Wes Nicholson

Wes Nicholson
Professional Information
Occupations	Author Game designer
Basic Information
Other names	Wez Nicholson
Nicknames	Uncle Wez
Biographic Information
Home	Canberra, Australia
Birthplace	Australia
Died	April 2023

Wes Nicholson was an Australian author and games designer who did work for TSR, Inc. He was also a member of the Role Playing Game Association (RPGA) and worked for them as a regional director, being head of their South Pacific Branch, organizing events both in Australia and internationally, and later on their coordinated Living Seattle campaign. Other non-Realms work of his for TSR included Cutthroats of Lankhmar, Den of Thieves, Rogues in Lankhmar, and The Test.

History

In 1990, Nicholson showed up to that year's GENCON and was among the RPGA regional directors present to get their photo taken and published in the pages of Polyhedron #56.

In January 1994, Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood visited Australia to attend CANCON 14, a convention that Wes Nicholson had organized, as well as two other conventions. Nicholson drove Ed and his spouse, as well as two other gamers, from the University of Canberra, the site of CANCON 14, down to Melbourne for another convention. Later, he drove Ed all the way from Melbourne to Brisbane for a third convention. Previously advertised in issues 175–177 of Dragon magazine, CANCON 14 featured a number of RPGA Network events.

In July of that same year, Ed Greenwood returned to Australia to promote his new novel, Crown of Fire. This visit was organized by Wes Nicholson's South Pacific Branch and Roc Books.

In 2018, Nicholson was diagnosed with cancer. Five years later, on April 25 of 2023, Nicholson's wife Mitzi Young reported on Facebook that he was dying from the condition at Clare Holland House, a dedicated palliative care hospice in Barton, Canberra.

Works

Note that only works on the Wiki are listed here.

Accessories & Sourcebooks

• Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992)
• Space Lairs (May 1993)

Magazines

• Polyhedron #51, "The Living City: The Downunda Patisserie" (January 1990)
• Polyhedron #58, "Gaming Down Under: The Network Opens an Australian Branch" (March 1991)
• Polyhedron #148, "Network News: The Only Constant..." (October 2001)

Novels

• Realms of the Arcane: "Prologue", "Interlude I", "Interlude II", and "Epilogue" (November 1997)

Organized Play

• Day of the Raven, co-written with James P. Buchanan (August 1991)
• The Wizard's Guard (February 1993)

Other Credits

Playtesting

• Expanded Psionics Handbook, credited as a playtest lead (April 1, 2004)
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (June 2001)

Special Thanks

• The City of Ravens Bluff (October 26, 1998)

Appendix

Background

• In the grand finale adventures of the Living City campaign, Ravens Bluff - Gateway to the Vast and Ravens Bluff Approaches Its Golden Age, Wes Nicholson is among the many RPGA members included in Daniel S. Donnelly's dedication.