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Post by foxroe on Mar 31, 2017 18:35:30 GMT -6
Thanks everyone! Forgive my exuberance. I love creative brainstorming threads like these, and I'm a sucker for those terse hex descriptions.  scalydemon, how will you be starting the players off? Just arriving by boat, at one of the villages, astral projection from an ancient aboriginal burial cave? And a slightly off-topic question for anyone (as this doesn't apply to a con-style game), what would be a good "intro" adventure for low-level characters if this were to be developed into a campaign setting? |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 31, 2017 5:10:23 GMT -6
What? You can't squeeze all of that into a 4-hour con block? I think the Expert rules are pretty simple with respect to wilderness travel (they're pretty much the same as the OD&D Book 3 method). There is the added caveat that if they have a landmark, map, or guide, the party won't get lost. Given that the Isle is fairly diverse in geography and there are plenty of potentially visible landmarks about, I would think that getting lost should be uncommon (DM's call on whether to make the check or not) - might be something to ignore for a con game. Or maybe have a native guide tag along with the party. |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 31, 2017 4:49:32 GMT -6
Welcome, jast!
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Post by foxroe on Mar 30, 2017 18:26:03 GMT -6
"A damp and seemingly endless cavern descends from the sea shore into utter darkness. After a few miles the cave complex opens into an eerily glowing grotto, the center of which is dominated by a large, stone ziggurat. Atop the pyramid structure is a strange half-lobster, half-human statue." <-- Insert D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa here.
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 23:05:58 GMT -6
When I started playing D&D way back when, I started with the crazy combo of Holmes/Cook/AD&D(MM). So, by extension, "Mystara*" was my default campaigning world (until I picked up the WoG folio). I liked how the known world was presented very succinctly using a two-page hex map and a brief paragraph for each geo-political location (in X1), with just the Duchy receiving some finer detail in the expert set. During the Mentzer-era, there were a slew of gazetteers released for each of the regions. While some of the material was OK, they really sort of "ruined" the setting for me, as they took the world in much different directions than what my friends and I had done through "sandbox" play (the known world always reminded me of Moorcock's Young Kingdoms for some reason).
So I was wondering, what sort of crazy cool stuff did you do with that original Expert/X1 setting to make it yours?
*(not sure when "Mystara" was first used as product identity)
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:35:58 GMT -6
It never really occurred to me how great a campaign setting Isle of Dread can be. There's tons of fleshing-out room and plenty of replayability in those 30 or so pages! The 6-mile hexes are perfect.
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:31:26 GMT -6
A little nod to Morrowind: "The monotonous drone of jungle fauna is broken by the sound of a blood-curdling scream, followed by something crashing through the trees up ahead. Investigation leads to the body of a robed wizard, his body badly mangled as if by a great fall. The mage's backpack contains a scroll with the spells Levitate and Fly."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:24:42 GMT -6
Sorry, having fun pouring out the random hex contents. Say when. |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:23:10 GMT -6
"A jungle-choked ruin of unknown architecture rises from the swampy forest floor. When the midday sun touches the top of the structure, the glowing outline of a door is revealed at its base. The door pushes inward ponderously, revealing a dark and damp stairway descending into the earth."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:16:12 GMT -6
"At night, dark ape-like figures dance hideously about an inscrutable stone pillar in the center of a clearing. If approached, the figures disappear, leaving only the uneasy stare of the demonic faces of the towering totem."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:10:53 GMT -6
"Along the river bank, a lone native warrior slowly paddles a long canoe made of reptile skins. He is searching for the abode of the Great Toothed One, on whom he has sworn vengeance."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 22:03:07 GMT -6
"A recent rainstorm has exposed a gleaming, human-sized, crystal skull in the mud among the roots of a massive kapok tree. While the skull is not obviously magical, it will fetch 1,000 g.p. at market. However, the Keeper of the Skulls of Orbuhn will pay 5,000 g.p. in precious stones for its return (refusal of the offer will be met with hostility)."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 21:50:06 GMT -6
"The cliffs along the river at this location are home to 2d8 pterodactyl (AC7, HD1). It has been a while since their last meal, so they will savagely attack any party they outnumber traveling through this hex."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 0:43:35 GMT -6
Another idea: Make one of the villages in the SE portion of the map a small ancient Southeast Asian-style city, or Mesoamerican-flavored center of worship. Could make for an interesting base of operations for the players if you wanted to expand the setting into a campaign.
Edit: ...or perhaps a lawless, pirate port-haven.
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 0:31:46 GMT -6
More hex-splat:
"Towering above the jungle is a murky jade spire, home of the Keeper of the Skulls of Orbuhn. This sorcerer commands a legion of fifty Golden Apes."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 0:22:05 GMT -6
Another idea: I1-Dwellers of the Forbidden City (also by David Cook) can be inserted anywhere in the mountainous regions of the island.
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Post by foxroe on Mar 29, 2017 0:14:43 GMT -6
Random pulpy weird-tales IoD hex description:
"At the apex of a long and winding rocky trail into the mountains, three lozenge-bodied, tentacled, and multi-eyed beings emerge from the shimmering air enclosed by an annular rock formation. Muffled cries can be heard from the writhing bundle that the strange creatures are carrying."
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Post by foxroe on Mar 28, 2017 23:11:35 GMT -6
Very "John Carter and the Isle of the Ape-God". I like it!
Sticking with the iconic "boss(es)", or doing something different? Will the players be native to the Isle, or recently arrived?
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Post by foxroe on Mar 27, 2017 2:01:20 GMT -6
Gasp! No, I missed those! Thank you for the link - need to pour over those pictures.  |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 26, 2017 0:35:49 GMT -6
Check out the Vintage wargaming site for articles about Bath. Also The Universal General site has information and images of Bath's campaign and figures. He used what are called Zinnfiguren or flats as they are also known. These figures have a slight details, but are essentially flat wargaming figures, usually 25-30mm in height. They are still produced in Germany and Russia to this day. The images on The Universal general depict ancient Assyrians, but my impression is that Bath used whatever he had at hand both Ancient and Medieval to build his armies. If you can get copies of both Wargames by Donald Featherstone and Setting up a wargames campaign. Both of these are available in printed form from the history of wargaming group which you can find on Luulu. Thanks thorswulf, I'll have to check out those sites. |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 25, 2017 10:47:21 GMT -6
(Re)reading Le Morte d'Arthur thanks to makofan .  |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 24, 2017 13:46:42 GMT -6
I suppose I'll use the Junior General late Roman pieces and just use an editor to make all of the hair blond for the Hyperboreans. I did a test run with the Persian elephants, printing on cardstock, but they curled over. Guess I'll need to mount them on cardboard or balsa. This just became yet another project... @_@ |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 22, 2017 13:04:36 GMT -6
No worries, we're still here! ☺
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Post by foxroe on Mar 17, 2017 18:38:50 GMT -6
Less than a week away now! All I have to do is key Level 1 of my dungeon.  And a sweet map it is. Do I smell megadungeon? |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 15, 2017 19:30:12 GMT -6
One of these years I'll make it... one of these years.  |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 15, 2017 4:22:34 GMT -6
I've been lately absorbing the wonderful War Games by Featherstone, and I'm thinking of doing some low-budget recreation of the scenarios provided in the book. The first scenario, the classic 'Battle of Trimsos', pits the fantasy nations of Hyrkania and Hyperborea against each other. In the original scenario, Tony Bath's flats were used to represent the two forces. Now, I'm thinking of just printing up my own paper "flats" to run the scenario, but I'm having a hard time deciding which historical flats to use (I've been hunting here). I'm fairly settled on Persians for the Hyrkanians, but what historical analog should be used for the Hyperboreans? Vikings seem obvious... but they weren't much into chariots, mounted archers, and war machines as far as I am aware (I've been wrong before, though...). Does anyone know what flats Bath and Featherstone used for the original scenario? The book doesn't specify (that I've seen thus far, anyway) and my copy (Lulu print) has grainy B&W photos, so details are impossible to make out (at least with my aging eyes). Any ideas/thoughts/suggestions/irrefutable-facts? |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 14, 2017 3:58:23 GMT -6
Howdy, Still no idea what real-life castle the "Bodenburg" was, but as the poster in the thread above suggested, perhaps they were just made up castles in the German Medieval style. There is no "real life" castle named "Bodenburg" although the castle itself might be based on one. Bodenburg was named after Henry Bodenstedt and when it was originally published it was misspelled Bodenberg. At the time Henry was the distributor for Strategy & Tactics in the US and the publisher, Chris Wagner, was in Japan on active duty for the Air Force. Henry was so upset that he refused to distribute the magazine unless it was corrected and Wagner was over a barrel. Eventually they worked it out with a retraction and apology. If the model is based on a castle, it might be named in one of the better catalogs. However, it might be as likely that it is based on some story of Prince Valiant or Karl May fiction - the basis for the Elastolin figures. I'll have a look. Futures Bright, Paul The Collector's Trove www.thecollectorstrove.comThanks, Paul! That's interesting - I had no idea there was "controversy" surrounding SoB! That explains why Gary referred to it as "Bodenstedt" instead of "Bodenburg"; I thought he was just giving a nod to Henry. |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 10, 2017 8:00:32 GMT -6
Would any native in his right mind want to go to Carcosa? I'm sure everyone would know it by reputation, even if the exact details are sktchy. Exactly! Some have boldly disembarked on the shores of Carcosa to be sure, but the very few who have returned are frothing mad, speaking of "incorrect angles", "impossible" structures, and ineffable horrors. I'm sure over the eons the stories that have evolved from these insane ramblings have reached the point of accepted truth, and avoidance of the abode of He Who Should Not Be Named has become dogma. Don't spit into the wind. Don't take wooden coppers. And DON'T go to Carcosa!  |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 9, 2017 23:16:36 GMT -6
"Carcosa" is also a town other than a world, will you include it in your new modules? It will be possible to attend the King-in-Yellow's court? Good question. While a forthcoming module will include more details on the city of Carcosa, it will still be lightly-sketched. The city of Carcosa in writing is an example of an unattainable vista. If I heavily detailed it, no matter what I wrote, most people would think it was underwhelming, and rightfully so. ("I always imagined it as so much more.") Sort of like a MacGuffin (always wanted to use that word ) - the Holy Grail of the world of Carcosa. The fact that it's there is, I suppose, essential to the theme of the Carcosa setting, but reaching it is not important. Besides, I don't care how powerful the characters are or how clever the players are, they should not survive the trip... I mean, the city should be that horrific. Then again, in one's own game, anything goes. |
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Post by foxroe on Mar 9, 2017 18:39:47 GMT -6
I've just read through the "Explanation of Magic Items" beginning on p. 27, and I was bowled away by the description of intelligent swords, not because it's a new concept, but because if I understand correctly M&T suggests that all swords are intelligent (though some not very, and/or lack communication ability). But I find it really refreshing - I've always found something pretty lame about a +1 sword when that's all it does. I've looked at other threads here, notably Are all magic swords intelligent in your game?, and I see that the minority of people actually use these rules all the time (and for good reasons), but for where I'm sitting it sounds like a whole lot of chaotic fun! I had the same reaction when I first read that. At first I thought it was "silly", but after some soul searching (aka "reading up" on these and other fora) I realized that magic swords in OD&D are pretty much a class ability for Fighting-men since no other class can use them. |
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