- In the D2 major encounter area (the "Shrine"), what are the three "S" locations near the main entrance?
- In the D3 major encounter area (the "Fane"), on the last level, did you ever notice that the final secret door was misprinted as a location number "5"? (Compare to the text description.)
- In the large-scale map connecting the whole series, note that module D1 has encounter piece maps I, II, and III (although it simply re-uses a single one a few times). Module D2 has encounter pieces IV and V (the river and tunnel nexus). Module D3 has encounter pieces VII, VIII, and IX. So... whatever happened to encounter piece VI? (Note the unusually long passage leading to the Shrine without any encounter areas.)
2014-05-01
D-Series Map Mysteries
Speaking of the classic D&D D-series of modules (Descent Into the Depths of the Earth, et. al.), assuming you own a copy, pull the maps out and see if you can answer the following mysteries.
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ReplyDelete- The S locations aren't described, but there are also no storerooms. I'd bet they are storerooms and accidentally left undescribed by accident.
- On my map that doesn't look like a 5, it's a shaky but clear S (although there is a gap in the "wall" where the secret door is, like someone lifted the pen before completing the line.)
My copy of D1 and D1-2 have I-III, IV, V, and a corridor that isn't marked in any way. I always assumed it was supposed to be VI. It's possible it's not and they just lost track of the numbers. Tight editing isn't a noted trait of TSR products. ;)
"My copy of D1 and D1-2 have I-III, IV, V, and a corridor that isn't marked in any way."
DeleteYou're looking at the blue cover interior, right? That non-numbered corridor isn't a set "encounter piece", it's an example for primary tunnel passages (maybe for a wandering monster event). Note that it's copied from module tear-out page (i), where it's one of the 3 sample tunnel widths (that page itself duplicated from old monochrome D1; page (ii), originally from mono D2, has its own 3 tunnel samples, plus encounter areas IV and V).
Yes, I am, although to be honest the copies of D1-2, D1, and D2 that I have all have their tear-outs detached, so it's hard for me to tell what page goes with what. It's kinda weird, though, that they replicate the primary passage encounter sheet twice (unless the tear out I have is from the monochrome D1.)
DeleteIn any case, I couldn't find any encounters that call for VI, so I still believe it's just bad record keeping causing a skipped number.
I agree, the duplicate tunnel map always weirded me out a bit too. It vaguely makes sense that almost all the travel is expected to be in the primary passage (hence conveniently putting it on cover?). That tear out map page is identical between mono D1 and combined D1-D2.
DeleteI think Peter is looking at the secret door in area 2 of the dungeon level of the Fane; Delta is referring to the secret door between areas 3 & 4 on the upper (5th) level of the Fane. On my copy (3rd printing) it definitely does look like a 5 (I see what Peter is saying about the other secret door, too.
ReplyDeleteAh, okay, I see which one you guys are referring to now. Yeah, 5 not S.
DeleteIn TSR modules, an 'S' normally refers to a secret door; however, it is usual for these to be placed straddling the grid lines (cf. the secret passage in the top-right corner of the D2 shrine map), unless they refer to secret tunnels or trapdoors, in which case there will normally be a dotted line or something indicating where they lead to. So I think we can safely rule out the 'S' locations being intended as secret doors.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with Peter D that there are no storerooms. Areas 25 and 26 are the Armory and Storeroom, respectively. Both are quite sizeable, and the descriptions make it seem like their contents are fairly extensive. Plus, if there were subsidiary storerooms, I would expect it to be noted in those areas descriptions, much like how the 'W' whip rooms are detailed in the Area 33 description.
One possibility that I would countenance is that 'S' is a typo and they should be 'A', seeing as the two letters are adjacent on a typewriter.
The other is based on intuiting the "system" behind the letter choices for these non-numbered areas. It seems clear to me that Gygax wanted the three most common room types to simply be 'A', 'B', and 'C' - with "apartments," "barracks," and "common room" conveniently beginning with those letters. However, the less common letters are assigned based on the occupants of the rooms: 'M' for monitors, 'W' for whips, and 'BF' for female barracks. This leads me to suspect that the 'S' rooms could contain slaves or sacrifices. We do already have a map location for the slaves' quarters at the bottom of the stairs at 9, but given all the copious information about the kuo-toa's slaving activities and the table to randomly generate said slaves, it would make sense to me for them to be holding some of their captives in a more "handy" location immediately adjacent to the shrine. Also notable is that all three 'S' rooms connect to one of the 'M' monitor rooms. If they contained captives in a more convenient but less secure location than the main prison area, then who better to keep a watchful eye on them than one of the monitors?
That seems like great reasoning to me. Also it's reasonable the text for that might have been redacted for content reasons (same was done in OD&D with list of barony investments).
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