|
Post by GRWelsh on Sept 20, 2014 9:15:03 GMT -5
Why the map of the US? Is it because EGG's original campaign world was loosely based on the map of the US? With Greyhawk near one of the Great Lakes? I can understand that way of thinking, but I love Darlene's map so much, I just couldn't throw it out in any sort of reworking of Greyhawk project. Ignoring a lot of post-1985 TSR material -- that I'm on board with.
City geomorphs is one of the few things I don't own. I have a blown up version of the "City of Hawks" map with my own notes in each quarter gleaned from the Gord books. And I like the idea of using city geomorphs for showing certain areas.
What do you mean about the Caves of Chaos being a format for the Castle proper? Do you mean the way they are stocked, treasure ratios, etc.?
I suppose making use of the dungeon geomorphs, combined with perhaps lifting some design features from EGG's other modules, and stocking them based on the DMG tables, might be the closest one could get to the Greyhawk Dungeons nowadays. To this day, I still envision the original Greyhawk Dungeons as chutes and ladders, with all of the maps looking sort of like the ones in OD&D booklet: with lots of pits, chutes, side levels, elevator rooms, teleporter gates, lots of things to confuse the mappers, etc. There was always this theme of "You think you have this place figured out? Oh no you don't!" making it always uncertain and dangerous.
|
|
|
Post by geneweigel on Sept 20, 2014 10:41:30 GMT -5
Ill answer briefly, because im sitting in a car waiting in a no parking zone, im not saying to throw out a greyhawk campaign im saying for the purpose of understanding d&d and therefore any campaign even a gh one then perhaps backing away from lets say "what is the Scarlet Brotherhood doing in the Greyhawk dungeon?" instead asking thd same question in its purest form without all the connotations: "what is a group of lawful monks from an evil part of the world doing in a magical complex of underground areas?" no veneers just concept.
|
|
|
Post by GRWelsh on Sept 20, 2014 14:22:13 GMT -5
These modules remind me how the concept was: there is a formula, but then there were also constant deviations from it. So, there was the basic formula of dungeon exploration -- deeper = more dangerous = more treasure -- but then there were also all of these ways to get players completely away from all of that (scrolls or gates transporting you to the STARSHIP WARDEN, Wonderland, King Kong's island, the Wild West, Barsoom, etc.), important in maintaining freshness and novelty.
Gene, have you been doing any drawing lately?
|
|
|
Post by geneweigel on Sept 20, 2014 16:56:49 GMT -5
I think the formula of Castle Greyhawk is right in front of us but we've been led astray. Sometime back I had an accumulated file of everything that I know related to the castle and misplaced the file. I always do this. Anyway, in regards to drawing I had so much construction activity going on here that I completely buried my work on making the first part of a publishable product as well as making the internet only comic based on my gameplay. The thing that I got stuck in the product is that I don't want to cheap out. I'd rather wait ten years and make it "Gary Gygax-worthy". The comic I got sidetracked in the story I have to redo the characters with a fresh take because I found out that I have to be comfortable.
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Dec 21, 2014 10:23:26 GMT -5
The current party started out as Doug's PC Maylin, an NPC paladin, and 6 henchmen. 5 of the henchmen were killed in the epic battle outside the Duchess's Manse. The bullywugs' hopping ability really proved devastating. Once there were enough bullywugs and kua toa to surround the party it was carnage. The inherent magic resistance of some residents and the limitations on magic in the adventure also caused big problems. The survivors are currently holed up in the manse, cautiously exploring. If they're lucky they'll find the secret passage to Murlynd's house in the basement and get sent home by the mirror there.
|
|
|
Post by Scott on Feb 11, 2015 10:15:07 GMT -5
These modules can be deadly, but they don't have to be. The party can bring a lot of unnecessary heat on itself with a bad attitude, which is what Doug's PC did. He lost a 6th level M-U henchman as a result. He made it out with a pretty good monetary haul, but had to spend a ton on raise dead spells.
|
|