D&D General Keep on the Borderlands - How do you run the Wilderness?

[Stormonu]

Back in the day, it was usually just a straight shot from the keep (if it was even used) to the dungeon, skipping the wilderness in-between. Though I vaguely remember one game with the group encountering leocrocotta on the road.

If I were to run it today, I'd use OAR1 - Into the Borderlands, but until the party got a level or two under them and got interested in the surrounding wilderness, it'd still be a quick there-and-back between keep and the caves.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Have we become so used to hex maps for wilderness areas that we can’t use a square grid? Why use a grid at all, when we have easy access to measuring tools, especially when using a VTT?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

it'd still be a quick there-and-back between keep and the caves

Once the inhabitants of the cave realise they are being attacked from the keep, wouldn’t they consider traps and ambushes along the route? Or simply abandon the caves and move to a new hideout? Or mount a full assault on the keep?

 

[haakon1]

I most recently ran parts of Goodman Games OAR “Into the Borderlands”. It’s awesome. For the Keep itself, I like the 2e era masterpiece by John D. Rateliff - “Return to the Keep on the Borderlands”.

I also checked out “Little Keep on the Borderlands” from the Knights of the Dinner Table folks, and used some of the NPC’s.

 

[Cadence]

Once the inhabitants of the cave realise they are being attacked from the keep, wouldn’t they consider traps and ambushes along the route?

Or ask the traitor in the keep what's up?

Or simply abandon the caves and move to a new hideout? Or mount a full assault on the keep?

Aren't they all there unnaturally close to each other because of the pull of the temple of chaos?

 

[pemerton]

To be honest, the only part of B2 that I ever really liked was the Keep. I find the Caverns, as written, to lack verisimilitude.

I've used the Keep more-or-less as written multiples times, with both AD&D and Burning Wheel as the system.

But I've never used the Caves as written. I have adapted the chaotic temple, and made up caves of my own (the last time I used it, with a Dark Naga).

To answer @MerricB's question, I don't think I've ever used the provided wilderness. I used my own wilderness last time.

I think the hermit could be interesting, but have never worked out how to use him.