Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios
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Post Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 3:08 pm 
 

I should start by introducing myself. I've been playing RPGs on and off since 1982 and have what my wife considers a very large RPG collection from the 70s-mid 90s, but you would all consider puny! It's mostly TSR/Judges Guild/Iron Crown Enterprises. I've used the Acaeum quite extensively over the years and found it extremely useful - thanks. I don't know if any of you might be able to help me in my current quest?

I'm currently compiling a list of *all* scenarios/adventures/dungeons published for D&D in the 1970s (including some which don't say D&D but clearly are). You can see from my blog - Explore: Beneath & Beyond - that I've been giving name/author etc., my best attempt at a publication date (often based upon adverts and reviews), a snapshot of a map (usually the dungeon if it has one), and some observations. Once complete the idea is to look for influences / trends etc across these initial years.

I've got copies or samples of *almost* everything (that I know about), and I've had some help with tracking down a lot of stuff in Fanzines, but there are a couple of obscure products I have little on.

The Monkey God's Curse by Jim Eckman, Balboa Game Company, 1979. It's a solo module, so no map, but an interior illustration (if there are any) and a sample entry or two would be useful. All I've found online is the cover and intro page.

Referee Map Modules by Clive Bigglestone, DunDraCon, 1979. Lots of discussion about this one - photocopies being sold on Ebay, and complaints that it's awful - but no interior photos. It is stated online that this is geomorphs but the description implies that the maps are all separate - an image of one of the maps and confirmation of whether or not it's Geomorphs would be great.

The Cliffs of Mentadora by David Berman in The Apprentice #2, 1978 - which Gary Gygax lambasted in Dragon #22. There are several other scenarios apparently in issues 1-6 which I'd love to see, but this is the key one due to that review. For this, or any others, a photo of the map and also one of some of the key would be great.

Of course I'd be grateful if you spot any errors/omissions in my list you'd let me know.

Thanks.

  

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Post Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:23 pm 
 

Nicely done!

  

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 11:20 am 
 

Here are the only ones I noticed that you are lacking, though my own fanzine research is far from conclusive:

1977 Apr: News From Bree #21 (Tomb of the Jain Dzebek)

1977 Oct+?: Quick Quincy Gazette #8 (unknown scenario)

1977 Dec: Spellbound #3 (Quarnoon: 1st level)

Will point you at some notes later today with subsequent years. I'm sure you have most that my notes already include, but who knows.


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:11 pm 
 

Guy Fullerton wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Here are the only ones I noticed that you are lacking, though my own fanzine research is far from conclusive:

1977 Apr: News From Bree #21 (Tomb of the Jain Dzebek)

1977 Oct+?: Quick Quincy Gazette #8 (unknown scenario)

1977 Dec: Spellbound #3 (Quarnoon: 1st level)

Will point you at some notes later today with subsequent years. I'm sure you have most that my notes already include, but who knows.


Thanks for that info Guy.  I don't suppose you have copies of any of these? RPGGeek was missing the contents for NFB#21 so I didn't know what was in it, and there's next to no info to be found on the other two zines. I've found a cover shot of QQG#8 here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 2099397572 with some accompanying text claiming it's Sept '77.

  

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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:32 pm 
 

Yeah—PM sent about copies of NFB and Spellbound. I had found those Worthpoint images of QQG in 2020, so I'm not sure why I didn't update my notes.


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:13 pm 
 

Guy Fullerton wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:I had found those Worthpoint images of QQG in 2020, so I'm not sure why I didn't update my notes.

Dug through my notes; QQG#8 was apparently delayed until some time after QQG#9, based on a note in QQG#9 page 12.


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 4:05 pm 
 

Thanks to Guy I've now got what I need for The Apprentice 2-4, Spellbound #3, News from Bree #21.

So my known list of missing items is now:

The Monkey God's Curse by Jim Eckman
Referee Map Modules by Clive Bigglestone
The Apprentice #1, #5, #6
Quick Quincy Gazette #8

Which is of course longer than the list I had to start with!


Last edited by JoeNuttall on Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
  


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Post Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 11:13 pm 
 

His chronology of the early published adventures is really well done.

If you have any doubts as to whether it is worth a look, put that to rest. The first three posts he has up in his series are all very interesting.

Link is back up in his first post of this topic, check it out!

  

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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 12:47 am 
 

Hello JoeNuttall, are in scope also tournament adventures?


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:12 am 
 

The Monkey God's Curse and Referee Map Modules have been archived online in one of the many digital archives, but that's a whole different rabbit hole if you open that door. Lol.
What about City Map Modules by Terry Jackson, Tower of Elbrith by D.H. Casciano, M. Fisher and G. Mangene (I don't have a picture of that one), Warlock's Tower by Kenneth M. Dahl, Mike Lowry, Pat Shea and Nick Smith, Tortured Souls #1 and #2, the 'zine that they published before the Tortured Souls! periodical, Notmaidag Robber Headquarters by John Scott Clegg, Rahasia by Laura Hickman, and a slew of others. Take a look at what I have listed at You need a browser that supports frame to view this page.. It's not been updated, but the publication dates are accurate. You may find something that fits within your parameters.


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Last edited by mbassoc2003 on Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:36 am 
 

jeffsea wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:His chronology of the early published adventures is really well done.

If you have any doubts as to whether it is worth a look, put that to rest. The first three posts he has up in his series are all very interesting.

Link is back up in his first post of this topic, check it out!


Thanks for that! If you notice anything wrong or missing let me know as I can go back and edit them.

aia wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Hello JoeNuttall, are in scope also tournament adventures?


Yes please. Even when not published the tournament adventures cross-influence the other adventures - it's all intertwined.

I've got those that were published by JG or TSR (though in the case of TSR ones, apart from Horrors and Tamoachan, I've only got partial scans from when stuff was sold on ebay). If I get any stuff that isn't relevant to the main flow of the list I'd cover it in a later post.

  


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:00 am 
 

Thanks to Jon I've now got what I need for Apprentice #1 and #5, and QGC#8 so the list is getting shorter again:

Referee Map Modules by Clive Bigglestone
The Apprentice #6

Edit - The Monkey God's Curse removed as VivaVilez just sent me a couple of images of that through - thanks Viva!

  

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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:36 pm 
 

Quest for the Fazzlewood, Of Skulls and Scrapfaggot Green, Under the Storm Giant's Caste. Verbosh too, I believe.


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Post Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:37 pm 
 

Thracia and Citadel of Fire count as well, I believe.


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Post Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 3:27 am 
 

Deadlord wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Quest for the Fazzlewood, Of Skulls and Scrapfaggot Green, Under the Storm Giant's Caste. Verbosh too, I believe.
Deadlord wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Thracia and Citadel of Fire count as well, I believe.


I've got all the Judges Guild stuff and it's fairly easy to date due to the Journals - so I'm fine for all of those.

Quest for the Fazzlewood is harder - as I don't want to remortgage my house I don't own a copy, so I've been relying upon photos from ebay auctions. I've got the intro, DM map, an illustration/players room map - which (apart from the intro) are all almost identical to the TSR version. I haven't seen any of the key however which can't be like the TSR one as that suffers from the great-boxed-text plague. Any one who has a photo of a part of the key, I'd love to see it (but if I owned it I'd be scared to touch it!).

The list has now reduced and then expanded again to:

The Apprentice #6
Spectre #1 - The Temple of Manitoba
Spectre #2 - The House of Thievery
Spectre #2 - The Appleland Groves Part 1 (The Dreaming Caverns)

Though I do expect to find I'm missing some more scenarios from (even though I have nearly 100 of them).

  

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Post Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:18 am 
 

With Fazzlewood I wouldn't imagine it's too difficult find a decent image.
In regard to content, wasn't it reprinted digest size by someone for a 'con?


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Post Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 10:06 am 
 

Sorry - I think I missed the second half of your earlier post mbassoc2003.



I forgot that I've got the front cover but not a photo of the maps for that.

mbassoc2003 wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Tower of Elbrith by D.H. Casciano, M. Fisher and G. Mangene (I don't have a picture of that one)


I have found a picture of it - artsandculture.google.com/asset/game-to ... X6Tg?hl=en

mbassoc2003 wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Warlock's Tower by Kenneth M. Dahl, Mike Lowry, Pat Shea and Nick Smith


I don't have it, but according to the description (and the contents page) it's just rules.

mbassoc2003 wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Tortured Souls #1 and #2, the 'zine that they published before the Tortured Souls! periodical Notmaidag Robber Headquarters by John Scott Clegg


Got photos for all these.

mbassoc2003 wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Rahasia by Laura Hickman


I had that down as 1980, but yes it does appear to be 1979 - I don't have much about the original so I'll have to add that to my wanted list.

mbassoc2003 wrote in Compiling a list of 1970s scenarios:Take a look at what I have listed at You need a browser that supports frame to view this page.. It's not been updated, but the publication dates are accurate. You may find something that fits within your parameters.


I've used it before - it's very useful - but I need to have a proper read through to see if I'm missing anything else.

So three items added to my list:
City Modules by Terry Jackson
Tower of Elbrith by D.H. Casciano, M. Fisher and G. Mangene
Rahasia by Laura Hickman (Daystar West Media version)
Quest for the Fazzlewood - I've got images of a lot of it but none of the key
The Apprentice #6
Spectre #1 - The Temple of Manitoba
Spectre #2 - The House of Thievery
Spectre #2 - The Appleland Groves Part 1 (The Dreaming Caverns)

  

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Post Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 11:13 am 
 

I haven't updated that site since about 2006.
It's on my to-do list, and I gather info as I go along, but it's not a high priority now I have a kid.


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