Monkey Business

On twitter (X) I made the claim yesterday that the situation in this picture could really happen when playing Midwest Fantasy Wargame: The Primeval RPG. How you might ask?

This is quite simply a mage who has been polymorphed into Great Ape. The mage also happens to be the owner of a Revolving Wand along with a leather bandoleer (containing pellets that “recharge” his wand) and a holster for it.

For anyone who has read Blackmoor Foundations, the inspiration for the Revolving Wand is found on pages 45, 52-53 and the drawing on page 60. Essentially, a party of adventurers arrive at an island in the Lake-in-the-Heavens via raft. There is a castle on the island. The castle’s master is Oleg, Protector of the Mountain Wizards. Oleg is also a giant who is hostile to the approaching party and attacks them by hurling a giant arrow. The members of the party happen to be from our world and are armed with 2 pistols (a Griswal[d] & Greer horse pistol and a .22 with a 3" barrel). In the ensuring combat, they manage to bring down the giant with a lucky shot to the head. May all your adventures be just as gonzo as those Dave Arneson, David Wesely, Dale Nelson, Ross, and Dan Nicholson embarked upon sometime in April - June 1971.

If you’d like a copy of Midwest Fantasy Wargame, it is available for $7.50 here: https://rhampton.itch.io/midwest-fantasy-wargame-the-primeval-rpg

Originally published on Substack on August 16, 2025.