My current 5E Greyhawk campaign (now in its 5th year) has the characters on a quest to find the Rod of Seven Parts. Because, let's face it, I was greatly inspired by the Key to Time (Doctor Who) in my youth. And big quests for parts of major artefacts really appeal to me. 
They've found four parts so far - in the Elemental Plane of Air, in the Caverns of Tsojcanth, in the crashed spaceship in the Barrier Peaks, and in a forgotten vault in the Great Kingdom.
The fifth part? That'll be in the City of the Gods, in/near that land called "Blackmoor".
Except, unlike Tsojcanth or Barrier Peaks, I realised I wasn't going to be able to use the published versions of the city. That's fine. My Greyhawk is not the Greyhawk by any stretch of the imagination. (The 1983 boxed set was a great starting point, but I've run a lot of games there now). The primary reason not to use the published versions and a base is because they play a little too close to Barrier Peaks.
So, my version of the City of the Gods is Melbourne. Far more worthy than any other city out there!
It's a strange meld: elements of contemporary Melbourne fused with advanced technology. The characters found a train line first - and a train, filled with trolls wearing "space armour".
They're (mostly) regular trolls, but the armour not only increases their strength, it also increases their intelligence. The party have run into them twice now, and the second time, they gave them a wide berth - although they did blow up the train track so the trolls couldn't easily return to the city.
There are food stalls in the city serving various sweet treats (candy!), but eating it slowly turns the consumer into a troll. It just occurred to me that I could have a metal box with a bird stencilled on it, which if you gazed into it too long you had the same result, but I think I won't use that this time.
Meanwhile, there are blue "goblins" running about and feuding with the trolls. These "goblins" are quite intelligent. They are not goblins, but that's how the characters perceive them. The trolls occasionally capture them and either use them for food, or turn them into replacement troll warriors. (It occurs to me that the trolls might die after too long in the "space armour" - a candle that burns twice as bright, etc.)
To add to the otherworldliness of this environment, the inhabitants of contemporary Melbourne can be seen, going about their daily lives in spectral fashion. Which might lead to a lot of confusion in a "crowded" area if combat breaks out. Can you see your opponents clearly?
Next session is tomorrow. The players have reached the city, and ended the last session face to face with the "goblins". Now to see if they talk or fight! (And it would help a little if I designed a bit more of what they can find).
Cheers!
They've found four parts so far - in the Elemental Plane of Air, in the Caverns of Tsojcanth, in the crashed spaceship in the Barrier Peaks, and in a forgotten vault in the Great Kingdom.
The fifth part? That'll be in the City of the Gods, in/near that land called "Blackmoor".
Except, unlike Tsojcanth or Barrier Peaks, I realised I wasn't going to be able to use the published versions of the city. That's fine. My Greyhawk is not the Greyhawk by any stretch of the imagination. (The 1983 boxed set was a great starting point, but I've run a lot of games there now). The primary reason not to use the published versions and a base is because they play a little too close to Barrier Peaks.
So, my version of the City of the Gods is Melbourne. Far more worthy than any other city out there!
It's a strange meld: elements of contemporary Melbourne fused with advanced technology. The characters found a train line first - and a train, filled with trolls wearing "space armour".
They're (mostly) regular trolls, but the armour not only increases their strength, it also increases their intelligence. The party have run into them twice now, and the second time, they gave them a wide berth - although they did blow up the train track so the trolls couldn't easily return to the city.
There are food stalls in the city serving various sweet treats (candy!), but eating it slowly turns the consumer into a troll. It just occurred to me that I could have a metal box with a bird stencilled on it, which if you gazed into it too long you had the same result, but I think I won't use that this time.
Meanwhile, there are blue "goblins" running about and feuding with the trolls. These "goblins" are quite intelligent. They are not goblins, but that's how the characters perceive them. The trolls occasionally capture them and either use them for food, or turn them into replacement troll warriors. (It occurs to me that the trolls might die after too long in the "space armour" - a candle that burns twice as bright, etc.)
To add to the otherworldliness of this environment, the inhabitants of contemporary Melbourne can be seen, going about their daily lives in spectral fashion. Which might lead to a lot of confusion in a "crowded" area if combat breaks out. Can you see your opponents clearly?
Next session is tomorrow. The players have reached the city, and ended the last session face to face with the "goblins". Now to see if they talk or fight! (And it would help a little if I designed a bit more of what they can find).
Cheers!
