Handout for Origins II (1976) D&D demo game
Mar 17, 2021 8:34:08 GMT -5
grodog and GRWelsh like this
Post by Zenopus on Mar 17, 2021 8:34:08 GMT -5
Over on OD&D74 I've posted a transcription of the first two pages of Gygax's 1976 handout for a demonstration game that used the first level of Castle Greyhawk.
odd74.proboards.com/post/239836/thread
This handout consisted of five pages of text and one map of the dungeon level. The text pages included ~1.5 introduction and 3.25 of the keyed encounters for the dungeon.
The source for the transcript are ebay auction images of the first two pages, although the second is partially obscured.
* * * * *
Also posting the transcript here:
Formatting preserves line breaks in the original. (Best viewed on a desktop computer; it may be hard to read in mobile format)
End page 1, start page 2, which unfortunately is partially obscured in the auction image I have.
The covered parts are indicated by ellipses; guesses on my part are indicated by square brackets.
Update: Curly bracketed material is sourced from the Oct 2021 game referenced below.
..................." where players can barely manage to keep up with the flood
...............[ma]gic poured into their laps by the referee. The other extreme,
..........[ a "killer] dungeon", sours participants even more rapidly. But if a
..................led balance is maintained by the Dungeonmaster, players tend
.[to be complet]ely immersed in the game reality. Characters develop dis-
[tinct persona]lities and become "famous". Campaign dungeons will boast
...................ons for imaginative challenge and deadly excitement.
[The dungeon le]vel for this demonstration is based upon the first level
.....[of "Castle] Greyhawk"--the second oldest castle/dungeon campaign exis-
[ting, predating the] publication of the D&D game by one year. The
.............{expan}ded to include additional features, however, such as the
{temple in the} northeastern corner of the map. The various symbols and
.....................are somewhat self-apparent. Areas of black crosshatching
[indicate solid rock]. Black lines are stone walls of a foot or two thickness.
......................doors, while red "S" marks indicate the presence of se-
[cret doors, and pits are] indicated by boxed red "X" marks. Stairs are shown
.................[down] stairways show stairs of diminishing length. Sloping
......................... green. Teleporter rooms are delineated by yellow-
..........[Additiona]l markings will become known as the players encounter
.........................of the adventure. The numbers written on the map
[indicate where the]re are monsters and/or treasure. A key to the numbers
.......................[As] with any dungeon adventure, the Dungeonmaster will
............................extemporize as necessary during the course of play.
{Events which require dice} rolling will be handled by the referee during the
{course of play}....[does] the elf sense a secret door?, does the dwarf note
[ a passage sloping] downward?, does a member of the party fall into the
[pit?, does a trap] wound any member of the party?, when melee takes
[place, who hits] the opponents and who does not and how much damage
[is done?]
[If you have any] questions regarding the D&D game system, please feel
[to speak with the] Dungeonmaster after the demonstration, or stop by at
TSR Hobbies, Inc booth [and] speak to the personnel there. Of course, you may
[write to us at the] following address: TSR Hobbies, Inc., PO Box 756,
[Lake Geneva, WI 53147, telephone] (414-248-3625).
...................................THE FIRST LEVEL
[1.].........................[footstep]s sound as if they were approaching the
[party]......................[direct]ion they were heading in; when the party
.................................[th]e sound, the footsteps turn aside and
.......................................pieces, 10 copper pieces, and
After this, the rest of the document should include three more pages of encounters, and a map, none of which I have images of.
On the Acaeum, Paul Stormberg indicated that these pages would also include the following:
"a "conjurer/monk (5th level)", a gelatinous cube and several magic items from Greyhawk Supplement are mentioned"
A reference to "Yeenoghu, Demon Lord of Orcs"
odd74.proboards.com/post/239836/thread
This handout consisted of five pages of text and one map of the dungeon level. The text pages included ~1.5 introduction and 3.25 of the keyed encounters for the dungeon.
The source for the transcript are ebay auction images of the first two pages, although the second is partially obscured.
* * * * *
Also posting the transcript here:
Formatting preserves line breaks in the original. (Best viewed on a desktop computer; it may be hard to read in mobile format)
IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS IS ALL ABOUT...
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (D&D) is a fantasy or swords and sorcery game which,
although it involves at least two and often dozens of people, is highly per-
sonal and oriented towards complete player participation. Each player assumes
a persona: the D & D "character", whose attributes of strength, intelligence,
wisdom, constitution, dexterity, and charisma allow each player to best deter-
mine the role he or she will assume in the game--fighter, magic-user or
cleric. Within the scope of the game, these players also opt for a racial
stock: human, half-elven, elven, dwarvish, or hobbitish.
Each group of players centers around a non-playing referee who is common-
ly called the "Dungeonmaster". Using the D&D game system, the Dungeonmas-
ter creates the fantastical world where play generally takes place, and he main-
tains the game as a continuous whole (generally referred to as a "campaign")
by relating each episode of play to succeeding events as created by the Dun-
geonmaster himself and by game participants. The Dungeonmaster does
considerable preparatory work in a campaign. He must draw a series of inter-
connected labyrinth maps (the "dungeon levels"); and these maps are not seen
by the players, for the participants will "adventure" into these dungeons,
exploring, mapping, and seeking out treasures hidden therein. The Dungeon-
master will have located these treasures--along with attendant "monsters"
to guard them. By defeating these creatures, as well as those monsters which
wander throughout the dungeon, and acquiring wealth and magical items, players
gain "experience". Experience is awarded in points, and as a sufficient number
are gained, players advance in prowess. Each participant starts as a "1st
level" character, and advancement is not limited by any upper limitations in
most cases. While first level characters are relatively weak and powerless
against most of the dungeon hazards below the uppermost level, 5th or 6th
level characters are fairly capable, and when players finally attain the
levels beyond the 10th, their characters represent hazards to all but the
most fearsome lurkers of the nether regions of the dungeon. In addition to
the multiple maze maps the referee must draw up, several town/city maps for
the location of players' bases and for activity in urban areas are useful;
in a similar vein, the Dungeonmaster must chart the "wilderness" which sur-
rounds the dungeon, for players will eventually wish to go forth into this
territory for various reasons.
The beginning of a D&D campaign is the dungeon adventure. This demon-
stration is designed for the complete novice, and the players will have been
selected accordingly if at all possible. These participants will have been
instructed to prepare for their first adventure by rolling dice to generate
their character attributes and starting funds. They will then have selected
which role they wish to play, as well as their race. After "buying" the arm-
ament and equipment they wish to take with, the players will be placed near
an entrance to the first level of the dungeon, and thereafter they will be on
their own. As fighters, magic-users, clerics and thieves, they will be mapping
as they explore. By careful play--using thought, consideration, caution and
daring in the proper mixture--they will solve the various problems and chal-
lenges posed by the dungeon. This, and cooperation among themselves, will
assure them of successfully competing against the Dungeonmaster during their
first adventure, although there are bound to be casualties...
Although a single example will not convey it, it is a certainty that
players will gain skill in coping with the challenges played in the dungeon
levels by the referee. As this happens, the capable Dungeonmaster will react
by placing more difficult problems before the players. This battle of imagin-
ation and wits between the referee and players will add zest to the campaign
for all parties. Failure on the part of the Dungeonmaster to successfully
challenge players will quickly lead to a rather boring campaign--often called
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (D&D) is a fantasy or swords and sorcery game which,
although it involves at least two and often dozens of people, is highly per-
sonal and oriented towards complete player participation. Each player assumes
a persona: the D & D "character", whose attributes of strength, intelligence,
wisdom, constitution, dexterity, and charisma allow each player to best deter-
mine the role he or she will assume in the game--fighter, magic-user or
cleric. Within the scope of the game, these players also opt for a racial
stock: human, half-elven, elven, dwarvish, or hobbitish.
Each group of players centers around a non-playing referee who is common-
ly called the "Dungeonmaster". Using the D&D game system, the Dungeonmas-
ter creates the fantastical world where play generally takes place, and he main-
tains the game as a continuous whole (generally referred to as a "campaign")
by relating each episode of play to succeeding events as created by the Dun-
geonmaster himself and by game participants. The Dungeonmaster does
considerable preparatory work in a campaign. He must draw a series of inter-
connected labyrinth maps (the "dungeon levels"); and these maps are not seen
by the players, for the participants will "adventure" into these dungeons,
exploring, mapping, and seeking out treasures hidden therein. The Dungeon-
master will have located these treasures--along with attendant "monsters"
to guard them. By defeating these creatures, as well as those monsters which
wander throughout the dungeon, and acquiring wealth and magical items, players
gain "experience". Experience is awarded in points, and as a sufficient number
are gained, players advance in prowess. Each participant starts as a "1st
level" character, and advancement is not limited by any upper limitations in
most cases. While first level characters are relatively weak and powerless
against most of the dungeon hazards below the uppermost level, 5th or 6th
level characters are fairly capable, and when players finally attain the
levels beyond the 10th, their characters represent hazards to all but the
most fearsome lurkers of the nether regions of the dungeon. In addition to
the multiple maze maps the referee must draw up, several town/city maps for
the location of players' bases and for activity in urban areas are useful;
in a similar vein, the Dungeonmaster must chart the "wilderness" which sur-
rounds the dungeon, for players will eventually wish to go forth into this
territory for various reasons.
The beginning of a D&D campaign is the dungeon adventure. This demon-
stration is designed for the complete novice, and the players will have been
selected accordingly if at all possible. These participants will have been
instructed to prepare for their first adventure by rolling dice to generate
their character attributes and starting funds. They will then have selected
which role they wish to play, as well as their race. After "buying" the arm-
ament and equipment they wish to take with, the players will be placed near
an entrance to the first level of the dungeon, and thereafter they will be on
their own. As fighters, magic-users, clerics and thieves, they will be mapping
as they explore. By careful play--using thought, consideration, caution and
daring in the proper mixture--they will solve the various problems and chal-
lenges posed by the dungeon. This, and cooperation among themselves, will
assure them of successfully competing against the Dungeonmaster during their
first adventure, although there are bound to be casualties...
Although a single example will not convey it, it is a certainty that
players will gain skill in coping with the challenges played in the dungeon
levels by the referee. As this happens, the capable Dungeonmaster will react
by placing more difficult problems before the players. This battle of imagin-
ation and wits between the referee and players will add zest to the campaign
for all parties. Failure on the part of the Dungeonmaster to successfully
challenge players will quickly lead to a rather boring campaign--often called
End page 1, start page 2, which unfortunately is partially obscured in the auction image I have.
The covered parts are indicated by ellipses; guesses on my part are indicated by square brackets.
Update: Curly bracketed material is sourced from the Oct 2021 game referenced below.
..................." where players can barely manage to keep up with the flood
...............[ma]gic poured into their laps by the referee. The other extreme,
..........[ a "killer] dungeon", sours participants even more rapidly. But if a
..................led balance is maintained by the Dungeonmaster, players tend
.[to be complet]ely immersed in the game reality. Characters develop dis-
[tinct persona]lities and become "famous". Campaign dungeons will boast
...................ons for imaginative challenge and deadly excitement.
[The dungeon le]vel for this demonstration is based upon the first level
.....[of "Castle] Greyhawk"--the second oldest castle/dungeon campaign exis-
[ting, predating the] publication of the D&D game by one year. The
.............{expan}ded to include additional features, however, such as the
{temple in the} northeastern corner of the map. The various symbols and
.....................are somewhat self-apparent. Areas of black crosshatching
[indicate solid rock]. Black lines are stone walls of a foot or two thickness.
......................doors, while red "S" marks indicate the presence of se-
[cret doors, and pits are] indicated by boxed red "X" marks. Stairs are shown
.................[down] stairways show stairs of diminishing length. Sloping
......................... green. Teleporter rooms are delineated by yellow-
..........[Additiona]l markings will become known as the players encounter
.........................of the adventure. The numbers written on the map
[indicate where the]re are monsters and/or treasure. A key to the numbers
.......................[As] with any dungeon adventure, the Dungeonmaster will
............................extemporize as necessary during the course of play.
{Events which require dice} rolling will be handled by the referee during the
{course of play}....[does] the elf sense a secret door?, does the dwarf note
[ a passage sloping] downward?, does a member of the party fall into the
[pit?, does a trap] wound any member of the party?, when melee takes
[place, who hits] the opponents and who does not and how much damage
[is done?]
[If you have any] questions regarding the D&D game system, please feel
[to speak with the] Dungeonmaster after the demonstration, or stop by at
TSR Hobbies, Inc booth [and] speak to the personnel there. Of course, you may
[write to us at the] following address: TSR Hobbies, Inc., PO Box 756,
[Lake Geneva, WI 53147, telephone] (414-248-3625).
...................................THE FIRST LEVEL
[1.].........................[footstep]s sound as if they were approaching the
[party]......................[direct]ion they were heading in; when the party
.................................[th]e sound, the footsteps turn aside and
.......................................pieces, 10 copper pieces, and
After this, the rest of the document should include three more pages of encounters, and a map, none of which I have images of.
On the Acaeum, Paul Stormberg indicated that these pages would also include the following:
"a "conjurer/monk (5th level)", a gelatinous cube and several magic items from Greyhawk Supplement are mentioned"
A reference to "Yeenoghu, Demon Lord of Orcs"
). 