# What adventure module defines D&D to you?



## Bullgrit (Dec 1, 2009)

If you were to pick one (1) published D&D adventure that best showcases, defines, or exemplifies _Dungeons & Dragons_ to you, what adventure would that be?

Bullgrit


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## Janx (Dec 1, 2009)

Me and my groups do not play with modules.  

That in itself, defines D&D for us.


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 1, 2009)

B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.


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## DaveyJones (Dec 1, 2009)

B1 In Search of the Unknown - the title says it all

as for 1edADnD it would be G1 Steading of the Hill Giant Chief


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## Garmorn (Dec 1, 2009)

Janx said:


> Me and my groups do not play with modules.
> 
> That in itself, defines D&D for us.




I second this.  We have never liked any of the modules.


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## Raven Crowking (Dec 1, 2009)

ExploderWizard said:


> B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.




Seconded.


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## Gentlegamer (Dec 1, 2009)

Raven Crowking said:


> Seconded.



Thirded.


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## weem (Dec 1, 2009)

Another "not a module guy" vote here. I have never run a published module (as a DM) - BUT, I will try to answer the question in a different way...

I have played a few of them... though there isn't one that sticks out as "defining" for me. 

With that said, when I think of D&D two images come to mind always...

"Sabre River"...







...first module I ever played, second D&D game I had played.

...and the Rules Cyclopedia...






So I would call those "iconic" (to me) perhaps, but not defining.


If that makes sense


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## RangerWickett (Dec 1, 2009)

Could someone please spoil Keep on the Borderlands for me? What makes it iconic? I didn't get into D&D until late 2e - Skills & Powers era. My first module was the frikkin' Night Below.


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## Raven Crowking (Dec 1, 2009)

RangerWickett said:


> Could someone please spoil Keep on the Borderlands for me? What makes it iconic? I didn't get into D&D until late 2e - Skills & Powers era. My first module was the frikkin' Night Below.




1.  Gygaxian prose.

2.  DM is supposed to fill in the setting.

3.  Cool, cool cave map.

4.  Settlement, wilderness, & dungeon.

5.  Crazy hermit with a puma.

6.  Gygaxian prose.

7.  Bree-yark!


RC


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## Wombat (Dec 1, 2009)

None.

D&D for me and mine is defined by the adventures we have created over the years, rather than anything published by someone else.


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## jdrakeh (Dec 1, 2009)

I dunno. I've never really used a lot of modules, but the first one that I ever read and enjoyed was B2: The Keep on the Borderlands. The first one that ever made me really want to _play_ it was I6: Ravenloft.


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## Treebore (Dec 1, 2009)

ExploderWizard said:


> B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.




4thed


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## Raven Crowking (Dec 1, 2009)

RangerWickett said:


> Could someone please spoil Keep on the Borderlands for me? What makes it iconic? I didn't get into D&D until late 2e - Skills & Powers era. My first module was the frikkin' Night Below.




To elaborate, Gygax provided a setting that had real flavour but required the DM to bring to life.  It was essentially a mini-sandbox, with the intention that the DM add additional adventuring areas to it as well as expand the map.  The Caves of the Unknown were shown on the wilderness map, and linked to the Caves of Chaos, but it was up to the DM to decide exactly what was there, using the CoC as a guideline.

The Caves of Chaos were just cool.  In fact, I would say that the CoC map is easily one of the best TSR ever produced, if not the best.  The areas were interconnected, allowing PCs to range freely over a wide range of encounters.

The Caves essentially were humanoid tribes, but the tribes were given character enough (Bree-Yark! for the kobolds; the bugbears' invitation to dinner [which took in my 3e players!]) to allow the DM to really bring them to life.  Some of the encounters were iconic.....anything with an owlbear in it is good, IMHO.  The evil clerics are fun, too, depending upon how much personality the DM wishes to give them.  Certainly, they are the "Chaos" that the Caves are named for, and probably drew all those monsters to the caves in the first place.

As written, KotB can easily provide 6-8 sessions worth of adventuring, and, should the GM expand the region, it can easily be the focus for an entire campaign.

Plus, in addition to Gygaxian prose, there are Gygaxian staging tips, and a glossary!

There is a reason that 4e opened with "Keep on the Shadowfell".......and that was a hope to harken back to "The Keep on the Borderlands".  Unfortunately, KotS fails in comparison.  IMHO, of course.  YMMV.


RC


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## Jeff Wilder (Dec 1, 2009)

ExploderWizard said:


> B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.



Me too.

You have a frontier lkeep filled with NPCs with agendas, you have a nearby group of discrete (but interconnected) dungeons, and you have wilderness to explore.  (Plus you have that picture of the Caves of Chaos, from PH2, to show the players.  Best picture ever.)


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## Grimstaff (Dec 1, 2009)

T1 - Village of Hommlett

-great home base w/NPCs
-ruined keep
-giant frogs
-bandits
-Evil High Priest (EHP)
-giant crayfish
-loads of treasure & nice Easter Egg
-cool backstory


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## diaglo (Dec 1, 2009)

RangerWickett said:


> Could someone please spoil Keep on the Borderlands for me? What makes it iconic? I didn't get into D&D until late 2e - Skills & Powers era. My first module was the frikkin' Night Below.




small adventure with potential for using as a base for more. so it can be finished in very few sessions or one nice long weekend.

variety of potential enemies and allies. this gives the PCs and the referee a chance to flesh out politics if you want.

variety of directions to go. each class getting a chance to shine.

big and little trouble. the structure was built so the party could tackle each area and gain exp or magic before tackling something harder. plus a base to fall back and spend loot, train, and rest.

split adventure. you have the keep/civilization. the wilds/getting lost. and the dungeon/caves.

and all of it written in just a few pages.

starting price was $5 stand alone. or $10 if you bought the boxed set.


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## Vyvyan Basterd (Dec 1, 2009)

_Ruins of Greyhawk_ comes closest to capturing the essence of the adventures that Gary Gygax ran the iconic player characters through.

_Keep on the Borderlands_ pulled town, wilderness, and dungeon together to show that there was more to the game than the name implied.

_Dungeonland_ and *Land Beyond the Magic Mirror* captured the spirit of imagination in the game and proved that inspiration can come from unexpected places.

_I6 Ravenloft_ brought new life into the dungeon and a new feel from cross-genre sources. It also raised the bar for graphic design and innovative use of props that influenced game play.


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## ferratus (Dec 1, 2009)

I couldn't say that one modules defines D&D for me, but I could name few that gives me all the elements of what I want in D&D.

B4 - The Lost City - Dungeon crawling, a lost and decadent civilization and a big demon on the lowest level.

DL 1 - The original points of light world, and a wide sprawling list of encounters that encourages exploration.

The Mud Sorcerer's Tomb - Sure, it is a rip-off of Tomb of Horrors, but it is the trap filled lair of an ancient evil, filled with riddles and puzzles _that you can actually survive. _ So it is everything great about the Tomb of Horrors in which you can actually keep your friends if you run it at home.  Plus, it is all bound together with a single distinct theme, rather than random traps by a generic lich.


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## Jan van Leyden (Dec 1, 2009)

Douglas Niles' N1: Against the Cult of the Reptile God.

It was the very first real adventure I ran for my group back then. I've never played before but started AD&D with this. It was a fantastic experience which made me a roleplayer forever. 

Even today I rate it as a fantastic adventure, with village, wilderness, and dungeon, roleplaying opportunities, exploration and fights all standing side by side.

I'd read B2 before N1, but it didn't grab or inspire me, nor did it give me the impetus to start a group.


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## Stoat (Dec 1, 2009)

I'm not sure that any specific adventure does it for me, but everyone needs to play _Tallow's Deep_ from Dungeon #18.


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## Umbran (Dec 1, 2009)

My experiences with D&D have been too broad in character to be defined, showcased, or exemplified by a single module.


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## The Ghost (Dec 1, 2009)

ExploderWizard said:


> B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.




That is up there but I think my love for Maure Castle triumphs so I'd go with WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure.


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## rogueattorney (Dec 1, 2009)

Another vote for B2.


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## Lancelot (Dec 1, 2009)

B4 (Lost City), N1 (Reptile God) and GDQ (Giants/Drow/Queen) are some of my *favorite *early modules...

...but nothing defines D&D more for me than B2 (Keep on the Borderlands). 


It is the classic "explore, kill and loot" module.
It has a fully keyed starting "town" and approximately a dozen "dungeons" to explore.
It has all the classic D&D tropes:
sneaky kobold traps
"boss monster" fights (several memorable singleton creatures)
a creepy evil temple
a damsel-in-distress who isn't all she seems
a maze (@#$%!)
a mad hermit in the woods


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## ShinHakkaider (Dec 1, 2009)

B2 Keep on the Borderlands

but more recently the first adventure in the Age Of Worms - The Whispering Cairn is one that I hold in very high regard.


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 1, 2009)

Raven Crowking said:


> The Caves essentially were humanoid tribes, but the tribes were given character enough (Bree-Yark! for the kobolds; the bugbears' invitation to dinner [which took in my 3e players!])
> 
> RC




Actually Bree-Yark was a rallying cry of the goblins in apartment D down the hall. 

Besides all the wonderful  qualities of the module that have already been discussed (and I agree with them) the factor that brings this to the top of my list is the amount of replay value this adventure provides. The same contents of the module can provide more than a dozen different adventures depending on what the PC's decide to do. There are multiple power groups that can be interacted with in a number of different ways. Chaotic parties can unite the humanoids and march on the keep! Temporary alliances can be forged and evil humanoids can be duped into doing the dirty work for the forces of good. The module provides such a great framework that can be used so many ways that it may be the best value per page of any D&D product ever.


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## Lanefan (Dec 1, 2009)

Despite having played for decades, I'd never encountered B2 as either DM or player until I ran it in the spring of '08 as the launch for my current campaign.

Now I know why everyone loves it so much! 

That said, another defining one for me is Tomb of the Lizard King - for a mid-level self-contained adventure, it has a bit of everything including a couple of truly memorable set-pieces.  And it's nasty; half the time you're on the edge of your seat just waiting for the TPK, and wondering afterwards how you escaped...

And if your tastes lean toward the "nothing makes sense so just go with it" style, the Judges' Guild module Sword of Hope is another classic - if you can ever find a copy.

Lan-"but in my case, the truly defining module is a homebrew"-efan


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## The Shaman (Dec 1, 2009)

Grimstaff said:


> T1 - Village of Hommlett
> 
> -great home base w/NPCs
> -ruined keep
> ...



DING! Winnah!


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## Jack7 (Dec 1, 2009)

I also rarely use modules.

But to me, _Tomb of Horrors._


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## Freakohollik (Dec 1, 2009)

So many good choices.

B2 for all the reasons said.

GDQ for going up against giant fortresses then traveling into the mysterious underground to face a new enemy.

T1 is also a good choice. It has all the tropes that end up in level 1 D&D adventures.

- Small town
- Ruins
- Bandits (Hum Ftr1, these are sometimes kobolds or goblins, it's the same idea)
- Giant Spider
- and the 5th level cleric in charge of it all

If I have to choose one, I'll go with B2. So vote number whatever for that module.


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## TheNovaLord (Dec 1, 2009)

another vote for N1, just lovely balance

followed by bone hill / assassins knot

sentinel/gauntlet


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## Lanefan (Dec 1, 2009)

TheNovaLord said:


> followed by bone hill



Good call; I forgot about Bone Hill, another defining module.

Lanefan


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## Mythmere1 (Dec 2, 2009)

B1.

No, wait. It's B2.

Actually, maybe it's G1.

I don't know the answer. Damn.


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## Wormwood (Dec 2, 2009)

Another vote for Keep on the Borderlands (even though I thought "keep" was a verb, not a noun. Give me a break, I was like 9).

I would add Queen of the Demonweb Pits as well. 

Ridiculous maze? Check
Lots of room for a creative DM to expand the game? Check.
Insta-kill zones? Check.
Iconic foes? Check.


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## Chainsaw (Dec 2, 2009)

Janx said:


> Me and my groups do not play with modules.
> 
> That in itself, defines D&D for us.




Agree.. D&D was all about homebrew for us (we didn't have the dough to buy modules).


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## ferratus (Dec 2, 2009)

Okay, I have to protest this widespread love of B2.

The Keep on the Borderlands was simply a collection of NPC's with no names or personality, and the Caves of Chaos were just a random jumble of minor delves with the usual monstrous humanoids.   

Sure, you can probably build upon it to make it something great with these bare bones, but that's you instead of the module.


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## Vegepygmy (Dec 2, 2009)

ferratus said:


> Sure, you can probably build upon it to make it something great with these bare bones, but that's you instead of the module.



Yeah, but re-read the title of this thread. The question isn't what is the _best_ D&D module ever written; it's what module _defines D&D_ to you?

And I can't think of a more definitive quality than "you can probably build upon it to make it something great."

(That having been said, I'm torn between In Search of the Unknown and Keep on the Borderlands.  And N1 is a great, great, _great_ module IMO, but I don't think it _defines_ D&D to me.)


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## grodog (Dec 2, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> If you were to pick one (1) published D&D adventure that best showcases, defines, or exemplifies _Dungeons & Dragons_ to you, what adventure would that be?




S4 is one I'll single out, since it contains both wilderness and dungeon exploration, as well as a variety of (then-) new monsters/magic items/spells, so it's always been a personal favorite, and I certainly consider it one of the best exemplars of module design.



The Ghost said:


> That is up there but I think my love for Maure Castle triumphs so I'd go with WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure.




Of course, then there's Maure Castle/El Raja  Key/WG5, and Castle Greyhawk, and G1 and G3, and....  

edit:  interesting that so many folks are naming 1e modules, too.


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## Sunderstone (Dec 2, 2009)

Grimstaff said:


> T1 - Village of Hommlett
> 
> -great home base w/NPCs
> -ruined keep
> ...




This. but T1-4 for my group. The above plus the huge dungeon crawl.

Also D3 Vault of the Drow as an excellent sandbox example of the work a DM needed to do to bring it all to life. D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth and S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth for the Underdark environment and S1 Tomb of Horrors for the fear factor of losing your precious character to the best trap laden test of mettle in RPG history.

I miss the Ad&D days.

B2 was my beginning but AD&D is what nailed me.


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## Henry (Dec 2, 2009)

ferratus said:


> Okay, I have to protest this widespread love of B2.
> 
> The Keep on the Borderlands was simply a collection of NPC's with no names or personality, and the Caves of Chaos were just a random jumble of minor delves with the usual monstrous humanoids.
> 
> Sure, you can probably build upon it to make it something great with these bare bones, but that's you instead of the module.




Me too... oh, excuse me, I meant "B2".  

If one wanted to get all spoilery on the NPCs, I'll elaborate that it was a little more than that, though, yes, they were bare bones:

[sblock]
The goodly priest in the Keep is really the high priest of a cult meeting in the Caves of Chaos - anyone who takes too much of an interest in the caves he'll accompany and kill if given the chance.

The Jeweler in town is a rather snooty sort, he and his wife just waiting for the chance to find a caravan to get them back tp civilized lands.

There is a fairly explicit account of how the guard structure of the keep operates, and how the captain of the watch is a brutish guy, but one who respects bravery and who is taken by a pretty face easily.

There's a pretty good detail of what types of equipment each shop sells, who to go to for what items, etc.

There's an accounting of what the merchant guild pays attention to, what services they pay for, etc.

The sergeant of the guard is a rowdy fellow who loves to drink and brawl.

There are a number of prisoners in the Caves who interact in various ways with the Keep itself, or with the various monster tribes of the Caves.

The module is interspersed throughout with all kinds of one-sentence details like that to hang your creative hat on.
[/sblock]

Some of the less spoilery features:

The rumor table. A list of 20 rumors both far-fetched and real. It serves as an excellent intro to giving "quest-clues" to players on what kinds of things their PCs can follow next.

Tips on designing floor plans for man-made structures; great for first-time DMs looking to learn to do things on the fly.

The quick reference tables. Not as helpful as some other tables I've seen, but it was a great idea which came to fruition nowadays in the form of player aids, thanks to the Internet.

In short, it wasn't the best at what it did, but it's the only product I've ever seen to excapsulate all of the essential D&D experience, ALL of it, in 30 pages (28 plus the maps on the inside covers).

Speaking to Rangerwickett: if you ever get a chance to pick one up in a bargain bin somewhere, DO IT. It's an entertaing historical read into the roots of the hobby, in particular the period when the greatest number of Gen-X'ers flowed into the hobby, right around the "D&D is Satanic & Evil" phase.


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## Bullgrit (Dec 2, 2009)

I didn't state it, but my thinking with the question was "What adventure module could you hand someone to read to show them what D&D is?" So, for me, the "We don't play modules," statement really doesn't do anything.

Bullgrit


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## d12 (Dec 2, 2009)

Isle of Dread

Beast of Burden (Dungeon #100)


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## Gentlegamer (Dec 2, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I didn't state it, but my thinking with the question was "What adventure module could you hand someone to read to show them what D&D is?" So, for me, the "We don't play modules," statement really doesn't do anything.



You don't hand someone _anything _to read to show them what D&D is . . .


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## Ourph (Dec 2, 2009)

It's not necessarily one that gets a lot of love around here, but I would have to vote for _X1: Isle of Dread_. Not only is it a very well written module, but the following features...

1 Mix of wilderness, dungeon and small "town" adventures.
2 Strong mix of roleplay, exploration and combat opportunities.
3 Lots of adventure stubs for potential expansion by the DM, making it possible to turn a relatively small module into a full campaign.
4 Easy to drop into any campaign world.
5 Lots of iconic fantasy tropes (lost world style dino-threats, walled off island interior full of monsters, evil witch doctors, lost treasure, pirates, evil prehistoric fish people, etc.)

... combine to make it one of the most "D&Diest" of the D&D adventures ever IMO.


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## howandwhy99 (Dec 2, 2009)

B1 is the iconic underground dungeon modules with tons of help for new DMs.  
B2 is flat out awesome for any starter campaign play with all the tropes and design methodologies used throughout almost all pre-d20 D&D.  
T1 has a far more flushed out town that B2 and a much smaller dungeon, but there are numerous hooks into other adventures to be sprinkled around it.  

I'd say B2 is may favorite for defining D&D though.  It included everyone a DM needed to run hours of fun play and came in the boxset rules.


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## Banshee16 (Dec 2, 2009)

For me, Dead Gods was the defining module.  Running that module was probably the "glory days" of my DMing.

Banshee


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## Holy Bovine (Dec 2, 2009)

ExploderWizard said:


> B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.




As fantastic and well-loved as B2 is my 'iconic' D&D module has to be X1 Isle of Dread.  About as bare-bones (and I mean that in a good way - *I* want to fill in those details thankyouverymuch!  )as B2 but the whole island setting with dinosaurs, cannibals, pirates, horrible monsters just screams D&D to me.  The Isle has made an appearance in virtually every D&D campaign I have ever run.  Heck the thing is sitting right next to me now and its cover (the one with the natives fighting the T-Rex) is the one I think of when thinking of 'iconic' modules.

Although I could put B2 right on the isle....oh that sounds good.


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## Holy Bovine (Dec 2, 2009)

d12 said:


> Isle of Dread + Beast of Burden (Dungeon #100)




Ran these together during my Age of Worms game.  Much fun.


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## Snoweel (Dec 2, 2009)

B10


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## Witty Comeback (Dec 2, 2009)

I guess I will commit heresy by saying the 2E module Return to Keep on the Borderlands.

Sorry, not old enough to be a Grognard.



Umbran said:


> My experiences with D&D have been two broad



Wow, which module is that in?


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## Umbran (Dec 2, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I didn't state it, but my thinking with the question was "What adventure module could you hand someone to read to show them what D&D is?" So, for me, the "We don't play modules," statement really doesn't do anything.




I'm kind of with Gentlegamer here.  A person who hadn't played the game would not get much of an idea of what the game was like from looking at the module.

Do you want, "What adventure would you run for a new player to show them what D&D is?"


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## Lanefan (Dec 2, 2009)

grodog said:


> interesting that so many folks are naming 1e modules, too.



Probably because that's what we started with; those modules stuck in our memories, and thus became the defining modules for us.

Had I not started until 3e days, Forge of Fury might be a defining module.  It's certainly among the best of any 3e adventures I've met so far.

A player new with 4e might look back later and see Keep on the Shadowfell as a defining module, because that is what s/he started with.

Edit: @ Snoweel: Though I recognize the various neat design elements it tries to implement, Night's Dark Terror is to me the exact opposite of defining what D+D is or should be.  I DMed it 20 years ago, and if I ever see it again it'll be too soon.

Lanefan


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## Snoweel (Dec 2, 2009)

Lanefan said:


> Edit: @ Snoweel: Though I recognize the various neat design elements it tries to implement, Night's Dark Terror is to me the exact opposite of defining what D+D is or should be.  I DMed it 20 years ago, and if I ever see it again it'll be too soon.




In hindsight I think it is probably far too linear but when I ran it as a 12 year old my players took the bait every time.

What went wrong when you played it?


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## Obergnom (Dec 2, 2009)

The Homlet/Moathouse Part of Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. (Maybe ad the Nulb/Temple Ruins.) used with extensive knowlege of the old T1.

I have run this part of the adventure very often, I love it as a starter. Whenever I am DM for a new group of players I use this.

What I love about it, is: Homlet is a great starting village. You have a couple of NPCs that would travel with the group, one of them is actually a traitor. There are giant frogs, a dragon, gnolls, cultists, undead and some lovecraft in there.
IMO it covers modern day D&D very well... the sad part is, the rest of RttToeE is not as good is this.


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## Treebore (Dec 2, 2009)

Lanefan said:


> ... Forge of Fury might be a defining module.  It's certainly among the best of any 3e adventures I've met so far.
> 
> Lanefan




I agree its the best module put out by WOTC for 3E, there are far better put out by third party publishers though. A number of which were done by Necromancer Games, but Kenzer, Goodman, Paradigm, and Troll Lords put out modules I think are considerably better. Oh, and Fiery Dragon. Despite some layout/writing flaws "Nemorans Vault" is still one of the 3E stand outs.

Oh, and the Whitehorn mods too. I forget who did those. I know it was Ed Cha, but I forget the company. Plus Monkey God did some great mods too.

Now there are a fair number of Paizo adventures I can add to the list as well.

So, IMO only, of course, of all of the modules done for 3E Forge of Fury ranks down pretty low.

Again, of the ones done by WOTC, it is my fav.


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## ashockney (Dec 2, 2009)

To answer your initial question, my gut reaction is S4: Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.

This module captured, at a very early stage for me in my gaming experience, the best of "getting there" and "dungeon crawls" and mixed in a healthy dose of new and unique creatures; new, unique, and powerful magic items; wicked, deadly traps; and, unique and powerful BBEG's.

Seeing your response about a module you could hand to someone to learn about D&D, if I were doing that today, I'd hand them the 4e PH and KoTS.


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## Storminator (Dec 2, 2009)

Isle of Dread.

PS


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## roguerouge (Dec 2, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I didn't state it, but my thinking with the question was "What adventure module could you hand someone to read to show them what D&D is?" So, for me, the "We don't play modules," statement really doesn't do anything.
> 
> Bullgrit




I couldn't disagree more with Umbran.

Rise of the Runelords:


Detailed starter town, complete with rumors, map and NPCs with hooks
Map of regions includes nearby ruins and wilderness areas with cool names 
Funny and horrifying monsters, including the iconic Paizo goblin
A BBEG reveal that showcases what role backstory, narrative and roleplaying can play in a good game

Carnival of Tears:


Genuinely horrifying and nauseating... and disturbingly funny!
Charismatic villains, each with a shtick. 
Loosely connected to a series of other modules, but not dependent on them
Setting deals with adult issues of exploitation and environmental devastation
A DMPC which DMs can either keep or turn into that creepy clown on the cover
Very fun fights


Cage of Delirium:


Simply the best haunted house module ever written, and I love Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
Genuinely creepy, even without the soundtrack.
Players gradually unfold the narrative, which evokes a complex set of emotions
The narrative itself is a puzzle, which appeals to a certain kind of player.


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## JeffB (Dec 2, 2009)

As much as many of the original AD&D modules rock, I'm voting Moldvay

B4 The Lost City and X2 Chateau D' Ambreville get my vote.


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 2, 2009)

Witty Comeback said:


> I guess I will commit heresy by saying the 2E module Return to Keep on the Borderlands.




I like that version too. I am using it right now as the starter area for my current 4E campaign.


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## Ariosto (Dec 2, 2009)

The Caverns of Thracia


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## Gentlegamer (Dec 2, 2009)

Umbran said:


> I'm kind of with Gentlegamer here.  A person who hadn't played the game would not get much of an idea of what the game was like from looking at the module.



I would actually like to go back on my absolute statement earlier. You could probably hand someone something like one of the Endless Quest books to give someone an idea of what the game is like. The Endless Quest books were one of my "formative" D&D experiences. Handing someone "pure" game materials (rulebook or adventure module) will almost certainly not help a non-player figure out what the game is about.


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## Remathilis (Dec 2, 2009)

My first D&D was Escape from Zanzer Tem's Dungeon (grab a copy of the 1994 Basic set for a looksee) so that is fairly iconic to me. However the iconic D&D setting module would be B2 and the iconic dungeon crawl would be Forge of Fury (Ironic that Goodman sells itself on that classic module feel with the dragon at the end, but FoF actually DOES it!).


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## Mercurius (Dec 2, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> If you were to pick one (1) published D&D adventure that best showcases, defines, or exemplifies _Dungeons & Dragons_ to you, what adventure would that be?




I'm going to actually answer your question as asked (I mean, obviously for most of us homebrews have defined our experience of D&D, but Bullgrit was asking us "If you were to pick one published adventure...").

To answer the question, well, there really isn't one. I mean, Tomb of Horrors was the most evocative during my youth but it was really just a very narrow, specific aspect of D&D (done very, very well, in a way that was very, very evocative to a 10-year old). Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth was a great rambling dungeon with all sorts of random, weird stuff. The Giants-Kuo-Toa-Drow sequence may be the answer. 

But this question, as you can see from the responses that _do_ answer it, often seems to come down to what was most influential in one's youth, one's "Golden Age." I never owned or played Keep on the Borderlands; if I had it may be on my list.

If I had to choose, though, it would probably be Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.

EDIT: I just read Bullgrit addressing my first paragraph above...It is amazing to me how some folks have such a difficult time playing "make believe" and entering into the limited context of a question as asked and answering it for what it is, rather than essentially saying "WrongBadQuestion!" (RPGers seem especially prone to this ). I'm reminded of how my high school students hate making compromises and always want things to fit their highest ideals or they lose steam; for them it is age-appropriate, but...I'll leave it at that.


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## Riley (Dec 2, 2009)

Grimstaff said:


> T1 - Village of Hommlett
> 
> -great home base w/NPCs
> -ruined keep
> ...






Sunderstone said:


> This. but T1-4 for my group. The above plus the huge dungeon crawl.




T1-4.  For all the reasons above, as well as the facts that it 1) forms a coherent whole, and 2) builds in complexity as it goes along.

It starts with a simple exploration of the moathouse.  Then it introduces the idea that you are not necessarily safe even after you leave the dungeon.  This is true when Temple minions come to get you in Hommlett - and doubly true if you dare to set up camp in Nulb.

Then there's the huge dungeon under the Temple.  First you get to kill humanoids and undead, and then you discover that the factions in the Temple are fighting against each other, and many opportunities are offered to play the feuding factions against each other.

It even features a bit of plane-hopping, and leaves a late section of the Temple (the elemental nodes) only partly developed, leaving room for DM customization.  However, the fully fleshed-out main Temple presents a grand stage for a final (or penultimate) battle.


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## DreadPirateMurphy (Dec 2, 2009)

I have to agree with B2 as well.  It immediately jumped to mind when I saw the question.

Does anybody remember that the rumor table had a false one that said, "Bree-yark is goblin for 'I surrender.'"?  Did anybody ever actually fall for that?


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## TerraDave (Dec 2, 2009)

its tough...

This is probably the answer (good reasons why above):







But this is what a module should be (to bad game designers drew the wrong lessons and went way to far in the wrong direction after):






And this is a strong contender that, as noted, does nicely combine one big whacky dungeon with lots of side areas and wilderness, actually a lot like B2, but turned up to 11.


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 2, 2009)

DreadPirateMurphy said:


> Does anybody remember that the rumor table had a false one that said, "Bree-yark is goblin for 'I surrender.'"? Did anybody ever actually fall for that?




I might have if my character got anywhere near the Caves of Chaos. Due to poor judgement he died like a punk in the keep after picking a fight with a guardsman.

My next experience with B2 was as a DM so I knew the drill.


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## tvknight415 (Dec 2, 2009)

DreadPirateMurphy said:


> Does anybody remember that the rumor table had a false one that said, "Bree-yark is goblin for 'I surrender.'"?  Did anybody ever actually fall for that?




On the advice of both my attorney and public relations expert, I refuse to answer that question!?!?!?!

I would however have to pick as most iconic:

B2 Keep on the Borderlands
S1 Tomb of Horrors
I6 Ravenloft
T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil


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## Storm Raven (Dec 2, 2009)

For me:

B2: _The Keep on the Borderlands_.

A1-4 (_Slave Pits of the Undercity_, _Secret of the Slavers Stockade_, _Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords_, and _In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords_).

GDQ 1-7 _Queen of the Spiders_ (encompassing _Steading of the Hill Giant Chief_, _Glacial Rift of the Frist Giant Jarl_, _The Hall of the Fire Giant King_, _Descent to the Depths_, _The Shrine of Kuo-Toa_, _Vault of the Drow_, and _Queen of the Demonweb_).

L1-2 (_The Secret of Bone Hill_, and _The Assassin's Knot_).

S3: _Expedition to the Barrier Peaks_.

T1-4 _Temple of Elemental Evil_

U 1-3 (_The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh_, _Danger at Dunwater_, and _The Final Enemy_).


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## Lilaxe (Dec 2, 2009)

The modules that defined D&D to me from an early age were:

Halls of Tizun Thane - in an early White Dwarf

The Lichway - also in an early White Dwarf 

and

Tegal Manor - Judges Guild

I still love those modules, but have come to appreciate the basic layout but extensive depth of the G and D Series.


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## Jeff Wilder (Dec 2, 2009)

Jack7 said:


> But to me, _Tomb of Horrors._



I gotta say, if Tomb of Horrors defined D&D for me, I would never have remained a D&D player.  Tomb of Horrors is an exercise in sadomasochism.


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## Jeff Wilder (Dec 2, 2009)

Gentlegamer said:


> Handing someone "pure" game materials (rulebook or adventure module) will almost certainly not help a non-player figure out what the game is about.



Funny, but that's _exactly_ how I learned.  (And it was the Expert rulebook, even!)  I had literally never even heard of D&D.


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## ShinHakkaider (Dec 2, 2009)

Jeff Wilder said:


> Funny, but that's _exactly_ how I learned.  (And it was the Expert rulebook, even!)  I had literally never even heard of D&D.




Same here. I was visiting a friend in and his brother had a beat up copy of B2. I asked him if I could borrow it, he told me I could have it and I read the whole thing over and over cover to cover and fell in love with the idea of fantasy adventure. 

I saved up about a months allowance to get a Red Box.


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## Hierax (Dec 2, 2009)

Tough call:


D&D: B2 - The Keep on the Borderlands. but B4 is right up there.


AD&D: T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil. but U1-U3 is right up there.


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## Desdichado (Dec 2, 2009)

Not a fan of modules in general, but here's a few suggestions.

Tomb of Horrors as exemplary of everything wrong with D&D when I decided I'd had enough of it.

Village of Hommlet as exemplary of everything right with D&D "back in the day."

The Age of Worms adventure path as exemplary of everything D&D _could_ be when not mired in a limited playstyle paradigm, yet still remaining iconically D&D.  Plus, it's got a "shared experience" vibe to it that very little that post-dates the GDQ series, or some of the other classic modules, seems to have.  People all over the place have played Age of Worms.


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## Puggins (Dec 2, 2009)

I wonder how many the the B2'ers got their start during the '79 to '84 heyday.  _Keep_ was the module packed in with the basic set during the majority of that time. It may just be a matter of sheer print run- I'm betting that the number of copies of_ Keep_in print absolutely dwarf every other module ever produced.

As for me, a couple of modules trump _Keep_ for me.

(1) _The Lost City_

Mysterious Ancient Ruin in the middle of the desert that leads to a lost city inhabited by an ancient evil.  Great Sandbox possibilities.

(2) _Against the Cult of the Reptile God_

The module essentially marked my transition into actual roleplaying.  The first part of the module is very role playing-intensive, details a useful small town, involves a lot of investigation and ends up in a major confrontation against a corrupted monastery- good stuff!

The second part is a classic dungeon crawl with lots of neat elements- underwater caves, varied monsters and a cataclysmic final battle against an enemy that is seemingly far too powerful for the PCs to deal with.  Great stuff.


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## Baz King (Dec 3, 2009)

Tough question. Its akin to asking for the defining Beatles album. You have to take into account the edition changes, as they are very different games. 

With that in mind. Basic D&D, Rahasia. 1e, Pharoah. 2e (limited knowledge, sorry). 3e, The Banewarrens. 4e, The Temple Between. 

With these choices I'm trying to think beyond my own personal preferences and tap into something bigger...  I may well be misled in that approach!


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## Ketjak (Dec 3, 2009)

S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth - it has everything, wilderness, dungeon, sandbox, foul villains


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## mattcolville (Dec 3, 2009)

There are things about D&D that I wonder why they ignore.

All the work put into Hommlet will still pay off now. The default D&D game, regardless of edition, should begin in Hommlet. 

WotC really has very poor Brand awareness in spite of spending several years obsessed by it.

Anyhoo my answer is le Chateau d'Amber.


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## Bullgrit (Dec 3, 2009)

There've been a few mentions of Castle Amber as the defining D&D adventure module. I'm curious about why. I always thought it was more an exception to the normal D&D adventure than something representative of the norm.

Bullgrit


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## Bullgrit (Dec 3, 2009)

I always thought T1 wasted too much space on the village, and could have used more adventure. Now, granted, the title of the book is _The Village of Hommlet_, not _The Moathouse_, so it's not like the contents are a bait and switch. But for all my D&D gaming, I've never needed or used that much detail about the common inhabitants of a basic village.

Bullgrit


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 3, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I always thought T1 wasted too much space on the village, and could have used more adventure. Now, granted, the title of the book is _The Village of Hommlet_, not _The Moathouse_, so it's not like the contents are a bait and switch. But for all my D&D gaming, I've never needed or used that much detail about the common inhabitants of a basic village.
> 
> Bullgrit




I don't think the space was wasted considering that T1 was written as a prelude to TOEE. The amount of detail for a village really depends on what the players want out of the game. If relationships with the villagers and repeated contact with the village will benefit the play group then the detail may come in handy. If the village just serves as a place to rest, dump loot, and aquire quests then all the detail may be meaningless. 

I like the fact that it is there. Detail is easier to ignore than create consistently on the fly. 

I am getting a lot of use out of all the detail included in Return to B2 that I'm using in my current campaign. All the keep inhabitants have names, and many of them have notes about thier personality and how they are connected with others. It was a great ready made community for me to begin adding my own creations to. The info already provided has served up some great adventure hooks and the relational notes serve as a general backdrop for the schemes and plans I tossed in. 

Its fun for me as a DM to have a fully functioning community with all kinds of plans and operations going on that the players can get involved in if they desire. There is a bit of variety to the campaign when the PC's happen to stumble upon events taking place that are not really evil/ save the world type things. Getting involved with these schemes on one side or another has consequences that may have a major impact on more world shaking matters. 

Detailed information about people and places is the seed that grows all that.


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## grodog (Dec 3, 2009)

Part of what I really like about the village details in T1 is that you can clearly see a lot of back-and-forth interaction between the village and the Moathouse, as well as the village and the Temple (although in general the published ToEE version didn't really follow-up on those relationships much), and there are also hints about the wider scope of the overall Elemental Evil cult (the assassin coming to town after the PCs kill Lareth, the rumors/hints that the cult may have started in Dyvers or Wild Coast, etc.).

To me, these details are a good example of how to set up and stage your dungeons, so that PCs are drawn from their home base to the dungeon, and then from that dungeon into the wider world.


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## Lanefan (Dec 4, 2009)

Re: Night's Dark Terror ***SPOILERS AHEAD***







Snoweel said:


> In hindsight I think it is probably far too linear but when I ran it as a 12 year old my players took the bait every time.
> 
> What went wrong when you played it?



You mean, other than everything?

I was DMing it, and right from the start I just didn't get what the module was supposed to be about - to begin with I couldn't connect the dots between the various quasi-random occurrences in the countryside and the cult up in the mountains.  Thus, of course the players couldn't connect 'em either...and that was fine, as the party was quite happy just wandering around bashing whatever got in their way; only they never bothered to capture and question *anyone* to see if there was anything more to it all. (by now, I'd made up on my own the bits I couldn't grok from the module, and had a slender thread of a story to tie it all together; enough, at least, to eventually point them up the valley and into the mountains)

The starting party was mostly 4th level, 5 characters to begin with.

And the characters kept dying.  They took out a small batch of Goblins, but a single Goblin got away; it came back that night and nearly slew them all.  Then, two characters (both in heavy armour) went in the water with the piranha: glub glub glub bleed bleed bleed dead.  And so on; and as my rule at the time was new characters come in a level below the party average, the party level was going backward fast!  I put a floor at 2nd-level...

The two survivors went back and recruited another party.  They got into the valley above Thainshold and - mostly due to a complete refusal to do anything the least bit stealthy - again pretty much ran out of characters.

The two (different) survivors went back for yet another bunch of recruits (and by now, the whole party is 2nd-level except one) then away up the valley again, and this time got clobbered by the statues on the bridge.  Everyone died except one character who fled down the valley and was never seen again, and two who retreated and carefully crept (!) out of the valley; at that point, both the players and myself gave up on the whole thing: they wanted a different adventure, and I was all too happy to oblige. 

Lan-"never again"-efan


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## mattcolville (Dec 4, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I always thought T1 wasted too much space on the village, and could have used more adventure. Now, granted, the title of the book is _The Village of Hommlet_, not _The Moathouse_, so it's not like the contents are a bait and switch. But for all my D&D gaming, I've never needed or used that much detail about the common inhabitants of a basic village.
> 
> Bullgrit




I think that classic low-level play requires an axis mundi, a town that the PCs us as a base and whose inhabitants serve not only as questgivers, but as a Greek Chorus, providing context for everything that happens in town.

In that context, I think there is no better example than T1. You can use it as the anchor for any number of different games.


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## mattcolville (Dec 4, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> There've been a few mentions of Castle Amber as the defining D&D adventure module. I'm curious about why. I always thought it was more an exception to the normal D&D adventure than something representative of the norm.
> 
> Bullgrit




I feel like any fantasy RPG can do a dungeon crawl. But D&D had some weird crap in it and that spirit, the kitchen sink attitude, shines through in Castle Amber. I am not a big fan of spaceships and rayguns in my D&D, but Castle Amber's high weirdness is something I particularly associate with that late 70's era off D&D.


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## Bullgrit (Dec 4, 2009)

mattcolville said:
			
		

> I think that classic low-level play requires an axis mundi, a town that the PCs us as a base and whose inhabitants serve not only as questgivers, but as a Greek Chorus, providing context for everything that happens in town.



I completely agree.



			
				mattcolville said:
			
		

> In that context, I think there is no better example than T1. You can use it as the anchor for any number of different games.



See below.


			
				ExploderWizard said:
			
		

> I don't think the space was wasted considering that T1 was written as a prelude to TOEE. The amount of detail for a village really depends on what the players want out of the game. If relationships with the villagers and repeated contact with the village will benefit the play group then the detail may come in handy.



I understand needing/wanting _some_ information and detail about the village and villagers. But really:


> 6. HOUSE WITH LEATHER HIDE TACKED TO THE FRONT DOOR: This is the home and business of the village leatherworker (0 level militiaman, leather armor, shield, sling, hand axe; 4 hit points). With him live his wife, her brother (a simpleton who does not bear arms), and 3 children of whom the eldest is a 12 year old boy (0 level militiaman, leather jack, buckler, sling, dagger; 2 hit points). The leather-worker is a jack-of-all-trades, being shoe and bootmaker, cobbler, saddler, harnessmaker, and even fashioning leather garments and armor, the latter requiring some time and a number of fittings and boiling. He is not interested in any sort of adventuring. *Sewn into an old horse collar are 27 g.p. and 40 e.p. as well as a silver necklace worth 400 g.p.*



Bold emphasis in the original text.







> 17. MODEST COTTAGE: A potter is busily engaged in the manufacture of various sorts of dishes and vessels, although most of his work goes to passing merchants or the trader. He has a variety of earthenware bottles and flasks available for sale. The potter (0 level militiaman, padded armor, shield, glaive; 3 hit points), his wife, and four children (two boys are 0 level militiamen, padded armor, crossbow, spear; 4 and 2 hit points respectively) all work in the business. *A crock in the well holds 27 g.p., 40 s.p., and 6 10 g.p. gems. They are of the faithful of St. Cuthbert.*



Bold emphasis in the original text.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/reviews/243020-t1-village-hommlet.html
http://totalbullgrit.com/bullgeek/2007/07/30/the-village-of-hommlet/

Is the combat information necessary? Is the bold emphasis on the people's hidden valuables necessary? (The emphasis on their treasure always struck me as odd.) I think EGG did a better job with "town" NPCs in _Keep on the Borderland_. 

Bullgrit


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## rogueattorney (Dec 4, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> Is the combat information necessary?




You're not thinking like the medieval wargamer that it was written by and for whom it was written.  At some point (when the pcs have ticked off the bugbears in the Temple so much that they mount a punitive raid against Hommlet, for example), the pcs may want to know who's available to be levied.

While it's a low level module, implications for 1e's end game are laced throughout the module.


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## ExploderWizard (Dec 4, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> I completely agree.
> 
> See below.
> I understand needing/wanting _some_ information and detail about the village and villagers. But really:
> ...




Combat info - yup. What if the village is attacked and the PC's must organize the militia to fight? What if the PC's are evil and want to kill them?

Valuables info-yup. If the PC's do kill them they are gonna want to take thier stuff.

Aside from that knowing the resources available in an area can become important in a lot of ways.

What if a bad guy kidnapped the leatherworker's wife or child, knowing about the necklace and demanding it as ransom? He could come to the PC's for help to get his wife back. The existence of that necklace could be important to how things play out. Maybe the leatherworker is a coldhearted bastard and pretends he doesn't have the necklace? Searching his place and finding it would matter. 

The presentation is just solid dungeon stocking technique.
1) Define monsters, traps/tricks.
2) Place treasure.

The DM can make those details as meaningful as desired for his/her campaign.


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## roguerouge (Dec 4, 2009)

It's fascinating that the vast majority of posters define DnD through modules at least 20 years old. Why is what you experienced first necessarily definitive of the hobby? I've played in or read all of these old modules and I'd never regard them as especially definitive of the game I play today.


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## Gentlegamer (Dec 4, 2009)

roguerouge said:


> It's fascinating that the vast majority of posters define DnD through modules at least 20 years old. Why is what you experienced first necessarily definitive of the hobby? I've played in or read all of these old modules and I'd never regard them as especially definitive of the game I play today.



I didn't experience B2 first. I went through other modules (such as "Eye of the Tralder") as the first real modules I encountered/ran. Later, when I found B2, read it, and DMed it, it so impressed me that I endorse it as the "if I had to pick one module to define D&D." My endorsement has nothing to do with nostalgia.


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## Ariosto (Dec 4, 2009)

I did not pick what I "experienced first", because that was (as far as I know) not an "adventure module". Such published scenarios had little to do with my formative D&D experiences 30+ years ago. (Module B1 has some personal attachment, but now I would not offer it as the best example.)

My acquaintance with 2e modules is most unpleasant. I have had little to do with 3e and 4e modules precisely because what I have experienced is in key ways almost directly _opposite_ what Dungeons & Dragons means to me. Necromancer Games has published some good stuff for 3e, but the question was not, "What module defines 3e for you?"

So, in part, I am just going with what I know. How could something I have never even met "define D&D" to me?? On the other hand ...

Does it not seem natural enough that the most definitive works might be those _from the very period of definition?_ If someone asked for definitive classical, jazz, rock 'n' roll, etc., music, what would you expect? Some recent works might be good, even great, but that was not the question. Many others might be typical, but that was not quite the criterion either.


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## pawsplay (Dec 4, 2009)

First, you kill a rattlesnake and takes its pizza money. Then you fight high noon style with a goblin. You meet a "cleric" who hangs out with dubious characters like "thieves." Bargle kills the cleric, and you pause to admire her pinup-like death throes. "Aleena! NOOOO!!!!" You proceed to make your saving throw and kill Bargle. Then a strange time warp occurs, and you go back in time and fail the saving throw, and get charmed by Bargle, waking up later with some hazy memories and bad feelings.


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## mattcolville (Dec 4, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> Is the combat information necessary? Is the bold emphasis on the people's hidden valuables necessary? (The emphasis on their treasure always struck me as odd.) I think EGG did a better job with "town" NPCs in _Keep on the Borderland_.
> 
> Bullgrit




It's necessary if you're doing it right. D&D is at its best when the players are free to create their own motivations. They have to be free to be unprincipled, unscrupulous, even thieves or assassins. The GM shouldn't assume they're going to choose to fall into the heroic archetype.


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## Roadkill101 (Dec 4, 2009)

I never used modules, having an active imagination, I always came up with my own adventures to run. I owned some modules (A, D & G seires, B4, N2 & 4, S1, T1 & Undermountain and recently have acquired B1, 2 & 3, T1-4) but never did anything but look through them or use the maps for my own purpose. Like others I've seen post, I never cared much for the way modules presented the adventure.

That all being said, some modules do stick out in my mind when it comes to D&D.
B2 because it was my first taste of D&D. I didn't really know or understand much of the game, but I remeber my character slew the Minotaur (the GM happened to make a fuss about it in the forms of shock and awe).
T1 because it was the first module and D&D item I owned.
Finally, Undermountain stands out to me as being the epitome of the mega-dungeon.


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## Jeff Wilder (Dec 4, 2009)

mattcolville said:


> Castle Amber's high weirdness is something I particularly associate with that late 70's era off D&D.



I loved X2, primarily because of the NPCs, but it was the first module of which I remember thinking, "Wow, this single room is 100 feet square.  Damn, that's big.  And WTF ... a boxing ring?!"

I agree that X2 was very D&D, but IMO it was a little too caricaturish of D&D.


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## roguerouge (Dec 4, 2009)

Ariosto said:


> Does it not seem natural enough that the most definitive works might be those _from the very period of definition?_ If someone asked for definitive classical, jazz, rock 'n' roll, etc., music, what would you expect? Some recent works might be good, even great, but that was not the question. Many others might be typical, but that was not quite the criterion either.




Not really. If I want to define a flower for somebody who's never seen one, I don't point to the seed or its root systems. If I want to define the medium of film, I don't point to Lumiere Brothers actualities, despite their excellence. If I wanted to define culture, I wouldn't focus exclusively on cave paintings or tribal taboos. It wouldn't even occur to me to turn to the oldest classical music first to try to define classical music. I'd define the nature of classical music first, then look for the best examples of those principles.

So, my process would be that I'd figure out what my definition of DnD was, the archetypes of the experience, then find examples of the archetypes from across the entire range of practice. Mine happened to come from 3e, not because of any inherent rightness of the edition (I've played everything from Red Box to 4e in the past five years), but because I genuinely think those three examples are the most readable archetypes of the DnD genre of gaming for me. 

That's why I found it so unusual that so many people--not everyone, certainly--focused on one edition's modules.


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## Jeff Wilder (Dec 4, 2009)

Roadkill101 said:


> I never used modules, having an active imagination.



This is your opening sentence?  Seriously?


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## Vyvyan Basterd (Dec 4, 2009)

mattcolville said:


> It's necessary if you're doing it right. D&D is at its best when the players are free to create their own motivations. They have to be free to be unprincipled, unscrupulous, even thieves or assassins. The GM shouldn't assume they're going to choose to fall into the heroic archetype.




-1 XP for you. 

Yes, assuming such things is not a good plan. Setting parameters to your game at the outset is acceptable though, IMO. Telling anyone that they're not "doing it right" because they decide to set parameters for their game is nonsense.


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## Lidgar (Dec 4, 2009)

D1-3 probably best "defines" my view/play style of D&D. These modules felt more like outlines, with long passages of very descriptive Gygaxian text to add flavor and mystery/weirdness. Many opportunities to spontaneously create side treks and surprises, as well as story lines between competing noble and merchant houses, religions (Lloth vs. Elder Elemental), and races (Kuo-toa, Drow, Bugbears, Trogs, Trolls, etc.). I strive to have these elements (openness, multiple story lines, bizarre/unexpected locals and visuals) in what I run today.


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## EricNoah (Dec 4, 2009)

B1 and A1, for me.


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## Ariosto (Dec 4, 2009)

> That's why I found it so unusual that so many people--not everyone, certainly--focused on one edition's modules.



Because that "edition" (the leaders seem to be associated with several editions of TSR-D&D, actually) is definitive for so many people? It was basically the game that defined the _role-playing game  field_ in many minds from 1974 through 1999 -- a span of 25 years. WotC-D&D has been around for less than a decade, the 4e version for (I think) less than two years.

So, it's not just "the old stuff" that's favored but "most of the time" by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The oldest modules are perfectly playable with AD&D 2nd Edition! If it is slightly easier to do that than to retrofit a 2e module, that may further skew the appraisal. However you slice it, we're talking the modules that have probably gotten the most play (and maybe the most reading).

Other than mine, I have noticed but one other nominee (Tegel Manor) from the Judges Guild. General quality aside, the JG products just do not seem to have been as widely distributed (and TSR in the 1980s withdrew the license to use its trademarks, which cut that more). Not surprisingly, the JG modules are the only OD&D representatives; TSR's first module (G1) was issued under the Advanced D&D logo even though the core AD&D rules set was not yet complete.

Although my pick -- Paul Jaquays's *The Caverns of Thracia* -- was written for the _Original_ D&D rules set, it was published in the same year (1979) as the first DMG. Necromancer Games published an expanded version for WotC's "3.5" edition in 2004. That's right: _a quarter century_ after its initial publication, with a very different game in print under the D&D trademark, this was considered (and proven, I think) to have enough commercial appeal to warrant all the work that went into the colorful new hardback volume. People who had never seen it before, who were not even D&Ders when it was last in print, got it and played it and praised it.

The "d20 System" era saw the publication of a lot of scenarios. The sheer volume alone bodes against any one being such a common touchstone as some earlier modules have proven to be. My guess as to one standout would be the "Maure Castle" installments in Dungeon magazine ... the first of which basically recapitulated, and all of which expanded upon, _Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure_ from 1984 (which in turn referred back to a campaign of a decade or more earlier, iirc).

The definition of the _question_ itself makes it different from "what most represents the way I play" -- today or any day. It is specifically limited to published "adventure modules" (which I, at least, took as counting out "setting supplements", such as _Wilderlands of High Fantasy, _as well as more generally informative articles).


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## Jack Daniel (Dec 5, 2009)

Seconds for *Escape from Zanzer Tem's Dungeon* and *B10: Night's Dark Terror*, but if I had to pick one that topped the list for me, it would absolutely have to be X3:


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## Chrono22 (Dec 5, 2009)

Savage Tide is pure, unadulterated D&D for me. It's got everything I look for in a campaign.


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## Vegepygmy (Dec 5, 2009)

roguerouge said:


> Why is what you experienced first necessarily definitive of the hobby?



I'll join the chorus and say that the first module I ever experienced was The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan.  When I considered the title question, I immediately thought of it, and quickly realized that while I have very fond memories of that adventure, it simply isn't a "definitive" D&D module to me.

So after thinking hard about it, I decided it's pretty much a tie between B1 and B2, which I didn't experience until a little later.


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## CleverNickName (Dec 5, 2009)

Another vote for The Isle of Dread.  It is the standard by which I compare all other published adventure modules to.


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## Mark (Dec 5, 2009)

I've only sometimes been part of a group that would use modules/adventures with any frequency but I was lucky enough to play in the Giant series when they were part of the D&D tourney at Gencon in the 70s, so I'll say that _Steading of the Hill Giant Chief_ would be my pick to run as a way to use a module as an introduction to D&D (and I would do so with the 1ED&D rules rather than the (O)D&D rules because I think they were a good advancement for the game).


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## Riley (Dec 5, 2009)

roguerouge said:


> It's fascinating that the vast majority of posters define DnD through modules at least 20 years old. Why is what you experienced first necessarily definitive of the hobby? I've played in or read all of these old modules and I'd never regard them as especially definitive of the game I play today.




My "defining" choice wasn't close to being my first experience of D&D; I played for about five years before coming to the Temple of Elemental Evil.  I love its scope, and the interplay of its various parts, better than what preceded it.  I also far prefer its openness to the more restrictive 2e and 4e module styles, which have never really done much for me.  On the other hand, there are several fantastic 3e modules and Dungeon adventures that come close to the greatness of the Temple for me.  However, I've now played or run the Temple three times, under three different editions, and it never seems to lose its magic.


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## Maggan (Dec 5, 2009)

Isle of Dread and Lost City. It's a toss-up between those two. I think I'll go with ... Lost City. No ... Isle of Dread. No ... aaaaargh! And Ravenloft.

/M


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## Celtavian (Dec 5, 2009)

Probably one of the megamodules. _Temple of Elemental Evil_ or the G Series. The epic heroic quest your party sets out on and completes is what I love about D&D adventuring. Having that little first level party finish an epic quest becoming powerful, respected, and heroic adventurers makes you feel great as a DM at the end of the day.


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## Derren (Dec 5, 2009)

None. Modules are much too limited and mostly too combat focused to define a PnP RPG.


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## Ariosto (Dec 5, 2009)

Great to see some love for the ToEE, which in my experience was a disappointment. The "scope, and the interplay of its various parts" raised high hopes. As a campaign dungeon, though, it goes against Gygax's own advice in ways that I think suggest the general soundness of that advice. The groups in which I ventured to the Temple always ended up bored with it. That some people were able to realize more of the dungeon's potential and "finish an epic quest" is a delight! Kudos to the DMs and players.


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## Wik (Dec 5, 2009)

It occurs to me, reading this, that most of the adventures I love would not be considered a "defining" D&D adventure.  I mean, take a look at my three favourites:

Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (Aztecs, poison gas, and a talking crayfish that thinks he's a god)
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (robots, vegepygmies, and a crazy fitness instructor android)
Isle of Dread (dinosaurs, flying raccoon things, and zombie cults).

All are super cool - but none of them really seem "iconic" to me.  I would not hand one of these adventures to a newbie and say "hey, this is what D&D is usually like".  I would hand those adventures to newbies and say "hey, this is some of the weird stuff D&D is capable of doing".

Really, most of the modules I've played have been the opposite of "Defining D&D" - I buy weird modules because I want something different from the usual D&D adventure.  But, to stay on topic, my most defining D&D module is...

REF 3 and REF 4:  The Book of Lairs 1 & 2.

Reason?  Each book contained dozens of mini-adventures centred around a single monster type.  They were made to be expanded upon by the GM, but could be picked up and played as is.  They ranged in levels, and were great for a pick-up-and-play session filler (sort of the 1e equivalent to the Dungeon Delve book, which could also be on this list).  Way back in 6th grade, I ran an entire campaign based off those books, it seemed.


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## Derulbaskul (Dec 6, 2009)

Like so many others, _Keep on the Borderlands_ with its mix of town, wilderness, dungeon and politics defines D&D for me together with: 



Ariosto said:


> The Caverns of Thracia




which showed me how history and mystery, plus thinking about a dungeon in three dimensions, could make dungeon crawling more than just hack'n'slash.


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## Storm Raven (Dec 6, 2009)

Jeff Wilder said:


> I loved X2, primarily because of the NPCs, but it was the first module of which I remember thinking, "Wow, this single room is 100 feet square.  Damn, that's big.  And WTF ... a boxing ring?!"
> 
> I agree that X2 was very D&D, but IMO it was a little too caricaturish of D&D.




A 10 x 10 room is really big?


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## Holy Bovine (Dec 6, 2009)

Roadkill101 said:


> I never used modules, having an active imagination, I always came up with my own adventures to run.




Uh, that is a pretty insulting thing to imply to the rest of us (not having active imaginations).  I would suggest a bit of clarification here.



			
				Storm Raven said:
			
		

> A 10 x 10 room is really big?




I think he means that the room in question was 100' on a side - 10,000 square feet.


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## Holy Bovine (Dec 6, 2009)

Jack Daniel said:


> Seconds for *Escape from Zanzer Tem's Dungeon* and *B10: Night's Dark Terror*, but if I had to pick one that topped the list for me, it would absolutely have to be X3:




Wow.  I _hated_ that module when I got it.  So much so that I refused to buy another 'X' series module for years.  Then I finally got X4 & X5 and realized i missed some real gems!


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## Jhaelen (Dec 7, 2009)

None of the official modules (that I know) define (A)D&D to me. I guess, that's because when I was introduced to the hobby noone used them. Everyone wrote their own adventures.

When 2e came around I DMed a couple of the classics: S1, S2, and S4 (I refused to DM S3 due to the (to me) silly SF/Fantasy mix). S2 and S4 were quite fun to play but nothing particularly noteworthy; S1 defined everything I don't like about D&D.

The best official modules I've played were the UK modules:
UK4 - When a Star Falls
UK6 - All that Glitters...
UK7 - Dark Clouds Gather
All of them required some additional work, but the potential was there.

I generally dislike megadungeons (or even large dungeons), but I was really impressed by 'Castle Whiterock'. It's about the only 'classic'-style module I'd actually like to play/DM in 3e/4e. 

Judging from reading through it, I'd say, 'Red Hand of Doom' contains all of the elements I enjoy in a (modern) D&D game. I think it should work even better with 4e. Imho, it's definitely the best module of the 3e era.

None of the 4e modules impressed me so far. H2 is probably the best of the bunch (if you put some additional work into it).


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## ForceUser (Dec 8, 2009)

Bullgrit said:


> If you were to pick one (1) published D&D adventure that best showcases, defines, or exemplifies _Dungeons & Dragons_ to you, what adventure would that be?
> 
> Bullgrit




_Keep on the Borderlands_. It was the first full-length module I owned, and I must have run three or four groups through it as a kid. It was a dungeon full of monsters and treasure. Can't get more D&D than that.


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## Job (Dec 8, 2009)

So many great modules...  I can't pick one, sorry, but here's best that I DM'd and that my players still talk about to this day.

- The orginal "Ravenloft" for its amazing gothic setup, 3D mapping, and iconic vamp;
- "Baba Yaga's Hut" from Dragon Magazine by Roger Moore - this introduced my players to a demigod, her tesseract, and fried my player's brains;
- Dungeon Magazine #1's "Into the Fire" for depicting the quintessential dragon with attitude, evocatively depicted on the cover;
- and more recently, the Savage Tide's trip to the abyss to meet Demogorgon.  An adventure of legend. 

Job.


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## Lanefan (Dec 8, 2009)

Ariosto said:


> Other than mine, I have noticed but one other nominee (Tegel Manor) from the Judges Guild.



Nitpick: I at least gave passing mention to _Sword of Hope_... 


> General quality aside, the JG products just do not seem to have been as widely distributed (and TSR in the 1980s withdrew the license to use its trademarks, which cut that more). Not surprisingly, the JG modules are the only OD&D representatives; TSR's first module (G1) was issued under the Advanced D&D logo even though the core AD&D rules set was not yet complete.



All of the B series (the B stood for Basic), all of the X series (the X stood for Expert), and some others, are written for "Basic" (or 0e) D+D.  For quite some time, TSR was putting out modules for 0e and 1e side by side.

As for Judges' Guild, I picked up quite a bit of their stuff at GenCon last summer - it varies *widely* in quality and usefulness, all the way from "this is great, I could run this right now as is" to "reading this hurts my brain, running it would kill me" - but I couldn't find either _Sword of Hope_ or _Maltese Clue_, both of which I'd like to own my own copies of.



> Although my pick -- Paul Jaquays's *The Caverns of Thracia* -- was written for the _Original_ D&D rules set, ...



Didn't see that one either.  On your recommendation, I'll keep an eye out for it.

Lanefan


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## Snoweel (Dec 8, 2009)

Jhaelen said:


> Judging from reading through it, I'd say, 'Red Hand of Doom'




OMG how could I forget that one!?

Actually probably because I never got the chance to run it. But Red Hand of Doom certainly looked like it would be a blast.


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## Hussar (Dec 8, 2009)

Hrm, my contenders would be:

B2 Keep on the Borderlands
B4 The Lost City
EX 2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror
X1 Isle of Dread.

Funny how three of hte four are Basic/Expert rules modules.  I really think the B/E rules modules were much more iconic D&D for me than most AD&D modules.


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## Wicht (Dec 8, 2009)

Put down another vote for B2 as the module that immediatelly leapt to mind when I read the question to name the module that best defines Dungeons and Dragons.

Others that I think are worthy contenders are Isle of Dread,  Ravenloft, The Gauntlet and Burnt Offerings.


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## Hierax (Dec 8, 2009)

Lanefan said:


> As for Judges' Guild, ... but I couldn't find either _Sword of Hope_ or _Maltese Clue_, both of which I'd like to own my own copies of.




Well, an early Merry X-Mas to you then, Lanefan, I have copies of both of these for you, so you can take them off your x-mas list and save someone the frustration of trying to track them down! 

I didn't even know you were looking for them I've got a whole pile of old Judges Guild stuff in my library, you didn't have to go all that way to get them!


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## Ariosto (Dec 8, 2009)

> "Basic" (or 0e) D+D



I am accustomed to seeing "0e" (and "OD&D") refer to the actual _original_ D&D line. There are about as many notable differences as between that and Advanced -- not that any which way is a big deal when it comes to using modules written for one with any of the others!

Although I have been mainly a "little brown books" man, the Moldvay/ Cook/ Marsh Basic & Expert books are to my mind the most all-around elegant presentation of all. The "retro clone" Labyrinth Lord is about as close as such a thing can be.

(Elves are just too good, but that basically makes human magic-users in my experience rare and ... very dedicated. Maybe a bit crazy. Which is Not Entirely a Bad Thing in my book, flavor-wise. Ditto the warranted Elven superiority complex.)


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## Ariosto (Dec 8, 2009)

> For quite some time, TSR was putting out modules for 0e and 1e side by side.



If your "0e" includes BECMI/ RC, then I would say that some of the best stuff from the late 1e and early 2e era was 0e.


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## Ariosto (Dec 8, 2009)

> - "Baba Yaga's Hut" from Dragon Magazine by Roger Moore - this introduced my players to a demigod, her tesseract, and fried my player's brains;



Oh, YES! Definitely one of the all-time greats.


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## Failed Saving Throw (Dec 8, 2009)

_Isle of Dread_ and _Rahasia_.


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## Snoweel (Dec 8, 2009)

Failed Saving Throw said:


> Rahasia




Why does that name ring a bell...?

_Edit:_ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahasia

Oh my God YES! I owned this but never ran it. Amazing read. How did it play out for you?


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## Frylock (Dec 8, 2009)

*S3*

Expedition to the Barrier Peaks:

-- Thinking outside the box
-- Mixing two classic genres I loved as a kid
-- Not enough vegeopygmies to ruin it for me

I don't expect everyone to share my opinion, of course.  This is simply the module that produced the most excitement for me when I got a hold of it.


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## caudor (Dec 8, 2009)

While I like all the classics, two modules stand out to me:

Dark Tower (Judges Guild)

Treasure Hunt (a FR module)

In G-123 (Against the Giants) there is a B&W illustration of a giant about to smack an orc with a frying pan.  That image alone defines D&D to me.


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## avin (Dec 8, 2009)

Fool's Grove Delve.

/thread 

(Never used a module for more than atmosphere inspiration)


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## S. Baldrick (Dec 8, 2009)

*The Red Hand of Doom*.  
Why?  Because by the time you are done, the characters will have encountered nearly every type of Chromatic Dragon but one.  It puts Dragons into a Dungeons and Dragons adventure.


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## Frylock (Dec 10, 2009)

*FGD = Perfection*



avin said:


> Fool's Grove Delve.
> 
> /thread
> 
> (Never used a module for more than atmosphere inspiration)




I get your point, but FGD is a great answer.  Sometimes I want to smack people in the head and yell, "It's just a game!"  If you're playing the FGD, it's hard not to remember that fact.


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## Blackbrrd (Jul 28, 2013)

S. Baldrick said:


> *The Red Hand of Doom*.
> Why?  Because by the time you are done, the characters will have encountered nearly every type of Chromatic Dragon but one.  It puts Dragons into a Dungeons and Dragons adventure.




I have to agree, especially since the module can be run with basically no alterations and actually make sense and engage my players.

We are off to make a deal with the Lich ho-ho,
We are off to make a deal with the Lich 

Never thought my players would get that part, but they did, with absolutely no poking from my side. That was awesome!

I also made a prequel to the module that had an interesting episode with a barbarian carrying a halfling wizard on his back, up the chimney of a witch when the witch entered they were kind of stuck and a short time later both players shouted simulanously "We can fix that!" (getting an ogre head for her soup that the witch wanted).


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Jul 28, 2013)

B2, Keep on the Borderlands.

If you don't like that, then T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil or X1 Isle of Dread.

These have in common: 

(1) A starting town and base of operations
(2) Wilderness or overland areas to explore
(3) A dungeon that allows for multiple expeditions at increasing difficulty
(4) Some unique and memorable NPCs, encounters, and monsters
(5) A meta-plot, but one that is "soft" and allows the DM and players to develop their own motivations and story
(6) Non-linear structure, rendering player choices meaningful

The above list in my mind is what makes for a great introductory adventure module, and is a good model even for non-introductory adventures.  Later edition adventures with similar structure include The Lost City of Barakus.


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## Argyle King (Jul 29, 2013)

While it's not technically a D&D module, I think the adventure included in the Pathfinder Beginner's Box was good.  It had enough detail to get things moving and enough bare bones background fluff to give a sense of why your characters were there, but it was still vague and open enough to lead to a group creating their own adventures... it also happened to be fun.

Red Hand of Doom is also one I would consider saying.  

Another one of my favorites, and one that I only recently discovered is Ghost Tower of Inverness.  The ending could use a bit of work, but -overall- I like that it made me think beyond the confines of my character sheet.  

I recognize a lot of the names mentioned by other posters, but I haven't played very many official modules.


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## Scrivener of Doom (Jul 29, 2013)

I have to go with a few.

_Caverns of Thracia_ because it made a dungeon into something truly 3D and, for me, defined what it meant to explore and investigate a location in D&D.

_Keep on the Borderlands_ because it broke the megadungeon into smaller dungeons and that's something that my players prefer.

_T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil_ because it introduced vapourware - it took 6 years to release - and bait'n'switch advertising - there was little that was _elemental_ about the dungeons and the bloody thing was incomplete - into D&D.


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## jasper (Jul 29, 2013)

t1 Hommlet
I6 Ravenloft as DM. Especially with advice that DM plays the villain smart and reactive to the party.
I never dm or played in B2. A dm did use the map for his own adventure.


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