Saga of Old City Gygax Book Club Review Part 3 pgs 77-100
(pg101 actually which ended the chapter)
These chapters take Gord's story a little more than two years forward. They suffer from, what seems to me, fairly bad dialogue and narration. It makes me wonder if Gygax didn't have an experienced editor or someone to provide an honest critique of his writing. The story moves along but feels rather bland and false. Gygax's explicatives seem odd and out of place. Part of the narrative seems like module background material.
We are introduced to several characters, none more important than Arentol, guildmaster of thieves and one of the directing oligarchs of Greyhawk. There really isn't much information about him and his character is a light sketch rather than fleshed out.
A poker-like game is played ivory-plaques instead of cards. While there is some talk of play no real rules are given.
In these chapters several Gods are mentioned but just sworn or prayed to without detail. Zilchus, Ralishaz, and Istus, while Pholtus is excliamed later.
Gord's catseye ring is mentioned which Arentol takes an interest in.
Ulek's southern region produces a sparkling wine.
The Villa Noblesse either is an Inn or rents rooms located in the High or Garden Quaretr.
Three Golden Orbs will support a person in the City of Greyhawk moderately for a year. Treasure tables based on the novels should be adjusted downward.
The Nymph and Satyr is an Inn in the less prosperous section where the High and Graden Quarters meet.
Some description of Rhennee barges and customs is described.
Cavercliff Cove is a secret bay for the Rhennee located on the eastern tip of the land that surrounds the Nyr Dyvs Midbay.
pgs 101-134 will be reviewed for Monday May 27th
Saga of Old City Gygax Book Club Review Part 2 Pages 43-76
In these pages the story runs through the beginning of chapter five to the beginning of chapter eight and Gord from a youthful beggar-thief of 13 to a more experienced young thief and beginner swordsman of 16.
The story is enjoyable but without much life to it and passes into a quick summation of Gord's early teen years. It is wonderful character background with somewhat poor dialogue and tons of setting information. The horrendous beating, rape and murder of Violet, young Gord's first love, is rather calmly accepted by Gord with the plan of later vengeance and with no apparent ill effects on his youthful years. I find this a rather disturbing element in the Gord character. The story in these chapters works well enough but the dialogue seemed poor and sometimed out of place for the setting.
We do get quiet a bit of setting information.
pg 45
We find out that beggars in the city wear a wooden hand symbol. The government of the city is run by a Lord Mayor and Directors. The Guildmaster of Thieves and the Guildmaster of Merchants are directors.
pg 46
We hear about the River Quarter and the section called The Strip that runs from Dockside to Low Street. Some details at to types of characters and businesses on The Strip are provided.
pg 47
Some more description of The Strip. The River Quarter is in New City and the Thieve's Guilds base of operation is in The Strip though the guild hall is in the Thieve's Quarter in Old City.
pg 48
Beggars Sign, the written symbol-language of beggars is mentioned. Waghalter Gate is the place in the wall of Old City leading from the Thieve's Guild. Grand Square, the Citadel, The Halls and Clerkburg are mentioned in quick succession. The Processional is near The Strip.The Street of Delights is on or near The Strip.
pg 49
Near or on The Strip is the gambling house The Wheel of Gold.
pg 53
Gord is now on a Rhenee river barge having made it from the Wheel of Gold through the Cargo Gate in the River Quarter and up to Shack Town.
pg 54
A short blurb regarding the Rhennee is given.
pg 56
The Black Gate is mentioned
pg 57
The Beggar's hall is in the northernmost section of the Thieve's Quarter and spill over into the Slum Quarter. Haven Street, Redcobbles Lane and Cleaver are streets near the Thieve's Guild.
The Roc and Oliphant is small tavern at the end of Burnbook Lane usually patronised by students.
pg 69
The Quarter of Craftsmen is just south of the Old City wall. Clerkburg and The Halls are mentioned with a line of detail.
pg 70
More details regarding Clerkburg. A small inn, The Acorns, is mentioned.
pg 71
Several important questions are asked but sadly most not answered.
"What are the nine known dimensions of the multi-verse?"
"From whence came the Common Tongue?"
"When was the Empire of the Aerdi overthrown?"
"How can ypu explain technology?"
"What was the Invoked Devastation and when did it occur?"
"Of what use is Basilisk blood in alchemy?"
"Enumerate the Innerplanes - there are twelve. Name them."
pg 72
More questions
"Relate the major deities of Oerth to the minor ones, and explain howthey relate to the forces of the Lower Planes."
And a few more.
The Roanwood is mentioned.
pg 74
Gord joins Grey College and a few details are mentioned. Rentish schnapps is mentioned.
pg 76
Chapter 8 begins and we find Gord in the High Quarter at the Patrcian's Club a luxurious gaming house.
Next pgs 77-100 for May 20th
Saga of Old City Gygax Book Club Review
Part 1 - pg9-42
I have read Saga of Old City (SoOC) several times but it has been at least 16 years since I last read it. I've become much more critical of Gygax's prose over the years and the story itself is less enjoyable for me as fiction than as a resource for the Greyhawk campaign.
This time through I've found the story more engaging than I remember and many of the elements I found bothersome much less so. The 34 pages takes us to the beginning of chapter 5 and covers the development of Gord as an acrobat-thief.
There is a great deal of atmosphere presented for a Greyhawk campaign as well as information about the city. We are also shown the backstory for characters wanting to run Thief characters including their basic training.
I found this story heavily influenced not only my idea of what the City of Greyhawk was like but also a Guild War campaign I ran for over a year.
We find out several things about the city in these 34 pages.
Big, dangerous black rats in the Slum Quarter.
Gangs of violent youths in the Slum Quarter
The Slum Quarter is filled with half-ruined buildings, alleys, gangways, and decrepit shacks.
The city of Greyhawk has mild winters (an important note for those interested in the weather of the Flanaess).
The worst part of the Slum Quarter is near a section (or different quarter) where menial laborers live. Killcat lane is in or near this area.
The Foreign Quarter is near the Slum Quarter.
The Foreign and Slum Quarters are in Old City.
The Petit Bazaar is in the Foreign Quarter near the Black Gate. (We get some descritpion of the Bazaar and the people in it).
There is a brief look at Greyhawk Low Justice and a description of the Workhouse Prison as well as its atmosphere and practices.
Then it is the Beggarmaster's mansion and examples of training as both a beggar and a especially a Thief. A good background summation for those running thief characters or for a DM to get an idea for NPC thieves and thief guilds (although this is an example of a renegade beggar's guild).
We are then given some street and location names with some clue to their interrelation. Odd Alley, The Processional, Grand Square, The Citadel, Garden Quarter, Blue Boar Street, The Wizard's Hat Inn...
And we begin chapter 5.
Monday the 13th will be pages 43-76