What is the origin of the phrase ‘orc and pie’?
up vote
66
down vote
favorite
I'd like to know where this unique phrase came from. “Orc and pie” has become shorthand for a style of simple dungeon design, but where did it originate?
terminology dungeon-design
add a comment |
up vote
66
down vote
favorite
I'd like to know where this unique phrase came from. “Orc and pie” has become shorthand for a style of simple dungeon design, but where did it originate?
terminology dungeon-design
69
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
8
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56
add a comment |
up vote
66
down vote
favorite
up vote
66
down vote
favorite
I'd like to know where this unique phrase came from. “Orc and pie” has become shorthand for a style of simple dungeon design, but where did it originate?
terminology dungeon-design
I'd like to know where this unique phrase came from. “Orc and pie” has become shorthand for a style of simple dungeon design, but where did it originate?
terminology dungeon-design
terminology dungeon-design
edited Nov 29 at 15:27
SevenSidedDie♦
203k27648927
203k27648927
asked Nov 29 at 12:12
Marlond
1,107525
1,107525
69
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
8
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56
add a comment |
69
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
8
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56
69
69
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
8
8
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
up vote
104
down vote
accepted
Presenting Monte Cook’s "The Orc and the Pie", ©2001
The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody
"The Orc and the Pie"
Adventure Background: An orc has a pie.
Adventure Synopsis: The PCs kill the orc and take his pie.
Adventure Hook: The PCs are hungry for pie.
Room 1: The Orc's Pie Room
You see an orc with a pie.
The room is 10 feet by 10 feet.
Creature: An orc.
Treasure: A pie.
Concluding the Adventure: Pie tastes good.
Further Adventures: Somewhere, there is a bakery making these good
pies. Perhaps it's guarded by more orcs.
WHAT DO YOU DO???
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
49
down vote
It was an example adventure by Monte Cook
It seems to have been made as an example adventure that is as short as possible while still being an actual adventure hook, but it is no longer available on their website. (Here's an entry for it on rpggeek.com, which puts its publication at 2002, and shows an image for it that dates it to 2001.)
The synopsis is basically:
There's an orc, he has a pie, the adventurers are hungry.
It has everything an adventure needs: An adversary, a MacGuffin the players need, and a reason to get it.
Somehow this caught on and more people started using "Orc & Pie" as a phrase to mean "extremely simplistic adventure." It essentially became a meme, which helped spread its name.
In fact, if Wil Wheaton is to be believed, it can also be used as an easy starting point for learning a new game system.
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
As others have already answered, “orc and pie” came from American game designer Monte Cook’s “The Orc and the Pie”—“The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody”.
It was posted on Monte Cook’s website on 2001-07-27. The original website is no longer accessible, but it is archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
New contributor
add a comment |
up vote
-7
down vote
Apart from its specific history outlined in other answers, "orc and pie" was (obviously?) coined as a phonetic reference to "pork and pie" as a food of basic consistency.
New contributor
Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
104
down vote
accepted
Presenting Monte Cook’s "The Orc and the Pie", ©2001
The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody
"The Orc and the Pie"
Adventure Background: An orc has a pie.
Adventure Synopsis: The PCs kill the orc and take his pie.
Adventure Hook: The PCs are hungry for pie.
Room 1: The Orc's Pie Room
You see an orc with a pie.
The room is 10 feet by 10 feet.
Creature: An orc.
Treasure: A pie.
Concluding the Adventure: Pie tastes good.
Further Adventures: Somewhere, there is a bakery making these good
pies. Perhaps it's guarded by more orcs.
WHAT DO YOU DO???
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
104
down vote
accepted
Presenting Monte Cook’s "The Orc and the Pie", ©2001
The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody
"The Orc and the Pie"
Adventure Background: An orc has a pie.
Adventure Synopsis: The PCs kill the orc and take his pie.
Adventure Hook: The PCs are hungry for pie.
Room 1: The Orc's Pie Room
You see an orc with a pie.
The room is 10 feet by 10 feet.
Creature: An orc.
Treasure: A pie.
Concluding the Adventure: Pie tastes good.
Further Adventures: Somewhere, there is a bakery making these good
pies. Perhaps it's guarded by more orcs.
WHAT DO YOU DO???
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
104
down vote
accepted
up vote
104
down vote
accepted
Presenting Monte Cook’s "The Orc and the Pie", ©2001
The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody
"The Orc and the Pie"
Adventure Background: An orc has a pie.
Adventure Synopsis: The PCs kill the orc and take his pie.
Adventure Hook: The PCs are hungry for pie.
Room 1: The Orc's Pie Room
You see an orc with a pie.
The room is 10 feet by 10 feet.
Creature: An orc.
Treasure: A pie.
Concluding the Adventure: Pie tastes good.
Further Adventures: Somewhere, there is a bakery making these good
pies. Perhaps it's guarded by more orcs.
WHAT DO YOU DO???
Presenting Monte Cook’s "The Orc and the Pie", ©2001
The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody
"The Orc and the Pie"
Adventure Background: An orc has a pie.
Adventure Synopsis: The PCs kill the orc and take his pie.
Adventure Hook: The PCs are hungry for pie.
Room 1: The Orc's Pie Room
You see an orc with a pie.
The room is 10 feet by 10 feet.
Creature: An orc.
Treasure: A pie.
Concluding the Adventure: Pie tastes good.
Further Adventures: Somewhere, there is a bakery making these good
pies. Perhaps it's guarded by more orcs.
WHAT DO YOU DO???
edited Nov 29 at 23:24
SevenSidedDie♦
203k27648927
203k27648927
answered Nov 29 at 12:42
Tuorg
1,1761317
1,1761317
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
1
1
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
Obviously you go off somewhere else and buy a tart.
– Zibbobz
12 hours ago
1
1
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
Or sit in a bar and strike up a conversation with one. Whatever... :-)
– Bob Jarvis
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
49
down vote
It was an example adventure by Monte Cook
It seems to have been made as an example adventure that is as short as possible while still being an actual adventure hook, but it is no longer available on their website. (Here's an entry for it on rpggeek.com, which puts its publication at 2002, and shows an image for it that dates it to 2001.)
The synopsis is basically:
There's an orc, he has a pie, the adventurers are hungry.
It has everything an adventure needs: An adversary, a MacGuffin the players need, and a reason to get it.
Somehow this caught on and more people started using "Orc & Pie" as a phrase to mean "extremely simplistic adventure." It essentially became a meme, which helped spread its name.
In fact, if Wil Wheaton is to be believed, it can also be used as an easy starting point for learning a new game system.
add a comment |
up vote
49
down vote
It was an example adventure by Monte Cook
It seems to have been made as an example adventure that is as short as possible while still being an actual adventure hook, but it is no longer available on their website. (Here's an entry for it on rpggeek.com, which puts its publication at 2002, and shows an image for it that dates it to 2001.)
The synopsis is basically:
There's an orc, he has a pie, the adventurers are hungry.
It has everything an adventure needs: An adversary, a MacGuffin the players need, and a reason to get it.
Somehow this caught on and more people started using "Orc & Pie" as a phrase to mean "extremely simplistic adventure." It essentially became a meme, which helped spread its name.
In fact, if Wil Wheaton is to be believed, it can also be used as an easy starting point for learning a new game system.
add a comment |
up vote
49
down vote
up vote
49
down vote
It was an example adventure by Monte Cook
It seems to have been made as an example adventure that is as short as possible while still being an actual adventure hook, but it is no longer available on their website. (Here's an entry for it on rpggeek.com, which puts its publication at 2002, and shows an image for it that dates it to 2001.)
The synopsis is basically:
There's an orc, he has a pie, the adventurers are hungry.
It has everything an adventure needs: An adversary, a MacGuffin the players need, and a reason to get it.
Somehow this caught on and more people started using "Orc & Pie" as a phrase to mean "extremely simplistic adventure." It essentially became a meme, which helped spread its name.
In fact, if Wil Wheaton is to be believed, it can also be used as an easy starting point for learning a new game system.
It was an example adventure by Monte Cook
It seems to have been made as an example adventure that is as short as possible while still being an actual adventure hook, but it is no longer available on their website. (Here's an entry for it on rpggeek.com, which puts its publication at 2002, and shows an image for it that dates it to 2001.)
The synopsis is basically:
There's an orc, he has a pie, the adventurers are hungry.
It has everything an adventure needs: An adversary, a MacGuffin the players need, and a reason to get it.
Somehow this caught on and more people started using "Orc & Pie" as a phrase to mean "extremely simplistic adventure." It essentially became a meme, which helped spread its name.
In fact, if Wil Wheaton is to be believed, it can also be used as an easy starting point for learning a new game system.
edited Nov 29 at 14:11
answered Nov 29 at 12:27
Theik
12.6k5272
12.6k5272
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
As others have already answered, “orc and pie” came from American game designer Monte Cook’s “The Orc and the Pie”—“The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody”.
It was posted on Monte Cook’s website on 2001-07-27. The original website is no longer accessible, but it is archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
New contributor
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
As others have already answered, “orc and pie” came from American game designer Monte Cook’s “The Orc and the Pie”—“The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody”.
It was posted on Monte Cook’s website on 2001-07-27. The original website is no longer accessible, but it is archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
New contributor
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
up vote
16
down vote
As others have already answered, “orc and pie” came from American game designer Monte Cook’s “The Orc and the Pie”—“The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody”.
It was posted on Monte Cook’s website on 2001-07-27. The original website is no longer accessible, but it is archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
New contributor
As others have already answered, “orc and pie” came from American game designer Monte Cook’s “The Orc and the Pie”—“The World's Shortest (Yet Technically Complete) Adventure: A Parody”.
It was posted on Monte Cook’s website on 2001-07-27. The original website is no longer accessible, but it is archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
New contributor
edited 2 days ago
SevenSidedDie♦
203k27648927
203k27648927
New contributor
answered Nov 29 at 17:30
Anthony Fok
1633
1633
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
-7
down vote
Apart from its specific history outlined in other answers, "orc and pie" was (obviously?) coined as a phonetic reference to "pork and pie" as a food of basic consistency.
New contributor
Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
-7
down vote
Apart from its specific history outlined in other answers, "orc and pie" was (obviously?) coined as a phonetic reference to "pork and pie" as a food of basic consistency.
New contributor
Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
-7
down vote
up vote
-7
down vote
Apart from its specific history outlined in other answers, "orc and pie" was (obviously?) coined as a phonetic reference to "pork and pie" as a food of basic consistency.
New contributor
Apart from its specific history outlined in other answers, "orc and pie" was (obviously?) coined as a phonetic reference to "pork and pie" as a food of basic consistency.
New contributor
New contributor
answered yesterday
user50442
1
1
New contributor
New contributor
Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.
Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
Welcome to the Stack! You're facing downvotes because we expect answers to stand on their own. When you have enough reputation you'll be able to leave comments on other answers. Check out the tour to get yourself oriented! Happy Stacking!
– Jason_c_o
yesterday
4
4
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
The original phrase is “the orc and the pie”, which has no phonetic/syllabic resemblance to “pork and pie”, so the assertion that it was coined on that pattern, or even evolved toward it later, is going to need substantial citation support.
– SevenSidedDie♦
yesterday
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Surely it would be "pork pie" not "pork and pie"?
– Geoffrey Brent
23 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
Keep writing good answers or asking good questions and you'll get points quickly. Deleting downvoted answers will also remove their negative rep.
– Harper
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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69
Since I’ve been gaming 30 years and have never heard the phrase, perhaps you could expand your question to indicate where you heard it and why you think it’s a widespread saying.
– mxyzplk♦
Nov 29 at 12:18
8
A first for me as well, but also a wonderful bit of RPG lore. Thanks for asking this question.
– KorvinStarmast
Nov 29 at 12:56