Module Database, I series

I series:

Series overview: I1 takes place in Greyhawk and I3, I4, I5 and I14 are all loosely set in the Forgotten Realms. I3-5 was later published with an official Forgotten Realms banner and places I3, I4 and I5 in the great desert. I6 and I10 were the original modules from which the idea for Ravenloft was developed, but were generic 1st edition modules when published.

I1: Dwellers of the Forbidden City

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Greyhawk

Characters: for levels 4-7

Written by: David Cook

Year: 1980/1? [I have conflicting info here - Ed.]

New spells: None

New magical items: None

New creatures: Aboleth (MMII 8, MoM 6), Mongrelman (MMII 92, MoM 257), Oriental Dragon: Pan Lung (FF 29, MC5), Tasloi (MMII 118, MoM 340), Yellow Musk Creeper and Zombie (FF 97, MoM 291), Yuan-Ti (MMII 130, MoM 369)

What you get: 28 page booklet with cover

Summary: Some stories tell of a lost city in the jungle, and of waylaid caravans. Something is hording the treasures in the jungle, and it must be investigated.

Notes: Parts of this module were used in 1980 for a major East Coast convention tournament.

I2: Tomb of the Lizard King

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: 7-9 of levels 5-7

Written by: Mark Acres

Year: 1982

New spells: None

New magical items: None

New creatures: Vampiric Lizard Man

What you get: 32 page booklet with cover

Summary: The southlands have erupted with robbery, and the troops sent to destroy the bandits are missing! Adventurers are needed desperately!

I3: Pharaoh

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Forgotten Realms

Characters: 6-8 of levels 5-7

Written by: Tracy and Laura Hickman

Year: 1982

New spells: None

New magical items: Pharoah's Ruling Staff, The Star of Mo-Pelar

New creatures: None

What you get: 32 page booklet with 3 covers

Summary: The PCs are "requested" to be special forces to track raiders in the Desert of Desolation. This begins the Desert of Desolation series (I3-I5).

I4: Oasis of the White Palm

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Forgotten Realms

Characters: 6-8 of levels 6-8

Written by: Philip Meyers and Tracy Hickman

Year: 1982

New spells: None

New magical items: Palm Sign & Amulet, The Harness of Seker, Star Gems New creatures: Thune Dervish, Pasha of the Efreet (Vizier of the Fire Sultan), Symbayan, Dust-Digger (MMII 61), Aeraldoth (vizier to Caliph of the Djinn)

What you get: 32 page booklet with 2 covers

Summary: Trapped in the desert after I3, The PCs wander to an oasis, where a sheik awaits them...

I5: Lost Tomb of Martek

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Forgotten Realms

Characters: 6-8 of levels 7-9

Written by: Tracy Raye Hickman

Year: 1983

New spells: None

New magical items: Medallion of Time, Tome of Time, Stargems

New creatures: Crypt Wights, Spectral Minions, Dustdiggers (MMII 61), Thunderherders (MMII 120, MoM 364)

What you get: 32 page booklet with 2 covers

Summary: Martek's Prophesy speaks of heroes, tests and dangers, and PCs should beware. This ends the desert of desolation series (I3-I5).

I6: Ravenloft

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, (Ravenloft)

Characters: 6-8 of levels 5-7

Written by: Tracy and Laura Hickman

Year: 1983

New spells: None

New magical items: Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, Sunsword, Tome of Strahd

New creatures: Barovian Villagers, Gypsies, Strahd Zombies (MC10)

What you get: 32 page booklet with 2 covers

Summary: The PCs receive a plea for help from the Burgomaster of Barovia to save his daughter from the the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich. The PCs must then use all their abilities, innovation and wit merely to stay alive, not to mention destroying the evil vampire. If the DM does his/her best, this can be one of the most thrilling, dangerous, deadly and exciting modules around. Features a two-page color map of Barovia, and some terrific three-dimensional maps of the castle.

Notes: This module was revamped (GROAN) and republished for the Ravenloft setting as module RM4: House of Strahd.

Personal notes

A good example of the idea being better than the execution. Clearly the majority of the AD&D player base had no wish to act out a hammer house of horror style adventure. Most would have attacked the vampire on sight rather than indulge in the RP needed (staying the night, not being aware he was a vamp from the first moment). The designers were only to aware of the limitations and so a neat idea is effectively turned into a castle based dungeon crawl.

value to modern players

Awesome, we have come a long way, scrap most of the dungeon bashing and play it as the writers originally intended, as a campy, send up of the old horror movies. Indulge in RP rather than dice rolling madness.

I7: Baltron's Beacon

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: 6-8 of levels 8-10

Written by: Phillip Meyers

Year: 1985

New spells: None

New magical items: None

New creatures: Vampire Mists, Vitriolus

What you get: 32 page booklet and cover with fold-out map

Summary: Help wanted: the sage Demertrius needs a rare component from a deserted tower.

I8: Ravager of Time

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: ? of levels 8-10

I9: Day of Al'Akbar

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: 6-8 of levels 8-10

Written by: Allen Hammack

Year: 1986

New spells: None

New magical items: None

New creatures: None

What you get: 40 page booklet with cover and full-color map

Summary: The land of Arir has been taken over by infidels, who now own the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar, which need to be retrieved before it is too late.

I10: Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, (Ravenloft)

Characters: 4-6 of levels 8-10

Written by: Tracy and Laura Hickman

Year: 1986

New spells: None

New magical items: The Apparatus, The Rod of Rastinon, The Soul Searcher Medallion, Ring of Reversion

New creatures: None

What you get: 48 page booklet, fold-out map and two covers

Summary: Strahd is back! This time in the town of Mordentshire. The story revolves around an alchemist and the Apparatus he has used to purify his soul. It is up to the PCs to find and master the Apparatus before it is too late.

Notes: This module can be played in conjunction with I6: Ravenloft.

Personal notes

What looked like it might be a cash in when I first read it now reeks of a cash in . This is effectivly the same module as I6 with a few changes here and there. The story is stronger but the same weakness that I6 had (ie that most player groups would not enter the spirit of the thing and just swipe at the vampire as soon as they spotted him) ensure that this once again becomes a castle based bash.

Value to the modern player

Still great, grab a good group of players around halloween, get the mood right and try to keep a straight face.

I11: Needle

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: 6-8 of levels 8-10

Written by: Frank Mentzer

Year: 1987

New spells: None

New magical items: None

New creatures: Chak, Chomper, Galeb Duhr (MMII 68, MoM 122), Glommer, Moon Roc, Tin-man

What you get: 48 page booklet and 2 covers (1 has pre-rolled characters)

Summary: The king needs adventurers to retrieve a great obelisk in the jungles.

Personal notes

Dreadful, utter rubbish.

I12: Egg of the Phoenix

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: 5-6 of levels 5-9

Written by: Frank Mentzer and Paul Jaquays

Year: 1987

Notes: This is a combination of modules R1-4. The module is set in New Empyrea which is not part of any official TSR world and the module is something else entirely. It covers a huge period of time (even some of the NPC's gain levels during the course of it) and leads up to a cataclysmic final battle.

Personal note

A total storyline, your characters are effectively finished by the end of it. Good while it lasts but a little to heavy with the leading you by the nose tactics. Good ending though, that grabs the imagination and allows you to retire your characters with a smile on your face at a job well done. How can Frank Mentzer produce stuff like this and then go and write the needle?

Value to modern players

If you have never had a crack at a huge story spanning adventure then this is the one to try.

I13: Adventure Pack I

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition

Characters: Various

Notes: This module is a collection of 11 shorter modules: The Circus of Gandolfo, Sharla's Zoo, Weird Woods of Baron Orchid, To Kill a Kraken, Reign of Triumph, Terrors in Skytumble Tor, Steaks, House of the Long Knives, Lauros Road Bandits, Scavenger Hunt, Blood and Laurels.

I14: Swords of the Iron Legion

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Forgotten Realms

Characters: ? of levels 1-15

Notes: A series of short adventures set in the Vilhon Reach area and using 1st Edition Battlesystem rules.

I3-5: Desert of Desolation

Setting: AD&D 1st Edition, Forgotten Realms

Characters: ? of levels 5-10

Year: ???

Notes: This module is a collection of modules I3 to I5.

Personal notes

This was the start of the story driven modules, from here we got steam rolled into the Dragonlance stuff (and what a dead end that turned out to be). Here you can at least enjoy yourself with none of the death survival rules or other non sense that destroyed the DL credibility. What we have here are three bashes with a reasonable stab at making desert wilderness exciting. I have played and run all of them and this is easily the best version of the desert series I have seen. I like the first part more than all the others but I will concede that the imagination of the last part is quite refreshingly excellent.

Value to modern players

Give it a good scrub up and slight edits and this can easily pass for a classic module in any gaming group.