Could any of you PnP veterans out there answer a couple questions? 1. In the original module, at the point at which the party first arrives at the ToEE, are they aware of its history? Specifically, do they know of the Battle of Emridy Meadows, Zuggtmoy's defeat, and her subsequent banishment / imprisonment to the ToEE . . . basically everything the player sees in the opening game cinematic? Here's one for everybody else . . . 2. Does anyone know what music, if any, is playing during the end-game slides (the ones where they tell you you killed Lareth, married Bertram, etc.)? I don't have any save games from right at the end, so I can't check it myself. Thanks for any help you can give. gaear
To 1 - the DM knows, alright. The characters learn it from local gossip slowly. But the Circle of Eight (the mages in the intro movie) had nothing to do whatsoever with Zugg's defeat. At the time they were busy with other things. So, does that answer your question. To 2 - what do you mean by "what music" - do you mean things like composer / melody name? If so, I very much doubt you can see this outside the "credits section" that nobody really watches!
The history I've posted... ...is player background information, known to the DM and read directly to the players. So they have general knowledge, but few details...and the information is a little old. It represents what they have heard before making the journey to Hommlett. Here's some more for you, which immediately precedes the start of the game as the players arrive: "Your party is now approaching the village of Hommlett, having ridden up from lands of the Wild Coast. You are poorly mounted, badly equipped, and have no large sums of cash.In fact, all you have is what you wear and what you ride, plus the few coins hidden away in purses and pockets. What you do possess in quantity, though, is daring and desire to become wealthy and famous. Thus your group comes to Hommlett to learn. Is this indeed a place for adventurers to seek their fortunes? You all hope, of course, to gain riches and make names for yourselves. The outcome of this is uncertain, but your skill and daring, along with a good measure of luck, will be the main ingredients of what follows, be it weal or woe. The small community at the crossroads is a completely unknown quantity. What is there? Who will be encountered? Where should you go? These are your first explorations and encounters, so chance may dictate as much as intelligence. Will outsiders be shunned? Are the reports true--is the whole community engaged in evil practices? Are the folk here bumpkins, easily duped? Does a curse lay upon those who dare to venture into the lands which were once the Temple's? All of these questions will be soon answered. The dusty, rutted road is lined with closely grown hedges of brambles and shrubs. Here and there, it cuts through a copse or crosses a rivulet. To either hand, forest and meadow have given way to field and orchard. A small herd of kine graze nearby, and a distant hill is dotted with the wand stone chimneys with thin plumes of blue smoke rising from them. A road angles west into the hill country, and to either side of the road ahead are barns and buildings--Hommlett at last! The adventure begins..." The intro movie in words...with some extra rumors to get the whole thing going.
Thanks . . . So would it be safe to say that after getting your hook to the temple via Wat in Nulb (or whatever method), when the party first approaches the Temple of Elemental Evil, they, at that very momemt, are already aware there was: a. The battle of Emridy Meadows b. The defeat of Zuggtmoy and the forces of evil c. The banishment of Zuggtmoy to the ToEE I'm assuming they know A, since Terjon tells that story. B and C I'm not so sure about, particularly as applies to Zuggtmoy. Do they (the party) even know who/what Zuggtmoy is? btw, how was it that the Co8 wasn't involved? Was that a Troika error? If they didn't seal the temple, who did?
The story as I recall it... ...has several members present at the battle of Emridy Meadows, but not all of them. Rary betrayed the Circle, and Tenser, Mordenkainen, and perhaps one or two others (...?) sought out the traitor. The others assisted in the battle, and the ensuing interdiction. Divine aid was also brought to bear in sealing the Temple. The poem gives a lot of clues, and the players ought to have it by the time they get to Nulb. It's safe to say they know of the battle; the 'fall' of the temple; and that some powerful entity is either trapped or still has influence therein.
Thanks Spike, you've cleared it up for me. I just mean do you recognize it. For example, is it the same background stuff that plays while you're in Hommlet, or Nulb, or the temple?
The reason I bought toee was because I remembered it from years ago and was curious how it played on the computer. There is a lot of info in the story line from a lot of sources. It was generally known that a very powerful evil was behind everything. Mother Screng, Otis, Terjon, and others are aware of it. Iuz was well known for his involvement in various matters and events. Lareth was a favorite of Lloth, the Demon Queen of Spiders. She killed all of us one time. I love the World of Greyhawk. Fascinating story. I just wish TSR and WotC hadn't given up on it so soon. But here it is, 20 some years later and it's still around.
