Chance Encounter: there is an orc sitting on a log by a fire...

You spot an orc sitting on a log by the fire...

A wisdom check:
DC14: You notice a sword next to him.
DC16: You spot blood on the handle.

Even with his injured hand he fights to defend himself but if the PCs ask to share his fire, he grunts. He understands a few human words. If they heal his injuries, he will not attack them.

Stellar Cartography: a first contact moment

NASA image of interstellar object

Zoomed in

Object visible

Assessment: "They're dead, Jim."

Old School: Star Probe?

I can say I had never heard of Star Probe. While I assume it evolved into Star Frontiers, its never a good idea to assume anything of the sort.

A square grid 'mapboard with over two thousand stars'. Vaguely like Traveller.

Rythlondar Campaign: The Caves

One hundred and fifty miles up river from the Town of Rythlondar are 'the Caves'. As you venture into these caves you discover two great stone coffers (8' wide x 14' long x 4' high). It takes a combined strength of 30+ to remove the stone lids). Disturbing the stone lids causes the two Wraith guardians to attack with surprise.

Treasures in the Coffers amount to 2,385 gp (12,000sp, 2,000ep, 10,000cp, 2 gems (50gp, 25gp), Flying Carpet.

Addendum: Missing from the adventure description for Treasure Type E are two more magic items and a scroll. Also missing is another 15,000xp worth of experience points which was apparently allocated to the adventuring party though its origins not identified though it may have been from the flying carpet. Feel free to add appropriate magic items and further encounters (and that much surplus experience points is equal to 54.5 giant leeches in encounter areas 1-3).

The Party of 10 player characters that explored the caves included: Felsord (5th level dwarf), Pontifus (5th level cleric), a 4th level magicuser, a 3rd level fighter, a 4th level elf, a 2nd level elf, Nordak (1st level magicuser), Waka (1st level fighter), and two as yet unidentified characters.

Players: J. Ansley, G. Decesare, B. Haas, J. Haas, C. Hostetler, T. Kniaz, P. Michaud, J. Van De Graaf, L. Van De Graaf, P. Wood.

Old School: Rythlondar Campaign part 2

Several of the Dungeon Masters involved in development of the Rythlondar Play by Mail campaign setting appear in Strategic Review issue 4 (1976). Dungeon Masters were encouraged to write in and get themselves listed in the early magazines.

DUNGEONMASTER LISTING
Rob Blau, 604 Crestwood Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302
Brian Collins, 898 Carolina St., San Francisco, CA 94107.
Dave Cox, Illinois Central College, POB 2400 E. Peoria, IL 61611.
Lee W. Dowd III, 2116 14th St., Chehalis, WA 98532.
Bill Hartley, 804 8th St., SE, Medicine Hat, Alta, CANADA, T1A 1M8
John Hendron, 3305 Phillips Ave., Stiger, IL 60475.
Rob Kuntz, 334 Madison St., Lake Geneva, WI 53147.
Jim Lawson, Room 556 Henday Hall, Lister Hall, 116th St & 87 Ave., Edmonton,
Alta., CANADA
Alan Lucien, 8524 Noel Dr., Orangevale, CA 95622.
Len Scensny, 734 Lawnview Ct., Rochester, MI 48063.
Brad Stock, 156 Lighthorse Dr., Chesterfield, MO 63017.
Bruce Schlickbernd, 6194 E. 6th St., Long Beach, CA 90803.
John Van De Graaf, 37343 Glenbrook, Mt. Clemens, MI 48080.
Paul Wood, 24613 Harmon, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.
Kim R. Young, 1524 Brownleigh Rd. #16, Dayton, OH.

Who are these People?
Apart from being located in the U.S. State of Michigan.

• John Van De Graaf was referee for the Castle Morbundus Dungeon.
• Len Scensny ran the Tar Norgard  (The Weir) Dungeon.
• Paul Wood refereed the Caves (of Rythwood) dungeon in the Northern Mountains.

There are a number of Wargaming 'Zines' also listed...the relevent one being:

• KRANOR-RILL, 1545 Breton Rd. SE, E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506.

Having checked the address, I found that they have moved on and no copies of their 'Zine were ever placed with the public library or any archive. So another D&D campaign Setting pretty much lost to history. 

Creature Catalogue: The Gaze

The Gaze: 13HD*; AC -1; MV 30' (10'); AT 1 Spell; DA As Spell; NA 1 (1); SA Magic-user L13; ML 12; INT 19; TT Nil; AL Neutral; XP 2,300

Description: The Gaze looks like a giant, four feet tall deformed grey eye-ball standing on two stumps allowing it to move about slowly. It has been dispatched by its overlords to visually discern the environment. The Gaze, despite being an organic construct acting on behalf of its creator, is highly intelligent. 

Going Solo: Tin Hinan

Tin Hinan is an ancient fort on a hill out in the desert with heavy stone walls five feet thick. Within the structure is a small labyrinth of some ten chambers, an eleventh - the tomb - concealed below heavy stone slabs requiring a feat of Strength beyond that of mortal men (DC20).

The tomb conceals the remains of a woman of considerable significance. Her right fore-arm adorned with seven silver bracelets, her left for-arm with seven gold bracelets. With her in the tomb is a gold ring, and a mysterious goblet of glass.

You think you can make your fortune here, but there is always a price to pay.