Quag Keep

This is a land where Law and Chaos are ever struggling one against each other.  But the laws of Chance will let neither gain full sway.

Quag Keep, 1978

Back in 1976, Gary Gygax made the pilgrimage to Winter Park, Florida to run a game of Dungeons & Dragons for famed novelist Andre Norton (as related by Chris Schweizer in 2019, whose father was one of the participants).

Cover to the 1st edition of Quag Keep (1978) by Andre Norton.  Illustration by Jack Gaughan.

Norton subsequently wrote Quag Keep, about a group of gamers who are mysteriously transported into the bodies of their characters (an excerpt of which was published as a preview in The Dragon #12 (February, 1978).

Quag Keep is an absorbing read, yielding a unique perspective of the OD&D game, before AD&D was published.  Some of the prose is unwieldy, although I enjoyed it more the second time around, and plan to read it again.

*see The Dungeoneer #9 (Jan/Feb, 1979) pg. 18, for a contemporary review, by Chuck Ansell, and Rolled by the Dice in Andre Norton’s "Quag Keep" (2020) for a recent review, by Judith Tarr.

Law and Chaos:

The conflict between Law and Chaos features prominently:

The eternal war between Law and Chaos flared often in Greyhawk.  It was in a manner of speaking a "free city" - since it had no overlord to hold it firmly to his own will.  For that reason it had become a city of masterless men, a point from which many expeditions, privately conceived and planned for the despoiling of ancient treasures, would set out...

But if those on the side of Law recruited here, so did the followers of Chaos.  There were neutrals also, willing to join with either side for the sake of payment.  But they were never to be wholly depended upon by any man who had intelligence, for they might betray one at the flip of a coin or the change of the wind itself.

Quag Keep, 1978

Gygax also used the framework of a constant struggle between Law and Chaos as the backdrop to module B2 "The Keep on the Borderlands".

The Player/Characters:

Each of the seven player characters wear bracelets of polyhedral dice, which activate when danger is near.  They learn they can influence the dice rolls, by concentrating.

Martin Jefferson/Milo Jagon

Milo is described as a lawful "swordsman" (the title of a third-level fighting man).  In addition to the dice bracelet, he wears two thumb rings, with magical properties.

Nelson Langley/Naile Fangtooth

Naile is based on the berserker subclass, from The Dragon #3 (October, 1976).  He also possesses a pseudo-dragon, as described in the AD&D 1e Monster Manual (1977).

James Ritchie/Ingrge

Ingrge is an elven ranger.  He is skilled with a bow (think Legolas in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) and is able to communicate with animals.

Susan Spencer/Yevele

Yevele is a "battlemaid", a female fighter.  She appears to hearken from a matriarchal, northern society, followers of the High Horned Lady.

Lloyd Collins/Deav Dyne

Deav Dyne is described as a cleric, but goes unarmored and only wields a dagger, much as a magic-user would.  He uses prayer beads to cast spells.

Bill Ford/Wymarc

Wymarc is a bard, as described in The Strategic Review #6 (February, 1976).  He possesses a barding harp, like those in the same issue.

Max Stein/Gulth

Gulth is a lizardman, an example of the "other character types" described as permissible in OD&D vol. 1 "Men & Magic" (pg. 8)

The Geas:

The seven adventurers are gathered together by the wizard Hystaspes, who casts a geas on them to seek out the source of that which brought them into this world, and to destroy it.

Standing by the fire, as if his paunchy body still craved heat in spite of the temperature of the chamber, was a man of perhaps Milo’s height, yet stooped a little of shoulder and completely bald of head. In place of hair the dome of his skin covered skull had been painted or tattooed with the same unreadable design as marked the cloak patch of his servant.

Along the journey, one of the adversaries encountered is a druid, who appears to be drawn from the Greyhawk supplement, rather than Eldritch Wizardry.

The OD&D Game World:

The setting for Quag Keep isn't "The World of Greyhawk" (which wouldn't see publication until 1980) but rather the OD&D game world, probably based on the rough notes Gygax makes reference to in Alarums & Excursions #15 (October, 1976).

Map of the Great Kingdom, from Domesday Book #9.

The companions depart the free city of Greyhawk and travel west, along the main river through the Grand Duchy of Geofp (sic).*  They enter the mountains and cross the pass into the Sea of Dust, which holds the secrets of Quag Keep.

*Many of the locations on Megarry's copy of the Great Kingdom map are mentioned, although sometimes misspelled (ie. "Blackmer" vs. Blackmoor, the Grand Duchy of "Geofp" vs. Geoff, and "Koeland" vs. Keoland).

Norton even mentions the Temple of the Frog:

...the sound of shrill and loud croaking made him think, with a shiver he could not entirely subdue, of that horror tale told about the Temple of the Frog and the unnatural creatures bred and nurtured therein to deliver the death stroke against any who invaded that hidden land.  That, too, occupied the heart of a swamp, holding secrets no man of the outer world could more than guess.

Quag Keep, 1978

Concluding Thoughts:

Quag Keep draws upon the tradition in "Three Hearts and Three Lions" by Poul Anderson, and may have been an inspiration for the concept of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon.

Later stories in a similar vein include "Guardians of the Flame" by Joel Rosenberg, and "The Fionavar Tapestry" by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The sequel "Return to Quag Keep" (2006) was a collaboration between Andre Norton and Jean Rabe, published posthumously.

Finally, I was interested to learn that a screenplay was announced in 2012, although haven't heard any recent news.

B1: The Barbarians

Many years passed, until one day a great barbarian invasion came from the lands to the north, threatening to engulf the entire land with the savage excesses of the unchecked alien horde.

Module B1 "In Search of the Unknown"

While the default setting for module B1 "In Search of the Unknown" is generic, advice is given for situating the Caverns of Quasqueton within the World of Greyhawk:

In the mythical WORLD OF GREYHAWK (available from TSR) the stronghold can be considered within any one of the following lands - the Barony of Ratik, the Duchy of Tenh, or the Theocracy of the Pale.

Potential locations for module B1 in the World of Greyhawk (1980).  The Thillonrian Peninsula to the north is home to a number of barbarian kingdoms, who "consider the Great Kingdom and the Sea Barons as their most natural source of easy loot and profit." 

The original World of Greyhawk folio describes the Flanaess, the northeastern part of the continent of Oerik, and includes a beautiful map by Darlene, based upon the map of the Great Kingdom of the Castle and Crusade Society:

The map of the Great Kingdom, from Domesday Book #9.  Note the northern peninsula, home to the "Northern Barbarians".

Dave Arneson situated the Barony of Blackmoor at the southwestern end of the Great Bay on the map of the Great Kingdom, and mentions in "The First Fantasy Campaign" that Blackmoor Castle was originally constructed as a defense against barbarian incursions:

Blackmoor Castle was built in the third year of the reign of Robert I, King of all Geneva, as a defense against the Barbarian hordes that periodically sweep through this area over a period of six years.  On the hill that dominated the small village of Blackmoor, there are the ruins of several previous structures that were destroyed by the Barbarians.

JG 37: The First Fantasy Campaign

Mike Carr was a player in Arneson's original Blackmoor campaign, and was no doubt familiar with the Blackmoor Castle's history.

Is that Blackmoor Castle in the distance?

Gary Gygax also mentions Blackmoor in his story "The Gnome Cache" serialized in The Dragon (#1-3, 5-7).  In the final installment to be published, the "border keep of Blackmoor" falls to an invading force of northerners, the united bands of Nehron.

Their headgear was more elaborate, consisting of a steel helmet with a heavy nasal and surmounted with a spine of metal spikes.  Horn plated brigandines protected them from wrist to waist, where a broad girdle bound a kilt of bearskin about their waists.  Studded gambades protected their lower extremities, a circular shield (like Dunstan's) or one of trapezoidal form (borne by the two from Kimbry) graced the left arm, and the forearm and hand on the right were protected by steel gauntlets.  Great capes of bearskin or like savage carnivora's served to both adorn and protect their backs.  Their arms were massive flails and battleaxes, suited well to their strength.  Brightly hued devices were painted upon their shields, but the northerners knew no heraldric laws, rather beasts or weird symbols were limned at the owner’s fancy.

excerpt from "The Gnome Cache", in The Dragon #6

I'm a big fan of "The Gnome Cache", and think that the world described would make a great setting for running "In Search of the Unknown".  There's even a narrow pass between two steep hills, as mentioned in the Players' Background to the adventure.

The First Fantasy Campaign: Map Notes (Part 1)

In starting my campaign, I reserved a small area out of the center of the Great Kingdom map of the IFW's Castle & Crusade Society (a now extinct Medievals group). 

Dave Arneson, The First Fantasy Campaign (1977)

JG 37 "The First Fantasy Campaign" includes a hand-drawn map of Blackmoor and environs, as well as two large fold-out poster maps (one for the players, and one for the referee).  The two sets of maps differ in many ways, and their relationship to one another has been unclear.

Daniel Boggs covers the topic in his recent blog post Was Original Blackmoor a Greyhawk Campaign? in which he explains how Arneson likely adapted his map of The Northern Marches in order to create a map of Blackmoor that would fit on the map of The Great Kingdom.

Hand-drawn map of Blackmoor and environs, used by Arneson for his original Blackmoor campaign (1971-75).

The actual position of Blackmoor in relation to the Great Kingdom was correctly surmised by Zach Howard in his post The Weird Enclave of Blackmoor on Zenopus Archives, back in 2012.  (See also Arneson's Sketch Map of Blackmoor, Annotated).

Arneson goes on to describe using the Outdoor Survival map for the region to the south of Blackmoor, probably starting in the third year of the campaign "after the bad scene at Lake Gloomy", as discussed in my earlier post Into the Great Outdoors.

Taking another look, I'm struck by the similarity between the two groups of mountains in the southern part of Arneson's hand-drawn map of Blackmoor (which includes the Dragon Hills) and the northern part of the Outdoor Survival board:

The hand-drawn map of Blackmoor in The First Fantasy Campaign in relation to the Outdoor Survival map.  Note the similarities between the two groups of mountains in the southern part of Blackmoor and the northern part of the Outdoor Survival map.

Could the central group of mountains on the Outdoor Survival board represent the Dragon Hills?  (Interestingly,  Bob Meyer states that the Dragon Hills were a later addition to the map of Blackmoor, in this thread on the OD&D Discussion boards.)

If the southern part of the hand-drawn map represents the northern part of the Outdoor Survival map, the unlabeled settlements might represent some of the players' new fiefs.  Greg Svenson's "Newgate" might be the one further east, with the road leading to the south, for example.

Svenson recalls the Valley of the Ancients was originally located southwest of Blackmoor, where the desert is depicted on the hand-drawn map.  Arneson states the City of the Gods was "located in the Desert south of Monson's old place", possibly the settlement further west.

Terrain Key To Campaign Map:

Somewhat confusingly, the terrain key beneath the hand-drawn map of Blackmoor is not for the hand-drawn map, but depicts the symbols used in the large, fold-out poster maps.  Here is the key, reproduced beneath the fold-out poster map:

 The terrain key is similar to the one provided in JG 48 "Wilderlands of High Fantasy":

Tomorrow, we will turn our attention to the redrawn poster maps, and their place in Judges Guild's Wilderlands.

JG 37: The First Fantasy Campaign

Dave Arneson, co-creator of the Dungeons & Dragons game, parted with TSR in late 1976.  Jon Peterson recently posted about Arneson's D&D tournament at Origins 77.  Arneson was also scheduled to run at least one session of "Don't Give Up The Ship" at Gen Con X in August, 1977.

In the meantime, Arneson self-published the "Dungeonmaster's Index" and, perhaps disappointed with how OD&D supplement II: Blackmoor had turned out, was working with Judges Guild to publish his extensive pre- and post-D&D Blackmoor campaign material.

"The First Fantasy Campaign" (1977) by Dave Arneson.  Cover illustration of a fire elemental credited to Pixie Bledsaw.

Although not appearing in the credits, "The First Fantasy Campaign" was edited by Bill Owen, co-founder of Judges Guild.  The 1st and 2nd printings were 96 pages.  The 3rd printing appears to have been re-typeset and was shortened to 64 pages, (see The Acaeum for details).

 

Interior of the 1st printing of the First "Family" (Fantasy) Campaign.  Note that section headings in the Table of Contents are underlined.

 

Arneson dedicated "The First Fantasy Campaign" to Colleen Wording and Family (spelled "Wordem" in the 3rd printing) although I'm not sure who Colleen was, or which spelling is correct.

Interior illustrations are credited to Dave Arneson in the 1st printing, and to Ken Simpson and Dave Arneson in the 3rd.

 

Update (Sept 9): Havard sheds light on the illustrations in this thread over at The Comeback Inn

The original version featured interior illustrations by Dave Arneson. In the revised version these illustrations have been replaced. The new illustrations are based on Dave's originals, but slightly more professional looking. In my opinion however, these illustrations are not enough of an improvement over Dave's to really make me like them better though. As it stands I prefer Dave's illustrations.

 

"The First Fantasy Campaign" is a treasure trove of material.  However, as has frequently been stated, it could have been better organized, starting with the Table of Contents.  That section headings were not underlined in the 3rd printing further compounds the issue.

 

Here is a comprehensive listing of the Table of Contents:

Forward

(Bob Bledsaw, August 9, 1977)

Introduction

(Dave Arneson)

Blackmoor, the Campaign

 - The Great Invasion

 - The Original Price/Unit Ratio List

     - Additional Weapon Cost/Limit

     - Additional Price Lists (Standard Castle Types)

     - Personnel Costs (in GP for 1 Year's Pay and Upkeep)

 - The Later Prices Lists

     - Earl of Vestfold

     - Northern Lords (Sea Raiders)

     - City of Maus

     - Regent of the Mines

     - Duchy of Ten

     - Minor Holdings of Ten - Nomads of Ten

     - Egg of Coot

 - Internal Investments

     - Roads, Bridges, Canals, Inns

     - Hunting, Armories and Animal Branding

     - Religion, Exploration

     - Ship Building, Farming, Fishing

     - Trapping, Tourism, Arrival of New Persons

 - Land & Sea Trade

     - Price List

Campaign Map Notes (Part 1, Part 2)

 -Terrain Key To Campaign Map

Blackmoor's More Infamous Characters

 - Blackmoor Military Manpower Distribution (Initial)

 - Table of Contents

     - Egg of Coot

     - Ran of Ah Fooh

     - Gin of Salik

     - Marfeldt the Barbarian (A Short Biography)

     - Duke of the Peaks

     - The Blue Rider

     - Mello and the Hobbits (Mello's Hobbit House)

     - The Great Svenny

     - The Bishop

     - Final Notes

Blackmoor

 - Facts About Blackmoor

     - Population, Area, Resources, Ruling Class, The Country

 - History of the Points of Interest

     - Blackmoor Castle, The Pits, The Ruins, Wolf's Head Pass, The Comeback Inn

 - The Town of Blackmoor Map

 - Blackmoor Castle

     - The Blackmoor Castle's History

     - Haunted Rooms and the Like

         - The Black Hall

         - The Catacombs

         - The Tower

             - Haunted Rooms

Into the Great Outdoors

 - Encounters

 - Moves, Budget

 - Outdoors in Blackmoor

 - Migration

 - Drawing Your Own Map

 - Human Habitation

 - Area Pattern in Hexes

Blackmoor Dungeons

 - Sir Fang

 - Elves

 - Dungeon Map Notes

 - Magic Protection Points

 - Wandering Monster Areas

The Dungeon Levels

 - Level Maps

Glendower Dungeons

Magic Swords & Matrix

 - Magic Swords Personality Matrix "Blackmoor"

Matrix

 - Explanation

 - Combat Characteristics Table

 - Magic Characteristics Table

 - Special Characteristics Table

 - Sword Enchantments by Magic-Users

 - Holy Swords

 - Special Notes

Gypsy Sayings & Chance Cards

 - Gypsy Sayings

 - Legends

 - Chance Cards

The Original Blackmoor Magic System

Description of Mechanical Marvels

Special Interests

 - Definition of Terms

 - Examples

 - How to Become a Bad Guy

Svenson's Freehold

Richard Snider's Additions

 - The Dragons

 - Differences in Creatures from Blackmoor Game

 - Population of Known Area

 - Wizard's Apprenticeship

 - The Languages

 - Hero and Superhero Flunkies

 - Vampires

 - An Explanation of Creature Psychology

Loch Gloomen

 - Sample of Playing Area

 - Description of an Area

 - Defense of Area

Bleakwood

Magical Items Summary

Monsters

 - Dragons

 - Orcs

 - Bandits

 - Nomads

 - Trolls and Ogres

 - Wights (and Ghouls)

 - True Trolls

 - Rocs

 - Tarns

 - Basilisk

 - Balrog

 - Giants

 

Although I am not an expert in Blackmoor, I will endeavor to cover each of these sections in turn over the coming months, with links to relevant posts and discussion that has appeared across the internet in recent years.  Please join me, and be sure to add your own two cents!

Gen Con X: D&D Tournament

The D&D Tournament at Gen Con X in August, 1977 was organized by Bob Blake.  All three rounds were published by Judges Guild as JG #80 "Of Skulls and Scrapfaggot Green" (1979) with illustrations by Sheryl England, and reprinted in 1980 with a new cover by Kevin Siembieda.

Flyer for Gen Con X (1977)

Gen Con X was a watershed event.  It was held at the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, now the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, the present venue for Gary Con.  Special guests included Fritz Leiber, Harry Fischer, and Gardner Fox (the Guest of Honor), as per Tim Kask's editorial in The Dragon #8.  A con report was published in The Dragon #10.

According to the program:*

The convention's biggest tourney begins on Friday morning when the 180-player Dungeons & Dragons tournament starts at Horticultural Hall.  This is the first of three days of playdowns under the aegis of Bob Blake and a host of Dungeon Masters.  As the tournament progresses and the field narrows, the contending teams will venture through a town adventure, a dungeon adventure, and a wilderness outing, with one team emerging as victors on Sunday.

*for a look at some pictures of the program, check out Zenopus Archives.

The first round was scheduled to begin at 10 am on Friday, August 19, at Horticultural Hall in downtown Lake Geneva.  Approximate running time was 8 hours, and players on the winning teams each received $10.00 gift certificates.  Rounds two and three were also scheduled to begin at 10 am at Horticultural Hall, on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Part One involves a search for a key, hidden somewhere in the town of "Scrapfaggot Green" (character levels 4), Part Two involves a dungeon delve beneath "Akbeth's Tower" (character levels 6), and Part Three involves an expedition into "The Forbidden Lands" (character levels 8).  I've run all three parts of this adventure, and posted a review on Dragonsfoot, back in 2015.

Back cover to JG #80 "Of Skulls and Scrapfaggot Green" (2nd printing), depicting the ruins of Akbeth's Tower.

I subsequently ran Part One "The Key to Akbeth's Tower" at Gary Con XI in 2019, (which included a knife fight in the bazaar) and was all set to run Part Two "The Skull of Vruna" at Gary Con XII, this past March, before it was canceled, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  I plan to reschedule Part Two, if Gary Con is held next year, followed by Part Three the following year.

I'm not sure whether this scenario was drawn from Bob Blake's home campaign, which was apparently inspired by Celtic mythos.  There doesn't seem to be much that connects the Gen Con IX and Gen Con X dungeons.  Although it works well as a standalone, I've considered substituting "The Forbidden Lands" in place of the Iberian peninsula, in the OD&D game world.

Drelnza the Vampiress Lord

The original version of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" only refers to a "Vampiress Lord" (so named because she combines the attributes of a vampire with those of a high-level fighter).  Module S4 names her as "Drelnza" (often misspelled as "Drelzna").

Drelnza, at the doors to the Nexus, holding Daoud's Wondrous Lanthorn aloft, as portrayed by Jeff Easley.  Source: The Vampire Daughter Print, from Art of the Genre.

Here is the relevant section on vampires from OD&D vol. 2:

These monsters are properly of the “Undead” class rather than Lycanthropes. If they are exposed to direct rays of sunlight, immersed in running water, or impaled through the heart with a wooden stake they are killed; otherwise they can be hit only as Spectres, but such hits do not kill them but only force them to assume gaseous form if they lose all hit points. Vampires drain two life energy levels as do Spectres when they hit an opponent in combat. They regenerate during combat as do Trolls, but they do so immediately upon being hit at the rate of three hit points per turn. Vampires can command help by calling to them from 10 to 100 rats or bats or from 3 to 18 wolves. They can polymorph themselves into either a huge bat or into a gaseous form, doing either at will. They Charm men-types merely by looking into their eyes (treat as a Charm Person spell with a minus 2 for the object’s saving throw against magic). Vampires cannot abide the smell of garlic, the face of a mirror, or the sight of a cross. They will fall back from these if strongly presented. They must always return to a coffin whose bottom is covered with soil from their native land during the daylight hours. Men-types killed by Vampires become Vampires under the control of the one who made them.

The Greyhawk supplement provides additional details:

All Vampires are affected by the cross, despite any former religious background, as it is sovereign against them. It must be noted, however, that the Vampire will not flee from such a symbol but merely try to position itself so that the cross (or whatever) no longer interposes its powers between the Vampire and its intended prey. There are other similar symbols of power versus vampiric creatures, and they can be introduced if the referee so desires. Vampires from the region of the Middle East are invisible, but they are not able to Charm.

The AD&D 1e Monster Manual further specifies "These creatures must rest in a coffin or similar receptacle* during hours of sunlight unless far beneath the surface of the ground" and that "Vampires have 18/76 strength."

*the original version of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" makes no mention of a coffin.  I've therefore contemplated the idea of regarding the Core of the Nexus as Drelnza's "coffin" (the walls are described as panels of polished wood), which has scary implications

"Vampires in the Dungeon" by Clayton J. Miner, from The Dragon #17 (August, 1978) gives some helpful tips on running OD&D vampires.

Vampires from the Middle East, mentioned above, are identified as "Ekimmu" from Assyria in "Varieties of Vampires" by R.P. Smith, from The Dragon #25 (May, 1979), another casual reference to the OD&D Game World as a version of our own world.

Finally, the article "Good Evening" by Lenard Lakofka, from The Dragon #30 (October, 1979) provides some useful additional information, such as rules for meeting a vampire's gaze, as well as stats for the various creatures summoned:

BATS: 90% of the time they should be the mundane sort that “hang around” in caves, bell towers, etc. They have 1–4 hit points, are Armor Class 7 (due to size and speed), move 12” (but usually flurry about figures when a Vampire summons them), do “inadvertent” damage of 1 point 50% of the time — if and only if at least 5 are swarming around a single figure and the Armor Class of the victim indicates a hit. Swarms reduce the ability “to hit” by 3 points. 10% of the time, however, 1 Vampire Bat per 10 bats (round down) may appear. It is 1 hit die A.C. 8, moves slower, 9”, and does 1 point of damage per hit. In addition, if it does it drains 1–4 points of blood just as a Stirge does but then flies away after 8 points are drained.

RATS: 90% of the time they should be the mundane sort that scurries about in dungeons, though they will always be especially large rats. 1–4 hit points, A.C. 8, bite causes 1 point of damage (no change of disease). But 10% of the time (and only in especially deep dungeons) Giant Sumatran Rats will appear, as per the Monster Manual. The quantity of these Giant Rats is 7–70 and not 10–100.

WOLVES: Their type should be a function of the climate. If in polar regions, Winter Wolves should appear, but only 2–7 would come. In other areas the chance of the normal wolf is 70% for the full 3–18 in number (see the Monster Manual); however, 30% of the time 2-14 (1d6 + 1d8) Dire Wolves will appear.

Drelnza (along with Flemin) was released as a limited edition miniature by Reaper (I purchased one, when I popped into The Compleat Strategist on a visit to New York, a few years ago).

WinterCon V: The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth

"The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" was the tournament dungeon for the Metro Detroit Gamers' WinterCon V Gamefest, held December 3-5, 1976 at Oakland University, Rochester MI.  Revised for AD&D, the adventure was published as S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982).

The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth (December, 1976) by Gary Gygax.

Additional credit for the WinterCon V version goes to Will Niebling, Scharlotte Niebling, Bob Karalunas, Howard Dawson, Joe Tomassi, Paul Wood, Kathy Wood, Laurie Van De Graaf, John Van De Graaf, and Mike Bartnikowski.

On the front page of the AD&D module, Gygax states:

The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth was originally designed for the official "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" Game Tournament at WinterCon V and contains the original tournament characters.*

*some details for the pregens were tweaked for the AD&D version

The inspiration for the Greater Caverns was derived from the map for Rob Kuntz's El Raja Key level 10, which had been repurposed for the Expanded Version of Greyhawk Castle core level 7.

Maps for ERK level 10/GC core level 7 (left), the Greater Caverns of the Lost Caverns of Tsojconth/WinterCon V (center), and the Greater Caverns of the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth/module S4 (right).

Copies of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" from WinterCon V can be pricey to obtain.  There's a copy presently for sale at Noble Knight Games for $7995.

For an in-depth comparison of the WinterCon V tournament dungeon to module S4, including publication history and reviews, check out grodog's S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth page.

I had a great time participating in a session of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" at Gary Con X in 2018, and even played Flemin, who I run as an NPC in my home campaign.

The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth:

The tournament background is printed on the front cover:

Several decades ago when the Archmage Iggwilv brought the Marches of Perrunland under his domination, considerable store of treasure was taken from that place and sequestered by him somewhere in the no man's-land between the Duchy of Geoff and the forsaken Sea of Dust.  Among his loot were several rare and prized tomes and the fabled lamp known as Daoud's Wonderous Lanthorn.

When Iggwilv was slain by the Demon Graz'zt, and his minions scattered by an uprising of oppressed subjects, rumors began to spread regarding where the Archmage's treasure trove was located.  Considering the cartloads of precious metals and gems taken away during the overthrow, it is not surprising that most of these whispered suggestions were ignored as spurious.  However, the books and Lanthorn were never found, and the rumors did reach some interested parties, for several expeditions have sought to locate these items, but the parties were either unsuccessful in their attempts to find the location of the Caverns of Tsojconth (where the most reliable rumors claim the treasure rests) or else failed to return.

The possible location of the Lost Caverns "somewhere in the no man's-land between the Duchy of Geoff and the forsaken Sea of Dust" is similar to "the Barrier Peaks which separates the Duchy from the Sea of Dust" in the background for "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks"

Map of the Great Kingdom from Domesday Book #9 (1971) indicating "the no man's-land between the Duchy of Geoff and the forsaken Sea of Dust."

Gygax explained who Tsojcanth* was, in this interview:

I imagined him as one of the exceptionally potent magic-wielders who arise amongst humans every so often. I considered him the channel used by the Good deities for the further abridgement of the actual Tharizdun, as it were. Tsojcanth and a circle of other mages of good alignment, and certainly others of like persuasion and other capacities, assailed and defeated the followers of the avatar Tharizdun, and then by sympathetic means, and empowered by deital power, Tsojcanth (and his associated mages lending their power to him so as he could survive channeling of deital energies) forced the avatar Tharizdun to rejoin its parent entity.

I did not identify Tsojcanth as to race, but I think he was more likely Flan or Oeridian than a Suloise. He was certainly human and of Good alignment.

*the original spelling of "Tsojconth" was apparently a typo, and "Tsojcanth" was invented merely "to sound exotic".

The set up for the tournament is clever:

You are a member of a group of six adventurers, met by chance some weeks past.  Each was seeking the Caverns, each possessed a fragment of information regarding them.  Together you have compiled what seems an accurate set of directions to the entrance of these caverns, and you are certain that the Archmage has filled them with fierce creatures to prevent trespassers from gaining their goal.  A fragment of parchment you have states: "The right way is narrow...(words obliterated)...eam lies the straight pas...(more smudged writing)...pe the span swiftly of plunge to doom where the wat..."

and, here's the twist:

The Caverns of Tsojconth are a nexus in probability, where several alternate worlds touch.  Each of you is aware that numerous parties such as yours, each containing six alternate persons like each of you, will be entering that part of the Caverns which manifests itself in their respective worlds.  As each group adventures through the upper caverns one of their number will gain a certain aura, and he or she alone will be able to enter the lower level, while the rest will have to turn back.  The chosen from each party will meet - possibly with one or more of their alter egos - when the descent to the lower caverns is made.

This feature of the Caverns can be used to facilitate travel between alternate game worlds, such as the World of Greyhawk, the Forgotten Realms, or even Mystara.

Suggested levels:

The six tournament characters possess levels ranging from 6-10 (accounting for multiclassed characters), with an average level of 7.8, including a half-elven fighter/magic-user/thief (as per the Greyhawk supplement).  These make for great NPCs in your own campaign:

Cathartic (human), 7th level cleric, "worships St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel"

Ethelrede (human), 8th level fighter

Flemin (dwarf), 6th level fighter

Dunil (hobbit), 9th level thief

Weslocke (elf), 4th level fighter/9th level magic-user

Hockerbrecht (half-elf) 4th level fighter/4th level magic-user/5th level thief

Names were contributed by Howard Dawson, according to Paul Stormberg, in this thread.  Equipment is listed with location-based encumbrance, as discussed in a recent post over at Zenopus Archives.

The AD&D version is billed as "An adventure for character levels 6-10" and contains AD&D versions of the six original pregens, plus two more (Arocken, a 6th level ranger, and Benedict, a 6th level cleric), with an average level of 7.4

New Monsters:

The neo-otyugh (left) and troglodytes (right), two new monsters from "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth".  Illustrations were likely by David Sutherland, although erroneously attributed to Gygax in this disapproving review by Ken St Andre in Supernova #28 (July, 1977).

"The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" introduced several new monsters, including the giant snapping turtle, neo-otyugh, troglodytes (which made it into Holmes), and the water weird (attributed to Ernie Gygax, in the preface to the 1e Monster Manual).

There's also a reference to "Chinese" hill giants.  Given the properties of the nexus (which might account for the presence of so many creatures), these might have originated from the Chinese region of the OD&D Game World, and speak a Chinese language.

Module S4 continued in the same tradition, introducing several previously unknown creatures, which were later included in the AD&D 1e Monster Manual II.

Using "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" in your OD&D campaign:

The Lesser Caverns represent a straight-up, classic dungeon crawl, although access to the core of the nexus in the Greater Caverns provides a unique and rewarding challenge.

Motivation for the PCs could include exploration or utilization of the magical properties of the nexus, possibly as a means of entering an alternate world.

I enjoyed running the original version of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" for my group - you can read about our experience, complete with tactical illustrations, in our campaign journal.

A few years ago, I mocked up a version of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" in the style of B1, borrowing flavor text from the later version.  You can download it, here.

Gen Con IX: D&D Tournament

The D&D Tournament at Gen Con IX in August, 1976 was run by Bob Blake.  Both rounds were published by Judges Guild as JG #55 "Gen Con IX Dungeons" (1978) with illustrations by Sheryl England, and reprinted in 1980 with a new cover by Kevin Siembieda.

Poster for Gen Con IX (1976) from the Legends of Wargaming display at Gary Con X (2018)

The tournament was first announced in the Gen Con Update in The Strategic Review #7:

Bob Blake, Rt. 1 Box 47, Valparaiso, IN 46383, needs DMs to help run a mammoth D&D tournament, that will span all three days of the con. The end result, after three days of dungeoneering, with the same characters, will be a champion Mage, Fighter, Cleric, Elf and Dwarf. Each participant will run a predetermined character, and all participants will be judged on performance, with eliminations. Sounds really interesting to hear Bob tell it. Get the full lowdown from him if you are interested in being a DM.

Additional details were provided in the Gen Con Update in The Dragon #2, including a shortened version of the scenario to be used in the preliminary round:

 . . . The group of adventurers in question has offended the resident Wizard of the town in which they reside, having referred to him as a ‘shriveled old nit.’ He is about to end their miserable existences with a well-placed fireball, but stops short of uttering the final words of the incantation. Eyeing them speculatively, he offers them a chance to redeem themselves. He tells them a tale of a highly magical staff that once belonged to him, but was stolen a few ages ago. He now believes it is in the dungeons of a nearby ruin, and says that if they find it and bring it back to him he may just see them in a different light, so to speak. The party is ecstatic, relatively, at the opportunity to save their skins, and readily agree to the adventure, thinking that they will be able to line their own pockets as well as retrieve the old fool’s bit of magic kindling. As they neglect to ask him why he doesn’t go with them, or why he hasn’t recovered this bit of magic aforenow, he does not volunteer the information. Before sending them off, he takes the Mage aside and tells him they should begin their search off the Sixth Stairway, at the same time covertly slipping a curiously carved piece of amber into the Mage’s hand...

According to Jon Peterson "The tournament seems to have proceeded more or less as planned, although given excessive crowding, at Gygax's direction they relocated the event from the Horticultural Hall to the lawn behind the Legion Hall." (from "Playing at the World").

The preliminary round was "Baldemar Castle and the Staff of Albalon" (character levels 6-7) and the final round was "Temple of Diklah and the Helm of Valasdum" (character levels 8-10), with a tenuous link between the two scenarios.

Jon Pickens, contributor of the Alchemist class in The Dragon #2 and the Berserker subclass in The Dragon #3, was one of the tournament DMs.  His behind-the-scenes report was published in Alarums and Excursions #19 (as discussed in Peterson's "Playing at the World").

Update (Apr 11, 2021): Harold Johnson relates his experience participating in the Gen Con IX tournament in an interview on the GROGTALK podcast (episode 74, starting at about 18:00)

I've run both parts of this adventure, and posted a review on Dragonsfoot, back in 2016.  The preliminary round was fairly routine, although the final round was more challenging, and would be well suited for a session at Gary Con or some other old school con.

Update (Dec 31, 2021): I ran 2 sessions of the final round at this past year's Gary Con XIII

Names of the winning players were printed in an article by Bob Blake in The Dragon #3, in which he responded to some criticisms about how the tournament was run.  Allen Hammack was the champion mage, (and has promised to tell me all about it, some day!)

Blake's campaign world is "roughly similar to Celtic mythos" and could be used in place of Gaul, in the OD&D game world.  It would be interesting to learn more about the Valparaiso Society, Blake's gaming group, as they represent a significant early nucleus of gamers.

The Gnome Cache: People and Places

Below I have listed the various characters and places mentioned in The Gnome Cache by Gary Gygax.  A richly detailed setting, precursor to and distinct from the World of Greyhawk.

People:

Aloward - a blond, burly man.  Cousin to Theobald.

Baldwin - a Thallite mercenary, in the employ of Evan the Trader.

Bertram - a lank fellow, with a slight cast to his eyes.  Member of Theobald's gang.

Dolph - liveryman in the village of Deepwell.

Dunstan of the House of Derodus

Dunstan - son of Rodigast, a merchant of Endstad.  His father purchased him a Captaincy of the Watch, although Dunstan chooses to pursue a life of glory and adventure, instead.

Eddoric IV - Overking of Thalland.

Evan - a trader, dealing in the rich furs of Nehron.

Grund - Mellerd the stableboy's master.

Hob - a member of Theobald's gang.

Kenelm of Edgewood - alias used by Duncan, when speaking to Warders of the Overking.

Krell - proprietor of the Inn of the Riven Oak.

Meggin - serving maid at the Inn of the Riven Oak.

Mellerd - stableboy from Huddlefoot, apprenticed to Master Grund.

Rodigast - merchant of Endstad, of the House of Derodus, father of Dunstan.

Rufus - a Thallite mercenary captain in the employ of Evan the Trader.

Taddy - brother of Mellerd.

Teric - a Thallite baron, holds the castlewick at Edgewood on Wild Road.

Theobald - red-haired leader of a gang of brigands.

Vardobothet - a black-haired, Kimbri mercenary.

Wot - a member of Theobald's gang.

Places:

Aarn (or Arnn) River - marks the northern boundary of Thalland.

Blackmoor - a border keep, beyond the Aarn River.  The settlement and surrounding farms are inhabited by Nehron peasants.  Bordered by a trackless forest, to the west.

Deepwell - a village beyond the Upplands of Nyrn.

Edgewood - a Thallite town.

Endstad - a walled town, on the Nallid River.  Home to the merchant Rodigast and his son, Dunstan.

Far Pass - outpost bordering the arid steppes, beyond the Silent Forest, west of Thalland.

Hills of Dyrn -  region in Thalland.

Huddlefoot - hamlet at the base of the Upplands of Nyrn, on a secondary lane connecting Forgel Road at Dyrham to the Wild Road just above the town of Edgewood.  Boasts a large inn, stable, blacksmith, and several other businesses in addition to the usual sprinkling of yeoman's cottages.

Humpbridge - a free city, bending southwest to south of the Senescent Hills.

Inn of the Riven Oak - an inn, frequented by Theobald's gang.

Kimbry - a northern land, west of Nehron.  Bordered by mountains beyond the Kimbry Vale.

Lake Dyrn - a lake among the Hills of Dyrn, rumored to harbor great, slimy beasts.

Monley Isles - isles to the east of the Great Kingdom of Thalland.

Nallid River - river looping west and north of the town of Endstad.

Nehron - a northern, forested land, also extending east of Blackmoor to the sea.  The banner of the united bands of Nehron is green with a white wolf's head.

Oerth - planet similar to our own, diverging from our timeline some 2,500 years ago.  Asia is a trifle smaller, while Europe and North America are a trifle larger.  Distinct from the Oerth of the World of Greyhawk.

Rauxes - capital city of the Overking of Thalland.

Rheyton - a northern, walled town, on the Aarn River.  Comparable in size to Endstad.

Senescent Hills - wilderness region beyond the trackless forest, west of Blackmoor.

Shrine of Saint Cuthburt of the Cudgel - wilderness shrine to Saint Cuthburt, three leagues east of Endstad, where the Wild Road meets the King's Way.

Thalland - the Great Kingdom.  Bordered by forbidding deserts to the south, vast stretches of the Silent Forest to the west, and the Arnn River to the north.  The noble houses are divided into two great divisions, with flower or insect as devices. 

Upplands of Nyrn - cursed hills beyond Crosshill Street, north of Huddlefoot.  Rumored to be inhabited by gnolls.

Weal - a rude, trading hamlet in Nehron.

The Gnome Cache

"The Gnome Cache" is a fantasy novel written by Gary Gygax (under the pseudonym "Garrison Ernst") sometime prior to 1973.  It was serialized in early issues of "The Dragon" (#1-3, 5-7), although never printed in its entirety.

The prelude, published with Chapter One in The Dragon #1 (June, 1976) contains a fascinating glimpse into the OD&D game world:

In the infinity of cosmic probabilities there stretches an endless succession of earths, this one being but one of the possible realities.  Those in close proximity to our world are but little different from it, but countless alternatives to history exist, and as these co-worlds become more removed from this plane of reality so their resemblance becomes removed.  There are, then, worlds which are gloriously superior to ours, some which are horribly worse, but most are merely different in some way.  Far from our probability line is a world called by its inhabitants Oerth.  It is very similar to this earth in many ways, but it is also quite different...

If the learned men of Oerth were able to tell you its geography they would say that in relation to our planet they are quite alike.  Asia is a trifle smaller, Europe and North America a trifle larger — but the scientists (or rather philosophers) of Oerth are not able to explain this for two reasons: They neither know of the alternate worlds in Oerth’s probability line nor do they have any sure knowledge of Oerth’s geography outside their immediate areas.  Likewise, Oerth has races similar in many respects to ours, and their migrations and distribution somewhat resemble those of our world, but their histories differ sharply from ours departing from our probability line some 2,500 years ago.  Then the changes were but small, but over the intervening centuries the difference has grown so that there is now no resemblance between Oerth and Earth when the contemporary models are compared.

Oerth is backward in terms of our planet.  It is a dreaming world.  Socially, culturally, technologically it is behind us.  When the probability line split there were other changes than those of an historical nature, and scientific laws differ also.  What is fact on Earth may be fancy on Oerth and vice versa.  So a strange blend of Medieval cultures exist in the known lands of Oerth, and what lies in the terra incognita of Africa or across the Western Ocean is the subject of much myth and supposition only.  Ships which ply the waters venture not into such areas, and few are the souls hardy enough to dare expeditions east or south, for things as they are seem quite satisfactory as centuries of tradition prove.

The Gnome Cache, The Dragon #1, June, 1976

I find the comment about a divergence of timelines "some 2,500 years ago" intriguing, as Oerth's history prior to that would be similar to our own ancient past (differing from the planet Oerth of AD&D's World of Greyhawk setting).

Synopsis:

We are introduced to Dunstan, truculent son of the merchant Rodigast of Endstad, who plunders his father's strongbox in order to finance a quest for fame and glory (an interesting take on the 3d6x10 starting gold).

Dunstan strikes eastwards for Rauxes, capital city of the Overking of Thalland (the Great Kingdom).  Stopping to rest at a roadside shrine to Saint Cuthburt of the Cudgel, he falls in with a band of unscrupulous ruffians.

Before there was time to reply a buxom wench began plopping tankards of foaming ale before them

Coming to the Inn of the Riven Oak, Dunstan and his newfound companions eat and drink their fill.  The following morning, a brawl ensues.  Dunstan makes his getaway, but is intercepted by two soldiers searching for a runaway, matching his description.

A quick look around revealed no sign of human habitation, so he remounted and urged the tired horse up a large, steep hill.

Providing a false name, Dunstan states that he was accosted by ruffians, and leads the soldiers back to the Inn, stealing one of their horses amid the confusion.  Recognizing that he will be apprehended if he continues to the capital, he considers his options:

Well, thought he, if the capital of the kingdom is forbidden to me, there is no choice but to seek my fortune as far away from the court of the Overking as practical. How far was practical? South were forbidding deserts — beyond them who knew? There were the Monley Isles eastward, but they were in too close proximity to Endstad. To the west were the vast stretches of the Silent Forest, farther still the outpost of Far Pass, and then only arid steppes. Where else, then, could he journey save to the north? The realm of Eddoric IV reached far in this direction, but the borders were constantly in turmoil as the people of that region were fiercely independent, resisting any attempt to push the Overking’s sovereignty beyond the Arnn River. Service in one of these marches could be obtained with ease, and promotion would be rapid for the opportunities of battle were common.

The Gnome Cache, The Dragon #3, October, 1976

These locations appear to reference the map of the Great Kingdom.  Coming to the hamlet of Huddlefoot, Dunstan stables his horse and sleeps in its stall.  The following morning, he convinces the stableboy, Mellerd, to accompany him as a guide to the north.

Should he run the little bastard through?  Dunstan wondered.  It wouldn't do to have him telling tales all over the countryside...

Mellard eventually determines that Dunstan is a renegade, but chooses to throw in his lot with him, anyway.  Crossing the Upplands of Nyrn, they arrive at the village of Deepwell, where Dunstan trades his stolen horse for a roan stallion, also purchasing armor and equipment.

Joining the retinue of Evan the Trader, a dealer in the rich furs of Nehron-Land, they cross the Aarn river and reach Rheyton-Town, a week later.  Before continuing on, the caravan is joined by a number of mercenaries, led by a Thallite captain.

Heading northward, we come to a familiar location:

The land was sparsely settled, but much to Evan’s relief they reached the border keep of Blackmoor unmolested by robbers.  The trader railed at the tallage levied upon his caravan by the marcher lord, but there was no help for it.  Dunstan suspected he was secretly so pleased at the ease with which the passage was made that he would have paid twice the duty.  As they departed from the village of Blackmoor, the grim walls of the guardian castle frowned down upon their left, a reminder that the land was held by force of arms. The soldiers Dunstan saw were as grim as their fortress, and the young man mused that the peace here was due mainly to strong warriors.  From the looks cast at them by the Nehron peasants who inhabited the settlement and the surrounding farms, this border noble bore down heavily upon his unwilling subjects.  A twist in the lane soon removed the castle from sight, and the whole matter passed from consideration.

The Gnome Cache, The Dragon #6, April, 1977

Concerned about pursuit, Dunstan ponders his next move:

By avoiding the border fortress he could head westwards towards Kimbry.  If by some chance the Overking’s Warders ever managed to track him as far as Weal, they would lose the scent there, for beyond that place Nehron became a wilderness of forest and hills.  Warders would never venture to search for him among the hostile barbarians dwelling there, of this he was certain.

The Gnome Cache, The Dragon #6, April, 1977

The caravan is halted by a roadblock.  A large tree has been felled "so as to completely bar the road where it passed between two very steep hills."  It's an ambush, and Dunstan and Mellard are lucky to escape with their lives.

Their passage south is blocked by roving bands of Nehronlanders, who have just raided Blackmoor, and so the pair travel west.  Passing through a trackless forest, bordering on the Senescent Hills, they come to a valley through which a dark river flows.

Suddenly, they hear a cry.  Coming to a hilltop, Dunstan and Mellard are astonished to see a dwarf being pursued by a pack of giant toads and weirdly hopping men.  At this point, the story ends.  No further installments were ever published.

Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Gnome Cache".  It's earnest style evokes a bygone era of pulp adventure, and the antiquated speech of its characters weaves an atmosphere very different and compelling from the vanilla fantasy so popular today.

Dunstan is a complex protagonist.  He steals, is motivated by selfishness and pride, but desires accolades and respect.  He can be naive and impulsive, but appears to be a warrior of some skill, and respects a rough code of honor.

The world that Gygax envisioned for this adventure is clearly that of the OD&D game, and the geographical details and characters could be used in an OD&D campaign.  I particularly enjoyed reading about Blackmoor and its environs.

The story ends on a cliffhanger.  It's a shame the serialization was never continued, but it was recently revealed that the complete manuscript has been located.  I would love to see this published, along with maps and illustrations.

The "giant toads and weirdly leaping men" at the end of the last installment could have been followers of Wastri, a toadlike demigod discussed further in "The Incomplete Villain" an article by Gygax published in Dragon #300 (Oct, 2002).

The OD&D Game World: Fictional Mythos

The writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Michael Moorcock contributed significantly to the concept of an OD&D game world.  Fritz Leiber's "World of Newhon", while equally influential, wasn't detailed until AD&D's "Deities & Demigods" (1980).

The Lovecraftian Mythos:

See Zenopus Archives for a comprehensive survey of "The Cthulhu Mythos in D&D in the 1970s".

In their original "Known World" setting, Lawrence Schick and Tom Moldvay imagined that "in every land there would be hidden cults that worshiped Lovecraftian Elder Gods."

The Hyborian Age:

The Hyborian Age, Marvel Comics version.

Howard's Conan stories were set during a pre-cataclysmic Hyborian Age, circa 10,000 BC.  These were later adapted by Marvel Comics, becoming part of the Marvel Universe.

The OD&D game world might have likewise had a Hyborian Age.  Players desiring to adventure in Howard's fictional setting would need to travel into the distant past.

The Melniboné Story Line:

The initial treatment of "Law" and "Chaos" was inspired by Michael Moorcock’s treatment of good and evil in his "Elric" and other fantasy books written prior to 1970.

Gary Gygax, interview

The Elric stories were originally conceived by Moorcock to have taken place on an alternate earth, in an even more distant past.

Gary Gygax referred to the setting for the Battle of Brown Hills as "a mythical continent", predating that of the Great Kingdom.  I like to consider this scenario part of OD&D prehistory.

As the cosmic conflict between Law and Chaos faded in significance, so too might the conflict have represented a primordial one in the OD&D game world.

The OD&D Game World

In OD&D vol. 1: Men & Magic, a continental setting is mentioned:

The "common tongue" spoken throughout the "continent" is known by most humans.

In a letter to Alarums & Excursions, Gary Gygax stated that the Castle and Crusade Society map of The Great Kingdom was based on the continent of North America:

The game world is a parallel earth, but the continents are somewhat different.  Most of our campaign activity takes place on what corresponds to North America, on the eastern half of the continent.  The "Blackmoor" lands lie far up on the northeast coast.  "Greyhawk" is in the central portion.  There are a few other independently run campaigns located on this map.  There are also some other dungeons related to the "Greyhawk" campaign located at some distance from the free city of Greyhawk.   Players in our campaign may freely play in "Blackmoor", but to get there they must adventure cross country.  With one or two other campaigns, we do not allow any cross-campaign play other than this, for these is too great a disparity of DMing.  The territory within 500 or so miles of our main dungeon is mapped out at 5 miles to the hex.  Territory within 50 miles of Greyhawk city is mapped more closely, and monster locations are indicated.  The entire world is mapped out in rough form, with notes regarding typical encounters in given areas as well as particular special places, for hardy souls who wish to go forth to seek their fortunes.

Gary Gygax, Alarums & Excursions #15 (October, 1976)

It's intriguing to note that an OD&D game world existed in rough draft.  Gygax later provided additional details in answer to a query regarding this pre-1978 campaign setting:

The planet was much like our earth.  Think of the world of Aerth as was presented for the MYTHUS FRPG.

The city of Greyhawk was located on the lakes in about the position that Chicago is, and Dyvers was north at the Milwaukee location.  The general culture was pseudo medieval European.  Some of the kingdoms shown on the WoG map were around the adventure-central area, the City of Greyhawk.

More details aren't really possible, as the sketch maps I used are long gone.

Q&A with Gary Gygax, En World, Apr 14, 2003

Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes is often dismissed as nothing more than a high level "Monster Manual", but actually provides a great deal of material for such an OD&D campaign setting:

The mythos described in Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes, as well in several articles published in The Dragon, provide a rich template for an OD&D game world, based upon several cultures in our own world.

Three characters in the original Greyhawk campaign were famously transported to "China" as described in an article by Gygax, published in Dragon #295 (May, 2002).

The entry for rakshasas in The Strategic Review #5 begins "Known first in India, these evil spirits encased in flesh are spreading".

Update (September 1, 2024): The newly published "The Making of Original D&D" includes the 1973 Guidon draft, which includes the following paragraph (pg 34):

In the Greyhawk game the world is somewhat like the real one, and players who are incautious can get transported thousands of miles away.  Then, adventuring across a parallel world's India they might meet living gods with eight arms, learn the "rope trick", how to walk over beds of glowing coals, and so on.  The mythology of each land can supply the referee with a basis for their surroundings.

In this vein, creatures drawn from Greek mythology, such as medusas and minotaurs, might have originated in "Greece" (and therefore speak Greek, as opposed to their own languages).

With respect to character classes, monks could be from "Tibet" (Gygax stated that he "envisaged them mainly as wanderers from afar"), samurai and ninja from "Japan", etc.

World of Greyhawk:

While Gygax ran his original Greyhawk campaign in a shared OD&D game world, in which Dave Arneson's Blackmoor campaign and Rob Kuntz's El Raja Key also existed, he later went on to create the separate "World of Greyhawk" setting for the AD&D game.

The Epic of Aerth:

Interestingly, we get the best glimpse into how the OD&D game world might have been envisioned from Gygax's "The Epic of Aerth" campaign setting, for the short-lived "Dangerous Journeys" RPG.

See the following links for maps of the World of Aerth, including the various continents.  Additional resources for Aerth include "Necropolis and the Land of Ægypt", the unpublished "City of Ascalon", and a trilogy of novels, written by Gygax.