GARY GYGAX Q&A PART XXII

The hobgoblin appeared in the list of giant class monsters in order to maintain the
progression from least to greatest. "Hob" as a prefix actually indicates smaller or lesser status,
but with kobolds, goblins, and orcs already established, the hobgoblin has to be tougher than
a goblin. Then I made up the gnoll and bugbear to fill in between the established ogre, troll,
and giant.

The hobgoblin was made up to suit the game, not based on JRRT's material. The oriental
armor depicted was indeed the license taken by the illustrator. [EGG]
http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1957

[I was just wondering what any of you remember of the Halfling Biff, from the Gord the
Rogue book Night Arrant. I have the book and I wanted to know a little more about him and
possibly what happened after the story, The Five Dragon Bowl.]

Luke is an army Captain nowadays [2006], living out in California, so it isn't likely he'll be
dropping in to assist

As for what hapened to Melf and Biff after the time I wrote the Gord the Rogue short story,
"The Five Dragon Bowl," not much at all. Luke was going to military academy here as an off-
campus student then and had little time to play RPGs. He did graduate as the Valdictorian of
the 100th class of the Northwestern Naval & Military Acedemy, but he folishly passed up an
appointment to Annapolis or West Point, made officer the hard way later on after serving
with the 1st Armored Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

The actions of Melf and Biff in the story were mainly made up by me to suit the tale, of
course. Melf was played out by Luke in the meeting with Keek and good old Obmi, much to
Luke's continuing annoyance. [EGG] http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1968

Biff was a regular PC of Luke's. [EGG] http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1968

Terik was a fighter played by Rob's brother Terry. He was a lot of fun to pester with wandering
monsters, for he became angry at them and not irritated with me as the DM sending them in.
Nonetheless, with dint of hard fighting and some judicious fleeing, Terik did well in
adventuring and rose to considerable level before beginning a new Monk PC.

Rob, want to fill in some good stuff about Terry's Monk character? I can't recall his name

Terik actually adventured now and then with Mordenkainen, and he is mentioned in one of
my latest "Up on a Soapbox" essays as amongst the three initial PCs to delve to the bottom
level of Castle Greyhawk--Robilar first, then Tenser, then Terik IIRR. [EGG]
http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1981

Tenser and Terik each went on solo excursions into the dungeon depths, made it to level 13
alone. Terik came back from China via Africa, while Tenser went across Central Asia north of
Robilar's route.
IO recall this very well, because I had to wing all three return journeys separately and over
considerable time [EGG] http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1981

Terik went all over Africa on his own trying to pick up a means of creating vodoo dolls! [EGG]
http://piedpiperpublishing.yuku.com/topic/1981