sluggo the sleazebag said:
Hello again Gary,
I have to echo Manzanita's sentiments when I say that it's great to have you on the boards. You've always been very prompt, humorous, and forthcoming in your responses and I think it sets a great example for the rest of the gaming community.
Hi Sluggo!
Happy to be here, for these boards are about the best there are on the net. the only place where I have about as many posts as I do here is at the main LA game community boards.
Anyway, I have a few more questions for you...
I'm curious how you handle alignment infractions in your game. Do you use an honor point system like the one in Oriental Adventures or do you keep your cards pretty close to your chest, choosing not to inform the players and simply let their actions (or lack thereof) inform them of the alignment shift? If you tell them, how do you go about letting the players know? Is it an out-of-game thing or do they find out the hard way while attempting to cast spells?
I manage that in my head, keep no notes. A player blatently playing a character out of exprerssed alignment is informed of that fact quite publicly before ther group. I believe that is correct, as the DM sereves as the senses for all PCs. The group would certainly notice such behavior. If alignment infraction is clandestine, then I inform the player that the character is drifting towards whatever different alignment his actions indicate. Of course only clerics would discover such change when attanpting to cast a spell ot regain one that was cast or a new one.
My second question deals with the glory days of AD&D. I've read many of the questions people throw at you about the old modules, but I can't recall anyone asking this one, so here goes: What do you think is your most under-rated AD&D module? How about the most under-rated AD&D module by another author? Also, what about more recent stuff? Are there any modules out there that appeal to your gaming sensibilities?
That's a tough question, for I actually enjoyed writing and DMing all the modules in question.
Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth comes to mind. Also the whimsy in
Dungeonland, a module that was great fun if approached in a light-hearted manner.
As for other author's modules I can not say, as I have played only a handful, What with writing game rules and modules, running my campaign, and managing bisiness affairs, my playing time was curtailed severely around the time modules began to proliferate. By then I was playing a goodly number of other RPGs to test them or because they offered a refershing inspirational change from pure fantasy.
Lastly, what are your thoughts on Rob Kuntz's upcoming, updated Maure Castle? I seem to remember you mentioning in a Dragon article that your characters never explored the lower-levels (something about petrification and a hasty teleport?), so I'm curious if you'll be having a second go at the unfinished adventure. As an aside, do you think this could be Rob's way of bringing Mordenkainen out of retirement?
It will be interesting to see the material when Rob finishes it. He and are will soon be collaborating in the
Castle Zagyg modules, the material from my original campaign which he co-DMed with me after the first year or so it was running. As that will keep us busy for two years or so, I don't know how much time there'll be to adventure in Castle Maure, but Mordie would enjoy blowing up lost of stuff there for sure
It is likely that Rob and I will be co-GMing at least one group of players in an adventure using the
Castle Zagyg base setting at Milwaukee Gamefest this July. The C&C Rules from Troll Lord Games being used for the material, that should pretty well duplicate OAD&D play. The year after we can likely do the same for the upper levels of the dungeon, and in 2006 the whole of the dungeon complex.
Cheerio,
Gary
