THE MORE SINISTER urban legends concerning the Steam Tunnel Incident run as follows: A young genius, seduced and deluded by a mind-controlling fantasy game, abandoned his Satanic gaming cult because he feared for his life. He then delved into the netherworld, a labyrinthine “dungeon” of steam tunnels running for miles beneath a sprawling university. There, under the influence of drugs, occult talismans, evil magic or mere insanity, he mistook fantasy for reality and tried to slay his invoked dragons, demons and devils in real life. Finally, he became hopelessly lost in the tunnels. Facing a slow and horrible demise in the endless dark, he committed suicide. Or, he was murdered by a conspiracy of Lucifer-worshipping gamer-cultists who silenced him to keep their secret safe. The most disturbing rumors of all insisted rather that he survived, but he lost his mind and could never sleep again, until he committed suicide a year and a day later. Intriguing and lurid stories, with all of the trappings of classic urban legendry. But what really happened? Who was the victim? Was it a living nightmare or a hoax? What caused the national sensation and media hysteria in 1979? Why were fantasy-role playing games (FRPGs) the subject of a religious witch hunt, demonized well into the 1980s, and derided by some as a dangerous cultic indulgence even today? The truth is even more fascinating than the legends themselves. James Dallas Egbert III did exist, and he did play FRPGs. Police and private investigators did explore the steam tunnels for many miles and hours, finding the clues he left behind. And he did tragically end his own life in 1980. But the real secrets involving his torment, disappearance, rescue and demise are far more remarkable than the legends surrounding the Steam Tunnel Incident to this day. HAWK & MOOR: The Steam Tunnel Incident is an exploration of this persistent mystery which is still poorly understood; a journey into fantasy, intrigue, secrecy, urban exploration and the dark reality of the steam tunnels themselves. Author and researcher Kent David Kelly is also the author of Necronomicon: The Cthulhu Revelations, From the Fire, Arachne, and the Castle Oldskull series of gaming supplements. This is a special edition in the larger series of HAWK & MOOR, exploring the early history of role-playing games. A unique offering, THE STEAM TUNNEL INCIDENT comprises 50,100 words, 12 chapters and over 270 pages. An unforgettable updated and revised 2015 release from Wonderland Imprints.
