Showing posts with label OD&D. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OD&D. Show all posts

Monday, March 3, 2014

The Lost Caverns of Tsjoconth, Conclusion


In the center lies the gate 
But opening is sure to vex 
Many are the guards who wait 
As you go to the middle hex 

Randomly sent to find a way 
Back to a different iron door 
A seventh time and you may stay 
And seek the prize no more 

You have won my choicest prize 
My warded cache of magic 
And freed the one with yearning eyes 
Whose lot was hunger tragic. (original, pg. 7) 

Entering into the second levels of the Lost Caverns players are greeted with the above poem in the original version of this module. This three stanza poem spells out everything there is about the level in an elegant way. In the sequel, however, players have to find this information in room 17 of the Lesser Caverns (Upper left corner of the map). Otherwise the players will be left wandering about the Greater Caverns hoping to run across the following clues: 

Going south takes you southwest 
Going north takes you southeast 
Travel southeast and you are south 
Northwest brings you north 
Travel southwest reverses that 
From northeast you go northwest (sequel, pg. 20) 

 It’s clear that given the truncated time scale and nature of tournament play that Gary did not want to encumber the game with the steady plodding and high frustration levels that would occur later in S4: the Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth – a feature Gary warned about.
 . . . When confronted with the teleportation corridors in area 19, players may become disheartened if they have not had considerable experience in similar situations. If the players are unable to deal with the situation, the DM may place certain clues, to be found with monsters that have other treasure. Each clue will be one of the following lines, written on a piece of parchment and found in a scroll tube of little or no value . . . 

 Nothing else should be said when the clues are read. After being teleported a time or two, the players should realize the meaning of the clues, yet still be challenged by the situation . . . (sequel, pg. 20) 
Without spoiling the adventure there are a lot of differences between the two versions of the module. Many locations have a greater and more wondrous feel in the sequel and there way more monsters present. Not only that, but unlike the original which confines play within the Greater Caverns the sequel has no compunction about sending players careening off into alternate dimensions and deadly pocket dimensions where they’re left to fend for themselves. As an adventure you could easily lose yourself within the traps and tricks of the Greater Caverns for the entirety of your adventuring career without ever beating the damn thing. 

 A thoroughly impressive feat. 

A Word on Dungeon Master Prep

Of the two versions of the game the sequel require a substantially greater effort on the part of any would be Dungeon Master. Without the time spent designing several of the offshoot dimensions play will grind to a halt and it will ruin the adventure. 

S4 should not be attempted unless you're willing to expend the effort to make it something special - but it should be noted that if you do, your rewards will be great.

The Slumbering Warrior Queen Awaits by Jeff Easley pg. 28

Works Cited
Gygax, Gary  The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. MDG, USA: 1976. pg. 7.

Gygax, Gary S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth. TSR Hobbies, Inc. USA: 1982. pg. 20, 28.


Read the Complete Series
Part 6: Conclusion

Friday, February 21, 2014

The Lost Caverns of Tsjoconth, Part 5: The Dungeon Proper, the Lesser Caverns

 

In each version of the module play within the caverns begins at position 1, in the lower center portion of the Lesser Caverns, and while the basic journey of the module is the same the differences are stark. Consider the Main Entrance:
Immediately upon descending the stairs the party will see the narrow passage to the left, and if they enter see “B.”

The large cave is high vaulted (30’ at least), and the roof is hung with some stalactites, but few stalagmites are on the floor. On the right hand wall before each tunnel out of the place there is a face in bas relief. The visage is rather horrid and doleful. When any member of the party comes within 2’ of one of these carvings it will speak with a magic mouth: “TURN BACK, THIS IS NOT THE WAY.” If asked specifically to tell the truth (truth is the key word), all will lie except the right passage: “THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY. (I WARD THE ONLY WAY).” If the stone mouth is watched closely it will be seen that there is a gem inside each. A command to give or yield the gem will not work, but simply stating that the visage should open its mouth will: “AAAAHHH . . .” The first gem taken is worth 1,000 GP; all others are worth 10 GP (original, pg. 6).
By comparison the sequel begins with the following boxed text, which will appear in bold, and then expands further for the Dungeon Master:
After descending the long flight of steps, you pass north about 20' into a natural chamber some 70' wide and 50' deep. You have ignored a narrow passageway to your left (west) in order to enter this area, for your light has glinted off something on the far wall of the place. Now you see that there are weird faces carved in bas-relief around the walls of this cavern. There are, in fact, six such visages hewn from the rock itself. Each face is by the side of one of six tunnels leading off in one direction or another from the cavern to unknown. Although each face is slightly different from its fellows, all are strange and doleful looking: one has doglike ears, another protruding tusks, a third drooping wattles, etc. There seems to be no relationship between the size of the passageway and the stony visage beside it. Nothing else in the chamber seems remarkable. There are a few stalactites on the ceiling above, a few fallen to the floor amid a handful of stalagmites.

Each of these bas-relief carvings has an animated mouth with a permanent magic mouth spell cast upon it. When any party member comes within three feet of one of these faces, the mouth will move and it will say with a bass, mournfully dire tone: "TURN BACK ... THIS IS NOT THE WAY!" This will be repeated endlessly each time the same or another individual comes within three feet. If any member watches the stone mouth, he or she will note that it has something glittering within it. Each mouth has a gem in it. The colors are, from left to right, amber, purple (amethyst), pale blue (aquamarine), deep red (garnet), olive green (peridot), and dark pink (tourmaline). Regardless of which is taken first, the first gem is worth 1,000 gp. The others, although just as large, are flawed and worth but 100 gp each. The stone of these faces is very hard and nearly impossible to break. Each mouth will bite for 1d10+2 points of damage if anyone attempts to take the gem within. A command spell or a demand for the gem will not avail. However, if any character simply asks the face to stick out its tongue, or open its mouth and stick out its tongue, or any similar request, the face will obey. The mouth will open, the sound "AAAHHH" will be heard, and the gem will be on the tongue. If characters attempt to speak with a visage, it will only repeat its deep voiced warning. However, if the word "truth" is used in any question or demand, then each face will lie and state majestically: "MY WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY." Only the visage in the far southeast, beside the 2' wide passageway south, will say anything different. That mouth will speak as follows: "I WATCH THE ONLY WAY!" (sequel, pg. 13).
It is clear that in the intervening years since the publication of the original module and its sequel a lot has changed in the philosophy behind dungeon design. No longer is the cavern described by its height and nebulously sketched out as "large", but instead it is given definitive dimensions. The bas relief faces are no longer uniformly deformed, but now each is unique in its deformities. Additionally the gems are no longer of up to Dungeon Master discretion but instead have been ascribed color and composition. The values of the imperfect gems have also been raised from the measly 10 gold in the original to a 100 gold.

While these differences I’ve just described are minute it is the clarity of the sequel that stands head and shoulders above the original. The original suffers both from a truncated page count and brevity of prose that Gary Gygax could abandon with the sequel; and it’s good that he did.

Take for example the questioning of the bas reliefs.
If asked specifically to tell the truth (truth is the key word), all will lie except the right passage: “THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY. (I WARD THE ONLY WAY).” (original, pg. 6)

From pg. 9 Uncredited Illustration
While it is easy having read the sequel to realize that the parenthetical text is actually the response of the bas relief that tells only the truth, that is not the case here. Had I been running this adventure off the original text I would have boomed the phrase “THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY,” and then whispered as loudly as I could “I WARD THE ONLY WAY.”

Mad as that sounds my assumption would have been that Gary was encouraging me, as the Dungeon Master, to really mess with my players and poke at them in the most enjoyable manner.
. . . if the word "truth" is used in any question or demand, then each face will lie and state majestically: "MY WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY." Only the visage in the far southeast, beside the 2' wide passageway south, will say anything different. That mouth will speak as follows: "I WATCH THE ONLY WAY!" (sequel, pg. 13).
Comparing these two versions of the text there is no doubt that as the Dungeon Master I am supposed to use the separate phrase only for the true way. While this tends to produce a clearer version of the game it does take away a bit of the mad cap nature of the original. 

One final note, before I move on, the only illustration of the bas reliefs occurs not in the sequel - where you would expect to see them - but in the original. Which seems odd considering the expanded descriptions Gary wrote for them and the bigger budget afforded to the sequel.

The Chinese Giants

In the original you’ll find 2 Chinese Hill Giants in location O, in the upper right hand corner of the map who have amazing hearing and the strangest sense of fashion I’ve ever read about. After killing the pair your players will find among the plunder two cloaks and two pairs of boots. One cloak is poisonous, and one of the pairs of boots is a set of Boots of Dancing.

Every time I read about that possible combination I have this image of a twelve-foot tall, transvestite, Chinese, giant who really wants to win the drag ball but hates himself for cheating. I don’t know why he’s a transvestite or why he’s cheating but I really want to play that encounter right now.

They’re gone in the sequel.

Instead they are replaced by formorian giants. Their home is described as the sort of garbage pile hovel you expect some heroin using degenerate to occupy; and while the possessions are the same the humor is gone. Instead of wanting to play this encounter I feel like if I let nature take its course the giants would have died of a drug overdose within the month.

Adding through Subtraction

There are an impressive array of additions in the sequel. As well as the expanded descriptions of each area and boxed text, you’ll find 43 more monsters (well, 2,041 if you count all the individual bats). There are also seven new monsters that have not appeared in other sources at this time. Yet for all of that I feel like I’m missing out as I find myself missing things like the Bronze Dragon who’s no longer there in the sequel and the vague descriptions of each area.


Works Cited
Gygax, Gary  The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. MDG, USA: 1976. pg. 6, 9.

Gygax, Gary S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth. TSR Hobbies, Inc. USA: 1982. pg. 13.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

The Lost Caverns of Tsjoconth, part 4: The Greater and Lesser Cavern Maps


Given the increased page volume between the original module and the sequel you'd be forgiven for imagining that the sequel would have a larger area to encounter; but that's not the case.

Original Maps from pgs. 4 and 5

Sequel Maps from pgs. 4 and 5
Surprisingly there aren't a lot of differences between the two maps. In the sequel the lines are cleaner and more visually appealing. The water is easier to distinguish in the lesser cavern and the features of the map are far and away more discernible.

The big differnce between the two maps comes from the keying of each. In the original Lesser Cavern you have six non-combat encounter areas keyed (denoted by numbers) and 16 combat areas (denoted by letters). By comparison to the sequel you have 22 combat and non-combat areas all signified numerically. Most of the keyed locations occur in the same place on the map, but not always. For example, encounter 7 on the new map never occurs in the original.

In the Greater Caverns we see some more significant changes. Additional cavern features are clearly evident, such as the sink hole in location 7. The circular wall that encompasses the central area in the original map has also been removed. You also have the changes in encounter location that occurred in the lesser caverns and less keyed encounters in the sequel. In the original you have 23 keyed and signified by letters, while in the sequel you have 20 denoted numerically.

While you might be tempted to feel robbed by this shortening of encounters, let me put your mind to ease. The sequel more than makes up for this dearth as I'll be discussing later in this series

Saturday, January 25, 2014

The Lost Caverns of Tsjoconth, Part 3: In the Woods We Go


While it would be easy to simply move on to the actual cavers as the original module does not contain any wilderness encounters it would be a disservice to the sequel if we didn’t look into how it handled those badlands.

Random and Encounters

Unlike a lot of the more modern modules that I have encountered the sequel does not just give you a listing of possible enemies but rather encourages you to mix things up so that it becomes a more interesting encounter:
“. . . There are six numbered areas, shown on both the DM's and the players' wilderness maps. No specific encounters are given for these six areas. The DM should choose an appropriate encounter for each area, using the WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS CHART in this module. The creatures chosen for the numbered areas should be encountered only once. Do not choose numbers 1-6 simply because the encounter areas are numbered 1-6. For example, 1 could be the stone giants or the wolfwere; 2 could be the wyverns or the hermit; the tribesmen or the dragon could be at 3, etc . . .” (sequel, pg. 4)

I like the way that things are a bit looser in this section of the module as compared to a more modern module, such as Expedition to Castle Greyhawk; but that isn’t to say that everything is perfect here. While you are able to have random encounters the six numbered areas are set encounters where your players are required to have an encounter. Or as the module puts it:

“. . . Encounters in the wilderness will not occur randomly. The party will have encounters at specific points when travelling along the trails. These encounter sites are marked as heavy dots on the DM's map. If the party camps in a hex adjacent to a dot, the DM may decide to give the party a night encounter. Daytime encounters occur whenever the party stops in or passes through a hex with a dot . . .” (sequel, pg. 4)
Yet all the same Gary Gygax has done a remarkable job of encouraging you to stray from the script and expand the game beyond the restrictive boundaries initially described in the module.
“. . . The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is a module with a great deal of potential, one that can take many sessions to finish. DMs should consider stressing this to their players, because it is possible to have an enjoyable adventure before the caverns are even reached. The wilderness section includes a wide variety of possible encounters.

Some of these can become the basis of several adventures. The gnomes, dwarves, elves, and mountain tribesmen are fully described, and these entries can be used to create communities of mountain dwellers. A sample lair map, usable for the gnomes, has been included, should the DM want to fully develop this community. Befriending one of these communities could be of great value in providing the party with healing, information, or help against bands of raiders. However, gaining the trust of one of these communities usually requires that the party fights against their enemies.

An encounter with a military patrol could be a challenge to the party. A friendly patrol could tell the party how many "dangerous areas" (variable encounter sites) are on the trail ahead, but not the exact locations. Winning the trust of a patrol is very difficult, however, for it is their mission to be suspicious of all armed travellers.

A third possibility is the Craggy Dells. If the party succeeds in defeating the brigands there, they could find (at the DMs option) information that will lead them to the persons buying hippogriffs from the bandits . . .” (sequel, pg. 4)
While these possible encounters described by Gary Gygax could easily be used to fluff up the adventure into a larger and more expansive adventure they could also lead to an expanded campaign where the players make enemies and alliances on the boarder that carry over into their return trip to Bissel.

Looking at this adventure so many years after its publication I find it remarkable how often Gary Gygax is able to provide you with additional adventures, hooks, and campaigns without so much as even wasting half a page in doing so.

Absolutely remarkable.

The Hermit

One of the possible wilderness encounters that your players can become involved in ties back to the original module. If they’re lucky enough to encounter the Hermit and they act like human beings toward him – instead of the murder monkeys they’re likely as not portraying at this point in the adventure – then they can actually be gifted with a single journal page from a solitary survivor of a doomed expedition into the caverns.
“. . . The small cave was the secret, for in back, hidden by (here the text is blurred beyond any reading)... and we descended. There was no certain path, so we (smudged)... and this is told of above, for it is where Yaim and Brelid met their end. Our persistence paid. The right way was beyond and narrow, so (writing covered with dark stain)... -earn lies straight pas(more stains)... -pe the span swiftly to plunge to doom where the wat- (here smudges and stains obliterate several lines) ... They were right. It is more dismal here than above. Only the two of us su- (blotch) ... We pray that the lucky (smudge) is true, for we are now going to attempt entry fo- (large rusty smears have wiped out the next words) ... of no help. I managed to escape. Why did we (here the remaining few words are smeared and unreadable, save for the last word) ... beautiful . . .” (sequel, pg. 7)
This journal extract is actually an expanded version of the original text our adventures had entering into the Caverns, which read:
“The right way is narrow . . . (words obliterated) . . . eam lies the straight pas . . . (more smudged writing) . . . pe the span swiftly of plunge to doom where the wat . . .” (original, pg. 2)
By comparing the two it’s easily apparent that Gygax had grown in his ability, not only as a writer, but as an adventure designer. The original is so sparse in details and discernable information that it’s practically useless for inspiring our imaginations and driving us into the dungeon. Yet the sequel has enough to make you long to enter into those damnable Caverns.

The Gnome Valley and Craggy Dells

There are two more designated wilderness encounters in this adventure that are given the letters A and B to denote their occurrence. A is the Gnome Valley which can easily be a great place for your party to resupply and rest or a death trap if you’re playing with a bunch of savages ass-hats. B, the Craggy Dells, is the sort of encounter that I wouldn’t be able to walk away from as a player. It hits every single one of my buttons and makes me want to savage every last motherless bastard involved.

In the next installment we’ll be entering the caverns properly. Hope to see you there.

Works Cited
 Gygax, Gary  The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. MDG, USA: 1976. pg. 2

Gygax, Gary S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth. TSR Hobbies, Inc. USA: 1982. pg. 4, 7.

Monday, January 20, 2014

The Lost Caverns of the Tsojconth, Part 2: Getting to the Adventure

 
Once we’re through the introduction for the module we come to a major deviation between the two versions: how we came to exploring the caverns.

Getting to the Adventure
You are a member of a group of six adventurers, met by chance some weeks past. Each was seeking the Caverns, each possessed a fragment of information regarding them. Together you have compiled what seems an accurate set of direction to the entrance of these caverns, and you are certain that the Archmange has filled them with fierce creatures to prevent trespassers from gaining their goal. A fragment of parchment you have states: “The right way is narrow . . . (words obliterated) . . . eam lies the straight pas . . . (more smudged writing) . . . pe the span swiftly of plunge to doom where the wat . . .”

Your information indicates that the caverns are on two levels, and that the way to the deeper section can only be gained by a chosen few, for the lacale is strange in yet another fashion. The Caverns of Tsojconth are a nexus in probability, where several alternate worlds touch. Each of you is aware that numerous parties such as yours, each containing six alternate persons like each of you, will be entering that part of the Caverns which manifest itself in their respective worlds. As each group adventures through the upper caverns one of their number will gain a certain aura, and he or she alone will be able to enter the lower level, while the rest will have to turn back (For tournament use only). The chosen from each party will meet – possibly with one or more of their alter egos – when the descent to the lower caverns is made. It is important to get as close to each other as possible to the way down, for the shift by the nexus will throw together those individuals who are relatively close to each other in location in their respective caverns. Those who have not located the way to the lower level prior to the shift will not have certain information.

Aura will be gained by ability – to reason cleverly, to lead, to defeat opponents, to avoid damage or death, to find valuable treasure, to co-operate with your fellows. The gods are watching. Good hunting! (original version, pg. 2)
The prominent parts of this set-up are as follows: (1.) each member of the party possessed a fragment that lead the entire group to the Caverns; (2.) the parchment fragment appears to identify a dangerous environment; (3.) there are only two levels to the caverns; (4.) the caverns are a nexus point where different realities can interact with one and another; (5.) there are multiple versions of your characters running about the caverns; (6.) the final party may have multiple versions of your character in it; (7.) if you don't move quickly enough you may be pulled to the final battle without learning all of the necessary information.

Let’s compare this with the sequel:
Your party has been gathered by agents of the Margrave of the March of Bissel. He tells you that there are "political considerations," which he does not explain, that prevent him from searching for lggwilv's trove himself. However, it is vital that the treasure not fall into the hands of his enemies. Your party's goal is to get the treasure before Bissel's enemies do. The Margrave has provided you with horses and a map showing the most probable location of the Lost Caverns. The Margrave will also give you an escort from Thornwood to a narrow trail leading from the easternmost arm of the Bramblewood Forest northward into the Yatil Mountains-the very heart of lggwilv's old domain. You have pledged to repay the Margrave for your horses, as well as any other equipment he provided, out of the monetary treasure obtained. You will also be required to pay a treasure tax of 15% on all money taken. He tells you that the remainder, as well as any magical items taken, are your reward for undertaking this perilous quest. However, you are warned under threat of dire punishment not to allow any magical items to fall into evil hands.

An examination of your map reveals that the track through the mountains has numerous branches. At the end of each track is a number, evidently standing for something unknown. The agents of the Margrave cannot tell you anything about their significance, except that it is likely that at one of the sites are the caverns you seek. Obviously, the map is incomplete, for from what you know of this part of the world, there are mountains where nothing but blank space is shown on the chart. With this map you must somehow find where the treasure is hidden. The more direct your route to the caverns, the less the likelihood of injury or death from the many perils of the journey. A scrap of parchment with a bit of doggerel on it might be a clue, or it might be of no use whatsoever, save to mislead you.

The verse says

The horn of Iggwilv
pierces the heart –
look over your shoulder
before you start.
How many sorrow?
Foolish men,
because they didn’t
turn back then.

After a journey of a sen'night [seven nights – Charles] your band has reached the foothills of the Yatils without incident. Before you is the winding path leading into the grim mountains; behind is the escort of horsemen riding south for home. Fortunately, you have sure-footed, mountain-bred horses given to you to assure a swift passage to your destination. Vellum map secured safely, there is naught else to do but proceed with the quest to find the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (sequel version, pg. 3)
The salient points from this version of the module are: (1.) that you are agents of Bissel looking for the Caverns; (2.) you have access to a ridiculous amount of adventuring gear and resources – with the caveat that you must pay it back and an additional 15% tax; (3.) you have a map that is badly out of date and possibly filled with a tremendous amount of outright wrong data; (4.) you have a bit of verse to help drive you forward; (5.) you are going to be adventuring out in the wilderness at the start.

Getting to the Dungeon

The original version of the module is a tournament piece and it was limited by time; so the players come into the game with six pre-generated characters, each with a fragment of information about the Caverns, fully equipped, and they start at the Caverns. As a tool for getting to the meat of the adventure it can’t be beat; but when compared to the sequel it lacks the sort of room that a Dungeon Master would look for when molding an adventure for his group.

Yet it would not be a hard decision to choose to include a wilderness adventure for the original module, nor would it be difficult to provide the players with fragments of information on the Caverns. Indeed it might even be preferable as it would provide the Dungeon Master with a greater allowance for his natural creativity to be brought to bear.

Of the two I favor a modified original with a wilderness adventure.

The Nexus of Worlds

While the sequel is, thus far, silent about the nexus of worlds within the Caverns the original module is tantalizing. I have read over its set-up four times in the last couple of days and each time I find myself wrapped up in the idea that it would be incredibly fun to create alternate versions of each character using some of my favorite systems. There is a possibility here that excites me and I could see this adventure being used by a group of Dungeon Masters under the Flailsnails banner, working in concert together, each with a different system, leading towards the ultimate finale.

The Poem and the Fragment
“The right way is narrow . . . (words obliterated) . . . eam lies the straight pas . . . (more smudged writing) . . . pe the span swiftly of plunge to doom where the wat . . .” (original, pg. 2)
This fragment is an intriguing string of words that make me want to plumb the depths of the Caverns, exploring its mysteries and uncovering its secrets.
The horn of Iggwilv
pierces the heart –
look over your shoulder
before you start.
How many sorrow?
Foolish men,
because they didn’t
turn back then. (sequel, pg. 3)
Unlike the fragment above this verse does nothing to inspire me to delve into the dungeon and instead fills me with a sense of regret. Which is a strange thing to happen when starting out an adventure that is going to push us farther into the world of Greyhawk and into a game that should challenge us on new and strange levels.

Works Cited
 Gygax, Gary  The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. MDG, USA: 1976. pg. 2

Gygax, Gary S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth. TSR Hobbies, Inc. USA: 1982. pg. 3

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth, Part 1

Over the last few days I've been examining two different versions of the Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. The first was published for WinterCon V way back in 1976 and the second was published as S4: the Lost Caverns of Tsojconth in 1982. Naturally there are going to be differences, six years of additional development and an additional 53 pages of content will do that every time, but I've never compared the two before and so I'm for it with my own eyes and thoughts on the thing. I know there are others who have been here before and I don't care. 

For my purposes I will refer to the 1976 module as the original and the 1982 version as the sequel. This should make it easier to differentiate. With that settled, let's start at the beginning.

The Introduction
Several Decades ago when the Archmage Iggwilv brought the Marches of Perrunland under his domination, considerable store of treasure was taken from that place and sequestered by him somewhere in the no man’s land between the Duchy of Geoff and the forsaken Sea of Dust. Among his loot were several rare and prized tomes and the fabled lamp known as Daoud’s Wonderous Lanthorn.

When Iggwilv was slain by the Demon Graz’zt, and his minions scattered by an uprising of oppressed subjects, rumors began to spread regarding where the Archmage’s treasure trove was located. Considering the cartloads of precious metals and gems taken away during the overthrow, it is not surprising that most of these whispered suggestions were ignored as spurious. However, the books and the Lanthorn were never found, and the rumors did reach some interested parties, for several expeditions have sought to locate these items, but the parties were either unsuccessful in their attempts to find the location of the Caverns of Tsojconth (where the most reliable rumors claim the treasure rests) or else failed to return. (Original version, pg. 1)
The salient points of this short introduction are: (1.) that the Archmage Iggwilv is male; (2.) that the Marches of Perrunland were under his dominion several decades ago; (3.) Iggwilv is dead, slain by the demon Graz'st; (4.) Iggwilv hid his plunder somewhere between the Dutchy of Geoff and the Sea of Dust; (5.) the Caverns of Tsojconth are said to hold this plunder. 

Let's compare that introduction with the one that appeared in the sequel: 
Nearly a century ago the Arch-mage Iggwilv sent her evil minions to conquer the lands around her abode. So successful was she that the Marches of Perrenland were subjugated for a decade, and great indeed was the loot brought to Iggwilv's lair in answer to her insatiable demands for treasure. Legend states that the arch-mage gained much of her prowess from discovering the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, where in was hidden magic of unsurpassed might. It is certain that lggwilv ruled her domain from these caverns. There she also conducted arcane experiments and rituals, trying to further increase her powers.

These experiments were her downfall, for during one she accidentally freed the demon Graz'zt, whom she had imprisoned and forced into servitude. There was a terrible battle, and although the demon was forced to flee to the Abyss, lggwilv was so stricken from the contest that her powers and strength were forever lost. With the wane of her evil, lggwilv's realm was sundered. Her former henchmen and slaves stole her treasure and scattered to the four winds in the face of enemy armies. The arch-mage, however, used the last of her power to prepare a hiding place in the caverns for her remaining wealth. Legends say that this included several tomes of great power and the fabled lamp called Daoud's Wondrous Lanthorn. What else might be hidden no one knows, for no one has yet discovered Iggwilv's hoard.

That lggwilv is long dead and gone cannot be doubted. Until recently, though, the stories of her secret cache of treasure in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth were regarded as another grandfathers' tale to amuse the younglings. Cartloads of tapestries and rugs, statues and rare art objects have been recovered over the years as well as chests of precious metals, sacks of coin, and coffers filled with gems and jewelry. It was believed that all her treasure had been looted, and that no magic or wealth remained. However, recent investigations have indicated that the magical lanthorn did exist and that lggwilv possessed it. Iggwilv's lair was definitely located somewhere between the gorge of the Velverdyva River and the hills east of the town of Krestible. The realms of luz, Perrenland, and Ket have sent expeditions into the Yatil Mountains seeking the exact location of the caverns; the few that have survived have all failed. (sequel, pg. 2)
The important points in this introduction: (1.) the Archmage Iggwilv is female; (2.) her strongholds were in the Marches of Perrenland; (3.) Iggwilv's strength has been broken yet she survived the battle; (4.) most of her wealth was scattered across the world as her slaves and henchmen took off with it all; (5.) the plunder is definitely between the Velverdyva River and the hills east of the town Krestible.

So let's talk about the big differences between these two versions. 

Iggwilv

In the original version of this adventure Iggwilv is a man and is actually slain by Graz'zt. Which really would have put a different spin on the origin and story of Iuz. Of course Iggwilv and Graz'zt could have adopted the cambion igniting a whole slew of anti-gay sentiment and crazed religious fervor . . . you know, I kind of like the idea. Just imagining them trying to live a normal life with a half demon child while a bunch of crazed, sign-welding, religious fanatics stand outside with signs like "GOD HATES FAGS," "IT'S THE DEMON IN YOU THAT MAKES YOU ACT THIS WAY," and "SAY NO TO MAN / DEMON LOVE!" just makes me giggle.

By contrast with the original, in the sequel Iggwilv is a woman who has bound Graz'zt to her will - something that isn't made clear by that original description - and is able to fight off the demon, but only at a considerable loss of her own magical prowess. That makes the sequel more powerful than her male counterpart.

There is also the notion that Iggwilv in the sequel is from Perrenland while the original appears to be a conqueror from outside that area. Where Iggwilv is from can have an impact on how the defenses are designed and what languages are used within the stronghold. It could also hold a key as to determining how the Caverns of Tsojconth are protected from prying eyes.

Perrunland, uh Perrenland

Another difference between the two version are the changes in spelling. In the original its Perrunland and Tsojconth; while in the sequel it's Perrenland and Tosjcanth. They're sutble differences between the various versions of the module but the tend to point us in the direction of an evolving world where Gary Gygax is continuously refining his understanding of the lands and Robert Kuntz is pushing back against the confines of a game that could easily become static without such efforts.

The Caverns are Where Again?

If you read the original you're going to be immediately struck by two notions: (1.) that's a big area of land to search for the Caverns; (2.) why did Gary change their location?



When you consider that the original description has the location of the caves somewhere between Geoff and the Sea of Dust you've got to imagine the ridiculous amount of land you're going to have to explore just to find the damned caves. And when you consider that it's mostly mountainous travel . . . you might as well plan on having epic level characters exploring a dungeon designed for sixth level. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for that sort of challenge as a Dungeon Master, but you're going to burn out your players.

So I think that the reason the location was changed from so a large expanse to a smaller area was so that there was a reasonable chance that the actual players might find the Caverns before they grew old and died.

Works Cited
 Gygax, Gary  The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth. MDG, USA: 1976. pg. 1

Gygax, Gary S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth. TSR Hobbies, Inc. USA: 1982. pg. 2




Read the Complete Series
Part 1: The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth

Closing Comments.

Due to the influx of spam comments on Dyvers I am closing the comments. I'm not currently doing anything with this blog, but I don'...