TSR Example from the worst TSR adventure module(s) ever published

[Riley]

Sadly, it lies just a bit north of Monday’s total solar eclipse path, but I am partial to Cahokia’s “Woodhenge.”

Cahokia - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Parmandur]

The prose in Forest Oracle manages to be a kind of surrealist poetry. It might be a bad D&D adventure, but as something else, it's djinnious.

The darkest thing, though, ia that if you put the Foreat Oracle prose straight into an AI generator...it does actually get an accurate image. So it has a certain...descriptive quality?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The darkest thing, though, ia that if you put the Foreat Oracle prose straight into an AI generator...it does actually get an accurate image. So it has a certain...descriptive quality?

Thing is…AIs still tend to pump out nonsense. Not as much as they used to, but it’s still there. And TFO is nothing if not full of nonsense.

Perhaps there’s a conundrumical cancellation of confusing content. Like how multiplying 2 negative numbers with each other generates a positive one.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Not sadly at all, we also have Carhenge.

We also have Paulhenge
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/58611

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

That would make sense. That first encounter in the thread actually does kind of have the quality that some AI-generated content has where each individual sentence is grammatical and coherent, but the whole piece lacks larger-scale coherence (why doesn't the nymph wake the guy up herself?)

Though the larger problem I've seen with stuff like ChatGPT is made-up facts. It's actually often better for making stuff up than for accurately reporting existing things (when I've asked it technical questions relating to my work, I get about 10-15% accuracy).

 

[kigmatzomat]

ChatGPT (is) actually often better for making stuff up than for accurately reporting existing things (when I've asked it technical questions relating to my work, I get about 10-15% accuracy).

You know, as a way to describe arrays of probable/hypothetical objects (list 20 items found on a 1950 cruise ship but not on a modern cruise ship, tell me the brands of wine found in an upscale Parisienne cafe, etc ) based on wide swaths of sources, I like the LLMs. It's still mooching off other people's work, but at least its properly transformative in a way that has the possibility of not being straight up theft.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The darkest thing, though, ia that if you put the Foreat Oracle prose straight into an AI generator...it does actually get an accurate image. So it has a certain...descriptive quality?

The Forest Oracle was written by a time traveling Terminator as part of a cunning plan to prevent the AI's nemesis being born by distracting their parents with D&D.

 

[Joshua Randall]

No way. ChatGPT is way more coherent (and much wordier) than TFO.

Write an encounter for Advanced dungeons & dragons in the style of “The Forest Oracle”.

ChatGPT
Title: The Whispering Grove
As your party ventures deeper into the dense forest, the air grows thick with an eerie stillness. The ancient trees loom overhead, their twisted branches casting long shadows that seem to dance with unseen movement. A soft, haunting melody drifts through the air, beckoning you forward into the heart of the forest.
After what feels like hours of trudging through the underbrush, you stumble upon a small clearing bathed in dappled sunlight. In the center stands a circle of towering oak trees, their branches intertwined to form a natural canopy overhead. Within the circle, a figure shrouded in a cloak of leaves and vines sits cross-legged upon the ground.
As you approach, the figure lifts its head, revealing a face hidden beneath a mask crafted from the bark of the ancient oaks. Its eyes gleam with an otherworldly light, and a voice like the rustle of leaves whispers through the clearing.
"I am the Guardian of the Whispering Grove," the figure intones, its voice echoing with a strange, ethereal power. "Seekers of knowledge, what brings you to this sacred place?"
Your party exchanges glances, knowing that this Guardian holds the key to the secrets hidden within the forest. You explain your quest, the reason for your journey into this enchanted realm.
The Guardian nods solemnly, its mask betraying no emotion. "The forest holds many secrets, but only those deemed worthy may uncover them. To prove yourselves, you must undergo a trial of wisdom."
With a wave of its hand, the Guardian gestures toward the surrounding trees, and the forest seems to come alive with whispered voices. Shadows dance among the leaves, and the air hums with a mysterious energy.
"The trial begins," the Guardian declares, its voice resonating with power. "Seek the four pillars of knowledge scattered throughout the forest. Each holds a riddle that must be solved to proceed."
With that, the figure fades into the shadows, leaving your party to face the challenges ahead. As you set out into the depths of the Whispering Grove, the haunting melody fills the air once more, guiding you on your quest for wisdom.