White lightning

 I've been re-reading my old 2e books, and I want to start planning a campaign.  But more importantly I want to re-start my DM binder and start filling it with things, world building, npcs etc.  One of the most important things in my brain is to pick a system when you start designing stuff (honestly its this weird ADD thing... its probably not that important).  

Couldn't sleep last night as my brain was filled with D&D ideas.  Here's the train of thought before bed: 

1.  5e group really hasn't had much time to play latetly, all good.  But its been leaving me thinking that I need a creative outlet for the upcoming winter months.  I just bought witchlight (review forthcoming). 

2.  I decided to post on a few forums "looking for players".  The plan would be discord only, as I'm not the best with roll20. 

3.  I started thinking about working on a small area to start with for a 2e campaign.  Nothing grand.  Just like in the bx rules, create a homebase, a dungeon and go from there.  

Made a decision to work on a map today after I got home from work.  I wanted it to be in the style of: 

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/08/lotfp-maps-part-2.html?m=1

and this: https://sites.google.com/view/dragonsmarch/home

specifically this: https://sites.google.com/view/dragonsmarch/whispglow-sw-basic?authuser=0

then I read this post this evening: https://theymightbegazebos.blog/2021/10/25/the-tale-of-two-dm-notebooks/

Wound up with something a little bit more Tron like: 

I've often talked about how If I ever run another game it would be very rules light because my brain just can't do number crunching anymore.  

Then I stumbled onto this interesting post, which is basically suggesting that If you blow away all the optional rules you are playing a basic version of D&D.  Which I like!  

https://www.reddit.com/r/adnd/comments/oxa9mz/why_you_should_try_add_2e_without_optional_rules/

Which has lead me to realize that I should infact create a https://www.reddit.com/r/adnd/comments/qb69hz/2e_rules_reminderplayer_handout/

for any newbies or as a reminder of what the "house rules" will be.  

Now while I'd like to use and work on my 10 monster setting.  I think what I'm going to fill my DM binder with is just some traditional fantasy stuff.  I was thinking about the Gygax Challenge last night, and maybe using that as a bit of inspiration to get writing in the binder.  I likely will at some point.  However what was really making me wonder was my very first games of D&D, and my first writing.  Where did it come from?  In the gygax challenge you are supposed to note your references for your world.  In mine I was talking about Xanth, and strange fantasy novels that I've read over the years.  But what did 14 year me know about fantasy back then? 

What was my initial appendix n? 

fighting fantasy books (The green spined ones), the art from the 2e books, Forgotten realms setting, dragonlance novels, he-man, GI joe (I was a huge fan, not sure if it counts, but this is my blog so I guess?).  

I'll take a picture of my binder when I have time. 

Tomorrow's plan write up a 2nd edition Artifact.  The day after write up an NPC (Bullwark the minotaur).