Iconic 1E characters?

[Prince of Happiness]

Lets see...

Black Dougal: Thief (m)
Frederick: Dwarf (m)
Morgan Ironwolf: Fighter (f)
Silverleaf: Elf (m)
Sister Rebecca: Cleric (f)

I pretty sure those are the main ones; they are used pretty consistently throughout the ruleset to illustrate examples of dungeon exploration, combat, roleplay, etc.

The "Moldvay" Basic Set; so named because Tom Moldvay edited (i.e., re-wrote) the rules.

Wasn't there a Father Miles in that set too?

 

[cildarith]

Wasn't there a Father Miles in that set too?

I think so - the name sounds familiar. There were a few other characters that likewise made a single appearance in an example situation and were never heard from again.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm surprised there was no magic-user repeatedly used alongside Silverleaf and the others

 

[Baron Opal]

For me I'd have to say Abner, Blastum and the rest of the A-team and B-team. We had a name, class, level and I think strength for good ole' Gutboy.

 

[cildarith]

I'm surprised there was no magic-user repeatedly used alongside Silverleaf and the others

True, no magic-user and no halfling. The idea of having an example of each character class hadn't quite caught on - hence my original comment that there really weren't any iconic classes in the sense that we use the term currently.

Of that group, only Morgan Ironwolf has stats, as she is used in the example character sheet. Black Dougal perished after being pricked by a poison needle. His compatriots looted his corpse and forgot to conceal the body...

 

[Cthulhudrew]

I'm surprised there was no magic-user repeatedly used alongside Silverleaf and the others

Silverleaf would have doubled as the magic-user, since this was Basic D&D and the elves were fighter/magic-users exclusively. I am pretty sure that Black Dougal at least is statted up in the Moldvay basic book, though I don't recall his stats offhand (side note- he was also the first character I ever played in D&D, when my brother ran me through the keep in that book).

I *think* Morgan Ironwolf and some of the others are given classes and levels, though not stats. Jeff Dee had a really cool illustration of a fighter woman in that book that I always assumed was Morgan.

 

[diaglo]

Lets see...

Black Dougal: Thief (m)
Frederick: Dwarf (m)
Morgan Ironwolf: Fighter (f)
Silverleaf: Elf (m)
Sister Rebecca: Cleric (f)

I pretty sure those are the main ones; they are used pretty consistently throughout the ruleset to illustrate examples of dungeon exploration, combat, roleplay, etc.

The "Moldvay" Basic Set; so named because Tom Moldvay edited (i.e., re-wrote) the rules.

Darn you, Bargle. which is of course 4edD&D.



actually, i would go with the A team vs the B team in 1edADnD terms as others have mentioned. they appear in the example of play in the DMG (revised 1979)

 

[T. Foster]

Morgan Ironwolf, Black Dougal, Sister Rebecca, and Frederick (and maybe Silverleaf too?) also appear as members of the example party in the back of the AD&D DM's Adventure Log (1980). Black Dougal dies there too...

 

[grodog]

Morgan Ironwolf, Black Dougal, Sister Rebecca, and Frederick (and maybe Silverleaf too?) also appear as members of the example party in the back of the AD&D DM's Adventure Log (1980). Black Dougal dies there too...

I concur: other than the RG, the DM Log features the most memorable PC names.

 

[T. Foster]

Now that I'm home and have the book in front of me, here's more detail about the sample party from the AD&D Dungeon Masters Adventure Log (which, btw, is worth picking up as a curiosity if for nothing more than this sample party and the 4-page "centerfold" showing what the various AD&D weapons and armor types were supposed to look like ("so, umm, that's what a lucern hammer is?" ) -- plus the Erol Otus cover illo is beyond awesome):

Characters:
Fred 9802 (Player: Dave Cook) Male Dwarf LN Fighter 5th
Knock Grafton (Player: Helen Cook) Male Human N Thief 7th
Black Dougal (Player: Kevin Hendryx) Male Human LN Ranger 7th
Harry Furryfoot (Player: Jeff R. Leason) Male Halfling CN Fighter/Thief 6th
Illysio Morningstar (Player: Steve Marsh) Female Half-elf LG Fighter/Magic-user 5th
Yolanda Mirabilis (Player: Jolan Moldvay) Female Human NG Magic-user 6th
Sister Rebecca (Player: Rebecca Moldvay) Female Human LN Cleric 7th
Morgan Ironwolf (Player: Tom Moldvay) Female Human CG Fighter 8th
Elron Hubbard (Player: Lawrence Schick) Male Elf CN Magic-user/Thief 6th
Lakesla (Player: Jean Wells) Female Gnome LG Illusionist 7th
(the sheet also shows the AC, hp, combat adjustments, and magic items for each character, but I'm not going to type all that up)

"Unusual Events":
*Morgan Ironwolf's Const. +1 from magic chair
*Fred 9802 talked back to Odin -- and lived!
*Black Dougal slain by Fire Giant
*Knock Grafton pocketed Ring of Delusion without knowledge of party
*Sister Rebecca falls in valiant combat with a Black Dragon
(the sheet also shows a record of all the monsters the party fought, the treasure they recovered, their marching order, and who carried what light sources but, again, I'm not typing all that stuff up!)

Interesting to note that Black Dougal's class (ranger) and alignment (LN) are incompatible, and that the multiclassed characters only have 1 level listed (and if that's supposed to be their level in both classes then Harry Furryfoot is past the level limit for a halfling fighter...). Careless editing, or evidence of house ruling within the hallowed halls of Lake Geneva itself?!

I don't know whether any of the others have been verified, but Illysio Morningstar at very least was an actual PC of Steve Marsh -- he sold off the character sheet on an ebay auction a couple years back (and it was discovered that, among other things, she had a 3 Wisdom!)