After finishing off the last book of Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser by Lieber, I ran out of immediate reading material. I could have started the 1st book of Thieve's World, but instead opted to re-read the Dungeon Master's Guide for like the umpteenth time. True to form, new insights were revealed.
While reading the section about half way through the book on running monsters and monster tactics between dungeon forays, I came across a bit on orc lair behavior. I always thought the alignment listing in the Monster Manual for orcs was wrong. Bad handwriting could allow one to misread a CE as LE - and it seems that this was the case! Gygax stated that due to their [the orcs] CHAOTIC behavior, they would be less likely to organize themselves after an assault... Finally, proof positive that orcs are indeed Chaotic Evil as assumed from their tribal destructiveness. Martial behavior aside, I think that only hobgoblins should be Lawful Evil as their description implies.
The second tidbit came in the section on dealing with character death. I'm not so sure this isn't an error on Gary's part. He states that surviving a resurrection requires a SYSTEM SHOCK roll by the player, when obviously that would invalidate the RESURRECTION SURVIVAL percentage which is supposed to be used in this instance. A system shock should only be used when being transformed physically from stone to flesh or polymorph. I've also used system shock when "death" occurs from illusionary damage - failure basically indicating the body shuts itself down, assuming it has died.
There was also a bit of insight on siege missiles and giant boulders which is very relevant to my current campaign (running G2). Ballistae would be very useful in the tunnels of the Underdark, but catapults would not as the arching flight of boulders would be precluded in low-ceilinged caves. The one thing I could not find, however, is the height of the arc achieved. Distance traveled was provided for catapults and trebuchets, but no value given for the height requirement of the arc. I'm sure there is some formula to calculate this (given Earth-type gravity of course) but my physics book was sold off long ago....
Lastly, regarding character deaths that occur through no fault of the player.... Gygax tends to indicate that he was a softy at heart after all. Through all that gruff exterior, he still allowed his players a chance to survive certain death - of course they would be maimed, severely hindered, or even permanently damaged somehow, but alive!
So, even after 30+ years of reading the same book over and over, one can STILL find snippets of useful information and relevant data. This book was so densely packed with information useful to both the player and DM alike that it could take a lifetime to thoroughly plumb the depths of its knowledge! And to think it was written in about a year and a half while campaigns were being run, modules were being written, a business was being nurtured, and a life was being lived. Incredible, Mr. Gygax, and thank you SO much for this legacy of yours!
Monday, March 9, 2015
Thursday, February 12, 2015
AD&D: Motivations of Lareth the Beautiful
While trying to figure out a way to better link events in T1: The Village of Hommlet, I've been re-reading sections and working on links. Tonight I re-read the final encounter with Lareth the Beautiful in the moathouse.
NOTE: The following contains SPOILERS. If you are playing in this adventure, stop reading NOW!
The encounter states the following about Lareth and his motives:
Also, assuming that the other evil agents are based in some sort of camp - either as bandits, or as character types - means that the players could run into more places like the moathouse, perhaps akin to the bandits in the tower at the Temple grounds. Any number of abandoned, run-down farms, old toll houses or burnt inns along the roads and trails could house these miscreants. By keeping these encounter numbers low, the DM could build up the moathouse as being a more likely place for evil to base itself. Clues found at these sites might also lead the players to the moathouse. Nulb is listed in the module as being 6 miles distant. All other large distances in the module are given in leagues. I believe that this number is mislabeled and should read as "6 leagues" to make the distances match better with the later T1-4 descriptions written by Gygax in part 2. This puts the Temple roughly 7 leagues away from Hommlet - close enough to be a menace but far enough away to be out of sight and mind for the most part. This would put Emridy Meadow somewhere to the north and east of Hommlet which makes sense according to the descriptions provided. According to the WORLD OF GREYHAWK maps, this places Hommlet at the border of the hex southeast of Verbobonc, and Nulb and the Temple in the next hex northeast of Hommlet. This area can still be regarded as hilly and forested due to it's proximity to the Kron Hills and the Gnarley Forest without being considered as part of those areas.
Since the track along which the moathouse is located is no longer in use (the module states that it is overgrown and needs to be cleared the first time to make it passable), it is assumed that Lareth's raiders strike along the eastern "High Road," at the stated 3-4 leagues away from the moathouse (which is located only 1 league north-northeast of Hommlet according to the original module text). A league = 3 miles = the distance a man can walk in an hour. So, the raiders are striking targets 3-4 hours away on foot, but probably even closer since the marshy terrain probably slows them to half speed, so we're talking 6-8 hours tops. A far raid of 4 leagues away might require the raiders to camp outside the moathouse for the night, making them vulnerable to detection. Since the loot is obviously not being stored in the moathouse, it must be going to the Temple, probably along with new Temple recruits. Since the Traders are obviously in on the raids (according to the statement that the raiders sometimes are carried in their wagons) it is safe to assume that some of the items stolen might make their way into the Trader's stock. This provides a DM with a way to link the village with the Temple and possibly give reticent player characters a reason to investigate. Assume that a piece of merchandise is actually uniquely traceable, perhaps some item picked up in the shop but missed by Rannos Davl, or maybe new horses are stocked and one happens to have horseshoes made by a certain smith and used exclusively by some trading house from Dyvers, Greyhawk, Narwell, or what-have-you. This could prove that the Traders are in cahoots with the raiders and lead the characters off track and onto the roads. Astute players might even disguise themselves as a small trade caravan to act as bait along the High Road. Such a tactic is too dangerous for 1st level characters but might work better for 2nd to 3rd level characters.
Where is all that loot going to? How does one get to the Temple from the High Road? I assume that there is some secondary road linking the Temple to the High Road in some way, since rumors place Dyvers as the source of the evil and it came along the roads from the east. The Temple maps also show a road along the southern portion of the old fortress, but having it THAT close seems a bit presumptuous. Assuming that the Temple is the only destination for all the loot, the bodies of the slain might be turned to undead creatures and those who survive are taken with the raiders to be sacrificed at the Temple or eaten by the more monstrous inhabitants. I always envision the evil temple in the movie Beastmaster when I think about how this should function. How do the raiders conceal their tracks? They are moving to and from marshy terrain which should hold some tracks fairly well, even if it washes away scent. A ranger should be able to follow the tracks of the raiders from the High Road and track back to the moathouse (assuming someone rolls a ranger in the party). Elmo could lead the party as a guide (or hire out as a guide) and track the raiders. Perhaps that is why Gygax placed a ranger as an accessible party henchman... The extra mileage through forested hills and marshland could spawn more wilderness encounters or perhaps another band of brigands working the road closer to the Temple.
It always bugs me that the higher-level NPCs in communities never get involved in the defense of their homes. They always seem to rely on strangers to fix their problems. In this case, however, Elmo would be a perfect candidate to help a fledgling party not only locate the source of the problem, but fight alongside them as well as a super-competent fighter, perhaps defending the weaker members of the party from certain death. He would be a boon to have against the ogre and other humanoids in the moathouse for certain, being able to cause massive amounts of damage with his axe (9-16 damage to the ogre per swing!). In addition, once he has fought with the party, Elmo could vouch for them with the other community leaders. I see Jaroo and Gundigoot being the most involved here, with Rufus perhaps the next most interested. Burne might keep tabs on the party through Rufus, although Rufus would most definitely NOT go adventuring (as stated in the module). Since Elmo is also one of the Viscount's men, he might report directly to the Mayor and the Captain of the Guard, thus informing them of the party's intentions, motives, and valor in combat.
Okay. So now I have more information to create additional scenarios. I can set up a raid encounter with men and/or humanoids from the moathouse along the High Road, or develop random wilderness encounters along the abandoned trail leading from the village to the moathouse since it takes double time to clear the path initially (2 hours walking x 2 = 4 hours to cross 3 miles of overgrown track in a marsh). There must be some wild, dangerous creatures that live in the marsh grass and reeds other than frogs.
No matter how cautious the Traders and the spies are, once they are suspected of wrongdoing they can be trailed and watched by patient characters willing to spend some time gathering intelligence on the situation. Couple this with NPC interactions at the inn or with the villagers and the module starts to expand all by itself. Black Jay the herdsman may be having trouble with sheep missing (taken by raiders to supplement their diet). Farmers might be missing in the community or dogs killed (gnolls might be using them for target practice in the early morning or later evening hours). Of course, there is another angle a DM might use - the characters (if unsavory looking or underhanded) might be approached for recruitment in the Temple forces! They might be asked to spy on someone in the town or report anything the rest of the party learned. They might work through an intermediary (like Zert) until they are deemed trustworthy enough to be approached by a leader (one of the Traders, Lareth himself, or maybe a Temple priest). Such a meeting is not likely to happen in Hommlet, but might occur in Nulb. And this is how the party moves along the adventure path towards the Temple. Remember that the Temple agents are not all aware of each other in the village, and charm spells or high Charisma could work in the party's favor to gain info and earn trust.
Even if the party defeats Lareth and his men, there is little to link them directly to the Temple of Elemental Evil unless the party converses with him. The insignia of the burning golden eye would have no significance to the party unless it had been mentioned previously, or Elmo is with the party. Talking with the other NPCs in Hommlet would also confirm the link between the Temple and the moathouse, especially the Village Elder. Since Terjon is a recent newcomer, he would not likely be aware of the significance of the golden eye aflame. Some instance of this heraldry needs to be prominently displayed or explained prior to the party's approach to the moathouse or the significance will be lost on them. Sages are out of reach of the characters at this level, since they would be unable to afford the fees.
NOTE: The following contains SPOILERS. If you are playing in this adventure, stop reading NOW!
The encounter states the following about Lareth and his motives:
He has been sent into this area to rebuild a force of men and humanoid fighters to gather loot and restore the Temple of Elemental Evil to its former glory. Of course, Lareth is but one of many so charged, but he is looked upon with special favor and expectation. He and his minions have been careful to raid far from this area, never nearer than 3 or 4 leagues, traveling on foot or being carried on wagons of the traders from Hommlet. None of the victims are ever left alive to tell the tale, and mysterious disappearances are all that can be remarked upon, for no trace of men, mounts, goods, wagons, or draft animals is ever found.There are some interesting tidbits in this description. First and foremost is the fact that Lareth is not the only Temple agent in the area recruiting and raiding, only the most favored. As such he is probably spied upon and watched by those higher up the chain of command, for Chaotic Evil masters are constantly looking over their shoulders at their servants. Being a 5th level cleric puts him pretty high in the Temple hierarchy as well. There must be other, lower level agents nearby that are assisting him and the Temple. I'm sure that a recruiter is working on acquiring humanoids in the region. Also we know that there are spies working in Hommlet - at the keep construction site, the Traders, and in the Inn - all of whom must report to Lareth since his location is the closest and he is in such good standing. It is noted that the Traders correspond via brigand courier, so there must be quite a few people passing through the village on a daily basis, enough for a rough-and-tumble brigand to move freely without being recognized or questioned by anyone. I assume that the village guards are not ALWAYS located at the tower of the mayor - there must be some interaction along the main road with people, especially if the "old problems" have returned to plague the area. Also, note that the placement of the tower along this road is not simply convenient, but shows that the danger comes from this route.
Also, assuming that the other evil agents are based in some sort of camp - either as bandits, or as character types - means that the players could run into more places like the moathouse, perhaps akin to the bandits in the tower at the Temple grounds. Any number of abandoned, run-down farms, old toll houses or burnt inns along the roads and trails could house these miscreants. By keeping these encounter numbers low, the DM could build up the moathouse as being a more likely place for evil to base itself. Clues found at these sites might also lead the players to the moathouse. Nulb is listed in the module as being 6 miles distant. All other large distances in the module are given in leagues. I believe that this number is mislabeled and should read as "6 leagues" to make the distances match better with the later T1-4 descriptions written by Gygax in part 2. This puts the Temple roughly 7 leagues away from Hommlet - close enough to be a menace but far enough away to be out of sight and mind for the most part. This would put Emridy Meadow somewhere to the north and east of Hommlet which makes sense according to the descriptions provided. According to the WORLD OF GREYHAWK maps, this places Hommlet at the border of the hex southeast of Verbobonc, and Nulb and the Temple in the next hex northeast of Hommlet. This area can still be regarded as hilly and forested due to it's proximity to the Kron Hills and the Gnarley Forest without being considered as part of those areas.
Since the track along which the moathouse is located is no longer in use (the module states that it is overgrown and needs to be cleared the first time to make it passable), it is assumed that Lareth's raiders strike along the eastern "High Road," at the stated 3-4 leagues away from the moathouse (which is located only 1 league north-northeast of Hommlet according to the original module text). A league = 3 miles = the distance a man can walk in an hour. So, the raiders are striking targets 3-4 hours away on foot, but probably even closer since the marshy terrain probably slows them to half speed, so we're talking 6-8 hours tops. A far raid of 4 leagues away might require the raiders to camp outside the moathouse for the night, making them vulnerable to detection. Since the loot is obviously not being stored in the moathouse, it must be going to the Temple, probably along with new Temple recruits. Since the Traders are obviously in on the raids (according to the statement that the raiders sometimes are carried in their wagons) it is safe to assume that some of the items stolen might make their way into the Trader's stock. This provides a DM with a way to link the village with the Temple and possibly give reticent player characters a reason to investigate. Assume that a piece of merchandise is actually uniquely traceable, perhaps some item picked up in the shop but missed by Rannos Davl, or maybe new horses are stocked and one happens to have horseshoes made by a certain smith and used exclusively by some trading house from Dyvers, Greyhawk, Narwell, or what-have-you. This could prove that the Traders are in cahoots with the raiders and lead the characters off track and onto the roads. Astute players might even disguise themselves as a small trade caravan to act as bait along the High Road. Such a tactic is too dangerous for 1st level characters but might work better for 2nd to 3rd level characters.
Where is all that loot going to? How does one get to the Temple from the High Road? I assume that there is some secondary road linking the Temple to the High Road in some way, since rumors place Dyvers as the source of the evil and it came along the roads from the east. The Temple maps also show a road along the southern portion of the old fortress, but having it THAT close seems a bit presumptuous. Assuming that the Temple is the only destination for all the loot, the bodies of the slain might be turned to undead creatures and those who survive are taken with the raiders to be sacrificed at the Temple or eaten by the more monstrous inhabitants. I always envision the evil temple in the movie Beastmaster when I think about how this should function. How do the raiders conceal their tracks? They are moving to and from marshy terrain which should hold some tracks fairly well, even if it washes away scent. A ranger should be able to follow the tracks of the raiders from the High Road and track back to the moathouse (assuming someone rolls a ranger in the party). Elmo could lead the party as a guide (or hire out as a guide) and track the raiders. Perhaps that is why Gygax placed a ranger as an accessible party henchman... The extra mileage through forested hills and marshland could spawn more wilderness encounters or perhaps another band of brigands working the road closer to the Temple.
It always bugs me that the higher-level NPCs in communities never get involved in the defense of their homes. They always seem to rely on strangers to fix their problems. In this case, however, Elmo would be a perfect candidate to help a fledgling party not only locate the source of the problem, but fight alongside them as well as a super-competent fighter, perhaps defending the weaker members of the party from certain death. He would be a boon to have against the ogre and other humanoids in the moathouse for certain, being able to cause massive amounts of damage with his axe (9-16 damage to the ogre per swing!). In addition, once he has fought with the party, Elmo could vouch for them with the other community leaders. I see Jaroo and Gundigoot being the most involved here, with Rufus perhaps the next most interested. Burne might keep tabs on the party through Rufus, although Rufus would most definitely NOT go adventuring (as stated in the module). Since Elmo is also one of the Viscount's men, he might report directly to the Mayor and the Captain of the Guard, thus informing them of the party's intentions, motives, and valor in combat.
Okay. So now I have more information to create additional scenarios. I can set up a raid encounter with men and/or humanoids from the moathouse along the High Road, or develop random wilderness encounters along the abandoned trail leading from the village to the moathouse since it takes double time to clear the path initially (2 hours walking x 2 = 4 hours to cross 3 miles of overgrown track in a marsh). There must be some wild, dangerous creatures that live in the marsh grass and reeds other than frogs.
No matter how cautious the Traders and the spies are, once they are suspected of wrongdoing they can be trailed and watched by patient characters willing to spend some time gathering intelligence on the situation. Couple this with NPC interactions at the inn or with the villagers and the module starts to expand all by itself. Black Jay the herdsman may be having trouble with sheep missing (taken by raiders to supplement their diet). Farmers might be missing in the community or dogs killed (gnolls might be using them for target practice in the early morning or later evening hours). Of course, there is another angle a DM might use - the characters (if unsavory looking or underhanded) might be approached for recruitment in the Temple forces! They might be asked to spy on someone in the town or report anything the rest of the party learned. They might work through an intermediary (like Zert) until they are deemed trustworthy enough to be approached by a leader (one of the Traders, Lareth himself, or maybe a Temple priest). Such a meeting is not likely to happen in Hommlet, but might occur in Nulb. And this is how the party moves along the adventure path towards the Temple. Remember that the Temple agents are not all aware of each other in the village, and charm spells or high Charisma could work in the party's favor to gain info and earn trust.
Even if the party defeats Lareth and his men, there is little to link them directly to the Temple of Elemental Evil unless the party converses with him. The insignia of the burning golden eye would have no significance to the party unless it had been mentioned previously, or Elmo is with the party. Talking with the other NPCs in Hommlet would also confirm the link between the Temple and the moathouse, especially the Village Elder. Since Terjon is a recent newcomer, he would not likely be aware of the significance of the golden eye aflame. Some instance of this heraldry needs to be prominently displayed or explained prior to the party's approach to the moathouse or the significance will be lost on them. Sages are out of reach of the characters at this level, since they would be unable to afford the fees.
Monday, February 9, 2015
AD&D: Visions of Hommlet - Retrospective
I've recently been in another nostalgic mood for AD&D, mainly because I haven't been able to play in a few months. Whenever this happens, I wax nostalgic on Hommlet and the Temple of Elemental Evil and this time is no exception. I started re-reading sections of the module and introduction, hoping to get more insights on the original campaign run by Gary Gygax. However, this effort is doomed to failure for a host of reasons.
The first stumbling block I face is that Gary's Greyhawk in no way resembles the published version of the campaign setting. His version was based off a mutated North American continent, with Lake Superior as the Nyr Dyv and all other kingdoms surrounding the great lakes as versions of the real world cultures present (Greyhawk ~ Chicago(?), Dyvers ~ Milwaukee (?), Great Kingdom = New York/New England/Original 13 colonies; the Pale ~ Ontario; Midwest America ~ Nyrond, SW America ~ Keoland, and the Rockies were the Hellfurnaces and Crystalmist Mountains wherein the Giants campaign was run). The various distances and directions given in the background information of T1 do not match the hex map made by Darlene in the 1980 World of Greyhawk Folio (or later versions of the same). T1-4 tried to rectify this but although they changed the mini campaign map, the text remained the same in the module, copied verbatim from the original printing (with numerous editing errors). So right off the bat, what we get in the module is obviously what Gary used for the module, but does not correlate to the map we have.
The second point involved the NPCs in the module. Gary stated that the major personages in the module (Burne, Rufus, Jaroo, Otis, Elmo, Y'dey, etc.) were all the original player characters in the adventure, later used in the module as "the clock was turned back." Gary promised a play synopsis in a DRAGON magazine article, but it was never meant to be. If these characters are the replacements for the original leaders of the community, I wonder who the originals were?? Who was the original mayor of the community? Was there even a church of St. Cuthbert in the village? Was the village elder the leader of the community, later replaced by the Viscount's men? When did the traders come to the community?
The final stumbling block is a lack of direction in the module. The DM has to come up with some way to get the players from the village to the moathouse. The connections are not obvious - more like vague rumors. Most players I have would have skipped the moathouse (if they even cared about the ruin) and gone right for the Temple of Elemental Evil. Even in the moathouse, there's little to link the temple forces below with the bandits above (by design I think). It's never even stated if the two groups are aware of each other! The secret door in the upper chamber is the only safe way into the dungeons (other than the secret tunnel) and seems to be guarded from intruders by humanoids of various sort. So who knows the connection between the bandit leader and the forces of Lareth the Beautiful? Perhaps Lareth is there to not only make sure the bandits are not chased off by the local authorities, but to make sure they are also not lured into service by Burne and Rufus (who apparently gained their own men in a similar fashion; perhaps the very SAME bandits from the original run). Or perhaps Lareth is the real director of the bandits, telling them where and how to strike in order to disrupt trade and yet remain in the shadows or on the fringe.
The moathouse itself is a meatgrinder for novice players. There has to be more of a lead-in before the characters can safely enter the adventure. Even the NPCs in the village are mostly 2nd and 3rd level, so how can 1st level characters hope to survive when these NPCs (if they are asked to join the party) will usually turn on their associates the moment weakness is detected or treasure is to be gained.
The Temple itself seems incomplete and rushed to me. The amount of detail on the first two levels makes it seem like the description was meant to intimidate and deter intrusion. The later levels are more combat heavy and involve details of encounters and tactics over useful description. It's as if the DM is meant to flesh out everything below the 2nd dungeon level. Not very useful since the plot itself is NEVER really explained - no details on the background or WHY some of the monsters are actually located in the dungeon. Some of the "traps" and "tricks" could not have been devised to catch the occasional curious explorer. Monsters don't just stand around all the time waiting for stupid adventurers to wander into their careful and elaborate death trap. It just makes no sense! I realize that the place is Chaotic and Evil, but Chaos can't explain away every weird encounter or obviously dropped-in "gotcha" trick/trap for which Gygax is notorious. There must have been some prior reasoning for why these things exist. Two examples I can remember off the top of my head are the "angelic" wolfweres(?) and the strange illusion scene with the leucrottas/lamias (?) on the lower levels.
So the Temple needs a major re-write, and the village itself needs a firm hand to definitively identify WHERE it is located, WHY it differs from the original write-up, and HOW to run the various NPCs located therein with motives and get the players on the right track of the adventure. Simple random exploration of the region would take numerous sessions and likely lead to nothing more than a couple of wandering monsters in the farmlands and roads of the countryside. Not that this is bad, mind you, but detracts from the main reason for playing the module to begin with.
The first stumbling block I face is that Gary's Greyhawk in no way resembles the published version of the campaign setting. His version was based off a mutated North American continent, with Lake Superior as the Nyr Dyv and all other kingdoms surrounding the great lakes as versions of the real world cultures present (Greyhawk ~ Chicago(?), Dyvers ~ Milwaukee (?), Great Kingdom = New York/New England/Original 13 colonies; the Pale ~ Ontario; Midwest America ~ Nyrond, SW America ~ Keoland, and the Rockies were the Hellfurnaces and Crystalmist Mountains wherein the Giants campaign was run). The various distances and directions given in the background information of T1 do not match the hex map made by Darlene in the 1980 World of Greyhawk Folio (or later versions of the same). T1-4 tried to rectify this but although they changed the mini campaign map, the text remained the same in the module, copied verbatim from the original printing (with numerous editing errors). So right off the bat, what we get in the module is obviously what Gary used for the module, but does not correlate to the map we have.
The second point involved the NPCs in the module. Gary stated that the major personages in the module (Burne, Rufus, Jaroo, Otis, Elmo, Y'dey, etc.) were all the original player characters in the adventure, later used in the module as "the clock was turned back." Gary promised a play synopsis in a DRAGON magazine article, but it was never meant to be. If these characters are the replacements for the original leaders of the community, I wonder who the originals were?? Who was the original mayor of the community? Was there even a church of St. Cuthbert in the village? Was the village elder the leader of the community, later replaced by the Viscount's men? When did the traders come to the community?
The final stumbling block is a lack of direction in the module. The DM has to come up with some way to get the players from the village to the moathouse. The connections are not obvious - more like vague rumors. Most players I have would have skipped the moathouse (if they even cared about the ruin) and gone right for the Temple of Elemental Evil. Even in the moathouse, there's little to link the temple forces below with the bandits above (by design I think). It's never even stated if the two groups are aware of each other! The secret door in the upper chamber is the only safe way into the dungeons (other than the secret tunnel) and seems to be guarded from intruders by humanoids of various sort. So who knows the connection between the bandit leader and the forces of Lareth the Beautiful? Perhaps Lareth is there to not only make sure the bandits are not chased off by the local authorities, but to make sure they are also not lured into service by Burne and Rufus (who apparently gained their own men in a similar fashion; perhaps the very SAME bandits from the original run). Or perhaps Lareth is the real director of the bandits, telling them where and how to strike in order to disrupt trade and yet remain in the shadows or on the fringe.
The moathouse itself is a meatgrinder for novice players. There has to be more of a lead-in before the characters can safely enter the adventure. Even the NPCs in the village are mostly 2nd and 3rd level, so how can 1st level characters hope to survive when these NPCs (if they are asked to join the party) will usually turn on their associates the moment weakness is detected or treasure is to be gained.
The Temple itself seems incomplete and rushed to me. The amount of detail on the first two levels makes it seem like the description was meant to intimidate and deter intrusion. The later levels are more combat heavy and involve details of encounters and tactics over useful description. It's as if the DM is meant to flesh out everything below the 2nd dungeon level. Not very useful since the plot itself is NEVER really explained - no details on the background or WHY some of the monsters are actually located in the dungeon. Some of the "traps" and "tricks" could not have been devised to catch the occasional curious explorer. Monsters don't just stand around all the time waiting for stupid adventurers to wander into their careful and elaborate death trap. It just makes no sense! I realize that the place is Chaotic and Evil, but Chaos can't explain away every weird encounter or obviously dropped-in "gotcha" trick/trap for which Gygax is notorious. There must have been some prior reasoning for why these things exist. Two examples I can remember off the top of my head are the "angelic" wolfweres(?) and the strange illusion scene with the leucrottas/lamias (?) on the lower levels.
So the Temple needs a major re-write, and the village itself needs a firm hand to definitively identify WHERE it is located, WHY it differs from the original write-up, and HOW to run the various NPCs located therein with motives and get the players on the right track of the adventure. Simple random exploration of the region would take numerous sessions and likely lead to nothing more than a couple of wandering monsters in the farmlands and roads of the countryside. Not that this is bad, mind you, but detracts from the main reason for playing the module to begin with.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Alignments in AD&D
There are numerous rules in the AD&D volumes about alignment. The most blatant of these are those restricting the varying classes. I've never really been a fan of restricting a class based off alignment, but then again I've rarely seen anyone actually play their alignment correctly unless they were doing so overtly (completely out of character and stating they were doing something strictly based on alignment). There are dozens of interpretations of alignment (almost as many as there are house rules for AD&D initiative) but only a few of these seem "right."
One of the biggest restrictions on alignment targets the paladin class. They are allowed to ONLY be Lawful Good. In this case I believe that the restriction is appropriate - so long as the gods of the world MATCH this alignment. I remember not having a paladin appropriate deity in the beginning, and everyone ended up worshipping Athena from the Greek pantheon or Tyr from the Norse Aesir (some of the few LG deities in Deities & Demi-Gods). Since the paladin's power comes from divine sources, having a campaign-specific deity for their alignment was sort of a necessity. Although we nominally ran adventures in Greyhawk, few if any of us actually knew of the gods presented therein except for the list presented in the back of the Glossography.
Assassins were required to be evil only, but had the choice of being Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. I viewed assassins as the antithesis of paladins, if not their opposite number. Where the paladin had to be truthful and forthright, the assassin struck from the shadows and was purposefully duplicitous and stealthy in his behavior by necessity.
Druids were required to be Neutral (and only Neutral). This seems to be a lame requirement. I'm much more in line with the 3rd edition method of keeping the druids at least partially neutral (NG, LN, CN, NE) to better reflect variations within the sect.
The AD&D rules also state that clerics cannot be True Neutral! Yet, there are a number of Neutral deities that have nothing to do with animals, plants, or nature. Do these have clerics? This was never stated anywhere. The most common examples of this were clerics of Boccob and Istus.
Finally, the ranger, who is supposed to be some form of Good alignment, may be the real antithesis to the assassin, although I don't see the contrast. Rangers are spell casters at higher levels who, despite being able to cast druid spells, are good-aligned. I'm not really sure if all these facts were taken from Tolkien or not, but the class has always bugged me, even more now that I know that the XP charts are completely wrong according to the original development of the class (4/3 xp gain from levels 1-9, normal thereafter).
Fighters and magic-users (including illusionists) have no restrictions on their alignment at all. Thieves must be non-good in alignment (but the occasional NG thief always seems to sneak in). Monks are supposed to be Lawful only, but how often will one be able to actually roll up a monk legally? The bard is an appendix class and not really run by many people so I won't even bother to mention it here.
So it seems that Gygax gave most of the sub-classes an alignment restriction. I wonder why? The sub-classes mostly evolved in the early game where there were only 3 alignments - the common 9 alignment system of modern times only came into existence with 1st edition AD&D. Originally the only two alignments used by player characters were Lawful and Neutral, since Chaotic was the alignment of the enemy. Having alignment restrictions in a game where only 2 alignment choices were relevant seems a bit goofy. So some of the sub-classes got altered to have specific alignment requirements and higher stats to qualify. Of course, when you make it a challenge to roll a certain type of character, you know that's the one everyone wants to play. Given the number of ILLEGALLY rolled paladins, druids, monks, and rangers in numerous campaigns, it appears that alignment is the ONLY restriction that sticks.
It's interesting to note that most people play all their characters as Neutral Selfish - in other words they seek out the best circumstances to fit their own style of play and seek to further their own needs over others. Some people see this as being True Neutral in alignment, but I see this as being more Chaotic Neutral (since Chaotics are only concerned with personal gain and benefits). You can tell when a player is abusing the alignment system when they quote the "I'm Neutral, I don't care!" line. This is a breach of alignment since the True Neutral stance is perfect balance between all the alignments where everyone gets along and no one steps on anyone else's toes. It's not that the druid seeks to avenge any wrongdoing done to HIM, but rather seeks redress against a person for despoiling nature or disturbing the balance. Neutrality is actually one of the hardest alignments to play because it is so difficult to remain absolutely neutral while adventuring in a dungeon. Some people take the eco-terrorist angle with druids, and this is wrong too according to their description in the Player's Handbook. They do not seek immediate vengeance, but rather plan and plot a subtle revenge over time, usually connected to the crime committed. In essence, druids believe in Karma - what you do in life is brought back to you in the end.
One of the biggest restrictions on alignment targets the paladin class. They are allowed to ONLY be Lawful Good. In this case I believe that the restriction is appropriate - so long as the gods of the world MATCH this alignment. I remember not having a paladin appropriate deity in the beginning, and everyone ended up worshipping Athena from the Greek pantheon or Tyr from the Norse Aesir (some of the few LG deities in Deities & Demi-Gods). Since the paladin's power comes from divine sources, having a campaign-specific deity for their alignment was sort of a necessity. Although we nominally ran adventures in Greyhawk, few if any of us actually knew of the gods presented therein except for the list presented in the back of the Glossography.
Assassins were required to be evil only, but had the choice of being Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. I viewed assassins as the antithesis of paladins, if not their opposite number. Where the paladin had to be truthful and forthright, the assassin struck from the shadows and was purposefully duplicitous and stealthy in his behavior by necessity.
Druids were required to be Neutral (and only Neutral). This seems to be a lame requirement. I'm much more in line with the 3rd edition method of keeping the druids at least partially neutral (NG, LN, CN, NE) to better reflect variations within the sect.
The AD&D rules also state that clerics cannot be True Neutral! Yet, there are a number of Neutral deities that have nothing to do with animals, plants, or nature. Do these have clerics? This was never stated anywhere. The most common examples of this were clerics of Boccob and Istus.
Finally, the ranger, who is supposed to be some form of Good alignment, may be the real antithesis to the assassin, although I don't see the contrast. Rangers are spell casters at higher levels who, despite being able to cast druid spells, are good-aligned. I'm not really sure if all these facts were taken from Tolkien or not, but the class has always bugged me, even more now that I know that the XP charts are completely wrong according to the original development of the class (4/3 xp gain from levels 1-9, normal thereafter).
Fighters and magic-users (including illusionists) have no restrictions on their alignment at all. Thieves must be non-good in alignment (but the occasional NG thief always seems to sneak in). Monks are supposed to be Lawful only, but how often will one be able to actually roll up a monk legally? The bard is an appendix class and not really run by many people so I won't even bother to mention it here.
So it seems that Gygax gave most of the sub-classes an alignment restriction. I wonder why? The sub-classes mostly evolved in the early game where there were only 3 alignments - the common 9 alignment system of modern times only came into existence with 1st edition AD&D. Originally the only two alignments used by player characters were Lawful and Neutral, since Chaotic was the alignment of the enemy. Having alignment restrictions in a game where only 2 alignment choices were relevant seems a bit goofy. So some of the sub-classes got altered to have specific alignment requirements and higher stats to qualify. Of course, when you make it a challenge to roll a certain type of character, you know that's the one everyone wants to play. Given the number of ILLEGALLY rolled paladins, druids, monks, and rangers in numerous campaigns, it appears that alignment is the ONLY restriction that sticks.
It's interesting to note that most people play all their characters as Neutral Selfish - in other words they seek out the best circumstances to fit their own style of play and seek to further their own needs over others. Some people see this as being True Neutral in alignment, but I see this as being more Chaotic Neutral (since Chaotics are only concerned with personal gain and benefits). You can tell when a player is abusing the alignment system when they quote the "I'm Neutral, I don't care!" line. This is a breach of alignment since the True Neutral stance is perfect balance between all the alignments where everyone gets along and no one steps on anyone else's toes. It's not that the druid seeks to avenge any wrongdoing done to HIM, but rather seeks redress against a person for despoiling nature or disturbing the balance. Neutrality is actually one of the hardest alignments to play because it is so difficult to remain absolutely neutral while adventuring in a dungeon. Some people take the eco-terrorist angle with druids, and this is wrong too according to their description in the Player's Handbook. They do not seek immediate vengeance, but rather plan and plot a subtle revenge over time, usually connected to the crime committed. In essence, druids believe in Karma - what you do in life is brought back to you in the end.
Friday, August 1, 2014
The REAL Guardians of the Galaxy
I'm starting to notice a trend in the comics - they have no regard for what went before, no idea of history or nostalgia. They have now become as "trendy" and forward thinking as the other media forms. The latest casualty? My beloved Guardians of the Galaxy from Marvel Presents.... The new movie seems to be a comedy. Those aren't the Guardians I remember fondly from the 1970s, the Avengers of Tomorrow and saviors during the Korvac saga.... Rocket Raccoon was a failed one-shot from the 1980s that Marvel tried (desperately) to raise sales on. Same with the Starlord comic. Gamorra was an assassin from the pages of Warlock (who curiously enough isn't present, and is likely to show up in the next Avengers, since Thanos is the villain and the Infinity Gauntlet seems to be the theme.
Here are the TRUE Guardians of the Galaxy in their debut:
Notice that there are no talking raccoons, walking trees, or goofy guys in rocket packs. The whole origin of the Guardians was that they were natives of the Earth solar system during the 33rd century, after the alien Badoon took over the solar system. All were humans modified to exist on all the planets. Some were aliens from other worlds where the Badoon held sway. The original members were:
Vance Astro - a "Buck Rogers" type found floating in space. He wore a form-fitted space suit that was his life-line. He had spent centuries in the suit and the controlled environment preserved him while in stasis. If he ever tore a hole in the suit he would die, aging in minutes. His power was telekinesis that developed during his extended hibernation. He later acquired a symbol of freedom from the past - Captain America's indestructible shield - which became a symbol for freedom from the Badoon.
Martinex - a native of Pluto who had been bioengineered into a crystalline form to withstand the extreme cold. He could project heat from one hand and extreme cold from the other. His crystalline form allowed him to exist in the vacuum of space for a while.
Charlie-27 - a native of the moons of Jupiter and former miner, this brute was bioengineered to withstand the crushing gravity of the Jovian system. In normal gravity he possessed enormous strength and endurance.
Yondu - the blue-skinned, red-sailed mystic alien from Alpha Centauri, the nearest system to Earth. He was empathic and was a skilled archer. His arrows could be directed in flight with whistle commands.
Starhawk - a fused being (consisting of a man and woman) from Arcturus. Starhawk had cosmic awareness and could tell when something threatened the very fabric of the multiverse. He could fly at tremendous speeds, even in deep space. His suit allowed him to survive the rigors of interstellar travel. Apparently he also possessed some sort of solar blast.
Nikki (not pictured above) - A junior member, this female from Mercury had fiery hair and gray skin. She was heat resistant and was a distinguished thief.
I first encountered these heroes in the Korvac saga presented during the Avengers in the late 1970s. They arrived from the future to warn the heroes of the cosmically powered criminal from their time (a man who had been surgically attached to a machine from the waist down). I believe it had something to do with the cosmic cube and how it had empowered the villain so that he could remake reality at a whim. In any case, the series showed the deaths of every Avenger of the time as they assaulted Korvac's hideout. It was a very dramatic story and ended with Korvac recanting the power and restoring life to all the heroes before dying himself.
I'm fairly certain that NONE of that made it into the movie. The movie is more likely based on the ill-conceived REPLACEMENT Guardians developed in the early 1990s. This band consisted of a motley crew of Marvels lesser known heroes and villains from the 1970s and early 1980s, probably done in such a way that they didn't lose copyright on any of them (in the comic business, it's "use it or lose it" as far as character names and concepts go). So this is the direction the producer chose to take and now I'm boycotting it on this fact alone. Is it really so hard to use the material as originally presented? Couldn't this movie be made with at least some relation to the original heroes? Some alteration for time difference is to be expected, but there's no reason to rewrite decades of Marvel history to make a buck!
Here are the TRUE Guardians of the Galaxy in their debut:
Notice that there are no talking raccoons, walking trees, or goofy guys in rocket packs. The whole origin of the Guardians was that they were natives of the Earth solar system during the 33rd century, after the alien Badoon took over the solar system. All were humans modified to exist on all the planets. Some were aliens from other worlds where the Badoon held sway. The original members were:
Vance Astro - a "Buck Rogers" type found floating in space. He wore a form-fitted space suit that was his life-line. He had spent centuries in the suit and the controlled environment preserved him while in stasis. If he ever tore a hole in the suit he would die, aging in minutes. His power was telekinesis that developed during his extended hibernation. He later acquired a symbol of freedom from the past - Captain America's indestructible shield - which became a symbol for freedom from the Badoon.
Martinex - a native of Pluto who had been bioengineered into a crystalline form to withstand the extreme cold. He could project heat from one hand and extreme cold from the other. His crystalline form allowed him to exist in the vacuum of space for a while.
Charlie-27 - a native of the moons of Jupiter and former miner, this brute was bioengineered to withstand the crushing gravity of the Jovian system. In normal gravity he possessed enormous strength and endurance.
Yondu - the blue-skinned, red-sailed mystic alien from Alpha Centauri, the nearest system to Earth. He was empathic and was a skilled archer. His arrows could be directed in flight with whistle commands.
Starhawk - a fused being (consisting of a man and woman) from Arcturus. Starhawk had cosmic awareness and could tell when something threatened the very fabric of the multiverse. He could fly at tremendous speeds, even in deep space. His suit allowed him to survive the rigors of interstellar travel. Apparently he also possessed some sort of solar blast.
Nikki (not pictured above) - A junior member, this female from Mercury had fiery hair and gray skin. She was heat resistant and was a distinguished thief.
I first encountered these heroes in the Korvac saga presented during the Avengers in the late 1970s. They arrived from the future to warn the heroes of the cosmically powered criminal from their time (a man who had been surgically attached to a machine from the waist down). I believe it had something to do with the cosmic cube and how it had empowered the villain so that he could remake reality at a whim. In any case, the series showed the deaths of every Avenger of the time as they assaulted Korvac's hideout. It was a very dramatic story and ended with Korvac recanting the power and restoring life to all the heroes before dying himself.
I'm fairly certain that NONE of that made it into the movie. The movie is more likely based on the ill-conceived REPLACEMENT Guardians developed in the early 1990s. This band consisted of a motley crew of Marvels lesser known heroes and villains from the 1970s and early 1980s, probably done in such a way that they didn't lose copyright on any of them (in the comic business, it's "use it or lose it" as far as character names and concepts go). So this is the direction the producer chose to take and now I'm boycotting it on this fact alone. Is it really so hard to use the material as originally presented? Couldn't this movie be made with at least some relation to the original heroes? Some alteration for time difference is to be expected, but there's no reason to rewrite decades of Marvel history to make a buck!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
DMG: Like a Needle in a Haystack...
Have you ever tried to find a specific rule in the Dungeon Master's Guide in the middle of play when lives depended on it? It's nearly impossible! I spent almost 20 minutes DURING PLAY last weekend trying to find the exact distance one can withraw/fall back from melee. In the end I defaulted to the distance listed in 2nd edition (1/3 movement rate) since I could not find the rule anywhere! This is SOOOO frustrating to me.
However, now that I've encountered this problem again, it's time to re-read the DMG. That's right, the whole damn thing, cover to cover! This time, however, I'm taking notes and saving the notes on my computer so that when this happens again I can at least have a decent index to use to find the information I need. The index in the DMG is a god-awful mess of useless information! Half the terms used in the DMG aren't even listed and most of the info printed in the Player's Handbook doesn't match the rules in the DMG!
Looks like I have my reading list set for the next couple of months at least.
However, now that I've encountered this problem again, it's time to re-read the DMG. That's right, the whole damn thing, cover to cover! This time, however, I'm taking notes and saving the notes on my computer so that when this happens again I can at least have a decent index to use to find the information I need. The index in the DMG is a god-awful mess of useless information! Half the terms used in the DMG aren't even listed and most of the info printed in the Player's Handbook doesn't match the rules in the DMG!
Looks like I have my reading list set for the next couple of months at least.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Reminiscing: Old Greyhawk Adventures
I remember a time when AD&D was all I wanted to do - all day, every day. When I woke up, found my friends, and we just played all day into the late hours of the evening with only meal breaks and occasional exercise at the beach or the playground. Granted that was like 30 years ago, but it still has stayed with me all these years.
Those were great times. We knew only a smattering of the rules in the AD&D books and still managed to play the game. My first "campaign" I ran involved a generic adventure in the town of Woodwych in Greyhawk. There, a wizard had become leader of the town and was trying to enslave the populace. The heroes, Nicholas Lornallow (fighter) and Chong-Hing (a monk) were later joined by Dread Delgath (a thief), and Kendrick Magnus (cleric of Odin). It was just some friends sitting around a table and playing characters we had just rolled up. Little did I realize that this early taste of being a DM would change my views of the game forever.
I remember these heroes involving themselves with a winged-folk magic-user shoppe owner, a devil-worshipping cleric whom Nicholas took to bed, tracking her down and later running from said devil-worshipping cleric, and assisting elves in he Celadon Forest rid themselves of nasty creatures from the Fiend Folio that had invaded their tree-homes. During their many adventures they found some awesome magic items - a medallion of teleportation, a ring that could conjure light on command, a defender sword, and some others that I don't remember. We actually played these characters in a linear campaign for a while until we went back to the published adventures and new characters in the late 1980s. The last thing we did in Greyhawk was blow up the planet in a great cataclysm between the demons and devils. Basically, we were stepping on each other's toes as DMs, switching back and forth and using the same place names in different ways. So, if we couldn't share it, we destroyed it.
It was a great afternoon and seemed really weird. In sort of a "Crisis on Infinite Earths" scenario, Greyhawk ceased to exist and everyone's characters were blown through portals into new worlds. One was the Forgotten Realms (run by Steve), the other Primordia (run by Nick), and I made up the proto-Thuin which would later be renamed Sturmgard. College beckoned and we turned to other gaming, namely other campaigns in my case and other activities for the other two DMs.
I spent the last few weeks of summer before college reading the DMG from cover to cover, trying to make sense of the combat rules. It was then that I learned a 2nd edition would soon be released. Finally, we would be in on the ground floor of D&D! All the work I had done on Harn and Thuin would have to be re-done in this new edition. I decided to abandon Harn because the feel of that campaign was more suited to wargaming or historical re-enactment than fantasy role-playing. I focused all my attention on Thuin and came up with sort of a dark sword & sorcery wilderness packed with perils. I was trying to recreate the dark and gritty D&D of my youth. But the new rules that came out for 2nd edition would not allow it. All the "political correctness" irked me. Gone were the terms I had come to know. The combat system was better, but less stream-lined. It was easier to adlib though and I did that liberally after a while.
We had an awesome time playing D&D in college. All the campaigns were exciting, mainly because it was more than just the three of us playing. By finding all these other people to play with, the experience was heightened from fun to thrilling. We would talk about D&D all night in the dorms, formulate plans for overcoming obstacles in the game, and discussing plans of how our own campaigns would work with the new rules.
When I came home from college I was adrift without a D&D campaign. Sure, I was able to rejoin one of the side campaigns I played in, but I was really hoping to DM again. Shortly after joining up with the "Sunday Dorks" from work, I found my calling - permanent DM for a 2nd edition Greyhawk campaign paying homage to Gygax's vision. We had some awesome moments and made memories that I will be able to take to my grave, knowing that we had created something special. I later revisited Thuin and had a long-running Thursday night game that splintered apart after losing one of the key players to marriage. Although there have been starts and stops with these campaigns in the past 30 years, I still keep trying to recapture the fascination and wonder I had playing AD&D at Steve's house all those wonderful summers ago.
In an attempt to do so I hijacked the players from another campaign and in 2000 we started running the Known World with AD&D rules (mostly by the books with written house rules). It was very fun in the beginning and we played religiously every weekend for a good long while. But then real life began to intrude. One friend suffered a stroke. He was the inspiration for the adventures and he could no longer understand what was being said. It took a long time for him to recover enough to play again. The other players have aged and now it becomes more difficult to get together. Medical problems, children, work problems - all have affected the campaign.
I am trying to get myself back to the happy times of summertime AD&D. All this planning and organizing just to schedule time to have fun really sucks. I just want to have a week of nothing to do or worry about and simply play - like we did when we were kids....
Those were great times. We knew only a smattering of the rules in the AD&D books and still managed to play the game. My first "campaign" I ran involved a generic adventure in the town of Woodwych in Greyhawk. There, a wizard had become leader of the town and was trying to enslave the populace. The heroes, Nicholas Lornallow (fighter) and Chong-Hing (a monk) were later joined by Dread Delgath (a thief), and Kendrick Magnus (cleric of Odin). It was just some friends sitting around a table and playing characters we had just rolled up. Little did I realize that this early taste of being a DM would change my views of the game forever.
I remember these heroes involving themselves with a winged-folk magic-user shoppe owner, a devil-worshipping cleric whom Nicholas took to bed, tracking her down and later running from said devil-worshipping cleric, and assisting elves in he Celadon Forest rid themselves of nasty creatures from the Fiend Folio that had invaded their tree-homes. During their many adventures they found some awesome magic items - a medallion of teleportation, a ring that could conjure light on command, a defender sword, and some others that I don't remember. We actually played these characters in a linear campaign for a while until we went back to the published adventures and new characters in the late 1980s. The last thing we did in Greyhawk was blow up the planet in a great cataclysm between the demons and devils. Basically, we were stepping on each other's toes as DMs, switching back and forth and using the same place names in different ways. So, if we couldn't share it, we destroyed it.
It was a great afternoon and seemed really weird. In sort of a "Crisis on Infinite Earths" scenario, Greyhawk ceased to exist and everyone's characters were blown through portals into new worlds. One was the Forgotten Realms (run by Steve), the other Primordia (run by Nick), and I made up the proto-Thuin which would later be renamed Sturmgard. College beckoned and we turned to other gaming, namely other campaigns in my case and other activities for the other two DMs.
I spent the last few weeks of summer before college reading the DMG from cover to cover, trying to make sense of the combat rules. It was then that I learned a 2nd edition would soon be released. Finally, we would be in on the ground floor of D&D! All the work I had done on Harn and Thuin would have to be re-done in this new edition. I decided to abandon Harn because the feel of that campaign was more suited to wargaming or historical re-enactment than fantasy role-playing. I focused all my attention on Thuin and came up with sort of a dark sword & sorcery wilderness packed with perils. I was trying to recreate the dark and gritty D&D of my youth. But the new rules that came out for 2nd edition would not allow it. All the "political correctness" irked me. Gone were the terms I had come to know. The combat system was better, but less stream-lined. It was easier to adlib though and I did that liberally after a while.
We had an awesome time playing D&D in college. All the campaigns were exciting, mainly because it was more than just the three of us playing. By finding all these other people to play with, the experience was heightened from fun to thrilling. We would talk about D&D all night in the dorms, formulate plans for overcoming obstacles in the game, and discussing plans of how our own campaigns would work with the new rules.
When I came home from college I was adrift without a D&D campaign. Sure, I was able to rejoin one of the side campaigns I played in, but I was really hoping to DM again. Shortly after joining up with the "Sunday Dorks" from work, I found my calling - permanent DM for a 2nd edition Greyhawk campaign paying homage to Gygax's vision. We had some awesome moments and made memories that I will be able to take to my grave, knowing that we had created something special. I later revisited Thuin and had a long-running Thursday night game that splintered apart after losing one of the key players to marriage. Although there have been starts and stops with these campaigns in the past 30 years, I still keep trying to recapture the fascination and wonder I had playing AD&D at Steve's house all those wonderful summers ago.
In an attempt to do so I hijacked the players from another campaign and in 2000 we started running the Known World with AD&D rules (mostly by the books with written house rules). It was very fun in the beginning and we played religiously every weekend for a good long while. But then real life began to intrude. One friend suffered a stroke. He was the inspiration for the adventures and he could no longer understand what was being said. It took a long time for him to recover enough to play again. The other players have aged and now it becomes more difficult to get together. Medical problems, children, work problems - all have affected the campaign.
I am trying to get myself back to the happy times of summertime AD&D. All this planning and organizing just to schedule time to have fun really sucks. I just want to have a week of nothing to do or worry about and simply play - like we did when we were kids....
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