Campaign journal
by JTrithenPast Campaigns:
The last 5+ years of real-time playing occurred in southeastern countries, in Karameikos, southeastern Darokin, and Thyatis (both of these 2 campaigns ending in deaths of most adventurers of the groups).
These included many lower-level, basic and intermediate adventures (B11 and B12, converted AD&D "Fighter's Challenge II," etc., X8, AD&D "Cleric's Challenge"), AND a converted T1-4, "The Temple of Elemental Evil," which both groups forayed into extensively but did not do well at.
The Cast:
This current party is mostly an all-elf party, which the players wanted to try as something interesting.
Camery (E5) - Grunalf elf (from Alfheim), who has a cooshee companion
Quillan Tuladin (E5) - magic-specialising Feadiel elf (from Alfheim)
Isil-gar - half-elf forester from the Kingdom of Eusdria (trained as forester with the Vyalia elves), who bears a short, wicked halberd-bladed weapon called a "galbreck"
Anandor of the Savage Coast (E4) - half-elf 'ranger' (essentially same as forester) from the Kingdom of Eusdria (and sports flying chainmail)
Caym Vayose (E3) - Alfheim elf
Sanglash Chainbow (E3) - elf of unknown origin (lost his memory; hints: he's fairly rough for an elf, and has discovered for some reason doesn't like attacking and killing gnolls)
Balkin Wanderthorn (H3) - Five Shires halfling with excellent archery skills; also sports a small, bladed 'throwing' shield or a sword shield (he uses in gladiator fighting) (this is this player's 3rd character in 5 or 6 sessions, but is not atypical for his playing history; both characters lost below were his)
Current Synopsis:
In this current campaign, they started by quickly taking care of some bandits near the small town of Dernau, which I placed west of Machetos, in Thyatis. This was a short one-session adventure ('The Lauros Road Bandits,' converted from the AD&D "Adventure Pack I"). In that adventure, they lost one elf, a Meditor (water) elf from Minrothad.
They then went to Thyatis City, to try their hand as gladiators. This comprised DDA1, "Arena of Thyatis" (fighting as a group called the "Sylvan 6" or "Sylvan 7," depending on their current number; Quillan was killed in a rather lopsided match-up, but was later resurrected; Taross, a fighter, was also lost).
They are currently continuing the gladiator run (though, as elves, they are tiring of the bloody atmosphere), just starting DDA2, "Legions of Thyatis" last game session (with a bunch of bouts, though they haven't started the meat of the module yet).
We've been using many gladiator ideas and rules from Dragon Magazine from a couple of years ago (the gladiator themed one).
We will be going on to O1, Blade of Vengeance, with Camery as the central figure in a couple of sessions; though, there will be a lot of adjustments made in the adventure for the characters' abilities and levels.