Arduin: The Caverns Beneath the Forgotten Tower
January 25, 2024
My brother and I played the sample dungeon in The Arduin Adventure rulebook. There’s a few suggested encounters, but it’s mostly a blank canvas “to allow the GM a chance to practice doing this himself.” Challenge accepted. The map of the caverns beneath the Forgotten Tower is in the wonderful classic Hargrave style: full of secret doors, nooks, crannies, secret doors, twists, turns, and secret doors.
I heavily altered the map. This was our first time playing Arduin and we wanted to focus on evaluating the combat rules, instead of getting bogged down in mapping and graph paper bitching. So I eliminated most secret areas and nooks and crannies. Really smoothed it out.
Then, I added verticality and water features. Pools, slides, dripping, waterfalls, rapids, fungus, fog, wet sand, mud, etc. There should be no doubt…this is a wet place. Probably inspired by The Goonies.
Also: natural stone stairs. I’ve always wanted to use them on a map ever since I saw the mapping symbols key in the red basic D&D book. Dream fulfilled.
Here’s what I ended up with, alterations in pencil:
Game time. The stalwart adventurers, Gromm the Warrior and Robyn the Ranger entered the Forgotten Tower. A giant tarantula jumped them in the great hall, but escaped downstairs to the caverns. And so down down down the spiral stairs they went…
They passed through a cavern of large columnar formations connected floor to ceiling. Next a chamber bursting with fuzzy mushrooms and toxic spores. Then a slippery, drippy passage and a sloping floor…swoosh. Splash. Into a pool.
A waterfall also cascaded into the far side of the pool, which emptied out in a series of swift rapids. The ranger was swept away by the current, lost to depths unknown. The warrior boldly pursued, but his pal was nowhere to be found and the warrior found himself in a strange cave with a basalt altar. Blood grooves, moon and star etchings, and nearby embedded in the stone wall: an irregular metal blob, giving eldritch vibes.
The warrior wanted no part of it so he backtracked and entered a side passage enshrouded in fog. A haggard voice called out “Stop there foul beast!” It was Cragor, leader of a decimated party of dwarves. They took heavy losses from a battle with a cyclops deeper in the caves before retreating to this hidden passage to regroup. They sure could use the warrior’s help in defeating the cyclops and claiming its crystal lair.
Thus the adventure proceeded. The warrior and the dwarves went down natural stone stairs to an antechamber of skulls and bones. The cyclop’s lair was just beyond, so the raiders made a plan of attack.
The warrior and dwarves charged around the corners and the cyclops roared awake, its huge glowing eye illuminating the amethyst dome of his geode lair. A great battle ensued and they were victorious.
The dwarves began mining the crystals immediately. The warrior helped. This went on for several hours. The dwarven leader had a bottomless barrel that would hold all that was mined for easy transport. He then gave the warrior a small portion of amethyst and thanked him.
The warrior asked for a larger share. An argument began and it came to blows. In the end, the warrior had slain all the dwarves and claimed all the loot for himself. He left the caverns below the Forgotten Tower and returned to Shadizar. There he cleaned up and purchased new clothes. Indeed, a very fine ensemble of new clothes.
DL8 Dragons of War: The Megadungeon Experience (Part 2)
January 17, 2024
In part 1, I looked at how I prepared to run DL8 Dragons of War, focusing on the complex structure of the castle and the compelling treasures within. Here in part 2, I recount our actual play and call out the best and worst parts. Did my prep work bear fruit?
We played the module over three sessions…
Session 1
Whereas I6 Ravenloft has 8 pages describing the realm around the castle and fortune-telling to determine the goal artifacts and locations, DL8 has 8 pages of choose-your-path entries to accomplish the same.
Whatever. It’s long-winded but works okay for its purpose. Most Dragonlance modules only pretend to give freedom of choice in the journey to the primary adventure site, so at least DL8 doesn’t pretend. Or the entire thing can be skipped, and the DM states: “You arrive at the castle after X days and these are the goal artifacts and their rumored locations.”
In our game, the journey determined that the goal artifacts were the Crown of Yarus and the Codex Orbum. The pieces of the crown were in the High Clerist’s personal chamber and the Altar of the Orb. The Codex was at The Nest…the pinnacle of the castle tower.
The PCs arrived at the castle and had opportunity to learn rumors and lore by mingling with the mercenaries and refugees camped outside. Then they met the Solamnic Knights preparing to defend the castle against the approaching dragon army. The knights described the situation and status of the garrison. Yada yada yada. The important thing was for the PCs to learn about the major routes into the castle interior, as described in part 1.
The PCs choose to take the gallery stairs, as it sounded like the best bet for getting high into the tower as fast as possible. Quickly up they went, and we ended the session when they reached the Hall of Mirrors on level 5. The results of this session would guide my prep for the next, big session.
Session 2
To facilitate consistent pace in this session, we used both regular dungeon exploration and sparse exploration pacing. In practice, this involves the players declaring their general direction, mode, and goal of exploration. The DM then describes the route and destination, as well as any interruptions or discoveries along the way.
This technique worked well for areas where I had cut some of the more repetitive encounters (“sparse areas”), and we flowed freely back to regular dungeon exploration procedure when it seemed appropriate. No precision mapping was done, but some parts were sketched out on a large blackboard as the party moved through. Also, the party’s location in (x,y,z) space was casually tracked on the top down view of the castle:
Level 5: Tasslehoff, being a kender and kender being curious, couldn’t resist looking into the mirrors. This awakened the Fetch, a wraith-like creature visible only in the mirror’s reflection. This is a fun encounter if one can stomach the possibility of level-draining. The module doesn’t mention it, but I think the PCs could break the mirrors, a la Conan the Destroyer, to defeat the Fetch and potentially open a shortcut to the Eternal Halls. In our game, the mirrors were not broken and Tasslehoff was drained of multiple levels before the party escaped upstairs.
Level 6: Through the garden terrace and into a massive portcullis chamber where the PCs observed spectral men and women in elegant revelry. They seemed oblivious to the party’s presence and so the PCs mingled through and up the grand staircase.
Level 7: The stairs opened up onto a balcony overlooking the ballroom revelry. Some of the spectral dancers below took notice of the PCs, which prompted the party to duck into a nearby dining room of notable opulence. A Solamnic Lockbox was there. Tasslehoff picked the lock and found a tome within: The Tales of Virkhus. They read about the High Clerist’s powerful ally and then proceeded into a great hall of tapestries, statues, and a spiral stair going up. They briefly investigated another gallery of statues before a banshee chased them away and up the spiral stair.
Level 8: The party had the option to continue up the stairs or stop to explore this level. They were about to continue up, but a Will-o-wisp shimmered and beckoned down the hall. The PCs obliged and eventually found their way to a large cathedral where the Book of Habbakuk shined on the altar. The spectral caretaker of the abbey completed a prayer, then greeted the party. He was sympathetic to their quest and he shared what he knew about the Crown of Yarus and Codex Orbum. The caretaker gave them a special key to open doors and lockboxes throughout the castle. He also revealed to them a special lockbox upon the altar. Within: three pale green prism Ioun stones.
More spectral minions, of the philosopher and evil searcher varieties, were encountered while exploring the abbey, then the PCs made their way back to the spiral stairs and up.
Levels 9 and 10: Skipped because they are exact copies of level 8. Boo. Your mileage may vary. Up up up to…
Level 11: The High Council Hall of Solamnic Knights. The Great Pillar of Yarus towered above the vast chamber with crystal windows all around, illuminating an assembly of seventy ethereal knights. They were at an impasse, trying to decide a complex case of the Oath and the Measure. One of the PCs, Sturm, though not yet a Knight, was recognized for his Solamnic ancestry and allowed to cast the deciding vote to break the impasse. In thanks, the Lord Knight gave Sturm clues to navigate the Eternal Halls to the Treasure Vault.*
Level 12: The fate of Lord High Clerist Yarus was discovered here: trapped under a pillar, 300 years ago, while playing the chess-like game of Khas. His ghost called for the return of his crown. A few rooms away, in Yarus’s private chamber, waited a vigilant dog spirit guarding a lockbox. The good boy beckoned the party to open it and within they found a minor fortune of gems and a piece of the broken Crown of Yarus. The faithful guardian then licked and scratched at a section of wall nearby, which opened to reveal a secret spiral staircase going up and down. The party went up and the dog spirit followed.
Level 13: A heavy portcullis blocked an entrance into the Eternal Halls. Unable to open it, the PCs moved on and found a lockbox containing a Potion of Polymorph Self, then continued up the stairs.
Level 14: The large central rotunda was the only way up to the next level. The guardian: twenty-three evil spectral warriors. It’s one of the more climactic encounters in the tower but the text doesn’t really hint at that. To make it more interesting and manageable, I had them arriving in waves of d4+2 evil warriors, from all directions. When the battle was looking grim for the PCs, the spirit dog pounced in and turned the tide by securing a flank. The party prevailed after they hacked their way up the stairs and shot down at waves of pursuers. A satisfyingly epic battle. The party was low on health and spells, but continued up the stairs.
Level 15: The high paparet. From here the PCs observed the dragon army congregated 2 miles away, with an estimated strength of 2000 to 3000 men and monsters.
Level 16: The Nest. A giant owl spirit hooted when the PCs climbed up, then blinked large glowing eyes and turned its head toward a lockbox. The party opened it to find the Codex Orbum and a Ring of Invisibility. The owl took flight, soared high above, and the PCs heard its ghostly screech and telepathic voice: “The dragons are coming”
Session 3
The PCs returned and healed at the garrison stronghold and shared their findings with the Solamnic commanders. Study of the Codex Orbum commenced.
On their next mission into the tower, the PCs took the secret stairs down to the Altar of the Orb. Another lockbox was found, containing a Wand of Wonder (93 charges) and the final piece of the Crown of Yarus.
The party promptly took the completed crown up to the High Clerist’s sanctuary and placed it upon the skull of Yarus. This released his spirit from its entrapment and allowed him to fulfill his vow to aid in the coming battle.
Meanwhile, with knowledge from the Codex, Sturm activated the Dragon Orb on the Altar. We used the “Dragon Orb of Mindweb” rules from DL12 to determine Sturm’s success in activating and controlling the Orb. He was able to harness the power of the orb without getting pulled in and the sanctum’s sealed doors flung open. The final battle had begun.
We opted to use the module’s “Simplified Battle Resolution“ system to determine the results of the final assault on the castle by the dragon army. The spirit of Yarus and the activated Dragon Orb lifted the Solamnic forces to victory and turned the tide against the forces of darkness.
The End
Overall, an ambitious module with ingredients to appeal to different play styles, but it requires some work by the DM. Understanding the castle’s layout and loot can give insight into how to best use it in your game. A “megadungeon experience” is but one possibility.
*The Eternal Hall clues provided in the module is wrong, by the way. I couldn’t find a way to make the directions work. Maybe it’s intentionally wrong? Or just a typo? There are other typos in the portal numbering. A shame because the Eternal Halls seem intended to be a core part of the module. Maybe they would be fun in play. Anybody try them?
Here’s a fixed clue for navigating the Eternal Halls: From the north portcullis entrance on level 13: Right, Ahead, Left, Ahead, Right, Ahead, Right, Speak “sword, rose, crown” and enter the Treasure Vault.
DL8 Dragons of War: The Megadungeon Experience (Part 1)
January 16, 2024
We like castles. DL8 Dragons of War has one of the largest castles I’ve seen in a module, so we played it.
I prepped for play with a “megadungeon experience” in mind. By this I mean that the PCs have an objective, make a plan, and intrepidly enter a HUGE dungeon-like environment full of the unknown and wondrous. Then, far into the castle, as health and resources dwindle, make bold decisions about whether to press on or turn back. All within a session or two.
The rest of this post looks at the castle’s structure and treasures and how to bend them in service of a castle crawling session to the top of the tower.
Part 2 is the actual play report.
DL8’s Tower of the High Clerist
A true megadungeon experience is built up over an extended campaign, rather than a few sessions, but DL8 Dragons of War (1985) is an interesting module. Its castle certainly has the real estate to hint at megadungeon possibilities. It also has some features that set it apart from the rest of the DL series of Dragonlance modules and invite the module to be used in different ways. Consider:
DL8’s sixteen level castle (aka Tower of the High Clerist, map below) is one of the single largest mapped dungeoncrawl environments published by TSR in the 70s and 80s. Maybe thee largest. It wasn’t until WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins (1990) and The Ruins of Undermountain (1991) that TSR made dungeons definitively larger than DL8.*
In some ways DL8 is a successor to I6 Ravenloft (1983). Both are by Tracy and Laura Hickman and have isometric castle maps that are complex and believable.** Both utilize randomized locations of “goal artifacts”. DL8 is just so much bigger.
DL8 manages to describe a megadungeon worth of castle in less than fifteen pages. Several of the more important rooms have detailed descriptions, but many others exhibit Tegel Manor-like terseness and are reused throughout the castle. The module as written can support an extended campaign of dungeon crawling, interspersed with sessions of NPC interaction, war zone scouting/special ops, and mass combat. Or, the DM can opt for a more focused scenario, trimming repetitive parts and focusing on the best parts.
Yes…DL8 has a mass combat war element. It’s optional, in the sense that DM and players can emphasize and engage in the mass combat stuff to fit their preference. The module has a single die roll “Simplified Battle Resolution“ system for mass combat. It also contains rosters and stats for using TSR’s BattleSystem miniatures rules. Either way, the war element gives the module a Siege of Gondor vibe with time pressure. This may push adventurers to adopt an aggressive or stealthy style of castle exploration. The layout of the castle supports this.
Understand the Castle
The poster map of the castle is impressive and detailed, but its “big picture” layout isn’t obvious or explained in the module. Such as: avenues of ingress, connections between the sixteen levels, choke points, and areas with secret access. Understanding these were key to prepping to run DL8. Here’s a start:
Levels 1-7: the lower castle. Temples, servants, and quarters mostly. With the Altar of the Orb and the Treasure Vault secure in its core. Much loot is scattered about these levels, but also traps and defensive works.
Levels 8-12: the middle tower. The abbey, knight’s council, and the High Clerist’s lofty abode. Interesting set pieces.
Levels 13-16: the high tower. Restricted access. The only way to get up here is via a secret stair or slender shaft that run nearly the entire height of the tower.
A couple other important areas that have limited access:
The Altar of the Orb: Shut behind impossibly sealed doors on level 1. The only way in is to come from above: via that secret stair/shaft, or down a yawning abyss from the Treasure Vault on level 5.
The Treasure Vault: The only ways in are via the vexing Eternal Halls, or up the yawning abyss from the Altar of the Orb on level 1.
Four ways to get deep up into the castle tower:
- Up the long gallery stairs on level 2. If the party doesn’t snoop around much, these stairs are a fast track to level 7. Assuming the garden portcullis on level 6 is or can be opened.
- Beyond the temples on level 2 there are numerous stairs going up. With some exploration on subsequent levels, the party will eventually arrive to level 7. This route has many opportunities for finding loot and secret shortcuts, at the cost of more encounters and traps.
- Up the supply shaft on the north side of level 1, directly to level 4. This shortcut has its own dangers, but also opportunities to discover other secrets.
- A party could try to climb the outside of the castle, ideally with the help of a thief or magic. There are windows and balconies that can allow entry on many levels.
The castle’s Solamnic Knight garrison never ventures beyond the outer fringes of the interior, for it is haunted and sacred to them. But…they are likely aware of these four main paths up the tower and it’s good intel to share with the PCs to help them plan their missions within.
Understand the Loot
Apart from the Treasure Vault in the middle tower, the vast riches of the castle is spread throughout, randomized by drawing from a deck of regular playing cards. The chart of potential treasures is marvelous: Holy Avenger Sword +5, Book of Exalted Deeds, Wand of Mass Flying, coins and gems galore, and much more.
To add a little flavor, I placed these treasures in Solamnic Lockboxes. Ornate, sturdy and seldom trapped, they are very difficult to smash open, but can be lock-picked. Each discovery and opening of a lockbox was a moment of excitement and surprise. Draw a card!
One of the goal artifacts in DL8 is the Dragon Orb. I changed this to be the Codex Orbum instead. Studying the Codex would allow the PCs to learn the lore of the dangerous Orb, its powers and usage, in a more interesting way than via scattered conversions with NPCs.
With some insight into the castle map and encounters, the DM may want to limit the potential locations of the goal artifacts. For example:
- There’s an area on level 14 with a large group of evil spectral warriors that guard the only stairs up. This would make a nice climactic and tactically interesting battle, so I decided to have a goal artifact on the top level. The party must find a way through or around these spectral warriors.
- The Eternal Halls are neat in concept, but I was concerned they would be more confusing than fun during actual play. Also, there are several typos in the map and text of the Halls. My preference was to not force the PCs there, so I eliminated the three options for placing goal artifacts in the Eternal Halls.
The module’s full-page art of befuddled heroes in the Eternal Halls.
*Compared to DL8 Dragons of War, the closest contenders for largest dungeon environments made by TSR in the 1970s/80s are S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (1980) and T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil (1985). A few more are contenders if their vast underground maps are included: D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth (1978), B4 The Lost City (1982), and H2 The Mines of Bloodstone (1986). Any others?
**In Dragon magazine #155, a reader from Schenectady, NY notes:
“Also responding to the anonymous letter in issue #152 about the ineffectuality of castles in a campaign featuring magic and flying creatures, I agree. But I would like to point out that rather than abolishing castles, this situation just changes the way in which castles are built. The Tower of the High Clerist, in DRAGONLANCE module DL8 Dragons of War, is a good example of this. Almost fully roofed and magic resistant, it is highly defensible and protected. If this is not enough, the entire place is designed to stand even if every gate in the place is breached. It is a vast maze with huge numbers of magical and mundane traps and tricks. A small number of knights who knew the place could easily protect it against huge armies.”
Fire in the Jungle 