# Against the Slave Lords – Fanning the Flames of the OSR Revolution!



## Alphastream

Great review, though you missed a big point when you say "Perhaps enterprising DMs might even use Against the Slave Lords to playtest D&D Next." The current D&D Next playtest packet includes a bestiary for this product! A DM can pick up that bestiary and run the adventure as it is, because D&D Next speaks so well to previous editions. 

And this ties to another area where I'll disagree. I don't really see this as being driven by an "OSR movement". Whether enough people are playing versions of D&D previous to 2E to constitute a "movement" aside, this product is more likely first and foremost about bringing classic support for D&D Next. Existing content can be repackaged, modifier or added to slightly, and provided at a premium price. The content revitalizes the sense of D&D being an established and important brand with classic adventures defining the genre. It's a smart move on many levels, but I doubt OSR support is really one of them. That said, I'm sure Wizards prefers that those playing older editions stay in the Wizards family. 

That said, this is a very good review and I enjoyed reading it. I own this and the other reprints and they are a great part of my collection. They can easily be used in any editions other than 3E and 4E, though one could take on the task of modifying them for those editions (and campaigns like Living Greyhawk have converted some aspects of the A-series at various points). I really agree with you that it would have been nice to include color prints of the covers. And for the maps I would want them in the book and also as an included insert. However, Wizards did make the Dungeons of Dread illos available as a free download. They might do the same with maps?


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## Olgar Shiverstone

How does this version compare to the prior collection of A1-4 (Slavers supermodule) published in the late 1E/early 2E era?  I thought that included a transition adventure from another adventure -- is it included here?


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## Alphastream

Olgar Shiverstone said:


> How does this version compare to the prior collection of A1-4 (Slavers supermodule) published in the late 1E/early 2E era?  I thought that included a transition adventure from another adventure -- is it included here?



It is a reprint, so it is the same as the 1E adventure series. Yes, it does include a new adventure. (See the mentions of A0 in the review above)


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## MerricB

Olgar Shiverstone said:


> How does this version compare to the prior collection of A1-4 (Slavers supermodule) published in the late 1E/early 2E era?  I thought that included a transition adventure from another adventure -- is it included here?




It reprints the original adventures, not the Scourge of the Slavelords supermodule, so it lacks the extra material they did for the supermodule.

One of these days my reviewing will get up to the supermodule, and I'll look at what Scourge actually added in detail.

(Scourge was printed in 1986, and my reviewing is currently in 1982, so it'll be a little while yet!)


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## Jan van Leyden

MerricB said:


> It reprints the original adventures, not the Scourge of the Slavelords supermodule, so it lacks the extra material they did for the supermodule.




That means that your comments, e.g. about the linearity are valid for this reprint. 

I know that I'm outing myself as imbecile for a certain part of the ENWorld, but I couldn't stand a collection of linear tournament modules in my game.


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## ExploderWizard

The _Scourge _supermodule begins with the PCs in Hommlett and assumes completion of the ToEE supermodule. I'm assuming the A0 module replaces this assumption.


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## MerricB

Not at all: A0 is an adventure for 1st-3rd level characters. You could run it during T1-4 to have a break from the Temple, or before T1. It's rather interesting: the events in it let the local lords know about the slaver situation, so that a few months or so later when you're ready, you're hired in A1 to take on the slaves.

Cheers!


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## Olgar Shiverstone

OK, so I gather Scourge and Against the Slavers are fundamentally different designs with different experiences, even though both rely on the core A1-4 module set.  Guess I'll wait for Merric's review for the comparison.  Scourge is one of a relatively small number of 1E modules I've yet to track down.

So the only new material in Against is A0?  Hmmm.  I have all four of the originals; not sure if I want to pick up the entire book for just that, but the layout does sound improved ...


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## ExploderWizard

Olgar Shiverstone said:


> OK, so I gather Scourge and Against the Slavers are fundamentally different designs with different experiences, even though both rely on the core A1-4 module set. Guess I'll wait for Merric's review for the comparison. Scourge is one of a relatively small number of 1E modules I've yet to track down.
> 
> So the only new material in Against is A0? Hmmm. I have all four of the originals; not sure if I want to pick up the entire book for just that, but the layout does sound improved ...




I have all 4 modules and the supermodule. I'm really curious about A0 but not enough to spend 30+ dollars on it. I hope A0 can be sold as a separate pdf someday.


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## Warunsun

_Scourge of the Slavelords_ adds additional material to the modules with extra quests and connective tissue. It also changes the level of challenge from the original modules to make it more suitable to be played at a higher-level. The new reprint sounds very much like a faithful reprint where _Scourge of the Slavelords_ was expanded & adjusted.


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## vonmolkew

Always loved this set.  I played in the original AD&D Open that this was the module.  Got killed in about an hour by the Anhkeg.  Guess that makes me pretty old....


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## Ricochet

Nice review.  Anyone get the chance to run this for 5e yet? I am considering getting it for my 5e group, but I know there has been a lot of changes from DNDNext compatability to 5e's release version.


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## ddaley

I just purchased the hard cover from amazon and the PDF from dmsguild... I plan to run this for our 5e group, but it'll probably be a while.



ParagonofVirtue said:


> Nice review.  Anyone get the chance to run this for 5e yet? I am considering getting it for my 5e group, but I know there has been a lot of changes from DNDNext compatability to 5e's release version.


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