New: Minimalist Darlene Greyhawk Map

Greetings Greyhawkers and D&D map enthusiasts in general. Today I present a silly map concept I have been daydreaming about for months, a minimalist Darlene map. If you're like me, you might have a Greyhawk map as your computer wallpaper. And so, I often stare at this map and strange ideas form, this time however I have finally put it to the test. The World of Greyhawk setting map is hex-based, and because of the tendency of Darlene's calligraphic style to conform to this shape, this means a lot of the nations and geographical areas start to fall into these hex patterns on a larger scale. For example. in the Sheldomar Valley side, the tri-Ulek states, Gran March and Bissel fall into a nice row. So does the Sea Princes, Yeomanry, Sterich and Geoff. Some parts were harder to judge than others, but I got the Darlene map down to a minimalist state. It was a fun experiment. One thing though, don't ask what the scale per hex is, I don't know! One more thing, I haven't decided if I can do labels yet have a look for yourself. Enjoy! 

Wars of Greyhawk: Barren Plains War

Greetings Greyhawkers to another installment of my Wars of Greyhawk series. These battles are hard to research and produce, plus it's a project I've struggled with writing for years, so I'm sorry for holding onto this next one for so long. Many of you have probably never heard of the Barren Plains War, and the simple reason for that is because I believe I coined the name for it, for lack of any other description. This battle comes from Gygax's excellent article Events of the North Central Flanaess in Dragon Magazine #56. This "war" or "conflict" is really just one part of a long historical struggle between the nomads of the north and certain adjacent evil nations. There will be at least two more battles to come that will tie into this entry, so until then Greyhawk armchair historians, enjoy!

Barren Plains War

Conflict & Date: 
The Barren Plains War occurred over a several month period from Coldeven 578 CY to the 26th of Goodmonth, 578 CY.

Armies & Commanders: 
Confederation of the Barrens (7,850 total)
        Chada-Three-Lances, War Sachem.
        Chieftains primarily of the Red Horse, Black Horse, Horn Bow, and Sly Fox clans. Centaur, and     Sylvan elf tribal leaders.
        1,850 light infantry, 2,500 light cavalry, 500 medium cavalry, 2,000 mounted archers, 900 centaurs, 100 sylvan elves.
Wegwuir (Wolf Nomads) (1,000 total)
        Lekkol, emissary of the Wegwuir.
        1,000 mounted archers.
*****
Host of the Horned Society (20,000 total)
Hierarch Blontug.
        4,000 light infantry, 500 medium infantry, 2,000 light cavalry, 500 archers, 4,000 orcs, 7,000 hobgoblins, 2,000 goblins and kobolds. 
Allied Bandits (7,500 total)
        Plar Rostal.
        Seenia (renegade sylvan elf).
        6,000 light cavalry, 1,000 medium cavalry, 500 mounted crossbows.

Result: 
The Horned Society repels the advance of Confederation of the Barrens.

Casualties:
Confederation of the Barrens (2,705 total)
        1,000 light infantry, 750 light cavalry, 100 medium cavalry, 670 mounted archers, 170 centaurs, 15 sylvan elves.
Wegwuir (Wolf Nomads) (270 total)
        270 mounted archers.
*****
Host of the Horned Society (7,200 total)
4,000 light infantry, 500 medium infantry, 500 archers, 4,000 orcs, 7,000 hobgoblins, 2,000 goblins and kobolds.
Allied Bandits (2,800 total)
2,100 light cavalry, 500 medium cavalry, 200 mounted crossbows. Prelude
   The stalwart presence of the Shield Lands continued to prevent the diabolical Hierarchs of the Horned Society from capitalizing on their designs to conquer and control the entire northern shore of the Nyr Dyv all the way to Willip in Furyondy. In early 578 CY, the Hierarchs attempted to once again take advantage of moves by the Land of Iuz against Furyondy to the west. However, their campaign would stall once again, and the armies of the Horned Society would need to turn about in haste to respond to a major threat against their northern territory by Flan nomads out of the barrens.

   These nomads, referring to themselves as the “People of the Plentiful Huntinglands”, were pushed out of their western plains and forest camps by the combined hordes of Iuz and the Horned Society following the disastrous Battle of Opicm River in 515 CY. More than sixty years later, the so-called “Rovers of the Barrens” had managed to survive and prosper, with two generations of warriors honing their fighting skills against the brutes of Stonefist as well as creatures from the Wastes and Cold Marshes. By 566 CY the Rovers began to encroach on the northern edge of the Fellreev, and within a few more years their famed Wardogs were hunting west of the Cold Run. 

   Despite the dangers of Iuz, the Rovers contacted the Wegwuir for an alliance. In autumn of 577 CY, a great hunt and conference was called with emissaries from the Wolf Nomads. Reports estimated over 26,000 warriors from seven major clans attended, their chieftains and Wardog leaders agreeing to a bold plan to regain their lost territory along the Opicm River and the Fellreev Forest. Three western clans most affected by the Horned Society, the Red Horse, Black Horse, and Horn Bows, volunteered to spearhead the confederation’s war-party, while the forest dwelling Sly Fox Clan secured an alliance with the sylvan elves of the Fellreev, to coordinate a strike at their common enemy from the woodlands. The Wegwuir however, would not commit to joining the confederation that night, even though they felt a kinship to the Rovers’ plight.
 
   The mighty Flan warrior Chada-Three-Lances, hero of many raids against Stonefist, was elected War Sachem of the confederation. He personally brought an alliance with the centaurs of the barrens who, like the Rovers, were displaced from their plains on the western end of the Fellreev by the hated Horned Society. 

Battles (Map Stage 1)

A):  In the spring of 578 CY, Chada-Three-Lances and his war-party of 6,000 riders along with 900 centaur warriors, and 1000 fast-moving Wardog footmen moved south on the plains. At the same time, 850 Sly Fox warriors and 100 allied wood elves slowly advanced along the edges of the Fellreev. Their initial forays into enemy held territory went uncontested as several settlements were pillaged even as far as the frontier town of Dingaverge. After enduring a couple months of these hit and run raids, news finally spread back to the Hierarchs from the survivors of their raided settlements. These reports were wildly exaggerated however, as most claimed the invading horde had two to three times their actual number. B):  In response to the increasing raids, the Hierarchs finally decided to forgo their southern campaign, and sent an army north, calling on additional mercenary bandits and brigands to muster at Dingaverge. Led by Plar Rostal, an infamous mercenary warlord and his consort, Seenia, a traitorous sylvan elf from the Fellreev Forest, a cavalry force of 7,500 mobilized at Dingaverge within a week, all eager for coin and some action. C):  Rostal would not wait for the Hierarchs’ slow-moving army to arrive though, as his cavalry units began to scout northward to locate camps and prevent any further incursions by the Rovers. At the same time, he sent bandit outriders along with small bands of kobold spotters to search the fringes of the Fellreev, due to more recent reports of Wardogs and elves moving through the woods. D):  Even more troubling for Plar Rostal was a rumor that a force of Wolf Nomads had been seen skirting the Cold Marshes toward the Barren Plains.

E):  Late in the Dozenmonth of Reaping, the forces of the Horned Society finally arrived at Dingaverge. The Host of the Hierarchs was led by the dread Hierarch Blontug, a half-orc war-priest and assassin of ill-repute. His vile army was 20,000 in strength and included well-armed hobgoblins, goblins, and orcs. The Host spent a few days at Dingaverge resting and restocking for their next march.

F):  The Rover war-party withdrew from any further raids south at the news of a large cavalry force scouring the plains. War Sachem Chada brought his chiefs into council to decide a course of action. Their war council was emboldened by the arrival of Wegwuir emissary Lekkol Noyon, (seventh son of Tarkhan Bargru and first with his Rover wife Golden Dove) who had returned to the Barren Plains with 1,000 mounted bowmen at his back. It was decided that their best riders would strike the enemy cavalry swiftly and by surprise. So that the Rover cavalry was not slowed down, most of their Wardog footmen were ordered to circle south into the Fellreev to bolster the Sly Fox forces waiting there. Another band was then sent back to their home camps in the north and east along with their remaining loot and captives.
 

(Map Stage 2)

G):   Having been informed of Rostal’s cavalry advance, Blontug started his march north to catch up with his mounted allies, sending outriders ahead of the main body to make contact. Rostal’s cavalry regrouped but was lured further out on the open plains where they were assaulted by an equal force of nomads and centaurs. H):  The bandits were not ready for such a furious charge, as Rovers and Wegwuir circled the regiment, raining arrows, and striking with lances, while many of their cavalry were brought down from their mounts by the Rovers expert use of lariats. Rostal’s cavalry suffered severe casualties and were forced to retreat northwest with the Rovers in pursuit. Chada Three-Lances only feigned pursuit of the bandits however, by sending a screen of 1,000 riders and a band of centaurs. This would prove to be enough to make Rostal believe the entire horde was following. The remaining confederation warriors continued southwards for one last push to finally seize control of their former territory. Their scouts then located the larger army of the Horned Society approaching, but they were in turn alerted before the horde could get close for an attack. I):  Hierarch Blontug wisely sent light cavalry to cover his infantry’s withdrawal from the open plains, eventually positioning his army at the edge of the Fellreev Forest in order to protect against cavalry charges. J):  On the first day of actual battle between the two armies, there was more light skirmishing as the allied cavalry probed the opposing infantry for a weak spot in their formation while Hierarch Blontug likewise attempted to assess the strength of his enemy. Despite heavy losses that day, the Host of the Horned Society held their ground.  
K):  On the second day, the Blontug’s humanoid scouts again prevented a surprise attack, this time coming from the direction of the forest. The Sly Fox clan had arrived with Wardog support. Assisted by elven archers of the Fellreev they taunted and lured the Hierarch’s humanoid units out of formation momentarily. In a short span, the zealous Wardog footmen managed to exact severe casualties upon the Horned Society but were inevitably repulsed by Blontug’s greater numbers. L):  The Rovers’ ruse had kept Rostal’s bandits cut off for several days, but once their true numbers were discovered, the Plar regrouped and easily turned away the harassing riders in a decisive counter-offensive. The remaining cavalry then ignored the scattered nomads to speed southward and reinforce the defending Host of the Horned Society.  M):  Several days of combat ensued as Blontug’s loyal humanoid infantry and human cavalry matched Chada-Three-Lances move for move, withstanding several coordinated charges from all directions. The Hierarch was now certain the Rovers lacked the numbers to defeat his army, but their superior mobility prevented him from mounting any offense. N):  On the 26th of Goodmonth, Chada and Lekkol called off a final mass assault when their lookouts spotted the arrival of Plar Rostal’s cavalry. The relieving bandit force made to encircle the depleted nomads while with a boost of morale, the main body of Blontug’s army charged forward. Sensing their campaign was finished, Chada-Three-Lances deftly countered the enemy maneuvers with a series of feigned retreats by enraged centaurs and sniping mounted archers, all while the majority of the war-party retreated back into the plains and the deep forest. The Confederation of the Barrens managed to inflict significantly more casualties than they suffered as the humanoid infantry attempted in vain to give chase, and by then Rostal’s weary cavalry could not mount another charge. Though the Horned Society had allowed their enemy to escape, they had ended the Barren Plains War. Aftermath 
   Hierarch Blontug called on his forces to regroup and resupply for a new campaign to end the nomad nuisance. His plans were soon thwarted as Plar Rostal received news from Rookroost that the Bandit Kingdoms were uniting against the forces of the Duchy of Tenh who had crossed the Zumker River and were now marching on their freeholds. Though personally threatened by Blontug, Rostal and his remaining cavalry departed without hesitation to join the combination of freelords in the east.    The Confederation of the Barrens would not attempt any more raids for the rest of the year either, though the damage done to the Horned Society and its colonial expansion was enough that it allowed previously scattered tribes of Flan (Gray Lynx, Wolverine) to return and reestablish themselves in the northern regions of the Fellreev. Chada-Three-Lances was hailed as a hero among the clans, and remained War Sachem at least through 579 CY, though later war councils failed to assemble a second war-party to permanently drive their enemy from the plains. At a stalemate, the Hierarchs began to rebuild and kept their focus on the northern frontier, building up stronger garrisons beyond Dingaverge.
   
   Lekkol and the Wegwuir had no time to celebrate the spoils of the war with the Rovers, as they returned home in haste at news that their people were besieged at Eru-Tovar. They would meet with their kin in time to drive off the forces of Iuz at the Battle of Blackwater Bend.

Heroic Hooks
   DMs who wish to feature the Barren Plains War in their own campaign should note this conflict takes place about two years after the starting timeline of the World of Greyhawk boxed set. This campaign is set during a time when the Hierarchs still rule the Horned Society, and the Rovers of the Barrens still have the numbers to make a comeback in the Bitter North. This War could make a good historical flashback, or a climatic event for a wilderness campaign. The following hooks are suggested for DMs who want to have player characters participate in the Barren Plains War without necessarily reenacting all the events. Diversionary Tactics: The player characters have joined the Barren Plains war-party and have been tasked with distracting Plar Rostal’s bandit cavalry so that the Rovers and their allies may proceed on to fight the Horned Society. It is up to the heroes to keep the enemy busy as long as possible. As a complication, Rostal’s lieutenant the evil sylvan elf Seenia and her guard will break off from their force to try and deal with the small skirmishing band herself.   Ambush from the Woods: It is the PCs job to lure out a column of hobgoblin and orc warriors who are entrenched at the edge of the Fellreev Forest guarding the main Horned Society army encampment from Rover Wardog or Wood Elf attack. The PCs will be outnumbered but they can plan an ambush on their terms if they are crafty enough. Protect the Leader: The Confederation is making yet another bold attempt to pierce the Horned Society’s formations. The allied PCs are given the honor to ride at the side of Chada-Three-Lances, whom they must keep safe as he is a high-profile target for Hierarch Blontug’s humanoid soldiers. Time is of the essence, the party must navigate a chaotic battlefield, and return to safety before Chada becomes overwhelmed. Spies in Dingaverge: The heroes are sympathetic to the Rovers’ plight and have been in Dingaverge since the call was made for bandits to converge here. The PCs are thus able to blend in easily and do some reconnaissance, or information gathering about the build-up of troops to take on the nomad confederation. Once they have the information they need, they must ride into the barrens, evading any chasing patrols, and meet with the Rovers at a rendezvous location. Sources:
Gary Gygax. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983).
Gary Gygax. Greyhawk’s World: Events of the North Central Flanaess. Dragon Magazine #56.
Gary Holian; Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer.
Carl Sargent. Iuz the Evil. Dave Howery. Ghost Dance. Dungeon Magazine #32.

World of Greyhawk Campaign: Anne Brown 1993

Welcome back Greyhawk mavens! I've been going through my RPG collection recently and trying to decide which stuff I should sell/trade off and which to keep. Needless to say, I'm very attached to my 1E and BECMI D&D stuff. Then my 2E and 3E era stuff is hit or miss. If it's Greyhawk related I keep it naturally. One item I almost put in the sell section was the hardback 1993 TSR Master Catalog. I did a post on this rare find back in 2013 and I just realized while I posted a picture of the World of Greyhawk foreword by Anne Brown, I didn't really talk about the article itself. It's so good, let's just read the entire thing. One more thing, if someone EVER asks you to describe the Greyhawk setting and why you should play it, point them to this article by Anne Brown! Enjoy!

The WORLD OF GREYHAWK campaign 

by Anne Brown 

    "Through clearing smoke and settling dust, refugees and tired soldiers make their way across a scarred landscape. The wars are finally over, and nations struggle to establish borders, alliances, and protective forces. Scarlet Brotherhood spies infiltrate every corner of the land. An undead king's grip tightens on unsuspecting nations. The Circle of Eight, the most famous clique of wizards across the continent, has scattered to the four winds, two of its members dead and one of them turned traitor. 

    What remain are danger, intrigue, and adventure-opportunities and treasures for those intrepid enough to seek them. Spies must be ferreted out, vital supply lines must be kept open, and victims of war crimes and injustice must be rescued. Perpetrators must be made to answer for their evil deeds."

Good intro! This sums up the state of the Flanaess post-Greyhawk Wars and leading into From the Ashes era. Evil is ascendant and the wars while over, are still simmering. Back then we are still a way off from the Return of the Eight, and the reversals of war leading into the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Let's continue...

    "The WORLD OF GREYHAWK campaign setting, the oldest world devised or the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, is a land of chivalry, valiant knights, heinous villains, and wrongs waiting to be righted. It has stood the test of time as a gaming ground, boasting such adventures as Temple of Elemental Evil, Tomb of Horrors, and Vecna Lives! It provided a starting point for thousands of AD&D game players, young and old.

    The GREYHAWK setting is also home to some of the most famous names in the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game-Mordenkainen, Bigby, Tenser, Rary, Vecna, Iuz, Zagyg, and more. These heroes and villains have no doubt both saved and threatened the necks of all player characters over the years. Their influence is unmistakable and their absence would be painful."

Greyhawk does benefit from being the innovator. Really the only thing you need to know is classic adventures and famous D&D personages is what separates Greyhawk from all the others. The examples Anne lists are perfect, even Vecna Lives! which is not highly regarded for its quality is now very relevant in 5E. Like she says, the absence of these names associated with their famous spells and magic items is a grave mistake. Greyhawk's influence reverberates through all D&D history. Moving on...

    "The famed City of Greyhawk, described in its own boxed set, is a gaming jewel in its own right. Filled with interesting characters from Mayor Nerof Gasgal (a former member of the thieves' guild) right down to gamblers and street urchins, this bustling metropolis is filled with adventure and intrigue. It boasts a marketplace, gambling house, opera house, museum, wizards' academy, and library. It is a city inhabited by thieves, merchants, wizards of all levels, sewer zombies, and plenty of friendly, ordinary folk.

    Like any civilized continent, Greyhawk is not without its problems. Raiding barbarians, evil necromancers, and the occasional dragon have all beleaguered innocents and adventurers alike. It would be a boring land without interesting villains."

Anne leads into the City of Greyhawk which is literally the center of this great setting. Since the boxed set she mentioned, the city has had timeline updates and additions through the editions. Whatever source you use for the Gem of the Flanaess, the description here holds true. There is more...

"The Winds of War

    In recent years, political frictions built into the campaign world came to a boil. Deceit, treachery, double-dealing, and expansionism desired by greedy leaders all took their toll. Shaky alliances fell and armies mounted by forces of evil besieged coveted lands. Horrible tales of war machines, destructive wizardry, and massive humanoid armies on the march are now told in every inn, tavern, and outpost.

    For two long years, the nations of the Flanaess schemed, murdered, and warred against each other until nearly all sides lay bloodied and beaten: war had exhausted the land and the people. Furyondy, and Iuz ground to a stalemate; Nyrond's vast coffers drained dry and its overtaxed peasants grew rebellious; the Great Kingdom shattered into a swarm of petty landholdings vying for power; Keoland ought invasion on all sides; countless men, dwarves, elves, and orcs marched off to war, never to return; farms stood empty; fields lay fallow... the Flanaess could war no longer.

    The leaders of the fatigued nations finally agreed to a truce-no small undertaking. Each nation sent ambassadors to the Free City of Greyhawk. Six months of strained negotiations commenced, and in the end, came the Day of the Great Signing. Finally, the nations of the Flanaess rested in an uneasy peace. The documents were signed. But across the countryside, the world was far from peaceful."

So again, Anne lets us know war is a major backdrop of the setting. This is another huge selling point for the setting. Only Birthright really goes more into medieval fantasy warfare than Greyhawk does. From its war gaming roots, Gary Gygax's Greyhawk was meant to have this kind of continent-wide conflict. She goes on to name-drop some of the most important kingdoms on the map and finishes with the event that leads to the unfortunate Rary the Traitor. What comes next from Anne Brown?

"After the War

    The GREYHAWK campaign setting now offers more gaming opportunities than ever before. In December 1991. the original boxed set was amended by the Greyhawk Wars boxed set, describing the status of the war and providing a complete wargame, allowing fans of the setting to play out the events of the war.

    In October 1992, the game line was again amended by a boxed set, entitled From the Ashes. This set provides a complete update describing the aftermath of the war, and includes new maps, encounters, and gaming hooks. Countless rumors and whispered tales are included as fuel for the imagination of the DUNGEON MASTER.

    From the Ashes also includes new non-player characters to provide player characters with tour guides and enemies. These folks run the range from law enforcing rangers and patrols to mischievous wizards and fiendish undead creatures. Of course, plenty of friendly natives, grumpy dwarves, and sly elves fill in the gaps.

    The most powerful creatures in the world of GREYHAWK, the gods themselves, are also detailed in this boxed set. Major deities are outlined to provide both players and the DM with just enough to understand their workings but still keep them guessing."

  Anne brings it back to the stuff being sold in the catalog. I would not recommend Greyhawk Wars for a campaign simulation, but it makes for a fun boardgame. Like or not, From the Ashes does indeed build on previous published Greyhawk. The 90's was of course the golden age of prolific author Carl Sargent and sourcebooks like Iuz the Evil, Marklands and the unpublished Ivid the Undying; all would go on to add an abundance of new lore undreamt of during the Gygax era. Let's finish this off...

  

    "The lands of Greyhawk will be recovering from the wars for decades. Certain areas are wild as ever, while some regions, once safe, have fallen under evil influence. Skirting the Scarlet Brotherhood spies, avoiding the eye of Iuz, and eluding Ivid and his undead will make for years of memorable gaming!"

Well said Anne Brown! Built off this momentum in 1993, Greyhawk would go on to have even more 2E updates and adventures, then it was made the core world of 3.5E D&D. This was the peak of the Greyhawk setting; featured by Paizo Publishing in dozens of adventures for Dungeon magazine and was the setting for the unmatched Living Greyhawk campaign where players from all over the world created hundreds more modules for several years. Though the star has faded since then, Greyhawk lore continues to influence modern D&D for all the reasons Anne listed above. If you are just now learning about the World of Greyhawk, the 90's is actually a great place to start because it has all the wondrous simplicity of 80's Greyhawk with a respectable amount of gritty new adventure seeds and you won't get overwhelmed by all the published lore that comes out in the 2000's. Thanks again, Anne for writing this article.  

Old Greyhawk Ads in Dragon

Greetings all and welcome back to Greyhawkery! As I write this post, we are going through another Virtual Gary Con 2021, and the gaming and streaming for the World of Greyhawk has never been more successful. While the community games into the future, I've been nostalgically looking back to the past to muse on how far this setting has come. My favorite source is the pages of Dragon where one can see the evolution and even launch of the products we all now take for granted. Sit back and read some clipped advertisements I found from this hallowed magazine. Enjoy!

I think it's safe to say Saga of Old City is Gygax's best and first novel set in Greyhawk. The Gord series held a lot of promise as it came out around the time D&D novels was red hot, especially the Dragonlance series. Because of this, Saga got a big push back in winter 1984/1985. This full page, color ad was evocative enough to grab readers.

In winter of 1986, Gygax put out his second novel in the Gord series with Artifact of Evil. It's too bad that he would have to finish the series post-TSR. Look at that retail price!

Here's an old school ad from Dragon #37. Again, Gary went all out with a full color ad in his usually all black & white magazine. To give us a taste of the Greyhawk Folio cover would've been a treatment back in 1980.

In contrast, this ad in Dragon #80 for the updated 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set is disappointingly small, black and white and just has a nice blurb to hook you into buying it. I scoured the back issues for a full page color ad of this boxed set and couldn't find it. If anyone knows, let me know. I assume if one already had the Folio, this small ad would be enough to remind you. I had neither Dragon #80 nor the Folio. It is merely fate that I'm here today as a lifelong Greyhawk gamer.

This ad from Dragon #94 in 1985 is fun one. G1-2-3 Against the Giants is one of the first modules I ever owned, but damn if I had saw this ad, well I could've had that mod and even more if I just bought a hardback D&D book. I highly doubt a sale like this will happen again. 

This blurb is from the coming soon section of Dragon #112. What is shocking to me about this ad, is that the Queen of the Spiders was supposedly linked to the Temple of Elemental Evil and Slave Lords series?!? That's an adventure path on steroids. I cannot imagine running one PC group through 15 modules. I know there will some Greyhawk grognards who eschew this proposed storyline. Perhaps the ad department of TSR just wanted to push sales of the modules by tying them all together. D&D players are collectors and would have to get an entire story. Maybe they were right, because as we saw in 2E going forward, storylines were not as closely tied together so some inevitably ended up more popular than others. 

Speaking of the Temple of Elemental Evil, this last ad here is from Dragon#100 (coincidentally the issue that debuted Gord) and is for the compiled T1-4 TOEE super-module that is referenced above. Again, the ad is black & white, but it is well made and much more evocative. It takes hints of the gargoyles on Keith Parkinson's amazing cover and throws in some hype text to catch your attention. This would entice me to get the Temple since I never owned the original mods. I am curious that the blurb says this is the "conclusion" to the T-series. Does this Frank Mentzer supermod have story info Gygax's books doesn't? You'll have to get them all to find out I guess!

Classic Greyhawk Modules To Do List

Howdy Greyhawkers! Naw, not gonna talk about Wizard's newly announced Ravenloft book, and the two remaining books left to be announced. Been there done that. No, often I stop and post some retrospective on which modules I need to collect or in this case run for my friends (Ghost Tower of Inverness and the Saltmarsh series is my most recent). It's for my own benefit, but also can inspire those in a similar position as me. Most times I prefer writing my own adventures, it is easier to remember the plot when I created it. When I'm lazy though or just want something for my players to grind, modules are always best bet. So yeah, in my roughly 37 years of DMing, here is some classic modules I need to check off my Greyhawk bucket list (caveat, I'm not including Dungeon magazine modules cause I know there's a ton of them I haven't ran):

The Slave Lords series (A0-A4, etc): This one is what led me to post this since we talked about the Slave Lords recently on Legends & Lore stream. Strangely, I collected the original 32-page modules well after I had already ran 2E Slavers into the ground. I feel that going back to the 1E AD&D originals would be more fun.

Against the Giants (G2-G3): I ran parts of G1 the Steading of the Hill Giant Chief as a teen long ago before I knew what I was doing, but I never really got to the high level sections, Hall of the Fire Giant King and Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl. Now would be a great time to bash giants!

Drow series (D1-D3, Q1): Okay for that matter I've never ran Vault of the Drow or rest either. I love reading through them, but I've yet to try and see if my friends want to play an Underdark campaign. Our games tended to revolve around mega-dungeons like Greyhawk Ruins or Maure Castle, and political themes like the Greyhawk Wars. In the very least I'd like to use the Vault given the wealth of lore at my fingertips. 

Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (S4): This is one dungeon that I know fans like because of the backstory, but I think I tried to run once and gave up because of the mountain exploration. I want to just get to the main parts and run it someday!

Secret of Bone Hill (L1): I have never ran any of Len Lakofka's modules and that's a sad admission given that I met him late in his life and now he is no longer with us. I must run a Lendore Isles module someday! (maybe Assassins Knot as well)

Isle of the Ape (WG6): I'm not sure why, maybe its cause there's a new Kong movie coming out, but how have I never ran this module? Me and my friend Jayson have been monster movie fans since we were old enough to tie our shoelaces. This is on the list.

Falcon's Revenge (WGA1): Okay last one, I threw this out cause I know the Falcon trilogy isn't popular, but I somehow never owned them when they first came out and let me tell you, these are set in Greyhawk City, and I used every bit of City of Greyhawk lore I could get my hands on. So basically I need to run one of these and see if its truly as awful as I've heard (can't be worse than Doomgrinder and I ran that!).

Let's Fight Raxivort

Welcome Greyhawk adventurers! I haven't done this column in a long time. If you haven't seen my previous "Let's Fight" posts it goes like this; back in the days of AD&D, it was entirely possible, but not advised, for PCs to get into combat with deities. The 1E Deities & Demigods in particular is filled with stats and rules on many pantheons from earth and literature. This template for deity stats carried over to the early World of Greyhawk products and articles thus giving DMs an option to pit their players against the gods themselves if necessary. As expected, they are damn tough but not impossible to kill. Hit points were capped out at 400, AC never went higher than -10 (AC 30 by today's rules) and most had very high magic resistances and other powers not available to characters. After sacrificing PCs in combat with greater gods like Istus, Ulaa and Nerull, let's give the players a chance at fighting someone their own, er, size? Let's fight Raxivort, god of xvarts, rats, and bats! 

Raxivort the Lord of Xvartkind was once a mere mortal mortal, but through cunning, ambition, and superior capabilities he received powers from his master, Graz'zt. He then used his powers to steal from the demon prince, lead a rebellion, then run off with his riches to Pandemonium where he evidently ascended to lesser deityhood.

The Horde: Any fight with Raxivort is actually going to begin as a major encounter. The '83 boxed set says he always has companies of xvart fighters to guard him. How many is in a xvart company? I dunno, but their original entry in Fiend Folio has their number of appearing listed at 40-400. So yes, a minimum 40 guards, or an average of 200 xvart warriors. Given its Raxivort though, why not the maximum number? Sure they are only 1-1 HD and do 1d4+1, but that's a mean horde. Likewise at his beck and call, is packs of the largest giant rats (Per Monster Manual, 5-50 in a pack, so I assume a few of those) and scores of mobats. Monster Manual 2 has these mean things at 4-6 HD and a wingspan of 12'...so scores of them? That's 20-60 roughly if the DM is nice? Between xvarts, bats and rats, that's a lot of ablative hit points! Heroes better have lots of AOE attacks with them, or bring reinforcements! 

Ranged Threats: Meanwhile, Raxivort himself hides in the back of his horde (or among them?) and uses spells and ranged attacks. First off, little ol Raxi has the powers of a standard lesser god (according to the Glossography), so he will have access to heal (2 times), and cure serious wounds in a pinch, but worse, he can cast annoying stuff like improved invisibility (at will), death spell (1 time fortunately), and polymorph others (2 times)

He famously can hurl "any" knife, dagger, short sword, or similar blade with great accuracy and can make them bite as if a +4 weapon! Very deadly, especially when you consider the blue guy is equal to a 10th-level assassin. In AD&D this means if Raxi takes the PCs by surprise (remember the invisibility), then even without poison, there is a chance he can Assassinate a single character. At his level he optimally has a 1% chance to instakill an 18th-level PC. His chances increase from there, a modest 14th-level PC would have a 25% chance of dying for instance. Players best protect their healer!

Oh yes and just for fun Raxivort can shape change into a mobat form (then fly among his scores of mobats) and attack in concert with a 20' radius sonic scream that causes a save vs paralysis from the noise. That radius will be much bigger since there is scores of mobats to deal with! The PCs better wear earplugs! 

Once the henchmen and guards are dealt with, and sly Raxivort is cornered, or heck, even if his horde is entirely bypassed somehow, the Lord of Xvarts can defend himself. Don't let his small size (4' tall) fool you. At AC-1 (blue chainmail) and 246 hit points, this xvart has more durability than bigger, meaner gods such as Trithereon, Iuz, and even Hextor! Raxi is also a 12th-level fighter, with an 18/00 strength, and a dizzying 4 attacks per round using his main weapon, a small yet deadly falchion:

The Azure Razor: This is a +5 weapon in Raxi's hands only. Not only does it do  1d6+7 damage per hit, he can command the razor to paralyze one type of creature each day. It is not certain whether targets get a save, just don't get hit is my advice. Make sure your party is diverse! But for those he can't paralyze, he has other tricks up his sleeve, like his left hand...

Blue Flame: Raxivort can also project from his left hand a nasty variation of the burning hand spell (20' long, 20 wide at end). The blue flame is a magical fire/acid spray requiring TWO saves to avoid 5d4 damage. He can hurl this power once every four rounds and six times per day. When Raxi uses the blue flame he can only attack twice with his falchion, so there's that.

Attacking Raxivort with spells can be frustrating for players with his 40% magic resistance and 18 Intelligence and Wisdom. He is also listed as Psionic Ability "VI" which means that while Raxivort does not have psionic powers, he is also immune to them. Leave your psionicists at home for this encounter.

As a solo fight, Raxivort could reasonably be taken down by a large, well-armed, high-level group, but in his own lair among vast hordes of skittering creatures, there is little doubt this fight would end with players running in fear, and then for the rest of their lives wondering if every bat or rat they see might be a vengeful Raxivort in disguise!

Greyhawk Books: James Ward & Rose Estes

Hail Greyhawkers! I love going back through old Dragon Magazine issues and reading stuff that I may have overlooked back then. I don't know about you, but my Dragon reading was sporadic if not targeted. If it wasn't the Comics section, Forum/Letters, a Greyhawk article like Suel deities by Len Lakofka or some new D&D content like spells by Ed Greenwood, then I was skimming by it. What did I miss in 1988's Dragon #135? Well, with the benefit of 33 years of hindsight I missed some quite interesting stuff. James Ward, Rose Estes, and R.A. Salvatore. Check this out:

The Game Wizards by James Ward

Readers speak out on GREYHAWK® Adventures 

"I asked for feedback in The Game Wizards column in DRAGON® issue #129. So, what happens when 511 letters come to my office, all filled with great and not-so great ideas on what should get into the GREYHAWK® Adventures hardbound book? I read every one of them. Let me tell you, most of the handwritten ones, especially the ones with horrible penmanship, were a real chore, but every one was read and some of them had ideas that are being put into the design of the book. Let me fill you in on the best of these."

Okay, gotta interrupt here. Anna Meyer and Jay Scott had James Ward on stream several months ago and his insights on the creation of Greyhawk Adventures were fun. I don't believe he mentioned Dragon Magazine feedback in the book's creation. 511 letters from fans? I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the community tell me "yeah I wrote a letter to TSR on what should go in GHA and my specific idea got picked!" It sounds like mostly generalizations here, but clearly some people got rewarded for their effort. Back to the article...

"Many people wanted zero-level PCs. Adventurers are not hatched ready to go; they undergo a bit of training in several areas before they find their niches. The rules on this character-creation system will cover experimenting with different classes and even keeping some powers from other classes (at a penalty of losing experience points on adventures).

A good many people wanted to know about some of the more unusual geographic features of the planet Oerth. There is now going to be an entire section in the book on this topic. Oerth has islands that float with the currents of the sea. Each of these places has become the lair of fierce monsters that need the islands traveling ability to enter new feeding grounds during the year. These monsters also have unusually large treasure hoards. Imagine, too, a strange magical pillar that greatly heightens the powers of any magic-user who touches it but the more spellcasters who touch the pillar, the less power the artifact gives to each. Naturally, one person seeks to have all the power; rivals must be eliminated!"

This I can believe. My favorite stuff in that book is the mysterious geographical locations. I'm having a hard time recalling what pillar he is referring to though, anyone else?

"I was very surprised to see that hundreds of you wanted adventures in the book. Several sections will now have adventures patterned after REF3 The Book of Lairs; these adventures range from zero-level, easy-looking things like loading a hay wagon to high-level adventures for only the toughest of heroes. Each one is designed to provide hours of fun for PCs and DMs alike. Some letters confirmed my suspicion that several sections scheduled to be put into the hardbound would indeed be popular. There was a clear majority in favor of putting in new monsters from the WORLD OF GREYHAWK fantasy setting; the same went for characters and spells. I would be in trouble, too, if I didn't put in magic items especially designed for the WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting."

I never owned the Book of Lairs. I'd like to compare this now. Monsters, spells and magic items of course are faves of the book today. James wraps it up...

"I'll close out this section by saying that I appreciated the thought and effort that went into all those letters from you, the readers. My eyes especially appreciated the typed letters that came in. Yes, I will send out free copies of the book to those whose ideas I liked and used. No, I don't need any more ideas on this project, but I will still read your letters not because I can use the ideas, but because I think your effort merits a little work on my part."

James had told us on stream, this book had a VERY fast product time. And there you have it, somewhere out there Greyhawk fans have free copies of GHA. Jealous! Let's move on now to another section of issue #135. This one blew my mind. I almost NEVER read the novel reviews and video game reviews. In this issue we are treated to a head-to-head review of a Greyhawk novel and a relatively new author's humble Forgotten Realms novel.

The Role of Books by John C. Bunnell

THE DEMON HAND (Rose Estes)

THE CRYSTAL SHARD (R.A. Salvatore) 

"Rose Estes' third GREYHAWK® Adventures novel and R.A. Salvatore's first tale of the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting share more than common ancestry in the worlds of gaming. Both focus on multiple rather than single protagonists, and comparing the two authors' craftsmanship offers practical insight into the process of developing successful characters."

I'm already cringing that they are being compared. No, like most Greyhawk fans, I'm not a fan of Estes' novels. It's scary to think she was on her third book before FR really got going. Back to the review...

"The Demon Hand is the third book in a trilogy about Mika, a Wolf Nomad drawn by accident into an intricate web of demonic intrigue. That's fine except that Mika is out of action for most of the book, caught in a snare he cannot bypass. Estes instead builds the body of her tale around his harpy daughter, Chewppa, and TamSen, the son of TamTur, Mika's wolf companion. (The mind boggles at the genetic possibilities for the next generation.) Unfortunately, none of these would-be heroes will win much sympathy from readers. Mika, as in earlier books, is too much a victim of fate to be heroic. Chewppa suffers from a comparatively small role in the plot and a serious language barrier. And TamSen, who is really the star of this book, must compete for center stage with Mika and Chewppa as well as with his twin sister, TamLis, who abruptly changes roles at the novel's close. Estes has written this tale with a strong narrative presence. Description generally prevails over dialogue, and the texture of the writing is that of a historian, not a poet. The result is a sense of distance between the story and the audience a real problem in the absence of a strong central figure."

Brutal. How about Mr. Salvatore?

"R.A. Salvatore takes a different approach with The Crystal Shard, a novel with an equally generous cast. His narration stays closer to the events it describes, rather than stepping backward to comment on larger contexts. More significantly, Salvatore deals with his characters in twos and threes rather than by themselves, so that dialogue and action, not description, convey the heroes' personalities. Though the barbarian Wulfgar is initially a reluctant captive in the relative civilization of Ten-Towns, hard work and maturation forge him into a warrior strong enough to slay a legendary dragon (in a nicely crafted scenario, at that) and restore his own tribe's honor. Regis the halfling owes more to the AD&D game than to Tolkien, but his slightly unsavory sense of larceny makes his eventual part in saving Ten-Towns all the more entertaining. And Drizzt, the exiled drow, is handled with uncommon finesse and care. (Salvatore may be the first novelist to find a practical use for the traditional AD&D game alignment system.) These are individuals that readers will enjoy meeting and getting to know."

Yup, I definitely want to read Crystal Shard more than Demon Hand now. Note the part about Salvatore being innovative with Drizzt and alignment. Yes indeed, readers will get to know Drizzt. Alot.

"One other comparison is worth making. Both novels rely on demons from the Abyss for much of their villainy, and in this regard, Salvatore's Errtu is a much deadlier adversary. Errtu is diabolical in action as well as origin, where the blustering Maelfesh of The Demon Hand is little more than a major-league killing machine. (It's also unsettling that Maelfesh is supposed to be several times more powerful than the semi-legendary Iuz, whom Estes casually swept aside a couple of books back.)"

GROAN! Why Rose? Why?

"The Crystal Shard occasionally has rough qualities typical of a first novel (which it is), notably where the shard itself is concerned. Salvatore's writing loses confidence as he tries to get inside his villains' minds, but it is more absorbing by far than Estes' latest work. Estes is capable of better writing (see DRAGON® issue #105 concerning her Children of the Dragon); the Mika trilogy suffers more from carelessness than from true lack of skill. As the AD&D game's original homeworld, the world of Greyhawk deserves more consideration."

Well said sir! If only R.A. Salvatore had been moved over to save the Greyhawk novel line. But no, Drizzt took off and 33 years later, he is still writing. I'll leave you all with this ad from the same issue #135 for Rose's next Greyhawk novel The Name of the Game. Cringe. Oh boy, I need to dig this book review up next! Until then, thanks for going down memory lane with me!