First Published Module

[Crothian]

i gave it as a book report in the sixth grade.

What grade did you get?

 

[TerraDave]

The Acaeum has this nice summary

Palace of the Vampire Queen has the distinction of being the first D&D module ever published (module G1 Steading of the Hill Giant Chief was the first module produced by TSR; the first scenario was "Temple of the Frog", included in the Blackmoor D&D supplement, which predates PotVQ by a few months).

I would also note that another very early module included:

Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

 

[Mark]

Thanks guys. You are all pretty much spot on:

G1

Curiosity cured!

Originally used as tournament modules at Origins '78.

Although it says that, I feel certain the Gencon D&D Open (if that is what they called it back then) in 1978 (in which I played) used that series as the tournament modules. IIRC, I won my first DMG then.

 

[Glyfair]

Although it says that, I feel certain the Gencon D&D Open (if that is what they called it back then) in 1978 (in which I played) used that series as the tournament modules. IIRC, I won my first DMG then.

The article in THe Dragon #19 (reviewed here) gives the rundown at Origins '78.

Edit: The same issue (and my review) states that D2 & D3 were the modules used at GenCon.

 

[Mark]

The article in THe Dragon #19 (reviewed here) gives the rundown at Origins '78.

Edit: The same issue (and my review) states that D2 & D3 were the modules used at GenCon.

Well, I do remember playing in the Shrine, also. I wonder if the Steading (etal) were either earlier or on the side or some other event. Thanks for the link (and review)!

 

[diaglo]

What grade did you get?

that i don't remember. i got an A for the class tho.

 

[cildarith]

that i don't remember. i got an A for the class tho.

Did your teacher know the "book" was only 8 pages long?

 

[Doug Sundseth]

Judges Guild is sort of tricky since they released their early products initially as part of the "Judge's Guild Journal."

But yet, I don't count City State as a module.

I do, largely because of the dungeon below the city, but as I said, I understand your point. At any rate, you got me to look at my old JG stuff (I had a sub). City State was first (Issue I), Thunderhold second (Issue J), I think K was the Guide to the City State (it doesn't have an issue number on the cover, so I might be wrong about that), L was Tegel Manor, and M was Modron.

 

[Melan]

It is tricky, since those dungeons were unkeyed. However, the city itself was (and still is in its current edition) pretty dungeon-like. In any case, the second JG installment, Thunderhold, has to count as a module because the Sunstone Caverns are described - just not in room-to-room detail.

But all in all, Temple of the Frog is the first known published scenario, and Palace of the Vampire Queen the first standalone adventure. TSR's G1 came into the field much, much later. Temple of the Frog wasn't too successful, and it wasn't until JG proved that adventures could be published profitably that they reconsidered their position.

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

Did your teacher know the "book" was only 8 pages long?

Check the wordcount, though.

Nowadays it would be released in an 11-point font with a 1" page border and tactical maps and at least 20 pages of stat blocks.