Greetings Earthlings!

Got this from James Mishler's blog

Wm John Wheeler of The Companions has passed
William John Wheeler, game designer and co-founder and publisher of the Islandia Campaign through his game company The Companions, passed away on June 3, 2008, at 66 years of age at his home in Chicago, Ill.

John authored The Curse on Hareth, Plague of Terror, and with his friend Peter Rice, Brotherhood of the Bolt and Gems for Death; John also edited the complete line of The Companions products, including Treasure Trove, Companion Pieces, and the Places of Mystery series. John was well-regarded for his very popular fantasy role-playing game campaign seminars given at conventions across the country during the late ’80s, especially at Gen Con, where he often gave his presentations in conjunction with Peter Rice.

A man of great intensity and intellect, he will be missed by his friends and students, including Peter Rice, Scott Thompson, and many, many others. Memorial donations can be made in his name to the American Diabetes Association or similar organizations, but the best way to remember him would be to get together with some friends and play some games.

On a personal note, I was fortunate to have been at one of the seminars that John and Peter gave at Gen Con many years ago. At the time I was just starting out as a Dungeon Master, and had fumbled around quite a bit trying to build my own campaign. I was greatly inspired by the Wilderlands and Greyhawk, but had no tools with which to further develop them, let alone develop my own campaign setting. The seminar by John and Peter gave me those tools, which eventually led me to where I am today. For that I will be eternally grateful. Thanks John

Those seminars at GenCon were incredible. The one where they demonstrated the insanity of the old AD&D encumbrance rules was great. They also did stuff on developing a pantheon.

Thanks for the good work Mr Wheeler.