Oriental Setting Modules

[Silver Moon]

Last week we wrapped up my 10-game Viking saga. Another player will be giving me a break from the DM chores, after which I have decided to run a module set in the Orient. So my question is, does anybody know of a good (short) Oriental setting module? I have almost every issue of Dungeon magazine but haven't had the time yet to look through them all for one.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

LOL! Just played in The Palace of Plenty, from Dungeon #130.

 

[BV210]

I thought "Mad Gyogi" was pretty fun (Issue 33). "The Kappa of Pachee Bridge" (can't remember the issue) was interesting, too.

 

[Emirikol]

Last week we wrapped up my 10-game Viking saga. Another player will be giving me a break from the DM chores, after which I have decided to run a module set in the Orient. So my question is, does anybody know of a good (short) Oriental setting module? I have almost every issue of Dungeon magazine but haven't had the time yet to look through them all for one.

I'm just starting our Viking campaign. If I may ask, how did yours go?

Thanks,

Jay Hafner

 

[Dragonhelm]

Have you tried looking for the old OA series of modules for AD&D? If that doesn't work, you might be able to adapt L5R to your needs (depending on your setup).

 

[Silver Moon]

I thought "Mad Gyogi" was pretty fun (Issue 33).

Found it, I'll look it over.

"The Kappa of Pachee Bridge" (can't remember the issue) was interesting, too.

The index says that was in Dungeon #5 (which is one of the dozen or so issues that I don't have).

I also don't have any of the OA modules - I do own Dungeon #130 but it isn't in the pile so my wife may have borrowed it for the module she is running now.

 

[Silver Moon]

I'm just starting our Viking campaign. If I may ask, how did yours go? Thanks, Jay Hafner

Very good. For the background setting I used the old TSR D&D Gazetteer "The Northern Reaches", focusing on the Soderfjord Jarldoms. It also included some excellent maps and a battlemap of a Viking longhouse.

For several NPC's and flavor I borrowed pieces from the module "Ill Made Graves" from Dungeon #133 (with enough foreshadowing thrown in that I may run that module in the future).

For the primary module in this setting I ran "The Iron Orb of the Deurgar" from Dungeon #46. In the climax battle against the giant iron golem I used a 5" action figure of the Marvel character Ulton as a prop which worked rather well.

And for other props I used ship models from the "Frozen North" set of the Pirates collectible card game.

 

[BV210]

While not originally placed in an Oriental setting, for my campaign I have adapted "Of Nests and Nations" (Issue 13) and "Nine-Tenths of the Law" (Issue 26). For an Indian feel, "Rana Mor" is a beauty and you can always use the old standby "Dwellers of the Forbidden City".

 

[Silver Moon]

While not originally placed in an Oriental setting, for my campaign I have adapted "Of Nests and Nations" (Issue 13)

Great suggestion! I was planning to having his in a city with the party being hired by the city leaders, so the plot hook for this would would be well adapted. From my brief overview this looks like a fun one too.

you can always use the old standby "Dwellers of the Forbidden City".

I ran that module with the group back in 1985 after which the playing characters decided to make the Island and City atop the mountain their home! That's been their base for 22 years now. That's in fact my only hesitation to running "Mad Gyoji" as the Tasloi appear to be a key part of it and that's a race that the party has befriended due to "Forbidden City" so would be able to communicate with and make freinds with instead of having conflict

 

[Qualidar]

Silvermoon,

I'd hightly recommend the Palace of Plenty. Varianor was in a much-shortened one-shot version, and I think in general it was received pretty positively. There was a poll over on Paizo of what people's favorite adventure was for that year, and there were lots of votes for that (it was at the top of my list).

Also, 136's "The Coming Storm" would be a great OA adventure. It pretty much was an OA adventure shoved into Greyhawk.

I wouldn't really recommend any of the TSR OA adventures: I find them much too old-school dungeon-crawly. If you don't mind re-writting them, they would provide good inspiration (Especially Ochimo, the Spirit Warrior)

I'm not sure which ruleset you're using, but the reason I ran the Palace of Plenty 1-shot was to test drive the Book of 9 Swords rules for my OA campaign. Many people told me they enjoyed the adventure, but more told me they enjoyed that optional system. My OA campaign is aiming for a Wuxia style (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for example), and I was going for a very cartoon anime style (Ninja Scroll was my goal) with the 1-shot, and I'd say it does either of those very well.

~Qualidar~