Rules-Light Play

The original D&D rules were very light, and left a lot of undefined space that allowed the DM to adjucate outcomes on the fly without wasting time to look up the rule or a player being able to cite a rule to the contrary. Gary also was not above ignoring any rules, to keep the game flowing. 

Why was this so, and was this a good thing?

Immersion

The number one, biggest advantage to simple rules and ad-hoc adjucation is that you do not have to spend time to look something up. This means the immersive play experience is not interrupted.  

Digging around in rules books is much the same as having the film break or the TV station experience transmission difficulties during an exciting program...a loss of the unagined participation. #7881

When I am DMing AD&D, I tend to ignore rules that get in the way of the flow of the game. #272

Generally, I just DMed on the fly, so to speak, and didn't use the rules books except for random encounters, monster stats, and treasure. when hand-to-hand fighting occurred I usually did that seat-of-the-pants rules--asking what the character was doing and deciding on the chance for success based on the circumstances. #692

[T]he only time [Gary] consulted the rules was when he gave out experience points for killed monsters and treasures. He made moving through his dungeon come alive. We could easily imagine the sights, sounds, and even the smells as he described the chambers and the corridors. [30.2]

A good DM has read the rules, knows the spirit of the game, and is aiming at captivating his player audience with the fantastic experience of the campaign, so he can make up what is necessary on the spot.  #7881

The rules-light game facilitates freedom for all participants to exercise imagination and innovation without undue constraint. That encourages gaming rather than rule-playing. In short, I believe it encourages creativity in all participants, and allows greater immersion in the game milieu, not the mechanics that form the game #1298

The main assumption to follow is that a credible fantasy game does not seek to simulate reality beyond that stage necessary for the participants to immerse themselves in it. [11]

My belief is that the rules for an RPG should facilitate the enjoyment of the game for all concerned. If they get in the way then they are no good. #530

The lack of rules lead to endless Q&As, and to the publication of more comprehensive rules in AD&D. Later editions added more and more tables and rules, but also unified core mechanics, so it was much simpler to remember them. I think many players and DMs undervalue the insight Gary had about how important pacing is.

Players need to trust the DM - no adversarial DMing 

For immersion to work, the players need to trust the GM that he will not screw them over in his ad-hoc rulings. The GM needs to at least listen once if the players bring forth a good argument why a chance could be much different. Then they need to halt, or the game will derail into arguments killing immersion and flow just as sure as looking up rules. This is why Gary points out the absolute authority of the GM and light rules together.

The original games of D&D and AD&D were about imagination, choosing an archetype to use as a vehicle for role-playing adventure, innovative play and PC group cooperation. The sole arbiter of such play was the DM, and rules lawyers were anethma #6741

Play is mainly reliant on rules. I ignored those I write when DMing if the game called for that, and in all added what was logical in terms of the game environment to play. Thus much of adventuring was not "by the book," but rather seat of the pants play by DM and players alike. #85

If the players aren't lost in known rules they tend to have more fun that way, and the sense of wonder comes back... #892

I’d like to move back to the days where players didn’t feel like they had to be protected from the whims of the referee. When we went into Greyhawk dungeon, Gary wasn’t the adversary. He was the referee who had set up the scenario. The referee is simply describing the action. The referee is not your opponent. [...] I could run an entire evening’s adventure with nothing but the notebook containing the dungeon, the hit charts, and the saving throw table. If I don’t remember a rule, I wing it [39]

• Absolute authority of the DM, rules lawyers given the boot
• Rule books seldom used by a competent DM #7878

Do not let the rules get in the way of play; be the arbiter of the game so that the adventure continues on without unnecessary interruptions, and the immersion of the players in the milieu remains complete. Do not make the group face impossible challenges, and keep the rewards as reasonable as possible (that is modest), so that there is always someting more to seek after.  #6966

There are many tongue in cheek comments, for example the GM "cursing the thoroughness" of the players as a player finds hidden treasure in the OD&D play example, and while I think these were meant in good fun, this is not entirely clear without the nonverbal cues, and may have also mislead novel GMs into an adversarial stance.

CAL: Empty out all of the copper pieces and check the trunk for secret drawers or a false bottom, and do the same with the empty one. Also, do there seem to be any old boots or cloaks among the old clothes in the rubbish pile?

REF: (Cursing the thoroughness of the Caller!) The seemingly empty trunk has a false bottom . . . in it you have found an onyx case with a jeweled necklace therein. The case appears to be worth about 1,000, and the necklace 5,000 Gold Pieces. Amidst the litter the searcher has located a pair of old boots, but there is nothing like a cloak there.

Other Reasons

There are other reasons, why OD&D was simplistic. As AD&D shows, too simplistic for players with more experience who knew the few original rules inside out. Maybe a good approach hence is to provide a very simple core rules set, and then add optional rules that individual GMs and Tables can adopt if they want to increase complexity, like 5e has done with encumberance. (Of course, with house ruling and DM authority, any rule essentially is optional. But it nudges the discussion, if the rule book says so). 

Realism

This is the second most important reason for simple elegant rules. Rules are needed or outcomes would be arbitrary. If there are no rules at all, how would you decide who survives a sword fight, and who does not? How would you decide if the thief manages to sneak by unnoticed? Rules, especially simple ones, are helpful as they provide a framework to estimate outcomes and hence allow players to make meaningful decisions. A game without rules may be improv theater, but it is not a role playing game that presents a simulated world with challenges. 

Rules however are always an abstraction and hence can lead to illogical outcomes. For example, in 5e two archers are as likely to hit hit each other when they cannot see each other, as they would in plain sight, because as per the rules, the advantage of being unseen when attacking and the disadvantage of not seeing your target cancel each other. These two rules in isolation are howerver pretty believable. In such cases, to not lose versisimilitude, you need to overrule the book.  

When no manageable amount of rules can do justice to all situations, judgment is required to resolve situations where the rules make no sense or lead to unbelievable outcomes. And if you understand you have to ignore the rules occasionally anyways, why not keep the rules simple, so they are easy to remember? In this case it is not necessary to have detailed rules or tables for everything, and try to cover every eventuality, combinaton of factors or corner case. 

Someone must have the authority to decide when and how a rule be overruled, or you get endless discussions of what is realistic or not. This is the DM, who intially was called the "Referee". Gary was not only extremely knowledgeable he also was the author of the rules, which gave him great authority. With such a setup from playtests, there was no need for complex or comprehensive rules. 

Play is mainly reliant on rules. I ignored those I write when DMing if the game called for that, and in all added what was logical in terms of the game environment to play. Thus much of adventuring was not "by the book," but rather seat of the pants play by DM and players alike. #85

To my mind a rules-light system should be one that sets forth rules and mechanics that are uncomplicated and sufficiently intuitive so that after GMing the system for a dozen or so sessions there is no need to consult the rules save for unusual circumstances. The GM and players alike can manage from past experience. If something unusual comes up that rules do not cover, intuitive ruling based on the overall system should be simple. #8078

Being old and cranky, I have grown tired of arguing over rules, so I figured that doing a system that had as few rules as possible, just enough to facilitate easy play, and with mechanics that were "forgiving" in that they allow for some and just about any addition alteration without throwing the system out of kilter was the way to go. That way the GM can play the fast and easy way or add whatever else is enjoyable to him and his group without difficulty. #853

As for rules, nonsense. The name of the game is roleplaying, not ruleplaying. the Game master is there to handle all the thousands of situations where rules are UNNECESSARY. Knowledge, logic, reason, and common sense serve better than a dozen rule books. What is the first word I used in stating what a GM needed instead of rules? I'll remind you: "Knowledge." [11]

When hand-to-hand fighting occurred I usually did that seat-of-the-pants rules--asking what the character was doing and deciding on the chance for success based on the circumstances. #692

Origin in Chainmail 

Intitially, OD&D was played essentially with chainmail combat rules. Chainmail was designed for tabletop battles between armies, so rules needed to be simple and resolution quick. The level of detail for combat of modern D&D versions would have made for unbearably slow resolution for dozens of combatants. In OD&D, all character classes had d6 as hit dice, and all weapons and nearly all monsters dealt d6 damage.  There were no skills or feats. There were just 3 classes. Even using d20 to determine hits or misses against armor was presented as an "Alternative Combat System", the default was Chainmail. 

First and foremost, the FRPG is not a combat simulation. It is something entirely different. [11]

Anyway, keep in mind that the OA/D&D systems were never meant to be combat simulators, and all wise DMs ignored the few portions that lead in that direction. Damage and hit points in any game are most probably based on game considerations that have nothing to do with actual human or animal frailties, if you will. A 6" knife will kill a person just as dead as a 6' long two-handed sword, for example. [11]

Large Play Groups

In the playtest environment for OD&D there also were often up to 20 players. Such large groups could not bear a detailed system, or combat rounds would have taken forever. While combat was a large part of the game and game rules, realistic or detailed simulation of combat was not. 

For about six months the typical number of players in an adventure session in my basement was 18-22 persons packed in. That was when I asked Rob Kuntz to serve as my co-DM. Getting marching order was very important. Of course most activity was dungeon crawling, so actions were just done in order around the table. Be ready or lose your chance! Stick with the party or else something very nasty is likely to befall your character away from the group. The sessions were fun but somewhat chaotic, lacked most roleplay, and surely didn't allow for a lot of one-on-one time player and DM. #2471

Multiple Genres

The intent for the rules was to support multiple genres. The original campaign adventured a good bit in various sci-fi settings and on modern earth. The more detailed the rules for medieval combat would have been, the less useful for such other environments. The more general, and abstract the rules, the easier you could apply them to laser pistols as well as to swords. 

The rules ommissions in OAD&D were generally done on purpose, so as to not shackle DMs and those writing for the system #522

All of these were grounded in the specific historical evolution or play style of Gary's home campaign. But there are more fundamental benefits of rules light systems, namely that they can be more realistic, and at the same time much more playable than rules heavy ones, at the cost of loss of consistency how a given situation will be handled.

[References: see Greyhawk References]

World Of Greyhawk

This entry contains comments Gary made about the published World of Greyhawk, how it came to be, what the inspirations and backgrounds were, what the plans were would he have remained in charge of it. He himself switched to using that world setting then from the real-world map based one he had used for his home campaign, and set the published modules he wrote and tested for his home campaign there, too. The writeup on Wikipedia provides an excellent overview.

Creation of the World of Greyhawk

When I was asked by TSR to do my World of Greyhawk as a commercial product I was taken aback. I had assumed most DMs would far perfer to use their own world settings. Furthermore, as I was running a game with a large number of players involved, I really didn't want to supply themwith the whole world on a platter. I'll repeat here what has been told before;)

I found out the maximum map size TSR could produce, got the go-ahead for two maps of that size, then sat down for a couple of weeks and hand-drew the whole thing. After the maps were done and the features shown were named, I wrote up brief information of the features and states. Much of the information was drawn from my own personal world, but altered to fit the new one depicted on the maps.

Whatever came out from TSR regarding the World of Greyhawk up through 1985 was from me, with a bit of material added as filler coming from Frank Mentzer after I approved the work.  #1649

When I was asked to create a campaign setting for TSR to market, I did a new and compact "world"--that only in part, of course, as that was all I could fit onto the two maps allowed. So that became the World of Greyhawk. At that point my campaign play gradually moved from the amorphous "real" planet on which Greyhawk was located to the material one published by TSR. Being busy as ever, saving what amounted to duplicate labor was happily accepted. #160

Brian asked me to create a world setting for the A/D&D game as quickly as I could. I took him at his word. First I found out the maximum size map we could print, then hand-drew the double-sized map that appeared in the World of Greyhawk product. [35]

That entailed putting in the terrain features and names, names of states, location and names of major population centeres. The naming part was more work than was placing the map features. That took me about two weeks time. [35]

Writing the material for the whole was fairly easy, as I could look at what I had drawn and let my creative imagination have free reign. Of course having been a DM for many years by that time I was well aware of what sort of variety would please the gaming audience.It was also relatively easy to manage, because I purposely left much of the detail for individual DMs to insert, thus making the setting their own. [35]

As Darlene was working on printable version of the map, I went back and did a bit of further development and polishing to the ms., and that was that. A month of dedicted and constant attention to the project, and finished after about 250 hours work time. Frank Mentzer did some further development, adding his and my later material, for the boxed set version. [35]

I wasn't about to detail a whole bloody world :roll: Besides the amount of effort needed to do that, the time required was not acceptable. TSR wanted a world setting in a month. Thus I asked what the largest map size possible for us to produce was, hand-drew two continent-spanning maps, and while Darlene was converting one to a proper version, I wrote the explanatory material for the other, then did the same for the other map. [35]

As I had other things to do besides the world setting, I devoted myself to the completion of the work so as to be able to return to my other duties...not to mention that it was a project that I was much enthused about designing. [35]

There was no particular competitive reason for the urgency of the design. There was no particular marketing push planned by TSR for the product once it was completed. [35]

The WoG product as published by TSR came into being about two or three months before the date of its printing and sale. Brian said that a campaign setting was needed, so after ascertaining the maximum size map sheet we could have printed, I free-handed the land outlines on those two sheets of paper, used colored pencils to put in terrain features, located the cities, and made up the names for everything. That took me about 1 week. Then I went to work on the text while Darlene made prettier maps out of what I had done. Two or three weeks after the rough maps were done I turned over the text, as there was a big rush to get the product out. [35]

Design Principles

The World of Greyhawk setting was crafted to allow for individualization by DMs, of course, and so was as non-specific and vague in places where the DM was likely to have created his own material. I did intend to expand the world and do some area specifric modules--mostly at the edges of the Flanaess, but that wasn't to be... #4978

The relatively low level of NPCs, and the balance between alignments was done on purpose so as facilitate the use of the world setting by all DMs. With a basically neutral environment, the direction of the individual campaign was squarely in the hands of the DM running it. The Circle of Eight came into the setting when it seemed to me that my PCs were generally too powerful to remain in active play, and they were put into the mix for DMs to use in case they wanted to keep the setting from being dominated by Good or Evil, to a lesser extent Law or Chaos and even true Neutrality. That was done because to my way of thinking dominance by one alignment group tends to restrict the potential for adventuring. #1649

In regards to the timeline for the WoG setting, I had no immediate plan for advancing it as the world was meant to be used by all DMs so desirous, each making it conform to his own campaign needs.

Any special changes added to the setting in "the future" would have been done in modular form so as to be optional. #7346

Decreeing major wars in the Flanaess would have been quite contrary to the design philosophy behind the WoG. It was a template for use by DMs to use in developing their own campaigns based in the milieu. The various alliances and hostilities were set forth, but where they went was meant for each DM to determine as suited his own creative application of the base information. That said, I did indeed find the concept of FtA quite inappropriate #7745

Age of great Sorrow was meant to be the time of the migrating tribes into the Flanaess, as the Oeridians destroyed the older culture and society. I believe I meant the Turmoil Between Crowns to be the time when the Great Kingdom arose. As you likely suspected, those were hooks left for further development...that never got developed.

Inspiration for the World of Greyhawk

Of course a good deal of my wargaming experience, knowledge of history and geography and use of such in other projects came into play in creating the map and the states on it. [35]

Inspiration came from much rading, map making, writing of historical and game materials, and the necessity of producing something that would be lots of fun for everyone. Imagination and creative thought then took over... [35]

Switching to the published Version

Of course as my campaign world was active, had many players, I did not wish to detail it, so I created Aerth, the continent of Oerick, and all that went with it for general use by other DMs. I found I liked it so well that I switched my group's play to the World of Greyhawk soon after I had finished the maps and manuscript. #5479

When I did the map for the World of Greyhawk product I made up 90% of the material on the spot...and liked it better than what I had been doing so switched my own campaign to the newly created world of Oerth. Only the places surrounding the City of Greyhawk came from my original campaign setting. #8253

When I switched to Oerik as the main continent, most of the putdoor adventuring took place to the east and up north around the big lakes. A couple of years back a group from Tennessee visited, and I designed an adventure for them that would indeed take them from Greyhawk all the way west of Zeif, looking for a haunted city there. After eight hours they'd not made it much further that Rel Mord, so that was the end of the adventure. Pity... #3218

Gazetteer

Flanaess: "Flan-AeCE," the stressed syllable almost sounding "ace," the "Ae" like "Ay" perhaps. #1439

Nyr Dyv: "Nir Div," with a punning "Near Dive" when PCs were about to be immersed.

The Egg of Coot is a creation of Dave Arneson's. He has stated that it was drawn from the name of Gregg Scott, a chap who disdained fantasy as "unmanly"--as opposed to the micro-scale armored fighting vehicles he manufactured and purveyed. #3316

The Blackmoor on the Oerick maps is certainly not the same as Dave Arneson's campaign setting. I liked its ring, so put it onto the map as I was making up names for the various states.

Furyondy is sort of an idealized medieval Great Britain with the Norman influence. [35]

The Yeomanry is the idealized English countryside, including the Lowlands of Scotland. [35]

Perrenland is based on the Swiss Confederation where both my father and Jeff Perren's were born [35]

South Province would be Austria, Hungary, or Bulgaria. [GenCon 1998 seminar]

Think of the Great Kingdom as en empire, Aerdi as the core. It is the Great Kingdom because it rules all the other parts outside of Aerdi, just as Great Britain was and is more than England. [35]

Aerdi has Gothic architecture, BTW, while the Great Kingdom has Byzantine... [35]

As the one that conceptualized the character of Ivid V, Overking, I assure you he is demented, malign, and thoroughly evil. Think of the Emperor John Ominer in The Broken Lands by Fred Saberhagen, and then make the mental image more vile and scheming. [35]

With the sad news of Fred Saberhagen's passing fresh in my mind, I must say that the Great Kingdom I pictured as akin to John Ominer's Empire of the East. #7762

[Duchy of Tenh] As I never was privy to any campaign material that was created by Dave, I simply used a name similar to that which had been mentioned by him. #1672

I had the Sulhaut Mountains as the "Lost world" setting in my compaign, although we never did much of anything there as events kept the PCs bust elsewhere. (I wanted to do something fun with the 'Rift as well, but never got there. #3941

As I wrote it Rel Astra is the capital city of the See of Medigia--named for a wargame opponent of mine, BTW, than no one has ever asked about or picked up on, Mike Magida. Perhaps I made the error, or more likely a busy editor inserted the "free city" tab for Rel Astra. One can live with a free city as a capital, of course. London was a free city and the capital of England. [35]

The spell-worker ruling the Valley of the Mage was envisioned by me as a demi-urge in retirement rather akin to Tom Bombadil. #8299

Rift Canyon I alweays envisioned the Roftcanyon as a twilight place full of dangers reminiscent of REH's "Red Nails" short story...plus caves and caverns. There are many ledges and caves along the way down, and one is fortuitous indeed to reach the perils that await at the bottom [27]

[Nerof Gaskal] It is just a name I made up, one that seemed suitable for the persona it identified. Actually, it was inspired by the name of a chap that ran a local butcher shop here in Lake Geneva, Frank Gascal. I suppose that I am attempting to emulate Jack Vance in regards character names. [35]

Peoples

The Flan were not meant to be anything like the American Indians. they were of Hamatic-like racial origin, Negroes if you will. Little is known of them because they were generally absorbed into the waves of other peoples immigrating eastwards through the continent, so their culture was generally lost. #2800

You are correct in regards the Paynims, they being much like the Tiger and Wolf Nomads. All three do have some medium cavalry. The Paynims do not have the long-distance signalling, but have ambush skill. [35]

Additional Continents 

The exact form of the remainder of the globe was not settled upon. I wanted an Atlantis-like continent, and possibly a Lemirian-type one. Likely two large continents would have been added. The nearest would house cultures akin to the Indian, Burmese, Indonesian, Chinese, Tibetan, and Japanese. Another would likely have been the location of African-type cultures, including the Egyptian. A Lemurian culture would have been based off the Central and South American cultures of the Aztec-Mayay-Inca sort.#1094

Yes indeed, Frank spoke truth. As I have said before I did intend to expand the WoG setting to cover the complete planet. In that regard Len Lakofka, Francois Marcela Froideval, and Frank Mentzer were all to be involved in the shape of the added continents and islands. #1992

I had a sketch map of the remainder of the globe, to the east, west, north and south of Oerik. I had planned to have Len Lakofka and Francois Marcela Froideval do parts of the entire world, but that was coming after 1985. So as far as things now stand, there is no remainder of the WoG beyond the original two maps I did. #3699

Len Lakofka had an eastern continental addition as well as the Lendore Isles, so what Iplanned to so was incorporate Francois' and Len's maps with Oerik, complete the lower continent below it, and have a real globe #2819

[Chronicles of the Black Moon] Yes, and yes. His area of Oerth was located to the west, and it included the island of Mephreton.

The would would be a complete globe with more continents and states thereon with contributions from Len Lakofka and Francois Marcela-Froideval. #1082

Pantheon

Only after I had completed the last of the core rules books for AD&D was there time for me to address growing audience interest in the World of Greyhawk and its deities. When the version of that setting was ready for publication, the need for a more detailed pantheon of deities was apparent, so that's when the details were set down. That made Len Lakofka happy too, for I brought in the deities he had been using for his campaign #2732

Pantheons of deities are the usual in authored fantasy, and they suit a role-playing game in that genre well. That is why I adopted the concept so as to have a reason for and empower the clerics in the game.

The World of Greyhawk deities came directly from my creative imaginings, or those of a few others such as Len Lakofka and Roger Moore. #5580

Boccob is a deity, and archmagi are basically mortals or demi-deities. [35]

Erythnul was conceived of a bloody, Nerull as dark and against life. #1762

Erythnul was my conception, and it was inspired by need in the pantheon being created, and the "Demon of Blood & Seed" from Hindu mythology provided the conceptual basis for one of his capabilities.

Kelanan, the Sword Lord, was something I made up out of whole cloth. I do have a fighter PC that kept finding magic swords, totes a number of them around, so there was some inspiration involved from there--he needed a deity [35]

I created the name "Lolth" as a name that seemed "right" for a spider-like demoness. I was not thinking of the mythical Lilith when I made up that name.[35]

Wastri, ah, a favorite of mine. His original appearance was in an early, never fully published (rightfully so) novel called THE GNOME CACHE. In withdrawing to the marshes to live a life of contemplation, Wastri found only that he loves batrachians, that hunting small demi-humans with giant toads was amusing sport, and the only enlightment he received was from the first used to roast prey taken. Perhaps it was a comment on extreme conceits of religious sort.... #341

The giant toads are the steeds of the followers of Wastri, the Hopping Prophet, certainly of Oerth and the pantheon of the Flanaess. #5351

As for Bit T, well, I decided a really nasty and wholly evil deity was needed, so I created Tharizdun from whole cloth. When I wrote the FToT I had that in mind, and from there I developed him into what I hope is a truly dispicable entity. #383

No, the Elder Elemental God I envisaged as an entity of vaguely Chronos-like sort, a deity of great power but of chaotic sort, and not always highly clever in thought and action. Big T on the other hand is the epitome of pure, reasoning and scheming evil. / Eclavrdra, being more of the mold of Tharizdun, would prefer to have as "master" a powerful deity she might hope to influence, thus the EEG. #683

Len deserves the lion's share of the credit, and blame if any, for the Suel deities. I simply did a bit of editing of his work. #8733

Actually many of the Suel, Wee Jas included, were the creation of Len Lakofka #5411

As the deity under consideration here was an invention of Len Lakofka, I can't speak to the source for his creative thinking or to the matter of how her name is pronounced...other than to note that Len said "Wee-Jaz," with a slight stress on the first syllable. #1970

Olidammara is a creation of my own that Len added to his pantheon. #8741

Actually, I can vaguely remember what I envisioned for said deity, Dorgha Torgu. He was based on the Mongolian, so picture a Ghengis Khan-like warrior with a head similarone of the Chinese "General" deities--oni-like, dark blue or bright red, with bulging eyes and protruding tusks and fangs. Garments like those worn by the Mongol leaders, weapons also. [35]

I did the quasi-deities late in the game, so to speak, so only minimal use of them was made by me in the campaign. As the higest level PCs were then in the Evil alignment, they were not at all interested in seeking our such quasi-deities...and getting their butts kicked. [35]

Further Plans had Gary remained in charge of TSR

Had I remained in creative control of the D&D game line at TSR one of the projects I planned was the complete development of of the Oerth world setting, and production of source modules for the various states and outstanding features of the Flanaess--such as the Rift Canyon, the Sea of Dust, etc. #6511

There would be several WoG sourcebooks detailing places such as the Great Kingdom, the "Barbarians (Frost, ice, Snow)," etc.

A major module would be done regarding the area around the Rift and the place proper. Another dealing with the Sea of Dust would be done. Possibly adventures regarding the Scarlet Brotherhood and the Horned Society would be available. Likely a couple of more from Len and Francois would be in the line.

There would be some "portal accessed" adventures, these likely found in a series of modules detailing more of the Underdark and the Sunless Sea. The portals would lead to non-fantasy-genre settings.

In all, for every question answered regarding the world, at least one new one would be created and left unanswered, for my purpose was to have a world that the DM could complete and customize as suited his group.

In all likelihood Castle Greyhawk and the City of Greyhawk would be available products.

That's it off the top of my head--first time I've actually gone to such detail in considering what I would likely have done. #1082

Interestingly, the City of Greyhawk was published as a boxed set by TSR, not the real city, of course, with a nice map, and I bought it, but found it pretty unplayable. A lot of background info, but no outlines of adventures or intrigutes that players could be sucked into.

Yes, when I devised the Scarlet Brotherhood I based the concept on an organization of monks who were augmented by assassins and clerics, with a large number of fighters around, of course.

Most of the play in my campaign was around the Nyr Dyv and westwards. Thus the Brotherhood's machinations were not central to the action. I was planning to do a module to two featuring them, but that didn't happen, so I have no detailed plots regarding them and their conspiricies. As with many places on the continent of Oerik, they were there for use as needed, a tool for the DM #1433

While I am much impressed with the Australian Aboriginies, and also with the Bushmen of Africa, I never contemplated adding them to the mix simply because their cultures are so far from those used as bases for the milieux of Oerth adventuring. The amount of work necessary to establish the groundwork for play therein would be rather daunting, both for the author and the DM utilizing the material. It would be a simpler matter to manage it for the LA game system, but for D&D I can foresee all manner of lengthy additions to the rules being necessary. BTW, by D&D, I am speaking broadly, and mean AD&D as well. #1131

Stoink, "The Wasps' Nest" as it were. The whole place was designed for feloneous activity, double-dealing, and thuggery. It saddened me a lot to have to forget further development, as was the case with Shadowland and a couple of areas of the Flanaess I had hoped to set adventure modules in--the Rift, Scarlet Brotherhood, and the jungles of Hepmonoland in particular. #4754

Shadowland was a module that Skip williams and I were in process of writing when the trouble came and I left TSR. I suggested thereafter that we complete the work, but Skip demurred. No more need be said... #4355

An agathocacological plane of insubstantial stuff has always fascinated me since I began contemplating additional realms. So the shadows from A. Merritt's Creep Shadow, Creep novel were included in the AD&D game, and new and similar monsters added to the projected plane betweem light and darkness. Skip Williams was going to co-author a long adventure module and sourcebook for the place, but he decided to remain a loyal employee of Lorraine Williams instead. I have my notes, but his are amongst them, so doing such a work now is pretty much unlikely. #8264

[References: see Greyhawk References]

Managing Play Group Dynamics

This blog has endless pages on the more technical aspects of role playing games. But role playing games are played by people -- often slightly nerdy, sometimes socially awkward or immature people. There will be differences in opinion and interpersonal issues you will need to sort out to ensure a good experience for all involved, or the group will fall apart, and the game will end.

The Angry DM has a lot of good and practical advise on this. Here is some by Gygax:

As the principal reason to play a game is entertainment, whatever best provides that for the group engaged in play of the game is what is best for those concerned. What more can be said in that regard?

It needs be noted that the GM is a part of the group and needs to be equally amused and entertained, perhaps a bit more than any other single person therein because of his efforts on behalf of the players. #4329

The DM is there to provide entertainment to the players.You are surely a very consciencious DM, maybe too much so. First, you are at least as important as any other participant, so you must have fun too, or something is wring. If you aren't always having fun, likely someone, or several someones, in the group is causing a problem. Weed out such person or persons, and you and the remainder of the players will likely find the game sessions are uniformly enjoyable. #4951

The DM is omnipotent. You might try to plead your case, especially one of rule interpretation and altering action because of the difference, but if he doesn't want to listen, you loose, Buckwheat! Zip your lip and accept with stoic grace. Should this spoil your gaming enjoyment, thell your DM exactly what is bothering you. If an accommodation can be reached, fine. If not, leave the group and find a DM that is more acceptable to your concept of how one should be. In such case I am sure the DM won't miss you nor you him #7893

I have given the PCs damage for players arguing with me or disrtupting the game.[35]

When a player or players became obstreperous I simply rolled a d6 and informed the miscreants that their PCs had suffered that much damage. Unless they wanted more of the same, all misconduct had to cease. I did roll several d6 damage for a couple of very unruly and rebellious young players. When asked why their characters were taking such damage, I said beacuse they had offended the rest of the group, me in particular, and if they wished to play further they had better note the damage, be silent, and mind their manners. [35]

[References: see Greyhawk References]

Castle Zagyg

This is the only version of Greyhawk Castle authored by Gary Gygax that was partially published.

He had had plans to publish a dungeon that captured the essential elements of the various incarnations of Greyhawk Castle, and as he was public on blogs at the time, he shared some of those plans for what he had in mind. The project took longer than expected, Rob Kuntz dropped out and, sadly, Gary died before he could get it done. It is almost as if there was a curse on it. 

I do not understand why he spent years first detailing a small town as a base of operations, when in his own campaign, Greyhawk City only came into ephemeral being after several levels of play in the dungeon. We might well have more levels had he not done that. 

Embedding The Last Castle in the Milieu

The castle and dungeons are separate and "pure", will not be missed when using the campaign setting or require the campaign setting to be used, all the while forming a natural part of the entire Castle Zagyg work. #4414

So as those 24 modules were in progress the similar detailing of the actual abandoned castle ruins and its subterranean levels went into high gear, basing the work on my previous castle ruins and dungeons developed and revised as my campaign matured...and PCs wreaked havoc in these places #8744

Yggsburgh and the City of Dunfalcon

In order to get to the castle and ruins I thought it best to establish a detailed environment and good-sized community for the setting. Thus Castle Zagyg Yggsburgh and the East Mark. Of course, detailing the big walled town by dividing it into quarters or districts, mapping each and showing the buildings with encounter key numbers and text, giving a bit of color for the sector to assist the GM--and doing the same for the suburban communities--then seemed beneficial in order to give a really detailed urban area. To the best of my knowledge that has not been done previously. #8744

Yggsburgh and its environs are well detailed, but they are sufficiently generic to enable the GM to put them into almost any campaign setting. the area is not specific to any world setting, even that of Greyhawk. [11]

Yggsburgh is a town, not meant to be anything like the Free City of Greyhawk. It is smaller and not near any huge lake #4529

The smaller scale of the Yggsburgh project is to facilitate the presentation of the ruins of Castle Zagyg and its many dungeon levels. As it is likely that there will be a good deal of adventuring activity in the town and surrounding countryside, the urban area has been extensively detailed, while the less-developed land around it has been well-described and provided with additional adventure hooks as befits such a setting. #8279

To make a long explanation short, the introductory portion of the module covers that, placing Yggsburgh on the River Nemo running some miles distant to a major city named Dunfalcon that is on the shore of a large lake... #2416

Literaly translated, dun = gray and a falcon is a type of hawk... #4902

Environs

"This module is large in content but the area of land it covers is relatively small, a bit less than 1,500 square miles, an area of some 44 miles east and west, 34 north and south. With some inclusion of areas “off the map,” that size is sufficient for much adventuring but should be small enough, at most perhaps 3,000 or so square miles if all the border areas described in the adventure text are included, to fit into the campaign world, whatever one is used by the Game Master. The area is likewise suitable to serve as the core for building a complete new campaign world around it should that be desired, a major undertaking to be sure, and not a subject for further discussion here." #2416

The River Nemo could be considered as the Neen, and the Urt river likewise one seen on the World of Greyhawk map. there is also the City of Dunfalcon some miles west to Yggsburgh. The area covered by the Yggsburgh work is up to about 3K square miles if the GM expands the map himself so as to take in the demesnes of the three hostile nobles and the borderlands. That is a miniscule area considering the Flanaess, and yet within it there are hundreds of adventures--given and postulated. The cultural and social information in the work are manifold, meat and drink for the GM inclined to develop detailed material for the campaign. #4488

Rob is working on the second part now, a dungeon-like area that introduces the Mad Archmage before he attained deital prowess.  #2064 

This has been published as Dark Chateau, but has little to do with Greyhawk Castle. 

A Huge Undertaking 

It is, as you suppose, a very major undertaking, the restatement of some 50 or so upper castle and dungeon levels into a module usable by other GMs, with clear and easily read links between levels, fully detailed encounters, instructions as to how some of the "mysteries" of the material can be managed according to the desires of the individual GM.  #4414

There are four man-years of work needed to complete the castle levels and dungeons. If we begin work soon, the first part should be ready in a year, with more coming in the way of additional modules every three months thereafter for about two and a half years. I am not sure when i will be able to commence that work, though, and as I must have the lead, that means Rob can't do anything until I feed him the basic material. [11] 

He vastly underestimated how long it would take him. Six years or so later he had not progressed further than the first level. 

A module containing many dungeon levels is perforce huge, a very lengthy and demanding project is properly planned out. The only time I have done a mega-dundeon was for my gaming group. Of course a version of that work in now underway, and it includes the upper castle works as well as many subterranean levels. [11]

The whole of the combined material Rob and I put together would be far too large for publication, 50 levels or so. What I have done is gone back to my original design of more modest scope, because I doubt the work will need to accommodate groups of 20 PCs delving on a daily basis.  #1628

The Castle Was Only Written Up in Sketchy Notes, Most of It Was Improvised

As Rob learned from me, he too DMed by the proverbial seat of the pants method. A single line of notes for an encounter was sufficient for either of us to detail a lengthy description, action, dialog, tricks or traps, and all the rest. As this is not the stuff of modules, we will have to do the same thing as we go over each encounter on the map, actually recording our otherwise extemporized details for the reader. #1628

This will be a lot of work, as we both used very sketchy encounter notes, a single line was typical, for "winging' was the favored approach to all adventures. #1643

That means a lot more text and explanation, for I winged encounters, and as Rob learned from me, so did he.   #1995

Rob and I both DMed on the fly, made only short and often cryptic notes, and thought very much alike, so handing the "castle" back and forth as co-DMs was never a problem. The old material would be basically unusable my most others, of course, encounter notes consisting of only one line from which we created reams of information out of whole cloth on the spot;  #4414

Now you understand why the Castle Zagyg project is such a major design undertaking. If we handed over the binders containing the maps and the notes don't think even the ablest of DMs would feel empowered to direct adventures using the materials...unless that worthy was someone who had spent many hours playing with Rob and me as DM.  #4660

The Castle Was Changed By Play and Reconstructions

To be frank, the castle changed over the years, so "original" is moot. As levels were added by me, new and different things were introduced. When after a couple of year's of time Rob became my co-DM there was a massive alteration in the upper works of the castle, a whole, massive new 1st level was created, and then the level plan for the expanded lower levels of the dungeon was created anew, with the original levels of my making incorperated with those of Rob's dungeons, plus a number of new ones we created to fill the whole scheme. #1628

The maps will have to be re-drawn from originals. The latter were altered as we merged dungeons, and as PCs interacted with the complex. At one time Robilar, Tenser, and Terik converted the first level of the dungeons to their base. In short the original upper and lower parts of Castle Greyhawk changed many times over the years they were in active use.  #1628

Additionally, as that complex was explored and exploited, we created new levels and changed things. In all, the original work was one that was in progress, continually in flux of change.  #1995

The New Work Will Be a BEST OF in the Spirit of the Old Castles

The most interesting and demanding features of levels will be retained.  #1628

What we will do is to take the best of the lot and put that into a detailed format usable by anyone, no "winging-it' required. Note that it is "Zagyg's Castle", so no tedious explanations of how the denizens of the place got there will be needed. #1628

Again, what our challenge is going to be is to cull the extraneous, take the best, and re-create the details we made up on the spot. Of course the most famous things will be there, along with most of the best parts that are not well-known through story and word of mouth.  #1628

The salient features of the original dungeons will be retained, of course. If the work proves to be sufficiently popular we can always supplement the base with add-ons too, just as we did with the campaign material through opening new split and side levels, placing transporters into dungeon areas to move PCs to separate adventure areas akin to those published as separate modules--DUNGEONLAND, LAND BEYOND THE MAGIC MIRROR, and ISLE OF THE APE. #1643

The major features from the original levels he and I designed will be included in the re-design of the castle, just as my original work was incorporated into the huge new dungeon complex Rob and I created by combining our respective castles.  #1995

We will do our best to make the printed version not only true to the spirit of the underlying material, but also accommodating for GMs who wish to have "living" dungeons.   #1995

Our mission is to keep the number of levels presented to a reasonable quantity while covering all the major places and features of the original models. #2064

Of course into the new maps will go the most interesting and remarkable features of the original dungeons Rob and I did separately or jointly. #3249  

So we need to do a lot of re-working and explanatory material even as we reduce the sprawling levels into a more managable and publishable form. As we do that we will most assuredly retrain all of the best material--map ideas, encounters, oddities, and so forth within the revised level plans.  #4414

Meantime, I am collecting all the most salient feature, encounters, tricks, traps, etc. for inclusion on the various levels. So the end result will be what is essentially the best of our old work in a coherent presentation usable by all DMs, the material having all the known and yet to be discussed features of the original work that are outstanding..I hope #4660

None of the traps were such that clever play could avoid their worst effects. I'll say nothing more, as Rob and I are working on updated dungeon levels now that are based off of those original ones you mention above. The whole will not consist of as many levels as we had, but there will be plenty [11]

 

I think this last one is meant to say the opposite: that clever play could NOT avoid worst effects, which would be in line with Garys believe that clever play should be rewarded.

The Final Castle Would have Been Similar to the Old Castle, Smaller than the Merged Castle

Of course, the expanded work's multiple levels will have to be cut back. Having six second level maps is not only impossible for a published work but quite unnecessary for a normal campaign.

Remember, when Castle Greyhawk was in its heyday, groups of 10 or more PCs would adventure in it several times a week, many of the players in each group different from the previous ones. #1628

In short, we'll cut the size back to something in the range of 20 levels, a bit larger than my original work but a lot smaller than the combined material Rob and I used to entertain player groups of 10-20 persons several times a week. #1643

Quantifyng will eat up much time and space, not to mention the re-drafting of old level maps to fit the new configuration we have outlined. #1643

We will use my original scheme of the dungeons, altering them as need be for coherant presentation to a general audience of GMs.  #1995

The original material for the castle and dungeon levels beneath it will be revised and detailed using the old maps and encounter notes. That is the most difficult part of the prohect, as we will have to work from my model of 13 levels, that expanded to about 20 by me, then to over 40 when Rob joined forces with me as co-DM.  #2064

There will be "side levels" that are difficult to find too. #3249 

I have laid out a new schematic of castle and dungeon levels based on both my original design of 13 levels plus sideadjuncts, and the "New Greyhawk Castle" that resulted when Rob and I combined our efforts and added a lot of new level too. From that Rob will draft the level plans for the newest version of the work. #4660

Plan of the layout

from mail by Gary forwarded by Steve Chenault

Part III Upper Works - Castle Ruins

Part IV Beneath the Ground (first three levels)

Part V  The Laboratories, Menagier, Museum (five levels)

Part VI The Deeps (six levels)

Part VII The Caverns - grotto, maze (six levels)

Part VIII Zagig's Way - Lightless Lake, Inferno (three levels) [Numbers below added]

• 1 Storerooms
• 2 Cellars
• 3 Dungeon
• Arena
• 4 Laboratories
• 5 Menagerie
• 6 Museum 
• Catacombs
• Upper Crypts - access Lower Crypts
• 7 Lairs 
• Lower Crypts 
• 8 Labyrinth 
• Warrens  - access from the Labyrinth, accessing the Lower Crypts above, the Vaults below
• 9 Endless Rooms 
• Grand Mausoleum - no entry to the Vaults
• Vaults - no entry to either Endless Rooms or Mausoleum
• 10 Maze
• 11 Grottos (small caves) 
• Pools of Chaos*, normal connections Burrows and Caverns, transporter pools to various other dungeon level locations on a one-way basis.
• 12 Caves 
• Burrows - connecting to the level below, and Caverns
• 13 Caverns
• 14 Lightless Lake
• 15 Little Inferno
• 16 Zagyg's Zone (or some such name).

The Floor Plans Would have been Made New

The plan is to create entirely new maps, so none of the areas in the castle and dungeons will ever have been previously explored. #3249 

Of course there won't be transporter gates to existing modules, but we will probably have them with suggested destinations. #4516

The Storerooms, level 1 of the dungeon, seem to be embedded in a new "mouths of madness" and upper works setting, but they seem to match very closely the map of the old first level of the expanded dungeon, matching descriptions on many points, and matching an older map. So I think, alternations and adjustments to the maps would have been minor.

Mysteries Would Have Remained Mysteries

Finally, we will not give all away. Where there are great mysteries involved, such as the Great Stone Face and the Disappearing Jeweled Man, we plan to offer the GMs several possible answers :D Overall, the PCs adventuring in the dungeons will encounter the same challenges as faced the original delvers in 1972 and onwards, that Robilar discovered and Mordenkainen met. #1995

Rob Dropping Out 

As Rob adventured a lot in my original castle, I in his, and we also co-DMed groups, we knew each others style, and what the castle should "feel" like, what the mysterious areas were all about, etc.

Working without him means I have to a great deal additional explanatory material for the growing list of special encounters I have on hand, expend a lot of time communication with another writer or team of same, carefully content edit each piece of the project. #6182

As a matter of fact, Rob Kuntz and I have parted company since he reneged on his agreement to co-develop the Castle Zagyg campaign project material, doing so in a most ungentlemanly manner. I was taken aback at that since he originally approached me to do the work and then agreed to terms set forth in a written agreement, accepted an advance payment. All I can assume is that he is going through some rough personal times. [11]

Large parts of the text actually written by Stephen Chenault of Troll Lord Games

When I was developing Castle Zagyg for Gary, I was unabashed in my efforts to include CAS elements to the whole, including Tsathoggua-like gargoyles in the ruins in front of the castle; also, in "The Storerooms" a certain sorcerer who sequestered himself behind a series of illusions, and if the illusions were overcome (I'm looking at you, Ro(a)bilar!"), the sorcerer would place a geas on the intruders, directing them to confront the hill giant of the Storerooms (which could be an insurmountable task for low level PCs); and lastly (to my recollection), in the basement of the castle proper their was a summoning chamber carved of yellow ivory. Well, these are the CAS elements that immediately spring to mind, and Gary was not opposed to any of these, though I think he may have passed (i.e. post March 2008) before I developed the yellow ivory summoning chamber. Anyway, he may not have been as big a CAS fan as Rob is, but he certainly did not dislike him. [42.5, CAS = Clark Ashton Smith, RJK's favourite fantasy author]

[References: see Greyhawk References]

Great Greyhawk Campaign: Playtest Modules

After the original adventures in Castle Greyhawk and the wilderness, when the World of Greyhawk had been published, play moved on to be mostly playtesting of modules for publication, from Village of Hommlet, to Temple of Elemental Evil, Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, Against the Giants, to Into the Depths of the Earth, as described separately. The campaign never finished, with Gary being booted out of TSR and losing the rights to the world he had created. 

He also published the "tournament modules" Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and Tomb of Horrors -- at least the latter was also adventured in by his group.

The old AD&D modules are best played with the system for which they were intended. Having some skill usage and abilities outside of the PC classes will broaden the scope for the DM and the players alike. [35]

I would put in an module's location wherever it suited the campaign at the time...mainly near where the PC party was. [35]

Of course the ones with which I am really familiar are those I wrote or co-designed. Of those, the ones I most enjoyed DMing were G1-3. D1-3, S3, and T1 and Temple of Elemental Evil...although I must say that running The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Dungeonland, anf Isle of the Ape were fun for me if not uniformly enjoyed by the players :eek: All the others fall into a second place, including the ToH :lol: #6104

In modules I authored I created and named the characters for player use. This was done without reference to any existing PCs. Actually, I made the characters as if I would want to play them personally, then stuck them with rather questionable names for the sheer delight of being able to do that. I suspect it was a case of over-reaction to seeing so many really purile and stupid PCs names over the years...and I include my own PC fighter Yrag in that lot [35]

D&D Basic Set Exampel Dungeon (Tower of Zenopus)

J. Eric Holmes did design the sample dungeon in the first D&D Basic Set. [35]

The Tower' [of Zenopus] was Eric's...possibly with input from his son who was a young teenager back then. [35]

Find all the detail about Gary's edits to the original manuscript at Zenopus Archives. 

B2 Keep on the Borderlands

I believe this is the only one that was not adventured in by his original group. 

Many DMs contactd TSR stating that their adventure material was lacking, asking that we publish modules that they could use. If course we had to have a beginner's module for the D&D Basic Set... [35]

The B2 module was written to introduce newbies to the wonders of D&D adventuring. It is not "ecologically correct," but it is fun and entertaining, packed full of new and different challenges. Just between you and me, it makes as much sense as most things in the D&D game such as massive flying dragons that breathe various deadly things. Those who swallow the camel of the entire concept, then strain at gnats of particular monster or situation seem to be be losing much of the basis for playing. However, that sort of thing happens as one becomes familiar with the fanciful and begin to qualify the experience by comparison to reality. As you note, modules for more experienced players have more rationalization for setting and encounters.

The short answer is, if you enjoy DMing the KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS, then why not use it? If the players question anything, make up something on the spot to answer the challenge #1671

[B modules other than B1, B2] To be blunt, most of those places never existed in my campaign world :wink: There was no need for them as I had no problem creating new adventure material for those that played in my campaign. [35]

DMG Example Dungeon 

The example you note was created especially for the DMG and was not a part of the GH campaign. Wherever possible I kept the two separate so as to have the large group playing in the campaign getting new material. #1996

I believe the story here is more complicated. There is some fantastic sleuth-work that shows suprising similarities between the DMG Dungeon and the Moathouse Dungeon. Likely the original Moathouse dungeon was the progenitor for both the published version and for this map.

Village of Hommlet, Temple of Elemental Evil, Stoink and the freeing of Zuggtmoy

I have DMed for so many people that after so much time has passed since running adventures in the Villiags' and environs, I'm quite unable to recall the many details of those events. I do not usually make noted of gaming sessions, save for correcting the working draft of the scenario of when doing campaign reports--that I have little time for or inclination to labor over.  [35]

The village and main temple areas were carefully mapped before I began adventure sessions in the area. The random generation was used mainly in developing the land around the village and some of the side areas surrounding the main rooms I had done for the temple dungeons.

As a side note, the random tables worked quite well, but they took too long. I found that it was easier and quicker for me to just bash ahead as usual and put in whatever I liked at the moment. #1793

I play-tested the VoH, ToEE, and the unpublished, lost Bandit City of Stoink with a large group of players including my Son Luke and Skip Williams. It was the base for a whole new campaign I started  [35]

Along with the Village of Hommlet module, Temple of Elemental Evil was what I planned as part of an ongoing demi-campaign series, something regarding Stoink to be the third, and then wherever my own group's play led for a concluding offering. #5672

My group spent a lot of time with adventures in Nulb and Stoink. That's another reason why I didn'd add more dungeon levels to the Temple...no need, as dungeon crawling was not paramount #6506

The Moathouse was subsumed as being built by a local lord some decades before the ToEE came into existance. #8683

After a lot of adventuring fun in Hommlet, and a foray into Nulb, the team went into the ToEE, explored, fought, withdrew, and came back again repeatedly. Robilar went in alone, smashed some magically shut gates with a pillar, and freed Zuggtmoy. Scenario over. #2749

When the WoG was completed, I decided to start a new campaign based on Oerth rather than continue using my generally undetailed parallel earth setting. Thus I created the VoH, ToEE, Nulb and Stoink for nearby town adventures. As I had the whole envisioned from the start, there was a good deal of continuity in the end products. the Temple was meant to be the dungeon crawl base replacing Castle Greyhawk, and more levels would have been added, but... 

When Robilar freed Zuggtmoy, I pretty well scrapped the idea of using it for ongoing adventures for my group, vowing to get back to finishing it eventually. As I was not able to do much DMing thereafter, that never happened, so Frank browbeat me into having him complete the unfinished ms. for the ToEE. Of course, that did not have the added levels, but it was complete and in order.

Frank followed my initial material, understands that I write with mainly critical details only so as to encourage the DM to make the work his own. #4698

To cut to the chase, his possession of the orb is not general knowledge to the leaders of the Temple--only the general location of the object inside the place. Falrinth is as you describe him, self-interested and not particularly devoted to the aims of those who are in charge of the place. [35]

Lolth never made any appearances, but Zuggtmoy did. When Robilar freed her (yes, he again loosed another deital figure) she was grateful, took him off to her layer of the Abyss to be one of her favored servants... Robilar, and he was a veteran adventurer at this time, was not a happy camper then. #374

The Demoness Queen of Fungi was not so clever, Robilar was brash. He tossed a pillar through the door sealing Zuggtmoy into the chamber in the ToEE. She got a look at the handsome adventurer, noted his evil aura, and as a reward for freeing her carried him off to the Abyss as her body servant. I did no go into details there, but eventually Robilar convinced her of the imcompatability of a lawful evil servant in her realm, so she sent his back to the PMP.  #5451

Rob was rather upset when his main PC was likewise treated, Robilar's orc henchman Quij, made a poncho out of the Flying Carpet he was guarding due to the long wait and cold nights, and eventual seige of his castle as word got out that Robilar had freed the evil from the Temple of EE... #5453

As for the Temple of Elemental Evil, Zuggtmoy is unkillable. she can be set free or sent back to the Abyss, but the PCs can not destroy her. #5599

No need for me to look at any other's take on the Demoness Queen of Fungi, the Zyggtmoy I created is the ONLY true exposition IMO. That is the depiction presented in the ToEE, of course #4838

WG4 Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun

Actually the muse strick, so I devised the darkest evil entity I could envision, then devised the supposed tomb scenario to see how players would have their PCs react to it. Only a few felt the strangeness of the place, the sadness evoked by the loss of horrific evil. I did indeed control the art direction of that module. #5457

The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun was done with as much melodrama and pathos as I could muster for a rotter such as I envisaged that one to be. A few DMs really appreciate the mood of the module, its underlying implications. I specifically selected the unusual art to enhance the "different" aspect of the work. I say all that for your benefit when perusing the material. #4411

Of course The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun reflects my DMing:D #1250

The vile evil of Tharizdun is such that the adventurers must be comprimised to some extent in order to gain any real material reward from his temple. the truly benign party that refuses to yield thus to gain riches should be rewarded by special XPs. Likely I should have stated that, but when I wrote the module I was still making assumptions regarding the perspicacity of the vast majority of DMs that would use the adventure material...as if they could read my mind :\ #4432

S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

Just a typo there. My original spelling was Tsojcanth, a name I made up to sound exotic even in the WoG context. #8702

I invited Rob to co-write the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth with me, after a couple of my PCs had adventured in his similarly mapped area. He declined, so I created a different map from that which he had made, and devised original encounters as well. #6138

G1-3 Aainst the Giants

As a case in point, when I did the "Giants" series, I began with only the hill giants fort, but as that developed, the concept of a larger adventure came, so that by the time I had finished G1, the springboards for G2 and G3 were well in mind, and the whole of the underworld to follow as well. #1698

What has astonished me is than no group I know of has ever attemptet of impersonate young giants in the G1 adventure. I set it up so that could be done and would likely be effective too... #4965

By the time I wrote the G and D series modules, the group of players I DMed for had altered considerably from that of the early 70s, although Ernie and Rob and Terry Kuntz were still there. The adventures in the two series were indeed a part of the overall campaign, and a number of the PCs involved belonged to TSR employees, including Tim Kask and James Ward. We played in the TSR building a good deal after regular working hours.

The successful handling of the G and D series didn't really have any impact on the campaign, save to beef up the PCs. When the lads managed to penetrate all the way to the Vault of the Drow it was most disheartening to me. They took one look around and made haste to get away, so they never did much in the way of wreaking havoc down there, let alone run into Lolth or the Elder Elemental God. #2308

G3

[King Snurre near the Entrance] Thinking back I most likely did it so as to offer a really major challenge to the adventuring party early on. While I didn't mention it, when I DMed the scenario I had King Snurre move to another area and set up an ambush with his flunkies when the PCs returned loaded for bear to get him. I recall Jim Ward's PC used a magic jar spell to take over the queen, and the party were nost eager to get poor little Obmi #5360

The dragon was there as a part of the muscle of the fire giants--for attack and defense. It was not a part of a singular plot, but there as a general member of the overall one. #5660

Someone suggesting hit-and-run teleport tactics or deporting to the etheral or astral plane to rest:

If you apply the danger of use of the teleport spell, it is likely that there will be some dangerous times for the PCs. also, after a second raid such as you describe the giants would surely get help not otherwise mentioned in the module, say some objects that dispel magic. [35]

Those on the Ethereal Plane are able to see the PMP vaguely, as if thtough a thick haze or several layers of gauze. Assume vision extends out to a maximum of 30 feet, although movement of large objects could be noted at 60 feet distance. That you suggest for using the Ethereal Plane as a resting place is chancy, for many potent monsters can become ethereal and do so, traveling the place. If PCs playing in my campaign tried the tactics you suggest, they'd end up getting little rest and fighting a lot of opponents more dangerous than giants. When a few dismembered carcasses of PCs come flopping out of the Ethereal Plane I suspect the concensus will be that it is not a viable means to cheap success in quests of heroic sort. [35]

Indeed the Astral Plane is similar to the Ethereal, albeit there are even worse perils to risk when hazarding that plane other than for direct travel to a destination. (In short, it is up to the DM to make certain that the players do not get away by cheap tricks, the louts!) [35]

S1 Tomb of Horrors

A chap named Alan Lucien gave me the inspiration...as I believe I stated in my original ms. for the module.  [35]

[Tournament Modules] There was little change from the campaign version of the modules in the published versions--added pregen characters is about all as I recall. #5776

The Tomb of Horrors was inspired by material sent to me by Alan Lucien, and I believe I have credited him in this regard, but it has been so many years I can not recall where and how. Anyway...

The place was designed to test the mettle of the best players, stretch their ability to the maximum. That it did, while nor a few PCs belonging to very capable players bit the proverbial dust. Those players with real cran came back and kept trying until their PCs suceeded or else the DM grew weary of running the module. As I have mentioned, in my group only Rob Kuntz managed to get to the end of the advbenture, Robilar losing all of his orc flunkies at the onset, in the initial passage. When he found the tomb of the demi-lich Robilar scooped all the magical treasures he could into his bag of holding and ran off leaving the demi-lich hanginf, as it were. Tenser retreated from the perilous place, as did Terik.

Of course Mordenkainen never entered the place, but had he, the wily wizard would surely have come with his most potent associates, and brought plenty of powerful magic along. As with most other dedicated players, I too am averse to losing my favirite and long-luved PC. #5480

The material in the ToH was for narrative purposes, color. I didn't wish to make the demi-lich an ongoing antagonist, for I thought it far too limited, so no details beyond those given in the module were developed. that sort of treatment also allows for free creative rein if one wishes to further exploit the subject [35]

Only the most veteran of my group attempted to explore the ToH with their regular PCs. Son Ernie and Terry Kuntz retreated when they discovered how difficult and deadly a dungeon their PC faced. Rob Kuntz with PC Robilar made it to the end, losing some dozen or so orc troops along the initial route, and when faced with the rising skull of the demi-lich did the logical thing for his character--scoooped up the treasure and retreated in utmost haste. Note all of those forays were by single PCs, Robilar accompanied by flunkies.

A number of large parties of PCs made the journey into the tomb, some with many survivors, and two I know of defeated the demi-lich. The most innovative solution was by a tournament group that used the reverse end of the scepter to touch the crown gained with it in the throne room. When the skull arose one of the PCs popped the crown on it, another used the scepter, and the demi-lich was powder. Russ Stambaugh was their DM, and when he told me what they had managed to pull off, I awarded them first place hands down.

The adventure is meant to be deadly, kill off all the unwary PCs, and make the survivors paranoid. It is best played with characters created for the adventure, not the regulars in a campaign, as the ToH is unforgiving and often results in TPK. #2003

I didn't actually do much in the way of background, leaving that open so that when I brought Acererak into some yarn before he became a lich, after a demi-lich, I would have more creative freedom. #5110

I initially said Ace-RE-rak, then changed it to A-CER-er-AK because it sounded more exotic and threatening to me  [35]

As far as I am concerned, there is absolutely no connection between Acererak and Vecna! #8770

I never allow summoning of monsters in the ToH, so the party that enters can not be reinforced along the way. #6948

Robilar did venture into the ToH with a dozen of his orc bodyguards, but the lot were wasted in the entrance passage--I placed the pit traps knowing Rob's thinking and so got an orc in each and every one. Robilar tossed the last of them into the demon-mouth sphere of anhilation, then ventured on alone throughout the remainder of the module, got to the end, and as I said before, looted the treasure and fled without confronting the demi-lich. #4462

Robilar did that deed, but he then beat feet, no teleporting spell involved. IIRR, he had replaced his lost Boots of Flying with Boots of Speed :uhoh: I was quite unprepared for such a dirty trick #7749

As son Ernie has said, when Tenser saw the nature of the tomb he simply retired from it not caring to risk life and limb for whatever treasure it might hold. Anyway, as far as I am comncerned, Acererak needed some great source of magical negative energy to return to regular lich state, be able to manage such a return to his former "glory." #7747

Ernie playing Tenser didn't go for the situation and cleared out. Rob playing Robilar made it to the end, grabbed all the loot, and didn't bother fighting the demi-lich--not much profit in that by his estimation, not with all the treasure in his bag of holding.  #4422

A good example is the Origins I dungeon -- incidentally drawn from a similar tomb designed by Alac Lucion. Very few of the players who engaged in the tournament were able to think out the problems. In a test run, Rob Kuntz, in his game persona as a 13th level (evil) lord went through the entire tomb in four hours actual time. He took 14 orcs and a couple of low-level flunkies with him. He lost all the party, but his character personally looted the lich's tomb and escaped with the goodies. [46]

The original typewriter pages of the tournament module for ToH still exist and can be compared to the published module, for confirming Gary's recollection.

D1-3 The Underdark

My concept was that Eclavdra was aiming at dominance of the Drow through using the EEG to replace Lolth. she, as the chief priestess of the elemental deity would then be the mistress of all. The final scenario was to have been one in which the adventurers got involved in the battle between the evil entities and made it so that both lost and were tossed back to their own planes, relatively powerless in the Mundane world for some time to come.  #862

All the material in the D series was done exclusively by me, illustrations aside, of course. The additional areas of the underworld were sketchily detailed, but I have no idea where those notes have ended up:(

My players were not much delighted with the thought of continuing adventures there, so my efforts came to no useful end. My next plan was to detail the city or Erelheicindlu, but the lads absolutely refused to take their characters into the place #1349

They felt the risks weren't worth the possible rewards. It was much the same in regards to adventuring on the Isle of the Ape where they calculated that the likelihood of PC death was too great for any possible gain thet might come from successfully managing the whole adventure. In sum I believe that they also didn't want to have to do all the roleplaying necessary to deal with the potent evil creatures they'd encounter regularly in the Drow city. #1364

The Sunless Sea was indeed meant to serve as a place for further subterranean adventuring, of course. Always leave some room for that sort of thing, obvious or concealed in the setting #862

To discover the temple the party was meant to do some big-time roleplay by entering the city of Erelheicindlu and mixing in with all the Evil NPCS and monsters there, ask questions, mabe even take a prisoner and question that one. Of course, many of the inhabitants of the Vault would know where the fane was located, so the DM could decide how to manage the matter--bribery, threat, whatever. #832

Oddly enough my group was not enamoured with the Underdark, especially the actual Vault of the Drow. I had hoped to make things rough with the vampire and succubus couple but they immediately became suspicious and alert when they saw the beautiful moonlit garden. #7128

I had hoped to get to the Elder Elemental god in a sequel to the ToEE, but... #860

I wrote the D Series after the G ones, and both were set in the Flanaess, for by that time I had finished the world setting. It was easier for me to use it, what with the complete map and all #4351

As for other large-scale maps, I was tinkering with some, developing ideas for more adventures in the depths, but none of my players, and that includes the most able with very potent PCs much cared to explore there, so I scrapped the plan. #263

Well, Iggwilv could be anywhere it seemed a good place for her to have living or other sort of quarters :eek: If the party were sufficiently strong, they could indeed have an encounter with that lovely lady... #4690

D3 Vault of the Drow

The G series of modules were aimed at testing PCs of mid level, and the D series were for higher level characters. The Drow city of Erelhicindlu was meant to be a scary place for 16th - 18th level PCs.

Outside of the Vault of the Drow, I have run very few high-level adventures. All of my players retired their PCs from general play when those characters reached the mid-teens in level. As most groups are of lower level, having a potent character with a party of lesser sort was not much fun.

I never used the tarrasque (Francois did in his games, also demi-deities). When wishing to challenge high-level PCs I use a combination of potent monsters, including demons or devils and tricks and traps. The encounter with the vampire and succubus in module D3 is a good example of that. #1975

You are the first one outside my family and confidants to note the relationship between Belgos the vampire and Bela Lugosi. [35]

If I could revisit something, two adventures spring to mind immediately--the city of Erelheicindlu in THE VAULT OF THE DROW and the Elder Elemental God and what might lie below the ToEE. #49

Although I did my best to get them to adventure in the city, none of them were willing to take the risks required. So they avoided the place as assiduously as they did the Isle of the Ape and my favorite critter, Oonga. [35]

We did have PC in the place during a tournament we played at one of the small cons TSR ran in the winter, spring, and autumn; and one group did roam around a bit in Erelheicinlu without mishap. Another party were spotted by Drow, promised fair treatment if they surrendered, and they did just that. Of course the lot of them were stripped and sacrificed to Lolth. [35]

Isle of the Ape

Terik was also the main actor in the various IotA [Isle of the Ape] adventures, as he took great exception to the chief's and witch doctor's initial treatment of him. A series of attacks followed, with retreats coming in due course, and then return visits with comrades to take revenge. Only after finally roughly handling the native population did the crew go into the island's interior. One PC, and I won't say which, met Oonga, got grabbed, wrenched, bittem, thrown down, and then drop-kicked off the ledge of the cave. A wish was expended to save him. That ended all interest in further adventuring there #436

As for the Isle of the Ape, most of my guys hared it, but I loved that module, as I love the original King King motion picture #5854

Orcus and Asmodeus

When playing in what became the D3 module someone in the group managed to gate in Asmodeus, and another character called for some entity as strong as that to oppose that devil. Of course I brought in Orcus when the call for assistance was deemed successful. The two are actually opposed of course... They had a fine time laughing at the grovelling mortals, then failed to agree as to who got whose souls. The dispute escallated, and the party escaped.

Not a lot of demons and devils were encountered in my campaign, and when they were it was usually a major fight to get rid of them. They tended to keep gating in reinforcements.

I would sometimes create a unique sort of minor demon or devil for the party to deal with, but. with the plethora of other monsters available this was a rare and "special" thing. #1107

As my campaign never got to the point where the PCs were of a level to dare any encounter with deities of even lesser sort than Orcus, the sum total of my development of the demon lords is pretty much contained in the core monster books.

The only anecdote I have regarding Orcus is this: When a party I was GMing was in the D3 module, they got into such trouble that they pleaded for divine intervention withoug being specific. As this was successful (a d% roll of 00), I had Orcus appear, he being the most potent deity likely to have attention focused in that area. At that point the party was toast, so knowing that they again pleaded for divine intervention, this time specifying a deity opposed to a demon lord, but no more. Again they managed a successful roll, so Asmodeus appeared. Having an immediate understanding of what was happening, the two Evil deities did not fight, not did they bother with the foolish mortals who had summoned them. That was beneath them, of course. So they gated out and left the party to their fate. A couple of the characters actually managed to survive. #1361

A group of players, including regulars that should have known better, did something that brought either Demogorgon or Orcus, I can not recall which it was, to the location of their relatively high-level PCs. They used a wish to call a potent deity opposed to that demon prince, not specifying that the one desired be of Good alignment, so who should appear but Asmodeus.

They were glad to escape with their lives, for I rules that the two great lords of Evil were so amused by such stupidity that they found it beneath their dignity to expunge such bumblers, that they would soon manage that themselves without the helping hand they could employ. #8675

In one tournament session at a Autumn Revel, as I recall, a team managed to bring Asmodeus to their location. In desperation, one of their number called for a diety opposed to that devil to come to them. Being a kindly DM, I had Orcus arrive instanter. Oddly, the party were not in the least happy that I allowed such "divine intervention." I suppose it is because the two Evil beings took stock of the situation, saw no reason to fight amongst themselves, and simply divided up the "spoils" between them and left... #374

Q1 Demonweb Pits

I had what I consider a much more interesting plan for the conclusion of the G-D series, one in which the PC party could loose the Elder Elemental god or send him into deeper isolation, thus assisting Lolth to become more powerful. By very astute play, they could have thwarted the designs of both evil entities. The Demonweb Pits were indeed envisioned as maze like, but there were to be no machines therein. #6349

There was a link between the Drow modules and the ToEE, mainly in my head, and after Q1 came out I rather lost interest in developing the former, as the EEG was not released from his banishment to a distant star (ala Set). I would have devised some other scenario to accomplish that, only the Drow and Lolth were not to be emulated in a hurry, and I ran oput of time to make the attempt, so Frank badgered me into having him complete the ToEE. #5615

Lolth is meant to be a horrific demoness, something worse that the creepiest of arachnids, and her domain was meant to be one of shadows and webs and all manner of nasty lurkers waiting to pounce. The maze was fine, but all the rest, expecially the mechanical stuff, was not at all what I planned. #6391

I did not write Q1, nor did I approve of it. complain to the Blumes, for they insisted on publishing it against my objections.

As for the chief antagonist, it was meant to be Exlavdra on behalf of the EEG, with the minions of Lolth, not the demoness per se., being second and a counterweight to the former as noted. The latter will fight against the Eilservs and tolerate for a time the presence of a PC party that is discommoding their foes.

When their efforts to free the Elder Elemental god from exile were thwarted, Eclavdra did indeed switch her allegience to a demon so as to remain powerful. The term Chaotic Evil suits all of the Drow well.

As for Q1, Ask Dave Sutherland and Brian Blume about that. It was taken out of my hands by the latter when Sutherland discovered the "Demonweb" pattern in a hand towel and talked Brian into using it as the main theme for the concluding module. I had no creative control over it.

I have said repeatedly in print that the Q1 module was Dave Sutherland's interpretation of Lolth, and most certainly not mine. In truth I thoroguhly disapproved of the work but Brian Blume had it produced. Steam power indeed :mad: #5599

When Dave Sutherland did the Q1 as it was, and Brian okayed it, I was rather stuck. Lolth was supposed to be in there, and in the depths the prison of the Elder Elemental God. I had my hands full with the management of the D&D Entertainment Corp. out on the West Coast, so I couldn't get to the completion of the ToEE. That's when Frank Mentzer took a hand and filled in the lower levels that I hadn't detailed. That's why they ended where they did instead of proceeding downwards more to where the EEG's area was going to be. #1421

Dave brought into the TSR offices, then at 723 Williams St., a towel that had a marvelous design that was perfect as a demonweb, so that's how he got into the project for creating the Q1 module. My outline for the whole was for a demi-plane outside of the Abyss, a great spiderweb with encounters at junctions along the way to the center, Lolth's abode there in the middle. The PCs would need to gather pieces of an artifact based on the four elements in the web in order to be able to face the demoness and send her packing back to the abyss. Of course, that would have called back the Elder Elemental God from his place of banishment... #5602

[Four shapes in the egg in Q1] When I wrote an adventure I always tried to put in a few disguised hooks for later exploitation, or not, as the creative muse moved me.

As you note, the shapes were repeated in the ToEE as I did intend to tie the latter into the series. Lolth was to be connected to the temple, she the key to activation of that which would remove the imprisoning bonds from the Elder Elemental God. Of course that would have been by unintended consequences of her actions when the PCs discovered her.

How it was all to operate was something I never did get fleshed out. This was to happen in the lower levels of the temple, the development of which I never got around to because of my work out on the West Coast. #1423

I was reserving Lolth, the drow, and even the Elder Elemental God for detailed treatment in a separate yarn that never got written. Seems the popularity of the dark elves rather closed that avenue--Bob Salvatore's books and all. #1288

I was intimating that Lolth had taken a shine to Lareth, as he was beautiful, regrrdless of where his loyalties, if you will pardon the misapplication of the concept, lay. Lolth too can covet another's property... #6478

Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

I authored the Expedition to the barrier peaks, and it was a downed space vessel as noted, nothing based on any other work. #4498

The End

As a matter of fact I ceased the campaign in 1985 when I severed all times with TSR. #6948

[All Gygyx Campaign]

Keep on the Borderland

Village of Hommlet

Temple of Elemental Evil

Dungeonland

Land beyond the Magic Mirror

Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun

Steading of the Hill Giant Chief

Glacial rift of the Frost Giant Jarl

Hall of the Fire Giant King

Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure

Tomb of Horrors

Descent to the Depths of the Earth

Shrine of the Kuo-toa

Vault of the Drow

Isle of the Ape

(Necropolis, final portion)[35]

Necropolis

The Necropolis super-module was inspired by my own initial dungeon encounter area with an Egyptian theme. As I was studying/researching the Ancient Egyptian religion and the Duat underworld, the whole was pretty easy to create at the time. [35]

Castle Greyhawk at Conventions around 2005

How right you are, though, about the newer players not knowing when to retreat so as to fight another day! that's how my Old Guard Kobolds came into being, grew to be a force--killing PC parties that stayed and fought when it was clear they couldn't beat the little buggers. #3426

I have DMed OD&D, the three-booklet really original version, at a dozen cons over the past few years. I have players roll 3d6, record the scores in order. and play the characters as developed thus. I do modify the rules in regards HPs, have any 1 rolled count as a 2. We have a great time. Of course that's mainly due to nostalgia on the players' part, and I do my best to make the dungeon crawl exciting and unusual--encounters such as those with my Old Guard kobolds. #1751

As a DM I made lemonade out of the "lemons" of the new players' reluctance to flee, to stand and die before a foe that was trashing them. That is how the Old Guard Kobolds came into being, and they have grown in both individual ability, numbers, and organizarion so they now pose a meaningful threat to PC parties of 4th or 5th level. Sadly, a group of such PC that were veterans took most of them out, but it was a casual play session, so I won't count it against the little humanoids #5651

Of course I not only think that they are, but have observed the coddled state of many new gamers as they died before my now beloved Old Guard Kobolds or met otherwise useless deaths because they: 1) were not thinking, and/or 2) assumed that whatever they met in an encounter they could deal with, and/or 3) they expected a special DM intervention such as a save when they totally screwed up.

Finally, there is no distinction between "having a PC figure something out" and the player doing so, Unless a psychotic schizophrenic is playing, the two are not separate entities, as the player is making believe he is the game character. #5645

I just played a house ruled OD&D (three booklet) adventure at the Winterdark convention here, taking six created-on-the-spot 2nd level PCs on a dungeon crawl through the upper levels of my original Castle Greyhawk campaign, those dungeon levels being created in 1972 and 1973. #8670

In brief: We are using the three booklets. HP rolls are re-done if a 1 comes up. Fighters add +1 per die, and all PCs add +1 if their Con is above 14. Fighters add +1 damage for Str above 14. Dex does not affect AC just missile attacks. That's about it. #2217

As for the mule, a wandering monster was indicated--the mule and the cart are noisy and attract a good deal of likely unwanted attention. As it was left alone, the mule was the prime target for the hungry gelatinous cube. #8077

The Small Greyhawk Campaign 2007

Gary reran in the upper levels of an abbrevieated version of Castle Greyhawk in a home campaign. This is of course a great source of information on the dungeon. Also, his rules amendmends may give some insight on how he thinks things should be handled, although they may differ from the way he used to run it in 1973.

I have only the 40 or so levels of the original Castle Greyhawk for A/D&D play. I am using seven of them in a separate format for this particular mini-campaign. In play-testing the Well of Shadows LA game adventure, my veteran players found the number of levels, seven therein, about as demanding and intense as enjoyable. Seven dungeon levels for a crawl is about twice that number in a formal module, so I know I have plenty of material to keep the group delving. #2938 

Yes, only the three booklets and with house rules adjusting HPs and the effects of high, 15 or better, attributes of Str, Int, Wis, Dex, and Con. Each is given a +1 benefit to stats or spells. #5558

GYGAX HOUSE RULES 2007

• STR > 14: +1 to hit and +1 to damage if a Fighter

• INT > 14: +1 1st level m-u spell

• WIS > 14: +1 1st level cleric spell

• DEX > 14: +1 to AC, and +1 to move silently

• CON > 14: +1 HP per HD (same as a Fighter class gets, +2 if a

Fighter)

• CHA > 14: +1 (positive) on reaction checks

• HPs: Characters are only unconscious at 0 HPs. For each level a

character may have a minus HP total equal to the level, so a 1st level

PC is dead at -2, a 2nd level at -3, etc.

• When taking damage allow -1 HP per character level

[From a Gygax post via Cyclopatreon, after the original forum post went down. I believe the last bullet is not some kind of damage resistance, which would entirely negate most attacks once you'd get to level 8 or so, but means the same as the second to last bullet, you can survive to -1 HP per level, so at level 3 you could take damage to -3 HP and still live. It's not clear to me why this last bullet would be needed, but the other interpretation sounds just too insane.]

My campaign group here is playing in a turncated version of the original dungeons that has indeed been "upgunned" because PCs have enabled the monsters inhabiting the levels to become better armed and most astute in their tactics. That said, I made the group begin 3rd level characters in hopes that they would feel more confident in exploring lower levels. THAT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO, AND NOW THEY HAVE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE 1ST LEVEL MAPPED, AND ONLY A 3RD LEVEL M-U AND HIS GUARDS, A BAND OF GOBLIN SLAVERS, PLUS THE TWO COMPLEXES IN WHICH THE OLD GUARD KOBOLDS HOLD REMAIN AS ACTIVE ENCOUNTERS.

You are correct about the power of the PCs. I am using original D&D rules with only some few additions, so HPs and spells are limited drastically at 1st level. (At the time when those rules were written, it was assumed a typical adventuring party would have about 8 PCs plus as many hired men-at-arms #2168

We are playing the three-booklet version of D&D now, and I don't use any supplements, just rules changes I have made to give greater viability to the beginning characters.

When we play AD&D I use all the core rules, including the material in the UA book, or not. If the group is really old school, then we do not use the UA changes. I can enjoy DMing either way, so the players decide what they prefer. #2735

Gold: $500/ounce (coin metal)

Silver: $10/ounce (coin metal)

Copper: $1/ounce (coin metal)

Platinum, pure: $750/ounce #2218

Actually, I have been using the old dungeon levels in both OD&D and OAD&D play at many conventions over the past years--even ran my group through several of the oldest upper levels just this spring. thus I am well in tough with the material and the "feel" needed to re-do the whole in depth. #4414

The Swine! :]

I refer to my players and their filthy 5th level PCs of course. Picking on those fine upstanding little kobolds at their level. They should be ashamed, not bragging and thumping their chests. It took a hold person the three sleep spells to do the vile deed.

Fortunately, they are adventuring in an abbreviated dungeon level construction, so the actual Old Guard Kobolds remain unaffected, are still around to beat the crap out of lower level parties not sufficiently astute to run away and come back when they are at 5th level :uhoh:

The party had pretty well mapped the first level, and the only remaining force there were the OGKs, so I suppose it was inevitable that the poor little dears met their fate. It gave me some considerable satisfaction that they dropped the offending magic-user to 0 HPs twice during the enconter. It was as if the random dice determination for PCs hit was sentient, knew that he was the instrument of their doom. He dropped 12 of them with his third sleep spell...

The thouls awaiting the party on a lower level will wreak revenge for their depridations above. As they are active in the dungeon complex, only wandering monsters will be likely to be encountered on the depopulated 1st level. #2704

As a matter of habit I seldom use miniature figurines. None of my regulars bring one to represent their character/Avatar, and while I have plenty of such figurines they could use, I do not have much in the way of creature sorts, so those would have to be dice. That sort of spoils the spectacle. When we do formal demos, though, we use Dwarven Forge dungeons/caves and miniatures. #5587

In the O/AD&D games I DM, I hand out XPs for eliminating foes, using spells and skills, doing the thing called for, mission success, as well as for loot gained--the latter being the main reason for most adventuring #6435

As the players don't seem particularly interested in town adventures, I skip all that and simply take away large amounts of money when they are in the city regaining health, resupplying, etc. That obviates the need for them to do what they would consider a waste of valuable adventuring time in hunting up a mage to id items for them. [11]

At 0 the PC is uncoscious (with a further -1 per level, so a 4th level fighter can be at -5), but a potion or a cure wounds can restore them immediately [11]

I do require that they taste potions and experiment to find out what the liquid does. If they discover something unusual, likely I'll have them visit the Striped Mage to have the object explained... [11]

[References: see Greyhawk References]