I’m auctioning the Leonard Heid ARDUIN Collection on behalf of Brian “Old Sardul” Collins. This post will have the item photos and history notes for posterity. All quotes are from my correspondence with Brian, with his permission.
The lot includes a number of Arduin materials, several of them signed & inscribed to Leonard Heid by Dave Hargrave, the creator of the classic Arduin fantasy roleplaying game and campaign world. Also included are two maps hand-drawn by Hargrave and a stained original Misty Isles.
Len Heid was a player in Dave Hargrave’s game group.
Brian:
Leonard passed away in December last year.
We met as co-workers at Shelton Yee’s “Gamemasters Hobbies” back in 1982. At that time Hargrave and I were on the outs, because of his war with my friend Erol Otus. Leonard was able to broker a peace treaty and actually got me up to Willits a few times. (Dave lived up there for a while)
Oh and as to how all this became mine, I was Leonard’s caretaker for the last five years and everything came to me, with the exception of his truck, which the family kept. I’ve got mountains of Flames of War stuff – mountains…
How everybody met:
How I met Hargrave was how a lot of people met him, at Dundracon One. That convention was all in one hotel ballroom, and so when Hargrave said loudly to his table “… the lead Balrog…” the whole room became silent and everyone looked at Dave, then someone (Steve Perrin?) repeated it back louder, and everyone cracked up. (There were five Balrogs in that encounter, we later learned).
As for Erol he joined up with our group by way of the weekend games held in Berkeley by Carole Rode. Those games were well attended and were very probably where he and Hargrave met. When the first Grimoire was being planned, in 1976, Erol was easily the best artist among us all so got Dave’s interest, but when EO delivered the art, Dave was so disappointed it led to their falling out. That’s why the new artist (Espinoza) was brought in. Around then Erol submitted a monster illustration to the Dragon magazine (Remorhaz? I forget) which led to the job offer which led to him moving to Wisconsin… Anyway Hargrave hated me by then because of my association with Erol, and it took me meeting Leonard in 1982 to reconcile us. I don’t know how Hargrave and Heid met but it was very probably at Hargrave’s short lived game store in Concord, CA. I know Leonard even worked there for a while, 1978 or 1979 or so.
Collection photos
Condition of the books vary widely. Some have stains.
The Compleat Arduin, Book Two: Resources is in VG condition. Clean pages.
Arduin Adventure book is worn, with some stray spots and pencil writing inside cover (a game schedule). Page interiors are in good shape.
Inscription: “To my friend Leonard Heid, may you ever continue to grow and learn, in FRP and in life. [signed] David A. Hargrave” and “This is the 2nd book of this series sold!”
Brian: “Two spiral bound items that appear to be finished, unpublished Arduin books – a geography and a monster manual, maybe? These were printed up by Paul Mosher 25 years or so ago…”
Light wear.
The Misty Isles, a rare Dungeons & Dragons supplement from Wee Warriors. The only non-Arduin item in the lot. Has a pronounced stain to right corner that extends to all pages. Would otherwise be in good shape, with center maps.
The Arduin Grimoire (Volume 1). Moderate wear, no significant issues.
Welcome to Skull Tower (Volume 2). Light wear, no significant issues.
The Runes of Doom (Volume 3). Light wear, no significant issues.
The Runes of Doom (Volume 3). Heavy wear, name inside cover, staple rust.
The Lost Grimoire (Volume 4). Moderate cover wear, nice pages. “LAH” on edgepaper (Leonard Heid)
Dark Dreams (Volume 5). Cover has wear, spots. Missing back cover. “LAH” on edgepaper (Leonard Heid)
Inscription by Dave Hargrave (this one is my favorite):
“Best friends, Best world, Best play ==> Dave Hargrave and Len Heid”
House of the Rising Sun (Volume 6). Staining along spine. Otherwise in good shape.
Shadowlands (Volume 7). Exterior wear, some stain spots. “LAH” on edgepaper (Leonard Heid)
Inscription: “To my good friend and demented member of the fellowship of ‘I ain’t got none’ AKA: I.A.G.N.” [signed] Dave Hargrave 1987. Also: “OK Len, I’m alive against all odds, too, so now, which way is the exit? DAH”
The Delian Book of the Dead. Revised 2nd edition (Dragon Tree Press, 1989). Moderate exterior wear. Name inside cover. Faint water stain affects bottom right corner.
The Delian Book of the Dead. 1st edition (Dragon Tree Press, Jan 1986). Crisp, light wear.
Arduin reprint series (x6). Crisp, glossy, minimal wear.
Two hand-drawn maps by Dave Hargrave, given to Leonard Heid.
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