Very cool stuff! I’d like to try this out for myself. I’ll return a week from today to update.
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Week 5
It was a fun journey, here is my final contribution to the Gygax 75 Challenge.
You made it! At this point you have everything you need to start play. Week 5 (and beyond) is all about having fun. You can do whatever you like this week to help round out the setting, but try to complete at least three of the following tasks.
□Sketch out the geography of the continent, or even the whole world. At the very least jot down a rough idea of what lies to the North, South, East, and West of the area you have drawn.
Completed Weeks 1/2
□Outline other worlds/planes the characters could visit and identify a few places, items, or spells that will transport them there.
Completed Week 1
□Develop a pantheon of gods and powers. Steal liberally and avoid the trap of making gods with nicely aligned domains. Poseidon was the god of the sea – but also the god of horses!
Hammurabi - the god of Law
Thanatos - the god of Balance
Baphomet - the god of Chaos
These three gods have always existed and always will. Hammurabi and Baphomet are constantly at war with each other, and the laws of man and chaos of the wilderness reflect this battle. Thanatos ensures that no side will ever truly conquer the other - he is not an interventionist and rarely gets involved unless it’s truly necessary. This is contrary to Hammurabi and Baphoment, who frequently make their presence known.
□Create some high level non-player characters and villains, including their DNA. D is for a Distinguishing trait or feature. N is for what they Need most. A is their Agenda, secret or otherwise; what do they hope to do in the following days, weeks, months, or even years? (Alternately, A could stand for an Asset they have that the players need.)
Level 13 Cleric
AC 5 [14] (leather armour + shield), HP 28, Att 1 × sling (1d4) or 1 × spell, THAC0 12 [+7], MV 90’ (30’), SV D3 W5 P7 B8 S7, AL Neutral, STR 6 INT 10 WIS 17 DEX 13 CON 8 CHA 15, Spells resist cold , remove fear (cause fear) , resist cold , light (darkness) , detect evil , speak with animals , know alignment , hold person , silence 15’ radius , hold person , locate object , locate object , locate object , cure disease (cause disease) , locate object , protection from evil 10’ radius © , neutralize poison , create water , sticks to snakes , insect plague , quest (remove quest) , commune , raise dead (finger of death) , Items Helm of Reading Languages and Magic , Ring of Djinni Summoning
D - Always wearing his magical helm
N - Traveling in service of Thanatos, this Cleric demands Balance in all things. He is true neutral
A - Their agenda is the same as what they need most - they are completely devoted and cannot be swayed
Level 11 Magic-User
AC 11 [8] (unarmoured), HP 20, Att 1 × dagger (1d4) or 1 × spell, THAC0 14 [+5], MV 120’ (40’), SV D8 W9 P8 B11 S8, AL Chaotic, STR 11 INT 13 WIS 13 DEX 4 CON 8 CHA 13, Spells hold portal , magic missile , shield , sleep , phantasmal force , detect invisible , esp , fly , lightning bolt , invisibility 10’ radius , charm monster , hallucinatory terrain , wall of ice , feeblemind , transmute rock to mud (transmute mud to rock) , part water , Items Boots of Travelling and Leaping , Potion of Fire Resistance , Ring of Fire Resistance , Staff of Snakes
D - always well dressed, always carries himself and speaks in a proper manner
N - power, magical artifacts, and ancient grimoires
A - interested in becoming a lich, working on attaining the information necessary to do so
Level 12 Thief
AC 7 [12] (leather armour), HP 15, Att 1 × sword (1d8+1) or spear (1d6+1) , THAC0 14 [+5], MV 90’ (30’), SV D10 W11 P9 B12 S10, AL Lawful, STR 10 INT 9 WIS 11 DEX 10 CON 8 CHA 13, Items Amulet of Protection Against Scrying , Potion of Giant Strength , Ring of Invisibility , Sword + 1, Spear + 1
D - only distinctive feature is how nondescript he is, average Joe
N - money, has a habit of blowing it all on gambling and extravagant gifts
A - is a burglar, but does not rob people, avoids violence whenever possible
Level 12 Fighter
AC 3 [16] (chainmail + shield), HP 58, Att 1 × sword (1d8+1) or mace (1d6+1) , THAC0 12 [+7], MV 60’ (20’), SV D6 W7 P8 B8 S10, AL Lawful, STR 13 INT 7 WIS 9 DEX 14 CON 12 CHA 13, Items Shield + 1, Boots of Speed , Ring of Control Plants , Sword + 1 (+3 vs Enchanted Creatures), Mace + 1
D - walks with sea legs on land, perfectly dextrous on a ship at sea
N - to keep his crew’s belly and pockets full
A - robs ships on the high seas, always keeps his word
Level 12 Dwarf
AC 5 [14] (chainmail), HP 65, Att 1 × crossbow (1d6+1), THAC0 12 [+7], MV 60’ (20’), SV D2 W3 P4 B4 S6, AL Neutral, STR 10 INT 10 WIS 9 DEX 11 CON 12 CHA 9, Items Medallion of ESP 30’ , Potion of Delusion , Ring of Fire Resistance , Protection Scroll (Protection from Undead) , Crossbow + 1
D - missing his left eye, always keeps his trusty crossbow on his hip
N - patrons at his tavern
A - left the life of adventure behind long ago, always willing to impart a few tips to those who will listen however
□Create a calendar with festivals and other important dates.
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February 11, 1466 – Height of Winter Feast
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June 18, 1466 – Thanatos Day
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August 26, 1466 – A conspiracy is discovered
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September 9, 1466 – End of Summer Feast
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October 28, 1466 – Anniversary of the signing of the Second Treaty of Thorn, which ended the Thirteen Years War
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November 30, 1466 – End of Year Feast
□Generate some events and rumors from other lands that the characters might hear.
Completed Week 1
□Create more major magical relics of the world and short history, including where they were last seen and who/what owned them.
Completed Week 1 (included in selected modules)
□Make encounter tables for each of the terrains present in your hex map or the nearby lands.
Included in Modules (see T1-T4)
□Develop a rival company of adventurers or mercenaries who will cross paths with the player characters!
N/A
□Seed the map with unusual features: a valley of hot springs, weathered spires that look like giants, a festering swamp. Treat each place as a character. D: what is unique about their appearance? N: what is scare; what do people who live there or visit most need? A: what does itself “want” and/or how does it behave? (The Blood Marsh is filled with sweet smelling, sticky red flowers. Visitors should bring clean water and bug repellent. The marsh wants to swallow up intruders and occasionally belches forth harmful things of the past.)
Will flesh out the map as the characters explore it, not before
□Make a list of system tweaks or house rules that relate to your setting.
PCs start with Max HP
Death and Dismemberment table - http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2012/02/death-and-dismemberment-redux.html
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Love seeing all the different posts. It’s really inspiring to see how different folk approach these things.
Took longer than a week, but I finished part two! And here it is. Constructive criticism always welcome.
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Cool. Reading it now. I’m reworking my dungeon and starting from there.
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I got sidetracked with work.
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I FEEL that! With everything going on, it’s been hard to actually stay focused, but I’m determined to stay on track for my week three. It brings me a sense of peace at the same time to be able to come back to this and work on it so I’m committing myself to it hardcore.
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I’ve decided to get started on my own Gygax 75 Challenge, for the campaign setting I’ve always used and never defined. I started with a mood board, since the previous examples upthread are really good and illustrate how useful a tool it is.
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Ah yes another comrade! Can’t wait to see what you create.
I love making mood boards, and could probably spend all my time just doing that. Though I’m not sure how much that would actually accomplish. 
It was both a good thing and a bad thing. I got to the point where I realized I could have done an entire mood board with just Andreas Rocha art! At that point, you have to sit back and deliberately consider other artists – you want to make your own vision, not a specific artist’s!
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