my favorites. I think he passed away a while ago, but am not sure.

[GianniVacca]

Okay, so I dragged my books out of the basement and sat down with Edred Thorsson's Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic. There are some runes in the illustration I can't identify but towards the end it definitely says "bullsh*t with magic assh*les..." (I put the * as not to offend anyone).

I love artists with a sense of humour (this is probably why I don't like D&Dish art).

I'll make sure I'll drop some hidden Chinese swear words in the art of my Chinese rolegame (if I ever manage to get that far). >:->