The Secret of Bone Hill

Last updated
The Secret of Bone Hill
L1ModuleCover.jpg
The cover of The Secret of Bone Hill, with art by Bill Willingham. The artwork depicts a female spellcaster casting lightning at an enemy.
CodeL1
TSR product code9045
Rules requiredAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition
Character levels2 - 4
Campaign setting Greyhawk
Authors Lenard (Len) Lakofka
First published1981
Linked modules
L1 L2 L3

The Secret of Bone Hill is an adventure module written by Lenard Lakofka for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and published by TSR in 1981. It is designed for novice and intermediate players with characters of levels 2-4. The module received mixed reviews from critics.

Contents

Plot summary

The module is described as a low-level scenario that involves evil creatures prowling the unexplored reaches of Bone Hill. [1] The campaign setting and scenario featured in the book detail a complete town in the Lendore Isles, along with nearby monster lairs. [2] The player characters adventure in and around the fishing port of Restenford. [3] The module is more of a mini-setting than an adventure, offering several adventure locations, and may require a Dungeon Master to expand it using the World of Greyhawk milieu. The module expands upon the basic types of undead creatures found.

Publication history

The Secret of Bone Hill was written by Len Lakofka and published by TSR in 1981 as a 32-page booklet with an outer folder, and a cover illustration by Bill Willingham. [2] This adventure is continued in L2: The Assassin's Knot, and L3: Deep Dwarven Delve.

Reception

The module was reviewed in issue No. 16 of Different Worlds magazine, which complained that TSR had abandoned its tradition of using maps as color art "in favor of pretty pictures irrelevant to the text". The reviewer, Anders Swenson, disliked the randomness of the module's encounters, arguing that it was unrealistic for so many monster nests to be found within a day's march of a hardy military garrison. His real problem with the adventure, however, was that he believed that too many encounters were compressed into too small of an area. "What deals and pacts have been made to permit the villagers, the clerics, the gnolls and wolves, and the inhabitants of Bone Hill to live in such harmony?" [4]

Robert Kern reviewed The Secret of Bone Hill in Ares Magazine #12 and commented that "The good news is that TSR is publishing a new module for low level characters. The bad news is that it might require a more experienced DM to overcome it omissions and shotgun method of presenting information. " [5]

The module was positively reviewed by Jim Bambra in issue No. 35 of White Dwarf magazine, who rated it 8 out of 10. Bambra felt that the fishing port of Restenford and its surrounding wilderness were given "particularly colourful" descriptions. He wrote that the module provided some very interesting roleplaying situations and an excellent background for a campaign, but "provides little more than this on a long term basis". [3] He notes that some of the material would not be utilized until The Assassin's Knot (L2, unreleased at that time) was purchased, and that "trying to run this module on its own could prove to be a frustrating experience as the designer has given little indication of what L2 will contain or how many more modules there are likely to be." Bambra had hoped that the arrival of L2 would make The Secret of Bone Hill an enjoyable adventure. [3]

Lawrence Schick in his book Heroic Worlds was critical of the module, calling it "Not one of TSR's more sterling endeavors," and noting that the back cover was "deliberately botched" by the artist (Erol Otus) "who didn't care for the product". [2]

James Maliszewski claimed the module was one of his favorites because it created "a very flexible 'sandbox' framework for a low-level campaign". [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dungeonland</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Dungeonland (EX1) is a 1983 adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) roleplaying game, written by Gary Gygax for use with the First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) rules. It is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with the various characters from the book translated into AD&D terms.

<i>Palace of the Silver Princess</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Palace of the Silver Princess is an adventure module for the Dungeons & DragonsBasic Set. It was recalled on the same day it was released, then rewritten and re-released some months later. The original version, with an orange cover, was written in 1980 by Jean Wells. When the orange version was recalled, the module was rewritten by Tom Moldvay and released with a green cover. Writing credit on the second version was given to both Moldvay and Wells, although there was very little of Wells' original content in Moldvay's version.

<i>Tomb of the Lizard King</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Tomb of the Lizard King is a Dungeons & Dragons' adventure module published in 1982 by TSR. In Tomb of the Lizard King, the player characters are employed by the Count of Eor to investigate a monstrous force that has been terrorizing caravans and peasants near the village of Waycombe. The adventure is appropriate for large groups of characters of level 5–7, or smaller groups with higher levels.

<i>Scourge of the Slave Lords</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Scourge of the Slave Lords (A1–4) is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published by TSR, Inc. in 1986. It combines the contents of four earlier modules, all set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and intended for use with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first edition rules.

<i>Against the Giants</i> Role-playing game adventure by Gary Gygax

Against the Giants is an adventure module written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR in 1981 for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It combines the G series of modules previously published in 1978: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, and Hall of the Fire Giant King. All three were produced for use with the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. In 1999, to recognize the 25th anniversary of TSR, the company released an updated version, Against the Giants: The Liberation of Geoff. Later in 1999, Wizards of the Coast published a novelization of Against the Giants by Ru Emerson.

<i>Beyond the Crystal Cave</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Beyond the Crystal Cave is a Dungeons & Dragons module set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It is unusual among Dungeons & Dragons modules in that it encourages a non-violent approach to achieving the module's goals. It is set in an old English milieu on Sybarate Isle in the Hold of the Sea Princes.

<i>The Assassins Knot</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

The Assassin's Knot is an adventure module written by Lenard Lakofka for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and published by TSR in 1983. It is designed for 6 to 10 novice and intermediate players with characters of levels 2-5.

<i>White Plume Mountain</i> Role-playing game adventure

White Plume Mountain is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, written by Lawrence Schick and published by TSR in 1979. The 16-page adventure bears the code "S2". The adventure is a dungeon crawl where the players' characters are hired to retrieve three "notorious" magical weapons, each possessing its own intelligence. The adventure contains art by Erol Otus, and a cover by Jeff Dee. A sequel, Return to White Plume Mountain, was published in 1999, and an updated version conforming to v3.5 rules was released online in 2005. The original was again updated for the 5th edition in 2017 as the fourth part of Tales from the Yawning Portal.

<i>The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game, for use in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The module was published by TSR, Inc. in 1982 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.

<i>Against the Cult of the Reptile God</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Against the Cult of the Reptile God is an adventure module for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It is designed for novice players and gamemasters. The suggested party size is 4-7 characters of level 1-3.

<i>The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth</i> Role-playing game adventure

The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR in 1982 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) rules. The 64-page adventure bears the code "S4" and is set in the Greyhawk campaign setting. It is divided into two parts, a 32-page adventure, and a 32-page booklet of monsters and magic items. The plot involves the player characters investigating rumors of lost treasure. After traversing a wilderness and two levels of dungeons, the players face Drelnza, the vampiric daughter of long-deceased archmage Iggwilv.

<i>The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is a module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) roleplaying game, written by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull. The module details a mysterious abandoned mansion at the edge of a town called Saltmarsh, and the secrets contained therein. The adventure is set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh received positive reviews from critics.

Lenard William "Len" Lakofka was an American writer of material for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Although never a formal employee of TSR, the company that published Dungeons & Dragons, Lakofka was an influential voice in the development of the game. He was one of the playtesters of the game as it was being developed, an editor of early manuscripts, wrote a widely-read monthly D&D magazine column and two official D&D adventures, and had his home campaign setting of the Lendore Isles incorporated into Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting.

<i>Deep Dwarven Delve</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

L3 Deep Dwarven Delve is a fantasy adventure module or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

<i>Pharaoh</i> (module)

Pharaoh is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The module was published in 1982 by TSR, Inc. for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. It formed the first of the three-part Desert of Desolation module series. The module was written by Tracy and Laura Hickman; Tracy Hickman would later go on to help create the Dragonlance campaign setting.

<i>Desert of Desolation</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Desert of Desolation is a compilation adventure module published by TSR for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy roleplaying game. It combines three previously published individual modules: Pharaoh, Oasis of the White Palm, and Lost Tomb of Martek. The modules were made for use with the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) rules. Pharaoh was created by Tracy and Laura Hickman soon after the couple married in 1977, and published by TSR in 1982. Oasis of the White Palm was a collaboration between Tracy Hickman and Philip Meyers, and Hickman wrote the Lost Tomb of Martek on his own; both were printed in 1983.

<i>Nights Dark Terror</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Night's Dark Terror is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game written by British game designers Jim Bambra, Graeme Morris, and Phil Gallagher. It was designed specifically for campaigns transitioning from the D&D Basic Set to the D&D Expert Set. The player characters (PCs) journey from a farmstead into uncharted wilderness, where they encounter new hazards and contend with a secret society. The adventure received a positive review from White Dwarf magazine.

<i>Danger at Dunwater</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Danger at Dunwater is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) fantasy roleplaying game, written by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull The module was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1982 and contains a 32-page adventure set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was designed for 6-10 characters of level 1-4.

<i>Dwellers of the Forbidden City</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Dwellers of the Forbidden City is an adventure module, or pre-packaged adventure booklet, ready for use by Dungeon Masters in the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. The adventure was first used as a module for tournament play at the 1980 Origins Game Fair, and was later published by TSR in 1981 for use with the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. The module was written by game designer David "Zeb" Cook, who partly ascribes his hiring by TSR to his work on this module. In the adventure, the characters are hired to find an object taken to a lost oriental-style city, which has been taken over by a cult of snake-worshipers, the yuan-ti, and their servants, the mongrelmen and tasloi.

<i>Curse of Xanathon</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Curse of Xanathon is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure module designed by Douglas Niles for use with the D&D Expert Set. It was published by TSR, Inc. (TSR) in 1982 and is designed for 5–8 player characters of level 5–7.

References

  1. ↑ Livingstone, Ian (1982). Dicing with Dragons, An Introduction to Role-Playing Games (Revised ed.). Routledge. ISBN   0-7100-9466-3. (preview)
  2. 1 2 3 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds. Prometheus Books. p. 103. ISBN   0-87975-652-7.
  3. 1 2 3 Bambra, Jim (November 1982). "Open Box: Dungeon Modules". White Dwarf (review). Games Workshop (35): 14–15. ISSN   0265-8712.
  4. ↑ Swannon, Anders (November 1981). "Reviews". Different Worlds (review). Chaosium (16): 39.
  5. ↑ Kern, Robert (January 1982). "RP Gaming". Ares Magazine . Simulations Publications, Inc. (12): 32.
  6. ↑ Maliszewski, James (2009-11-19). "Interview: Len Lakofka (Part II)". Grognardia: An Exploration of the History and Traditions of the Hobby. Retrieved 2017-06-20.

See also

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.