OD&D/AD&D/OSR modules

[Jorgo]

What are some old-school modules that actually have some plot? Most of the ones i've seen are just about going underground and getting gold, and I would love to run one that involves saving the world at the same time.

[Jay R]

Your observation is correct. There are lots of XP for finding gold; no XP for saving the world.

Most early modules were simply adventure-laden locations to set down in your world.

[Yora]

Well, that depends on how you look at it. In the stricter sense, what most people mean when they talk about oldschool D&D, are precisely these unscripted treasure hunt dungeon explorations.
Dragonlance was the first prominent attempt at scripted adventure stories and became an overwhelming success, which started this new trend in RPGs and led to a shift away from the old modules to the new adventures.

I guess what you are looking for would mostly be everything published after 1984, which includes everything released for Forgotten Realms. Looking for Forgotten Realms adventures should be a good start. Or indeed the original Dragonlance series starting with Dragons of Despair.

[Thrudd]

Temple of Elemental Evil is about stopping an evil cult and their evil god. Of course, the characters' first motivation is assumed to be getting treasure and becoming famous adventurers - exploring the temple is an extremely long term process rather than a race against time to save the world (you need lots of time to extract loot from the temple and bring it back to your home base where you can get XP and level up). This one can take the party all the way from level 1 up to level 8.

The GDQ series of modules also has a loose "save the kingdom" plot in the background of the players' exploration of various giant fortresses and their descent into the underdark, and eventual travel to the abyss to kill a demon queen. These are all level 9+ adventures.

[LibraryOgre]

I'm mashing up T1 and B2 and using that as the framework for the plot.

[hamlet]

TAGDQ super module (Elemental Evil, Slavers, Giants, Descent Into Earth, and Queen) had an implicit "plot" to it, though it was never right out front. It was about discovering the ancient elemental evil god (who I guess some folks call Tharizdun since Monte Cook's module?) and the interference in world events by the Drow (and indeed the discovery that the Drow exist at all!) and the assault against Lolth.

In reality, though, for the most part, the plot was something that the DM had to create. The DM the module, which was more often than not, a location, and had to create a reason for the characters to show up and why they would enter such a place. This usually meant, at the most basic, rumors about great treasures to be had or whatnot. Sometimes, a good DM would modify the adventure a little bit and add in bits of their own campaign that would give the players reason to walk into a death trap.

And yes, it was the Dragonlance module series and Ravenloft (and it's horrible sequel) that largely created the idea of plot in the module.

[Khedrac]

I agree for the AD&D modules there isn't much (outside of Dragonlance and GDQ) I think I can only think of a few:
To a certain extent UK7 Dark Clouds Gather is about saving at least that region of the country, even if you don't know it at the start.
Even I6: Ravenloft may be against an icon major villan, but he's fairly stay-at-home.
A1-4: the Slavers cycle might count?

When you move into BECM D&D though, yes, you can cross off the Basic and most of the Expert modules (though even X3: Curse of Xanathon is about stopping a war), the remaining Expert modules and all the Master and Immortal modules fit this requirement perfectly.
Oddly, the Companion modules are mainly not suitable for this!
X10: Red Arrow, Black Shield (which is a major war)
X4: Master of the Desert Nomads and X5: Temple of Death (trying to stop the X10 war)
X11: Saga of the Shadowlord - save a country (and possibly the region)

2nd Ed AD&D has rather more modules like this, e.g. H4.

[MeeposFire]

I have heard that there are a number of adventures from Planescape that are fantastic but Planescape is not traditional.

[Mordar]

I want to echo, but also reinforce, both the A1-A4 (Slavers) line and my all time favorite Giants-Drow-Demonwebs series. Both of them have continuity of story and motivation (which is what I think is the best you can consider when looking for "plot" in published modules), and even some growth in response from adversaries across the latter parts of each series.

If you mean more of a backstory-leading-to-current-story "plot" with development along those lines, Ravenloft is an excellent choice, and it also ties the backstory into the current story in both thematic and necessary-for-the-current-game (gamist?) fashion.

As has been said, in many cases the modules are able to be dropped into an existing campaign and are tailored to the "plot" of that campaign...but I do think there are some others that have a better-than-average set-up and internal story. By this I mean a nice lead in for why the "adventure" exists and needs to be addressed, as well as giving plenty of rationale for why the adventurers would want to do the adventure. I seem to remember Ghost Tower being one of them...can anyone tell me if I'm right or misremembering?

ASIDE: Adventuring is a job, so in many cases isn't a bunch of loot (paycheck) and the chance to better the world/better themselves/save the princess (sense of value) all that is really needed? :smallbiggrin:

[SLIMEPRIEST]

Modules such as this are location based. The "plot" of the module is what the players do inside the location. If the players have to "follow" through someone else's story them it can quickly become railroading. That's why these modules are written the way they are, so the players create the story.

[LibraryOgre]

Modules such as this are location based. The "plot" of the module is what the players do inside the location. If the players have to "follow" through someone else's story them it can quickly become railroading. That's why these modules are written the way they are, so the players create the story.

I generally agree. A DM familiar with the adventure can insert plot and offer the characters goals, but it's not a baked in plot that has to be followed or accounted for.

[hamlet]

Also also, don't forget the U series (otherwise known as the Dunwater trilogy). Quite good, actually, and a sturdier plot than non-existant. Still rather location based, but specific notes about what's going on there and how the PC's would fit in.

Just keep in mind that in the "purest" old school, the plot is something independent of the modules. It happens around them rather than in them.

[rredmond]

Some of the new old school modules might fit the bill for you. Jim Kramer's Bone-Hilt campaign comes immediately to mind:
http://www.usherwoodadventures.com/blog/?page_id=187

http://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=614

I'm sure there are others. :)
Good luck,
--Ron--

[Digitalelf]

There's the 1st edition AD&D module "L2: The Assassin's Knot" which is a murder mystery (it came out in 1983).

It is the "sequel" to module "L1: The Secret of Bone Hill" (came out in 1981) which was just a bunch of scattered dungeons centered around a small city. It is not necessary for use with "The Assassin's Knot", but it is good to have for reference, as L2 mentions a couple of NPCs as well as the city used in L1 (though L2 does not take place in that city).

[LibraryOgre]

You might also take a look at Dragonsfoot. While I mostly go there for the message boards, they also have a robust set of free modules.

[KorvinStarmast]

The Three Dunwater modules (starting with the Secret of Salt Marsh) is a good set for a plot that can be set into almost any game world.

The Slavers of the Undercity (A1-4) were also plot enough to fit into almost any campaign, in that you can link the bad guy network to various factions or locales in your world.

These are both AD&D 1e modules, if I remember correctly.

[hamlet]

Never really cared for how A series at one point just assumes that you as the DM will have to force the PC's to get their backsides kicked, robbed, and enslaved. I think the module actually calls for sending never ending group after group to attack until the party finally croaks it. It started as a tournament module and it tends to show in places.

[Mordar]

Never really cared for how A series at one point just assumes that you as the DM will have to force the PC's to get their backsides kicked, robbed, and enslaved. I think the module actually calls for sending never ending group after group to attack until the party finally croaks it. It started as a tournament module and it tends to show in places.

While the entry is a bit hamfisted, I did think A4 offers some excellent opportunities for "out of the box" gameplay. It can be extremely jarring or unpleasant to have your "months of campaign play" character be stripped down like that, as opposed to showing up to a RPGA convention tournament game table and having the same situation applied to a pre-generated character you literally just saw for the first time, so that's a common dislike I think.

Still, well "plotted" series of adventures.

- M

[FreddyNoNose]

Your observation is correct. There are lots of XP for finding gold; no XP for saving the world.

Most early modules were simply adventure-laden locations to set down in your world.

Imagine what we did before there were modules.......

[JoeJ]

Adventure N1, Against the Cult of the Reptile God, is about rescuing a village from an evil cult. Most of the Oriental Adventures modules also have plots beyond "go underground and look for loot." In 2e, you might want to look at many of the modules for Ravenloft, Spelljammer, and Al Qadim for adventures with storylines.

[rredmond]

Adventure N1, Against the Cult of the Reptile God, is about rescuing a village from an evil cult. This is a great suggestion! Interesting module.

I'm in a PbP based on N1 right now, and the DM has really played up the whodunit, save the village, and horror aspects of the adventure. If you have time (and the patience) to trek through a PbP he uses graphics quite well. The game description is here: http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewforum.php?f=265

And the Campaign Journal (with links to relevant posts) is here: http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=228406#p228406

It's good stuff and shows how you can use N1 to the effect you are looking for I think.
--Ron--

[FreddyNoNose]

This is a great suggestion! Interesting module.

I'm in a PbP based on N1 right now, and the DM has really played up the whodunit, save the village, and horror aspects of the adventure. If you have time (and the patience) to trek through a PbP he uses graphics quite well. The game description is here: http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewforum.php?f=265

And the Campaign Journal (with links to relevant posts) is here: http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=228406#p228406

It's good stuff and shows how you can use N1 to the effect you are looking for I think.
--Ron--

Saving this to read later.

[shatterspike1]

I'm going to stop and ask you this: What do you mean by plot? Do you mean backstory? Do you mean a guided storyline (like an adventure path)? Do you mean interesting NPCs with motivations that will change the course of your gameworld? There's a lot of different kinds of plot.

[Psikerlord]

Modules such as this are location based. The "plot" of the module is what the players do inside the location. If the players have to "follow" through someone else's story them it can quickly become railroading. That's why these modules are written the way they are, so the players create the story.

This is what makes the old school modules so awesome. And what makes the more recent adventure paths ... less awesome.