The Great Greyhawk Campaign

This campaign is the main campaign Gary Gygax ran with his play group, to test and develop the OD&D rules, then the AD&D rules. 

Pre-D&D Fantasy Battles with Chainmail

Terry Kuntz was really angry with me when we build point armies to fight it out...and mine consisred of a wizard, four armored footmen with halberds to guard him, and a superhero with magic armor and sword. When Terry would surround that fighter with his minions, my wizard would toss a fireball on top of him, the save needed for a magically armored superhero being pretty easy to make. #7388

The dawn of D&D: Castle Greyhawk

The first two play-testers for the D&D game were my son Ernie and my daughter Elise. They played the first dungeon adventure, were joined the next day by Don Kaye and Rob Kuntz. Elise played for a few months, then lost interest. Her younger sisters, Heidi and Cindy, got into D&D later on. those two used to make Luke DM for them when he was very young, tell him what treasure that they found. When he complained to me about that I set him straight, and shortly after that his sisters quit playing, the greedy power gamers :D #1808

It started with Castle Greyhawk, in its various incarnations and ad-libbed adventures in the City of Greyhawk, in a wilderness based the wilderness survival game map and later on the map of north America, then later on, after Greyhawk was published as a campaign world, moved to the Village of Hommlet, Temple of Elemental evil and Against The Giants and Into the Dephts of the Earth campaign. Then Gary got booted out of TSR, and the final of that campaign he envisioned was never played. 

The stories pieced together here are from the EN World Forum posts. With this Campaign being so intertwined with the development of the game and its rules, this lenghty post will outline the characters of this campaign, the level of play, as well as some of the more memorable adventures Gary related. Notes on some of the published modules and on their deadliness of play are separate

There is a whole separate page on play style, and on how deadly the game was.

Dungeon Levels of Greyhawk Castle Explored

As for the original dungeons we devised, there were a couple of levels that were pretty much shunned, but to the best of my recollection every one of the 40-some in the dungeons was explored to some extent. The prototypical Plant Master's area was entered by one of my PCs--and a couple of other players' characters too, but I don't remember any names after 30 years and a single visit. #3249

Players and Characters

Lastly, when I started the Greyhawk campaign, the initial playtesters were son Ernie (Tenser, Serten, Erac's Cousin) and daughter Elise. In a couple of days time Don Kaye (Murlynd), Rob (Robilar, Otto) and Terry (Terik) Kuntz joined the gang. Of course in a few months we had a crowd of 20 and more persons, and when some split off to form their own campaign new people were there to take their places. #141

The play-test group consisted of my oldest son, Ernie, and elder daughter, Elise. Immediately thereafter I added Rob and Terry Kuntz and Don Kaye. Soon they weekend sessions included many of the members of our miniatures group, the Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association, and nearby wargamers that belonged to the old IFW such as Bill Hoyer. We played some D&D at the GenCon in the summer of 1973, so more players came from that. The interest was essentially word of mouth. A single gamer, or a group would come for two or three adventure sessions, then go off on theor own. Thus I got into the habit of not memorizing names and faces, the group was so transcient that it didn't pay, save in regards to the campaign's regulars. Even that core changed a good deal over the first couple of years of play. #8174

Based on the levels in order of length of play

Rob J Kuntz - Robilar (F15)

Ernie Gygax - Tenser (W14, retired), Erac (missing above), Erac's Cousin (F7/W14), Serten (C10)

Terry Kuntz - Terik (F, missing above), Monk with No Name

Don Kaye - Myrlund (W, level unknown)

Gary Gygax - Yrag (F missing above), Mordenkainen (W16), Bigby (W13), Riggby (C9)

Mike Mornard - Lessnard the Wizard (W), Gronan the Barbarian (F)

James Ward - Wizard

Tim Kask - Jaroo (Druid 10)

Arrarat, 8th Fighter -- Tim Jiardini

Bigby, 13th MU -- Gary Gygax

Ceatitle Trodar Northman, 10th MU -- Jean Wells

Fletcher Dandairia, 8th Bard -- Bob Waldbauer

Erac's Cousin, 7th/14th Fighter/MU -- Ernie Gygax

Grimslade, 5th MU -- Harold Johnson

Gormadoc, 5th Thief -- Greg Fleming

Lanolin, 7th/11th Fighter/MU -- Lawrence Schick

Lassiviren the Dark, 7th Assassin -- Al Hammack

Luther, 6th Monk -- Helen Cook

Mordenkainen, 16th MU -- Gary Gygax

Phoebus, 10th Fighter -- Jeff R. Leason

Riggby, 9th Cleric -- Gary Gygax

Robilar, 15th Fighter -- Rob Kuntz

Serten, 10th Cleric -- Ernie Gygax

Talbot, 7th Fighter -- David Cook

Tenser, 14th MU -- Ernie Gygax

Valerius, 12th Fighter -- Erol Otus [User Fid on Dragonfooot Forum]

Names

The main thrust for most players back then was the action, so a few PCs were unnamed, and we referred to them rather caustically as "Joe's fighter," or "Bob' cleric."

In general most of the players, myself included when initially adventuring and not DMing, thought little of the PC's name, but more about what thrilling things would transpire. Thus my first character was named Yrag, and some of the younger fellows in the group didn't even name their PC.

Don Kaye was a semi-exception with Murlynd. As I became a bit more engaged in the broader possibility spectrum of the game I did a more seriously considered PC, as already mentioned. That became common with most of the veterans in our group around that time. #5543

Terik (or Teric): I played alongside him with Robilar and DMed him in both Greyhawk and El Raja Key. The stats are not in my keeping; EGG and Terry had copies when we unofficially "retired" the first wave PCs; since then, Terry lost his copy (in a fire I believe), so I suppose EGG's estate holds the rest. I know of his NPCs, major magic items, creatures he employed, etc., what business he owned in City of Greyhawk and where his castle was located and what general forces he had. I also retain a map of one of his towers there. He also played a short-lived paladin based on our new upcoming rules in supplement #1 during the "reboot" of the campaign, but disliking the limitations of the class he retired that one and played the Monk (rules in rough form then, typed), called, "The Monk With No Name." [42.3]

Tenser was played by my son, Ernest, "Ernie the Barbarian" in an earlier incarnation. Ernie also player Serten, Erac, and the dark and malign Erac's Cousin. #5163 

Ernie had several PCs including Tenser, Serten, and Erac. As I recall, it was Erac that was adventuring with Aylerach in the case in point, not Erac's Cousin, the unnamed and unnamable #4355

Tenser was a PC of my son Ernie. Otiluke is a created NPC based on my son Luke's PCs, and Leomund is a created NPC of Len Lakofka. Keoghtom and Heward are created NPCs, and Murlynd is the same, but based on Don Kay's original PC in D&D. Nystul is the actual surname of a person, Brad Nystul, a stage magician. #533

[Melf] My son Luke's main PC. [11]

Leomund is Len Lakofka's PC #2385

Rob Kuntz's orc, Quij, was an ordinary sort that defeated an ogre in single combat. When I checked his new HPs adding a second die, they maxed out, so I promoted the NPC to 4th level on the spot. Quij, Rob's orc hero, was named thus by me, after a "word" he tried to pass off in a Scrabble game. [11]

In AD&D play I would have to say that the core members of my player group--Ernie, Gygax, Rob Kuntz, and Terry Kuntz played very well if not near perfect. Terry would on occasion be impulsive as he became engrossed in the adventure. Between them, and whomever else might be along such as Jim Ward and Mike Mornard, they overcame many of the toughest challenges. #7885

Tim Kask, a regular in the Greyhawk Campaign, played a druid, and as I recall that PC got up to around 10th level. [11]

Rob was both an excellent player and DM. Jim Ward was playing in my OD&D group last night when someone remarked that it seemed impossible that Rob could have found his way through my dungeon levels sans map. Jim shook his head and allowed he did it with remarkable ease until I created levels with transporters and all manner of other nasty devices to prevent that from happening...which was true. Anyway, Rob was excellent in creating adventure material on the spot to challenge the players...especially me. #3026

Jim Ward's PC usual cry to opponents: "Surrender AND die!" #3213

Francois was playing Whismerhill (aka "Wimpmirill" acccording to my son Luke) with me as the DM, also Rob Kuntz and some others likely. #3717

The main RPGers amongst the illustrators at TSR were Dave Sutherland and Dave LaForce (DSL, "Diesel"). I played a lot with Sutherland, both EPT and D&D. [11]

The chaps playing the game pretty much developed the concept of a balanced party. When we first began playing most parties were mainly fighters, and we got in trouble when facing spell-casters without our own artillery for fire counter-battery [11]

Smaller underground complexes are easily plugged into campaign play. A massive one becomes the heart of the campaign for a considerable length of time. When some of the regulars want diversity, go off by themsleves on an outdoor adventure, the stay-at-home group will be adventuring in the dungeons, The time gap between the two groups grows very lengthy, so it is necessary for the GM to either play alternate groups--with some device to have the home-based lot catch up in time with the group on the journey, or else have each group create characters that join the other party, thus effectively having two separate and distinct adventuring parties run alternately, unlikely ever to meet again...unless the stay-at-home group leaves the dungeons in search of their wandering fellows and finds them. [11]

One of the reasons I discouraged a lot of outdoor adventures was that the PC or PCs doing that were on a vastly different time track from the others that remained "at home" and adventured in the community or a dungeon setting. Of course, the dedicated players had two or more PCs so that they would not be left out of any sort of adventure. [11]

My eldest daughter was one of the two original play-testers of the original, pre-published version of the D&D game, Her older brother Ernie was the other. Elise played for several months before losing interest. Her two younger sisters, Heidi and Cindy, player a few years later, a few adventures with me as the DM, and then with their younger brother Luke in that role. [11]

When Luke, then about age 7, came to me and asked if his sisters oculd dictate to him what monsters were encountered and what treasure they had, I set him straight on the role of the DM. His sisters quit playing soom thereafter. [11]

Luke began at around age seven as a conscripted DM for his older sisters Heidi and Cindy. They told him what opponents they should face, what treasure they should gain from their defested adversaries...until he complained to me, and I set matters aright :o [11]

He played quite regularly in my campaign from the time he was around 10. Hommlet was the first campaign in which he actually played in a reasonably mature manner. The older fellows in the group used to both razz him a good deal and also assist him in developimg RPG skill. [11]

All of my players want to be actively engaged in every adventure session they can, so never has any of them even hinted at a non-adventuring role. Those are the purview of the GM in truth. These games aren't meant to reflect the lives of ordinary persons, rather those of the daring and heroic (or villainous) [11]

Classes 

Robilar was never anything other than a fighter. #2646

Erac was a dual class fighter/magic-user, the swordplay bit being learned when he was transported to Barsoom by a cursed scroll. He came down in the Land of Ugor, had to fend off the cannibals there, and soon Erac was a 1st level fighter. He made F6 on that alternate world Mars, IIRR, before finding a way back to Oerth so that his magic would again function. #6491

According to an Ernie interview, he was level 11 at the time, and it was not a cursed scroll, he was on the roof of his "tower" (a hotel Erac owned), when he saw the red planet especially bright in the sky, and studying it eventually fell asleep to be transported there. Encountering the cannibals, he first tried a sleep spell, which would not work, then ran and jumped in flight, until he found a stick, and climibing a tree with it so they could not gang up on him, defeated them in single combat. He was a higher level Fighter, 11, but on returning Gary claimed that without the extra strength he would be only level 6 on Oerth.

Erac was a most able PC that had many exploits when adventuring. He met his end alone on a dungeon level of Greyhawk Castle, but his remains were recently recovered and so Erac is Back...if Ernie wver wants to play him again #4361

Again, according to podcast interviews with Ernie, his mother demanded he go to bed, so there was no more time to figure out escaping the pool area, and Gary ripped up the lost maps and declared him dead.

Robilar, Tenser, Erac's Cousin, Terik, etc. not being my PCs I can not describe...altough I did insist that Otto, Rob's mage, was a burley chap resembling Friar Tuck, someone always joking and singing and prone to imbibing vast quantities of ale. #7764

I had Otto the Mage as a jolly Bavarian...as Kuntz is of German heritage #4847

The best known fighters were Robilar and Terek, along with the lesser known with Aylerich, a paladin and Gronan.

Most of the characters in the Gord novels were created for the stories. Curley Greenleaf was a PC of mine, and Melf was my son Luke's principal PC. We actually played out the scene where Keek dupes Melf...for which Luke berates me to this day. #8392

Generally the parties I DMed had one or more clerics, or at least a Paladin PC able to use some cleric spells. My son Ernie's PC, Serten, got to be a fairly high level cleric.  #1931

The absolute need for a cleric in the adventuring party depends on the campaign. In mine, where there are plenty of undead, the players knew all too well there was a need for a cleric in a large expedition where the PCs couldn't use magical means to depart when faced with a situation that was likely to bring some unpleasant results. #1953

[Paladins] There were only a few played in my campaign, but there were two that were remarkable,

That played by Don Arndt was the most cautious one I have ever experienced or heard of. His behavior was so remarkable that the Artifict, "Invulnerable coat of Arn" was created to jape at such play.

The most paladin-like PC in the campaign was played by Mark Ratner with Aylerach, a paragon of bravery and virtue. 6489

We never had more than about three Monk PCs in my campaign, those out of some 60-70 players over time, each with around two or three different PCs. #2229

Terry Kuntz played the first monk character, and he loved it. We had several assassins, but nobody played one for a long period of time. Tim Kask played the first bard IIRR. Druids were very popular, and he had been playing one regularly.

From the in-game experience I'd fine tune the new class and then get it into print so other gamers could have at it. Pretty much the same with adventure modules. #1240

Alignments

No dictation of alignment has ever been made in any of my A/D&D campaigns, save for some special tournament adventure scenatio. [11]

We had a fair number of Evil PCs in my original campaign. Mostly the experience gained from such play convinced the players the futility of having such unheroic characters. For example, in 1974 I created a half-orc cleric-assassin for a member of an Evil adventuring party. He was soon killed, and of course none of the others in the group cared to do more than loot his body;)

The game was really designed to facilitate a Good vs. Evil sort of struggle, and I subtly weighted the original AD&D game towards the Good side, but I never thought it "wrong" to play Evil characters as a means of exploring that particular aspect of human nature. I do think it abnormal to do nothing but play Evil PCs, FWIW... #1062

When my son Ernie became angry with me as DM he switched to playing an LE character, Erac's Cousin. That PC adventured fairly frequently with two othe LE ones, Robilar and either Terik or the monk PC that Terry Kuntz liked to play. Those three never attacked each other--mainly because each character was able to win in a fight, so why take chances when there are easier targets around.

Mordenkainen would adventure with that lot, always with a strong henchman. He was never assualted or even threatened. I suspect that these players opted for Lawful Evil to avoid the necessity of random acts of evil nature against their fellows. Their strength was in cooperation--a pair of strong fighters and a mage, sometimes a monk replacing a fighter. #7887

Rob Kuntz decided to have Robilar a Lawful Evil PC around the middle of 1974, IIRR. He remained with that alignment until he ceased playing the Character...whenever that was in the 1970s. #7642

Robilar did become Lawful Evil around 1976 or 77 for some reason that was unfathomable to me as the DM. Erac's Cousin (played by my son Ernie) was also LE, so those two were quite a fearsome combination in the campaign. #4498

Ernie, Terry, and Rob all eventually played LE PCs at times, some exclusively. As they tended to adventure together or alone, there was never any disruption. #6460

Relationships

After they became a class in 1975, relatively few thieves were played because of their guaranteed short life span if caught stealing from a party with a major PC in it. #1890

I don't interfere in the PC relationships in campaigns I run. [11]

That said, the OAD&D game did not encourage backstabbing. It merely allowed characters to do that if it was their choice. In the many years that I ran the Greyhawk campaign, there were few incidents of such behavior. Most occurred when a group decided to create Evil PCs and adventure thus. The several Paladins played, as well as two or three Assassins were no more disruptive that the greedy thieves #8487

Attacking other PCs was never encouraged in my campaign or in tournaments I ran...except of the other PCs were acting in a hostile and aggressive manner. [11]

Races 

There were in fact numbers of hobbits/halflings, dwarves, elves, a few half-elves, at least one half-orc, Joe Fischer's Ranger, Tim Kask's high-level Druid, Don Arndt's Paladin, and Mark Ratner's too, etc. I even played a half-orc Cleric/Assassin character for a short time in a campaign run by Brian Blume. That said, the most interesting adventures seemed to come from the group you mention, mainly because they were the PCs of the most active members of the early group. #1890

The only half-anything characters in my campaign were the human and either elf and orc ones. As I mentioned jokingly, would a half-halfling be a quartling? While hafbreed characters can make for some interesting role-playing, the desire for them is generally instigated by some player seeking to gain an advantage through adding and playing such a mixed race character. #8773

The idea of half-ogres is one to which I no longer subscribe. About as close to a half-ogre in my campaign was a PC's henchman ogre that was bitten by a werebear. The resulting transformed NPC creatiure was of an alignment quite opposite that of the ogre--and his master, Terrik, as well. #8769

Terry Kuntz's fighter, Terik, had subdued and had in service an ogre. In an encounter that character was bitten by a werebear and in time became an ogre werebear. A series of checks discovered that the ogre became TN in alignment becaise of the different natures involved. #7686

Levels 

Real noobs always began at 1st level. More experienced players that were joining up with the main regulars for some special adventure might begin with new PCs of 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th level. They were not missing anything, certainly, as they had already worked one or more PCs to that level and above.

Having a higher starting level often makes the difference of being able to actively participate in play #6617

As a matter of fact I have no solid idea as to why Rary was even mentioned by TSR. That PC was one that Brian Blume created early in the D&D cycle, a magic-user that Brian wanted to work up to 3rd level so as to introduce him as "Medium Rary." :confused: When he gained that level Brian quit playing that PC, pretty much dropped out of regularly playing D&D in fact. #5365

Seriously, that was a weak PC created by Brian Blume, a magic-user that was dropped when he became 3rd level, Medium Rary--and yes, I am being serious.

Never did I demand a retirement of a PC. Most of the players with characters in the high-teens level voluntarily took those PCs into semi-retirement, keeping them only for adventures that called for potent adventurers. #1318

Most players sort of retired their PCs at around 12th level, preferring to start new ones. By dint of demand Rob, with Robilar and Otto, and Ernie, with Tenser and Erac's Cousin, got above 13th. there were also a handful of others just around 12th and 13th level, but I don't recall who played which PC in that regard. #1058

The fact is that most of the veterans started new PCs when their current one got to around 13th to 15th level. The "retired". high-level PCs remained as the "big guns" to be brought out when something special threatened, served as mentors, and sometimes as semi-NPCs for the use of the DM. #6611

It was not so much a matter of the game system not being able to manage PCs of levels into the upper teens and 20s, as there being not much in the way of modules to assist new DMs in handling high-level campaign play. Thus "retirement" was encouraged. #6611

While the rules covered progress of many sorts of characters well into the 20s, there was little to guide and direct DMs in management of such potent figures. Camapigns with characters of c. 20th level and up are different animals than the those involving less powerful ones. The adventures have to be much different from those designed for low and moderate level PCs. #6612

I have DMed for some higher level PCs, and my observation was that the players really didn't have the expertise to have gained such level in my campaigm. the highest level ever gained in my campaign is around 20th #371

As a DM I was not prepered to present such a campaign, but I have played in an OAD&D one where PCs of around 12th level were mere striplings. The DM was Francois Marcela Froideval, and he did an excellent job of it, so that I to wanted to move my character up to the mid-level ranks in his campaign...say around 34th #3275

The OAD&D game was written to challenge PCs from 1st through about 16th level. Above 16th there were few challenges--other than some combinations of potent monsters or high-level NPCs, or else very difficult problem solving with extreme penalties for failure.

The typical adventure quest is a matter of scale, low-level monsters, problems that suit the capacity of the party. Up through around 16th evel the management of the adventure is simply a matter of scaling up the challenges the PCs must overcome. When the PCs are about 16th to 18th level, then some very special preparations must be made by the DM to present interesting material that is logical and will stretch the capacities of the high-leve; characters in their pursuit of their goals. #1975

As you'll note from my previous responses, I have run very few really high-level adventures, so I have no more advice to offer that what has been stated already. To prepare for high-level adventures, the DM must needs present a setting where the "masters" of the environment are of tremendous potency, demi-deities. Their opponents must be of like power, and the main servants of these overlords need to be NPCs of greater level that the PCs who will be interacting with them. The monsters presented will need to be beefed up by the DM so as to be of comparitive level, and above, with the adventuring characters. #1975

Villains

I tend to favor the egocentric, self-seeking sort that uses whatever means they can to gain what they desire. An overbearing attitude of superiority might be added. A cruel and trecherous nature is also likely a feature of such a figure. This sort of villian is likely to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. #8703

The bad guys need to be nearly impossible to permanently defeat, for otherwise they are nothing but targets for the PCs to knock over. [11]

Obmi

One of my favorite villians for sure! That is absolutely a typo. I would place Obmi in the Neutral Evil category, as he is willing to side with any faction to further his own ends. #6334

None, unless you count Obmi the Dwarf as a big bad guy. My players surely did, hated him thoroughly, aways did their utmost to finish him off. #7856

Obmi got caught in the Hall of the Fire Giant King, laid low, but of course I had his remains recovered by a hidden henchman, a wish used to restore life to the valiant fighter against PC tyranny and depridations. :lol: Thta is how I could have him appear in the Gord series without a qualm. #5382

Obmi originally was encountered in the dungeons of Greyhawk Castle. He will appear in the Castle Zagyg module series. Obmi appered with one KEEK, an evil elf, in the Gord the Rogue series...and son Luke unknowingly played out one of the novels' scenes, just as I had envisioned it  #5365

Obmi first appeared in the setting, with a magical force projector that included both a reversal of course and a temporary illusion that the subjects were still moving towards the dwarf and his gnoll archers. After a round of enforced retrograde the effect ended, and the party was back where it started from. I think one of the PCs finally managed to lightning bolt the projector. Obmi survived and ran off using his boots of speed to thwart pursuit. That so enraged the battered party that I determined to make him a recurring and most villianous antagonist [37]

Obmi went from gnolls to giants, the traitorous dwarf! How low can one go? A dwarf serving giants,of course My best players tested the Giants series and were enraged with Obmi.

Son Ernie put an evil dwarf with speed boots and a throwing hammer into his campaign...homage to Obmi and a great annoyance to his players. I know for my own dwarf PC, Zigby encontered that vile fellow, chased him with his own speed boots and throwing hammer, but the devil eluded Zigby [37]

That is much how I regarded the cherished Obmi as the DM, how my players felt about the hated dwarf. Worse still... Son Ernie had Obmi in his campaign, and who should I be playing but Zigby, my dwarf fighter. How I wanted to catch and trash that vile, filthy, fleeing runt after he popped my PC with a dwarven throwing hammer. Irritatingly, I could not find him in the maze he used to make good his escape #5378

Obmi the dwarf was my favorite for a time, and of course I made sure that the players would not be able to have their characters end his career. The "Old Guard" kobolds were a lot of fun too #3364

Obmi the Dwarf, one of my favorite villians, relied on his boots of speed to escape human pursuers...which infuriated the players, of course. Obmi had his boots of speed in Greyhawk Castle's dungeons...as well as an artifact gained from another plane. when I penned material for publication, I left them out, although on reflection, it would have been better had he retained that advantage. [11]

Jeweled Man

Many the player in my old gaming group would have given their best magic item to get the lowdown on the Disappearing Jeweled Man. The many chases after him brought fox hunts to mind, but the PCs didn't have a pack of hounds #6548

Details of The Disappearing Jeweld Man? Certainly not! That subject will be discussed in general terms in one of the forthcoming Castle Zagyg Dungeons modules, but even there I do not intend to reveal how that encounter operated in my original campaign #6543

Iuz

As for Iuz, I surely did plan to keep him around as an arch-villain! the players detested him, and would respond vigorously to anything having to do with foiling his plans. I purposely made him full of hubris and disliked by most other Evil entities too, so as to have him with a large target on his back, despite which he would always survive and come back with new machinations. Wastri is another figure I planned to use in similar fashion. #1705

When I was hyping Iuz I thought suggesting that Orcus was his sire would make Iuz more menacing. I never intenbded to link his parentage to that mighty demon, and thus later on I noted that Graz'zt was his progenator. I had Orcus appear once in my campaign, but Iuz was was a behing-the-scenes figure far more often. That said, none of the PCs were of sufficient level to manage a confrontation with Iuz, let alone Graz'zt or Orcus. #8351

My vision of Iuz was one of reasonably competent but over-reaching entity, his main failing being hubris...as is the case of most Evil entities. [35]

For whatever it is worth I mentioned Orcus only to make Iuz a potentially more daunting figure. I never inteneded to have him as the son of such a mighty demon, but rather one of lesser sort, thus Graz'zt. [35]

I had evil halflings as his henchmen to underscore just how vile he was--much the same as the malign dwarf Obmi assisting giants.  [35]

Iggwilv

Iggwilv is my creation. She was inspired by Louhi the Finnish uberwitch and Baba Yaga of Russian foklore. I never had her as an active antagonist, more of a behind the scenes manipulator. #7629

From my perspective, Iggwilv is a deital figure, a demi-goddess in rank, and with capacities in some areas, malign magic especially, more akin to those of a lesser deity. In that regard I'd rate her level more in the 30s. #1392

"Wilva" to her friends, Iuz's mother. She is also known in other areas as Louhi (see the Kalevala by E. Lönnrot), or Ychbilch. She has multiple visages. Her true form is that of a centuries old crone - like the wicked witch from the geriatric home. Her other form is a young and beautiful maiden with blonde tresses. She is Chaotic Evil. She turned against Iuz and Graz'zt, his father, who was separated from her. When Graz'zt granted her amnesty to aid Iuz, she first frees Zuggtmoy (Compare to the beginning of T1-4). She is condescending towards her little Iuz. [Gord Novels]

Dragons

Encounters with dragons were not common, quite rare, all things considered. Mordenkainen encountered several over his years of adventuring, subdued two red ones, the very old Gorki and the young Porki (thank you for naming them Rob...)

On the other hand I has a small one that had a couple of spells that sent Melf packoing, glad to escape with his life;)

I posted a pair of dragins on a dungeon level, and those were loosed by the main adventurers in the dungeons--Tenser, Robilar, Terik, and some associated PCs who I can't recall. #3173

Yes, the shadow dragon was encountered--nasty meeting that the details of which I but vaguely remember. The cloud and mist versions of dracos were in an area of wilderness adventure that I had laid out for PCs to get transported to, but that never happened. As nearly as I can remember, there was only one randon encounter with a cloud dragon in my campaign. #3176

Actually. very few dragons were encountered by my PC team. I suspect that was to keep them from gaining yet more magical goodies.

The story of the two black dragons in the dungeons is well known. Not so widespread the tale of the young red dragon that had both spider climb and invisibility spells that used to ambush the unwary from the ceiling of his cave. #7721

Two outstanding mosters in my memory of past adventures with me as the DM are the pair of black dragons that were loosed by the PCs on a level of Greyhawk Castle and Obmi the dwarf NPC that all the chaps got to really hate #4336

One day when I was feeling ornery, I had Robilar encounter an NPC that told him of a great red dragon sleeping on its horde of treasure, He volunteered to lead the way there for a slight reward, s apecial necklace he sought. When Robilar suspiciously agreed if the leather-clad fellow would lead the way, agreement was reached. Onve inside the cave, the thief slipped away into the shadows and vpoced a warning shout to awaken the firedrake. It did, and a battle royal ensued. Of course the thief was counting on the survivor being sufficiently weak to enable him to do him in so all the loot would be his. Robilar managed to exit the cave, lay in wait and slay the thief when he fled the place. The dragon remained unmolested thereafter. #7721

During a wilderness excursion Robilar met one hiding in a cave, the beast being served by a human flunkie that brought in heroic victoims to feed it. It was sleeping, but as Robilar entered the cave, the flunkie shouted a warning, but luckily for Our Hero, his reactions were much quicker than the awakened dragon, so both it and its treacherous servant were slain. #3173

I did, though, manage to con Robilar into entering a cave with a sleeping red dragon, the "helpful" thief that brought him to the place waiting outside until Robilar was well inside, then yelling "LOOK OUT!" at the top of his lungs. Unluckily for dragon and thief, Robilar offed both although he was near death at the conclusion of the fray. #6475

Campaign Evolution

Fact is I never really developed any strong NPCs of Good for play in the campaign. The reason for that is twofold. First, many of the players had characters of that alignment. Second, the Evil team would have felt obliged to assail that NPC, and to withstand such an assault the character would have had to be so powerful as to be otherwise an overmatch for most any Evil in the campaign--short of the demi-deital sort. Add to that the main team of "bad guys," Erac's Cousin, Robilar, and Teric were not ravening sorts, so that there was no campaign demand for retribution. They were as willing to combat NE and CE adversaries as they were any other. #971

The plethora of critters offered is a game device meant to keep the DM supplied with as large a roster of strange beasts to throw at his players as was needed. For dungeon adventuring and really wild wilderness, such a broad variety makes sense.

For a defined world that is less magic-heavy, then a narrower range of creatures is more logical. In my Greyhawk campaign something over half as many monsters as were included in the three bestiary books were in play, the vast majority of those in dungeons or other planes.

I confess to creating new creatures in many a module just to have something confront the PCs that they didn't recognize and know how to deal with... #1552

About 80% of the game action in my old GH campaign centered on the castle and dungeons and in city adventures. Wilderness adventuring covered the balance of what wasn't published in various modules from TSR. The dungeon-centricity of the campaign was by popular demand, and that's why there were so many levels and side adventures based off of encounters in the depths #2001

About one adventure in 10 was run in a city--Greyhawk or some other. If the PCs were not seeking adventure when there for R&R, bringing it to them was no problem :D [#1960]

About one session in every 12 would involve somethingfrom outside the fantasy genre. that was enough to keep things from getting too staid. #2689

Robilar sallied forth alone only after he was at 9th level or above. By then he had +3 armor and shield, a +3 sword, and amongst his magical equippage a girdle of storm giant strength. So in tha above example the gnolls would likely be the guards of an Evil Pigh Priest.

As a matter of fact, Robilar did run into such a group, and the gnoll guards flanking the EHP managed to score a 20 and hit him virtually every round of combat. He finally managed to defeat the foe, but Robilar was about one solid hit from death when he wiped out the last of his adversaries. #1418

One encounter Robilar had when he was about 9th level and AC -4 was with an Evil Cleric and his gnoll guards. The latter managed to hit Robilar so many times because of my 20s that he had only about 10 HPs left when he finally offed the cleric and was able to concentrate on the gnolls. #1854

Of course I had my group play-test them, also had TSR employees do so. The only modules taken directly from my campaign were Dungeonland, Land Beyond the Magic Mirror, Isle of the Ape, Village of Hommlet, and Temple of Elemental Evil. The others were slipped into the campaign as side adventure areas. #7248

The other magic-users in the group took also did the same. That meant that their cleric would be dedicated to Boccob, and the fighters and others, wanting the benefits of clerical ministrations came along for the ride;) Boccob was never an active deity in play, and none of the PCs was eager to have Zagyg intervene... #1848

Tenser was conned by a hill giant, and I tried to dupe several PCs into get-rich-quick wagers. Sadly for me, the regulars were all too canny after being burned by my various ploys, so... #6475

Building Keeps

Right! Having a base of operations changes the whole thrust of the campaign. Be prepared for more solo adventures, and ready the forces of hostile NPCs to assail those places
The subject wasn't treated in great detail by me bacuuse of lack of hands-on experience of considerable sort. With a mix of groups being DMed for, the state of each was such that most were stil adventuring in dungeons, cities, and the outdoors, Only a few PCs had attained sufficient wealth and level so as to look towards establishing their own strongholds. #376

By preference most of the players in my various groups over the years have been basically transient--even the initial large group of characters playing out of the City of Greyhawk. The lot were prone to wander far and wide, and any home base they established was typically an islokated stronghold constructed after many years of game time. #8029

Wilderness

As the group became higher level, much of the action was outdoors. #1848

Most of the overland travel went north and west of Greyhawk--including the Ulek States, the Vesve Forest, Shield Lands, and Bandit Kingdoms. That and adventuring in the Bright Desert and Wild Coast was about it, although some of the PCs in later years ventured into the east, but not much beyond Idee in the Great Kingdom. One party did range through the far East's cold lands, and another was journeting through the western lands aiming for the coast of Ket. Mordenkainen was in the lands of the Wolf Nomads, recruited a troop of horse archers there. I brought in no NPCs from East or West as there were plenty from the central and north. #7255

In my own campaigns I assume a fair degree of cultural enlightenment, and even illiterate yokels know very well the nature of local perils, disseminate the information orally. [11]

The Freeing of the Nine

Robilar took off in great haste, went to another of the doors and opened that one, ran off again, and did the same in his efforts to escape the raging demi-gods. Eventually, those that were freed went and upened the other six gates so as to fight with or rescue the others. After some unpleasantness the lot then removed themselves from the PMP toploy revenge on Zagig [11]

It was Iggwilv's daughter that was in the LCoT, and the Nine were confined in the dungeons below the castle. There was considerable confusion amongst the lot when they were brought out of stasis and set free, though, and no confrontation with PC--a few squabbles amongst themselves, then off they went. #1176

Barsoom

Ernie's PC read a curse scroll and got sent to Barsoon--ERB's Mars, of course. He managed the non-magical world very well, became the first character in the campaign to posses dual class status as a M-U and Fighter when the character discovered the means of returning ot Oerth. #1842

This was Erac's Cousin, and he picked dual wielding fighting style there, which he paired with the two vorpal swords he had found adventuring.

Gary adjudicated those adventures for Ernie as that happened when I was still playing in GH, not judging. His trip inspired Robilar to research how to get to Mars, thus the catapult escapade suggested by my sage, later written up, I believe, in "UP On a Soap Box" by EGG.

So, there was not a major interface going on between Mars and Oerth, only a one-shot deal by Ernie. Nothing more to my knowledge was planned for it. [37]

Starship Warden

As an aside, when Jim Ward was playing his elf PC, that worthy read a curse scroll, and as luck would have it the destination for his transferrence was the Starship Warden. The Vigilists discovered the "mutant" newcomer, enlisted him in their ranks, and requisitioned his Fireball Wand. that device became the most potent weapon in the group's arsenal. Meantime, the elf gardened, raising herbs, sought means to return tohis own universe. Jim was not happy at all, but the rest of us playing in his MA campaign were most pleased. #1822

The Freeing of Fraz'urblu

Of course Robilar did get carried into the Abyss by Zugtmoy, and Erac and Ailerach were taken there by Fraz-urb'lu. none of those unfortunates roamed about there though, and eventuaqlly escaped to return to the PMP #5449

I seldom have so much as a beer during a game session, but indeed Rob and I shared a good deal of Southern Comfort when Ernie and Mark Ratner had their unfortunate encounter with Fraz'urblu, and Erac lost his two Vorpal blades, aylerach the Paladan his two-handed Holy Sword... that sessin was a laugh riot for Rob and me, a sad day for the players #3765

He was duped into freeing the demon Fraz-Urbluu from his prison in Greyhawk Castle, the delighted demon carrying both he and Erac back to his home in the Abyss as a reward. Sadly, both of Erac's Vorpal Blades alng with Aylerach's two-handed +5 Holy Avenger turned into useless bars of iron there. Although both PCS were reutrned to the PMP, neither was very pleased with me as their DM for that adventure. #6489

Of course the time Rob and I were sharing a bottle of Southern Comfort as we DMed Ernie' magic-user and Mark Ratner's paladin was more of a CE exercise that anything else, mainly because I saw it as a chance to relieve Ernie's PC of the two vorpal blades he had acquired.. I don't think I've ever been forgiven for that adventure... #1666

Erac and Aylarach freed a demon prince in Greyhawk Castle, Fraz'urblu, that carried the pair off to the Abyss with him in "thanks." robilar smashed the portal confining Zuggtmoy in the ToEE, and she offered to make him her main servant. #1173

That would be when Rob Kuntz and I were DMing for my son Ernie and a chap named Mark Ratner that played a Paladin with a holy sword. Ernie was far worse with two fairly earned/gained vorpal blades.

They freed a demon prince, Fraz'urb'lu, Ernie's PC not using any metagaming information he could have, not even a hint, that was so pleased with the two that he carried them off to his domain in the Abyss where I rules that all three of their swords turned into useless hunks of iron.

They did not deserve that, and had I been fair I would have reversed the ruling as soon thereafter as possible. I did not and I regret it to this day.  #7842

Erac and Aylerach (I never can remember how Mark Ratner spelled that PC's name) accidentally loosed the demon from imprisonment in the dungeons of Greyhawk Castle. He was so delighted at having duped them into doing so that he took them with him when he went home. Again, I did not have detailed adventures there--as both players were hardly speaking to Rob and me after the game session. Eventually the incompatability of LKawful Good in the Abyss brought the demon prince to a decision point: slat the pair or boot them out. The dice roll called for the latter. #5451

When Erac with his two (honestly gained) Vorpal Swords and the Paladin Aylerach with his +5 holy Avenger two-handed sword accidently freed Fraz'urb-lu. he carried them to his Layer of the Abyss, and all three weapons became useless hunks of iron.

I honestly think that som Ernie and Mark Ratner have never forgiven Rob Kuntz and me for that adventure run back in the days of us playing OD&D and the Greyhawk supplement... #5120

Other Adventures

In AD&D play I'll never forget how Jim Ward's mid-level PC fought a vampire, and forced it to dust-mote without ever being hit. #7195

You should have seen the expression on the faces of my vetean players with relatively high level PCs when on the island they had been magically transported to they encountered and recognized the huge bronze golem, Talos, Of course they metagamed and undid the hatch on his heel. When 100 iron golems came pouring out, those being what powered Talos,the panicky flight was hilarious. #5688

Party Practices

Parties would have an agreement at the beginning of an adventure as to how treasure would be divided, usually total levels (half-levels for the second and third of multi-classed PCs) for the party divided into gold, gems, jewelry, and monster XPs, then handed out in shares per level. Magic items were diced for, the highest roll gettting first pick, and then on down the line. / If the party was in agreement, an item could be sold and the gold received added to the party treasure for division and gain of XPs. The players able to generate high rolls--Ernie and rob were infamous for that, got the cream of the magical loot. I recall one time when both rolled 00, and in the roll-off following that rob rolled 99, but Ernie rolled another 00 [11]

Froidevals Greyhawk Campaign

IIRR, my friend Francois Marcela Froideval had at least one PC that was around 50th level...and he had a higher-level overlord. The main challenges were player to player, player to demi-deity...and terrasqes #7843

Oddy enough I got a call from my friend Francois Marcela Froideval last evening, and I asked him what was the highest level character in his campaign. He informed me it was a 50+ level Cleric, M-U. That is assuredly a demi-deitial level combination! #7850

Francois' OAD&D campaign had PCs of 20th level and up. I played a lackey of merely 15th level and always had to bow and scrape to my "betters." It was interesting to me to see how he managed things, but I found the milieu more political and intrigue-ridden that I enjoyed playing for extended periods.

As a matter of fact, I have so many PCs because I found it most enjoyable to play low- and mid-level characters most adventures. #6793

No question that Francois had a well run, cerafully thought-out campaign, but it was not really D&D, but rather a spin-off of that game that had moved into the realm of comic book superhero play. If you have seen any of his graphic novels, the Cronicles of the Black Moon, you will understand what I mean. that said, had be toned things down just a bit, the campaign would have been pure, if imaginatively evolved AD&D. Although none of even the most potent NPCs could slay deities, they and some of the Pcs, were as potent as demigods, Mephreton (sp?) most certainly at the top of that rank. #5675

[References: see Greyhawk References]