Well, I mean...I just saw this thread lying here, unguarded, as I was passing by (without tarrying)...
TSR Example from the worst TSR adventure module(s) ever published
ErichTheGreen
First Post
Been reading through the old modules from storage, mostly played 1e, haven't played at all since 2e was newish, getting back in now at 5e hence the unearthing. I just re-read this one and noted lots of problematic areas (plus many typos).
But what surprises me is that nobody in 37 pages mentioned that two different treasure hoards each contain a scroll of protection from weretigers. Not just one, but TWO! There are no weretigers in this module to protect against (oops, sorry, spoiler alert), it was something you could roll on the random treasure charts but rolling it TWICE?!?
And then there's the wilderness wandering monsters chart. You're travelling through a typical (European) temperate forest so you expect to see the bears, boars, wolves, wild dogs and then there are the orcs, gnolls, kobolds, skeletons but also some rather weird entries: Baboons? Hyenas? Tigers? TIGERS?!? Did somebody recently empty out a zoo? The weirdest though, has probably got to be the cavemen. It's almost like there's some kind of spatial anomaly in the midst of the woods spitting out creatures from other continents or eras. Or else that gypsy curse is way funkier than anyone realized...
(Also, no-one has mentioned that "gypsy" is now a politically incorrect ethnic slur, something not recognized in the 80s).
However, pencil marks on the player's map & pregen roster indicate I DM-ed this (at least, most of it) back in the 80s without noticing many of these issues, ah, the good old days...
But what surprises me is that nobody in 37 pages mentioned that two different treasure hoards each contain a scroll of protection from weretigers. Not just one, but TWO! There are no weretigers in this module to protect against (oops, sorry, spoiler alert), it was something you could roll on the random treasure charts but rolling it TWICE?!?
And then there's the wilderness wandering monsters chart. You're travelling through a typical (European) temperate forest so you expect to see the bears, boars, wolves, wild dogs and then there are the orcs, gnolls, kobolds, skeletons but also some rather weird entries: Baboons? Hyenas? Tigers? TIGERS?!? Did somebody recently empty out a zoo? The weirdest though, has probably got to be the cavemen. It's almost like there's some kind of spatial anomaly in the midst of the woods spitting out creatures from other continents or eras. Or else that gypsy curse is way funkier than anyone realized...
(Also, no-one has mentioned that "gypsy" is now a politically incorrect ethnic slur, something not recognized in the 80s).
However, pencil marks on the player's map & pregen roster indicate I DM-ed this (at least, most of it) back in the 80s without noticing many of these issues, ah, the good old days...
Lord Shark
Adventurer
See, that just proves how well the scrolls work. I can also, if you like, sell you this rock that keeps tigers away.
That is a deal you do not tarry around!
Joshua Randall
Legend
Reminds me of an old joke...
A psychiatrist gets called to see a patient. Seems the patient will not stop snapping his fingers.
The psychiatrist asks him why he is snapping.
"To keep the tigers away," the patient replies.
The psychiatrist says, "My good sir, we are in New York City. The nearest tigers live in Asia, thousands of miles away."
The patient replies, "See, it's working!"
A psychiatrist gets called to see a patient. Seems the patient will not stop snapping his fingers.
The psychiatrist asks him why he is snapping.
"To keep the tigers away," the patient replies.
The psychiatrist says, "My good sir, we are in New York City. The nearest tigers live in Asia, thousands of miles away."
The patient replies, "See, it's working!"
I almost want someone to to run this module at a convention. Maybe as a drinking game...
Simplicity
Explorer
Every time I don't find myself somewhere else than ENWorld,
I fail to not find this thread.
It'd be a shame to not reply, so I shan't tarry to do so.
Then I'll return to not banging my head.
I fail to not find this thread.
It'd be a shame to not reply, so I shan't tarry to do so.
Then I'll return to not banging my head.
Forest Oracle:
Is it pure incompetence
Or is it genius?
HAIKUUUUUUU!!!!!!
Is it pure incompetence
Or is it genius?
HAIKUUUUUUU!!!!!!
CapnZapp
Legend
That's actually more common than you'd think, that people misuse the adventure format even though all they want is to read you a story, having no interest or intention to let the players exhibit free will.
Also, could we move this thread out of the Pathfinder forum? It's a D&D general topic.
