D&D Beyond Releases New Free D&D Adventure Featuring 1980s Cartoon Characters

D&D Beyond has a new adventure featuring the cast of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon as playable characters. Today, D&D Beyond released Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn as a free adventure for all D&D Beyond subscribers. The adventure, which was originally released at PAX West as a part of D&D's 50th anniversary celebration, is a Level 4 adventure. As part of the adventure, players can use pre-made character sheets for the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon characters, now grown up. A seventh character, Niko, is also in the adventure as a new character who came from a different set of real-world adventurers stuck in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn also features a grown-up Uni and Kelek of League of Malevolence and D&D toy fame.

You can take a look at the grown up cast of the D&D cartoon (plus Niko) below:

 

[Sacrosanct]

As has been mentioned upthread, Niko is a new character introduced to the team for this adventure.

Which is weird, because she wasn't part of the playtest, and not really needed. Shrug. I guess they wanted a cleric. IIRC, she first appeared in one of those starter sets from a while back?

 

[Zaukrie]

Which is weird, because she wasn't part of the playtest, and not really needed. Shrug. I guess they wanted a cleric. IIRC, she first appeared in one of those starter sets from a while back?

I mean, they wanted the base classes available. Not sure how that's weird.

 

[pukunui]

Which is weird, because she wasn't part of the playtest, and not really needed. Shrug. I guess they wanted a cleric. IIRC, she first appeared in one of those starter sets from a while back?

What playtest?

Yes, she first appeared (unnamed) in the Dragons of Stormwreck Isle miniatures set. I posted about that already, but there are two threads on this topic, and I can't remember which one I posted what in!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, even if clerics aren't required nowadays, not having one in a starter adventure would feel weird to a lot of people.

 

[Sacrosanct]

What playtest?

Yes, she first appeared (unnamed) in the Dragons of Stormwreck Isle miniatures set. I posted about that already, but there are two threads on this topic, and I can't remember which one I posted what in!

WoTC does closed playtests for everything. I was part of this playtest a few months ago.

 

[Dire Bare]

Another comment: No one who showed up to the game day had ever heard of or seen the cartoon (too young, even the 40-year-old) so I just presented the characters as straightforward adventurers and villains, without the nudging and winking.

For those not familiar with the cartoon, the pregens are fine . . . other than, why are these fantasy characters named Bobby, Hank, and Presto? Why not Bob?

 

[Dire Bare]

It makes zero sense that it would be the Forgotten Realms, based on everything we know about the cartoon world and the Forgotten Realms. That was just some exec who was sure it would somehow magically mean more Forgotten Realms sales in some mysterious fashion.

For a project revisiting "the kids" from the 80's animated series, deciding that "the Realm" is its own unique setting is fine. Also doing some light rectonning and deciding that "the Realm" is actually "the Realms" (of the Forgotten sort) is also fine. Making different choices on different projects is also fine. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Not lazy, not ignorant (of canon), not a "wrong" choice . . . just a choice that upsets a very small percentage of D&D fans.

There were some promotional comics published decades ago that also had the kids in Faerun meeting Elminster . . . .

 

[Stormonu]

Thank you for the correction, my good fellow.

So that leaves Battletech then.

I have some sad news for you...

As has been mentioned upthread, Niko is a new character introduced to the team for this adventure.

I don't have the cartoons handy, but I thought Niko was the girl that Bobby helped to get back to her own home. If not, that was an opportunity lost.

 

[pukunui]

WoTC does closed playtests for everything. I was part of this playtest a few months ago.

Gotcha. I'm a bit surprised they bothered to playtest a short freebie like this, but all good. FWIW I used to be part of the closed playtest program, but I haven't received any playtest material since around the Planescape book IIRC, so I guess I've been quietly dropped from the program.

I don't have the cartoons handy, but I thought Niko was the girl that Bobby helped to get back to her own home. If not, that was an opportunity lost.

As the beginning of this adventure states, Niko is "a Cleric from a different set of adventurers who recently tumbled into the D&D multiverse."

 

[Azzy]

As has been mentioned upthread, Niko is a new character introduced to the team for this adventure.

Hush, you. Niko was there--she was always there but just out of screen for the entire show.