A RAW OSE Play Log of B1 In Search of the Unknown, Part 4
The climactic final chapter. Concluding thoughts.
We conclude this solo play through of 1978’s B1 In Search of the Unknown by Mike Carr, the first introductory adventure published for Dungeons & Dragons. I continue meticulous adherence to Old-School Essentials rules-as-written, without fudging any die rolls. You can also listen with the Substack app (here's how).
Check out the whole series:
Part 2: Finishing the first expedition (includes a step-by-step example of character creation for this game)
Part 4: The third and final expedition, which will conclude with reflections about B1, Old-School Essentials, and dungeon design
Party (movement rate 90 feet)
Thebe (aka Shield, mutoid), whose cat-like eyes see in the dark and whose feet are long like a rabbits giving them the ability to jump long distances, nonbinary, armed with a sword and crossbow, wearing leather armor, survived second expedition
Wangi (acolyte), woman, armed with a warhammer, wearing chainmail and carrying a shield, survived second expedition
Oliver O’Donnell (fighter), man, wearing chainmail and bearing a sword & shield as well as a sling, step-brother of Aderfi, survived the second expedition
Aderfi Sami (fighter), nonbinary, wearing plate mail and bearing a shield and mace, as well as a sling, step-sibling of Oliver
Judith Kacinambun (magic-user), possesses arcane magic charm person, woman, bearing a dagger and a ten-foot wooden pole, noted for her calm demeanor and good sense
Hadasha (half-elf), detect secret doors (2-in-6), infravision 60’, woman, bearing a sword and shield, as well as a longbow, and wearing plate mail
Teja, Hadasha’s mule, bearing saddle bags of food, light, and ammunition
The full stats and equipment for the party are at the end of this post.
Play Log
We set out once more (at 8am) and hoped to make good time to avoid further trouble on the way.
We were a couple hours out from Quasqueton when the sun set so we made camp and finished our day’s rations (-6 standard rations, -1 day of feed).
Day 10
We awoke at dawn and headed to the entrance. We set our marching order. Oliver would be in the lead once more, with Thebe to his right bearing the lantern (-1 flask of oil). Behind them Wangi would follow on the left with Aderfi on the right. Judith would bring up the rear on the left beside Hadasha who would guide the mule.
Turn 1. Venturing inside, we found the first door unlocked and proceeded through it.
Turn 2. The strange lips that formed in the wall welcomed us with their taunting and threatening once more.
Turn 3. (No wandering monsters). We turned right at the top of the stairs, headed toward the staircase down that Tilken had marked on his map. We turned south at the corner.
Turn 4. We reached the door to the throne room marked on the map. It was all as Tilken had drawn so far. The door was not locked.
Turn 5. We ventured within the throneroom and found ourselves face-to-face with a band of goblins. (From Chris Doyle’s stocking example. The PCs are surprised while the goblins were alerted by their lantern when the door opened. The goblins roll 8 on their reaction roll, indicating they are uncertain and confused.)
Round 1. (Surprise round) The goblins drew their weapons, aimed their arrows and then examined us, counting our numbers and evaluating our equipment. One spoke from the darkness in the Common tongue, “We outnumber you, humans, and you have trespassed within our domain. We require restitution for your transgression. You may leave with your lives if you depart with all of your coin and if we find it adequate.” (As referee, I rolled a d4 to determine what the goblins demanded. 1-money, 2-food, 3-weapons, 4-mule.)
Without better options, we took turns depositing our coin in a pile between us and the goblins. The total was 33gp, 3ep, 120sp, 45cp, which Judith counted for the goblins.
The speaker replied, “This is an adequate amount. Turn and leave and do not come back this way again for it is goblin territory.” Hadasha had held 30gp back, putting forward about the same amount as her companions who deposited the most.
Turn 6. (No wandering monsters). We left, returning to the corridor, and headed back west. We decided to take the corridor heading north. The map had not described it.
Turn 7. We were becoming fatigued (having not rested during the first hour) so we rested there, just out of sight of the door to the throne room where the goblins had been. Thebe updated the map.
Turn 8. We headed north, turning a few times before continuing north once more.
Turn 9. (2 wandering giant centipedes 20 feet away to the northwest. The party is not surprised.)
Round 1. (The centipedes have the initiative.) We saw two giant centipedes coming toward us from the corridor to the west of the corner just ahead. Their multitude of legs crossed the distance between us and they bit at us. Oliver evaded one while the other bit Thebe. The poison entered Thebe’s veins but it was not enough to take effect. (Thebe passed their save.).
Aderfi, Wangi, and Hadashah closed in on the creatures and we attacked. Aderfi’s mace crushed one and Hadashah slew the other with her blade.
Turn 10. We decided to head east at the intersection (south of 6) and reached a door.
Turn 11. We decided to listen for any creatures on the far side this time and heard nothing.
Turn 12. (No wandering monsters.) We tried the door and found that it was locked. Aderfi broke the lock and a loud snap echoed through the corridors.
Turn 13. (No wandering monsters came as a result of the noise.) We rested.
Turn 14. We ventured inside but came upon six warriors armed with axes and swords at the ready who must have heard the lock snap. (The PCs are not surprised.) The strangely shaped chamber had racks and pegs with battered weapons and armor hanging on them. We noticed two sturdy looking chests to the south.
Round 1. (The PCs win initiative.) Judith came forward and spoke, “We don’t seek battle with you, honorable warriors. We only seek passage through this corridor.” Just as she finished we heard a faint whistling sound.
(The berserkers’ reaction roll is a 8 with Judith’s +1 bonus due to high Charisma. They are uncertain.) A warrior replied, “Stay back! What is that sound? I don’t trust your words.” The warriors retreated northeast, directing wary looks at us.
Round 2. The door behind us slammed shut, as if by wind. We heard another door slam shut somewhere in the darkness behind the warriors. We watched the warriors for any sign they would attack as a wind howled through the corridor. Our lantern light flickered but its light returned after a moment. Judith cried, “The doors are not our doing! We have no fight with you. Let us go our separate ways.” (The new reaction roll for the berskerks is a 7. The berserkers are still confused.)
Round 3. Hadashah pulled the door open behind us and we left the windy chamber and we left the warrior band behind. We had no wish to battle so many if we could help it. The labyrinthine halls of Zeligar and Roghann’s home must present other ways to proceed.
Turn 15. (No wandering monsters.) We headed west, avoiding the chamber on the map to the north where Tilken’s companions had met their doom, according to his story. We reached the main north-south corridor that could lead us back toward the entrance but instead headed north.
Turn 16. We continued north until the corridor ended. Seeing that a corridor to continue north was only 20 feet to the left, we headed for it.
Turn 17. We continued north, passing a corridor to our right that might lead us back toward the warrior band and passing another passageway on the left.
Turn 18. (No wandering monsters.) We see the end of the northward passage ahead and follow it west.
Turn 19. We rest.
Turn 20. We continue west and follow the passage when it turns back south. We came to an T-intersection of sorts. We were far from anywhere marked on the map by previous expeditions. Since we were likely far from the berserkers now, we headed east and then south. We came to a door to the west and a dead end to the east.
Turn 21. (No wandering monsters.) We listened at the door but heard nothing.
Turn 22. Oliver opened the door. Our lantern light was reflected by a gleaming crystalline formation emerging from the far corner of the chamber. But we saw no other exits. We decided to look around inside.
Turn 23. We search the area inside, each of us examining a section of the room. We found nothing other than the strange crystal. (Unbeknownst to the PCs, they have been teleported to area 16.)
Turn 24. (No wandering monsters.) We left the room. What was a dead end was now a hallway headed east before us, and another passageway headed north beyond the one we arrived on. Thebe checked the map. “Perhaps illusions are at work. Maybe we have uncovered the secret passages we’d heard about. Let’s head back north.” We took the north passage beyond the one we’d come on. It ended in a door.
Turn 25. Thebe filled the lantern’s reservoir with oil and we rested.
Turn 26. We listened carefully at the door. It was quiet.
Turn 27. (1 wandering troglodyte appears west of the PCs having come from the north (which the PCs believe to be south and west, respectively. The PCs are surprised).
Round 1. (Surprise round.) A single two-legged lizard appeared behind us. It ran at our mule and slashed Teja with its claw (5 damage, 10 hp left).
Round 2. (The PCs win initiative.) Oliver, Thebe, and Aderfi charged the creature while Hadasha and Judith backed away from it. Three of us recognized it as one of the fearsome creatures who slew half of our last expedition and knew even one of them could be formidable. It eyed us with loathing. The creature pushed aside Oliver’s blow but Thebe slashed it with his sword (5 damage, 1 hp left). Aderfi struck it with their mace (5 damage) and slew the creature. Teja kicked at the creature as it fell.
Turn 28. We returned to the door, which Oliver opened, finding it unlocked, and we saw a gently curving passageway to the west and a straight passage continuing north. We headed north, coming to two doors in the west wall of the corridor, which ended 20 feet past the second door. The two doors were carved with fanciful patterns.
Turn 29. We listened at the door. Wangi and Judith could hear something skittering around inside. Given the difficulty in reaching this point and the elaborate carving on the fine oak doors, we decided that treasure might lie beyond the door and facing whatever was inside might be worth it.
Turn 30. (No wandering monsters.) Oliver tried to open the left door but it was locked. Aderfi forced the door open, breaking one of its hinges. Our eyes set upon a library of fine decor. The floor was covered in dust. We could not see what had made the noises but the sounds stopped. A strange red glow coming from the walls illuminated much of the room. Cautiously, we entered.
The letters “R” and “Z” were set in the red granite floor.
(The giant centipedes waiting inside the divans roll 8 on their reaction roll and are uncertain.)
We knew something must be alive in here and then we saw the source of the red glow. Large beetles were trapped in cages inset into the walls. We relaxed a bit.
Turn 31. We decided to rest in the room for a bit before searching it further. (Rerolling reaction check. It’s a 4.) As we sat on the divans, foot long centipedes poured out of them. (The PCs are surprised.)
Round 1. (Surprise round.) The centipedes attacked, most biting at Thebe, but we managed to keep them at bay for the moment.
Round 2. (The centipedes win initiative.) The centipedes mandibles couldn’t piece Thebe’s chainmail.
We drew our weapons. Oliver and Aderfi slew one each. Judith stabbed one with her dagger, killing it.
Round 3. (Initiative is tied. The remaining centipede passes its morale check.) Thebe held back the centipede’s feeble attack as they killed it.
We regrouped, sobered by the encounter.
Turn 32. We resumed our rest as it was still needed.
Turn 33. (No wandering monsters.) We set about searching the room for anything of value. Judith found a bag of silver coins (600sp) beneath a scroll rack. While we could find nothing else of obvious value we took the most interesting of books (3 books).
Turn 34. We stowed the coins and books among us, dividing the coins equally.
Turn 35. We left the library, somewhat disappointed, but the silver would cover our expenses and make up for what we’d given up to the goblins. We headed for the gently curving passage we’d passed.
Turn 36. (No wandering monsters.) The passage curved back east and then turned south. We came to a spot where a few corridors intersected, with the option to proceed southeast (actually southwest), east (actually south), or back north (actually east) along another passage again. We opted to head back north.
Turn 37. We continued north. A few more passages split off to the side but we continued north (actually east).
Turn 38. We rested.
Turn 39. (No wandering monsters.) Continuing, we found a door on the left side of the passage and stopped.
Turn 40. We listened at the door. Wangi heard some talking and soft footsteps inside. Turn 41. We didn’t want any more trouble so we continued north (actually east) instead of trying the door. After a series of short turns the corridor ended in a door to the west (actually north.) and we approached it. Right as Oliver and Thebe reached the door the floor opened up beneath us and we fell into darkness. After a moment of terror we were plunged into freezing water and then hit stone hard. The light of the lantern vanished.
(Thebe took 3 damage, 1 left. Wangi 1 damage, 3 left. Oliver 2 damage, 6 left. Aderfi 2 damage, 1 left. Judith 3 damage, 4 left. Hadashah 2 damage, 1 left. Teja, 3 damage, 7 left).
Wangi, Oliver, Aderfi, and Hadashah all began drowning in the water due to the weight of their armor and equipment. Thebe, Judith, and Teja were not so encumbered. Oliver dropped the weight of his shield and pack and was able to push his head above water. Wangi, Aderfi, and Hadasha dropped everything they could, but could not remove their plate armor.
Bad went to worse. As Thebe, Judith, and Teja surfaced, Thebe could see the shore. Judith and Teja could feel the floor beneath them and headed towards where it was shallowest. As they swam, Thebe could see five lizard-like creatures seated around a cave beside the pool with his infravision. They bore long claws and maws of teeth.
(Both sides are surprised.)
Round 1. (Initiative is tied. Reaction roll 5. The lizardmen attack.)
Movement: Thebe shouted, “This way! Monsters are coming from the other way.” Judith followed toward the (south) shore. Teja scrambled toward the nearest (west shore). Thebe headed for the other (south) shore away from the lizardmen. Oliver followed just behind Thebe and Judith. The lizardfolk stood and strode toward the mule.
Wangi, Aderfi, and Hadasha struggled to remove their armor. Having not taken a deep breath they were running out of air quickly and they panicked at the bottom of 8 feet of water. Hadashah could see her companions above swimming away.
Missile attacks. Thebe’s quarrel had come loose from their crossbow in the fall. He began loading another bolt.
Melee attacks. Teja kicked a lizardman (3 damage , 9hp left) as it slashed at her (2 damage, 5hp left). It then sunk its teeth into her throat, killing the mule (7 damage). Thebe drops his pack at Oliver’s feat and shouts, “Find a torch! The others are still underwater.” Oliver obeys. Feeling where the water is Judith, thrusts her ten-foot pole into the pool, hoping to reach a companion.
Round 2. (Initiative is tied.)
Movement. The lizardfolk enter the water and swim to the southern shore, not seeing the drowning people at the bottom of the pool. They lift themselves up onto the shore next to Judith, Oliver, and Thebe. Judith’s ten-foot pole jabs Hadasha and she grabs on to it and begins pulling herself along it. Judith, feeling the pull, tugs as well. (They may Strength checks, Hadasha succeeds.) Hadasha pulled herself to the (southern) edge of the pool and takes a deep breath. Aderfi and Wangi still struggle to remove their armor at the bottom.
Missile attacks. Thebe ditches the reloaded crossbow.
Melee attacks. Oliver lights the torch from Thebe’s pack with a tinderbox (rolling 2 on 2-in-6 chance). The dire situation became clear. Thebe slashes at the lizardfolk beside Judith and Hadasha but his swing is wild and their flesh tough. A lizardfolk slashed him with a claw (2 damage), killing him. It then bit at Judith but she ducksedjust in time. Another lizardman’s cut into Oliver (1 damage, 5hp left). Its other claw and its teeth found no purchase. A third lizardfolk slashed wildly at Oliver but his armor protected him. Oliver stabbed the lizardfolk that cut him (5 damage, 6hp left). Hadasha punched one of the lizardfolk but her blow was feeble. The lizardfolk attacked Hadasha (1 damage) killing her with a claw as she grapsed the pole. Still holding the pole, Judith thrust her dagger at the same lizardfolk but missed. The fifth lizardfolk dug into her with both of its claws (2 damage, then 1 damage, 1hp left) but its bite missed.
Round 3. Judith begins casting charm person on the lizardman in front of her. (The party wins initiative.)
Judith finished casting charm person (the 5th one). (It fails its saving throw.) She ordered it to turn on its fellows.
Oliver cut the same lizardfolk (5 damage, 1hp left). The charmed lizardfolk slashed and bit wildly at the closest of its companions (2 damage, 7hp left).
Three lizardfolk surround Oliver. The first one’s claws sunk in (1 damage each, 3hp left). The second’s claws finished the warrior (2 damage, then 1 more). The others turned on Judith, killing her. The spell on the charmed lizardman was broken.
Meanwhile, Wangi drowned in the weight of her armor.
Turn 42. (Seven wandering troglodytes arrive from the south. They surprise the lizardfolk. But reaction rolls are neutral or positive for the sides.) Aderfi finally managed to get free of his armor and swim to the surface. Thebe’s torch lay on the ground still lit, sillouhetting the 5 lizardfolk clawing and biting what he recognized as his companions’ bodies. Their backs were turned away as they spoke in a strange tongue to what Aderfi thought resembled the troglodyte from before. Aderfi saw another shore to the right (west) and quietly headed toward it. (The light of the torch prevented the lizardfolk’s infravision from seeing in the darkness beyond the torchlight.) They pulled themself onto shore and crawled behind the body of the mule. Aderfi slowly rumaged through the saddlebags but found little of use. They pulled a torch free but had nothing to light it with. They also took a day's worth of iron rations.
Aferfi quietly waited. They hoped the lizardfolk might leave eventually. They could see in the torchlight that this might be their lair. Gnawed bones and mangy hides lay about. They peeked around the mule’s head and saw the lizardmen offering a body to the troglodytes (unbeknownst to him it was Oliver’s). The troglodytes took the body and left. The lizardfolk began to eat the other bodies. Aderfi wasn’t sure the bodies were those of his companions but he feared they were.
Turn 43. Aderfi rested, although stayed alert. The frigid water still clung to their clothes but they felt warmth return to their body bit by bit.
Turn 44. Aderfi lay in the puddle of water from the pool.
Turn 45. (Seven wandering kobolds arrive. Neither side is surprised. The kobolds are hostile to the lizardfolk, who are uncertain toward them.) Aderfi heard the lizardfolk growl toward something in the darkness. The growls were answered by barking. (The kobolds attack.)
Round 1. (Kobolds have the initiative.) Four of the kobolds launch sling stones at the troglodytes. Two missed. One hit (3 damage, killing a wounded lizardman.). Another hit (4 damage, 5hp left).
The barking creatures charged into the firelight, revealing themselves to be lizard-like dogs. Their claws would not pierce the lizardfolk hides.
The lizardfolk retaliated by gnashing and clawing, killing one of the attacking kobolds.
Round 2. (The lizardfolk win the initiative. The lizardfolk fail their morale check. I used the troglodyte morale score from OSE for this, since the stat block more closely resembles the lizardfolk in the module than the OSE lizardfolk entry. B1 doesn’t include morale scores.) The lizardfolk fled (south).
(The kobolds also fail their morale check.) The kobolds didn’t pursue. They prowled around the southern shore of the pool. Aderfi watched all this, unsure of how much longer the torch would burn.
Turn 46. The kobolds poked and prodded the bodies by the torch, looking inside bags and picking up items. Aderfi saw the glitter of silver coins in their hands. The kobolds pulled a short sword, a dagger, and what looked like rations from two packs, and took another dagger from the ground.
Turn 47. The torch went out. Aderfi listened carefully. They heard soft barking and footsteps receding into the distance.
Turn 48. (No wandering monsters.) Aderfi crawled around the area on this (west) side of the pool. He felt the walls of the cave on all sides. No exit that way. They turned back toward the pool.
Turn 49. Wanting to be gone before the lizardmen returned to their lair, if that’s what this was, Aderfi swam across the pool the short way to the south shore with one hand on the (southwest) cave wall. They had no light but had a sense of the place from when the torch was lit. Feeling around in the dark, they found the bodies and the packs. They felt a sword. Rummaging in the first pack (Thebe’s), they found a tinderbox. It was still sealed and intact (3-in-6 chance) and the tinder was still dry. Aderfi eventually found the other pack and a body clinging onto a sword and a shield and wearing leather armor. Taking these and the backpack, Aderfi emptied it out of everything they did not need, leaving on the iron ration from the mule, a couple more torches, rope, a waterskin which they refilled from the pool, a hammer and iron spikes.
Turn 50. Aderfi donned the leather armor and lit the torch on the first try and rested.
Turn 51. (No wandering monsters.) Aderfy went quickly (south) through the cave. They came to a door to the left (east) and a place where the cave passages intersected. A great deal of gravel was on the ground but they noticed at the intersection the cave floor was devoid of these loose rocks to the point that it was noticeable, as was the passage to the right and ahead.
Turn 52. They decided to stop and listen but heard nothing. They wondered which way the lizardfolk and the kobolds had gone. They also considered that the two passages free from gravel probably had the most foot traffic and one of those passages likely led to the exit.
Turn 53. They headed west and soon found themselves looking at a cavern illuminated by a soft purple glow that seemed to emulate from fungi on the walls. They could see no dangers within. The gravel-free path headed left (south), while the other passages were blocked by piles of stones, so Aderfi followed the path.
Turn 54. (No wandering monsters.) Aderfi continued as the path headed to the right (west). The cave split but the path continued right again (north). Continuing, Aderfi came to a stout wooden door set in the cave wall on the right side of the path.
Turn 55. Aderfi wondered if the door could lead to the surface and stopped to listen.
Turn 56. Hearing nothing, they tried the door but found it locked. Not wanting to attract attention, they left the door and continued following the path. They did not rest (gaining a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls due to fatigue).
Turn 57. (No wandering monsters.) Aderfi lit the second torch. With only one left, they felt they needed to hurry. Perhaps they should have taken more. They continued following the path, coming to another cave lit by the purple fungus and then another.
Turn 58. The path snaked back and forth (as they headed south and then east.)
Turn 59. They came to a plain-looking cave that split off the path, without any apparent dangers, but continued along the path (heading northeast). They soon came upon an area of worked stone forming a room in a rectangular shape. The purple fungi illuminated this chamber. Beyond it was another chamber of worked stone at the edge of the torchlight. Aderfi could hear the sound of digging and the impact of a pickaxe on stone coming from that chamber. Aderfi put out the torch and moved toward a corner of the first room, seeing by the dim light of the fungus.
Turn 60. (No wandering monsters.) Aderfi rested here (removing the penalty).
Turn 61. A door was set in a worked stone wall, much like that of the upper level, also across this first room, to the left of where the path continued. Aderfi headed toward it, in case it might lead to the surface.
Turn 62. Aderfi listened at the door but could near nothing beyond.
Turn 63. (Three wandering goblins appeared around the corner. Neither side is surprised.)
Round 1. (The goblins have the initiative. 7 on the reaction roll suggests they are confused and uncertain.) The goblins hesitated. Aderfi, just as started as they were, quickly whispered, “If you let me be I will give you what food I have.” The goblins took a step back.
One said, “Fine. We will let you pass but you must also show us what you have in your pack.” The goblins seemed wary of battle. Aderfi quickly opened the pack and showed the goblin in silence. “Give us this rope as well and we’ll let you pass.” Aderfi nodded and handed them the rope. The goblins left (to the southwest), leaving Aderfi a moment of respite.
Turn 64. Trying the door, Aderfi found it too was locked. Breaking it down would attract whoever was digging. This area looked more like the upper level than any they’d seen down here so they decided this was their best chance at escaping.
Turn 65. Aderfi headed around the corner toward the room with the mining sounds. Two troglodites were mining but they soon saw Aderfi. (Neither side is surprised.)
Round 1. (Aderfi has the initiative.) Aderfi charged the first troglodyte, but the creature leaped aside.
The troglodytes closed in quickly but Aderfi deflected their clubs with the shield.
Round 2. (Aderfi wins the initiative.) Aderfi couldn’t get in a cutting blow.
One of the troglodytes smashed its club into Aderfi (4 damage), felling the last of the treasure hunters.
And there ends the 3rd and final expedition of this play through of B1 In Search of the Unknown. Six more lives lost in Quasqueton.
I may revisit B1 in the future but first I would like to try similar solo play throughs of other modules from the B series.
Reflections
About B1 In Search of the Unknown
B1 proved more difficult than its introductory text led me to believe. But I was a merciless referee and followed procedures to the letter, which isn’t always how I referee for players. I never fudged die rolls (which is also how I referee for players). The rolls were not unusually favorable or unfavorable to the PCs.
I think the adventure is harder than many of the introductory adventures of the Old-School Renaissance, such as the Tomb of the Serpent Kings, The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford, or Incandescent Grottoes. It’s larger than the Tomb and the distances increase the chance of encountering wandering monsters. While those adventures can wipe out an entire party, usually PC death occurs at a rate of one to three characters at a time. Its rare to face groups of monsters as numerous as those the party faced in B1.
Despite the end result, I still had fun with the tricks, traps, and labyrinthine passages of Quasqueton. The drop to the pool and the lizardfolk was riveting.
The adventure evoked the feeling of a swords and sorcery story more than any other I’ve played.
The placement of the lizardfolk next to the pool beneath the trap door is an especially brutal trap.
While reducing wandering monster checks to every third turn, as in the original printings, allowed the party to advance farther, it was still quite deadly.
Finding the marble library was fun but its contents were disappointing. If I ran B1 for players, I’d make sure to place at least one interesting book or scroll and other treasures beside coins.
Secret rooms could have more of interest than food stores in them. I suppose keeping food stuffs in a secret room has a similar logic to building a secret doomsday bunker. So maybe it’s not unreasonable.
Because I was running it solo and trying to reduce my own control over the creatures in the dungeon, this play through downplayed the organization of the monsters. You could interpret the goblins, orcs, troglodytes, and berserkers as four factions vying for control of Quasqueton. When I’ve considered running B1 for players, I’ve thought about emphasizing factions more, naming some of the leaders, deciding where each headquarters was and where faction territories started and stopped and overlapped. I’d give faction members some kind of visual identifier to clue PCs in to the existence of the factions. PCs listening at doors might hear factional plans and intrigues. Yet I’d avoid reducing all encounters to factional ones.
I recommend that anyone running B1 use the monster stats from the early printings rather than the later ones, and to only roll wandering monster checks every three turns rather than every other turn. If you are using the Goodman Games Original Adventures Reincarnated #1 Into the Borderlands stocked examples, bring the monster stats in line with those in the early printings. As far as I could see, no monsters in the early printings have more than 1 attack per round.
And increase the amount of treasure. Even if you found all of the treasure in the module, I’m not sure it would be enough for a party to even level once, which is rough for such a large module.
I’m thinking I may create a new stocking of B1 after this play through. I don’t know if I’d stick to the monsters and treasures in the original or introduce new monsters.
About dungeon design
As mentioned in Part 3, rewarding mapping with secret rooms near the entrance can be fun.
But add more treasure to secret areas. Barrels of food stuffs aren’t too exciting of a reward.
Long winding corridors with unclear destinations mean more wandering monster checks.
About Old-School Essentials
The standard percentile thief skill progressions makes me avoid using many of the skills. I would not want to put a character in a vulnerable spot by splitting off from the party to hide or sneak somewhere, with only a 10% and 20% chance of success respectively, and picking someone’s picket seems too risky with only a 20% chance. The d6 thief skill system elaborated in Carcass Crawler 1 is a must (or a similar solution like AD&D 2e’s % system). By allowing players to choose to focus expertise points in one or two skills, it ensures that at least those skills have a reasonable chance of success at 1st level and worth attempting. I have been using d6 thief skills in my games and this play through going back to the original rules is a reminder of why.
Wearing the best mundane armor is the principal advantage of 1st-level fighters and similar classes, along with their larger hit die. I’m inclined to change how warrior classes roll on the random armor table in Carcass Crawler 2. Rolling 1d4+2 rather than 1d6 might be enough. This increases their chance of getting plate armor and eliminates the possibility of rolling leather armor. While armor may sink a treasure hunter if they fall into 8 feet of water, the AC bonus will save them from attacks. The 1st or 2nd expedition might have been more successful if I’d implemented this from the beginning.
5e's rule allowing a long (eight-hour) rest to be interrupted for up to an hour without the rest needing to be restarted is reasonable. Only one night’s rest was interrupted like this but it occurred to me then. I would only make this ruling for the purposes of getting a night’s rest and memorizing spells, not for the purposes of natural healing. Interruptions of a full day’s (24 hour) rest, in particular any combat, should require beginning the rest anew.
Against 1st-level characters, monsters with three attacks per round are devastating, even if two of the attacks deal just 1d2 damage each. Five monsters with three attacks each means fifteen attacks, while the party only makes four to six attacks if you use the recommended party sizes for B1.
Every hit point counts more in OSE compared to 21st century editions of D&D. Because monster damage is usually just the result of a die roll, without any bonuses, its more common for a monster attack to deal only 1 point of damage than it is in many of the newer editions, where almost all non-spell attacks have substantial bonuses (1d6 + 4 for instance; the bonus is often more than the average damage dealt by the dice alone in 5th edition). Because the minimum damage from monster attacks is often just 1, its not unthinkable that a character with 3 hit points might survive two successful attacks. I feel this increases the excitement and uncertainty.
Next steps for solo play
This was my first real solo game. I learned from it and enjoyed it. I am thinking of trying some of the less well-regarded adventures from the B series, such as B11 King’s Festival because I have no plans to run it otherwise and it does have a few fans. And I like seeing the way different authors approach writing introductory adventures.
Have you played B1? How did your game compare? Did you survive and make off with riches and magic? Should the party have done anything different? Should the referee have? If you were the referee, did you change anything? What should I run next?
What I’ve been reading
An elegant little instrument the Japanese Standards Association and the birth of the modern d20 A short history of how the Japanese Standards Association developed the modern d20 for use in quality control after WWII. They used it to randomly select samples to test in order to improve the quality of Japanese products. It was later used in school curriculums.
Behind the ‘Monstrous Manual’ I’ve been reading illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi’s blog posts about his many contributions to AD&D 2e’s Monstrous Manual, the first monster compendium I read and in many regards still the definitive version to me.
Gritty Realism: Adventuring in Weeks, Not Days I've considered writing a similar post about 5e's mythical adventuring day many times, but Knight at the Opera has done it better than what I had in mind. Based on the piece’s intro we are after a similar experience of challenge, an experience we don't get from standard 5e.
Ludological Alchemy has written a number of insightful posts about 1981 Moldvay/Cook Basic/Expert D&D. This one is about the Caller, least understood and often ignored player role described in B/X and derivative games like Old-School Essentials.
Full party stats
Thebe (aka Shield, mutoid), S14, I13, W10, D16, C13, Ch12, +10% XP, AC 15, 4/4 HP, Att +1 melee, +2 ranged, SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14, AL L, back-stab, HS 10%, MI 35%, MS 20%, PP 20%, infravision 60’, spring legs, nonbinary, 6/6 equipped items [sword (1d8+1) 1, crossbow +30 bolts (1d6) 2, leather armor + shield 2, lantern 1, backpack 0], 12/13 packed items [short sword 1, 3 torches 1, 3 iron rations 1, hammer (small) 1, 12 iron spikes 1, rope (50’) 1, 2 flasks of oil 2, wolfsbane (1 bunch) 1, tinderbox 1, waterskin 1, small sack 0, ink (vial) 0, quill 0, parchment (3 sheets) 0, map 0, hard candy 0, 6gp 3ep 32sp, 45cp 1], encumbered MV Rate 90’ (30’), Lawful, Common, and Ogre, 53 XP
Wangi (acolyte), S7 I10 W16 D9 C9 Ch4, +10% XP, AC 15, 4/4 HP, Att -1 melee, +0 missile, SV D11 W12 P14 B16 S15, +2 to saves against magic, AL N, Bless (BL) 10, Detect Magic (DM) 30, Know alignment (KA) 20, Purify (PU) 20, Rally (RA) 25, Turn Undead (TU) 50, divine magic, woman, 4/4 equipped items [chainmail + shield 3, war hammer (1d6-1) 1, holy symbol 0, backpack 0], 9/11 packed items [holy water (vial) 1, sling +20 stones (1d4) 1, 3 torches 1, 3 iron rations 1, mirror (hand-sized, steel) 1, rope (50’) 1, tinderbox 1, waterskin 1, hard candy 0, 6gp 30sp 1), encumbered MV 90’ (30’), Neutral and Common, 53 XP
Oliver O’Donnell (fighter), S9 I12 W8 D9 C13 Ch11, +5% XP with Aderfi, AC 15, 8/8 HP, Att +0, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, -1 to saves against magic, AL L, man, 5/5 equipped items [chainmail + shield 3, sword (1d8) 1, sling (1d4) + 20 stones 1, backpack 0], 10/12 packed items [silver dagger 1, 3 torches 1, 3 iron rations 1, 1 rope (50’) 1, hammer (small) 1, 12 iron spikes 1, tinderbox 1, waterskin 1, hard candy 0, sack (large) 1, sack (small) 0, 1gp 34sp 1], encumbered MV 90’ (30’), Lawful and Common, 49 XP
Aderfi Sami (fighter), S16 I12 W8 D11 C10 Ch10, +15% XP with Oliver, AC 17, 3/3 hit points, Att +2 melee, +0 missile, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, -1 to saves against magic, AL N, nonbinary, 5/5 equipped items [plate mail + shield 3, mace (1d6+2) 1, sling + 20 stones 1, lantern 1, backpack 0], 12/12 packed items [silver dagger 1, 3 flasks of oil 3, stakes (3) + mallet 2, 4 torches 2, 2 iron rations 1, tinder box 1, waterskin 1, 8sp 1], encumbered MV 120’ (40’), Neutral and Common
Judith Kacinambun (magic-user), S10 I15 W15 D11 C18 Ch15, +5% XP, AC 10, 7/7 hit points, Att +0, SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15, +1 to saves against magic, AL L, 1 spell (charm person), woman, 3/3 equipped items [dagger (1d4) 1, pole (10’ long, wooden) 2, backpack 0], 7/10 packed items [dagger 1, 1 torch 1, 3 iron rations 1, wolfsbane (1 bunch) 1, tinder box 1, waterskin 1, spellbook 1, 10gp 8sp 1], encumbered MV 120’ (40’), Lawful, Common, and Gnomish
Hadasha (half-elf), S16 I14 W7 D10 C10 Ch13, +10% XP, AC 16, 3/3 hit points, Att +2 melee, +0 missile, SV D12 W13 P13 B15 S15, AL L, arcane magic, detect secret doors (2-in-6), infravision 60’, woman, 6/7 equipped items [sword (1d8+2) 1, plate mail + shield 3, longbow +20 arrows 2, backpack 0], 9/14 packed items [silver dagger 1, 1 torch 1, 3 iron rations 1, tinder box 1, waterskin 1, small sack 0, 40gp 11sp 2], encumbered MV 90’ (30’), Lawful, Common, Elvish, and Harpy
Teja, Hadasha’s mule, AC 12, 15/15 hp, saddle bags, unencumbered carrying up to 20 items, can carry at most 40 items, 20/20 items [lantern 1, 7 flasks of oil 7, stakes (3) + mallet 2, 13 crossbow bolts 1, 14 standard rations 5, 5 iron rations 2, 6 torches 2], MV 120’ (40’)