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    Canonfire :: View topic - Time Period - when do you play in Greyhawk
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    Time Period - when do you play in Greyhawk
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    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jan 03, 2002
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    From: Kingston, ON

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    Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:45 am  
    Time Period - when do you play in Greyhawk

    Just wondering what time periods people have campaigns running in for Greyhawk. I have always played pre-wars - CY576 to about CY580, because that is what I've known best. In the most memorable campaign, players had played through T1-4,A1-4, and GDQ1-7 and were emerging from beneath the Crystalmists into the start of the Greyhawk Wars. This campaign evolved into more of a political one with player's taking on the role of army leaders and advisors with some pretty hefty Battlesystem battles. After a bit of this though, the campaign died off.

    So what is your favourite time period pre-Wars, during Wars, post-Wars or something entirely different?
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    Wed Jan 28, 2004 11:30 am  

    I have always been partial to the Pre-Wars simply because I really liked some of the pre-war locations that unfortunately went with the wind after Iuz (particularly Almor, Medegia, Horned Society and the Bandit Kingdoms). I also liked the threat that the Overking posed from Rauxes and was sad to see that part of Greyhawk dissolve in the official records.
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    Rhineglade the Dreamcaster
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    Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:38 pm  

    I really love the feel of the wars and From the Ashes periods, but have only ever played in the 576-580CY period. My group is working its way toward the GH Wars at a snail's crawl, beginning the campaign with first ed modules (N1), then making a detour through Ravenloft, to then hopefully play through the classics (T 1-4, A1-4, GDQ1-7) with a few other GH and Ravenloft modules thrown in, to then land smack dab in the Wars era. That ambitious plan should take, oh, about 20 years real time, given how infrequently my group plays... Sad
    Journeyman Greytalker

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    Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:15 pm  

    I play pre-wars as well. I usually start a campaign around 376 Cy and see what happens from there.

    though I'm not a fan of the wars and all they entail, there is some very useful stuff in the FtA set and the various supplements that came out after it. So, I tend to mix and match, using what I (and my players) like and ignoring the rest in my home campaign.
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    <div>Braggi, Swain and Varlet at Large<br /></div>
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    Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:19 pm  

    I enjoy the wars the most, but our new campaign is prolly gonna be post-wars.
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    Thu Jan 29, 2004 8:02 pm  

    Being new to the setting, I think my future campaign will be set post-wars. However, I have tons of old material to draw on in order to link past and present. I'm especially intrigued with the witch queen Iggwilv. So much is written about her, yet she's so enigmatic. I'll be posting about my research on her soon.
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    Thu Jan 29, 2004 10:01 pm  

    I'd love to see what you come up with Androlphas (nice meeting you tonight, by the way), since I've recently been trying to start work on a "Greyhawk Witch" class. And Iggwilv would figure importantly someway, given her portfolio.

    -Gary

    (Era? I play in many....but since I write for the present, that currently dominates.)
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    Fri Jan 30, 2004 10:47 am  

    Yah, what you got Andro?
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    Sun Feb 01, 2004 2:06 pm  

    I posted my findings. Check it out!

    PSmedger > That "Greyhawk witch" class sounds like a cool idea!
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    Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:43 pm  
    I Play in the Now

    I play "in the now, man." Meaning, I play and DM in the contemporary 3rd edition conception of Greyhawk. We have taken adventure modules from former editions that we missed and adapted them to our post-war interpretation of Greyhawk. But, the only Return to... adventure I have played is Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil.
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    Don (Greyson)
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    Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:59 am  

    The first campaign I ever played in started before I joined and after the wars stuff came out we worked out that the game was set about 10 years before the wars and ended with the liberation of Chendel (sp?).

    I have DM'd to games my first was set about 3 years before the wars and my current one is set at about the same time. Hopefully I will get to play through the wars this time Laughing

    So I guess I dont really have a favorate time period but am very familiar with pre-wars Greyhawk.
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    Cutter the Protector
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    Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:17 pm  

    This old thread has inspired two queries:

    1. Gary, whatever happened to that "Greyhawk Witch" class you mentioned? There are tons of sources that mention witch hunting in passing, but there's never been a definitive description of what constitutes a "witch" in Greyhawk. Have you done anything more with this?

    2. There has been much talk of a "reboot" for GH. There has also been a lot of commentary regarding a general preference for the pre-war GH. What would you say to a reboot that advances the timeline in order to dispose of certain elements that have become clicheic, but in effect returns GH more-or-less to its prewar state? Any thoughts, anyone?
    Master Greytalker

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    Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:34 pm  

    Well as you recall Bubbagump we discussed this several months back when teh idea of a new Gazetteer came up. In regards to the timeline, I would favor a small jump in time, say 5-15 years.

    Why? Because rather than moving my Greyhawk forward, I would use it as an outline for future games, going from my current date to when the assumed new starting date. I could then play the game and make the changes within the game nice and slow. It returns the Flanaess to what it was plus gives me plenty of playing material.

    Although I am not particularly disturbed by the Greyhawk Wars, there is a particular charm to the feel of the Mordenkainen adventure days that I would like.
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    Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods
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    Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:02 pm  

    Yes, that "charm" is the difficult part, isn't it?

    How does one go about getting rid of all those elements that have become tiresome without destroying the mystique those same elements brought to the game? How does one make Greyhawk new and fresh without destroying its decades of history and tradition?

    It's a tricky mess I've gotten myself into...
    Master Greytalker

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    Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:06 pm  

    bubbagump wrote:
    Yes, that "charm" is the difficult part, isn't it?

    How does one go about getting rid of all those elements that have become tiresome without destroying the mystique those same elements brought to the game? How does one make Greyhawk new and fresh without destroying its decades of history and tradition?

    It's a tricky mess I've gotten myself into...


    So if I undertsand you correctly your interested in keeping your Greyhawk timeline moving along rather than starting a new campaign and backing up the calander, correct?

    If I was going to take this approach, I would first make a list of what changes have occurred that I didn't like on the right side of the paper. The first statement being general such as "I don't like the fact that the Scarlet Brotherhood invaded everyone". Then get specific under that heading, such as events in the Hold of the Sea Princes (for example). Make a list of things that irritate you. This will allow you to get a strong grasp on what you would like to see go back to old style Greyhawk.

    On the left side, I would write down what aspects of those changes you do like and would choose to retain. For example, "I like the idea that the Scarlet Brotherhood has infiltrated the government of .......but at the same time doesn't make their appearance obvious. Again be specific.

    This might be away to get the big picture of what your looking for clearer in your mind. Then I would play "What If". What if the Scarlet Brotherhood had to pull out of this region or that region. It would allow me to bring such and such a nation back to its former state. Now what happened in the Scarlet Brotherhood that warranted them to pull out. What was so important that they were willing to give up their hard earned invasion efforts.

    All of this is of coarse an example. The aspects your looking to change may be areas me or someone else is ok with, just as my irritations would be different from yours. Another possibility (though I prefer the one above, but you might be able to combine the ideas) is ask yourself what NPCs or organizations would you like to use to assist in your project. If you feel like you've neglected some particularly interesting NPCs or organizations, you might be able to incorporate them as well, in a manner your good with. Another outside source (not useable under all conditions however) is looking not at people but as monsters making the change for you.

    What specifically concerns you? Breaking a list down and considering it this was could also help you list specific challenges your wrestling with and make feasible suggestions on Canonfire for proper feedback.
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    Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods
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    Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:04 am  

    This may be a clumsy analogy to some, but I've always compared the SB's invasions to those of WW2 Germany. They gradually collapse because of a) a reliance on outside allies of convenience who are not as commited to the fanatical cause, and b) a coalition of enemies intent on their defeat. Naturally this oversimplifies the reasons for Germany's downfall so let's not go there. The SB are unlikely to suffer complete defeat, so will retreat to the Tilvanot to lick their wounds and rebuild. Even if they were utterly defeated, certain high ranking members would fade way, bide their time and then return in various guises; a Greyhawk equivalent hunt the Nazis/SB campaign, sponsored by the Flanaess' answer to Simon Weisenthal. Who knows, maybe that kindly hedge wizard developing new arcana in your guild has a sinister past and plans for the future.

    I would dearly love someone who is trustworthy to write a timeline of Greyhawk history, advancing the timescale 10-20 years or so beyond the history detailed in the LGG. It would have to be a broad and not too definitive timeline, making it easy to adapt to anyone's campaign; we don't want an FR, everything's laid out for us situation. But I would support anybody who attempted this. With some exeptions, of course. This means you, Wizards Of The Beige Cut Cloth.
    Master Greytalker

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    Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:13 am  

    Ragr wrote:
    I would dearly love someone who is trustworthy to write a timeline of Greyhawk history, advancing the timescale 10-20 years or so beyond the history detailed in the LGG...


    I'm working on it, my friend, but it's going to take some time. Patience. Patience...
    Master Greytalker

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    Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:18 am  

    Patience be damned! I demand you write it now! Deliver it to me by the end of the month or face the wrath of Ragr. Wink
    Master Greytalker

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    Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:48 pm  

    No. Wink
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:18 pm  

    I've always played in pre-Wars Greyhawk, because... well, because I started playing in the pre-Wars Greyhawk! My GH started in 1984, which is a good 7 or 8 years before the release of From the Ashes, I guess. By the time it came out, my campaign had moved on to other directions and it just seemed that I should be better doing my own chronology of events.
    c
    How do I do that?

    Well, I plan on events outside the PCs control with some degree of foreshadowing, not too much since otherwise it gets boring for me - but I'll flesh out a series of possible events for the next 6 months or so, partly using random event generation (adapted from the Birthright and original Oriental Adventures hardcover, and some stuff I made up). In case of MAJOR stuff (ie wars and battles and big diplomacy) I set up some sort of outside game with players from a local wargame club. We use a paper and pen set of rules for going over battles, we use the Wars boxed set for strategic moves and some results, and we use some special rules adapted from Chivalry and Sorcery, reaction rolls and other rules to adjudicate the results of embassies and so on. The battles I only try to resolve when PCs are at the relevant site at their time in case they might provide an influence.

    This way of doing things keeps it all fresh for me and prevents boredom or burnout to settle in. Lots of stuff happens with the help of the outside players that helps with ideas for events, adventures and so on. One group of my players were heavily involved with politics and such for awhile, in the Wild Coast, GH and Furyondy area.

    What happened?

    In the wake of Scourge of Slavelords, some PCs managed to convince minor Wild Coast lords to get together and attack Highport, which was cleared of humanoids. Lots of skirmishing and minor battles at the borders of the Pomarj, but the Prince of Ulek also attacked and managed to reconquer parts of it. The SB was pissed, but basically was powerless to do anything except an assassination campaign against Ulek and the Wild Coast. The latter was quite successful, but precipitated the intervention of Furyondy, of which a certain number of noble families were wanting to gain land, alliances or marriages. GH got involed (against Furyondy, no less!) but the war sort of smoldered down after the intervention of the Furyondyan forces. A new order arose in the (smaller) Pomarj, but turned attention to Ulek Principality, and a number of major battles were fought there, eventually inflicting at least one major defeat on the Prince and causing him to withdraw and even lose some territory. The situation in the Wild Coast remains tense, with some areas of its north conquered by Furyondy, and some noble families from the Kingdom having gained much power and land, partly through marriage into the Suel families that arrived in the Coast around early 500's (refugees from the fall of the Pomarj Kingdom) and were never accepted by the previous ones. This was their chance. The PCs lost most of their influence there and currently scheme with GH City to reduce the influence of Furyondy.

    Veluna has run into some religious problems. A major proclamation by the Archcleric has meant a schism in the church of Pelor and Rao, as well as in the church of Mayaheine (in my campaign, Mayaheine is the same deity as Larani from Harn - ignore if this doesn't mean anything to you). To distance himself from the older flan faith (centered on druidic faith and balance) and flan people still occupying much of the area of the border between Furyondy and Veluna (the most traditionalist of the lot), he has proclaimed an interdict on sacrifices of all sort (ie animals of the Old Faith cult) as well as on offerings of food, drink etc... This has backlashed, as many adherents of the Pelor and Mayaheine, of mixed flannish blood were too used to this. The schism has been smoldering for 5 years, after the Archcleric instituted an Inquisition office to watch over heretical sacrifices. Furyondy has been trying to remain neutral in this religious divide, but is moving towards acceptance of the new dogma, which will cause no end of troubles. To complicate matters further, old rivalries between noble families of oeridian and flan blood are surfacing and many of the oeridian nobles are fanatically endorsing this new dogma as a way to break the power of the older (and poorer and less powerful) families and taking over their lands etc. (think England and Wales). Matters are made even worse because many families have land on both sides of the borders (ie in Furyondy) and may be vassals of both the Archcleric and the King. There is a real chance of a civil war, as well as of serious peasant uprisings, but the peasants or flan families are certain to be defeated, as they are fewer and poorer too.

    The Voivods of southern Ket (oeridian nobles and minor princes who accepted the sovereignty of Ket centuries ago) have gone to war with each other. There is a strong religious element here as one family has gathered around the Preeminence of Oedrin, a temple-monastery-castle where a number of Oeridian deities are revered (in southern Ket, the temple got some exemptions and land after being defeated by Ket and incorporated into its kingdom and became a site of pilgrimage for oeridians living in Ket), and have sought outside help. The Knights of the Watch have promoted a crusade and gotten over 3000 knights and some 10.000 other men at arms from as far as Furyondy and Nyrond to join them. The crusade started well but soon turned into a disaster, as the political realities of the southern lords of Ket took over, with alliances changing constantly and so on. The Temple is under siege (for the past year or so), the King of Ket has sent an army commanded by his middle son (said to be a great leader) and is pressing the rebels on all sides, as oeridian lords that had not commited previously are now siding with him. In the end, the Pressilids, a major oeridian family in Ket will get their big expansion of lands and the defeat of their archenemy, Voivod Grosla. A group of PCs barely made it out of there alive. The Watchers were soundly defeated at the battle of three gorges (two hexes due north of the hex where the Realstream starts). Note that in my campaign the Watchers are an independent force, with fortresses and forces in Bissel, Gran March, Veluna and northern Keoland: the Knight Commander is not the same as the ruler of the Gran March.

    The SB has turned to Irongate as its next target. It aims at establishing naval dominance in the Sea of Gearnat, and has defeated the fleet of Hardby and Irongate's allies. Unfortunately for them, a freak storm destroyed part of their own fleet and they haven't yet been able to dominate entirely the area (but I think they will!).

    Iuz has warred with the Horned Society and conquered some of their territory, with the help of a few Bandit Lords. He has been sorely defeated (twice) by the Nomads and has been totally pushed out of the Vesve. Tenh has defeated the Stonehold, Sevvor is dead. The northern barbarians pillage the eastern half of the Hold and the rest is divided into squabbling minor lordships amongst his sons. It looks like the Hold will fall completely sometime in the next few years.

    The year is now 587 in my campaign, eleven years after 576, which was the first year of it.

    Pheewww!!! I think I am going to bed now, it's almost midnight (here in Portugal).
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:37 pm  

    Hi all,

    At present I'm DMing two campaigns, one during the wars (582-584 CY) and another post-wars (597 CY). This because most of the previous gaming (as DM and player) was set in a pre-wars GH. Just a change of air...

    Saludos!
    Gabriel
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    Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:24 am  

    580 CY - 588 CY and counting (been playing this campaign since 1990)
    Adept Greytalker

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    Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:15 pm  

    My first campaign was pre-wars GH, only because it was 1982, there was not post-war GH <G>.

    I fell away during 2e D&D but played (I stopped judging) intermittently during the 90's in and around Dragonlance, FR, Al-Quadim, Spelljammer, and a friend's homebrew campaign that had been running since OD&D in the late 70's.

    I played and judged Living Greyhawk starting in the Fall of 2000 until early 2006 (I had stopped playing in 2005). This was 591-596CY

    There was about a years time of nothing (real life reared its ugly head).

    Then I got inspired, found some time and pulled a homegame together in early 2007 and set it in 591CY because I didn't want to deal with LG timelines and such. This allows me to cherry pick the ideas I like from the LG campaign and ignore the rest (which is alot, because among the gems there is plenty of dross).

    As of last Saturday the my campaign, To Living And Die in Greyhawk: Dungeons or Death, is centered on the town of Narwell and has progressed about 2 months of game world time to Planting 4th, 591 CY.

    My Two Coppers,

    Bryan Blumklotz
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    Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:26 am  

    PSmedger wrote:
    I'd love to see what you come up with Androlphas (nice meeting you tonight, by the way), since I've recently been trying to start work on a "Greyhawk Witch" class. And Iggwilv would figure importantly someway, given her portfolio.

    -Gary


    Hah! I never knew that! Surprise, surprise, I beat you to it! Laughing Still doesn't mean you can't do one of your own you know... Cool

    I started my campaign in 1989, in the year 576 CY. The date is now 2008, and CY 585 respectively. We used to play fairly often, but its been sporadic over the last five years or so. The pc's are approaching the tail end of the GH Wars. Most of them are involved in areas located in the central portion of the Flanaess. The Temple of Elemental Evil and Scourge of the Slave Lords are mostly to blame for that, considering the contacts the PCs make in those adventures and the roots laid down because of it. I'm working on uprooting some of them though, as once the GH Wars wind down the Sheldomar(i.e. GDQ series) will be callling to them. >:D
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    Master Greytalker

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    Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:01 am  

    I am finishing up a campaign now which is set in 597CY, and may end with the actual liberation of Geoff. However, the players (and I) feel a little odd with the timing. They are 16th level, and we have been playing since 2001, but in-game time has only been 7 years.

    THerefore, I am going to retire them in the next 6 months and start over with campaign set in 550 CY +/- and moving forward through 598 CY. The goal will be that the characters will be ingrained in the politics by then. I anticipate a campaign arc taking 5 years real world time.

    It will be set in the Gran March (a suprise to you all I know) at the end of the Hateful Wars. We will use many classic modules and story lines.
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    Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:02 pm  

    I am planning to start a campaign soon which will be post-war, but will tie in some elements from an old pre-war campaign in which I was a player as well as Oerth Journal data. I am particularly interested in how the world beyond the Flaness may influence events within the Flaness.
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    Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:56 am  

    I've just started a new campaign. Most of the players are new to the setting and fairly new to D&D in general, so they have not played any of the classic adventures. The campaign has been going on for just about a month and a half in campaign time. The current date is Planting 11th 575 CY.

    Scott
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    Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:39 am  
    New Campaign

    I would like some input from all of you for my new campaign. I want to run a campaign that starts prewar (maybe very pre-war, like 535 CY). The characters will age signficantly, with the game running to 20th level in 600CY +/-.

    I want to lay out an adventure arc of classic modules, and between each, the characters/players will have lots of down time. THis may be for years, and I will allow the players to have broad latitude in creating non stat story lines such as "My character Mirrow became a successful wine merchant." In addition I am going to use a system where the characters automatically gain xp as they age, but they can only add npc levels. They can also burn this xp for magic items, and some other minor advancement.

    The question I have is what modules would you use, and what levels would you correlate them to?
    Master Greytalker

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    Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:17 am  
    Re: New Campaign

    Anced_Math wrote:
    I would like some input from all of you for my new campaign. I want to run a campaign that starts prewar (maybe very pre-war, like 535 CY). The characters will age signficantly, with the game running to 20th level in 600CY +/-.

    I want to lay out an adventure arc of classic modules, and between each, the characters/players will have lots of down time. THis may be for years, and I will allow the players to have broad latitude in creating non stat story lines such as "My character Mirrow became a successful wine merchant." In addition I am going to use a system where the characters automatically gain xp as they age, but they can only add npc levels. They can also burn this xp for magic items, and some other minor advancement.

    The question I have is what modules would you use, and what levels would you correlate them to?


    Can you give us a rundown of what modules your players are familiar with that you would not want to use? Are you interested in the modules being stand alone adventures or interested in typing them loosely together for a larger campaign effect?
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    Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods
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    Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:52 pm  

    Hey Eileen,

    I am fortunate in that I have a large group of experianced gamers to pull from. Most of them have played at least some in my GH game, but they have almost never played any of the classic mods. MikelAmroni, whom you see here on occasion, is one of my regulars, and he recently ran the Salt Marsh series.

    That is all that I know he has played. As you probably could guess, we have played extensively in Gran March, and probably will continue to as most of the players are at least marginally familiar with the Sheldomar politics.

    However, I have always been fond of Keep On the Borderlands, which is an easy placement in and around the time of the Hateful wars, which we may start at. Village of Hommlet is also a favorite, along with TOEE. The Giants is a must, as is the Vault, Descent, and Demonweb Pits. I love the Dwellers of the Forbidden City, and Ghost Tower of Inverness. Tomachan is great, as is White Plume... BUt you know all this.

    What I would like to do is build a ladder of classics, and run then from one to the next with extensive GH travel in between. This could well take years and that is fine.
    Journeyman Greytalker

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    Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:33 pm  

    Hey all,

    I think I am about the most experienced when it comes to old modules. I've run the Lost Caverns (though modified), I'm running the Salt Marsh series, and I've run through a highly modified Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. By highly modified I mean the NPCs were reworked, many others were added, some made a lot cooler than the adventure intended, whole sites added, and the main baddie completely reworked into something else entirely. I've done several itterations of the Tomb of Horrors, and Return to the Tomb of Horrors (and recently ran the Prisoner of Castle Perilous module on wizards.com). Of course most of the group has done the Tomb of Horrors. I've also done the first adventure in the Illithid trilogy, and one day hope to run it or a version thereof.

    I know I've always wanted to do Temple of the Frog, and Anced mentioned something about the Slavers trilogy. Beyond that, we're pretty well good.

    While I have access to all of the older modules, I've never gotten around to actually looking at them (which is good now!).
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 13, 2002
    Posts: 1077
    From: Orlane, Gran March

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    Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:11 am  

    Ok,

    Here is what I am thinking:

    1) Starting in 560 CY +/- running the Keep on the Borderlands set in the Lortmils near the Lorridges and Kron Hills.

    2) N1 Cult of the Reptile God

    3) T1-4 Village of Hommlet and ToEE

    3a) Ghost Tower of Inverness

    4) A 1 to 4 The Scourge of the Slave Lords

    5) S4 & WG4 Lost Cavers/ Forgotten Temple/ Tsojcanth Revisted

    6) GDQ 1-7 The Queen Of Spiders

    7) EX 1 & 2 - Dungeonland/Land Through the Magic Mirror

    8) Dungeon's Maure Castle/The Lower Halls and the Newest Posting from OJ


    I need a timeline to help with this. I want to wrap the players in details, making the world as believeable as possible.
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

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    Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:20 pm  

    Anced_Math wrote:
    1) Starting in 560 CY +/-


    Why so early? Most of those modules are presumed to take place starting in 576. Is there some reason you want them to take place in a time when Iuz is still imprisoned? Or is it just so that the PCs will be very old by CY 600?

    I always thought a campaign that took place in a depressed Greyhawk before the recent "adventurer explosion" brought wealth back into the city, with the PCs as rivals to the Citadel of Eight (who would be of equal level), cumulating in the PCs either freeing Iuz themselves or preventing Robilar from doing it, would be fun.

    Have you looked at Flint's ideas for a campaign involving the B-modules set in Verbobonc? The Iron Ring from B10 could be the same as the Slavelords, perhaps.
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Jun 28, 2007
    Posts: 725
    From: Montevideo, Minnesota, US

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    Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:56 pm  

    Anced_Math wrote:
    Ok,

    Here is what I am thinking:

    1) Starting in 560 CY +/- running the Keep on the Borderlands set in the Lortmils near the Lorridges and Kron Hills.

    2) N1 Cult of the Reptile God

    3) T1-4 Village of Hommlet and ToEE

    3a) Ghost Tower of Inverness

    4) A 1 to 4 The Scourge of the Slave Lords

    5) S4 & WG4 Lost Cavers/ Forgotten Temple/ Tsojcanth Revisted

    6) GDQ 1-7 The Queen Of Spiders

    7) EX 1 & 2 - Dungeonland/Land Through the Magic Mirror

    8) Dungeon's Maure Castle/The Lower Halls and the Newest Posting from OJ


    I need a timeline to help with this. I want to wrap the players in details, making the world as believeable as possible.


    I would seriously consider using wither Greyhawk Ruins if you have it or the Return to version that came out last year. Then I would include Dungeonland/Land Through the Magic Mirror during their trek through the castle rather than having them separate. This will help tie them together and the two later modules were originally entered through Castle Greyhawk anyways. Another thing I would add to the list is Isle of the Ape which was also accessed through Castle Greyhawk originally. The nice thing is it creates ties from one adventure to the other. Do you want to tie the above modules together with a loose plot or run them pretty much as solo adventures? I have done sorta the same thing as your doing. I had lots of modules and decide to get some use out of them so I strung them together loosly.
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    Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods
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    Joined: Jul 13, 2002
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    From: Orlane, Gran March

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    Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:46 pm  

    Excellent suggestions Rasgon and Eileen. I wanted to include the Castle Greyhawk, and that sounds excellent way to do so. I just bought Isle of the Ape, but have not read it yet.

    Mikel and I have been talking about splitting this project in two and co DMing an extended campaign with intertwined parties. This would allow us to pick up more classics and also to both play some. He wants to include Red Hand of Doom, and he may well be interested in running the B Series. I would like to play Expedition to Castle Greyhawk, so maybe he could run that, along with Isle.

    I also just noticed the posting of the Maure Castle OJ!!!! Wooohooo! I love the Maure series, and I think I will finish the campaign with that.

    As to the selected timeline, I would like suggestions, but i would like the characters (at least the Human characters) to be aging out. This gives them a graceful retirement and plenty of significant downtime to cement their accomplishments in local lore so to speak. I dont know if it will work, but I like the convention.

    Rasgon, if you happen to know, when are each of these mods set? I have them and will look it up, but they are not immediately available.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2003
    Posts: 1358
    From: Tennessee, between Ft. Campbell & APSU

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    Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:24 pm  

    Another thread dredged up!

    TwiceBorn wrote:
    I really love the feel of the wars and From the Ashes periods, but have only ever played in the 576-580CY period. My group is working its way toward the GH Wars at a snail's crawl...

    ...That ambitious plan should take, oh, about 20 years real time, given how infrequently my group plays...


    -Right now, I'm DM'ing Wealsun 578 in Ratik, and Harvester 578 in the Welk/Suss for the same reason: I started in 576 back in 1983. But we're moving a lot more quickly, thanks to play-by-email and play-by-phone...

    Rhineglade wrote:
    I have always been partial to the Pre-Wars simply because I really liked some of the pre-war locations that unfortunately went with the wind after Iuz (particularly Almor, Medegia, Horned Society and the Bandit Kingdoms)...


    -The next time I need to start new PCs (which should be very soon...), it'll be on Lendore Isle in Restenford & Garrotten in early 578, in order to pick up a few months after the last batch of numnutzes got themselves killed...

    Ragr wrote:
    This may be a clumsy analogy to some, but I've always compared the SB's invasions to those of WW2 Germany. They gradually collapse because of a) a reliance on outside allies of convenience who are not as commited to the fanatical cause, and b) a coalition of enemies intent on their defeat...


    -The draw dropping expansion during the course of a few months reminds me of the Japanese in WWII, particularly the naval component.
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
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    From: Sailing to Irongate

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    Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:28 am  

    Since I am considering the Slavelords and GDQ series, should I set my campaign in 576 CY? Or should I just say timeline be danged and not worry about it?
    This whole timeline thing has left me a little muddled. Confused
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

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    Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:35 am  

    Slavers placed the events of the Slave Lords series in 580 CY, and Against the Giants: The Liberation of Geoff placed the events of the GDQ series in 576 CY - but it also suggested running them in 591 CY as an alternative. The "Istivin trilogy" in Dungeon Magazine placed GDQ in 576 CY. On the other hand, the Queen of the Spiders supermodule included plot hooks for playing GDQ as a sequel to the Slave Lords series.

    Ultimately it's up to you what order and when you run the modules in, naturally. If I were working both series into the same campaign, I'd personally want to set in 576.
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 60
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    Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:42 am  

    The info in Queen of Spiders was the reason I was thinking of running Slavelords first...but then according to the Istivin trilogy, it takes place several years after Sterich is liberated...right?

    And again, I have the quandry of whether to go full 1E/2E or 3.5.
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