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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 4:49 am 
 

Saw this on Twitter, found it somewhat amusing. It is (supposedly) an excerpt from Gary Gygax' FBI file.

CJ Ciaramella on Twitter: "YOU GUYS, I FOIA'd FBI records on Dungeons & Dragons, and Gary Gygax's file makes him sound like a badass: https://t.co/eHsjXHNXIl"

  

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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:42 am 
 

Grug Greyskin wrote in Gygax FBI File:Saw this on Twitter, found it somewhat amusing. It is (supposedly) an excerpt from Gary Gygax' FBI file.

CJ Ciaramella on Twitter: "YOU GUYS, I FOIA'd FBI records on Dungeons & Dragons, and Gary Gygax's file makes him sound like a badass: https://t.co/eHsjXHNXIl"


My favorite line, "He is known to carry a weapon and was proud of his record of personally answering any letter coming from a prison."   8O ......  :lol:



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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:26 am 
 

Weapons aside, the really interesting part of this document for me is the dollar figures.

If this is real  (and I'm not really convinced it is) and if I'm reading it correctly,  then it finally reveals that age old mystery of what Gygax received in the secret settlement with TSR when he was forced out.  $3 million, according to this document.

And then $50K per year for ten years after TSR sued him over the rights to Dangerous Journeys, it looks to me anyway.

But again, is this real?  I'm doubtful.


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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:58 am 
 

Agent Cooper wrote in Gygax FBI File:
But again, is this real?  I'm doubtful.


The original poster did publish this info outside of Twitter, so I guess I would believe that this does come from a legitimate FOIA request. That of course does not mean the information contained in the govt file is 100% accurate.

D&D Creator Gary Gygax's FBI Records Make Him Sound Like a Badass - Hit & Run : Reason.com

In any case, best viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism, as with anything else on the internet.

  

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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:49 pm 
 

The author appears to have done a lot of regular FOIA requests for various reasons. Working for Reason, Buzzfeed, and the Washington Free Beacon at the least. Certainly not some basement warrior on his mom's internet connex.

An interesting thing I noted (and may not indeed be factual, so pure theorising here), wherever it is redacted for places like "____ thinks this or that," one can perfectly insert the name "Williams" in the spot. So, that would be the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and the last that all fit.

Puts a different spin on things.

EDIT: Check out the link for the full 1995 account (2nd link in the story). I'm darned sure now that the redacted areas are 'sweet' Lorraine, as per the last sentences on page 1. She certainly did a lot of squawking to the Feds, it appears.


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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 8:48 pm 
 

That was some awesome reading.
:thumright:

  

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Post Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:10 pm 
 

Attachment:
1.jpg


When I read this part I thought to myself, "what the heck!?" .... then I noticed a hole in my t-shirt's sleeve and the 2nd piece of cheese-crust pizza I was enjoying.  That gave me a good chuckle :).  Touche!

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Post Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:54 am 
 

SimperingToad wrote in Gygax FBI File:The author appears to have done a lot of regular FOIA requests for various reasons. Working for Reason, Buzzfeed, and the Washington Free Beacon at the least. Certainly not some basement warrior on his mom's internet connex.

An interesting thing I noted (and may not indeed be factual, so pure theorising here), wherever it is redacted for places like "____ thinks this or that," one can perfectly insert the name "Williams" in the spot. So, that would be the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and the last that all fit.

Puts a different spin on things.

EDIT: Check out the link for the full 1995 account (2nd link in the story). I'm darned sure now that the redacted areas are 'sweet' Lorraine, as per the last sentences on page 1. She certainly did a lot of squawking to the Feds, it appears.


There are a couple of locations where the report, instead of saying "the informant...etc." says, "she states...etc." which would lead me to believe that it was, in fact, Lorraine Williams doing the informing.

noted that some war gamers continue to hold the anger from this
purchase. She recalled a message on the Internet approximately
three weeks ago which recalled TSR's acquisition of SPI in a
derogatory connotation.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 11:35 am 
 

Agent Cooper wrote in Gygax FBI File:Weapons aside, the really interesting part of this document for me is the dollar figures.

If this is real  (and I'm not really convinced it is) and if I'm reading it correctly,  then it finally reveals that age old mystery of what Gygax received in the secret settlement with TSR when he was forced out.  $3 million, according to this document.

And then $50K per year for ten years after TSR sued him over the rights to Dangerous Journeys, it looks to me anyway.

But again, is this real?  I'm doubtful.


I did some more digging and it looks legit to me. I can upload the files I found if anyone is interested.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 12:25 pm 
 

SimperingToad wrote in Gygax FBI File:  ....An interesting thing I noted (and may not indeed be factual, so pure theorising here), wherever it is redacted for places like "____ thinks this or that," one can perfectly insert the name "Williams" in the spot.  



Wow.  I didn't notice that till you pointed it out.  I think you're likely spot on with this.


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Post Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 7:10 pm 
 

Someone over at Dragonsfoot noted that in this blog, Save Versus All Wands: FBI Unabomber Investigation Report on Gary Gygax: "[Redacted] considers GYGAX to be eccentric and frightening. He is known to carry a weapon..." the investigation may have had something to do with the Unabomber case. The whole thing hinging in the initials "FC."

Wow. I can just imagine what was going through Lorraine's mind...


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Post Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:22 pm 
 

Gary's driver and bodyguard c 1984-85 was a guy named Jim, who was certainly armed at all times.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:34 am 
 

I'd want to be armed at all times too, if I had to work with that woman.


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