N. Robin Crossby was born of one Welsh and one (probably, mostly) English parent, on a Wednesday in the Spring of 1954, at the University College Hospital in London, England. Since January 1 2001, we are able to refer to this as the "Old Millennium".

As a child, his hobbies included the study of dinosaurs (which were already extinct by then), the playing of guitars, drawing fictional maps, slot-racing, and the occasional visit to White Hart Lane. Except for the dinosaurs, the slot-racing and the visits to White Hart Lane, he still does all these things...

He attended William Ellis Grammar School in London, but not as often as his masters might have preferred. He once achieved a score of 6% on a Latin exam.

He began role-playing with his brother and sister in the early sixties using a home-made map and history of the lost continent of Atlantis (no you can't buy the map — it's just as lost as the continent) — but lost interest later in the sixties (we all lost interest in a lot of things about then — at least we think we did, probably, we don't really remember it very clearly...)

His parents took him on holidays to France, Spain, The Netherlands*, Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia, but he was much too young and snotty to appreciate it at the time. In retrospect, he feels it would have been better to put him in a kennel... then, at least, his parents could have enjoyed themselves. He hopes to holiday in Europe at some time in the future, and fully expects to put his own children in kennels so that he can properly enjoy himself. He notes that two of the European countries he has visited no longer exist, but disavows any responsibility in connection therewith.

Actually, the "holiday" in the Netherlands may have been as a result of a wrong turn at Aachen. In any event, it only lasted about half an hour... Not that Robin has anything against the Netherlands, in fact he passed through that wonderful country again in 1970, this time spending at least an hour... umm... he also hopes to visit again sometime soon and will probably... (make that certainly) spend more time there... ok? God save King William?

In 1968, his parents moved to Vancouver, British Columbia (that's in Canada, which means "group of mud huts") and, after much argument, agreed to let him come too (rather defeating the object of the emigration actually). After being educated in this and that, here and there, Robin emerged, much to everyone's surprise, with an Associate Degree in Philosophy. His first business venture (a syllogism repair service) sadly failed, so he turned to the much more lucrative fields of music and poetry — alas, the bottom fell out of the wandering skald market.

In 1977, Robin and some of his friends took a trip across Canada to celebrate the confederation's eleventieth birthday. Shortly thereafter, the province of Quebec held a separation referendum.

Finally, completing a lifelong quest to avoid the accumulation of filthy lucre, he designed Hârn, showed it to Columbia Games, and his career was launched (funny expression that ... ever notice how launching a ship sends it plunging downward into a large body of cold water?) There was no looking back.

Between February 2000 and October 1831 (probably during the sixties) Robin spent several days in Zypledh, the twenty-ninth sub-ethereal continuum. Several persons have affirmed that he is yet to fully return. He claims that the experience has helped him considerably in conceptualising Hârn, and even more in dealing with the vagaries of game publishing.

There was no stopping him now (perhaps someone should have tried). An expanding line of products brought countless dozens of adoring fans beating a path to his door, (and left him trying to figure out how to convince each one to give him a thousand dollars each — that would have made him a multi-thousandaire).

At some time, or it might have been slightly before the beginning of time — it was a Wednesday anyway — he got married and had a vast multitude of noisy, demanding children (about three he thinks).

He has few regrets, although they are some very large ones. Perhaps chief among them is the fact that cheese and onion crisps do not appear to be available in Canada.

He now spends most of his time trying to make mortgage payments on his house in beautiful, sub-rural Maple Ridge, British Columbia. He didn't really want to write this bio; no one reads them anyway, but what the hell?

Some of Robin's Peculiarities

Robin has long hair, a legacy from the sixties. He says it's part of his cultural identity...

Robin plays guitar and used to be able to sing before his voice got old.

Robin used to sing in a choir at Kentish Town Parish Church, Camden, London, UK.

Robin used to collect movie posters (back when all you had to do is walk up to the cinema and ask for them). The first poster he collected was from "1,000,000 Years BC" (in first run).

Robin writes songs. He actually got several recording sessions in his twenties, but the record company didn't know what to do with him...

Robin is a vegetarian, but he believes that "fat" is a synonym for "flavour".

Robin writes poetry. In his teens his poetry earned him rejection ships from a dozen or so magazines.

Robin reads speculative fiction, and used to read about four hours every night in bed, but since his eyesight deteriorated to the point where he needs glasses to read, he does not read much any more.

Robin likes to write aphorisms like "Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, go together like a horse and an envelope..." and "Some people act dumb, and some people don't have to act."

Robin has been designing games (mostly board games) since he was about ten years old. Most of them have never been played, let alone published.

Robin likes to travel, preferably at other people's expense.

Robin likes beer.

Robin likes to watch ice hockey. His favourite team is the Vancouver Canucks. He says it takes character to be a Canucks fan...

Robin has two sisters and a brother. Robin and his brother had only daughters... so... eventually the crossby.ca domain will probably be up for grabs...

Robin likes Disneyland more than his kids do... it has to do with the suspension of disbelief.

Robin used to enjoy telling Americans that their revolutionary war was one of the greatest tragedies in human history... but stopped when he found some Americans who agreed.

Sometimes Robin cries when he watches the news. He doesn't watch the news much any more.

Robin likes beer.

Robin chose the font colour for this section because it reminds him of his old IBM PC which he purchased for CDN $3,006 in 1983 with the proceeds of his first Hârn module.

Robin likes Cheese and Onion crisps (potato chips)... but can't get them. He also likes TimTams... most people (I won't name names) are too mean to send him any...

Robin's favourite food is chips (French fries). Robin distinguishes between chips (which are purchased from fish and chip shops) and fries, which are purchased from fast food restaurants. The former is his favourite food, the latter could be recycled in the cardboard container...

Oddly, Robin tends to look larger in photographs than in real life. It's one of those weird things like vampires not having reflections in mirrors...

Robin has written one and a half novels, both set in and around Hârn. (Is it correct to say "both" when talking about one and a half?) The first novel, Footsteps in Kelestia, explains the disappearance of the Earl of Osel, Sedris Meleken; Robin just can't seem to get around to a second draft. The second novel is called Foulspawner, and may eventually get finished.

Robin does not put salt on his chips, he uses soya sauce instead.

Robin's taste in music is reasonably eclectic: he likes ABBA, the Beatles, Wagner, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Beethoven, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, Elgar, Tony O'Connor, Pachelbel, Gregorian Chant, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin...

Robin admires Bill Gates.

Robin would admire anyone who managed to accumulate billions of dollars from scratch without having an actual product to sell.

Robin thinks that the "suspension of disbelief" is useful not only in fantasy, but in everyday fields like politics, religion and business

Robin likes Beer.

Robin believes that war is rarely the best, or the worst option.

Robin has a habit of starting clubs (not the kind you hit things with, the kind you join). In school in England, he started two "intelligence" (LARP) organisations and a "first form society". In Canada he started another LARP-spy club, a group to create and run an audio visual maze/tunnel environment. In college he started a gaming club... Robin has been a pillar of many communities.

Robin attended William Ellis Grammar School in London, UK. While there, he once got 6% on a Latin exam, and 4% on a French Exam.

All of Robin's children are fluently bilingual.

Robin feels lucky that his native tongue is English... the world's Lingua Franca, and feels that he is finally beginning to master it.

Robin believes the only way to make a sentence with the expression "too much garlic" is something like "there is no such thing as too much garlic".

Robin has an aversion to buttons. Not the kind you push, the kind used to fasten clothing. Maybe he associates them with school uniforms and funerals.

Robin has noticed that when most people ask "how are you?" they expect a response like, "fine... thanks for asking," and often get confused or concerned if it is not forthcoming...

When someone asks Robin how he is, he generally answers "tired". He sometimes says "passing fair" but does not say in which direction...

Robin distrusts people who talk about themselves in the third person.

Robin has run out of energy and/or things to say, but may add more later.