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Post Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:38 am 
 

Regarding the Wyrm Works stuff I am selling, or anything else I sell.  I am a very serious collector and ocasionally a very serious seller (Seasonal).  I buy collections, mostly from craig's list sources, but I also am in very tight with several auction houses who do estates and two small companies that clean out bank owned property prior to auction (Two HUGE tips for you bigger dealers out there).

I'll drop 20,000 or more if its the right stuff.  This summer I bought out the collection and store remenance of one gentleman from his surviving brother.  (oddly enough it was crazy Callahan that turned me on to this source, back when i didn't know he was a liar and nuts) Also, the other was a much smaller, but certainly more valuable collection from an auction house that I snapped up prior to it being sold out piecemeal.

Thats what I do.  In the frist one this summer, I picked up a large number of shrink wrap items and many of them were from as many manufacturers as I have ever heard of.  Among this awesome hoarde, was a good deal of Hess games, Flying Buffalo, Role Aids and Wyrm works stuff.  Now I have to confess that I did not and still don't know a lot about it (Wyrm Works).  There isn't a lot available.  But this guy had four boxes (about the size of a medium flat rate USPS box) filled with Wyrm Works stuff.  He had 24 copies of 10 of the titles and only one copy each of two of the titles.  Naturally I researched them.  They are VERY similar to hess games stuff.  For my money they are a little better quality and certainly more material per package (except the Wyrm Works stuff is not printed on parchment (except the last page which can be parchment or really light tan (yellow maybe) card stock.  The best three I saw that I had more than one copy of were Dwarven Crag, and both of the Dragonest issues.  They are perhapse the best dungeons I have ever seen.  I'll post pictures here once I figure out how to do that.  

Also about half the copies had a smooth 8 1/2 x 11 cardboard stiffener, but not all of them, even from the same titles.  It seems like either they stared with or without them.  Not sure which.  The plastic bags were a little larger than the ones you typically see today.  The problem is that they are not the best quality.  They seemed to age prematurely.

Anyway, wyrm works aparently used less expensive zip lock bags as I just said, because when I opened the boxes, they has that light tea brown color of plastic that was decomposing.  Also there was that slight cheesy smell of decomposing plastic.  You know like when an old raincoat gets put away wet.  Anyway, I was super bummed when that happened because I though all the Wyrm Works stuff was going to be ruined, and sadly some of it was.

I repackaged the stuff that ddn't smell like old cheese into new zip lock bags (that is why I DID NOT, list them as new).  But they are authentic.  Anyone who has priced out the materials involved and thought about how much time it would take to copy all those pages, just to sell them for $9.95 on ebay before fees, would instantly realize the stupidity and insanity of trying to make them.  The card stock alone would cost you $30.00 for a package, and IF and I mean IF you can duplicate the color.  Then there is the paper.  That's not exactly being given away either.  Then the toner for a LAZER printer.  There is no bubble jet or ink jet in the world that can do the job.  So now I have to own and feed a lazer printer.  Then I have to somehow get cardboard inserts that just happen to be factory quality perfectly cut, and lets not forget I have to print, sort, and bag everything.

Again, just so I can sell maybe ten copies of each total.  All the while I'm selling to the most critical and experience collectors in the world, who I guess would suddenly loose all ability to critique the validity of the item they are litterally the world's expert on, or perhasp they are all also consipiring to help me sell these ten dollar items for a cut, and thats why they gave me awesome marks.  Hmm. . . yeah Robert, you might be on to something.  Hmm. . .?  You're a regular Dick Tracy.  Sherlock Holmes could do no better, I'm sure.

Sure . . . sure I did.  I don't honestly believe or expect anyone would fall for that line of crap.  but its my hope that Robert Callahan signs on with yet another one of his fake accounts and reads this so he can know that everyone knows what a lying piece of crap he really is.  A stupid lying piece of crap at that.

Wyrm Works from what I can discover is a VERY much Hess Games like company, that is no longer in operation.  It was and possibly still is headquartered in Bloomington Indiana, with a PO Box in Zionsville Indiana.  I'm not 100% sure of who the owner was / is.  But I do have a name that I'm looking into.

I will say this.  If you like Hess Games, stuff then you will like Wyrm Works.  Its the same concept, taken to a slightly higher level.  It is mostly 3 or 4 years Newer than Hess games stuff (1994-ish) and I have seen stuff as late as 1998.

I don't believe there is a lot out there, so for that reason, I'm hanging on to about half of what I have for a long time.  If anyone has any information on Wyrm Works and how I might get in touch with (James?) please let me know.

Dave


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Last edited by wargames-east on Sat Oct 20, 2012 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:11 am 
 

If you don't mind Dave, please help us clarify what you can about this character's (Robert Callahan, James Corvin, whoever) aliases:

benjoshua wrote:Thanks!  Next question.  Are these all the names/aliases and addresses of this individual(s)?

Jon Bassett, 4866 Ebb Hall Rd., Dublin, VA 24084

James Corvin, P.O. Box 1255, 2958 Old Stage Road, Wytheville, VA 24382

Kahl, C J, Pulaski, VA 24301-2725

James Herbert Jr. Corvin, 2958 Old Stage Rd., Wytheville, VA 24382

Lisa Callahan, 1355 W Ridge Rd Lot 8, Wytheville, VA 24382

Robert Callahan, Pulaski, VA 24301

Richard & Carrie Callahan, Dublin, VA

Shellie Williams, 1696 Cedar Springs Rd., Rural Retreat, VA 24368-2698

If anyone can fill in any blanks, feel free to contribute.  :)


This quote came from this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1898&start=960

In particular, I am curious about this Shellie character as I had dealings with her.  I suspect Robert Callahan, James Corvin, whoever was dating or befriending her to use her eBay account.  Yay, nay or something else?   :?:


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Post Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:24 am 
 

I'll add the name Brenda Callahan to the list.  My dealings with her went ok, but am wondering if I just got lucky.


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Post Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 2:19 pm 
 

Brenda is his Mom His wife is Lisa who also goes by Brenda when he and his wife are stealing (using and ruining) his Mom's ID.  His mother's name is Brenda Callahan he also destroyed her credit and his father's (Tony's) credit according to Tony Callahan (Robert's Father).
Also Robert and Brenda both live in a trailer park in Wytheville PA.
[email protected]  This is one of his email addresses

joeknows93 (ebay ID and which is active but under investigation by ebay, gaming-nut ebay ID which has been unused since july of 2012)

brenscollectables on both ebay and Amazon are / were his also.  Through his wife.

there is also another Lisa who is frequently in their home based upon the background conversations.  That makes 2 Lisa's.  One is the wife of Robert.

This is the PO Box that he has opened in his wife's name:
Lisa Callahan
PO BOX 1547
WYTHEVILE, VA 24382

Trailer Park Address (valid as of July)
Rob and Brenda Callahan
1355 West Ridge Road Lot 8
Wytheville, VA 24382

His dad's number and address:
Tony & Brenda S Callahan
(276) 686-5533
163 Indian Cir
Rural Retreat, VA 24368-3233


He also DM's for a small group in that town and he has definately used thier ebay and email accounts on occasion.  I have more information and I'll post it once I have time to surf through all the zillions of insane emails he sent me.

I can't say if he is dating Shelly or what he's doing there.  The name James Corvin rings a bell, but I'm not sure why.  If I'm not mistaken, that is the name of Robert's only remaining friend, and if that is correct, Robert describes Jim as prettymuch an idiot, allbeit a nice guy.  

I can say that he has NO MORALS at all.  He will say anything to get a person to do what he wants.  He convinced several people (briefly myself included) that his daughter had died while in Florida.  The truth is the state took his daughter away.  Not sure why.  He has two, last I knew he still had custody of one.


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Post Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 2:35 pm 
 

lucyjoyce wrote:I'll add the name Brenda Callahan to the list.  My dealings with her went ok, but am wondering if I just got lucky.


I bought from this guy for over a year with only a few minor hickups.  Then he convinced me to work with him to help him sell his stuff on ebay.  That's when he decided NOT to drop ship as we had agreed, and made that decision when I had already mailed 750 worth of stuff to him.  I managed to get the packages turned around and sent back to me enroute (thank god for that).

He did cost me about $1200 in returns and Paypal refunds, but I made it throught all that without any negative feedback thank God.  He was NOT too happy about me reversing the packages.  There was a LOT of nice stuff in there.


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Post Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:03 pm 
 

I've been asked a few times about the authenticity of your items and from what I've seen everything looks legit.  I haven't bought any of the items so I don't have first hand experience to compare it with copies in my collection but everything looks right.

The Wyrm Works items are actually still in print by Mystic Station Design:

Wyrm Works : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

I don't think the "hard to find" ones are listed: like Atlas of Uwean and some that I think were put together for GenCon.

The Hess Games items look like later prints:

1st prints were by Creative Cartography Ideas, then packaged in large paper envelopes by Hess Games then simply letter sized sheets.

Tome of Treasures :: View Forum - Creative Cartography Ideas

Tome of Treasures :: View Forum - Hess Games

Steven Hess is still around too but is a bit tougher to find.

EDIT:  I've placed a few bids so if I end up winning, I'll send a comparison with the items I already have.
EDIT 2:  Upon arrival and comparison, the Sage Lore and Hess Games and Wyrm Works items appear to be reproductions.


Last edited by Mars on Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:41 am 
 

Can you explain how you accomplished this feat?

"I managed to get the packages turned around and sent back to me enroute (thank god for that)."


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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:56 pm 
 

I just sold 2 Shrinkwrapped modules a month ago to joeknows93.  He never paid me, although I noticed he was selling a bunch of similar stuff at the same time.  He ermailed me a week ago saying that he was in a car accident and his laptop was ruined etc..... :cry:

I canceled the sale and reported him to Ebay.  Hopefully he won't be around in his current alias for too much longer!!

  

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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:43 pm 
 

Wow, okay first . . . huge bonus points for the Wyrm works information.  Thanks everyone, especially considering there are some on the site I don't have.

Robert Callahan has more excuses (lies) than any three prisons you could empty.  His laptop I'm sure is fine.  He did some disappearing acts on me as well.  In one story he actually told me his daughter died.  Turns out the state took her.  Not sure why.

Car accident, last I knew he didn't own a car.  I caught him selling the same item on two different ebay accounts, and that was the final straw for me.  He will no doubt appear again at some point.  He has resurfaced in ebay many times already.  I am not this kind of person, but I hope he gets his.  He is such a snake.  I have never actually known of such a low down, vile and deceitful scumbag in my whole life.  

I'm not sure if the Joeknows93 ID is still functional or not, but ebay is looking into it.  That I know because I reported him for making threats and wild statements about me, Intelligator, Guido the gypsie, jastner, that guy todd who has the huge amazon and ebay presence and the cool website, and many others.  He was pretty much attacking everyone who sells AD&D stuff.  He considers himself a player and alsways insists that the condition of his life is the fault of others.  He alwasy has a sob story to motivate people to pay for his auctions for him, and of course he'll send you the money or do something in trade.  He is good for it for a while, then when he figures he can maximize his profit . . . he screws you over.

REVERSING POSTAGE:  Slow postage with delivery consfirmation is possible to reverse.  You have to go to your post office, fill out a form and pay a fee.  Its a hefty fee, so you woudln't do it for a module unless is was worth like 70 bucks or more.  The fee applies to EACH package.  Then, that office will look up and call the office that you are expecting the packages to arrive at.  They put a hold on the package, and know to return to sender.  It is not 100% fool proof, as they state.  I was concerned because Liar Callahan said he was "in good" with the guy in his post office.  However, he was either lying about that or just plain wrong, because the post office guy there was Uber cool to me and totally hooked me up.   All four packages were sent back.

It was easy to do (though nerve racking to wait).  You can do this with any package of course, but some shipping is so fast that the system can't catch the package before its delivered.  The key is get the paperwork done, pay the fee, and have your psot office call the receiving post office.  Also getting the number yourslef and following up goes a long way.

Dave


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Post Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 1:24 pm 
 

This auction from "montcalm1758" was turned up by Auction Hunter:

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

As the question posed (not by me) at the bottom notes, the scan provided is of a First print (not a Second), and was lifted from the Acaeum.  The seller's response is a bit shifty -- he doesn't actually say that the scan is his, just that "this is the cover of the copy I own".

Since all versions of the Second print we've seen so far have "2nd Edition" on the front cover, and since he's definitely using our scan and being evasive about it, I would definitely avoid this auction.  The seller says he's going to post more scans soon; should he fail to do that, I will block his future auctions.

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 3:37 pm 
 

FoulFoot wrote in Shady Dealers:This auction from "montcalm1758" was turned up by Auction Hunter:

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

As the question posed (not by me) at the bottom notes, the scan provided is of a First print (not a Second), and was lifted from the Acaeum.  The seller's response is a bit shifty -- he doesn't actually say that the scan is his, just that "this is the cover of the copy I own".

Since all versions of the Second print we've seen so far have "2nd Edition" on the front cover, and since he's definitely using our scan and being evasive about it, I would definitely avoid this auction.  The seller says he's going to post more scans soon; should he fail to do that, I will block his future auctions.

Foul


That's so clearly the exact picture from our website. Seller is clearly a liar, and as such, gets blocked by me regardless of any extra pictures he puts up.

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Post Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:18 pm 
 

FoulFoot wrote in Shady Dealers:This auction from "montcalm1758" was turned up by Auction Hunter:

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

As the question posed (not by me) at the bottom notes, the scan provided is of a First print (not a Second), and was lifted from the Acaeum.  The seller's response is a bit shifty -- he doesn't actually say that the scan is his, just that "this is the cover of the copy I own".

Since all versions of the Second print we've seen so far have "2nd Edition" on the front cover, and since he's definitely using our scan and being evasive about it, I would definitely avoid this auction.  The seller says he's going to post more scans soon; should he fail to do that, I will block his future auctions.

Foul

The staples on the additional photos were interesting. (Just under an hour to go and the bidding got serious :))


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7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

  

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Post Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:24 pm 
 

Ooh, good catch.

1) First scan is from this site, as we already established.

2) Staples do not seem to include the cover.  Is the cover loose?

3) Is the cover genuine?

4) Staples on the inside seem to indicate that the center sheet is at least loose.

I'll wait to reserve further judgement, but at the very least, there's some condition questions here.  And a frankenstein cover that may or may not be genuine.

Foul

  

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Post Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:36 pm 
 

Personally, I'd've been a bit happier if that didn't have an Evansville address on the title page (c/w Tome of Treasures :: View topic - Chainmail (1971) ) and the cover didn't appear to have a horizontal texture in the paper. A bit late to dig out copies for comparison but I suspect the winner will be in a position to make an informed assessment from their own material.


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:00 pm 
 

It could be a leftover 1st cover bundled with a 2nd Edition (1st print) interior.  Certainly a track record of such later on down the road from TSR.

I'm more concerned about the stapling situation.  Like quite possibly the cover is a fake, and a restapling job attempted.

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:22 am 
 

I asked the question(s) and made the comments which the seller posted in the listing.

faro wrote in Shady Dealers:Personally, I'd've been a bit happier if that didn't have an Evansville address on the title page (c/w Tome of Treasures :: View topic - Chainmail (1971) ) and the cover didn't appear to have a horizontal texture in the paper. A bit late to dig out copies for comparison but I suspect the winner will be in a position to make an informed assessment from their own material.


When it arrives I shall inform the members what I note about the cover, staples and inside center sheet.
I used a credit card for this purchase... just in case.


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Post Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:56 pm 
 

FoulFoot wrote in Shady Dealers:This auction from "montcalm1758" was turned up by Auction Hunter:

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

As the question posed (not by me) at the bottom notes, the scan provided is of a First print (not a Second), and was lifted from the Acaeum.  The seller's response is a bit shifty -- he doesn't actually say that the scan is his, just that "this is the cover of the copy I own".

Since all versions of the Second print we've seen so far have "2nd Edition" on the front cover, and since he's definitely using our scan and being evasive about it, I would definitely avoid this auction.  The seller says he's going to post more scans soon; should he fail to do that, I will block his future auctions.

Foul


FoulFoot wrote in Shady Dealers:Ooh, good catch.

1) First scan is from this site, as we already established.

2) Staples do not seem to include the cover.  Is the cover loose?

3) Is the cover genuine?

4) Staples on the inside seem to indicate that the center sheet is at least loose.

I'll wait to reserve further judgment, but at the very least, there's some condition questions here.  And a Frankenstein cover that may or may not be genuine.

Foul


Staples:
There are two sets of two staples (four staples in all).
The two sets of staples look much the same to me... not being a staple expert I cannot say.
Placement: The two outer staples are attached to the cover (from near the spine through the back, which is why they could not be seen in the pictures) and run through the inside pages to the center page and those two outer staples are set about a half inch above and a half inch below the two inner staples.
The two inner staples run from the first inside page to the center page.

Inside pages:
The inside pages are definitely from a second edition booklet (I have another second edition booklet to compare this one with).
The center page is most certainly not loose and is in fact steadied up quite well by four staples...
I believe the inside pages are originals (not fakes) from a second edition booklet.

Cover: This is probably not an original first edition cover.
I have a complete first edition booklet (recently acquired) to compare this cover with.
The cover of this booklet looks different in at least three areas from my copy of the first edition booklet.
1) This one has a smoother texture, though still pitted (horizontally only, not mixed pitting as on my first Edition booklets outside cover).
2) The color of the cover is also darker and has the same darker color on the inside of the cover and the inside also has the same horizontal pitting.
My first edition booklet has a lighter tan color with a rough (mixed) texture outside, but smooth texture and solid white inside.
3) The 1st Edition booklet has smooth solid white inside covers; the possible fake has the same texture and same color on both the outside and inside.


This outside cover is in VF to NM condition and to be honest it looks almost new (nicer than my first edition booklet) with no stains, no sticker residue, and only a small bit of evidence of dirt.
Not what one would expect from a 35 year old booklets cover, but that alone does not tell me this one is fake, as I have a first print Greyhawk that looks like it came off the press yesterday and I KNOW it is original and I completely trust the person I obtained it from (via trade some years ago).

My thoughts:
I think the cover of this booklet was created by using a scan of a first edition cover, which was then copied onto modern heavy stock paper, which was then stapled to a true copy of the inside pages from a second edition booklet.
.... Frankenstein and/or faked.... both? Neither?

I am not sure, but not pleased and have asked the seller for a full refund.

UPDATE: Seller accepts returns and has already agreed to issue a full refund... (see my next post below).


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Post Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:34 am 
 

Before you do that:  obtain the use of a microscope or a high-power magnifying lens.  Look at the printing on the cover.  Offset printing (genuine, or at least professionally faked (unlikely) ), will have a smooth, uniform application of ink.  Toner (copy machine / laser printer) will look like dust.  Inkjet will be small round dots, bigger than dust but not much.

If in doubt about what you're looking at, compare with known samples of laser jet / inkjet / offset.  For offset, look at a newspaper.

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