by Mike Carr (Basic and Goodman Games 5E conversion)
This was the very first TSR module published. It was included early on with every early D&D Basic (Holmes) set sold. It was replaced with Gary Gygax's B2 - Keep on the Borderland with the publication of the boxed set for Tom Moldvay's B/X edition. It was, in fact, the very first module I ever played. So I have a special fondness for it that goes beyond mere design.
This module is a straight dungeon delve, as befits its origin. The premise is that it is a complex built in the wilderness by the evil heroes Rogahn the Fearless (fighter) and Zelligar the Unknown (Wizard). Their last recorded adventure was an epic battle with hordes of barbarians and evil humanoids. After that, they vanished. Leaving behind their secret stronghold to rot.
Where this module excels is in its map, setting and description.There is both some realistic design and whimsy to it. There are kitchens, lounges, barracks and bedrooms to be found. But also bizarre rooms that turn out to be traps or flights of fancy. It's a really fun module to play. There is a real sense of discovery to playing it.
However, it was designed to inspire and teach DM's how to build and stock their own dungeons. One of the major criticisms of it upon the release of future modules was its sense of being purposefully incomplete. See, the crux of the matter is that, for the most part, the dungeon is unstocked. Monsters and treasure are included in tables, but are not directly assigned to locations. Hence it is not just a module that you can unseal and play with minimal prep. The DM finds out that there is work to do before play can proceed.
There are, however, issues with verisimilitude with the module. For instance, the battle and disappearance of the two anti-heroes happens in the near-distant to distant past. Yet the dungeon has lots of mouldering set dressing and kit. As is, the timeline doesn't make sense. I explain this away as being the result of some sort of curse that keeps the dungeon in a kind of stasis. (Actually, it goes far further than that in my campaign, but then that is a secret yet to be revealed.)
Goodman Games has come out with a deluxe 5E conversion that includes both the original adventure and their update. Their update semi-stocks the dungeon, playable but seemingly way too sparse for many player's taste. So yes, there is still stocking to be done, but it is playable right "out of the box" so to speak. But where they have excelled is in some of their updates to specific encounters and their addition of at least three sub-dungeons integral to the resulting dungeon.
And they have additionally packaged it with the successor module B2 - Keep on the Borderlands -- calling their new combined edition of both modules OAR 1 - Into the Unknown. This is in-line with most house-games sandwiching both modules together into the same area. (And hinted at within the map/text of the original B2.)
RATING: I LIKE IT!
💥💥💥💥
Additional Notes: I had the good fortune to meet Mike Carr at the last GenCon I attended. It was delightful. Mike is a really sweet guy, who simply exudes enthusiasm for the hobby and authenticity. He is best known, not for this module, but for his creation of Dawn Patrol, the WWI air combat game. (Which he will tell you is the only event that has been played at every Gen Con since its inception.)
As for the adventure itself, I've never seen anyone make it to the second subterranean level until my brother did just recently. I've run the Goodman Games version for both him and for the Adult D&D group that I host at the library. And I must say, they were a delightful experience in both cases.
--LM
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