This afternoon, five novice adventurers entered DM Frank Mentzer's Empyrea campaign.  Accompanied by two terrified porters and three hirelings, they began a tentative exploration of the Dungeon of the Great Lich, wherein they discovered that the Dwarf can't lasso a stationary chest at ten feet, neither of the two cleric/rangers can turn skeletons, and a skull will bite if picked up.  But treasure was won, the skeletons and a berserker were slain, and only one hireling was lost amongst the good guys.  By my reckoning, a great start to a two-year campaign.  

For anyone in the Chicago/Rockford region, PM exTSR if you'd like to join yours truly, IO (#2) and stratochamp (and a couple of DF'ers) twice a month.  Really, how often do you get to play in one of the original campaign worlds?  

That campaign sounds like something that needs publishing.

Bracton wrote:Silence descends on the room.  Frank sees us staring, and says, "It is my map."

Great story!

joe b.

Ok, which one of you Chicago-dwellers drivesa small car with a Miskatonic college sticker and a couple othe Cthulhu adornments on the back?

I was just in Waukegan/Deerfield and that car was in front of me at a traffic light.

All I know is that if the little thing Frank let me purchase is any indication, a published version would rock the socks. Needs to be done in little book format, though.

In case anyone is really interested -- and doesn't mind spoilers -- there's a campaign journal on Dragonsfoot.  We've played twice now, once at Stratochamp's place, and once at Frank's.  When they talk about an old school dungeon crawl, this is what they mean.

I've been a DM/GM for years.  It's a lot more fun being a player.