Gamma World: Legion of Gold GW1 Exploration Module 1981 - Actual Play Event For Gary Gygax Day

"There is much to worry about in the mutated world of the future, but Baron Jemmas, Warder of Horn, has more on his mind than most. In recent weeks several of the outlying towns of his Barony have been wiped out by a band of mysterious golden marauders.

These creatures struck from nowhere and vanished without a trace when their deeds were done. The Warder has decided that they must be stopped before the entire Barony of Horn falls beneath their onslaught, and so he is offering a great reward to anyone who can defeat the Legion of Gold.

'

So to celebrate Gary Gygax day I wanted to do something a bit different so I ran an old favorite of mine with one of the side quests from the Gamma World: Legion of Gold GW1 Exploration Module 1981. Things went off rather smoothly on my side of the screen.
Legion of Gold is a mini sandbox of Gamma World goodness, written by Gary Gygax with the help of his son Luke and Paul Reiche III. It remains one of my all time favorite Gamma World modules because its as much Gamma World tool kit as it is adventure.


Legion of Gold has a bit of everything that I love in my Gamma World adventures & sets the tone of how I play and DM my Gamma World adventures post-apocalyptic pulp science fantasy with fictional trappings & settings. The tone in tonight's game was deadly earnest as the 'Bug ems' claimed the lives of two mutant adventurers deep in the bowels of their nests. Wanyne's Books has a good break down of everything included in Legion of Gold;'Legion of Gold presented the Gamma World Referee with the first official campaign area (The Barony of Horn) near Lake Michigan. A buggem nest and an underwater ancient complex await the players. New creatures, new robots, and new weapons. '
-Wayne

There's something really creepy about the whole affair of Legion of Gold, its nonlinear structure presents a setting that is part post apocalyptic fantasy and half classic 50's drive in movie on steroids. The Bug Em lair reminds me of the 1954 film 'Them' especially the end of the giant ant terror inside of the nest.

The pace of the adventure went smoothly with the PC's wandering across the landscape of the post-apocalyptic version of southern Wisconsin setting. The players were worried having played in other Gamma World adventures such as Famine in Fargo which links up and dovetails in with the events of Famine in Fargo. Both adventures are a credit to their authors and designers. Legion of Gold is one of the greatest sci-fi gems of the 70's.A classic adventure that has all of the right elements in all of the right places. Its easy to run & can be used as a one night stand or as a part of an on going Gamma World campaign.
The lethal mutant menace under the Earth claimed the lives of more fool hardy adventurers and mutants tonight.


There are enough loose threads from tonight's Legion of Gold adventure romp that at some future date I might pick back up on this classic adventure for more mutant menace action! Happy birthday and Gary Gygax day from Connecticut!