How’s the Marmoreal Tomb?

[DarkCrisis]

I see Troll Lords is having a sale and the Tomb is a AD&D 1E box set megadungeon plus.

I know there is some controversy with EGG jr, but I’m just curious of the quality of the box set/adventure seeing as how it may be the last true 1E product ever made.

Worth the $135 they are asking?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

No, it is not worth $135.

Even aside from the Ernie Gygax and Benoist Poire controversies and TLG having to come in to rescue it from oblivion, it is not a good product.

The writing is poorly organized (for example, in the introduction the tense changes at random from paragraph to paragraph). Rather than just presenting the dungeon, it throws a whole setting at the reader, frequently bombarding you with terms (both mechanical and fantasy gobbledygook) before it explains them.

It does have some interesting ideas about establishing the philosophical themes of dungeons, but the good ideas are buried in a whole lot of "too much."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I remember when Benoist was talking about the project on Facebook and it was clear that there was just no project management going on, even as they were preparing to come to Kickstarter. Everything was in vague terms of "we might do this, we might do that," when talking about really huge shifts in direction for the product.

"Give us a bunch of money" was their first step in the process, rather than following a bunch of good planning and forethought. Lots of red flags all over the place, even before he and Ernie started throwing around a ton more of them.

 

[Retreater]

I get the feeling that if you want an old school mega dungeon in an OSR system, maybe you're better off getting something like Rappan Athuk, Barrowmaze, or Arden Vul.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I get the feeling that if you want an old school mega dungeon in an OSR system, maybe you're better off getting something like Rappan Athuk, Barrowmaze, or Arden Vul.

Or Stonehell. Also very well regarded and no problematic issues/allegations attached to the creator, as has happened with Rappan Athuk and Barrowmaze.

 

[jdrakeh]

Or Stonehell. Also very well regarded and no problematic issues/allegations attached to the creator, as has happened with Rappan Athuk and Barrowmaze.

And Stonehell, unlike Barrowmaze, is competently edited.

 

[Riley]

Or Stonehell. Also very well regarded and no problematic issues/allegations attached to the creator, as has happened with Rappan Athuk and Barrowmaze.

[Nervously googles “clark a. peterson allegations”.]

Well that’s disappointing.

Also disappointing that I was relieved to find allegations that didn’t involve assault or abuse.

EDIT: And then I came across that other, more awkward allegation.

Idaho judge. Sigh.

 

[MNblockhead]

I get the feeling that if you want an old school mega dungeon in an OSR system, maybe you're better off getting something like Rappan Athuk, Barrowmaze, or Arden Vul.

Though, as much as I love Rappan Athuk, it has its own editing issues. Though maybe Frog God Games just rushed the 5e conversion in their kickstarter. I've never looked at the Pathfinder or Swords & Wizardry versions. I loved Rappan Athuk and ran a five-year campaign in it. But it desperately needs a comprehensive errata document.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I remember when Benoist was talking about the project on Facebook and it was clear that there was just no project management going on, even as they were preparing to come to Kickstarter. Everything was in vague terms of "we might do this, we might do that," when talking about really huge shifts in direction for the product.

"Give us a bunch of money" was their first step in the process, rather than following a bunch of good planning and forethought. Lots of red flags all over the place, even before he and Ernie started throwing around a ton more of them.

What's frustrating is that I can remember various backers saying "I am a project manager and I would love to volunteer to help" to no avail.

Poor editing, poor writing. Heck, the art (which was supposedly a big hold-up), is barely above sketch quality.

[Nervously googles “clark a. peterson allegations”.]

Well that’s disappointing.

Also disappointing that I was relieved to find allegations that didn’t involve assault or abuse.

EDIT: And then I came across that other, more awkward allegation.

Idaho judge. Sigh.

Oh dang. I knew about Bill Webb's controversies, but hadn't heard about Clark Peterson's own.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Though, as much as I love Rappan Athuk, it has its own editing issues. Though maybe Frog God Games just rushed the 5e conversion in their kickstarter. I've never looked at the Pathfinder or Swords & Wizardry versions. I loved Rappan Athuk and ran a five-year campaign in it. But it desperately needs a comprehensive errata document.

Frog Gods don't use editing