Original D&D Discussion - The Treasure of Barlawn

« The Treasure of Barlawn »

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.
May 26, 2013, 3:26am

Original D&D Discussion :: Dungeons & Dragons (1971-1978) :: Holmes Basic D&D (1978) :: The Treasure of Barlawn

Author

Topic: The Treasure of Barlawn (Read 590 times)

Zenopus
Level 8 Warlock

member is offline

[avatar]

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 799
Karma: 95

The Treasure of Barlawn
« Thread Started on Dec 2, 2010, 10:57pm »

This scenario, co-authored by Mollie Plants (author of Chapel of Silence, Dragon #50), provides DEX scores for initiative a la Holmes. It's by Ned, Bert and Mollie Plants, and was published in Judges Guild Journal 16 (Aug/Sep 1979), pages 43-54.

This scenario took 1st place in the "Mini-Dungeon" category of the second Judges Guild Journal contest (titled "The Judges Guild Journal Son of - The World's First and Greatest Dungeon Creation Contest - Contest"), winning a $40 prize and was published along with some of the other winning mini-dungeons. At the time that Judges Guild was still publishing D&D modules under license from TSR, but the dungeons printed here came with a disclaimer at the beginning saying they were only "guidelines" as they had not been approved by TSR.

The scenario is for levels 1-3 but is not explicitly described as being for Basic D&D. But's it got those DEX scores for the most of the monster. The only modules published by TSR with such are the early printings of B2 and The Chapel of Silence. Nevertheless, the scenario does include a number of AD&D-isms (e.g. an illusionist NPC). JGJ#16 was published the same month the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide was released (Aug 1979), so the AD&D-isms likely derive solely from the Monster Manual (Dec 77) and the Players Handbook (Jun 78).

The scenario shares some stylistic similarities with the Holmes Sample Dungeon. The rooms are labeled alphabetically (A-Q, 18 rooms). The scenario involves a dungeon accessed via stairs in a ruin at the edge of a town (Barlawn), with secondary access via a magic-user's quarters in town. The characters gather at an inn in town (here named the Long Man) and discuss rumors of "rich finds below the temple" ruins on the top of the hill against which Barlawn is built. Looks to be a fun little scenario, with some interesting NPCs and unique low-powered magic items. The page of maps is interesting; three aligned pictures: a frontal view of the town on the side of the hill, the map of the dungeon, and a cross-section showing how they relate.

The bottom pages of the scenario are labeled "Plants-1", "Plants-2", etc in a manner similar to submissions to APAzines like Alarums & Excursions. The font is different from the rest of the journal issue. It also has its own illustrated title page. It appears that the scenario was printed exactly as submitted by the contestants.

Ned & Mollie Plants later received Honorable Mention (essentially 4th place, $40 prize) in the Large Dungeon category of the 3rd contest for their scenario The House and Lands of Leamon the Greedy. The winners were announced in Judges Guild Journal 21 (Jun/July 1980). This scenario does not appear to ever have been published.

The Acaeum Judges Guild subweb has a page listing all of the Judges Guild contest winners:
http://www.acaeum.com/jg/JudgesGuildDungeonContests.html
There may some other unappreciated gems in there.

(cross-posted on DF in thread about adventures for Holmes Basic)

Link to Post - Back to Top IP:

Logged

"Story tellers are always careful to point out that the reputed dungeons lie in close proximity to the foundations of an older, pre-human city, to the graveyard, and to the sea.”
- Holmes rulebook

Zenopus Archives - Holmes Basic D&D - website & blog

Zenopus
Level 8 Warlock

member is offline

[avatar]

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 799
Karma: 95

Re: The Treasure of Barlawn
« Reply #1 on Dec 3, 2010, 1:27am »

Here's the cover illustration:

[image]