I posted a month or so ago asking about Living Greyhawk stuff. My son is 9 years old now and the age that I was when I started with the Basic boxed set (the one with B2). I'm thinking it's high time to start him off in DnD. I was too young to appreciate the World of Greyhawk at the time and was sucked into the Forgotten Realms. Years later, I see that game world has some problems that I don't want to get into. I played some Living Greyhawk and fell in love with the campaign world again.
Years later, I now want to have a campaign for my son with some fellow 9-10 year olds. Now, they are young, so I don't want to get too complicated. I also want to make it fun and exciting. I want to build a good story. It would be so cool for them to go through some of the same adventures that I did as a kid. I also want them to learn about Greyhawk.....and then have it smashed by the Greyhawk Wars. I'm fully aware that I might have to have years and a seperate campaign to go through on this. I want them to learn about Greyhawk as it is before the War. I know there is a lot of story based on the personal campaign of Gygax. To be honest, some of that I don't know.
With all that in mind, I want them to go through some iconic adventures and learn a bit about Iuz, his mother, general Greyhawk setting, and some of the background info to it. Now, my first thoughts were to have a number of adventures that bounce them all over Greyhawk. I can mix in old modules and Living Greyhawk stuff. I started to think, though, that I might want to do something different. I thought of......
The Temple of Elemental Evil! It's situationed near Greyhawk and Furyondy and all those areas that will blow up. It's got a relatively straight forward plot that a 9 year old can appreciate. It's hack and slash, but with a story. It goes from 1-8th. Does that sound like a good plan? Are there any other suggestions?
I want to run the game in DnD 3.5. I can get the books cheap. I have all the cool Living Greyhawk stuff that is that edition. I can bounce them around the world and have adventures almost anywhere. It's also the game system I know. I either already have the books or can get extras cheap. I'm open, though, to any suggestions if someone has a good arguement for something different. I like the depth of info for the various organizations via the Living Greyhawk and can run with that.
So.....I thought about maybe having them start off in Greyhawk or Furyondy. Maybe run a LG adventure or two in those areas. Get them some of that story and have a base of operations to go to when they need to go to the big city for something. Maybe get a Prestige Class or two from somewhere. It's been a while, but I have to read through all my old stuff to make sure it sounds right, but does it sound right with anyone else? Any other suggestions for things to tie it in? Maybe if they get stumped with a certain area, I can run some one off LG modules. Or maybe for a break in the story, too.
OK.....after all that, is there a good spot that has a 3.5 conversion of Temple of Elemental Evil online?
I looked at some maps and such and it seems that Verbobonc is probably the closest area to base the adventerurs out of. I'm looking into all that LG material now. Lots o' stuff!
What a coincidence, since I have started my 10 year old son in the World of Greyhawk as well. In my case, I chose Keoland as the starting point with the classic Saltmarsh Series (U1-U3). I am of the opinion that they are still among the best starting modules of all time.
From here I plan to branch out to other adventures such as Baltron's Beacon, Tomb of the Lizard King, and potentially elements from the Savage Tide adventure series with clashes against the Scarlet Brotherhood and the Yuan-Ti. The Siege of Westkeep could also serve as a backdrop to some excellent adventures.
Alternatively, or additionally, I have thought of a northern Keoland campaign arc using adventures such as "Against the Cult of the Reptile God", "Against the Giants - the Liberation of Geoff", "The Vale of the Mage" and even the Greyhawk adaptation of the "Red Hand of Doom", set in Sterich I believe.
Anyway, Greyhawk remains ever ready to fire the imagination of the next generation of hawkers! Your campaign ideas will no doubt prove enjoyable to your young players.
Your plan sounds solid. They can go anywhere after ToEE.
Another idea is to start with a shorter first adventure. Any of the B series (In Search of the Unknown, The Keep on the Borderlands, Horror on the Hill, The Lost City, etc.) can be placed anywhere in the Flanaess. While they are adventuring through this first module, you can add NPCs and hints about further adventures and let them decide where their PCs will go next.
By way of example, I did this using The Keep on the Borderlands. I made the evil clerics and humanoids in the Caves of Chaos agents of Iuz, so the party learned to despise him. They even learned a bit about his mother, Iggwilv. I added Sir Bluto Sans Pite as an antagonist that they came to hate with a passion (White Plume Mountain). I gave them hints about an Iggwilvian magical cloak lost somewhere in the Cold Fens (Fiend's Embrace), a powerful magical blade lost in Barovia (Ravenloft), more legends of lost treasures of the time of Iggwilv's reign over Perrenland (The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth), rumors of slaver attacks on the Nyr Dyv (A 1-4, Slavers, et. al.), and outrageous tales of what lies beneath Castle Greyhawk (Greyhawk Ruins). By the time they had finished their adventures at the Keep, they were most interested in pursuing Sir Bluto, so they ended up at White Plume Mountain via the City of Greyhawk.
In other words, let the players decide which adventures seem most enticing for themselves.
Verbobonc is a good place to start for Temple of Elemental Evil. One ploy to get adventurers off on the right foot is to have them hired on as guards for a merchant traveling to Hommlet. The merchant sells everything once there (to the traders of course), but also plans to stick around for bit too. That leaves time for the PCs to get bored and begin doing what adventurers do best- find trouble to get into. When the merchant finally does make plans to leave, he just hires on new guards at the Inn of the Welcome Wench to replace the PCs, leaving them free to find even more trouble to get into, which they surely will. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
Lots of great replies! I'm actually torn now. I had originally decided to have things based in Keoland as I like the Sheldomar Valley. I was thinking of running them through some LG stuff and Secret of Saltmarsh and probably the Slaves. I thought maybe doing something more iconic might be better. So, I thought heading north and then going through some classic adventures.
Having them decide might be the best thing. I'll have to start them off somewhere and then run through some LG modules to get them used to things. Then let them head to where they want.
If I wanted to start them off in Keoland, how would they learn about Iuz, though? I'd like for them to learn about a lot of the various evils and be torn about which way to go. Sheldomar Valley is usually about Vecna and the Scarlet Brotherhood. I don't want to spill the Greyhawk Wars until later.
I do love Against the Cult of the Reptile God. Maybe I could start there? Have the naga be an agent of Iuz? That would mean missing out on the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Or maybe do a few Keoland LG adventures that can be used pre-GW Wars and let them decide?
I'm also getting an old gaming friend tell me that I should just do 5th Ed. The system is smoother and would be easier for the kids. Is anyone familiar with it enough to let me know? Would I miss out on all the great details of meta orgs and feats/prestige classes? Or is it alright to just go ahead with 5th?
I'm thinking of maybe starting off with B2 and setting the Keep in Bissel. It can be there to protect the trade routes from brigands, the Ket, or anyone else, really. Have Iuz as the evil power. Introduce Iuz and his mother. At the end of it, have info about Temple of Elemntal Evil, the City of Greyhawk, or news from the Keoland area.
I'm thinking of maybe starting off with B2 and setting the Keep in Bissel. It can be there to protect the trade routes from brigands, the Ket, or anyone else, really. Have Iuz as the evil power. Introduce Iuz and his mother. At the end of it, have info about Temple of Elemntal Evil, the City of Greyhawk, or news from the Keoland area.
That sounds like a plan, Heychadwick.
If your players decide to investigate rumors of Iggwilv (Iuz's mother), you are well-placed to have them run through The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun and The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. They're located just north west in the Yatil Mountains. Southwest, you have Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and the GDQ series.
That's what I was thinking. They could do the mother quests eventually. Also, they could go to Temple of Elemental Evil. Or....go elsewhere! Maybe south. Maybe Istus.
One question I have deals with the official plotline of Greyhawk. I'm looking up Iuz and he's supposedily impressioned from 505 CY to 575 CY. That gives 15 years until the Greyhawk Wars. Should I set the story up for around 576 or so? Have it that Iuz has returned and the Caves of Chaos are some of the first outposts set up by his agents? I figure it can lead to info about Iuz and further storyline. If I did that, though, I might want to make the campaign start in Furyondy. Maybe offer up some local Furyondy LG stuff, too.
One thing I'm thinking about is putting the Keep on the Borderlands in northern Furyondy. The only problem is where? I'm not quite sure on where the boundry is between Furyondy and the Horned Society. So...it's after Iuz was gone and the Horned Society ruled in Molag. Is it the river that's the border? If so, that's a city full of evil humanoids and just across the river is Furyondy? Maybe I should ask where is the effective control of Furyondy at this time?
Also, the return of Iuz talks about soft men from Furyondy that had taken over his realm. Does that mean that Furyondy colonized it? Or just evil men that weren't that competent took over as petty lords?
Overall, where would be a good place to put Keep on the Border Lands so that it's meant to watch over the area near Iuz's old lands?
One thing I'm thinking about is putting the Keep on the Borderlands in northern Furyondy. The only problem is where? I'm not quite sure on where the boundry is between Furyondy and the Horned Society. So...it's after Iuz was gone and the Horned Society ruled in Molag. Is it the river that's the border? If so, that's a city full of evil humanoids and just across the river is Furyondy? Maybe I should ask where is the effective control of Furyondy at this time?
Yes, the river is the official boundary between the Horned Society and Furyondy. Rivers are very effective natural boundaries against armies in this type of setting. Even magic can't transport a large army across a river easily. However, it is not likely that many Furyondian settlements lie close to that river, since it would be common for small bands of humanoids to cross the river stealthily enough to avoid Furyondian patrols. Living too near to the river would prove extremely dangerous for any Furyondian citizens.
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Also, the return of Iuz talks about soft men from Furyondy that had taken over his realm. Does that mean that Furyondy colonized it? Or just evil men that weren't that competent took over as petty lords?
I believe this refers to Iuz's traitorous lieutenants who wrested control of the eastern half of his kingdom from his loyal lieutenants when he was imprisoned beneath Castle Greyhawk, calling the lands they claimed The Horned Society.
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Overall, where would be a good place to put Keep on the Border Lands so that it's meant to watch over the area near Iuz's old lands?
I placed the Keep on the Borderlands in the northwestern Vesve Forest. It is outside Iuz's control, but close enough that it makes sense for him to have sent covert bands of humanoids and clerical 'controllers' there to fight a guerilla war behind his enemy's lines. The river, woods, and hills in that area of the map also fit well with the map of the Keep and its environs in the module itself. Additionally, I like that that area of the Flanaess is peopled nearby by every kind of demi-human race as well as humanity.
I placed the Keep on the Borderlands in the northwestern Vesve Forest. It is outside Iuz's control, but close enough that it makes sense for him to have sent covert bands of humanoids and clerical 'controllers' there to fight a guerilla war behind his enemy's lines. The river, woods, and hills in that area of the map also fit well with the map of the Keep and its environs in the module itself. Additionally, I like that that area of the Flanaess is peopled nearby by every kind of demi-human race as well as humanity...
-I put it at the confluence of the Jewel and Handmaiden rivers (you just have to turn the map to put the Keep just east of it, and the Caves of Chaos where the Welkwood and Suss meet. Someon else did, too, but the Forum Search is giving a "Web page Cannot be found notice."
I just get the impression that the area around the Keep has a warmer climate. Just my impression.
The "semi-canonical" Return to the Keep adventure (which I've never read) apparently puts it in the Yeomanry, but for some reason, that module seems to be widely ignored. Something about non-Greyhawk deities, IIRC.
I think I'll place the Keep in the County of Crystalreach before the Greyhawk Wars. I'll put it either north of Grabford or east along the river. I'll have the Keep be a waystop for the patrols along the border with the Hornded Society. The players will get to hear the soldiers complain about not getting to attack across the river due to the political infighting. It should set the stage for the reason why no one is fighting the evil.
The Temple in the caves will be dedicated to Iuz and the priests will surely babble about how "the master has returned!". The players will learn more about Iuz, his mother, and that he disappeared. It will lead into more info about Iuz being a growing and returning evil that no one believes is back. Go into the Thurizden modules and Lost Caverns. Maybe do Temple of Elemental Evil.
EDIT: I am looking for some decent printable dungeon tiles. Either a paid program or free options. Does anyone know of any? Free is good, but high quality is nice, too.
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When the merchant finally does make plans to leave, he just hires on new guards at the Inn of the Welcome Wench to replace the PCs, leaving them free to find even more trouble to get into, which they surely will.
