Basically, I'm looking for a place to set similar adventures in Greyhawk. One thing that comes immediately to mind are the ruins under Castle Greyhawk. They're right near a big city, well-known, and very large.
I don't know much about the site. However, unless I'm mistaken, they're not currently controlled by anyone, nevermind an insane archmage that enjoys making hapless adventures its playthings. That's a problem.
Can anyone shed more light on exactly what lies in the castle's dungeons and whether it would be a suitable place for the sort of adventuring I had in mind?
Thanks.
Also, don't underestimate the links of the lower levels of Castle Greyhawk to the Underdark (Underoerth? DarkOerth?) as a potential for replenishment and expansion of your dungeons, not to mention links to other planes of existence.
-PS
Is there any published (or online) source that ahs more information on the dungeons and their contents? Not counting that infamously bad gag module, of course.
You can supplement that with info in Rob Kuntz's annotated bibliography about the Castle, via his article on Canonfire! (check the top 9).
Those should get you started :D
Warning: do not confuse this with "TSR9222 WG7 Castle Greyhawk", which you do not want to get.
Halber
We can essentially buy the module supplements and and convert them back to 3.5
Good Gaming
Sounds like Greyhawk to me.....
it was a dancing lights spell cast over a 30ft pit trap with poisoned spikes at the bottom....
Take 3d6 from the fall, another 3d6 from the spike then save vs poison or die :P
Originally posted by Gnarley_Woodsman
Aren't Gary and Rob (unconfirmed) working on "Castle Zagyg" for that new rules light system?
Yep, there's some good discussion about the project on Dragonsfoot forum (EGG's Greyhawk) and the PPP boards (in the Colonel's Corner Forum).
I have a feeling that some of our "Classic Greyhawk" desires will be fulfilled in this venture.....they will of course change the names to avoid legal issues.
Actually, Gygax still owns the name Zagig (though I'm not sure about Zagyg), so that name could be used.
Not a friendly atmosphere.
Anyway thanks for sharing Grodog. As usual you are a welcome addition to any discussion.
Originally posted by Gnarley_Woodsman
Not a friendly atmosphere.
I doubt you could find a less open minded, friendly, constructive forum if you tried... oh wait, Gene Weigel has forums...
IDK if I'm gonna go with the Castles & Crusades "Rules Light" bit. I think I'll leave that for my younger cousins....
Use Greyhawk Ruins, it's high powered, and there's a few things that are out of whack (like, iirc, Arcane Merchants with a shop set up somewhere in the depths), but the glaring errors are fairly minor and easily fixed.
Then, guess what?
Use undermountain. Have some forgotten/secret/caved in tunnel in the bowels of Zagyg's Castle open into the "biggest mass grave in the flanaess" (to paraphrase Elminster). Use it as is, just change a few names (namely, replace references to Halaster with Zagyg). Even the underground river and city of skullport aren't too crazy. If you've heard any of Gygax's tales about what went on in his campaigns in Castle Greyhawk, you'll agree that even the most munchkiny of forgotten realms nonsense seems plausible in Zagyg's domain.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, ties to the Underoerth are perfectly reasonable, and don't forget the rumors (In either Greyhawk Ruins or the City of Greyhawk boxed set) of secret tunnels going between the Greyhawk undercity and the castle's dungeons.
Go nuts with it, have fun. Remember, the guy who is now the god of eccentricity and insanity built the place, after all.
WGR1 is arguably the BEST module for the Greyhawk setting EVER. It requires literally a months or more of DM preperation work to run correctly with a reward of a year's worth of gaming for player's to adventure in. Assuming the DM runs his campaign the way one should be run.
(I have a major dislike of DMs that forget what random encounters are and those that "forget" to incorporate all the misc special elements such as time, calender year, and weather as well as storyline. Without these a session is just a hack and slash.)
Zagyg and his towers are the true cornerstone behind Greyhawk, both city and campaign setting.
Without the WGR series (especially WGR1), Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Temple of Elemental Evil, Keep on the Borderlands, Against the Giants, and Tomb of Horrors (all in their many forms) I fear Greyhawk as a campaign setting would be "pale."
Abysslin
Personally...I would rather have the Gary Gygax version...which its true he's been saying he'll do it one day....just like Im waiting for Castle Blackmoor.
So you find a tunnel leading to an elven flitter at the very bottom of Tower of Zagyg and that makes the module pale?
How shallow can one be?
If you don't use Spelljamming in your campaign then simply close off the tunnel.
Zagyg was widely renown for traveling the world, space, and even time itself, it's only appropriate they put his little personal ship down there IMO.
As far as Gygax doing any further content even remotely related to D&D... it will never happen. He can't legally do it and the feeling I get from his website is he doesn't even have any interest to.
Regardless, In the proper hands WGR1 is one of the best modules ever made (especially 2nd Ed. wise) for the Greyhawk campaign setting.
Abysslin
Originally posted by abysslin
....
So you find a tunnel leading to an elven flitter at the very bottom of Tower of Zagyg and that makes the module pale?
How shallow can one be?
If you don't use Spelljamming in your campaign then simply close off the tunnel.
Zagyg was widely renown for traveling the world, space, and even time itself, it's only appropriate they put his little personal ship down there IMO.
As far as Gygax doing any further content even remotely related to D&D... it will never happen. He can't legally do it and the feeling I get from his website is he doesn't even have any interest to.
Regardless, In the proper hands WGR1 is one of the best modules ever made (especially 2nd Ed. wise) for the Greyhawk campaign setting.
Abysslin
Gygax has done, and continues to create material for D&D. Each of the Slayers Guides he did had advnetures in them. The module included in the Slayers Guide to Dragons relates to Iggwilv and Drelnza. The Hermit was a dual statted adventure for Lejendary Adventure and D&D. The Hall of Many Panes is another dual statted mega box set adventure that should be out in a couple months. Gary has started working on the first part of his version of the Greyhawk Ruins adventures which will be a 4 or 5 part series called Zagyg's Castle to be published by Troll Lord Games.
Yes, rumors of this dungeon being released have come and gone many times, but the difference here is that Gary has actually started working on it.
As to WGR1, a lot of people like it, a lot of people hated it. I'm in the hated it group. I had high hopes when it was first released. 'Finally a serious version of the dungeon', but I was really disappointed.
Scott
Perhaps you are confusing WGR1 with Castle Greyhawk the comedic version with flying flapjacks and such?
Otherwise I would like to know of some serious modules in your opinion bcuz as far as mine (opinion) WGR1 was about as sweet as it gets. Perhaps there is some nice Greyhawk related modules out there that I simply don't have. Plz keep in mind I'm 1st Ed. & 2nd Ed. ONLY.
Also, if Gygax is actively working on D&D related content, under what company or what not is he releasing the material and in which name? Surely not "Dungeons & Dragons by Hasbro," or any combination containing either of the two.
I'm also curious to see where that information is located with a solid, reputable source claiming Gygax is working on said material? Please don't think I doubt you, I'm just one of those people that doesn't believe it unless I see it and I'm always open for any insight!
Abysslin
There are only two companies allowed to call their products Dungeons & Dragons, WotC and Kenzer & Co. everybody else must make up another name, or just call it a D20 module. I'm strictly 1E myself, but there is a lot of current material that I feel is quality stuff and worth converting. Necromancer Games, Troll Lord Games, Mongoose Publishing, and Inner City Games are the companies I know Gygax has released material for. Until now, everything has been D20 except the inner city games stuff which uses a generic system. Troll Lord Games is now developing a system using the Open Game license to create an OAD&D compatable system, and that is the system EGG is using to write his Zagyg's Castle material.
There will at least be one part of the series released. Gary is in the process of developing the town and wilderness area around where the castle will be located. The upper works and the first dungeon level or two should be included also. Gary is trying to get one of his sons or Rob Kuntz to help before he begins on the massive dungeon complex. So far his sons have not shown any interest. Rob Kuntz, who has been out of service for a while, is now ready to get back into creative work and has been in contact with Gary and has expressed interest.
Necropolis was released by NG and was converted to D20 from Gary's Mythus system.
The Lost City of Gaxmoor was released by Troll Lord Games. It was primarily written by Ernie and Luke Gygax, but Gary did contribute some material, including some Zagyg material.
The Hermet was another Troll Lord release for Gary's Lejendary Adventure system and D20. I can't think of any definite Greyhawk connection in this one.
The Hall of Many Panes will be troll lord also. It's completed and should be out soon. I heard that it involves the quasi-deity Heward, but I can't confirm that.
The Slayers Guide to Dragons, and the slayers Guide to Undead were both released by Mongoose. The Revenge of Ghorkai is a 21 page adventure in TSGtD that directly relates to Greyhawk. There are a few minor Greyhawk references in the Undead book, but I can't recall offhand whether the adventure included was Greyhawk or not.
The inner city material was co-written by gary and is not Greyhawk related as far as I can tell.
The Zagyg's Castle stuff will be troll lord. You can check the companies' web sites for more info.
Scott
Troll Lord Games's Gygaxian Fantasy World books are Greyhawk sourcebooks in that the world they present has largely the same parameters and assumptions as the WoG does, and they essentially describe the underlying elements and structures Gygax's WoG has as norms.
WGR1 is like a movie remake made by a less talented filmmaker/team who only saw part of the original. It can't be said to be Castle Greyhawk in any but the legal (i.e. WotC owns the intellectual property) sense.
(I don't know that to be the plan/etc., I'm just being hopeful).
Originally posted by Mach2.5
For a bit more info on Gygax and the work on the Castle Greyhawk (or whatever he's going to really call it), check out the Gygax Q&A thread at Enworld. According to G.G., it may be at least 2 years or so at best before it sees the light of day. Perhaps longer. But at least he did confirm that it is scheduled in after 800 or so other projects get finished.
The castle and dungeons will be released as a series. I believe the two years was an estimate of the completion of the series. If work begins on the project, I'd expect to see the first part much sooner. Gary has already started working on the town and wilderness immediately around the location of the ruins. Both EGG and Rob Kuntz have recently stated that work on the dungeons themselves COULD begin by as early as the end of this month.
Scott