Wilfried Karl Backhaus (7 November 1946 – 14 October 2009) was a
role-playing game designer, business professor, and lawyer.
Career
Wilf K. Backhaus and
Edward E. Simbalist designed a role-playing game called Chevalier, which they brought to
Gen Con IX in 1976 with hopes to sell it to
TSR; after witnessing
Gary Gygax berate a staff member, Simbalist decided not to approach Gygax about the game.[1] At the convention, they met
Scott Bizar of
Fantasy Games Unlimited, who was interested in the game and helped to get it published over the next year as Chivalry & Sorcery, the first role-playing game from Fantasy Games Unlimited.[1] Published in 1977, Chivalry & Sorcery (C&S) was an early competitor to Dungeons & Dragons.[2] Backhaus and Simbalist also authored The Chivalry & Sorcery Sourcebook (1978),[3]: 126 and Chivalry & Sorcery, 2nd edition (1984).[3]: 125
Backhaus founded the "Loyal Order of Chivalry & Sorcery" (Locs) and was a baron in the
SCA. He was also a published philosopher. Most recently he moderated a panel during a conference at
University of Maryland, College Park and was a special guest at the Calgary Games Convention (
CalCon).[4]
Death
On 14 October 2009 Backhaus died following a two-year battle with cancer.[5]
Publications
Academic
1996 "Hume's Touchstone and the Politics of Meaningful Discourse" Dialogue, XXXV (1996), pages 651-676. Reprinted in Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800 LC 157 page 223
1994 "Shaking the Pillars: Quality and Unspoken Bioethical Values in a Pluralistic Society" Quality Culture: Quality for Turbulent Times. Camrose: J. Ross Enterprises Ltd. pages 100-105.
1994 "Hume's Fork and Analytic/Trifling Propositions" Journal of Speculative Philosophy, Volume 8, Number 2 (1994), pages 79–96.
1993 "Advantageous Falsehood: The Person Moved By Faith Strikes Back" Philosophy & Theology, Volume 7, Number 3. (Spring, 1993) ages, pages 289-310.
1992 "La teoria humeana de las propiedades no sensoriales" Cuadernos de Filosofia, (Translated by Professor M. Costa) Volume 23, Number 38 (November 1992) pages 3–18
1992 "Hume and the Politics of Reason" Dialogue, XXXI (1992) pages 65–69.
1991 "Is Hume a Neutral Monist?" South West Philosophy Review, Volume 7, Number 2, July, 1991, pages 1–15.
Game related
Chevalier, co-author, self-published (1976) [6] - an alternate D&D