tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post3563111004322752807..comments2024-03-13T20:22:06.255-05:00Comments on Greyhawkery: Greyhawk Reading: Quag KeepMike Bridgeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17741591268012556455noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-47447732903495726412018-03-06T23:48:01.835-06:002018-03-06T23:48:01.835-06:00A copy of that pre-published Greyhawk map is at:
...A copy of that pre-published Greyhawk map is at: <br />httpss://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LLF3IAHoAxk/WIrGrVJhrvI/AAAAAAAAF5M/kQkQ7iW2Nvw5FK3IjYTLxunjr_3LcEXHQCLcB/s1600/Megarry%2527s%2BCopy%2Bof%2Bthe%2BGreat%2BKingdom%2BMap.jpgRaymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08822838489356977527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-64559061783405707482017-01-10T07:31:41.364-06:002017-01-10T07:31:41.364-06:00I know this is a bit late, but Omega, where did yo...I know this is a bit late, but Omega, where did you see that map?<br /><br />Deodandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-47950414399179239512014-09-07T21:46:35.424-05:002014-09-07T21:46:35.424-05:00Just saw this and at first I too thought that Quag...Just saw this and at first I too thought that Quag Keep was mixing things up.<br /><br />But recently I was shown a copy of the early Great Kingdom map whish would later become greyhawk. And Nortons positions line up with it!<br />Faraz and Yerocunbry are along the side of a river leading east on the map to the Sea of Dust. Looks like Norton turned the map 90 degrees but otherwise the refferences seem to be based on that older map.Omegahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05472009280765857763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-29228703996216672072012-10-24T22:06:46.173-05:002012-10-24T22:06:46.173-05:00Mort,
Thanks for the honorable mention. The novel...Mort,<br /><br />Thanks for the honorable mention. The novels you mention do transport real people into a fantasy world. The only difference was that Quag Keep was done to promote the game itself not as just a story plot line. <br /><br />It seems many games have taken the same approach since then.<br /><br />I also don't believe Norton took artistic license with the material. Many locations and names could of been changed for the published setting. <br /><br />Who knows the truth behind Quag Keep!<br /><br />Later<br /><br />Argon Argonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01252161609880200857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-42492454016361745382012-10-21T21:56:09.223-05:002012-10-21T21:56:09.223-05:00Jeff: Good additions to the list. Mark Twain, that...Jeff: Good additions to the list. Mark Twain, that goes way back!<br /><br />D Collins: You do have a point about the endorsment of D&D. Afterall these days D&D makes writers, it doesn't attract them. It would be like Steven King writing a Ravenloft novel just for the heck of it.Mike Bridgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17741591268012556455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-76685340956687224712012-10-20T23:39:13.330-05:002012-10-20T23:39:13.330-05:00I actually read this in 1979. It was awesome then,...I actually read this in 1979. It was awesome then, and it's still awesome now. I had read a lot of Andre Norton's stories by then, and her post-apocalyptic<br />Starman's Son 2250 a.d. had served as the inspiration for my second D&D game world built in 1978. It was a big deal at the time that a award winning Sci-fi/Fantasy author with massive publishing credibility endorsed D&D.GameDaddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15106807777418881710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-41816559248271032812012-10-19T15:49:08.558-05:002012-10-19T15:49:08.558-05:00Other books that long predate Norton's use of ...Other books that long predate Norton's use of modern folk in the past or a fantasy land:<br /><br />A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain<br /><br />The Harold Shea stories of L. Sprague deCamp and Fletcher Pratt.<br /><br />deCamp's Lest Darkness Fall<br /><br />Those latter two Gygax specifically mentions in Appendix N of the DMG.<br /><br />I've read Quag Keep twice; once 30+ years ago, and again just a couple of years ago, along with Return to Quag Keep (no map there, either). Both times I found it to be dry, the characters very underdeveloped, and the story itself never pulled me in. <br /><br />The sequel is a bit more interesting, but it's obvious that Norton's co-writer (Jean Rabe)did the bulk of the writing; the difference in style between both books is glaring.<br /><br />The original Quag Keep is an interesting artifact from early on in D&D's history, but I never thought it was a very good book. It also doesn't give a lot of insight into Greyhawk, at least not to me. It struck me that Norton, who played a few sessions with Gygax to prepare to write the book, took notes, but either Greyhawk was nowhere close to what it became later, or Norton took a lot of license with the material.<br /><br />I think your review is pretty good, delving into the book from the angle of looking at it as a Greyhawk and gaming source. The lackluster writing obscured a lot of that for me.Jeff B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17346140683576756731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-62239801833744054102012-10-19T11:33:19.519-05:002012-10-19T11:33:19.519-05:00Good points. I hadn't the time to address the ...Good points. I hadn't the time to address the races and stuff. The berserker is also some kind of were-boar (I think) who has a pet pseudo-dragon. <br /><br />Keep me updated on anything interesting you come across.Mike Bridgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17741591268012556455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034454877966866286.post-28834709963616865172012-10-19T08:15:20.418-05:002012-10-19T08:15:20.418-05:00One thing that struck me (as I currently reading Q...One thing that struck me (as I currently reading QK), is that as a "Free City" Greyhawk has no allegiance to either Law or Chaos. Therefore, it is mentioned that one can see orcs selling wares in teh city as well as the usual humans and demi-humans.<br /><br />Another idea: the berseker reminds me of early Dragona rticles of such. Anthony N. Emmelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14017952532295866111noreply@blogger.com