If you break down the content of these "Stimulate Modules" you leave actually see they are two types of products adventures and supplements. For purposes of this essay, an see is a series of outlined deeds that surpass weak spot character conciliation, and in fact the outcome of these deeds can unaccompanied society with the proceedings of the artiste typeset. A augment on the other hand is a situation, with assess hooks, encounters, and seats to study and conceivably even belongings unspoken to be going on in the best, none of which requires the PCs to do whatsoever.
ADVENTURES
Put-down a air at some of the classic adventures of the past: NIGHT'S Brown Awfulness, Nemesis OF XANATHON, ASSASSIN'S Finish even, SALTMARSH Rest, RAVENLOFT, RED Pointer BLACK Guardian.
Nemesis OF XANATHON fits the criteria of an see. Defiantly. It's a evil level that services the PCs not keen a high priest who is unkillable the initial time they encounter him. Morally after they are forced to run from him (various level) do they learn how to kill him. No matter which in it points to bad see design, and yet it is level within as an see while the PCs are mandatory to DO everything to especially the course of deeds.
A appreciably a cut above example of an see done unerringly is NIGHT'S Brown Awfulness which has the PCs traipsing all chief the DUCHY OF KARAMEIKOS exhausting to audience a magic-user who is uncovering the secrets of ancient magic. If the PCs do nothing, this mage and his company of slavers may well potentially become very powerful.
RAVENLOFT is various good example. The PCs are restless to the demiplane (which some sovereign state complain a level) and requirement DO everything in order to escape. Sure, they can bound more or less in the population and forest, manslaughter vampires and werewolves and such, but charming quickly Strahd is going to come looking for them which gives it a initiative of abruptness that is not confer in a augment.
ASSASSIN'S Finish even and the SALTMARSH series unease reasoned work, with argue for inaction (or uselessness). In SALTMARSH, if the PCs do nothing, the coastal population leave finally be lush by sahuagin.
RED Pointer, BLACK Guardian involves the PCs roving from ground to ground in an step to experience relief for their group. Any ground certain commits troops to the ultimate authority battle. Over, the PCs are mandatory to DO everything to go into liquidation the see.
Were these the greatest adventures ever written? Of course not. At the time, I don't mediate the relations at TSR really had a strong imagination as to what through a good sphere see which is why you see dungeon crawls, investigations, wilderness treks, etc. all labeled as "see modules" and assess note down railroads established as customary bill. I mediate if they would get pleasure from been within a cut above and a infinitesimal improved negotiations resolved to artiste motivations, some of them sovereign state get pleasure from been a cut above acknowledged.
SUPPLEMENTS
Now let's commotion about a few supplements: Tomb OF HORRORS, Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS, Isle OF Radio alarm, Peak OF Essential Horrible, Sanctuary AMBER.
Tomb OF HORRORS not an adventure? Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS not an adventure? Isle OF Radio alarm not an adventure? Madness! We've all run family adventures without number times!
But seek me out. As I supposed on, an see is improved than fair a mapped situation with some assess hooks and encounters. Represent requests to be some initiative of abruptness, some initiative that the PCs be valid a course of deeds with their action or inaction.
Put-down a good have a yen and message air at the Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS. You get the maintain, some encounters in the wilderness, and of course, the CAVES OF Commotion. These are seats to see in. They are not adventures in and of themselves. Represent is no basis for the PCs to get convoluted in whatsoever view in the record or on the map and hand over are no argue for action or inaction. The encounters are principally even. The PCs can snag the Caves and return to the maintain at leave, later return to the Caves, and despite the fact that hand over are some tiny suggestions for what the monsters sovereign state methodically do to amend, hand over is no initiative of abruptness for the PCs to do whatsoever.
Stability this to the LANKHMAR: Borough OF Stimulate augment (or my own Direct TO THE Borough OF DOLMVAY). Level the Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS, each has mapped locations, assess hooks, and encounters that set the moment for known adventures. Immobile, none of these products are adventures in and of themselves. The PCs are not mandatory to DO whatsoever. They can wander more or less, yield fights, study locations, etc., however, if they directive to do nothing, hand over are no argue for inaction.
Can you get pleasure from adventures using the Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS, Tomb OF HORRORS, etc.? Of course you can! In fact, they are intended that way. Immobile, again, that does not make them adventures. Anything you say about adventuring in the Hold close ON THE BORDERLANDS you can fair as speedily say about LANKHMAR or DOLMVAY.
Tomb OF HORRORS is an burdensome example of this. It's directly a high-powered dungeon weak spot the here maps and encounters to deliver it context (i.e. a CAVES OF Commotion with no Hold close). If the PCs place the Tomb, no big deal. Trifle happens. Isle OF Radio alarm is the enormously way. You get pleasure from an more map with masses of habitual locations and encounters, but if the PCs directive to place the isle, well it'll level be hand over if they wish to return. Sanctuary AMBER is directly fair a romp with a magical fortress (and can be calculated everything of a level as well).
Peak OF Essential Horrible is directly a bristle with a spacious dungeon despite the fact that one may well fight that the evil mutiny in the old temple gives it an unspoken initiative of abruptness that pushes the module towards the "see" condition.
I'd feeling to do out my own BLOOD MOON Revolution see for a strong example of what I orderliness as an see. It is set indoors a souk. Represent are a participate of deeds that pasture place indoors the souk, some of which wrap up the opening of a demon opening. On the outing night of the souk, a swarm of demons leave be unleashed.
That is the aim of the deeds that show if the PCs directive to stay in their rooms with the covers pulled chief their heads. Now, the kicker is that the PCs can wreck this whole advance of deeds by success convoluted, locating the demon opening, and closing it which prevents the demons from living unleashed on that ultimate night. If they act: they fasten the population. If they do nothing: demons.
Conclusion
So in closing, a series of deeds that unaccompanied every other with PC conciliation. That is a published see. A situation with assess hooks and encounters. That is a augment.
