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

This module reminds me of a poem I learned as a kid. I can't find the source, but it seems to be pretty widely known:
The famous speaker who no one had heard of said:
Ladies and jellyspoons, hobos and tramps,
cross-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged ants,
I stand before you to sit behind you
to tell you something I know nothing about.
Next Thursday, which is Good Friday,
there’s a Mother’s Day meeting for fathers only;
wear your best clothes if you haven’t any.
Please come if you can’t; if you can, stay at home.
Admission is free, pay at the door;
pull up a chair and sit on the floor.
It makes no difference where you sit,
the man in the gallery’s sure to spit.
The show is over, but before you go,
let me tell you a story I don’t really know.
One bright day in the middle of the night,
two dead boys got up to fight.
One was blind and the other couldn’t see,
So they fought in front of a referee,
(The blind man went to see fair play;
the mute man went to shout “hooray!”)
Back to back they faced each other,
drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
and came and killed the two dead boys.
A paralysed donkey passing by
kicked the blind man in the eye;
knocked him through a nine-inch wall,
into a dry ditch and drowned them all.
If you don’t believe this lie is true,
ask the blind man; he saw it too,
through a knothole in a wooden brick wall.
And the man with no legs walked away.

Nareau
 

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This was pretty funny, sorry I missed this the first time around. My favorite bit about the Bandit encounter is the way their description gradually evolves. In the boxed text, we learn that they look like peasants or serfs carrying weapons, but then we learn the weapons they are carrying are the sorts of weapons no peasant or serf would ever carry. :confused:

And then, upon closer inspection- they're all carrying swords.

Padding the word count much?
 


Adversary Games: Florida (USA): A small-press company in the early 80's run by Carl Smith out of Florida. Former makers of the Buccaneer historical RPG (?) and the Acquitane fantasy RPG (?) as well as xD&D supplements such as "Alchemist's Abode".
 

Here's an example I found last night while leafing through module A2, Secret of the Slavers' Stockade. Usually the A-series boxed text is fairly good (it occurs to me that tournament modules relied more on boxed text -- perhaps to make sure everyone in the tourney got the same starting information). But this one is like somebody drew a box around a completely random paragraph...

16. Beehives.
The door here seems to be stuck, and will have to be forced open. When it is opened, a bucket of sugary syrup falls and drenches anyone standing in the doorway. Immediately an angry buzzing arises, and the syrup covered character is attacked by a swarm of bees.

Note that here you have an example of "killer boxed text" without ever using the word "you" (which may make it even worse).
 

LordVyreth said:
I don't suppose we could get an official ruling on exactly how much of the module can be posted here? So far, we've only had 4 encounters in the 30+ page module, and I wouldn't mind seeing more. I know Quas didn't want to risk posting more, but if we got the mod's okay on exactly how much was allowed it should be okay.
I'm certainly no expert, but isn't the fact that we've "credited" Mr. Smith for the forementioned material, relevant to there being no threat of copyright infringement? It's not as if we're re-posting HIS material and claiming it to be our own. I'm not aware of a "limit" on quotable material when the author is being so clearly indicated.
 

Random Axe said:
I'm certainly no expert, but isn't the fact that we've "credited" Mr. Smith for the forementioned material, relevant to there being no threat of copyright infringement? It's not as if we're re-posting HIS material and claiming it to be our own. I'm not aware of a "limit" on quotable material when the author is being so clearly indicated.

If you don't have the rights to reproduce it -- which the copyright holder must grant you -- you don't have the rights to reproduce it, regardless of whether you attribute it or not. There is leeway to reproduce some of it for review purposes, which this arguably is.
 

I played this mod when I was waaaayyy back in scouts. I remember the Nymph and the wererats. I had fun in the mod....then again I was 13 and I was a player, not the DM.
 


OK. I just looked on ebay to see if any copies of The Forest Oracle were cheap. One auction, ending in 20 hours or so, has numerous goofs in the listing. Is the seller being funny? :)

And I Quote:
Your are bidding on a vintage Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Modules N2 The Forest Oracle by Carl Smith, 1984. (TSR-9084). For 6-8 characters levels 2-4.

The Land lies under a curse. Fruit drops to the ground, its pulp black and rotten. Leaves curl and wither in the branches. Animals flee the parched vale or starve.

Log ago, the Downs prospered under the care of Druids. But the priests of nature have retreated deep into the woods and rarely show themselves. One old man claims that the Druids have the power to save the valley, if only someone could find their Oracle to seek help. Will you reach the Foret Oracle of the Druids in time? And if you do, can they really lift the curse? Or does the answer lie elswhere?

This module has long been out of print and would make an excellent addition to any gaming collection.

I have others listed including G1-2-3, D3 and Q1 together, either check my listings or email me.

Shipping is $4.50 in US and $12 Worldwide.
 

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