Jan van Leyden
Adventurer
This would be "To Find a King".
I have very bad memories of this adventure from my experiences as a player. In one room my magic-user got cauliflowered. She felt sort of stripped naked in this situation...
What are the greatest published adventures you've run?
This would be "To Find a King".
I have very bad memories of this adventure from my experiences as a player. In one room my magic-user got cauliflowered. She felt sort of stripped naked in this situation...
Starfox
Hero
Amazing how many of these scenarios are OLD. Like really old. I think many of you are straying into fond memories of glory days.
For me, the best adventure ever is the Savage Tide adventure path, from Dungeon. The earlier in the series, the better.
I am trying to come up with more; many of Chaosium's scenarios for Call of Chuthulu were great, but none of them really stand out. I've also had a lot of fun with D1 & 3 - Descent into the Depths of the Earth and Vault of the Drow. But this was not because the scenarios were good - they were actually not. It was because I turned them into a slapstick/comedy game with more in common with Yamara than Drizzt. Like how the cavern in D1 was known as Troll Town and dominated by the conflict between the Rock Boys and the Stonefunkers (both gargole rock bands).
For me, the best adventure ever is the Savage Tide adventure path, from Dungeon. The earlier in the series, the better.
I am trying to come up with more; many of Chaosium's scenarios for Call of Chuthulu were great, but none of them really stand out. I've also had a lot of fun with D1 & 3 - Descent into the Depths of the Earth and Vault of the Drow. But this was not because the scenarios were good - they were actually not. It was because I turned them into a slapstick/comedy game with more in common with Yamara than Drizzt. Like how the cavern in D1 was known as Troll Town and dominated by the conflict between the Rock Boys and the Stonefunkers (both gargole rock bands).
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It was Destiny of the Kings. The title you named reminded me of the title I was looking for.
Destiny of Kings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It was a really fun module, especially if you were a Paladin. Great story. Encounters were well-designed. It had great parts for every class, especially the rogue given there were a few encounters where breaking in or being disguised were important.
I ran this module several times. Mostly because I liked to play Paladins a lot. But also because it was a fun module.
Aberzanzorax
Hero
Not exactly "published" per se, but published via the web...
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fraternityofshadows.com%2FLibrary%2FChildOfTheHouse_RuchtLilavivat.pdf&ei=8haTTZOABdK_0QGp0-TMBw&usg=AFQjCNEgPrYiqjA2TvQ4lMbuf3DHiNr19g
Child of the House from Fraternity of Shadows (one of two premier Ravenloft Fansites).
This is the most creeped out and even scared I have ever, ever seen my players.
Also, I'll say that my players loved the Witchfire Trilogy and the Freeport Trilogy.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fraternityofshadows.com%2FLibrary%2FChildOfTheHouse_RuchtLilavivat.pdf&ei=8haTTZOABdK_0QGp0-TMBw&usg=AFQjCNEgPrYiqjA2TvQ4lMbuf3DHiNr19g
Child of the House from Fraternity of Shadows (one of two premier Ravenloft Fansites).
This is the most creeped out and even scared I have ever, ever seen my players.
Also, I'll say that my players loved the Witchfire Trilogy and the Freeport Trilogy.
Top billing goes to:
Descent into the Depths of the Earth (the combined one that includes Shrine of the Kua-Toa)
The Village of Hommlet -whether you ever made it to the ToEE or not
Keep on the Borderlands -for sheer classic hack n' slash fun
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh -dunno why, just LOVE this adventure.
Against the Giants
and a shout out for the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Just have really fond memories of several fantastic (i.e. brutal and lethal) sessions with this one.
--SD
Descent into the Depths of the Earth (the combined one that includes Shrine of the Kua-Toa)
The Village of Hommlet -whether you ever made it to the ToEE or not
Keep on the Borderlands -for sheer classic hack n' slash fun
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh -dunno why, just LOVE this adventure.
Against the Giants
and a shout out for the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Just have really fond memories of several fantastic (i.e. brutal and lethal) sessions with this one.
--SD
Really enjoyed both running and playing in The Enemy Within campaign released with the first WHFRP. I thought Shadows over Bogenhafen and Death on the Reik were both brilliantly written.
Had a lot of fun with Me and My Shadow MK IV for Paranoia, and Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues. Orkbusters was a really funny D&D parody for Paranoia, but sadly I don't remember running it - one that got away.
As a campaign setting, I don't know if I've ever come across a more evocative place than Pavis and The Big Rubble, released for Runequest way back in the mists of time. To be honest, some of the included scenarios weren't all that - but as a place to kick about and just spark ideas, they were fantastic. The map of Pavis is probably one of my most used RPG props.
Had a lot of fun with Me and My Shadow MK IV for Paranoia, and Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues. Orkbusters was a really funny D&D parody for Paranoia, but sadly I don't remember running it - one that got away.
As a campaign setting, I don't know if I've ever come across a more evocative place than Pavis and The Big Rubble, released for Runequest way back in the mists of time. To be honest, some of the included scenarios weren't all that - but as a place to kick about and just spark ideas, they were fantastic. The map of Pavis is probably one of my most used RPG props.
Tallow's Deep (Dungeon #18)
Killer goblins in a trap filled hell-hole. A great example of using the third dimension to create traps/tricks in a dungeon environment.
I-6
I've never seen better. A great map, consistent atmosphere, a personable villain, a worth goal and a great map.
Killer goblins in a trap filled hell-hole. A great example of using the third dimension to create traps/tricks in a dungeon environment.
I-6
I've never seen better. A great map, consistent atmosphere, a personable villain, a worth goal and a great map.
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
I feel like The Great Pendragon Campaign is like the Pendragon RPG itself, only more so. It has scads of totally awesome stuff, is super flavorful, and is really neat. But it also has unbelievably railroady stuff (my "favorite" is the section where characters who distinguish themselves in battle are invited to a feast; if you're at the feast, unless you roll a critical success on a trait check, you drink some wine, which is poisoned, and you die. This is because, you see, the people at the feast have to all get slaughtered for the storyline, so giving the PCs the opportunity to survive by anything other than a spectacularly lucky roll (for almost all PCs, that requires rolling exactly one number on a d20.) might threaten the overall plot... Just like how the PCs are supposed to be sorta the supporting cast, not taking the roles that Lancelot, Galahad, Mordred, and the rest fill.) It really is an amazing book... but I'm not sure I could imagine actually running it, at least as written. I should also note that many other sections are very sandboxy--in some ways, it feels like a sandbox interspersed with adventures that turn into railroads.
That said, people who like Pendragon apparently do run it as written, and I've heard online reports of people having a great experience with it. I just find it hard to imagine doing so myself.
Random Axe
Explorer
I agree, both me and my players loved this adventure too. (Maybe because we had a paladin?) I don't remember the shrine particularly, but there was an evil forest in the middle of the province that totally reminded me of the forest of spiders in The Hobbit.
Modules I’ve run enough times to become treasured classics:
I6: Ravenloft - The hands-down winner. I’ve run this for more groups than any other module. Always successful, always memorable, and always different due to the module’s incredible design that randomizes the BBEG’s objectives. Also, GM-inspiration-gold in terms of character, setting, map, and theme design.
U1: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh – a not-too distant 2nd place winner, U1 is a terrific intro module for new or seasoned players. Currently getting its Pathfinder treatment for my kids’ 2nd group of PCs.
UK3: The Gauntlet – Assailing, then defending a castle/keep? What’s not to love? Another memorable adventure that was successful with many groups over the years.
UK4: When a Star Falls – (Can you tell I like the AD&D modules from the UK?) It’s a great adventure that blends wilderness travel, dungeon exploration, castle infiltration, & role-playing into a great self-contained story. I’m also a sucker for the Tower of Heavens and it’s group of sage-oracles. An incarnation of the Tower has been present in every campaign game world I’ve run for over 20 years (& coming soon to a Golarion campaign near me!)
G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief – Heavily modified for insertion into an ongoing Forgotten Realms campaign, this was the only module of the series that was utilized. However, it was a very memorable session of PCs having one of the toughest slugfests of the campaign. When they emerged victorious (battered & bloody with a high body count…) they felt that they had really earned the title of “heroes”. Made even tougher by adapting it to Rolemaster. You haven’t seen a player wince until you’ve had a hill giant roll a “D-critical” with their oversized club…
B1: The Lost City – The Gold-standard module of the BECMI era. As others have said, a seemingly standard dungeon crawl reveals itself to be so, so much more…
X1: The Isle of Dread – The (previous – the title has now been taken by Kingmaker, IMO) gold-standard for sandbox adventuring. Great thematic module and always a player favorite.
I4: Pharoah – Another themed-classic, this time taking on the pyramid-tomb-robbing genre. While I was much less enamored with the 2nd and 3rd parts of the series, this one’s a keeper.
Destiny of Kings – Notable for not being the traditional “dungeon module”, this one has a compelling story, knights & politics, and the opportunity to save a kingdom. Popular with multiple groups when I’ve run it, it was a transformative module for me as a GM steering me to include more intrigue and politics into my games than I ever had previously.
W1: Crucible of Freya – Not only did it illustrate and sell me on the idea of “3rd Edition Rules, 1st Edition Feel” but it also showcased modern module design where a lot of the classics of earlier editions were clearly mired in site-based design. An excellent blend of all the right fantasy RPG elements.
Crypt of the Everflame – A Keep on the Borderlands-style home-base : wilderness trek : dungeon. It’s a new classic in my book for several reasons. It was the 1st Pathfinder RPG adventure that I ran & it was the 2nd module I ran for my kids, so it’s immediately inscribed in the nostalgia archives. However, this like Necro’s entry above, is a modern entry-level module that has all the necessary components. The dungeon is a top-notch starter as well, with a decent spread of monsters combined with riddles and traps in glorious old-school style.
Honorable Mentions that I think are Classics but that I haven’t had a chance to run yet:
Rise of the Runelords #1: Burnt Offerings
Kingmaker #1: Stolen Lands
G6: The Gray Citadel
The Enemy Within: Shadows Over Bogenhafen
I6: Ravenloft - The hands-down winner. I’ve run this for more groups than any other module. Always successful, always memorable, and always different due to the module’s incredible design that randomizes the BBEG’s objectives. Also, GM-inspiration-gold in terms of character, setting, map, and theme design.
U1: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh – a not-too distant 2nd place winner, U1 is a terrific intro module for new or seasoned players. Currently getting its Pathfinder treatment for my kids’ 2nd group of PCs.
UK3: The Gauntlet – Assailing, then defending a castle/keep? What’s not to love? Another memorable adventure that was successful with many groups over the years.
UK4: When a Star Falls – (Can you tell I like the AD&D modules from the UK?) It’s a great adventure that blends wilderness travel, dungeon exploration, castle infiltration, & role-playing into a great self-contained story. I’m also a sucker for the Tower of Heavens and it’s group of sage-oracles. An incarnation of the Tower has been present in every campaign game world I’ve run for over 20 years (& coming soon to a Golarion campaign near me!)
G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief – Heavily modified for insertion into an ongoing Forgotten Realms campaign, this was the only module of the series that was utilized. However, it was a very memorable session of PCs having one of the toughest slugfests of the campaign. When they emerged victorious (battered & bloody with a high body count…) they felt that they had really earned the title of “heroes”. Made even tougher by adapting it to Rolemaster. You haven’t seen a player wince until you’ve had a hill giant roll a “D-critical” with their oversized club…
B1: The Lost City – The Gold-standard module of the BECMI era. As others have said, a seemingly standard dungeon crawl reveals itself to be so, so much more…
X1: The Isle of Dread – The (previous – the title has now been taken by Kingmaker, IMO) gold-standard for sandbox adventuring. Great thematic module and always a player favorite.
I4: Pharoah – Another themed-classic, this time taking on the pyramid-tomb-robbing genre. While I was much less enamored with the 2nd and 3rd parts of the series, this one’s a keeper.
Destiny of Kings – Notable for not being the traditional “dungeon module”, this one has a compelling story, knights & politics, and the opportunity to save a kingdom. Popular with multiple groups when I’ve run it, it was a transformative module for me as a GM steering me to include more intrigue and politics into my games than I ever had previously.
W1: Crucible of Freya – Not only did it illustrate and sell me on the idea of “3rd Edition Rules, 1st Edition Feel” but it also showcased modern module design where a lot of the classics of earlier editions were clearly mired in site-based design. An excellent blend of all the right fantasy RPG elements.
Crypt of the Everflame – A Keep on the Borderlands-style home-base : wilderness trek : dungeon. It’s a new classic in my book for several reasons. It was the 1st Pathfinder RPG adventure that I ran & it was the 2nd module I ran for my kids, so it’s immediately inscribed in the nostalgia archives. However, this like Necro’s entry above, is a modern entry-level module that has all the necessary components. The dungeon is a top-notch starter as well, with a decent spread of monsters combined with riddles and traps in glorious old-school style.
Honorable Mentions that I think are Classics but that I haven’t had a chance to run yet:
Rise of the Runelords #1: Burnt Offerings
Kingmaker #1: Stolen Lands
G6: The Gray Citadel
The Enemy Within: Shadows Over Bogenhafen
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