D&D General Luke Gygax Brings Back Gary Gygax's Castle Zagyg

Luke Gygax is bringing back his father's creations starting with the Castle Zagyg, Yggsburgh Campaign Setting. Written by Gary Gygax and first published by Troll Lord Games in 2005 and dropped from publication in 2008. It is available now in preorder. The intent is to ship in September/October.

For the near future this is the first of three planned products, the second being The Hermit followed up by the Gygaxian Fantasy Worlds series, probably via Kickstarter or other crowdfunder, maybe in January. The executor of the estate seems to have granted access to just these things so far. If they do well then more will be available and Luke intends to get the entirety of the Castle printed.

If you preorder the Yggsburgh book you will get a PDF and a docx with conversion notes to D&D 5E. The book is as it was in 2008 and they currently intend to leave it that way, other than updating the PDF via new software, and change the logo on the cover and the product number on the spine.

They intend to make the PDF available as a separate product, via their store and DriveThrRPG.

This book uses Castles & Crusades as its system--you can get the 7th edition Player's Handbook in PDF for free.

Other items mentioned:

• They don't intend to print Gary's notes, as his wishes were they not to be published.
• They will see about other creations of Gary's if they can show the executor of the estate they are good stewards. Good sales will absolutely work towards that goal.
• Luke doesn't want to attach this to anything he's doing separately, like his own setting.
• Gord the Rogue books are also on the list of things they'd like to bring back.

Luke Gygax & Troll Lord Games SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Very exciting news for the gaming industry, gamers and anyone who is a fan of Gary Gygax and his works.

www.youtube.com

The transcript of the youtube video is in the spoiler block.

 

[darjr]

How many copies?

/former comic collector

Lol.
Just the one.

 

[darjr]

Mine has arrived and it’s kinda fantastic.

I love the almost Harn like nature of it too. Ripe for subverting in weird ways of my one kind of Gygaxian shenanigans.

 

[Maxperson]

Mine has arrived and it’s kinda fantastic.

I love the almost Harn like nature of it too. Ripe for subverting in weird ways of my one kind of Gygaxian shenanigans.

View attachment 315370

Is it just the town or does it have the castle as well?

 

[darjr]

Is it just the town or does it have the castle as well?

Town and environs, no castle. Alas.

OH! the map is in by sticky tabs! That's FANTASTIC. I think that's the first time I've seen that. It effortlessly came out and didn't mar the book or map!

It's not as cool as the envelope pocket in Taldore but it's close.

 

[darjr]

correction. It did leave a bit of a stain. On the white border of the map. urp.

Still I think I like that better than the torn serration.

 

[ssvegeta555]

Mine came today as well. Didn't realize it also had a foldable map so that was a nice surprise.

 

[darjr]

Mine came today as well. Didn't realize it also had a foldable map so that was a nice surprise.

The environs map is a Darlene map!

 

[Retreater]

It's certainly not very exciting. To call it "vanilla" would be a disservice to the flavor.
For example there's around 10 pages to describe an inn that has nothing outstanding.
You get something like "here's a baker named Tom the Baker, who uses a rolling pin to attack (as club, 1d4). Tom studied pastry arts in Dunfalcon and excels at putting precisely 22 cherries in a turnover - a feat he can accomplish with a 75% rate of accuracy!
"His assistant is Janice the Journeywoman pretzel twister. In her youth, Janice was a comely lass. Now she grunts angrily as she twists pretzels.
"The pretzel and cherry turnover business at the inn brings in steady customers throughout the spring and summer seasons, when the River Nemo is lively with trade. During the fall, most visitors come for Bruno the average alesmith's barrels of thin-stout - a stout beer that is thinned to have an average taste.
"Bruno's cousin Kyle gave him a good deal on hops. Bruno didn't like Kyle in his youth due to a disagreement at playing hopscotch - but that is what inspired Kyle to get into the Hops business later in life. The two cousins made amends (over a glass of scotch, believe it or not!)
"Kyle regularly visits. He has a +2 dagger that he keeps in his boot. His boots were made from his grandfather, a master cobbler, who actually had a great cherry cobbler recipe that he shared with Tom the Baker when he trained him how to count 22 cherries in a turnover with a 75% accuracy."
And you have Yggsburgh ... enjoy.

 

[MerricB]

I have the original printing. I forget how the map came - but it is a very nice map.

All of the castle stuff is mostly non-existent, and that which did appear is in the Upper Works. Which I've used in two or three campaigns so far.

Cheers,
Merric

 

[MerricB]

The NPCs of the book are NOT the highlight.
Prices are... badly wrong.
Mostly, I think the wilderness is stronger than the town.

A few thoughts from when I first got the book: Yggsburgh - Merric's Musings

Cheers,
Merric