Labyrinth of Madness by Monte Cook - Updated November 18, 2005

[Blackthorne]

I actually ran this thing a few years ago. Good, tough, clever high-level module. Don´t remember many details, though. Sold it to a friend.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Have it, never got a chance to run it. Reading it, it came across as close to impossible for PCs to survive. On one hand, it's kinda cool to have a module like this come along every edition or so to set the standard for killer dungeons; on the other hand, it's so hard it comes across like something the Knights of the Dinner Table would whisper about in fearful tones. It's like the Boogey Man of modules.

 

[Thorindale]

I managed to nab an updated conversion of the module from this fine chap: Mike Chapin [mistmane@yahoo.com]. The file looks to have been hosted here at ENWorld, but it's not in the converted file section now.

Another place to look is on Monte's boards at montecook.com; there's actually a place to discuss this module.


Edit: also found this link: http://users.telenet.be/Wim.Props/. WARNING: I do not believe this is a legal conversion.

 

[Warden]

It's one hell of an adventure and I do mean that it should burn in the foulest, deepest layer of Hell. Very cool and highly imaginative, but our DM had to tweak it something fierce just so that we could get through the first few rooms. It was nasty, nasty, nasty. If your DM pulls out Labyrinth of Madness, quit the game right there. Take your Cheetos and run.

(Ironically, this is all meant as a compliment. I enjoy talking about it, but the memories are painful.)

 

[Kerrick]

managed to nab an updated conversion of the module from this fine chap: Mike Chapin [mistmane@yahoo.com]. The file looks to have been hosted here at ENWorld, but it's not in the converted file section now.

Thorin beat me to the punch. Yeah, I did a conversion to 3.5 a couple years back, but I couldn't figure out how to get it uploaded to the Conversions page. I never got to play through this, but I thought it was a great read (and yes, a killer dungeon). Even a halfway competent DM could slaughter the party several times over.

Vague Spoilers...






As for levels: the conversion, would work for around 17th level, though the ELs vary widely. For the "Return to" version, I'd say 25-30. The "mythal" has advanced beyond the bounds of the valley and attracted the notice of many poweful entities, not all of them good. The heroes are called upon to put an end to the evil once and for all. Course, this would require coming up with an actual source of the mythal, and a way to to destroy it... Also, you'd have to invent a new party of NPCs (or advance any of the old ones who got away), and maybe a new villain (did they kill Aerthun and/or Im-Ravin?). Most of the rest of it could play as-is (finding those runes is hard for a party of any level) - just advance the "aura's" effects a bit, so the mutations are more prevalent and powerful.

 

[Monte At Home]

Yeah, I did a conversion to 3.5 a couple years back, but I couldn't figure out how to get it uploaded to the Conversions page.

That would be very cool to see.

Yeah, the point of this adventure was to create something that if you were able to finish it, really finish it, it would be something you could brag about for your gaming career. I only know of one group that's done it without fudging in some way. (And that includes the playtesters.)

I've heard the story about Elminster and the rest. I think they died due to overconfidence.

There's one really significant typo on page 44. In room E4, where it says 'Sigil 15' in red, it should say 'Sigil 12.' That's the only error in the adventure that will actually trip up game play. Any DM able to run this adventure (and it's a challenge to run, as well as to play) can handle the other 3 or so minor map problems. All of them, as well as some clarifications of other things that aren't clear (it's got some really complicated encounters) are enumerated here:

http://users.rcn.com/aardy/rpg/lomerr.html

Looking back at this module today, I don't know if I'd personally run it as written anymore--it's just too hard. (I don't know if I'd have the patience to run Tomb of Horrors anymore, either, though.) I guess that makes me a wimp. I think I'd have one player start with some sigils or at least the knowledge that you need to get the sigils and how to use them. The sigils make the adventure really hard and at times very frustrating. However, if you strip the whole sigil shtick out of the module, you still end up with a pretty good and very hard trap-and-monster tomb dungeon. (Although the sigils do provide some cool moments and really make the adventure different from others the players have likely played.) There's still some stuff in this module I'm really proud of. Some of the tricks and traps, for example. Running the mind-switching room was one of the most fun (and funny) sessions of D&D I've ever had.

 

[Sledge]

Thanks to everyone that has posted. Especially your 2 cents Monte. I've chatted with players a bit and will be running it twice. Once as a suicide run/one shot. Then once the players have suitable terror I will drop their regular epic characters into it. I'm going to advance this beasty up high and nasty. Okay replies below:

GeoFFields: as you can see I took the suggestion of running it multiple times, but don't truly wish to convert it thrice. Thanks for the idea.

Soel: I have no idea where you got this from.

Thorindale: thanks for the linkage.

mirivor, Warden: your dark memories are just what I hope to raise in these players >

Kerrick: I'm going to take the idea of expanding influence and run with it I think. The big enemies that were dead, will be back alive and the littles may be replaced. I'm aiming for level 40 or so, so everything will be scarier.

Monte: I'll admit to a little fudging the first time I ran it as well. Basically gave to party liberal second chances at life. I think I also had to give extra hints for one or two puzzles but no more than that IIRC. This time through it will be thoroughly epic and after the suicide run I'll be including the now epic PC that has been there before. Of course he may find the puzzles are now different than he remembers. > However I'm less concerned with it being too powerful because at these levels the characters will have tremendous versatility. Thanks for your tips. I actually linked to the site you posted in the first post. The original errata for the typ you noted is still printed out and with the module from when I first ran it.

 

[Warden]

Running the mind-switching room was one of the most fun (and funny) sessions of D&D I've ever had.

Agreed. Our DM didn't tell us that the players switched bodies, just that we were suddenly standing on another side of the room. Slowly, when we would look at our equipment, we found we were wearing the other guy's stuff, and it slowly began to creep in what we were doing. There were a few animal familiars giving some comic looks back and forth...probably the best scene of the game. Even when the two players cursed by it (not me, unfortunately) began to argue about not damaging their things and all that, it was very memorable.

To anyone running LOM, never alter that particular scene. Highly recommended.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

There's still some stuff in this module I'm really proud of. Some of the tricks and traps, for example. Running the mind-switching room was one of the most fun (and funny) sessions of D&D I've ever had.

Does that explain re-using this idea in Banewarrens? Pretty clever there, too.

 

[Monte At Home]

Does that explain re-using this idea in Banewarrens?

Yep.

There's a scene from LOM that is burned forever in my mind:

After much mind-switching has occurred, Ray Vallese's character's mind has just been shifted back into the body of a roper that he had previously inhabited. After leaving the body of the roper and returning to his own body, he spent a great deal of time convincing the party that the roper was not a PC anymore, and should be killed quick. The party was preparing massive spells and attacks to take out the roper, and Ray, having had his character's mind been in the body of the roper already (and having asked me if the roper could speak, and my saying no), tells me that the roper was waving his tendrils around, trying to form a big "NO" with its mouth, and shaking its head with its one eye open in terror.

Describing that to the other players was priceless. I could scarcely do it without bursting out laughing. Everyone was just rolling on the floor at that point, which was the height of a lot of funny mix ups in that encounter.

That kind of fun is worth doing again (albeit in a very different way).