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JG 750 The Illhiedrin Book Review

The Illhiedrin Book is a Judges Guild Adventure written for use with Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The author of the module is Daniel Hauffe. It was published in 1981. The adventure is 32 pages long including the covers and maps.

This is an extremely low level adventure. Characters that were just rolled up would find this an appropriate starter module. The adventurers will soon find themselves brought to the tower of a powerful female wizard named Alcastra. She is interested in finding an important book (or at the very least it’s current location). She promises payment and rewards for accomplishing this task for her.

This adventure includes a complete map and description for Alcastra’s tower, a nearby town, a tomb and the tower in which the book is actually located. There are also several notable NPCs offered in the text. These NPCs will come into play as the adventure progresses.

A wizard named Charellsfane is the last person known to have possessed this book. He once lived in a tower but this tower is no longer known to exist. At least… no one knows it’s current location. The wizard Alcastra offers a possible lead as to the location of the tower. She has had some dealings with the high priest of the temple in a town near where the tower once stood. This priest performed the last rites on the wizard Charrellsfane and may well know more than what she has told.

What I like about The Illhiedrin Book

It is a low level adventure. There are few of these really from Judges Guild. Most of their adventures never really state a level range but just about all of them are for levels higher than this one.

It provides a new monster….sort of…..

It does include multiple areas to visit and explore. Most of the encounters are level appropriate. And there are multiple NPCs with designs of their own which may be contrary to that of the adventurers or of the wizard Alcastra.

It is a fairly short adventure. It could be shorter….of course…which I will discuss in the next section.

What I do not like about The Illhiedrin Book

The actual dungeons in this adventure are but a tiny part of the module. This is not that unusual with some of the old Judges Guild modules but it always pisses me off anyway. Out of 32 pages only about six are devoted to areas the adventurers are really going to spend any time exploring. And the actual tower where the book is only consists of about a page and one half of text. And most of those rooms are empty.

Far too much space is devoted to Alcastra’s tower. While I often do include descriptions of good NPC places like this in my own adventure writing I rarely make this part far in excess of the areas the players will actually spend time exploring. After all….are the players going to fight the good NPC wizard who gives them the mission they are to set on? Not likely. So why spend two thirds of the module space talking about that place?

The maps in this place are inconsistent. The map of the Alcastra tower, which is the biggest part of the module, is merely a hand drawn map on graph paper copied into the module. But the tower of Charrrelsfane is actually not hand drawn. It is not spectacular or anything but why hand draw one and not the other? Even the map of the tomb is not hand drawn. It seems kind of strange to me.

I think that the final monster is probably too easy even for a party of new characters. It is two hit dice. Granted….it does have special magical properties which might make it more difficult than a two hit dice creature. It also has no name. Why? It is merely referred to as “the creature.” The picture provided looks like a man with white hair and a beard. So is the creature a man? None of this is explained.

The actual nature of the Illhiedrin book is never revealed. Is it magical? Is it more valuable than what is offered for it’s recovery? Could the adventurers benefit more by not giving it up if they find it?

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

I do not see why I would not recommend it. It is a 1st level adventure for AD&D. First level adventures for AD&D are few and far between. More than likely this adventure would not take more than one or two play sessions to complete. Characters probably would not advance a level after completion.

Would I run The Illhiedrin Book with my own players?

Perhaps. If i were starting with 1st level characters with no experience at all this might be an appropriate adventure to run. The encounters are fairly easy. No one is likely to die unless they get some really unlucky rolls. It is AD&D after all. Bad rolls can definitely kill a 1st level character no matter how well it is played.

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JG 117 Temple of Ra: Accursed by Set

Temple of Ra is a Judges Guild adventure written specifically for use with Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The authors are Thomas and Edward McCloud. Temple of Ra was published in 1979. From cover to cover the adventure is only twenty pages long including the maps and cover pages. It is a short adventure with only one dungeon level.

This is an Egyptian themed adventure. The Gods (and Goddesses) Isis and Ra and Set figure prominently in the story. The temple was built by priests of the sun god Ra. But ultimately the real work on the tower was performed by the Goddess Isis. But the evil God Set decided to foul this fine temple by spiriting it away and filling it with monsters.

What I like about Temple of Ra

I like the brevity. This module presents the situation and lets the DM run with it. It does not give ten pages of history that no one will read or care about. This is another example of something that I love about many of the old Judges Guild adventures…..it does not force the characters into one path. In fact….it leaves the decision making up to the players. Are they going to do go explore? Are they going to do good things? or bad things? Too many later modules (from various authors and various editions) seemed to feel that they needed to write the story and then make the players play it. That was never the way the game was meant to be played in my opinion. Read just about any of the current edition’s adventures and they are just about all written that way now.

The selection of creatures in this adventure is interesting to me. And it seems quite appropriate. There are lions and tigers and typical animals that would seem correct for an Egyptian theme. And there are nagas and rakshasas and sphinxes. And there are also a few demons. To me this selection seems very much right for this adventure.

I like the Egyptian theme. The interaction of the three Gods and Goddesses is interesting and a unique aspect of the adventure.

There is but one map here and it is simple and clean. There are multiple entrances into the temple.

Not all of the residents of this dungeon like each other. This gives the adventurers the option to play these off of each other or to find allies.

What I do not like about Temple of Ra

One thing that struck me the moment I saw it was the artifact entitled the Rod of Ra. This appears towards the very end of the module. But this artifact is highly over powered. I mean beyond the scope of imagination. It is a combined rod of resurrection and death ray with near total magic resistance for the cleric who wields it. It regenerates itself if placed in the sun on the proper day. And it comes with 20 charges (for each of these two powers) to begin with. There is no way I would give a goodie like that to one of my players. There is no way I could recommend any other dungeon master do so either.

I do not like the fact that the adventure requires one to own a copy of Gods, Demigods an Heroes. While I loved that book when I had it this adventure was written for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Granted…..the AD&D Deities and Demigods had not been published at the time of this adventure’s publication. But this adventure makes reference to certain creatures in the Gods, Demigods and Heroes book and then does not give the statistics for those creatures within this text. To assume that one owns a copy of an Original Dungeons and Dragons book in order to run this adventure seems questionable to me.

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

Maybe. Only if you remove or severely weaken the Rod of Ra I mentioned previously. I would never give such an artifact to my players. There are not even any severe drawbacks to it’s use.

Would I run Temple of Ra with my own players?

The temple itself is fine. As are the monsters and treasures. With the one notable exception being the Rod of Ra. I would not use that item if I chose to play this adventure. I might insert a normal Rod of Resurrection instead. Other than this one mistake the adventure is good and well written.

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Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons

Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons began with the Dungeons and Dragons “White Box Set” published in 1974. It was further described in the Greyhawk supplement published in 1975.

The Gelatinous Cube is a a square shaped ooze type creature that is about 10′ wide and 10′ tall. It is designed so as to fit exactly in a ten foot hallway and be virtually unavoidable as it sweeps through a dungeon. They are just a mindless blob of ooze in the shape of a cube. They are nearly transparent and are easily missed in the dark corridors of dungeons. This often results in them having surprise in combat situations.

This guy didn’t quite make it out of the cube when he got swallowed

Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons keep things clean and tidy underground

The cube mindlessly patrols the corridors and passageways. During it’s travels it tends to pick up things left around on the floors. Gems, jewelry, weapons and other things left behind often end up inside of these creatures over time. They also pick up the dead things that land on the dungeon floors and dispose of them. Some things that the Gelatinous Cube picks up are not digestible for the creature. These are the “treasures” of the creature.

The cube picks up things as it sweeps through dungeon corridors

Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons various editions

Virtually all editions of Dungeons and Dragons include the Gelatinous Cube as a possible monster to encounter. This includes Basic and Original Dungeons and Dragons. Pathfinder does as well.

The cube is generally just big enough to block an entire hallway

Gelatinous Cubes are always hungry

These mindless blobs wander aimlessly through dungeon corridors in search of food. They consume living tissue but the bones and other objects with the prey go undigested. The cube is often found with bones and other objects embedded within the creature’s body. Eventually these items will be expelled during the passage of time. The better fed the Gelatinous Cube is the more easily it will be spotted as the items within it will be seen if nothing else.

The cube cannot dissolve certain hard objects that it picks up nor the bones of those that it engulfs

Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons are the size of a typical dungeon hallway

The 10 foot by 10 foot size of the Gelatinous Cube is no accident. These creatures are just the size of a typical dungeon hallway. Although….there are rumors of much bigger and much smaller varieties. But these rumors are unconfirmed. The nature of these creatures allows them to squeeze through smaller hallways in any case.

Eventually the cube will expel those hard objects back onto the floor during it’s travels

The busier a dungeon is the more likely it has a Gelatinous Cube present

The Gelatinous Cube lives off of living tissue or carrion. Either is fine. The creature is nearly mindless. All it knows is that it wants to eat. Dead, abandoned, places tend to have less food available for these creatures. And are less likely to have one present.

These creatures are nearly transparent and difficult to see in a dark dungeon setting

The Gelatinous Cube in combat

These creatures do not see nor do they hear. Instead…they sense vibrations….and warmth. When encountering a living thing the Gelatinous Cube will either slam that living thing with a paralyzing pseudopod or will attempt to engulf it completely. Creatures touched or engulfed may be paralyzed by a secretion specific to this creature. A person engulfed by the cube will then face the acidic digestive secretions of the creature. These acids affect living tissue but are not strong enough to eat at bones or other hard objects.

In the darkness of a dungeon it is often easier to see the objects embedded within the cube than the cube itself

Reproduction of Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons

Gelatinous Cubes reportedly reproduce asexually. They sometimes divide into two separate cubes. Or occasionally the bud a small one. On rare occasions two full sized Gelatinous Cubes have been reported to meet and merge into one much larger cube. This has been unconfirmed by any reliable sources.

A magic user alone does not want to encounter one of these things in the dark

The History of Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons

Given the nature of the Gelatinous Cube it is almost natural that most sages suspect that the Demon Prince Jubilex had a hand in their creation. As this Demon Prince is the lord of all such blob type creatures it seems likely to have some basis in truth. There are rumors that the Demon Prince has been seen to control these creatures on occasions.

All kinds of things get picked up by the Gelatinous Cube during it’s wanderings

Gelatinous Cubes in Dungeons and Dragons are iconic

Virtually all who have played any edition of Dungeons and Dragons has encountered one of these creatures at some point. They are a favorite of dungeon masters and players alike. They are exactly the kind of mindless monster one would expect to find in the dark corridors beneath the earth. And you do not want to meet one all alone in such places.

These goblins should have run when they had the chance

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The Gelatinous Cube is the janitor of the dungeon

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JG 34 Modron Review

Modron is a product from Judges Guild for the Wilderlands. It was published in 1977 and was written by Bob Bledsaw and Gary Adams. It is not truly an adventure. It offers a few new maps and a walled city for use in the campaign. It also offers a new goddess along with her statistics. Additionally it offers new rules regarding holding breath and swimming. It is written for Original Dungeons and Dragons.

What I like about Modron

I love the new goddess. That is a really nice part of this product. The walled town is a decent little place that could be the source of adventures. Modron offers a simple little walled town on a river with it’s own Goddess in which the city is named after. That makes for an interesting setting for future explorations.

What I do not like about Modron

When I began reading this I expected an adventure within the pages like most of the other Judges Guild products. Even the other Wilderlands supplements almost all offer a specific adventure within the areas presented. This one is limited to offering a new walled town. The town is nice though. Don’t get me wrong about that. But I was a little disappointed not to find an adventure as well.

Would I recommend Modron to others?

If you are running, or intend to run, a Wilderlands campaign then why wouldn’t I recommend it? But of course….I would probably recommend other Judges Guild products with adventures in them first.

Would I run this adventure with my own group?

I have never run a group through a Wilderlands campaign. At this point I am not sure that I ever will. I certainly have nothing against that campaign setting. I have my own. And that is the one I use. I have considered running a campaign in Greyhawk or the Forgotten Realms and may still do so at some point. That is not to say…however…that I would not consider running some of the Judges Guild adventures set in that campaign. I may very well do so.

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Night Below: An Underdark Campaign Review

On the recommendation of one of my readers I read this module. I must admit….I have had little experience reading Second Edition modules. So I was totally unaware of this gem. I love the Underdark. And I wrote an article about that wonderful place a few months ago. And I was familiar with the 5th Edition module entitled “Out of the Abyss” which is another Underdark campaign. I had even considered writing my own extensive Underdark adventure because I was unaware that one had already been made for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. As both 1st and 2nd edition are fairly compatible one could easily run Night Below with 1st edition rules and have no real complications.

Night Below is from TSR. It is designed by Carl Sargent. This is a very long adventure. It is intended to be a full campaign and not just a short adventure like most TSR modules were at that time. This one is more like the later 5th edition modules that were full campaigns in a single book or series of books. In this case it is three books in one. These books total 255 pages. The module was published in 1995 which explains a little as to why it is more like the later edition books than the earlier editions.

The adventure is intended to take a first level character to somewhere in the tenth to fifteenth level by the time it is over. This, of course, assumes survival. And this is certainly not guaranteed.

What I like about Night Below

First of all….it is an Underdark adventure. Not just a single adventure either. But a full Underdark campaign. It is long and it is complex. It includes most of the Underdark races that you would expect to see but is very light on Drow. I find this particularly interesting. An Underdark adventure in which the Drow do not feature prominently……

This adventure comes from TSR. So the standards for development were high. There was a whole team of developers and artists for this adventure including the classic ones like Erol Otus and David Trampier. The maps and art are fantastic.

The bad guys in this adventure are the Aboleth. And these guys are very bad indeed. This adventure requires the delvers to make alliances with races they would probably never consider making alliances with in any other situations. But the situation here is dire. So old enemies like Mind Flayers and Mariliths might seem worthy of temporary truces in order to stop the biggest threats.

Night Below introduces a new race of elves not seen in any earlier products called the Rockseers. This race of elves lives in the Underdark but are not evil like their cousins the Drow.

Night Below comes with a whole lot of maps. You would kind of expect that with a place this large. And most of these are in full color and are well presented.

What I do not like about Night Below

As I stated early on this adventure reads more like a 5th Edition adventure than an early edition one. It is set up like a long story in a book. There are chapters and specific events that must happen as the adventure progresses. To me this is a railroad. And I do not like railroading my players into doing anything they do not already want to do. I like adventures where the players are presented with a place or some legend and are allowed to go do what they want with it. They can raid it. They can walk away from it. They can take over the place and become legendary bandits. That is the kind of thing an adventure should be.

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

Probably. If you want an Underdark campaign this one is already made for you. I am not sure that I would run the first book. I would probably let my characters get up high enough in level to begin the second book and go down in the Underdark right away. Although I do not like the structure of the adventure all that much I think one could ignore a lot of that and let the adventurers explore this world beneath the surface. That would make a fine campaign even without the story line.

Would I run Night Below with my own adventurers?

I would consider it. My current group is already on a new campaign with new characters but I have other plans for them at the moment. If they lose this group of characters along the way I might use a campaign like this and let them go explore the Underdark.

Despite my reservations about the adventure forcing a specific story line on the players I think the adventure has a great deal of merit. It presents a wide section of the Underdark already mapped and designed. The Dungeon Master can easily run with this adventure and forget the story line if that suits them. Or they can play the story line. Either is fine. The Aboleth are a fine villain. And using Mind Flayers and Demons as allies would make my players cringe. So much the better.

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Vorpal Swords in Dungeons and Dragons

Vorpal Swords in Dungeons and Dragons first appeared in the Greyhawk Supplement to Original Dungeons and Dragons in 1975. This wicked sword had the ability to sever the head of an opponent instantly killing those with only one head to lose. Naturally this was an instantly popular weapon to have for players and evil villains alike.

Vorpal Swords in Dungeons and Dragons by edition

In original Dungeons and Dragons the Vorpal Sword was a +2 blade. On a roll of 18-20 or any roll 10% greater than needed to hit the blade severs the neck of an opponent. It can only perform in the hands of a lawful fighter but in the hands of a paladin it also has an anti-magic function. Presumably this makes it the equivalent of a holy sword for original Dungeons and Dragons.

All later editions removed the alignment requirement. Any alignment could wield and use this blade in combat.

The Vorpal Sword and the Jabberwocky

In 1st Edition the sword is a +3 blade for purposes of hitting and damaging. When a score on the to hit roll is high enough it will sever the neck of an opponent as follows:

  • Normal/Unarmored opponent on a modified roll of 20-23
  • Larger than man sized creature on a modified roll of 21-23
  • Solid metal or stone opponent on a modified roll of 22-23

The 1st Edition DM is advised that some creatures have no neck to sever and are unaffected by this special effect of the vorpal blade. Some creatures have more than one head and will also not be killed by losing one of them.

In 2nd Edition the wording of the Vorpal Sword in the Dungeon Master Guide is virtually identical to that of the 1st Edition DMG.

In 3rd Edition a Vorpal effect was merely one possible enchantment of a magical weapon that might be determined randomly.

In Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 a Vorpal Sword wielder must roll a natural 20 to use the neck severing function of the blade. A second roll was needed to confirm the critical hit. A weapon in 3.5 need not be a sword in order to have a Vorpal effect to it. Any slashing weapon could be a Vorpal one if the DM wished to place it as such.

In Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition the Vorpal Sword gains a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls. The weapon also ignores resistance to slashing type weapons. On a 20 the sword severs a head of an opponent. The text of the DMG does not specify that this must be a natural 20. Presumably it must be. But that is debatable given the specific language used. A creature that cannot survive with the loss of that head will perish as a result of the injury. A creature with more than one head may survive. A creature that is totally immune to slashing damage will be immune to this effect of the sword. Some creatures may have legendary actions which preclude this effect. Or perhaps they may just be too large to have a neck severed. Such a creature, instead, takes an extra 6D8 slashing damage.

The historical origins of the Vorpal Sword

The idea of the Vorpal Sword did not begin with Dungeons and Dragons. It’s origins go back much further than the 1970s. In 1871 Lewis Carrol wrote the book “Through the Looking Glass” in which Alice (Alice in Wonderland) finds and reads a poem. The poem is called “Jabberwocky” in which a hero is fighting and slaying a beast which sounds similar to a dragon.

The Vorpal Sword is the weapon wielded by the hero and it is mentioned two times in the text of the poem:

  • “He took his vorpal sword in hand,
    longtime the manxsome foe he sought
    So rested he by the Tum-Tum Tree
    And stood awhile in thought. “
  • ” One, two! One, two! And through and through
    The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
    He left it dead, and with its head
    He went galumphing back. “

Most of the poem makes little sense. And the nature of the Vorpal Blade is not really elaborated in the poem in any meaningful way. What is important, however, is that the hero wins the day using this blade. Therefore the blade must be magical!

The Vorpal Sword is very sharp. Or perhaps it is just magical energy that makes it so deadly

The Vorpal Sword in Dungeons and Dragons could be very over powered

Consider this. In 1st and 2nd edition one can sever heads quite easily. But in original Dungeons and Dragons it was even easier to do so with this weapon. If you are severing a head on a 20 (after applying the bonuses) it is not that difficult to sever heads. In fact….it should be occurring regularly in 1st and 2nd edition. But in Original Dungeons and Dragons you also have the statement that any roll of greater than 10% over the required to hit roll severs a head as well. So virtually every low level creature is going to lose a head any time a reasonably high level fighter rolls even a medium roll on a D10. That is a lot of heads flying off.

Naturally many Dungeon Masters would be rather careful about letting some blade like this into their campaigns. It could seriously unbalance the game in the player’s directions and lead to disastrous results.

As a result later editions watered down the effect of the blade to make it fit better for campaign use.

In my own campaign my players have insisted upon having critical hits as a part of it. As a compromise I imposed critical misses or fumbles as well. A player wielding a Vorpal Sword can be extremely dangerous to himself, herself or to their own party. I have had a character sever the neck of party members by accident several times over the years. It has gotten to the point that the players often keep that weapon sheathed and select something else to use in most combat encounters.

Could this be a Vorpal Blade?

Vorpal Swords in Dungeons and Dragons game worlds

Over the years TSR used variations of the Vorpal Sword in several modules and campaign settings. Not all of these weapons were actually swords at all. There were many different variations:

  • I9 Day of Al’Akbar had a Vorpal Short Sword
  • DL3 Dragons of Hope had a Vorpal Long Sword
  • H4 The Throne of Bloodstone had a Vorpal Sword in the hands of a Skeleton Warrior
  • FA2 Nightmare Keep (2nd Edition) had a Vorpal Axe
  • FRC2 Curse of the Azure Bonds had a Vorpal Sword
  • WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins (2nd Edition) had a Two Handed Vorpal Sword
  • EX2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror had an intelligent Vorpal Short Sword
Or is perhaps this blade a Vorpal?

Vorpal Swords in Dungeons and Dragons are special regardless of the edition that you play

Regardless of edition. The Vorpal Sword is almost always at the top of every fighter class character’s wish list. The ability to sever heads (even if watered down a bit) is still something that will always attract the interest of the players using such characters. They will all want this blade. It is up to you to decide if you want to have one of these blades in your campaign at all.

In Original Dungeons and Dragons one had to be Lawful to wield this weapon

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The quest to find a Vorpal Sword should be long and dangerous

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I10 Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill Review

The House on Gryphon Hill is an Advanced Dungeons and Dragons adventure. It was published in 1986 and was written by Tracy and Laura Hickman. This is the sequel to the Ravenloft adventure which I reviewed recently. The House on Gryphon Hill is almost twice as long as the original Ravenloft adventure.

Count Strahd Von Zarovich is back! And he is not quite dead yet. Due to a machine developed by an alchemist the evil genius has moved from his own world into another. This alchemist, also known as Strahd, has brought about a change in the planes of existence. The count that was once a vampire in Barovia is now a creature loose in this plane.

Similar to the original module in this one the motives and plans of the villain are determined randomly before play commences. This adventure can be played immediately after Ravenloft or it can be played alone.

What I like about the House on Gryphon Hill

I love the artwork. The covers and the internal art are well done. I enjoyed the original Ravenloft and was looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately, for the reasons below, I was disappointed.

The house and maps and room descriptions are comparable to the original module. But there is less of it as this house is not the size of the castle from Ravenloft.

What I do not like about the House on Gryphon Hill

Unfortunately the magic that was Ravenloft is lost in translation in this installment. I do not like much of it. The primary flaws to my mind are as follows:

  • There are far too many moving parts in this adventure for the dungeon master to manage. The DM is expected to constantly check and recheck whether individual NPCs have “transposed.” The longer that the count is in this world the more local villagers are turned into something evil. To be perfectly honest…there is just way too much to expect the dungeon master to keep track of here. There is a nifty little sheet provided which is supposed to make it easy to do. But it does not look too easy to me.
  • The adventure begins by stealing all of the adventurers magic items and distributing them around the town. This is to get the adventurers to explore and discover that “something is not right around here.” This kind of railroading sucks as a player and as a dungeon master. The players have no choice but to follow the story line if only to get back what they once owned.
  • The heroes are expected to meet certain personalities and follow a script in order to reach the expected outcome. No decisions are truly left to the players to make
  • Ostensibly this is a mystery story. In reality it is a boring play with several acts. Whenever an adventure sets itself up with “Chapters” I groan internally. This tells me right away that the story is going to force the players to follow it instead of letting the adventurers make their own decisions on what they want to explore and do.
  • When I saw that this was a sequel to Ravenloft I wondered in what way the vampire from the original adventure could be reborn. I was hoping for something clever. What I found was something seriously lacking. An alchemist in an alternate dimension builds a machine and somehow transfers the creature into this dimension. That is the gist of it.

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

No. I would recommend playing Ravenloft and skipping this sequel. I did not like it. I do not like modules that force the players into one possible sequence of events. Nothing is left for the adventurers to decide for themselves.

I will state this…however….Other reviewers do not agree with me on this. Several reviewers at the time of publication rated it very highly. I personally….think they were stoned…. or perhaps they were just so enamored with the original that they just ignored the obvious flaws of this module.

Would I play the House on Gryphon Hill with my own group?

No. I will run the original Ravenloft with my players. And I will move on to something else after should they survive it. That is, of course, uncertain given the difficulties of that adventure.

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I6 Ravenloft Review

Ravenloft is an adventure written for use with Advanced Dungeons and Dragons by Tracy and Laura Hickman. The module was published in 1983. This classic adventure has stood the test of time. It exists in a slightly different form for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition and is as popular now as it ever was.

Ravenloft is written for characters of 5th to 7th levels of experience. It is a classic Gothic tale of a vampire and his quest for an eternal life (or unlife as it may be). It is a sweeping epic of a story with tragedy and horror as the primary elements. Ravenloft is more than just an adventure…..it is a parallel universe in the fantasy worlds of Dungeons and Dragons.

The adventure is 40 pages long from cover to cover. It includes extensive maps of the land of Barovia as well as detailed renderings of the castle in which the vampire Strahd Von Zarovich inhabits. These are beautiful color maps with many levels.

What I like about Ravenloft

It is a classic story of a vampire and it is a love story as well. It has a deep and rich background and one understands the motivations of the villain quite well. The random “fortunes” thing is really an interesting twist. It allows one to set this module up randomly so that is different each time it is played. I love that aspect of it.

I also love the extensive castle and maps. They are quite detailed and excellently done. The artwork for this adventure is also well done.

Ravenloft is more than just one adventure. It is an entire fantasy setting in which one can run other horror adventures.

Eternal existence leads to lots of organ practice

This adventure has a huge castle. Most of the encounters within the castle are:

  • Random
  • Benign encounters with servants or others
  • Are with one of the useful artifacts
  • Or are with the vampire Strahd or his minions sent to harass the adventurers

The rest of the castle is basically empty and waiting to be explored by the adventurers. This will make the final encounter that much more suspenseful in the end.

What I do not like about Ravenloft

It can prove fatal……to characters anyway….hopefully not to the players themselves. I know that people tend to love their characters but some adventures are more likely to prove fatal to them than others. Ravenloft has many possibilities for character deaths. But rewards without risks are boring. Any rewards gained in this adventure will be earned by the end of it.

I am not so fond of the idea of one entering the Ravenloft universe by finding themselves lost in fog and then crossing a gate in which they can no longer return without killing the vampire first. This is a bit of a railroad. I understand that the players might well choose not to go to the castle or confront the vampire….but that is the kind of decision they might make at any time in the game.

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

Of course. What is not to love about this adventure? Granted…it might prove fatal for some characters. But AD&D played correctly always proves fatal for some adventurers in the end. A game where no one ever dies is not a game that anyone stays interested in for long.

If one is too squeamish about losing beloved characters you could always use pre-generated ones.

Would I run this adventure with my own group?

Yes. And I plan to at some point. I have played in a few adventures in the Ravenloft world at conventions (5th Edition). But have never run this module. And I think I would like to do so. I just have to wait a while for my players to get their characters up high enough in level to do so.

When you exist forever you have lots of time to sit on your balcony and think

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Mimics in Dungeons and Dragons

The thief stealthily hides in the shadows and moves silently into the room. There are no monsters. There are no guards visible. There is but a single treasure chest in the center of the floor. The thief closely looks at the ground around the chest. He checks out the walls looking for aberrations. He looks for loose stones in the floor. Finally he is positive that there are no traps around the chest.

Fun times in the tavern

He creeps towards the chest knife in mouth. When he gets close he carefully inspects the outside of the chest itself. There are no wires visible. There are no obvious signs of traps He carefully inspects the locks for poison needles. And then he pulls out his tools and begins to work the locks. And finds himself stuck fast to the chest. The chest is not a chest. The chest itself is the trap. For it is not a chest at all…..but a mimic in disguise.

The mimic is a classic staple of Dungeons and Dragons. But the game did not start with mimics in it.

Perhaps she should have let the thief check the chest

The history of the mimic in Dungeons and Dragons

No. The mimic was not an original monster in Dungeons and Dragons. In fact it was first introduced into the game with the 1977 Monster Manual for 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. This is kind of surprising isn’t it? For this seems like such a basic creature now after so many years. Of course….just about every edition since that time has included it.

The mimic is merely trying to lure prey so that it can survive

Versions of the mimic in Dungeons and Dragons

At first there were but two. These were the “mimic” and the “killer mimic.” The smaller version of the mimic is more friendly. They are intelligent. And generally they only want food. If given some they will often be quite cooperative with the dungeon delvers that encounter them. The other, however, is a more violent and aggressive species. These are the killer mimics. They are often stronger and more powerful than normal mimics. And far more dangerous. The killer mimics are far less intelligent. They can not even speak.

A mimic in the real world could be brutal for some

Dragon magazine issue 101 introduced a new type of mimic known as the Metal Mimic. These are able to imitate metal rather than just stone or wood like normal mimics. They even have the ability to have a single pseudopod imitate an enchanted weapon in order to lure prey towards itself. The metal mimic also comes in two forms. A larger normal version which is intelligent and often friendly. And a smaller “killer” version.

Dungeon issue 19 offered another much larger version of the mimic called a “house hunter.” These large mimics imitate small buildings and houses in order to lure prey inside of them. They could even imitate a temple or small inn.

Second edition offers us the “Space Mimic” for Spelljammer. The space mimic pretends to be floating space debris. The Forgotten Realms box set for this edition also offers the “Greater Mimic” which is an enhanced version of the creature.

These are some nice examples of miniatures involving mimics. Notice the barrel on the right? Nice eh?

The Mimic in Dungeons and Dragons is a subterranean creature

The First Edition Monster Manual tells us that the mimic cannot stand light. They prefer underground places in which to live and seek food. These creatures can perfectly mimic both stone and wood. When creatures come along and touch the surface of the mimic they are held fast by a glue like substance. This gives the creature the advantages of both surprise and control of at least one hand or appendage of the potential victim.

The mimic can alter its form and it’s pigmentation. This allows it to lure prey towards it.They often appear in the form of treasure chests but there are many other forms in which the mimic might appear. This article will discuss this aspect of the mimic in greater depth later in this article.

Pretending to be a piano

Communication with mimics in Dungeons and Dragons

The mimic is able to communicate in it’s own tongue as well as the common tongue and other languages. Killer mimics cannot speak at all. In 5th Edition the mimic can sometimes speak undercommon as well as common.

A coffin mimic

Possible forms that one might encounter a mimic in Dungeons and Dragons

The possibilities of what form a mimic might be encountered in are nearly endless. With the ability to imitate wood and stone there are tons of possibilities. If you add in the metal mimic variation there are many more possibilities to consider. This is the real key to using a mimic effectively and in an interesting way. Players often suspect treasure chests to be a mimic. But will they expect the wooden floor to be one? Or a stone wall?

Some possibilities that come to my mind for using a mimic creatively are:

  • Treasure chest is of course the first option
  • Doors
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • Thrones
  • Book Cases
  • Pedestals
  • Walls
  • Floors
  • Ceilings
  • Chandeliers
  • Paintings
  • Desks
  • Cabinets
  • Statues
  • Stairs and Staircases
  • Archways
  • Altars
  • Fonts
  • Any furniture of any type
  • Large musical instruments like harps
  • Overhangs
  • Balconies
  • A large book
  • Caskets
  • Coffins
  • Kegs
  • Barrels
  • As an obvious trap (but not so obviously a creature instead) (this might lead a thief to try to disarm the trap and be stuck to the mimic instead)
  • Cupboard
  • Dresser
  • Box
  • Toilet
  • Shield
  • Bar
  • Barstool
  • Clock
  • Ladder
  • Sarcophagus
  • Crypt
  • Fountain
  • Piano
  • Organ
  • Boat
  • Tree stump
  • Cart
  • Gate
  • Urn
  • Vase
  • Fireplace
  • Bed
  • Workbench
  • Loom
  • Lectern
  • Screen
  • Pews
  • Wheel
  • Siege equipment
  • Racks and other wooden torture devices
Another door mimic

Some possibilities for the metal mimic might include:

  • Anvil
  • Metal statues
  • Brazier/fire pit
  • Metal door
  • Magical swords (as a single psuedopod bait)
  • As a suit of standing armor
  • As a pile of coins
  • Portcullis
  • Metal Gate
  • Chimes
  • Gong
  • Cage
  • Iron Maiden

Of course…there are many possibilities that I have not yet considered. Creativity could lead to a very interesting and fun encounter for your dungeon delvers. Using a mimic in a totally unexpected way might easily create an encounter long remembered in your campaign.

Door mimic

The origins of mimics in Dungeons and Dragons

It is said that the mimic is the result of experimentation by insane wizards that wanted to create a special kind of servant for their arcane purposes. But it was quickly discovered that these intelligent creatures were not willing servants. And they were quickly discarded by these wizards. But this is, of course, speculation. No one knows for sure where the mimic came from. Perhaps some ancient sage might believe that he has the answer. Perhaps some oracle might disclose the truth. But then again…perhaps not.

Table mimic

The key to using the mimic effectively is to achieve total surprise

Total surprise using a mimic requires placing it somewhere that your adventurers clearly do not expect to find one. On the first steps in a dungeon perhaps. Or on the door exiting the dungeon instead. As a statue in the middle of a busy street in the city. Or as the king’s own throne! An assassin would never use the same disguise twice. And a Dungeon Master should follow the same advice. Use mimics differently each time that they are encountered in your games. Total surprise will just about always be achieved when you are creative in your use of the mimic.

Another door mimic

Mimics in Dungeons and Dragons can be very entertaining encounters

Meeting mimics in the dungeon does not necessarily have to end in a death. These creatures are often more than willing to negotiate with dungeon delvers. They know things. And they need food. They care little for treasure. And they are not inherently evil. This could easily lead to a trade or partnership between the mimic and the adventurers. And this is what role play encounters are all about.

Barrel or keg mimic

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I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City Review

Dwellers of the Forbidden City is an adventure written for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons First Edition. It was written by David Cook and published in 1981. The adventure is for characters of 4th to 7th levels of experience.

The Jungles to the south have been reported as the source of recent bandit raids on merchant caravans. Strange reports of headhunters and cannibals in those jungles have kept adventurers from exploring those places for some time. A great deal of valuable treasures have disappeared into the jungle. One could get quite wealthy if they could recover even some of it.

Dwellers of the Forbidden City was used at the 1980 Origins AD&D tournament. The module itself is not presented as a tourney module.

What I like about Dwellers of the Forbidden City

A lost city in a jungle. Who would not like that? It also introduced several new monsters into the AD&D universe including: Yuan Ti, Aboleths, Tasloi and Bullywugs. Yuan Ti are a favorite of mine. It also introduces the Pan Lung (oriental dragon) and the Yellow Musk Creeper.

This lost city has to be reached before it can be explored. As the city is down in a canyon the adventurers will have to find a safe way down into it. Some of the safe ways…..are not so safe at all. Some are fairly safe. It is a crap shoot for the adventurers as to which method they choose.

There are factions here which could be played off of each other. Fighting everything here might be a recipe for a total party kill. With a little help from friends, though, this should not be an impossible place to get some good loot.

This adventure does not have a lot of the magical “tricks” that I like so much. But it does have a few good ones. But it does have a few good “role playing” encounters. These are encounters where the adventurers may well lose a few lives if they do not use their wits and negotiate a little.

This adventure has a few villains but finding and defeating them is not critical to the success of the adventurers here. They could easily avoid the biggest baddest dudes here and run off with the loot. Or they could solve the problem of the “bandits” should they wish to do so. It is totally up to them. No one is being railroaded into doing anything in this adventure. This module provides the place for adventure and leaves the decisions to the players themselves.

What I do not like about Dwellers of the Forbidden City

While I like the maps…..they are not well marked. The large “city map” has a number of locations that are important to the Dungeon Master that are very difficult to find. What I am referring to is the blue tile map with blue lettering. In the busy map it is very difficult to make out this lettering and figure out exactly where these important locations are in the city. I had to scour the map for an hour or so to find all of them and mark them more clearly so that I could find them during game play.

A few of the “entrances” into the city are not clearly understood. At least not by me. Specifically the entire sequence of caverns referred to as the “main tunnel entrance.” The blue city map only has a reference for area C11 which is the end of that sequence of caves. On the blue map it is shown as a series of four pillars. So where is this cave entrance? It is not shown. There is a separate map for the tunnels themselves but nowhere does it show where these tunnels begin in reference to the city map.

A couple of the encounters seem a bit tough for characters of this level. But I suppose that the adventurers must make good decisions if they are going to succeed and survive in this hostile place.

In fact….the entire sequence of caves listed as the primary entrance to the city is a deadly area for adventurers of this level range. They may well burn up all of their healing resources here or even lose a few characters to the Aboleth.

Would I recommend this adventure to others?

Absolutely. This looks like a well designed adventure and could lead to several play sessions. Or it could end in a total party kill. Either or. But I am ok with that. That is a risk that dungeon delvers take when they explore strange and dangerous places.

Would I run Dwellers of the Forbidden City with my own group?

I intend to. My current group is now reaching second level. In a couple of levels from now they should be ready to visit this jungle lost city.

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