All the art – cover and interior – in Saga of Old City is by Clyde Caldwell. I love how the old school TSR books had illustrations in the interior, really adds flavor to the book. This isn’t random stock art. Each is tied to a scene in the book.

It was Gary Gygax’s first Gord the Rogue novel. Several more would follow, even after Gygax left TSR.

 

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Saga of Old City (Greyhawk Adventures #1)
1985 … Gary Gygax & Clyde Caldwell (art) … 352 pages … TSR 8240 … ISBN 0880382570

Wherein Gord learns his trade in the ‘beggars’ guild’, and later travels, having a variety of swashbuckling adventures.

 

Gord the Rogue books in the shop

 

Greyhawk in the shop

 

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Saga of Old City kicks off with a map of the Flanaess. The cartography is uncredited.

 

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The Beggarmaster

 

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Violet, in her disguise as the courtesan Penora

 

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Sea serpent

 

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Hengel, dwarven smith

 

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Lady Evaleigh

 

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A worm hiding in rags

 

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Gord defeats the hillman Rendol

 

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The seductive wolfwere

 

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Chert, Gord’s barbarian friend

 

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“Curly” Greenleaf the druid, and his bear Yurgh

 

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Zombie

 

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The Cataboligne demon (also seen on the cover). Gygax refers to it briefly in his notes in the back (major demon, requires +3 weapons to hit, and “reasonably adequate” magic resistance). It didn’t get officially statted out until Dragon magazine 295 – for D&D 3rd ed. AD&D fan-made stats can be found at Dragonsfoot forum. I’d use the 2nd verson (Grodog’s) as it correctly includes the illusion power as seen in the book.

 

Gord the Rogue books in the shop

 

Greyhawk in the shop

 

See also: CYBORG COMMANDO: Gary Gygax’s first game after TSR (1987)

AD&D Module T1-4 “Temple of Elemental Evil” – 1ST PRINT IDENTIFICATION

World of Greyhawk, folio edition (3rd print) – A thing of beauty

Days of the Dragon: 1982 Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Art Calendar