B10 - Night's Dark Terror

B10 is a module that I am not sure why it is in the B line and not the X line. I guess the intent is to give players something that they can cross over with. I am just of the opinion that if it is a B module it should really be a module designed for the levels the set was written for.

The module is rare enough that I did not get it when it originally came out and I when I did get around to buying it I paid more for it than I should have had to. The module is not bad from what I can tell it is just something that is priced based on rarity rather than value. I am sure the Australian copy of G1 that sold for a hundred plus dollars a few months ago is just as good as an American monochrome copy of but the prices are a little different.

I would say buy the module if you can get it for a fair price but don't over pay like I did. In the end it is a module that was well worth the cover price but not what one would have to pay for it today.


Published: 1986
Pages: 64

From the publisher:

"Barely one day's march from Kelven, the uncharted tracts of the Dymrak forest conceal horrors enough to freeze the blood of civilized folk. Those who have ventured there tell how death comes quick to the unwary - for the woods at niht are far worse than any dungeon.

But you are adventurers, veterans of many battles, and the call of the wild is strong. Will you answer the call, or are you afraid of the dark terrors of the night?

This campaign adventure is for characters just beginning Expert play (levels 2-4) and hurls them into the exciting outdoor world which awaits in the Expert rulebook.

With a 64-page booklet, 2 double-panel covers, a double-sided fold-out mapsheet and 120 die-cut counters, this super module provides all you need for epic wilderness and dungeon adventuring. Journey across the Grand Duchy of Karameikos in a desperate race against time and the forces of evil."

B9 Castle Caldwell and Beyond

I am a big fan of the B line of modules. I have been fairly vocal about that in a recent post and I think my comments on the previous entries have put that forward. There is almost always one that does not live up to the others though. I am here to say that B9 Castle Caldwell and Beyond is the culprit in the B series.

The module is not patently bad and it does serve a purpose though not what it was meant for perhaps. It is merely not up to the level of the previous eight modules. Even B8 (Journey to the Rock) which I have expressed some concerns about runs laps about this baby. There are a number of reasons why this is the weakest offering in the line and then some that can make more useful than others. These reasons are often one and the same.

The module is actually more than a single scenario. It is actually five individual scenarios that are in some cases linked together better than others. The first two of these are tied together fairly well and I would suggest playing them apart from the others. The remaining three can be tied to the first two but the hold is tenuous at best.

One of the most glaring issues for me is the cartography in the module. There are many modules where the maps alone are worth the price of the module. That is a phrase that will never be sued about Castle Caldwell. The maps are so bad that there is a blog out there where the castle map was redrawn so that the author thought it was usable. I can't recall the blog but the map redo was actually really well done. The other issue I have is the actual material. There are DM blocks here and the same phrase is often repeated. Ever wonder how many times you could tell players "There is a sword hanging on a rack on the wall" before they revolted....this module will allow you that opportunity.

The module as a said though does have a role in life other than to be the whipping post of the B series. Judges Guild released a number of products early on that were mini-adventures. This was later perhaps brought to perfection by TSR in the Lairs products. This module if taken as a fledgling attempt at this by TSR is in that situation use and that is how I would suggest it be used.

I would be negligent if I did not make a final note or two on the module, which I do suggest owning, before I close up this post. The first is the cover art. I know there have been negative comments made on this but I like Caldwell art and this is one of the pieces I remember most from all of them. This means i most likely did not date enough in high school but that aside I like the art and it invokes a definite "Creature from the Black Lagoon" feel. The other is the name of the author. I never for the longest time saw Harry Nuckols as "Harry Knuckles" and so never saw that as a detractor. In the end it is funny but not high on the professionalism ladder. For the record the actual author is a Mr. Ron Charulsky according to a post by Frank Metzner.

　

Published: 1985
Pages: 32

From the publisher:

"Five exciting short adventures to make your Basic campaign come alive!

The Clearing of Castle Caldwell - A local merchant has recently purchased a small castle...but when he tried to move in, he discovered that the castle was already inhabited!

Dungeons of Terror - A strange trapdoor in the floor of Castle Caldwell leads to a terrifying challenge!

The Abduction of Princess Sylvia - On the eve of her wedding, the beautiful princess has been kidnapped! Can you save her in time?

The Great Escape - Imprisoned in an enemy fortress, without armor or weapons, your situation seems hopeless. yet there may be a way to freedom...

The Sanctuary of Elwyn the Ardent - A mystical chime of great power has been stolen - but by whom? In the wrong hands, the chime can cause untold harm! But can you find and defeat this mysterious and powerful creature?"

AC9 Creature Catalogue, Sacrifice Magic

This is a book that I don't feel gets enough discussion and love.  This was produced in the UK like the Fiend Folio and may catch  some unwarranted feelings from that book. That being said I liked  the Fiend Folio so my appreciation of this book is not tainted in  that way.

This book describes over 200 creatures that may have previously  only been available through modules. In addition is serves as an  index for all of the monsters that had previously been released  through other materials at that time. I just wish it had gone  further and included entries for them as well.

The book takes a different approach in organization. It takes the entries and beaks them down into six categories first. These are  Animals, Conjurations, Humanoids, Lowlife, Monsters and Undead.  The individual entries are then alphabetized in each section.

The entries themselves are each illustrated which is nice. The illustrations run the gambit from so-so to very good. There is a  definite White Dwarf feel to the illustrations though and many of  the entries as well. This again is not a bad thing in my world  but if you didn't like the Fiend Folio you may not like this.


Published 1986
Pages 96

From the back cover:

"Are you ready to face the horror of the Hivebrood, the gruesome  Geonid or the dread Dusanu? These and many other baleful beasts  lurk within the pages of this manual, waiting to challenge even  the mightiest adventurers!

The Creature Catalogue is the first major expansion to the range  of D&D game monsters. Within its covers have been collected all  the curious creatures first presented in the official D&D  adventure modules, plus many more new nasties, designed to  challenge and perplex the heartiest heroes. Also included is a  comprehensive index of all D&D monsters found in the Basic,  Expert, Companion and Master rule sets.

Whether your players' characters are 1st, 21st, or 31st level,  this tome contains many fantastic creatures with which to test  their mettle. Armed with the Creature Catalogue, you will be able  to find the right fearsome foe to confront even the most  foolhardy fellow."



Spell:

Sacrifice Magic

Level: Zero
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: One Item
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Segment
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell the magic user is able to sacrifice a  single magic item and convert its energies into a spell. The  level of the spell gained will need to be commensurate to the  level of the item sacrificed.

The caster will not be able to use potions or scrolls to power  this spell. It can also not be used or items such as artifacts or  relics as a means of destroying them. If the caster tries to use  the spell of such powerful items it is suggested that the DM have  the power of the item defend itself and have there be  ramifications from the attempt. This can not be used on cursed  items.

This ability can be used to allow the caster to have more spells  than they would normally be allowed to cast in a day or at a  specific level. The item must be in the casters possession for  them to use it for this spell. If the caster is not the owner of  the item then they must be in possession of it for a full round  before it can be used.

The DM will need to determine if the item destroyed is  satisfactory to power the spell it is being used for. They player will need to declare this before the spell is cast so as to not  waste a magic item. They will have a feeling about this as they  cast the spell and may need to alter the intended result.

The material component of this spell will be the item that is  being sacrificed.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the  write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the  80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other  than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be  slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of  spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :)  Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on  me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please  let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.

Wargamer's Digest V2#8, Alignment Flames

I am posting about another magazine but the post will be short. I have never been into wargaming. The extent of my wargaming is with what would be considered public wargames such as Risk, Axis & Allies and so on. I tried Panzer Leader once and didn't get past the setup. So why am I talking about this. well it is because of Wargamer's Digest.

There are two issues of Wargamer's Digest that would strike the fancy of a role player. These are issues V1 #7 and the one above V2 #8. Both of these issues have articles in them written by Gary Gygax. I have both of these issues and am not sure why I picked this one first but I will post the other at some point in the future.

This issue has the story "The Magician's Ring" in it. This article tells the story of another adventure in the dungeons of Greyhawk. There have been other blog posts about this so I won't go into the story or copy it. You can find it transcribed here.

These early accounts of the game in a magazine as Wargamer's Digest had to catch some of the readers by surprise. I can only imagine they felt like I do about the April Fools issues that Dragon magazine used to run. Little did they know that they were reading about the start of a whole new genre of gaming. I wonder if the same will happen too us some day or has it already. How many of use might have scoffed at Ultima Online and then perhaps EverQuest?


Spell:

Alignment Flames

Level: Fifth
Range: 6"
Duration: 1 Round/Level
Ares Effect: 6" Radius
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 5 Segments
Saving Throw: Special

When this spell is cast all creatures in the area of effect are outlined in glowing flames. The appearance of these flames will be similar in appearance to that generated by the Faerie Fire spell. Those in the caster's party will not be affected unless so desired by the caster.

The flames will have the same effect as that of Faerie Fire in regards to making the victims easier to hit. Those attacking the creatures outlined will have a +2 added to their To Hit rolls. The spell will have other effects as well though.

The flames outlining the the creatures will vary based on the alignment of the victim in relationship to the caster. The actual colors will be left up to the DM and it can change from caster to caster if desired. The colors will change based on deviation from the caster alignment on both the law/chaos and good/evil access though.

The effect of the fire will increase the further the victim is from the alignment of the caster. The victim will suffer a -1 to all combat and saving throws they are required to make for each step removed. This results in a maximum penalty of -4. For those suffering a -3 or -4 they will also suffer 1 or 2 points of damage per round respectively. This will also have the effect of requiring a save for caster to perform any spell casting due to the disruption in concentration. Those who save are still outlines in flame and have the effect from that. They will though have the other penalties effect halved.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.

X1 - The Isle of Dread, Cassandra's Spell Recollection

I am not sure if more people have been run through the Keep or the Isle. I strongly suspect the Isle but it would be a close call regardless. This has to rank as one of the more iconic modules from the early days of TSR. I know that this was #16 on the Dungeon "30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time". I know the list was flawed as it only included one non TSR product, albeit a great one, and it has some early 3.x clunkers but this they got right though to low IMHO.

The module is another one that is intended to aid a fledgling DM. This time it is with wilderness adventures. This takes now your third plus level adventures to sea and then to possibly their first wilderness adventure. This module is specifically said to be the first published wilderness adventure. This is our first introduction to the Known World which later becomes Mystara. Included in the module are 13 maps of isle and 16 new monsters. A special continent map, complete with background information, is also included.

The premise for this adventure is that a scroll describing a journey to a mysterious island and the treasures on the island including a great black pearl in the center of the island. The map does not contain many details other than the coastline because the crew was so depleted they could not fully explore the island. The players can do some legwork and find out who the writer was, their eventual fate and why they may not have returned.

The module serves the purpose of introducing players and the DM to wilderness adventures well. Cook and Moldvay make a point of throwing a laundry list of outdoor monsters into the module as well as adding some that become canon monsters in the later iterations of the game. The version I used is the later fourth printing. This one switches out some monsters and brings it more in line the Mentzer editions of the game. The story is all but the same though this version has what I feel is lower quality art. It also has some issues with the map that the DM may have troubles with. The module was later reprinted in Dungeon 114 and brought into line under the 3.x version of the game. The magazine did include a large poster map of the island and makes it worthwhile for that reason alone.

For reference the Top 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time, as ranked by Dungeon Magazine 116 are listed below. Grognardia did a write up on his feelings about this list and is worth reading.

   1. Queen of Spiders, 1986 (G1-3, D1-3, Q1)
   2. Ravenloft, 1983 (I6)
   3. Tomb of Horrors, 1978 (S1)
   4. The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985 (T1-4)
   5. Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, 1980 (S3)
   6. The Desert of Desolation, 1987 (I3-5)
   7. The Keep on the Borderlands, 1979 (B1)
   8. Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, 2001
   9. White Plume Mountain, 1979 (S2)
  10. Return to the Tomb of Horrors, 1998
  11. The Gates of Firestorm Peak, 1996
  12. The Forge of Fury, 2000
  13. Dwellers of the Forbidden City, 1981 (I1)
  14. Dead Gods, 1997
  15. Castle Amber, 1981 (X2)
  16. Isle of Dread, 1980 (X1)
  17. Ruins of Undermountain, 1991
  18. The Hidden Shrine of Tamochan, 1980 (C1)
  19. Against the Cult of the Reptile God, 1982 (N1)
  20. Scourge of the Slave Lords, 1986 (A1-4)
  21. Dark Tower, 1980 (from Judge’s Guild)
  22. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, 1982 (S4)
  23. The Forgotten Temple of Tharzidun, 1982 (WG4)
  24. City of the Spider Queen, 2002
  25. Dragons of Despair, 1984 (DL1)
  26. City of Skulls, 1993 (WGR6)
  27. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, 1981 (U1)
  28. The Lost City, 1982 (B4)
  29. The Assassin’s Knot, 1983 (L2)
  30. The Ghost Tower of Inverness, 1980 (C2)

Spell:

Cassandra's Spell Recollection

Level: Fifth
Range: None
Duration: Instantaneous
Ares Effect: Self
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 2 Rounds
Saving Throw: None

Through use of this spell the magic user is able to recall any two spells of up to third level. The spells that are recalled must be ones that were previously memorized for that particular day. The recalled spells must also have already been cast for that particular day.

Use of this spell will not allow a greater number of spells to be memorized for a level than what would normally be allowed. If the caster does not have spells that can be be replaced by the recalled spells then the casting of this spell fails and it is lost.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.