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View Full Version : #4: Issaries: 1999-2006

RPGnet Columns
09-18-2006, 01:00 AM
http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory4.phtml

Summary:

Glorantha, Hero Wars, and HeroQuest

Go to the column (http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory4.phtml) for more information.
hyperlexic
09-21-2006, 05:54 PM
Nice article, thanks. I'm aware of most of this. I was curious about the 'share idea':


One of the more interesting stories related to Issaries has to do with its foundation. It got off the ground by going out to its fans. In August 1997 Chaosium issued a press release offering fans the right to buy shares of Issaries for $100 each, with the plan being that the company would get going when $50,000 had been raised. When the company was founded, it was promised that a new Gloranthan game would be just 18 months off.

The plan for Issaries to raise money turned out to be not quite as easy as hoped due to 50 different legal regulations in 50 different states. The target number of 500 contributors also happened to be the exact number which would have forced Issaries to start reporting its finances officially and publicly (as Wizards of the Coast had also discovered in the same time period). It would be 1999 before the legalities were figured out, but in the meantime work was progressing on the new RPG.

Were any 'shares' actually sold? Or was the whole idea put on hold until the GTA was launched?
ShannonA
09-21-2006, 07:42 PM
They either weren't sold, or were unsold afterward, I don't know which. It just wasn't doable under our fine country's laws that protect us from ourselves.
ShannonA
09-21-2006, 07:46 PM
Actually, the shares did briefly exist. After replying I realized that I had one in my file cabinet. It's share #8, dated February 20, 1998. The actual incorporation date of Issaries appears to be November 20, 1997.

I think that shares were given to some insiders, but they were never open to the public.
hyperlexic
09-22-2006, 11:21 AM
Actually, the shares did briefly exist. After replying I realized that I had one in my file cabinet. It's share #8, dated February 20, 1998. The actual incorporation date of Issaries appears to be November 20, 1997.

I think that shares were given to some insiders, but they were never open to the public.

Interesting!

The GTA is probably a better (easier) way in any case...