I'm looking for a 1e/2e/Basic city adventure for 1st-2nd level characters. Something with a good mix of action, intrigue, and sleuthing. Nothing epic like "Hot Day in L'Trel", just a good two- or three-session adventure to introduce rookies to urban adventuring.
It's 576 and the characters just finished B1 in northern Tenh. They're heading to Nevond Nevnend to sell their loot because the hillfolk, troops, and villagers north of the Zumkend aren't terribly interested in objets d'art. Most of the players are brand new to D&D and this will be their first time in a city, so I'm looking for something exciting. Of course, they're going to run into problems hawking Zelligar and Rogahn's belongings unless they use a fence, but I'm looking for more ideas. Two thieves (elves), three fighters (2 dwarves), a priest of Pelor, and a NE necromancer (don't ask)... looking for training and pawn shops...
Some short side treks from the Greyhawk City boxed set:
Minding the Store (1st level);
The Final Resting Place of Dorshak Krane (2nd level);
Bath Time for the Hopping Prophet (3rd level).
You may also like The Assassin's Knot, though it is a longer adventure. Here is a link to the WotC sight with a description, but the download links don't seem to be working:
Canonfire! has hosted some things that were available as free downloads, namely these two adventures, but as they go up for sale and are no longer free, they will be removed from Canonfire!. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
I will be flogged for this, but would Puppets fit the bill. Not the best adventure ever written, by a long shot, but it is urban and it is low-level. It is allegedly based on Dyvers, but there is nothing in it really specific to that locale.
It is actually not a bad adventure, but I would recommend taking a sinister tack with it. DMs may wish to flesh it out with some further city encounters. Dyvers is a darker place than Greyhawk, so DMs can have fun with that. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
]...they're going to run into problems hawking Zelligar and Rogahn's belongings unless they use a fence
-I don't see why. Zelligar and Rogahn have been gone a while, possibly dead, and were always considered a little dark anyway; there's plenty of evidence of evidence of their collusion with evil, IIRC. that assumes that the buyer knows who Z&R were.
vestcoat wrote:
...Any suggestions?
Has the party told the authorities that Quasqueton has been abandoned and occupied by baddies? They could get some sort of a job with the army or intelligence service (who would also provide training).
tarelton wrote:
I will be flogged for this, but would Puppets fit the bill... It is allegedly based on Dyvers, but there is nothing in it really specific to that locale.
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Larissa Hunter becomes Magister of Dyvers in the 580s. She doesn't have to be there, though.
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Cebrion wrote:
It is actually not a bad adventure, but I would recommend taking a sinister tack with it...
-IIRC, making the one title critter involves using a corpse. Creepy enough for me!
Thanks everyone. Veiled Society looks like it might work with extensive modification. I'm also considering Nehwon Nights from the Lankhmar "New Adventures..." set. The GH adventure cards are a bit too short.
Any low-level FR city adventures worth checking out? Anything I'm missing in Dungeon Magazine?
jamesdglick wrote:
I don't see why. Zelligar and Rogahn have been gone a while, possibly dead, and were always considered a little dark anyway; there's plenty of evidence of evidence of their collusion with evil, IIRC. that assumes that the buyer knows who Z&R were.
The module repeatedly stresses that anyone selling Z&R's identifiable items will attract "unwanted attention." Also, the duo isn't that far out of public awareness. The background says news of their probable demise has "just" reached civilization, so people still talk about them. Finally, while Z&R were reclusive and distrusted, they weren't despised. Their major claim to fame was in the public's best interest and they have a letter of thanks from a "prominent local landowner" hanging in the museum. IMC, the barbarian horde came from Stonefist, the pass was Rockegg Pass, and the prominent landowner was Duke Ehyeh I himself. I see Zelligar as lawful evil - close to the predominant alignment of Tenh, but willing to use humanoid slaves and have a devil shrine in his stronghold. Rogahn was neutral. Both hated the Stonefist barbarians.
jamesdglick wrote:
Has the party told the authorities that Quasqueton has been abandoned and occupied by baddies? They could get some sort of a job with the army or intelligence service (who would also provide training).
They've pretty much cleared the dungeon out and I have a few follow-ups in mind. A former druid PC has gone to her superiors to report the magic "wishing" pillar in the lower level. This is another manifestation of Oerth magic from Sargent's Greyhawk which will tie into the campaign later. Also, the party dwarves will probably turn the lower level into a mine exploiting the bluish ore in #52, revitalizing a dying mining village the party has used for a base of operations near Quasqueton.
--- One Gigantic B1 Spoiler Alert -----------------------------
vestcoat wrote:
...They've pretty much cleared the dungeon out and I have a few follow-ups in mind. A former druid PC has gone to her superiors to report the magic "wishing" pillar in the lower level. This is another manifestation of Oerth magic from Sargent's Greyhawk which will tie into the campaign later. Also, the party dwarves will probably turn the lower level into a mine exploiting the bluish ore in #52, revitalizing a dying mining village the party has used for a base of operations near Quasqueton.
-Who reocuppies the tower? Or too badly damaged IYC?
vestcoat wrote:
...The module repeatedly stresses that anyone selling Z&R's identifiable items will attract "unwanted attention."
-Yeah, but I never interpreted that as meaning that selling their stuff was illegal or officially frowned upon. It referred to someone who'd like to take the stuff for themselveds (without paying), or who'd like to jump the claim, as it were.
vestcoat wrote:
...Also, the duo isn't that far out of public awareness. The background says news of their probable demise has "just" reached civilization, so people still talk about them...
-I interpreted that to mean that the news had finally reached civilization, but that they'd been gone for several years.
Hmmm... Maybe someone could go confirm their demise? OTOH, that might be a bit tough for 2nd or 3rd (?) level adventurers.
vestcoat wrote:
...Finally, while Z&R were reclusive and distrusted, they weren't despised. Their major claim to fame was in the public's best interest and they have a letter of thanks from a "prominent local landowner" hanging in the museum...
-Yeah, I wouldn't call them dispised either, but they were distrusted in spades. I figure evidence of their disappearence would be met with a sigh of relief. Sort of like Lucky Luciano helping the Allies in Sicily; the authorities thank him for his service, and hope he goes away.
vestcoat wrote:
...IMC, the barbarian horde came from Stonefist, the pass was Rockegg Pass, and the prominent landowner was Duke Ehyeh I himself...
-That was my original plan for a 577 campaign, where I could incorporate the fighting vs. Stonefist where the Duke gets killed. But Greyhawk Wars came out, and Tehn gets whacked, so I thought basing the PCs there might be like putting them on a track with a train on the way, so I put it in Kalmar Pass, and changed all reference to "northern barbarians" to "southern humanoids" (but I kept the beserkers as Suel).
vestcoat wrote:
...I see Zelligar as lawful evil - close to the predominant alignment of Tenh, but willing to use humanoid slaves and have a devil shrine in his stronghold. Rogahn was neutral. Both hated the Stonefist barbarians....
-I never settled on anything precise, although it does reference Z&R's "vague chaotic evil" (or something like that), but I figured either CE (CN) or CN (CE), with the shrine being demonic (no specific entity yet, and it could just be "generic"). But the module makes it seem like they're sort of going through the motions. The idea of Zelligar being the baddie and Rogahn being N is something to consider.
--- One Gigantic B1 Spoiler Alert
-Who reocuppies the tower? Or too badly damaged IYC?
I haven't developed it, although I did add the rubble-filled stairway to the SW spiral, as some fans have done. Are there any B1 tower creations online?
jamesdglick wrote:
-Yeah, but I never interpreted that as meaning that selling their stuff was illegal or officially frowned upon.
I didn't say it was.
jamesdglick wrote:
vestcoat wrote:
...Also, the duo isn't that far out of public awareness. The background says news of their probable demise has "just" reached civilization, so people still talk about them...
-I interpreted that to mean that the news had finally reached civilization, but that they'd been gone for several years.
These sentences match. Like I said, Z&R are still in the public consciousness (despite their 30-year absence), so a buyer is likely to recognize their stuff. No big deal there, but once word gets out, the party will attract thieves, tax collectors, and maybe rival adventurers.
jamesdglick wrote:
But Greyhawk Wars came out, and Tehn gets whacked, so I thought basing the PCs there might be like putting them on a track with a train on the way
For me, that was part of the attraction for placing B1 in Tenh. 576 is an exciting time: Tenh is fighting in the Troll Fens, there's action in Rockegg pass, Duke Ehyeh II's death is a year away, and conflict with the BK is imminent. The PC's have plenty of time to adventure, level-up, and wander somewhere else if they want. Tenh's eventual fall will make the GH Wars that much more dramatic.
jamesdglick wrote:
-I never settled on anything precise, although it does reference Z&R's "vague chaotic evil" (or something like that), but I figured either CE (CN) or CN (CE), with the shrine being demonic (no specific entity yet, and it could just be "generic"). But the module makes it seem like they're sort of going through the motions. The idea of Zelligar being the baddie and Rogahn being N is something to consider.
This is what the module says:
Michael Carr wrote:
The deeds and adventures of these two characters were never well known, since they both kept their distance from civilization. Some say, and perhaps rightly so, that their motives were based on greed and some kind of vague (or chaotic) evil. No one knows for sure.
It's important to take "chaotic" with a grain of salt since Basic didn't have LE. In AD&D, Rogahn seems genuinely neutral and I don't see any way Zelligar could be CE. Here's my reasoning:
*Being LE & TN/LN gives Z&R one more reason to hate chaotic-evil Stonefist.
*It justifies all of the (chaotic) barbarian skeletons and trophies around the dungeon.
*It explains Z&R's their long-lasting partnership, cooperation, and trust for one another.
*CE is incongruent with Z&R's gratuitous sentimentality and equality (i.e. all of the handshaking, cheese-ball artwork around the dungeon).
*CE characters rule through fear and strength; they don't give their advisers heartfelt tokens of appreciation like Erig and Marevak possess.
*Their humanoid consorts (orcs and kobolds) are both lawful-evil, not chaotic. Granted, Rogahn also had some berserkers.
*Z&R never got in any trouble with LN Tenh. No rewards or bounties on their heads, just a letter of thanks from a local lord.
*Their relative lack of evil deeds. Other than using slaves, Zelligar just studied magic. Rogahn slayed a dragon, fought barbarians, and rescued villagers from monsters. Their evil shrine saw little use, being a mere "token to the gods".
*IMO, the "horned" visage in the shrine connotes slightly more with deviltry than the demonic.
*Rogahn's tenderness and affection for Melissa befits neutrality more than evil.
[quote="vestcoat"]...This is what the module says:
Michael Carr wrote:
The deeds and adventures of these two characters were never well known, since they both kept their distance from civilization. Some say, and perhaps rightly so, that their motives were based on greed and some kind of vague (or chaotic) evil. No one knows for sure.
-My memory isn't as bad as I feared.
vestcoat wrote:
...It's important to take "chaotic" with a grain of salt since Basic didn't have LE...
-I was going to say that I'm pretty sure that the modern matrix had been excepted in OD&D by 1981 based on a LE magic user in the sample adventure in the rule book I first read ca. March 1981 (the one with the wizard and the archer in full plate vs. the (red?) dragon), but that would be relying on something I haven't seen in 30 years. AS I was going back through B1, I found the Aural Pool in room XXXI, which allows the drinker to see other's alignment auras, whether they are LG, CG, LE, or CE... (ahem)
vestcoat wrote:
...In AD&D, Rogahn seems genuinely neutral and I don't see any way Zelligar could be CE. Here's my reasoning:
*Their humanoid consorts (orcs and kobolds) are both lawful-evil, not chaotic. Granted, Rogahn also had some berserkers...
-I assume that all those groups showed up after they left, particularly the beserkers. Based on the entry hallway, it seems that they arrived very recently. AS far as alignment goes, that might be a plus.
vestcoat wrote:
...In AD&D, Rogahn seems genuinely neutral and I don't see any way Zelligar could be CE. Here's my reasoning:
*It justifies all of the (chaotic) barbarian skeletons and trophies around the dungeon...
*Their relative lack of evil deeds. Other than using slaves, Zelligar just studied magic. Rogahn slayed a dragon, fought barbarians, and rescued villagers from monsters. Their evil shrine saw little use, being a mere "token to the gods".
-Keeping skeletons hanging around your "trophy room" or "museum" sort of puts you in the psycho category, regardless of who they were. There's also the dwarf skeleton and brass dragon hide in Rogahn's trophy room. Sure, the dwarf and the brass dragon could have been baddies, but it would still be a tad difficult to explain to the detectives...
...BTW, who has a shrine to evil in their home, regardless of how little use it gets?
vestcoat wrote:
...
*Z&R never got in any trouble with LN Tenh. No rewards or bounties on their heads, just a letter of thanks from a local lord...
-Neither did Jeffery Dahmer, unitl the cops got a whiff of his basement.
vestcoat wrote:
...In AD&D, Rogahn seems genuinely neutral and I don't see any way Zelligar could be CE. Here's my reasoning:
*It explains Z&R's their long-lasting partnership, cooperation, and trust for one another.
*CE is incongruent with Z&R's gratuitous sentimentality and equality (i.e. all of the handshaking, cheese-ball artwork around the dungeon).
*CE characters rule through fear and strength; they don't give their advisers heartfelt tokens of appreciation like Erig and Marevak possess...
*Rogahn's tenderness and affection for Melissa befits neutrality more than evil.
1) CE types usually do rule through fear and strength, but I think its a mistake to assume that evil people don't love or have friends (if there's ever a falling out, though... that could explain why they never came back...). You can find all of the above the sorts of things in the leaders and henchmen of any of the mass-murdering regimes of the 20th century. Evil people can certainly be sentimental. Hitler loved Eva Braun and his dog Blondi. Stalin took care of his mom. Making subordinates feel like they're appreciated is just smart leadership; it's the sort of thing even evil people can fake, if they don't actually feel it. There's a saying that "good isn't necessarily stupid." Neither is evil. BTW, if those paintings don't scream "socialist realism", I don't know what does. Anyway, for now, I have Rogahn as CN (CE) and Zelligar as CE (CN), so they're not evil all the way, anyway.
I'm going to shift this to a new thread to avoid high-jacking the thread:
Well, this is my thread and we've already been discussing B1 for a half dozen posts, so hijack away. I'd rather not move to a new one.
Regarding the origin of the kobolds and orcs:
Mike Carr wrote:
The monsters occupying the area to be explored are an assortment of creatures, some of which are former inhabitants (orc and kobold slaves) (24)
Good point about the dwarf skeleton and brass dragon hide. Also, Zelligar has a torture rack and a human skin in his lab. So yeah, at least Zelligar is evil for sure (which we already agreed).
Regarding the shrine, I'm not denying it's an indicator of evil, my point was that it connotes with deviltry.
Same thing with the skeletons. Psycho, yes, but Z&R sure hate those CHAOTIC barbarians.
To sum it up, I'm really not arguing the good/evil axis. I think we both agree that least Zelligar is fairly evil. The thrust of my argument is that, other than the module's vague allusions to chaos, there isn't any hard evidence to support that the duo were chaotic. Long-lasting partnership + lawful minions + letter of appreciation from prominent lord + hatred of chaotic barbarians = lawful and/or neutral, not chaotic.
You're right that being chaotic evil doesn't explicitly prohibit one from having friends and loved ones, but seriously, how many long-lasting, affectionate friendships complete with PDA's can you cite among chaotic/evil NPC's in Greyhawk? Can you name any? Please, try to answer this question. Compare B1 to the conniving, backstabbing, malicious bastards in Iuz the Evil and the Bandit Kingdoms materials - the tone of Z&R's personalities is RADICALLY different.
Well, this is my thread and we've already been discussing B1 for a half dozen posts, so hijack away. I'd rather not move to a new one...
-Well, I already created a new thread for general discussion of this topic. But as you wish.
Going back to the original topic, I've always thought that TSR/WotC skimped on low-level adventures in general. I wouldn't use an adventure which was specifically designed for one place (e.g., L1/L2, Puppets, etc) in another, but that's me. BTW, you never mentioned level the PCs are. 2nd or 3rd level?
You might just have to create your own. Does there have to be an urban scenario? Nevond Nevnend could be fairly safe. BTW, why didn't they go to Calbut?
Hmmm... Do any of your PCs come from the Pale? Fright at Tristor is based in the northern Pale. It's actually set in CY 591 or so, but you could create an adventure based on the setting, or you could have the scenario occur 15 years earlier. That would take some tweaking with the main antagonist, and you'd have to set all the other NPCs back 15 years (or maybe not, I suppose). They could even just be going home, and the "adventure" could be an encounter along the way.
[quote="vestcoat"]Regarding the origin of the kobolds and orcs:
Mike Carr wrote:
The monsters occupying the area to be explored are an assortment of creatures, some of which are former inhabitants (orc and kobold slaves) (24)
-To be honest, I overlooked that. I do have some zombies on the second level who were animated orc slaves. I assumed that most of the orcs and kobolds (plus goblins and hobgoblins) are outsiders who showed up after R&Z left (which was in CY 566 IMC, not the 30 years before listed somewhere or other, since I wanted the big battle for which they were feted to have occured just after the humanoid conquest of the Bone March, when the next objective was Ratik). Some of the slaves may have still been there, but the males were killed (not hard, since they were untrained and essentially unarmed), and the females and young incorporated into their team.
vestcoat wrote:
...Good point about the dwarf skeleton and brass dragon hide. Also, Zelligar has a torture rack and a human skin in his lab. So yeah, at least Zelligar is evil for sure (which we already agreed)...
-The dwarf sort of stuck out for me. The fact that the dragon was brass didn't register until I read that article. There could be explanations for that, since not every brass dragon has to to be CG (even in the D&D 3.5 MM, "always" doesn't always mean always, but it requires an explantion). Certainly, dwarves tilt LG, but can be of any alignment.
...You're right that being chaotic evil doesn't explicitly prohibit one from having friends and loved ones, but seriously, how many long-lasting, affectionate friendships complete with PDA's can you cite among chaotic/evil NPC's in Greyhawk? Can you name any? Please, try to answer this question. Compare B1 to the conniving, backstabbing, malicious bastards in Iuz the Evil and the Bandit Kingdoms materials - the tone of Z&R's personalities is RADICALLY different.
1) Iggwilv's treatment of Drelzna in S4;
2) Maybe the handling of Iggwilv and Iuz in EGG's second Gord book, although it's hard to tell how much is affection, and how much is eye poking;
3) Several paintings of Iggwilv and Graatz.
But Iggwilv does seem to be the exception when it comes to both giving and receiving affection in CE circles (I'm sure there's a thesis in there somewhere! ). But yeah, you don't see it too much. I consider that to be a failure caused by cliched characterization.
Why do Z&R might seem different? Part of it is more imaginative characterization. Plus, maybe they both take a longer view, which is one way to say that they're both "smarter" and/or "wiser". IMC, it's at least partly because Z isn't CE, but CE (CN), and R is CN (CE). You could argue that a lot of it is just for appearances (although I think it's largely sincere). Maybe R&Z just never had a serious falling out; they went north (or south, IMC) and never came back; maybe a blowup finally occurred during the expedition, and it wasn't pretty. Maybe Melissa (alignment unknown) has been a moderating influence on R, who in turn is a moderating influence on Z? Another possibility is that they used to be a lot worse in the past, but have left that behind; they keep the relics around as a cautionary reminder of what sort of excesses they used to particiapte in (although I don't buy that one). However, I'm now toying with the idea that Z may be CN (CE), and R is N (CN). I still have time to modify this.
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Plus, maybe they both take a longer view, which is one way to say that they're both "smarter" and/or "wiser". IMC, it's at least partly because Z isn't CE, but CE (CN), and R is CN (CE). You could argue that a lot of it is just for appearances (although I think it's largely sincere). Maybe R&Z just never had a serious falling out; they went north (or south, IMC) and never came back; maybe a blowup finally occurred during the expedition, and it wasn't pretty. Maybe Melissa (alignment unknown) has been a moderating influence on R, who in turn is a moderating influence on Z? Another possibility is that they used to be a lot worse in the past, but have left that behind; they keep the relics around as a cautionary reminder of what sort of excesses they used to particiapte in (although I don't buy that one). However, I'm now toying with the idea that Z may be CN (CE), and R is N (CN). I still have time to modify this.