One of my all time favorite gaming experiences occured way back when I was in high school (oh so many years ago). A group of us spent a summer vacation going through the TSR module "Isle of the Ape", using the pre-generated characters provided in the adventure. One of those PCs was a cleric named Agath of Thrunch.
I know that another of those PCs, Warnes Starcoat, was long ago elevated to a seat on the Circle of Eight, but imagine my surprise when I discovered, while browsing through Spire of Long Shadows in my recently arrived Dungeon 130, the very same Agath of Thrunch hanging out in the town of Magepoint. Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. One other member of that high school group is in my current group and I know he'll get a kick out of it as well.
It's the little details like this that really make me enjoy Dungeon magazine even more than I already do. Kudos to Erik, James, Jesse Decker and anyone else who may have been even remotely involved in throwing details like this into the Age of Worms.
You guys rock!
Now if only someone would use Rowena Silverbrow (the PC I played) in a new adventure... :)
Speaking of fun flashbacks, I just realized where the bit about 3FOE author Mike Mearls being the "dark hope of chaotic evil" etc. came from after rereading the recently downloaded "Village of Hommlett" (last viewed when I was in high school, some time before mom threw out all those DnD books when I left for college).
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Speaking of fun flashbacks, I just realized where the bit about 3FOE author Mike Mearls being the "dark hope of chaotic evil" etc. came from after rereading the recently downloaded "Village of Hommlett" (last viewed when I was in high school, some time before mom threw out all those DnD books when I left for college).
Heh. Cymria of Celadon is a pre-gen from "Vecna Lives." Perhaps for the hardcover (if we ever do one) we can expand this location and include a bunch of "Manzorian's" other companions and cohorts.
You will note that "Manzorian" is garbed in blue in his illustration, which is another tie to "Isle of the Ape." The Fortress of Unknown Depths is, in fact, the location of the throne room in the opening scene of that adventure. It and Magepoint also featured prominently in "Return of the Eight," an adventure by Roger E. Moore and published aroung 1998 or so.
And Celeste is from the Shackled City, and I made up Eligos, but his name is from a "magical" grimoire called the Goetia, where it represents a spirit associated with war and battles. Since Eligos was (in the original outline) introduced to provide more information about the Wind Dukes of Aaqa and the great pre-historical war between Law and Chaos, the name seemed appropriate.
As it happens, a lot of the Aaqa stuff ended up getting relayed in the background to the Whispering Cairn, and the kyuss worm shifted into the position of the "thing the PCs most want someone to tell them about."
None of this is at all important in running or enjoying the Age of Worms Adventure Path, of course, but it and lots of other things like it have been placed in the series to tip off "in the know" readers.
Auric, Tirra, and Khellek, for example, were from a mid-1980s comic book ad campaign TSR ran for D&D. Illustrated by Bill Willingham, the three-installment series featured the comic-style anctics of these three characters as they bounced around "Castle Roakire" fighting beholders and jakalweres.
I am a huge D&D nerd.
--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon
I wondered if Cymria was from "Vecna Lives", but didn't have a copy handy to check. We had a group that started that adventure, too, but it didn't last much beyond the first time we got our butts handed to us. I thought the premise for that adventure rocked, though. And of course, I recognized all the stuff at Tens... I mean "Manzorian's" fortress. I love all these hip Greyhawk in-references.
I'll say it again, from one D&D nerd to another: Erik, you guys ROCK! :)
I love all these hip Greyhawk in-references.
I also liked the references in the omens to the City of Istivan (sp?) 3 part adventure...
Has anyone matched the omens to published adventures yet?
I got the Istivan reference, and the Cauldron reference, but I guess I'll need to go through my archives of Dungeons for the rest.
:-D This will be a fun use of the weekend.
You will note that "Manzorian" is garbed in blue in his illustration, which is another tie to "Isle of the Ape." The Fortress of Unknown Depths is, in fact, the location of the throne room in the opening scene of that adventure. It and Magepoint also featured prominently in "Return of the Eight," an adventure by Roger E. Moore and published aroung 1998 or so.
Return of the Eight is a great mid to high level module for 2nd edition...it was the best of the revived Greyhawk official adventures. No surprise, Roger Moore was almost as a big a greyhawk nut as Eric Mona.
I share the initial sentiment of this thread. I love seeing throwbacks to all the old modules I memorized as a kid and still own for that matter. It was great to see Frush o smuggil again in the Istivin adventures. Only question is why he wasn't rich as sin after raiding King Snurre Ironbelly's vaults..in my campaign after finishing the G series the players were so rich they basically retired and sub-contracted the drow adventures to another party.
Has anyone matched the omens to published adventures yet?
I got the Istivan reference, and the Cauldron reference, but I guess I'll need to go through my archives of Dungeons for the rest.
Fane of Scales points to Dungeon #106, I think.
"The recovery of potent artifacts from ancient tombs" could point to many adventures, of course :-)Stefan
...Cymria of Celadon is a pre-gen from "Vecna Lives." Perhaps for the hardcover (if we ever do one) we can expand this location and include a bunch of "Manzorian's" other companions and cohorts...
Print a hardcover and I'll buy three.
As it is, we'll need a campaign after AoW, and SCAP will be it -- I'm picking that up soon.
I am a huge D&D nerd...
...and my hero :)
Jack
I love all these hip Greyhawk in-references.
Has anyone matched the omens to published adventures yet?
I got the Istivan reference, and the Cauldron reference, but I guess I'll need to go through my archives of Dungeons for the rest.:-D This will be a fun use of the weekend.
The Black Blade of Aknar Ratalla is from Dungeon 119: The Tomb of Aknar Ratalla.
The Dread Forge is from Dungeon 120: Lost Temple of Demogorgon. The Obsidian Eye is from an eponymous adventure in the same issue (a very cool low-level desert adventure, I might add).
The demonic tree Malgarius is from Dungeon 122: The Root of Evil.
Do I qualify as a D&D nerd, too?