Examining my old archives, I found the following entries relating to campaigns played 20 years ago or more…
We played the events in 578 CY in 1997-8, if I recall correctly, using the AD&D 2nd Edition rules (using the Player Options books).
The later events came from a campaign begun in 2000, in the weeks leading up to the release of D&D 3E and beyond!
578 C.Y.
Midsummer.
To the City of Greyhawk comes Chaeljen, an elvish Fighter/Wizard from the Vesve forest. She has been sent to the Temple of Xan-Yae for sanctuary from the wrath of Iuz, whose plans for conquest of the Vesve she has recently thwarted in a well-timed raid. The High Priestess of the Temple of Xan-Yae, Xanetia, knew Chaeljen’s mother in days past.
The Temple of Xan-Yae is in uproar when Chaeljen arrives. The Midsummer festival is upon them, and one of their key relic – a holy medallion once belonging to Zuokan (once a high priest of Xan-Yae, now a demi-god) has been stolen. Chaeljen volunteers to look for the medallion, and the temple also sends with her Yahlos, an acolyte of the temple, Coln, a half-ogre gladiator slave owned by the temple, and Starlin Farr, a human mercenary/archer.
Following the thief’s trail to the ruins of Castle Greyhawk, the party finds that the thief has perished in a fiendish set of traps; only Koln’s brute stamina allows the half-ogre to avoid the same fate. They return the medallion to the church of Xan-Yae, but not before they discover a strange room of teleporters that is activated by the Medallion of Zuokan.
The next few months are spent investigating three abandoned temples accessible by the teleporters – a temple of Dispater, a temple of Tsuggtmoy, and a temple of Corellon Larethian. In each temple the party finds a medallion sacred to the power in question. A young acolyte of Xan-Yae named Xelia warns the party of a prophecy that is influencing their actions. In the temple of Corellon Larethian, the party is surprised by orcs following Iuz, and is captured with the exception of Yahlos and Koln.
Yahlos and Koln meet up with a young bard named Tyrian, who helps them rescue the others from an orcish encampment in the Cairn Hills. Meanwhile, the High Priestess of Xan-Yae, Xanetia, fall ill and dies. A conclave is called for the Autumn Festival to name her successor.
Autumn Equinox.
As one of the High Priests of Xan-Yae arrives by ship for the conclave, he is killed by an unknown bow-wielding assassin. The party give chase to a suspect, but discover after she is captured that instead it is a ranger from Chaeljen’s home village of Skytree – Izathrie – come to tell Chaeljen that her mother has been captured by the forces of Iuz, and that Chaeljen must return home.
The conclave is called, and a new High Priest is elected – Yeven, who had been obstructive to the mission of Chaeljen. At this time, Starlin enters the great Archery Competition of Greyhawk, which is partly sponsored by the Church of Xan-Yae. The new High Priest is in attendance. At the height of the competition, Starlin’s arrow shot suddenly deviates in mid-air, and kills Yeven! The party flee Greyhawk, Yahlos discovering that assassins have struck in the Temple of Xan-Yae and slain all the priests and priestesses there.
Autumn & Winter.
The party – now Chaeljen, Starlin, Yahlos, Tyrian, Koln and Izathrie – travels to the Vesve Forest, where they find Skytree under siege by Iuz’s forces. It becomes apparent that at midwinter – barely a month away – the prisoners will be sacrificed in a ritual of supreme evil. With a succession of greatly daring raids, the party manages to defeat the forces of Iuz, rescue the prisoners, and kill the general. Chaeljen’s mother is rescued, but has suffered badly while imprisoned. The party winters in Autumn, and then splits up, Tyrian and Starlin travelling to the south together, Yahlos travelling back to Greyhawk, and Chaeljen, Koln and Izathrie remaining in the Vesve Forest.
579 C.Y.
Spring.
Starlin is in the village of Emond, just south of the Arch-Clericy of Veluna. Tyrian has travelled further south, needing to catch up with his family. Bandits have begun preying on gem caravans moving through the area, so Starlin forms a new band of adventurers to track them to their lair and stop them. He is joined by “The Gopher”, a human bard, and Gerald, a Cleric of Trithereon.
Hiring three mercenaries – Bert, Ernie and Big Bert – to help them, the three penetrate the first level of the bandit’s lair, finding it a strange, forbidding place. They find a key emblazoned with a strange symbol – seven arrows radiating out from a common core – and then the Gopher is killed by a monstrous spider. Fleeing the lair, Starlin and Gerald decide that discretion is the better part of valour and heads north to Mitrik.
In Mitrik, the party meet Meliander Corthan, a young mage from the County of Ulek, and Brunak, a frost barbarian. Both are on their way to investigate rumours about the Temple of Elemental Evil, along with two other companions. Starlin and Gerald also meet up with Guevera, an elven fighter/rogue, as they accept a commission from the Grand Duke of Geoff to recover a meteorite that fell in the Crystalmist Mountains.
The party – Starlin, Gerald and Guevera – travel to Geoff and then on towards the mountains with an escort of men-at-arms. In Geoff, Tyrian rejoins the group.
Summer.
Investigations prove that the meteorite had crashed into a cavern complex, into which it had been taken deeper by something intelligent. The party investigate, and discover a hidden band of wizards, working to activate some magical artifact. The artifact is accidentally activated by the party, and they escape through a magical portal – but into ruins in the middle of the Ashen Desert!
Dogged by fierce, degenerate pygmies, the party find the rainbow gems needed to activate the artifact again, and use it to escape back to the City of Greyhawk; though not before taking a side trip to the Barrier Peaks and also to Hell! In the City of Hawks, the party rest for a while.