A gathering of intimate friends

Contact: Troll Lord Games 501-680-6597
for more information.

WINTER’S DARK II - January 11-13

WD08 Honored Attendees

Frank Mentzer | Tom Wham | Ernie Gygax | Chris Clark
Stephen Chenault

Frank Mentzer

Frank worked for TSR from 1980 to 1986. He got his start by pointing out an error in B2 Keep on the Borderlands. As retaliation, Gary Gygax forced him to start the RPGA and write many tournaments for it, and then to write the five boxed sets of the D&D game (Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters, Immortals). Since Frank was still standing after all that, Gary also sentenced him to finish Temple of Elemental Evil, which everyone bought but nobody actually played.

Frank left the game industry and went into real business. He is a Partner in (and General Manager of) The Baker's House, 'way up in northern Wisconsin, and meddles with a few other companies.

Unfortunately Frank continues to run his AD&D campaign that began in 1976, and has an awful lot of old-style material that may eventually be published and inflicted on the unsuspecting game world. He also shovels a lot of drivel at Dragonsfoot on a regular basis.

Tom Wham

Bio information forthcoming...

Jim Ward

James M. Ward was born, has lived a pleasantly long time, and has been happily married 37 years. He has an unusually charming wife, Janean and three equally charming sons, Breck, James, and Theon. Delightful grandchildren have come into his life: Keely, Miriam, Sophia, Preston, and Teagan. Working here and there, he’s managed to write the first science fiction RPG, METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA, several best selling CCGs including SPELLFIRE and DRAGON BALL Z, and a few novels including HALCYON BLITHE MIDSHIPWIZARD and HALCYON BLITHE DRAGONFRIGATE WIZARD. He likes to fence, the ‘sword’ type, not the ‘put up’ type. He spends a great deal of time looking for work. He reads science fiction and fantasy novels and occasionally something else when the cover looks interesting. Recently, he finished designing a board game called DRAGON LAIRDS that he is unusually proud of and wants everyone to purchase. If possible he’d like to end up as the Captain of the starship Enterprise, but that job keeps getting taken before he can get his resume in to the home office.

Ernie Gygax

Bio information forthcoming...

Chris Clark

Chris Clark met Gary at the first convention he ever attended in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at age 16. He started gaming in 1975. He got two degrees from the University of Illinois in 1984, and was a Customhouse Broker for 11 years before retiring to gaming. He is probably the most prolific game designer you have never heard of, and have more than 100 published credits to my name... and he is a long way from finished yet. He has enough game projects to keep himself busy for at least three years. He's not rich, but life is good, and working in the game's industry is always better than working at Sears. His only wish is that time would slow down a bit; but then, sleep is for the weak. :-)

Hekaforge stopped being a partnership and was purchased by Inner City as of January 1st of this year. The core rules license of Lejendary Adventure is now entirely Steve's(aka Troll Lord Games), and both Gary and Chris hope that's truly good news for all participants.

Stephen Chenault

Bio information forthcoming... but then again we all know Steve....