Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure

Repost for those with poor eye sight   A Partial, Annotated Bibliography of the Works of Robert J. Kuntz Written by Robert J. Kuntz Edited, and with notes and commentary by Allan T. Grohe, Jr. Copyright 2001 Robert J. Kuntz Due to my involvement as the co-DM of the original Greyhawk campaign with Gary Gygax (roughly 1973-1986), I have been asked many times to provide information about that world, which includes those pieces of work I had anything to do with creatively. Gary Welsh of the GREYtalk email list recently elicited some responses from me concerning such information. I have decided to codify what information I have recently gone over into a more coherent form. The following list will note my published contributions, and other levels of involvement (major, minor, or fringe), as well as note what I had intended to do with each adventure, if anything besides just enjoying writing and DMing it. Some have been published, others remain unpublished, some are currently slated for publication, while others have been published twice due to edition changes, etc. El Raja Key, 1972 Unpublished. This castle was intentionally designed to provide Gary with a source of adventuring enjoyment but quickly expanded in scope when EGG chose me to help co-DM the original Greyhawk campaign. Some of its levels were incorporated into the second (large and current) version of Greyhawk Castle, and many of its tricks, traps, monsters and magic appear in sundry published releases (Greyhawk: Supplement 1 to D&D; DMG; UA; WG5; et al). Ostensibly the castle was located at a geographical area equating to the current Maure Castle location on the WoG map; WG5 (see below) was a nearby area related to Maure Castle/El Raja Key in some way which was only slightly hinted at (though the idea of entering Maure Castle equated with entering El Raja Key, which was less a name then than a signature denoting my castle, since my real initials occur within it). It is important to note that as EGG’s co-DM I was given reign to DM PCs in either castle and/or geographical area. In so doing, I also expanded planar areas before untouched in the campaign, allowing not only El Raja Key and its environs to be explored, but many other creative offshoots from that to be expanded upon as Gary concentrated on the rules, the WoG Setting, and his many other projects slated for publication. The majority of PCs who initially played in the Greyhawk campaign found themselves easily transferring back-and-forth between the two areas, and thus the idea of a multi-DMed campaign was born, which was later to include Ernie Gygax’s sub-milieu, and somewhat later than that, James Ward’s Dragonkind, as well as others. In 1986 I updated some of El Raja Key’s levels and the main castle map with the idea of releasing it on the heels of "City of Brass" through Creations Unlimited, though this never happened. Since then its 40 levels have remained undeveloped. Castle Greyhawk (E. Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz), 1972 Unpublished. Huge multi-leveled, multi-tiered castle/dungeon (70+ levels, 100+ maps) with many unique and prominent levels and ideas, new monsters, tricks, traps, and unusual mayhem. The grand-daddy of all dungeons. Some levels from El Raja Key were used for this second version of Castle Greyhawk. Among my many contributions to Castle Greyhawk was a "portal" to my rendition of the Greek Mythology area, which was a self-contained demi-plane. I designed both the "Living Room" and the "Machine Level" (Gary adventured into both and was particularly impressed by the "Living Room"), as well as many other levels. A smaller (and rawer) version of Garden of the Plantmaster is hidden away in the Castle, but in a lonely section which few adventurers found. The most notable contribution was a four page map with text--a mini-module by itself--of my now infamous "Bottle City." City Greyhawk (E. Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz), 1972 Unpublished. Four color maps, keys, text. I designed various creations, like "The Tower Wizard" (a renamed article/mini-adventure I expanded and submitted to the Living Greyhawk Journal), The Elder Gods Temple (annex), some Greyhawk sewer intrigues (ycch!), the Green Dragon Inn (owned by Robilar, starting in 1972), as well as various other intrigues which ultimately led PCs to outdoor adventures or right back into the castle. Lost City of the Elders, 1972 Unpublished.  Setting for Garden of the Plantmaster; relates to WG5, Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure. The Lost City of the Elders was first adventured in by EGG (Mordenkainen and company), and was the city which later would contain the structure housing the Garden of the Plantmaster. EGG’s PCs arrived there via a magical waterfall, saw the tuskless elephant statues outside its gates, etc. Some of the latter was illustrated for WG5 to make the connection clear between the two modules. This was my first attempt at creating an adventure, and thus it is one of the oldest surviving adventures in D&D history besides EGG’s and D. L. Arneson’s creations. Temple of the Elder Gods, 1974 Unpublished. Outdoor/City/Dungeon adventure located half way between Greyhawk City and Greyhawk Castle. Maps and keyed encounters, new class (now prestige). There were two entry points: one by way of a hollow stump and hole downwards; the other by an underground stream which connected with the City Greyhawk sewers. Jim Ward, my brother Terry, Don Arndt, and others adventured there. The Orc Level, 1974 Unpublished. Very large dungeon with political intrigue and many battle scenarios. EGG discovered my Iron Bands of Enclosure (later Iron Bands of Bilarro, a renamed send-up in "Unearthed Arcana" to its creator "Robilar") while adventuring there with Mordenkainen, Yrag, and company. 10 maps, keyed encounters, new magic items. Slugfest. The Stalk, 1975 Unpublished. Outdoor/Dungeon adventure originally set in the Wild Coast. Maps, detailed notes, and many encounters. Fomalhaut, 1975 Unpublished. A planet/plane where the denizen’s of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos were encountered. Included the Plateau of Leng! My brother Terry (Terik) dared this area many times and finally gave up. Guess it was too tough! Never did anything with this for obvious reasons. Four color maps, outdoor encounters, keyed encounters, my interpretations of Lovecraftian monsters and other wiggly stuff. Ties into all of the Elder God material mentioned earlier in this article. Accessed by entering a "portal" in the "Temple of the Elder Gods" (q.v.). Fountains of Fire, 1975 Unpublished. Dungeon adventure located on the same planar realm as the Lost City of the Elders (clues about the city's destruction stem from here). 2 maps and notes. This adventure tie-ins material to the Lost City of the Elders and the Castle of the Elemental Lords. The Border God, 1975 Unpublished. Planar/outdoor adventure involving a guardian on the border of the elemental realms by the name of Saagrash. Map, new magic items, including a new type of flying carpet. The Cult of Mandarin, 1975 Unpublished. Never placed on the outdoor, but comprising a wild cult of tentacled wolf beings which relate to Kerzit the demon in WG5. No map, notes, many new magic items, and the "Quagmire," which is a physical place AND a magic item. Demonworld, 1976 Unpublished. Dungeon/Outdoor adventure. Large adventure where Erac's Cousin and others adventured against their will. An extractive beginning part involving a wizard in Greyhawk City was recently rewritten as something slightly different for The Living Greyhawk Journal. 12 Maps, notes, new demons, undead encounters (there's a ship encounter which is really particularly nasty). Dark Druids, 1976 Outdoor/Dungeon adventure. To be published by Troll Lord Games as 3E module release, January 2002. New Dark Druid prestige class; the Misbegotten (new spell and monster combo). Originally placed in the Gnarley Forest and adventured in by many original campaigners, such as Skip Williams and James Ward, whose PCs lost their lives there. Lair of the Pit Fiend, 1976 Unpublished. Dungeon adventure set in the Drachensgrab Mountains. Four complete maps, extensive notes, pregenerated PCs. N.B. This scenario directly relates to the Greyhawk Gazetteer’s allusion that something will arise in anger if its resting place beneath the hills (mountains) is disturbed. This was a literary placement by EGG as he was naturally aware of the module's future setting. Lost Caverns of Tsojconth, 1976 Published by MDG (TSR/Metro Detroit Gamers). "Greater Caverns" map contribution. N.B. This is the original version of the Lost Caverns, used in the WinterCon V tournament; the 1982 module S4 was later based on this adventure. Shadow Realms, 1977 Unpublished. Never mapped out but extensively outlined with major, sectionalized, notes. This was another of those planar realm adventures I was always diddling with as a DM. Originally intended as six! modules, and I have the working titles for all of them. The Demonsenders, 1977 Unpublished. Dungeon setting located in the Gull Cliffs just NE of the mouth of the Imeda River. Map, extensive notes, new spells, new magic items, new monsters, and a fully detailed introduction and outline. Also, an alternate creation theory, or expanded theory, for Boccob. An original article of mine about the three artifacts occurring here appeared in Wargaming #2 by FGU entitled, "The Three Artifacts of the Demonsenders." This was partially rewritten in 1999 when The Living Greyhawk Journal showed interest in it, but ultimately they only wanted article extrapolations of the magic items, spells and monsters. I'd rather publish the whole adventure as conceived without extracting salient parts. I have given Canonfire! permission to reprint the original Wargaming #2 article. The Hold of Nar, 1978 Unpublished massive outdoor/dungeon expedition tentatively placed in the Kron Hills. 8 maps, extensive encounters, new monsters and items. When WoG was on the decline in 1987 I took this to TSR where it was reviewed by Bruce Heard and Harold Johnson for possible inclusion as a Dungeons & Dragons Expert level adventure, but I believe that they didn't have the resources to publish it. S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, 1978 Published by TSR. Major contributions. Origins II tournament module later republished for 1E. Currently I'd like to redo this module for TSR. :) Castle of the Elemental Lords, 1978 Unpublished. This Greyhawk planar adventure is being rewritten and expanded for the 3rd offering in the City of Brass series available through Necromancer Games, 2002. Extensive notes, maps, outline, new monsters, new spells, new magic items. Regions of Greyhawk: Wild Coast, 1979 Unpublished. Outdoor regional setting including town/stronghold descriptions of the Wild Coast. Minor notes only. The Emerald Tower, 1980 Unpublished. Dungeon setting never placed in the WoG outdoors involving a strange magic item akin to the Rod of Seven Parts and a demon lord named Sahazruul. 4 maps, extensive notes. WG4 The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, 1982 Published by TSR. I contributed the idea for Tharizdun by informing Gary of my Dark God, Tharzduun. The Crystal Mage, 1981 Unpublished. Dungeon adventure never set geographically in the WoG. Several pages of notes only. WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure (with Gary Gygax), 1984 Published by TSR. Relates to the Garden of the Plantmaster and the Lost City of the Elders. Eight Pointed Star meant as "portals" to other creations by myself and Gary. The Iron Golem which claimed 2 of EGG’s PC’s lives in the original adventure was in part inspired by many Conan stories, including the "Toad-Thing." Maze of Zayene Series, 1986 Published through Creations Unlimited with 2,500 copies of each volume printed; Necromancer Games 3E module releases, current-2002. Prisoners of the Maze, available through Necromancer Games. Dimensions of Flight, available soon. Tower Chaos, early 2002 release. The Eight Kings, early 2002 release. In the original Greyhawk campaign, Zayene was Xaene, and Ovar was Ivid V. The first two modules as originally conceived were to be placed in the Great Kingdom, Rauxes. Upon revision, the latter two adventures were added to make it a 4-part series. Relates to Hidden Realms of Zayene and, abstractly, to the Fate of Istus adventure, "Down With the Wizard." There are also major tie ins to the Shadow Realms and Castle of the Elemental Lords. Hidden Realms of Zayene, 1986 Unpublished. First part, The Iron Castle, will be released through Necromancer Games in 2002. I have notes on another one as well, but none, that I can dream up now, beyond that. Note: Zayene is my favorite evil NPC and expect him to survive like comic book villains do, only to plague the heroes later on with more insane schemes. Garden of the Plantmaster, 1987 Published through Creations Unlimited in 5,000 limited print run; republished online and available through Hyperbooks.com; Necromancer Games 3E module release, upcoming, with included second adventure "Vampire Isle," 2002. WG8 Fate of Istus (with others), 1989 Published by TSR. This included the two 2E adventures "Down With The Wizard" and "Iuz's Gambit," and my maps for both Rauxes and Verbobonc, which TSR barely had to lift a finger to redo. :) Also note Doug Behringer's renderings of these maps with Campaign Cartographer @ XX. The two-headed lich that Xaene had become was both a reference to the duplicity of this outrageous NPC and for the two different literary paths I had taken him upon. The Wreck of Robilar, 1994 Unpublished. Outdoor/Dungeon adventure following up on the exploits of Robilar and his ongoing quest since the sack of his castle. Extensive notes and maps. I have a great fondness for this character and would like someday to do something for TSR in keeping with his original spirit as a neutral fighter caught up in the shackles of evil. This is what I have for now. I hope it satisfies the curious! I will update it periodically as I sift through my boxes of notes and manuscripts. Happy Adventuring! Rob Kuntz Net locations for this article: Troll Lord Games: follow the Rob Kuntz link Necromancer Games:  follow the Rob Kuntz link Canonfire Allan Grohe's Greyhawk Site: you're already here :-) Return to Grodog's D&D. Return to Imrryr. https://www.blackgate.com/2013/07/28/the-secret-supplement-greyhawk-gygax-and-outdoor-survival/