This may seem an odd question, given the very decidedly non-canon status of Rob Kuntz's Zayene series, but when in the canon timeline would one suggest playing these? Given the plot against "Ivid," I'm thinking it would be in the late 570's. (I should note that I don't actually own these yet, so my knowledge of them is limited.) Opinions?
It was set about 583 CY in my campaign. I started the campaign in 578 or 579 in Sunndi, and used the events described in the Dragon 57 Sorcerers Scroll as a background and added some additional engagements in the region. I started the campaign with TLG’s Lost City of Gaxmoor. Gaxmoor being one of the earliest cities the migrating Oeridians founded, and then yanked from the Prime. I had Zayene being responsible for pulling Gaxmoor back to Oerth from the demi-plane it was sequestered in trying to get an artifact located in the city. That adventure led to additional intrigue with the Great Kingdom, and eventually to the MoZ series in the early 580s.
I've been wondering about that myself, especially since I just bought the series for my personal collection. Has anyone done any work in clarifying/converting the series for Greyhawk? I seem to recall once seeing a list of "translations" (Ovar = Ivid, for example) somewhere, but I can't recall where.
It was set about 583 CY in my campaign. I started the campaign in 578 or 579 in Sunndi, and used the events described in the Dragon 57 Sorcerers Scroll as a background and added some additional engagements in the region. I started the campaign with TLG’s Lost City of Gaxmoor. Gaxmoor being one of the earliest cities the migrating Oeridians founded, and then yanked from the Prime. I had Zayene being responsible for pulling Gaxmoor back to Oerth from the demi-plane it was sequestered in trying to get an artifact located in the city. That adventure led to additional intrigue with the Great Kingdom, and eventually to the MoZ series in the early 580s.
Tying together Gaxmoor and the Zayene adventures in that fashion is a very nice idea, Scott. Consider it stolen for my own North Province campaign.
I'll post the original background details from the RPGA tourney version run at EastCon in South Jersey 1983 (which, because the dratted event was full, I didn't get to play in!). That should help the GH conversion process :D _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
Here's the tourney blurb from the EastCon 1983 convention program:
Quote:
AD&D Open (3.5 hours): The Maze of Xaene:
"This high level (10th to 14th), two round, offiicial TSR tournamnent was written by Gary Gygax, the creator of AD&D, and James Ward & Robert Kunz [sic], the authors of Deities & Demigods and in Mr. Kunz's [sic] case, the coauthor of Greyhawk. This adventure takes high level, lawful characters into a wizard's maze created to slowly kill the enemies of the evil and crazed King Ivid. Team advancement, by scores, with an emphasis on roleplaying. 50 groups of 8 players each. Entry $2. Prizes: TSR GIFT CERTIFICATES. Skill Level 4. Note: you may only enter 1 session of the AD&D open."
Here's the tourney background (warning: long post!):
Quote:
THE MAZE OF XAENE
INTRODUCTION
The Cryptic League has voted. The Illuminati have met in
secret council. A decision has been reached. They, the
representatives of the hoped-for reascendancy of the Great
Kingdom, would put an end to the reign of Ivid the Mad.
These secret plotters would have the Overking laid low and a
unified and glorious kingdom reestablished once more.
These wise and powerful men would bring Aerdi to the fore,
with its splendor and riches, its might and influence again
preeminent, and with their number rightfully directing the
rule of the realm. It is your portion to be the honored
instruments of action.
You and your associates have been directed to come
before the assembled Illuminati. As you enter the heavily
draped chamber and stand at the foot of the 1ong, ornately
carved table made of priceless sablewood, your blood races
with excitement. These cloaked and cowled figures represent
unknown embodyments of power and ability. The very air of
the dim hall exudes strangeness. To dare such an enterprise
requires either madness or might—or both. A cowled head
turns towards where you stand, and a hollow, rasping voice
speaks:
"You, my children, are to be the babies who bring down
a rotten and corrupt tree. Uproot it! Be unswerving! In
the destruction you build a new throne, one that will
be a cradle for new and brighter hopes, a footstool of
learning. In the vaccuum will grow the new and greater
tree of the Aerdi, one whose top will kiss the Sun,
whose limbs will touch the Moon and Stars, and cause
our enemies to turn pale and wither!"
A long arm« points towards an area where curtains are
drawn back to reveal a narrow door. Bowing, you back from the chamber
the characters are each filled with their own inner purpose.
It is heady and exciting business to serve as the
executioners of a madman not fit to rule a band of Burneal
savages. It is quite another to stand long before the
imaginec gaze of the assemblage of Illuminati -- THAT makes
one's blood run cold, not hot with excitement. You confer in
whispers as your party moves swiftly and quietly through
seemingly endless corridors and passageways. Eventually, the
floor changes from rough stone and flags to polished
obsidian and marble. Torches and cressets light the
hallways now, and momentarily you will be standing before
the gold-worked portals of the Overking's private audience
chamber. Where you have been In the sprawling palace none of
you know, but where you are going is certain. At one stroke
you will secure the future of the Great Kingdom and avenge
the lives and blood of thousands who have died In the mines,
slave pens, and torture rooms of Ivid.
A pair of gigantic guards, covered with plate mail and
helmed with beast-faced visors, stand at either side of the
entry to the Overling's chambers. At your approach, each
guard slams the iron butt of his huge bardiche on the floor,
and with the noise echoing down the corridor, grasps the
iron ring on the door by which he stands, and heaves. The
thick portals swing open without a sound; the
opulence of the audience room nearly causes you to falter
in your steady and serene approach to destiny.
All of you draw a deep breath and enter. The great valves
shut behind, and you have done it! You are before the insane
despot Ivid. He has seen no threat to your request for a
private audience. He has allowed you to come before him to
present the "new animals* you have supposedly discovered on
an alleged voyage to the Spindrift Isles — beautiful
atomies but an inch or so tall, and their horde of minute
treasure as well!
There sits the monster, calmly awaiting you on one of
his lesser thrones of serpentine and gold. Ivid smiles at
the sight of the small, silk-drapped coffer you bear, for he
thinks it is the repository of the tiny folk he intends to
be his crowning pieces In his collection of dwarf fauna and
flora. You kneel, heads touching the glossy onyx floor. Ivid
beckons you to arise and approach to where the thick woven
rugs of blue silk and gold thread are spread. As you near
the throne you are elated. NOW Is the time! Each of you
attacks, springing with drawn weapon or rapidly gesturing in
spell casting. Just as suddenly the Overking disappears from
his throne!
Confusion! Dismay! Have you been betrayed? How was Ivid
aware of the threat? How could he have escaped so easily and
quickly? You turn to flee, knowing that the chances for
escape are slight indeed, but any chance is better than
none. First the ogrish guards undoubtedly waiting outside,
then a race to loose pursuit in the labyrinth of passages in
the palace. At this moment you see HIM! It is the most
powerful of mages, the dreaded Xaene. Each of you attempts
to confront the court wizard, but all of your actions seem
weakened, slow, and disjointed. The dreaded mage smiles
evilly as he watches you. With laughter on this thin, cruel
lips and an unholy light glowing from his eyes, Xaene draws
a handful of tiny cubes from the breast of his robe and
hurls then at you In a single motion faster than the strike
of a giant cobra. As each cube reaches a position over the
head of one of your fellows, it stops abruptly and hangs
suspended. From each floating cube pours a luninous cascade
of strange colors -- yellow ochre, moss green, glowing dun,
milky white. The figures of your associates become pale and
insubstantial. As you see these weird blocks circle and
spray their odd hues. You see that your own arm is
transparent! The room fades, but the leering face of Xaene
seems to grow brighter and larger, filling the whole
universe, then... blackness!
THUS BEGINS YOUR ADVENTURE IN THE MAZE OF XAENE.
All quoted content copyright 2008 Robert J. Kuntz
Enjoy! For those interested in Xaene, feel free to drop by Rob's Pied Piper boards to pester him to publish the additional two to four modules of materials he has on the evil wizard :D _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
The d20 versions are a bit better edited (in particular M4, if I may say so myself ;) ), and there are some additions made to the text from Rob's 1987 Creations Unlimited versions; IIRC, those are mostly minor changes, all-in-all.
I haven't sat down to compare MoZ from the 1983 tourney to the 1987 CU version to the d20 NG version yet, so I'm not sure. Yet. Expect more details, eventually :D _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
Is there any news regarding the supposed continuation of the Maze series? M5 or even M6 in the Pipe, as it were? _________________ Never say blip-blip to a kuo-tua
Is there any news regarding the supposed continuation of the Maze series? M5 or even M6 in the Pipe, as it were?
That would be a good question to ask Rob about in the MoZ forum on PPP, since he's in the process of working up the 2008 publishing schedule now :D _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
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