Revised Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth Coming Soon...

[Shade]

I wonder if this one, like the original, will include a massive preview of the next Monster Manual.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, two of the three got "Return to" treatment in the late 90s, it may just be that WotC didn't feel they should do both a Return to and an Expedition to for the same books.

Eh, it's a decade and an edition and a half later. I sure hope that's not a factor in WotC's decision making process.

 

[T. Foster]

It's interesting to me that, in contrast to the "Return to" series which was clearly motivated by the popularity of the originals (ToH, KotB, WPM, Against the Giants, and ToEE were all among TSR's most popular and fondly-remembered modules of the Classic Era), the "Expedition to" series (with the (admittedly huge) exception of Castle Ravenloft) seems to be based more around modules where the original didn't really live up to expectations. Q1 has achieved sort of "coattail legendary" status as the culmination of the GD series, but is regarded by almost everyone I know (both then and now) as a huge letdown both as the climax of that series and as TSR's first otherplanar adventure. The best anyone seems to have to say about the original 2E "Greyhawk Ruins" is "at least it's better than the joke version," which is about as faint as praise gets. And even Undermountain, probably the best-regarded of the three, tends to draw a lot of reactions along the lines of "nice looking set of maps -- too bad they didn't bother to fill 'em in..."

 

[Kafkonia]

It's interesting to me that, in contrast to the "Return to" series which was clearly motivated by the popularity of the originals (ToH, KotB, WPM, Against the Giants, and ToEE were all among TSR's most popular and fondly-remembered modules of the Classic Era), the "Expedition to" series (with the (admittedly huge) exception of Castle Ravenloft) seems to be based more around modules where the original didn't really live up to expectations. Q1 has achieved sort of "coattail legendary" status as the culmination of the GD series, but is regarded by almost everyone I know (both then and now) as a huge letdown both as the climax of that series and as TSR's first otherplanar adventure. The best anyone seems to have to say about the original 2E "Greyhawk Ruins" is "at least it's better than the joke version," which is about as faint as praise gets. And even Undermountain, probably the best-regarded of the three, tends to draw a lot of reactions along the lines of "nice looking set of maps -- too bad they didn't bother to fill 'em in..."

Can you not also look at them as important adventures with regards to D&D settings, though?

Ravenloft and Greyhawk obviously tie in the with settings of the same name.

Undermountain was basis for two separate FR supplements.

Spider Queen is, as the first extraplanar adventure, important to Planescape.

So Expeditions for Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Oriental Adventures, etc. may be far-off but possible products.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Rats. I was hoping for an "Expedition" treatment for this one rather than an online revision. I like hardcopy modules.

 

[grodog]

So, just what is "Tsojcanth" supposed to be an anagram of? Enquiring minds &c.

So far as I know, there isn't any anagram to Tsojcanth or to Tsojconth (the original name in the 1976 tourney version of S4). If anyone's curious about the original tourney version, you can see some a/b comparisons on my site @ http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_s4.html

Rats. I was hoping for an "Expedition" treatment for this one rather than an online revision. I like hardcopy modules.

I'll be curious to see how they change the background from the AD&D version, and whether they seem to line up WG4 as the next web freebie. I was hoping that those two modules might be combined into an Expedition book, but I guess that's out now. C'est la vie....

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Can you not also look at them as important adventures with regards to D&D settings, though?

Ravenloft and Greyhawk obviously tie in the with settings of the same name.

Undermountain was basis for two separate FR supplements.

Spider Queen is, as the first extraplanar adventure, important to Planescape.

So Expeditions for Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Oriental Adventures, etc. may be far-off but possible products.

I'd bet on Mystara first, between Keep on the Borderlands, Isle of Dread and all the other "shared experience" modules that were so popular in the BD&D and 1E era. (And yes, Paizo is all over the Isle of Dread currently. As the folks at Necromancer Games can tell ya, that's no guarantee that WotC won't drop their fishing lure into the same pond.)

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

I had actually pulled my old copy out in order to update it to 3.5 for my current campaign...this just saved me a butt load of time. Thanks WOTC!

 

[Pbartender]

And yes, Paizo is all over the Isle of Dread currently.

Man, that's another one I'd be eager to see... Isle of Dread is one of my all-time favorite adventure modules.

 

[Tharian]

So far as I know, there isn't any anagram to Tsojcanth or to Tsojconth (the original name in the 1976 tourney version of S4). If anyone's curious about the original tourney version, you can see some a/b comparisons on my site @ http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_s4.html

So the anagram doesn't mean John Scott?