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Post by legopaidi on Aug 21, 2012 9:13:57 GMT -6
Hello everyone!
Although I'm a 20+ year D&D player (mostly AD&D 2e) I'm only recently discovering the OSR movement and its wonders.
I already own LL (and AEC),S&W (white box, complete,core), DCC (not sure if this counts as retro-game but it feels old school) and I am eagerly awaiting for my Delving Deeper Box & Appendix N Adventures to arrive in the mail!
I would like your opinions and suggestions on some of your favourite OSR modules (I already have and enjoyed Stonehell,Barrowmaze,The Spire Of Iron & Crystal, Tomb Of The Iron God and Demonspore). I know some of you are directly involved in some game/module designs and I hope for your help. You can name as many as you want and I have no problem if it's based on a rules system I don't own (eg. OSRIC, LotFP,etc).
What do you say? Up for the challenge?
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monk
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 237
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Post by monk on Aug 21, 2012 10:30:40 GMT -6
Just about all the adventures in Fight On! are good, and many are flipping amazing. I particularly like those written by David Bowman and Gabor Lux.
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Post by bestialwarlust on Aug 21, 2012 10:56:03 GMT -6
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Koren n'Rhys
Level 6 Magician
Got your mirrorshades?
Posts: 355
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Post by Koren n'Rhys on Aug 21, 2012 11:17:07 GMT -6
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Post by Ynas Midgard on Aug 21, 2012 11:41:29 GMT -6
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on Aug 21, 2012 14:32:08 GMT -6
A few more:
Pod Caverns of the Sinister Shroom by Matt Finch.
Outpost at the Edge of the Far Reaches by Paul Fini.
Blood Moon Rising by Peter Spahn.
White Dragon Run by James Boney.
(do a title search at Lulu for all of these. Available in Print and pdf.)
The Fane of Poisoned Prophecies and Many Gates of the Gann by Guy Fullerton. (avail in print from FRP Games.)
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on Aug 21, 2012 14:34:44 GMT -6
Mr. Pinnell's stuff is a lot of fun.  |
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terrex
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 108 
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Post by terrex on Aug 21, 2012 15:39:47 GMT -6
Of the OSR stuff I've DMed, I would unhesitatingly recommend each of the below:
Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom - excellent low-level (XRP)
Conqueror Worm - high-level (XRP)
Obsidian Sands of Syncrates - good con/tourney adventure (XRP)
Upper Caves - The Darkness Beneath Lvl 1 (FO! #2)
Spawning Grounds of the Crab-Men - The Darkness Beneath Lvl 3 (FO! #3)
Warrens of the Troglodytes - The Darkness Beneath Lvl 2 (FO! #5)
There's a lot of other stuff that comes to mind, but I've yet to run.
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Post by legopaidi on Aug 21, 2012 16:03:55 GMT -6
First of all many thanks to all of you! I hope you keep them coming! I'm already creating a lulu buylist!
One question though, is Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom related to Demonspore since they are both Matt Finch's modules and they both have the evil Shrooms starring?!?
Also, I too have FO issues 1-4 and also dig the adventures mentioned! Never played them though. Must do.
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Post by kent on Aug 21, 2012 18:18:21 GMT -6
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Chainsaw
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 303
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Post by Chainsaw on Aug 21, 2012 18:44:13 GMT -6
I've run a few OSR modules and enjoyed them all: 1. White Dragon Run - James Boney. Great little starter setting module, complete with small town (a few NPCs), a small hexmap (with wandering monster tables - pretty difficult though) and two small dungeons (an abandoned church and a forgotten military outpost). If your players know Keep on the Borderlands and Village of Hommlet like the back of their hand, and you don't have time (or interest) in creating a starter town from scratch, this is a good one to consider. If I ran it again, I'd probably tweak the wilderness encounters down a little (make them easier), throw in a couple more rooms with weird stuff to play with in the two dungeons and add a second entrance to each of the dungeons. For 4-6 PCs, levels 2-4. 2. Pod Caverns of the Sinister Shroom - Matt Finch. I have this cool little dungeon as a lair in my megadungeon. My players have explored some of it, but had to turn back to regroup and haven't gotten around to working through the rest of it. They liked all the neat rooms and fun stuff to play with (some dangerous, some not). For 6-8 PCs, levels 2-4. 3. TAKEN from Dunwich - Jeff Talanian. If you want to add some weird science to your campaign, this might work. For some people, adding tech can be a huge turnoff in a fantasy setting, but the science elements here are not extreme and overwhelming. We thought they were just enough to give the adventure a fun twist relative to the standard fantasy fare. I played it myself and later ran it for my group and had fun both times. For 4-6 PCs, levels 4-7 4. The Many Gates of Gann - Guy Fullerton. I offered up this dungeon because it fit well with some big picture stuff in my campaign (PCs needed an artifact type item to help save the kingdom). They explored maybe 30% of level one (found a few neat rooms) before stumbling onto to something they couldn't handle and hauling ass. They haven't been back since! For 5-7 PCs, levels 3-5. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but, if so, I'll just post again. Anyway, hope that helps. |
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mythmere
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 293
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Post by mythmere on Aug 21, 2012 19:07:08 GMT -6
One question though, is Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom related to Demonspore since they are both Matt Finch's modules and they both have the evil Shrooms starring?!? They aren't related other than the focus on shrooms. Demonspore is a lot more sinister ... I hesitate to say "darker" when we're talking about spell-casting walking mushroom-men, but it's a bit darker. |
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Post by zarathustra on Aug 21, 2012 19:45:30 GMT -6
Hammers of the God for LOTFP.
Blood Moon Rising.
Plenty of other great modules but those two stood out for me so far.
Anything by Gabor Lux in Fight On! or wherever else you can find it is normally high quality too.
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Post by ritt on Aug 21, 2012 21:16:41 GMT -6
The Ruined Monastery and The Tomb Complex of Ymmu M’Kursa, both from FO #1. Someone online (Sorry, I forget who) linked them together so that the more vanilla (but still good) TRM was the dungeon's first level and the weirder and nastier TTCoYM was the second... a very cool idea.
Honestly, I have probably stolen at least one idea, trap, or encounter from every single Fight On! adventure.
DEATH FROST DOOM: An instant classic. Very cruel, but fair (Unlike some recent LotFP modules, which keep the cruel but throw out the fair). Has not one but two campaign-altering "Time bombs" that foolish or unlucky PCs can unleash, making the stakes a little higher than most low-level modules. Great atmosphere.
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Post by capvideo on Aug 21, 2012 22:58:25 GMT -6
There are a whole bunch of really cool old-school adventures on Dragonsfoot. I keep a bunch of my favorites listed on my Old School Cool web page: DF14: Goblins Tooth I: Moonless Night by Lorne Marshall, for 6-10 characters of level 1-3 DF18: Where the Fallen Jarls Sleep, by John A. Turcotte, for characters level 3-5 L4: Devilspawn, by Len Lakofka, for characters level 3-5 DF21: Beneath Black Towen, by John A. Turcotte, for characters level 4-6 DFT2: Battle for Gib Rus, by Michael Haskell, for 6 characters of level 5-7 And then there’s Castle of the Mad Archmage which stands alone! Second the recommendation of Death Frost Doom and Hammers of the God. |
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 22, 2012 6:57:33 GMT -6
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Post by legopaidi on Aug 22, 2012 8:07:04 GMT -6
Wow! So much feedback! Thanks a billion! Another question! Is Castle of The Mad Archmage no longer available as a free pdf? Is it for sale somewhere else?
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Koren n'Rhys
Level 6 Magician
Got your mirrorshades?
Posts: 355
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Post by Koren n'Rhys on Aug 22, 2012 8:20:20 GMT -6
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Post by bryce0lynch on Aug 22, 2012 10:34:26 GMT -6
Here's what I've liked best so far:
ANYTHING written by David Bowman. He wrote adventures for issues 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Fight On! magazine that were mind blowing. He’s almost certainly the best living adventure writer who has a chance of publishing something else (which eliminates Jaquay.) David towers over the rest of the field.
Anomalous Subsurface Environment. Gonzo to the core.
Stonehell. One of the few good megadungeons in existence.
Welcome to Mortiston. Modern zombies, not OSR, but a perfect example of how to set up a social environment in which adventures can take place.
Demonspore. A d**n fine example of an OD&D feel. Everything seems fresh & new again. Matt Finch is one of maybe three people in the OSR who I trust to consistently turn out good adventures (Bowman, Gabor Lux, Finch.)
Beneath the Ruins. Nice OD&D feel.
The Shadowed Keep, Arachnophobia, The Shattered Skull,Ychyrn The Tyrant. Crap! I mean four people! Kramer writes good adventures and has TOP NOTCH layouts. He creates very evocative setting.
Shadowbrook Manor. This has to be an homage to Tegal with the same goofy, fun, and deadly environment.
Wheel of Evil. Fungas men always deliver an OD&D feel.
The Thing in the Valley. A nice pace and and an evocative environment for a horror like adventure.
Tomb of the Iron God. There’s two gods and like 500+ monsters in this FIRST level adventure. Good Stuff!
Voyage to Plague Island. A Weird and wonderfully idiosyncratic adventure.
Gone Fishin’. Great folk tale feel and free to boot!
The Inn of Lost Heroes. Very evocative. Very horror. Very good.
Ironwood Gorge. OBJECTIVLY better than B2, despite what Benoist says.
The Ruined Hamlet/Terror in the Gloaming. Interesting situations and evocative detail.
A2 – The Slag Heap. Three examples of failed villages. A nice look at a borderlands village environment.
AA#12 – The Barrow Mound of Gravemoor. Barrow. Atmosphere. Weird.
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Post by ritt on Aug 22, 2012 17:24:07 GMT -6
. Anomalous Subsurface Environment. Gonzo to the core. Stonehell. One of the few good megadungeons in existence. Carelessly forgot these two masterworks in my own post. Both are awesome! |
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Chainsaw
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 303
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Post by Chainsaw on Aug 22, 2012 18:30:24 GMT -6
Anomalous Subsurface Environment. Gonzo to the core. Arachnophobia I've read through PatW's ASE and would agree that it's a great gonzo offering, but I haven't played it or run it (yet), so I can't comment on that aspect. Similarly, I have read through and like Kramer's Arachnophobia, but haven't played it or run it (yet). |
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Post by tacojohn4547 on Aug 23, 2012 15:53:00 GMT -6
Here's one that hasn't has been mentioned yet already: Shadowbrook ManorShadowbrook Manor, by Patrick Kennedy, is published by Goblinoid Games and was specifically written for Labyrinth Lord. It is available as a print on demand print product from Lulu.com ( www.lulu.com/shop/patrick-kennedy/shadowbrook-manor/paperback/product-16114238.html), lists as a 13-page adventure, and sells for $13.95. I have this adventure and have been running my kids through it. It has lots of fun things for PCs to tinker with, and there's just enough creepiness in it that it keeps everyone on their toes. Good fun! Here's the promotional blurb: " Once a powerful proponent of Law, the Archmage Tazimack the Red was eventually driven mad by a fear of mortality. As he slipped into insanity his retirement home began to reflect the chaotic bent of his mind. Long after Tazimack’s unnaturally animated body has disintegrated, his manor house remains as a shadow cast by a twisted intellect. Can the characters bring order to this chaos?" |
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Post by kent on Aug 26, 2012 19:52:19 GMT -6
ANYTHING written by David Bowman. He wrote adventures for issues 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Fight On! magazine that were mind blowing. He’s almost certainly the best living adventure writer who has a chance of publishing something else (which eliminates Jaquay.) David towers over the rest of the field. That is high praise. I have pdfs of Fight On! issues 2 and 5 but I don't see any adventures by David Bowman, though I do see two rules articles by him. So what adventures are you referring to? |
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terrex
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 108
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Post by terrex on Aug 26, 2012 20:49:36 GMT -6
David Bowman contributed to each Darkness Beneath adventure in issues #2, #3, #5, and #6. His #2 Upper Caves and #5 Warrens of the troglodyte credits are co-credits, whereas his #3 and #6 are full credits. #3 Spawning Grounds of the Crab-Men won the Fight On! Summer Adventure contest. By chance, my players returned to it a fourth time in play today. It's a solid dungeon with a great map design, an extemely interesting environment, and tough challenges. I highly recommend it. #6 Lower Caves is also a full credit. It is also good and imaginative, but would require a significant deal of DM work to implement effectively, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely worth noting. All of the dungeons above are of good quality.
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Post by kent on Aug 27, 2012 8:38:42 GMT -6
Ta. That series looks interesting alright.
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oldkat
Level 6 Magician
Posts: 431
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Post by oldkat on Aug 28, 2012 15:29:43 GMT -6
Mr. Pinnell's stuff is a lot of fun. Just saw today he's got something up at RPGNOW |
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sham
Level 6 Magician
Posts: 385
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Post by sham on Aug 29, 2012 8:26:05 GMT -6
I would recommend House of the Axe by Calithena (Issue 4) and Blocks of Quox by Tony Rosten (Issue 6).
To set the record straight, here's how I was involved in Darkness Beneath levels:
Level 1 Upper Caves by Hackman (Issue 2) I drew the map.
Level 2 Warrens of the Trogs by Calithena (Issue 5) I drew the map. I contributed notes on the Trogs.
Level 3 Crab-Men was mine (Issue 3) edited by Calithena, theme was Calithena's.
Level 5 Lower Caves was mine (Issue 6) edited by Calithena, theme and certain details were Calithena's.
Level 8 Deep Caves was mine and Heron's (Issue 12) edited by Calithena, theme and certain details were Calithena's.
Note: Level 8 was meant to be much longer. It introduced my “Underwilds” theme but grew to the point that we decided to present it in capsules...snippets about particular hexes that referees could then flesh out on their own. I called in support from Simon Bull, Heron Prior and Calithena; Heron fleshed out one area with his excellent adventure which is included along with the Deep Caves overview. Level 8 leaves a lot of room for future authors to contribute to the Darkness Beneath by fleshing out one of the hexes.
I planned at one point to write up a series of adventures “Along the Dark Troll Highway”...maybe one of these days.
Glad to read that fellow odd74 members are enjoying the Darkness Beneath – I think Calithena did a great job with this massive project.
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Post by barrataria on Sept 6, 2012 19:13:03 GMT -6
The Ruined Hamlet/Terror in the Gloaming. Interesting situations and evocative detail. I'd like to point out that this adventure is available free at rpgnow. And thanks to Bryce for mentioning it. |
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