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Post by grodog on Jun 15, 2016 0:04:40 GMT -5
Looking at the map again, I'm wondering what I'd do with it now. We know a few features/inhabitants from the wandering monster table and text, but there's that big chunk of unexplained rooms (14-23) that I can't figure out what they would've been used for when the monastery was active - if they're all/mostly empty now it feels like there are way too many of them, but if they're inhabited why don't any of the inhabitants wander like the bandits, goblins, and fire beetles do? Plus there's the question of what those bandits and goblins are doing there, and how they're getting in and out leaving only "light and infrequent" tracks (presumably the evil priest and hobgoblins in the crypt section are going in and our via location 39, but not the others). The secret/not-secret passage by room 8 is also weird. FWIW, here's the additional stuff I sketch-keyed when Henry was exploring the monastery dungeon last summer: 4 - 5 bandits 5 - 2 bandits + leader (Thief 2) 6 - old mess hall with 7 sets of tables/chairs 7 - 1 goblin lookout at entry to corridor 8, looking N 8 - 7 goblins 9 - goblin leader + 2 guards 10 - cells 11 - 12 - 2 fire beetles 13 - 4 fire beetles 14-16 The Fungoretum: a fungus garden with dirt floor and paths, glowing plants, etc. (I sketched these on my DMG map) ----- 14: 2 shriekers, 1 violet fungi; the shriekers are generally (3 in 6, check for both; if not: random) in a) 20' E of the # 16, and b) 10' E and 20' S of the # 14 (with 20' between it and the S wall); the violet fungi is usually (4 in 6, if not: random) in #16, within 10' of 16A ----- 15: female NE druid 2 (S 14, I 16, W 12 5% fail, D 12 C 14 Ch 15; hp 13; AC7; spells: 1st Entangle, Animal Friendship, 2nd Obscurement ----- 16A: tree with magic fruit 17 - doors completely blocked/covered by dirt (can't be detected in passing, PCs must actively probe/engage with the dirt floor/walls) 18 - pit 20' deep with earthen floor = 2d6 D reroll 5s/6s My old key from BITD was a bit more pedestrian, although I apparently mapped out the magical treasures for the level too: Occupied Areas: 1, 4-5 bandits, 7-9 goblins, 10 skeletons, 12-13 fire beetles, 17-18, 20, 24 ghouls, 25, 27 skeletons, 32-33, 34 ghouls, 35-37 hobgoblins + EHP Treasure Areas: 1, 2, 4-5, 7-9, 15, 18, 25, 28-9, 33-37 Traps: 5, 18-18, 29, 36, 39 Tricks: 26, 28? Magic Items: - 7 potions (blue dragon control, gaseous form, philtre of love, heroism 2 doses, healing, poison (save at -2 or take 3-12 damage), plant control - 2 scrolls: 1) 3 CLR spells: Silence 15' R., CLW, Darkness at 3rd level; 2) 1 ILLU spell: Non-Detection at 6th level - 1 wand: Secret Door and Trap Location: 15 charges; commands: "portal arcane" (s doors) or "prast tulfrisg" (traps) - 1 misc magic: Boots of Opening (when kicked against a door and commanded to function ("open yon portal" ), knocks the door per spell; usable 2/day. XP 2000/GP 7500. - misc weapons: 1 dagger +1, 7 bolts +1 (5 are light); 4 arrows +1 No key info for the crappy caverns map, Scott.
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Post by grodog on Sept 29, 2017 23:28:31 GMT -5
Ethan had several classmates over tonight to play, so we created PCs and started them out in the DMG monastery. Henry has explored it a bit, so I'm changing up the key some, as well. I created rumors for them, of which they received half of them or so. Coincidentally: Magic Items: - 7 potions (blue dragon control, gaseous form, philtre of love, heroism 2 doses, healing, poison (save at -2 or take 3-12 damage), plant control - 2 scrolls: 1) 3 CLR spells: Silence 15' R., CLW, Darkness at 3rd level; 2) 1 ILLU spell: Non-Detection at 6th level - 1 wand: Secret Door and Trap Location: 15 charges; commands: "portal arcane" (s doors) or "prast tulfrisg" (traps) - 1 misc magic: Boots of Opening (when kicked against a door and commanded to function ("open yon portal" ), knocks the door per spell; usable 2/day. XP 2000/GP 7500. - misc weapons: 1 dagger +1, 7 bolts +1 (5 are light); 4 arrows +1 These items work nicely with the current mix of PCs, which include both an illusionist as well as a crossbow-wielding fighter. The plant control potion will naturally go with the fungus druid No key info for the crappy caverns map, Scott. Ramsey Dow shot me a copy of the map rendered digitally, which I'll post to my site tomorrow and link to it. I must say that I don't mind it quite as much when rendered nicely Allan.
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Post by grodog on Oct 6, 2017 10:33:52 GMT -5
In case anyone has use of a "watery" DMG treasure map: The after-school crew of Ethan's friends may find this today! Allan.
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Post by grodog on Oct 7, 2017 11:59:07 GMT -5
And my expanded /modified map for the first level of the DMG monastery dungeons: To the lower half, I added several burial niches/possible homes for ghouls, and a few more dead-end corridors and a pair of rooms. To the top half, I added a few more "learning" features; this way the players (who are mostly new to AD&D) will gain a little experience with some standard features/tricks, including a pair of portcullises (one of which will function more like a barred window, since it's unraiseable/unbendable without giant strength [between 22 and 16]), a teleporter, an illusionary wall, and an audible glamer. I should add a magic mouth somewhere too, I think. 14/16 are now combined, and feature a fungus garden tended by an evil druid in 15. I also added a second path into the lower half of the level: a concealed door in the bottom of the pit in 18 leads to the hidden corridor connecting 25 and 34. Allan.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Oct 7, 2017 15:26:01 GMT -5
Allan
Thanks for sharing - I like to it!
I am getting interest from the next generation who as started playing, but have no clue at all about 1e AD&D. I told them I would only DM using 1e in Greyhawk, and they were ok with that. So maybe a fresh campaign with players in their 20s and perhaps some of their parents who have never gamed. I have a 1-1/2 year old grandson, so the next generation after that will come eventually!
I am interested if gene has the expanded TOEE/Hommlet/DMG Monastery adventure/etc ready soon, bc that is were I would like to start fresh with newbies for running a campaign?
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Post by Scott on Oct 7, 2017 18:18:41 GMT -5
Looks good, Allan. You got a catacombs map too?
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Post by geneweigel on Oct 8, 2017 20:27:28 GMT -5
I am interested if gene has the expanded TOEE/Hommlet/DMG Monastery adventure/etc ready soon, bc that is were I would like to start fresh with newbies for running a campaign? Oh must have wrote that funny that isn't going to be the monastery from the DMG its a completely different concept. Its an active monastery although its not exactly boring. Still working on it though so itll be a while.
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Post by grodog on Oct 8, 2017 21:53:57 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing - I like to it! Thanks Dave! I am getting interest from the next generation who as started playing, but have no clue at all about 1e AD&D. I told them I would only DM using 1e in Greyhawk, and they were ok with that. So maybe a fresh campaign with players in their 20s and perhaps some of their parents who have never gamed. I have a 1-1/2 year old grandson, so the next generation after that will come eventually! Sounds like a good, long-term plan! Looks good, Allan. You got a catacombs map too? Yes, Ramsey Dow sent me a nicely rendered version a couple of weeks ago. Will upload and it post it this week! I am interested if gene has the expanded TOEE/Hommlet/DMG Monastery adventure/etc ready soon, bc that is were I would like to start fresh with newbies for running a campaign? Oh must have wrote that funny that isn't going to be the monastery from the DMG its a completely different concept. Its an active monastery although its not exactly boring. Still working on it though so itll be a while. I've got a Wee Jas monastery that was sponsored by the Maure family that's been running through my backbrain for a decade or so. Haven't sat down to built it out yet, but it was going to be a living/breathing monastery complete with some relics as well. It's an active destination site for pilgrims, which never seem to see much active play. Allan.
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Post by Scott on Oct 8, 2017 22:13:48 GMT -5
I ran a solo adventure for a cleric of St. Cuthbert that involved a monetary. His temple had lost contact with the monastery and the last group that went to visit never returned. A demonic spirit that had been trapped in a relic escaped and possessed one of the clerics, summoned some aid and slaughtered the rest. Cedric showed up and got his ass kicked, just managing to word of recall (single use magic item) back to Greyhawk before getting killed. Returned with his henchmen and cleared it out.
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Post by grodog on Oct 21, 2017 14:17:28 GMT -5
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Nov 29, 2017 23:55:41 GMT -5
And my expanded /modified map for the first level of the DMG monastery dungeons: To the lower half, I added several burial niches/possible homes for ghouls, and a few more dead-end corridors and a pair of rooms. To the top half, I added a few more "learning" features; this way the players (who are mostly new to AD&D) will gain a little experience with some standard features/tricks, including a pair of portcullises (one of which will function more like a barred window, since it's unraiseable/unbendable without giant strength [between 22 and 16]), a teleporter, an illusionary wall, and an audible glamer. I should add a magic mouth somewhere too, I think. 14/16 are now combined, and feature a fungus garden tended by an evil druid in 15. I also added a second path into the lower half of the level: a concealed door in the bottom of the pit in 18 leads to the hidden corridor connecting 25 and 34. Allan.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Nov 29, 2017 23:57:52 GMT -5
Allan - what are the purposes/contents of the two rooms you added into the top half of the map adjacent to the bandits area?
What are the he purposes/contents of the two rooms you added in the lower half of the map?
Have you keyed the lower caverns map?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Nov 30, 2017 10:49:23 GMT -5
Again, inspired by the Barbarous Coast thread. I've started many campaigns with this adventure, usually placing it on the Wild Coast on the edge of the Gnarley Forest, usually outside of a village west or northwest of Narwell. The village has has many names over the years and I was never really able to settle on a being the monastery may have been dedicated to. Thinking about it now with the migration patterns I was thinking a Suel god might be a good choice. Not an outright evil being, but needing a reason for building the monastery in the described location. And I come across Norebo: Suel god, chaotic neutral, “Churches and temples dedicated to his worship are often located on the outskirts of a town or city, or even further isolated out in the country.” And “There are known to be isolated churches on Lendore Isle, along the Wild Coast, in Greyhawk, and in various cities of the Iron League.” Seems like a perfect fit. Scott: we just started a fresh WOG campaign with the first expedition last night using the DMG monastery adventure to kick things off, and I used your concept that the monastery was a shrine to Norebo in the country, to the west of Narwell, but outside of the Gnarley. Have you inserted Norebo elements into your key, if so what did you use?
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Nov 30, 2017 11:21:40 GMT -5
When I was a kid (either the summer I was 10 or maybe when I was 11) I stocked this dungeon - I remember writing the key on a yellow legal-pad while sitting by the pool - but I'm pretty sure I just did it totally funhouse-style - I suspect (under the influence of the Mentzer-edit Basic Set) I probably included a rust monster or a carrion crawler (or both) and a magic mouth that spoke riddles. I also remember intending that this be the first level of a huge (6 or 8 level) dungeon, though I don't think I did anything past the second (or gave a moment's thought to why so big a dungeon would be below this monastery and only accessible via one secret stairway). I probably still have that in a box somewhere, but I can't imagine it not being embarrassing to look back on. Looking at the map again, I'm wondering what I'd do with it now. We know a few features/inhabitants from the wandering monster table and text, but there's that big chunk of unexplained rooms (14-23) that I can't figure out what they would've been used for when the monastery was active - if they're all/mostly empty now it feels like there are way too many of them, but if they're inhabited why don't any of the inhabitants wander like the bandits, goblins, and fire beetles do? Plus there's the question of what those bandits and goblins are doing there, and how they're getting in and out leaving only "light and infrequent" tracks (presumably the evil priest and hobgoblins in the crypt section are going in and our via location 39, but not the others). The secret/not-secret passage by room 8 is also weird. On the one hand it's fun to think about that stuff and figure it out what may have been intended, but on the other I feel the need to remind myself not to overthink it - that this was just created as an example and most almost certainly nothing was intended. [ Would the bandits and goblins be recent arrivals to the DMG monastery, in an uneasy truce from their nearby lairs? Or are the bandits and goblins allied to pillage nearby trade routes? Perhaps the bandits have strong leadership to bully the goblins and enable them to work together?
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Post by Scott on Nov 30, 2017 20:12:07 GMT -5
Again, inspired by the Barbarous Coast thread. I've started many campaigns with this adventure, usually placing it on the Wild Coast on the edge of the Gnarley Forest, usually outside of a village west or northwest of Narwell. The village has has many names over the years and I was never really able to settle on a being the monastery may have been dedicated to. Thinking about it now with the migration patterns I was thinking a Suel god might be a good choice. Not an outright evil being, but needing a reason for building the monastery in the described location. And I come across Norebo: Suel god, chaotic neutral, “Churches and temples dedicated to his worship are often located on the outskirts of a town or city, or even further isolated out in the country.” And “There are known to be isolated churches on Lendore Isle, along the Wild Coast, in Greyhawk, and in various cities of the Iron League.” Seems like a perfect fit. Scott: we just started a fresh WOG campaign with the first expedition last night using the DMG monastery adventure to kick things off, and I used your concept that the monastery was a shrine to Norebo in the country, to the west of Narwell, but outside of the Gnarley. Have you inserted Norebo elements into your key, if so what did you use? I can't remember anything specific. The players I ran the adventure for weren't that concerned, so I didn't bother with that level of detail.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Nov 30, 2017 21:45:55 GMT -5
From last night's kickoff to a fresh WOG campaign, the PCs:
Sylvan, a gray elf cleric/ranger, chaotic good devotee of Corellon Larethian, and from a noble family in Narwell that owns and operates a fine blacksmith business - his family in decades past hailed from the Elven Kingdom of Celene.
Sylvan and his family have connections across the central Flanaess trade routes throughout the Wild Coast, the Elven Kingdom of Celene, the free city of Greyhawk, the great walled city of Dyvers, the Viscounty and Town of Verbobonc, the Archclericy of Veluna, the Kingdom of Furyondy, and beyond.
Sylvan and his family received word from leadership of the garrison at Ferd, {which independent militia company patrols and collects tolls at the ford of the Jewel River to the west of Narwell}, that a merchant caravan en route out of the Gnarley Forest on the trade road spotted a dark column of smoke rising several miles to the northwest of Ferd, where it is known that a Shrine of Norebo is located alongside the Jewel River. Concerned for disruption to the Western trade route, and the free excercise of faith, Sylvan reaches out to others to form a party to quietly investigate.
Sylvan contacts Athyra of Narwell, a half-elf {of high elven stock} aspiring cavalier {horsewoman}, to join the expedition. Athyra is a chaotic good follower of Labelas Enoreth and has been sponsored by her deceased high elven aunt's estate. Her aunt hailed from the Independent Town of Highfolk, herself a former Knight of the High Forest.
They ride to Ferd, and are put into contact with Dontae, a recent arrival to Ferd, and a known traveler and gambler to the Shrine of Norebo. Dontae is a lawful neutral monk who was orphaned and raised at a monastery dedicated to Xan Yae in the Free City of Greyhawk. He is of mixed Baklunish/Suloise stock. His parents are an unknown mystery to him - perhaps from Ket, who knows?
Sylvan has a mind to reach out to others to enlarge the party, but feels pressured to act quickly, so the three purchase gear and supplies and set out for a first exploratory expedition...
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Post by grodog on Dec 1, 2017 21:10:05 GMT -5
Allan - what are the purposes/contents of the two rooms you added into the top half of the map adjacent to the bandits area? The top room is a barracks for the bandits, while the lower room is a cell/prisoner storage room. The false door pit trap is there to get that into the top-half of the map (I tried to include many "training" experiences in the top half of the map for my son's after-school group (mostly 8th graders), who are exploring the monastery dungeons. What are the he purposes/contents of the two rooms you added in the lower half of the map? They're probably both empty, although I was toying with making the upper one (closer to key #28) have some sort of trap mechanism on one/both of the diagonal walls to throw off searchers in 28. Have you keyed the lower caverns map? Nope, nothing yet. I haven't even finalized the key for the lower half of the dungeon for sure yet---if the kids keep playing in there, I'll keep ahead of them, but thus far they're only exploring a few rooms at a time during their sessions (pizza gets served on Friday games just about when they've finally warmed up and settled into the game, alas...). Allan.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Dec 1, 2017 22:25:51 GMT -5
Ok gotcha Allan: my son is turning 24 in February and the age range of the players in this new WOG campaign are 20 - 25.
My 1-1/2 year old grandson spotted my 1e PHB cover and said 'dog!'
I said 'demon' - wouldn't want him to be confused!
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Post by geneweigel on Dec 2, 2017 12:45:05 GMT -5
I had made a similar statue in the 184-1985 school year out of soapstone carved with files but it was so difficult to work with that I changed directions halfway through and made it substantially different. It looked more like a cross between Chinese god in buddha lotus with demonic features. I called it "Mammon" and I did use it for the open to the public church of Mammon which is what I have for all deviltry in 1986 or so.
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Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Dec 11, 2017 13:09:50 GMT -5
And my expanded /modified map for the first level of the DMG monastery dungeons: To the lower half, I added several burial niches/possible homes for ghouls, and a few more dead-end corridors and a pair of rooms. To the top half, I added a few more "learning" features; this way the players (who are mostly new to AD&D) will gain a little experience with some standard features/tricks, including a pair of portcullises (one of which will function more like a barred window, since it's unraiseable/unbendable without giant strength [between 22 and 16]), a teleporter, an illusionary wall, and an audible glamer. I should add a magic mouth somewhere too, I think. 14/16 are now combined, and feature a fungus garden tended by an evil druid in 15. I also added a second path into the lower half of the level: a concealed door in the bottom of the pit in 18 leads to the hidden corridor connecting 25 and 34. Allan. Allan: what do the 'a', 'b', 'c' key stand for in your several burial niches/possible homes for the ghouls in the lower half of the map?
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