Thunder Rift modules: What are they like?

Krug · Oct 24, 2004

Anybody played the old 2nd Ed Thunder Rift modules? What were they like? I've heard praise for some of them.

Prince of Happiness · Oct 24, 2004

Krug said:
Anybody played the old 2nd Ed Thunder Rift modules? What were they like? I've heard praise for some of them.

I've played one which had a sunken castle in a swamp. It had a really cool encounter with an ice spider in it. A fun adventure, we cleared out the keep and spent a lot of our loot to fix it up into our little stronghold.

I don't think I've played any other ones, though I did own the ghostship module, and that was ok. What was cool about all these modules is that they came with huge battlemat maps so you could use miniatures or the counters that came with the module.

Remathilis · Oct 24, 2004

I think you mean the Thunder Rift Line for BASIC D&D, not 2e (I mention this because this colors the preceptions)

TR was a micro-setting used to introduce PCs to D&D. Basically, it was a very generic setting. There were no gods, not alot of political maneuvers, and lots of dungeons. Designed for the BASIC ruleset (where men are men and elves have one class), its very simplistic at points and lacks great depth of role-playing.

That said, I do own a few of the modules/box sets, so I'll run them down. There are plenty more, try Dragonsfoot.org or Arcaenum for more reviews.

Dragon Box (Intro set): Not technically in TR, but the first of the box sets that used the same formula. Very basic escape from evil wizards dungeon. Lots of hand-holding and character creation rules. If you or your players know about D&D, skip this.
The Goblin's Lair: Three Linked Modules for levels 1-3. All deal with Goblins and the Goblin King (not David Bowie). Pretty standard DCs, with not alot of plot. Did not need to play all or in order.
The Haunted Tower: Like GL, but actually had some plot/ideas behind it. Levels 3-5. Lots of undead. Hard in some places. Actually 3 modules like GL, but link much nicer.
Ecape from Thunder Rift: This "transition" module took you from the relatively static TR to the Known World of Mystara. Came with the Basic DM Screen. Allowed PCs to start looking into some of the concepts in the Rules Cyclopedia. The module itself was a boring Dungeon Crawl, IIRC.
Rage of the Rakasta: There were many small modules like this, but this is the only one I bought. You vs. Oriental Cat-folk. The module was OK, but hard in more than a few points (SOLO GAME MY @$$). The back had the first three levels of the Rakasta PC class. (Extrapolate as you will from there.)

I dearly did enjoy those modules in my youth, but looking back, they were mindless Dungeons. Not that that is a bad thing, but don't look at them for anything more than stocked dungeons.

Frostmarrow · Oct 24, 2004

I've played through the Thunder Rift-series. It was a while ago so I don't remember much. We played it during the Player's Option era of 2ed. It was a complete blast and I have only fond memories from that time. I can't really recall a single encounter but it has left me with a feeling of joy. I do remember playing a Tycho Nekelnevic, a Cleric of Zirchev who had access to the evocation school of magic but that's about it.

Wasn't there a module about going into the subterranean mansion of a legendary thief called Raven who just happened to have been asleep for like a century?

chainsaw hero · Jan 26, 2011

I cut my teeth as a DM on TR and as well have fond memories, I must disagree that it is just a bunch of mindless dungeons I found the text, in what few books were published very rich. I remember it being a short list of modules and sorcebooks under the TR name;
Thunder Rift (Setting)
Quest for the Silver Sword
In the Phantom's Wake
Sword and Shield
The Knight of Newts
Rage of the Rakasta
Assault on Raven's Ruin
DM Screen & Escape From Thunder Rift

I enjoyed most about this setting,the way it really made me think, and create. This setting can really only be as good as the DM, and players using it. I am sory you didn't get deeper int the role playing aspects, but hell we were young, and inexperienced.

I am curently working on cunverting the setting to work with the 3.5 and pathfinder rules, and am having a blast . I added the Asgardian pantheon, and all the classes, more NPCs, some other odds n ends from other old TSR products and it really seems to be a rockin little world.

chainsaw hero · Jan 26, 2011

That was the module Assault on Raven's Ruin.

amethal · Jan 27, 2011

Frostmarrow said:
Wasn't there a module about going into the subterranean mansion of a legendary thief called Raven who just happened to have been asleep for like a century?

Its one of the two modules I own; he's "only" been asleep for two years.

Its a 15 room mansion that would take about half an hour to design for yourself (e.g. 5 rooms empty, 5 rooms trapped and 5 rooms with goblins in them); the sleeping Raven is the only interesting part.

[sblock]Raven is a 9th level thief, and very grumpy if the PCs manage to rescue him by waking him up. Since the PCs are 2nd or 3rd level, there is a potential TPK here at the very end of the module, but it is suggested he just tries to escape (to seek vengeance on another day) if riled.[/sblock]

The other one I have is In the Phantom's Wake, which is pretty cool - assuming the players are ok with "you wake up in a cursed dungeon, albeit with all your equipment, and have to figure out how to escape before you are doomed forever" as a plot hook.

However, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the setting of Thunder Rift - it could be set anywhere with no effort by the DM. (OK, almost anywhere; you'd have to put in a bit of work before you could run it in Dark Sun; hmmm thats an interesting idea ....)

Ulrick · Jan 27, 2011

The Quest for the Silver Sword is kind of a neat module where the characters explore a dead wizard's keep to break a strange curse that has brought winter to the nearby village. Lot's of neat encounters with an assortment of monsters. I do, however, have a big problem with the ending...

SPOILER ALERT--
The characters actually don't get the Silver Sword. After battling a wererat and his ratling minions, the character discover a handful of elves "frozen" in ice. Upon freeing them, the elf leader walks to an ice throne and magically puts the sword encased within--but he is too weak to use it. The ice throne changes into an Ice Golem (a new monster) and the PCs must fight it since the elves are too weak from being imprisoned in ice. Characters can't use the Silver Sword because it "constantly slips from his or her fingers, making the sword useless in combat."
:-S

havard · Jan 27, 2011

chainsaw hero said:
under the TR name;
Thunder Rift (Setting)
Quest for the Silver Sword
In the Phantom's Wake
Sword and Shield
The Knight of Newts
Rage of the Rakasta
Assault on Raven's Ruin
DM Screen & Escape From Thunder Rift

The boxed sets Goblin's Lair and Haunted Tower were also part of the Thunder Rift line.

We are expanding on this micro-setting over at the Thunder Rift project.

The modules are pretty basic, but together they make for a pretty interesting little setting.

-Havard