kevin mayle wrote:It would be great if you set up a web page where we could read it though.
Sure, I hope to do that in the future, but it's pretty messy and colossal.
For now though I wouldn't mind pasting some of my info on Castle Greyhawk, since I know lots of people still find that fascinating. Any errors in the below are likely caused by a transcription fault on my part or too much unification of diverse posts. This is not complete, but it's what I have so far. Have fun Grodog, heheh …
Gygax's original Greyhawk dungeon was about 13 levels deep with about 28 levels total, mostly side levels. Rob's material was roughly equivalent and added to the whole. The resulting complex ended up being 25 levels deep and about 50 levels total. (Another comment states 28 levels deep and 40+ levels total.) There are also split levels; for example, two unattached areas occupying the same sheet of graph paper, reached from two or more different locations.
In lore, it was created by Zagyg the Mad Archmage. It was once filled with riches, but was heavily plundered be Tenser, Robilar, Terik, Murlynd, etc. In later years the deep, recovering wealth was largely untouched while many minor adventuring groups explored and depleted the upper levels. The dungeon is kept "stocked" through the machinations of Zagyg. Some feel that he is more interested in observing adventurers than in having a secure stronghold; the conflict between the monsters and the heroes intrigues him.
The Castle rests on a 250' tall hill, three miles north of the Free City of Greyhawk. It is surrounded by tangled vegetation. A swamp lies past the northern slope.
Play in the dungeon began in late 1972. I believe it initially consisted of 4 levels, although other comments imply that only the ruins and level 1 were designed and the other levels were created later to keep ahead of the players. The first adventurers ever were Ernie Gygax, playing a figher, and Elsie Gygax, playing a cleric. Their first encounter (in the upper ruins?) was a giant centipede.
The upper ruins are sparsely detailed, but are known to include giant centipedes and goblins, with a high possibility of visits from the kobolds of dungeon level 1.
Level 1, possibly "the Barracks" or "the Vaults," was revised many times. Its final revision, the 3rd, was done on a 17"x22" sheet. Assuming the classic 10' scale and 4 squares to an inch, it was probably about 680' along the narrow axis and 880' "long." Level 1 is a moderate challenge for 3rd level characters. However, the Old Guard Kobolds are intended to be a test of whether the players are smart enough to flee, and can challenge characters of 5th-6th level. At one time, level 1 was mostly cleared and used as a base by Robilar, Tenser and Terik.
Entrances include: A secret staircase used by an orc leader. A dry cistern. A pool of quicksand. A hole in the ground. Several others.
Exits include: Several, leading down one or more levels. An 80' long stairway (probably going down more than 1 level). A shorter stairway to level 2.
Monsters include: Bandits (level 2 fighters with a level 4 leader); berserkers; ghouls; brigands (possibly dwelling in the ruins above, this is unclear); giant (cave) bats; a (giant?) black widow spider; a giant bombardier beetle; nests of giant centipedes (such as under chests etc.); giant rats enthralled by a human keeper; (giant?) snakes; a giant spider; gnolls led by an evil priest; goblin slavers (likely allied with the kobolds, and they are also in the ruins above); a huge subterranean constrictor snake; the legendary Old Guard Kobolds (some roughly equivalent to orcs in strength) in two complexes; a level 3 magic-user with (humanoid?) guards; orcs; skeletons. The kobolds are the masters of most of the level.
Traps include: A solitary transporter (teleporter) to mess with mappers. Open pits.
Treasures include: 10 +1 arrows; +1 axe; thousands of copper pieces; +1 dagger; 8 100 gp gems; +1 plate armor; potions of healing; +1 ring of protection; +1 shield; staff (of the serpent?); +1 sword; various potions.
There were orcs in the dungeon, at least on level 1, and probably at least levels 1-3. They are of two tribes, the Grinning Skull and the Bloody Axe.
Level 2, possibly "the Storerooms," was apparently created the day after the first session. It was first explored by Ernie (fighter?), Elise (cleric?), Rob Kuntz (playing Robilar) and Don Kaye (playing Murlynd). It is considered an adequate challenge for 4th level characters.
Monsters include: A gelatinous cube; a giant lizard; gnolls; orcs serving a human warrior; a troll.
Traps include: Hidden and covered pits, some spiked. A magic pool of serpents.
Treasures include: +2 dagger; staff of the serpent; wand of paralysis.
Level 3, possibly "the Cells," may be the lair of some thouls who are allied with the kobolds. It is assumed to be geared for level 4-5 characters. A group of (2nd level?) characters once adventured on level 3 and lost no members, but this was likely exceptional.
Encounters include: A magical laboratory in the center; gnoll archers and their leader, Obmi.
Level 4, possibly "the Torture Chambers," is occupied by a band of gnolls.
Treasures include: A portable hole.
Level 4 or 5 may be home to the Old Guard Trolls, possible allies of the kobolds. The level is estimated from the challenge scheme of the dungeon.
Level 5 is probably called "the Maze."
Level 6 is known as the Labyrinth, which may imply even more complexity than level 5.
Monsters include: A black pudding; minotaurs; a purple worm; wereboars.
Level 6 is also home to a pair of black dragons, who wrought much mayhem in the classic campaign.
Level 7 is probably "the Crypts."
Level 8 is probably "the Arena."
Level 9 is probably "the Lesser Caves."
Level 10 is probably "the Greater Caves."
Level 11 is probably "the Caverns."
A deep level has a museum of artifacts from lost ages.
A deep level (12 or so?) has an intersection leading to dungeon regions known as Monkeying Around, Horsing Around and Fooling Around. Monkeying Around leads to the Isle of the Ape. Horsing Around leads to a centaur level, which is probably a side-level and not an alternate prime. Fooling Around was specifically left as a secret, but was probably pun-based, as encounters included a jester with assistant jack puddings.
Level 13 of Gygax's original dungeon was Zagyg's domain. A giant, one-way slide (teleporter?) leads to the Land of Chin, opposite the Flanaess on the globe. It is equivalent to China. Whether the domain was moved to the bottom-most level (25? 28?) after the super-dungeon was created is unclear.
Keep in mind that level delineations may have shifted dramatically following the merger with Rob's levels.
Due to its progenitor (Zagyg), the dungeon is constantly changing, and it intersects with many of the planes, including alternate primes. Zagyg can make the impossible possible within his limited domain. He may briefly appear to adventurers; to favor or challenge them.
Planar areas attached to the dungeon include Courland (
EX1), the Land Beyond the Magic Mirror (
EX2), the Isle of the Ape (WG6) and others, totaling approximately 6 areas reached by teleporter. Two of these were apparently never discovered.
A land of Greek mythology can be reached from a deep level; whether or not this is an alternate prime is unknown.
Alternate primes that can be reached from the dungeons include the Starship Warden of Metamorphosis Alpha and Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure. There is also A Midsummer Night's Nightmare, featuring Oberon, Puck, Titania, booka, killmoulis, dark sidhe, and other English faerie folk. An underwater gate leads to an underwater adventure (planar?) that is dominated by a dragon turtle. The Mars of John Carter fame can likely be reached as well.
Well-known areas in the dungeons include the Machine Level, the Living Room, the Garden of the Plant Master, the Realm of Thought, the labyrinth of the Lords of Balance and the Black Reservoir.
Famous features include the Bottle City, the Great Stone Face, the Nixie Pool, the prisons of the "nine gods," and the Disappearing Jeweled Man.
In the Gord novels, the castle (due to its nature) is the final place of magical resistance against the incursions of Tharizdun. It is destroyed with the rest of Oerth, but likely returned into existence by the recreation of the Flanaess in an alternate dimension.
Now if you don't have a mad urge to scurry off and recreate Castle Greyhawk, well … you've spent too much time quibbling over Benjamins and you need to get back to the spirit of the game.
