Monochrome Mania! The 11 D&D modules of the 70's!

Did you  start playing D&D in the 1970's? Did you have to hang out at hobby shops & independent book stores to find new TSR products? Did you see the modules advertised in the back of the DM's Guide and wonder what kind of perils they held?? 
If you did you'll remember these: The 11 Dungeons & Dragons modules with the monochrome covers! Some of the greatest adventures in the D&D canon! I recently picked up the last one I was missing....now you lucky souls get to check 'em out! 
I started picking up old D&D material a few years back. I was getting back into drawing, for the 1st time in years, and wanted to reconnect with some of my earliest influences! Trampier, Sutherland, LaForce, Otus, and Dee!

This is the early D&D art, before the air brush artist of the 80's, artist who filled the old grognards with wonder and awe!

I have a friend that had the D1-2 "Descent into the Depths of the Earth" compilation module. I'd bet most of you remember it...some very cool art by David C. Sutherland III. Somebody commented on FB when I posted the following pic that they had never seen the original D3 "Vault of the Drow" cover before!

A sharp eye will notice that my D2 "Shrine of the Kuo-Toa" is a reproduction from Drivethrurpg.com...do any of you buy there repops? I think that its great that somebody is reproducing these old classics!

Here is a few works by Trampier that  I'd never seen before ...from   D2 & D3!

I believe the 1st modules my group of friends really got into was the G1-3 "Against the Giants". Great compilation, but the original cover art by the legendary David A. Trampier & Sutherland is still (in my humble opinion) the best D&D ever had!

Tramp's stuff still blows my mind! 

All 3 of my "Giants" modules are reproductions....G1 is the Silver anniversary edition, while G2 & G3 are from Drivethrurpg. Economics aside...I'll probably end up purchasing the "real deal" modules somewhere down the road...these suit me just fine for now. I remember the sense of awe as we entered the Hill Giants stronghold for the first time! Do these modules hold the same sense of nostalgia for you?

And then we have "S" series..."Tomb of Horrors" and "White Plume Mountain"

"White Plume" actually has LESS art than the updated version that was sold in the 80's...plus you get a different back cover by Erol Otus...no "Elric" doppelganger! And yes "White Plume" is another reprodution! But the other....

Yes sir this the real deal! I picked up this outstanding copy of "Tomb of Horrors" off Ebay...for a song! A dent here, a fold there...but damn fine shape! I'll go over this module next...Gary Gaygax's ultimate KILLER DUNGEON! I am envious of those of you out there who have played "The Tomb". Nobody I knew way back then owned it...you'd here about it in hushed tones...
And then we have T1 "The Village of Hommlet"

I can only wish we had this module "back in the day"! Besides having Tramp do ALL the art work...its  a great place to base a campaign!
So there you go...all 11 Monochrome modules. I plan on getting back into gaming in the future...and running (hopefully) all of these modules! Any favorites for you?
Until we meet again... "Spike that door!"

2 Killer Dungeons & a 1984 Gem: Tegel Manor, The Citadel of Fire, and the 1984 Advanced D&D Player Character Sheets

Back from the freezing cold with more artifacts from the early days of D&D! Just what you need to shake off the mid-winter blues! Lets take a look!
First up is a repop (Reproduction....so now you know!) of the Judges Guild 1977 classic TEGEL MANOR!

The back cover is a reproduction of the original 1977 cover...the descriptive paragraph at the bottom of the page replaces the "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" that was originally on that cover! Don't want any copyright hassles with WOC!

This is the 2015 Goodman Games repop of the 1977 "Haunted Mansion" known as TEGEL MANOR. Created for use with "Original Dungeons and Dragons"...this is a brutal adventure! Tons of undead and lycanthropes....and traps to boot! 
Goodman Games provides repops of the original maps...for that "1977 vibe"!
The Mansion

The surrounding countryside 

 And a blank map that the players should fill in as they explore! 

And as if  the numerous rooms of the manor aren't enough to kill a group of adventurers...you get 4 Dungeon levels...just for kicks!

I confessed in an earlier installment of this blog that I had never actually played in a Judges Guild dungeon in my career as a "Murder Hobo"...but I sure wish that I had! Very well thought out settings and monsters...
You have to love the charts, created by Judges Guild, to determine the effects high levels of damage have on a "resurrected" player character! These guys had a great sense of humor!

For those of us with a love of nostalgia....an old JG's product catalog...the "Treasure Vault"! Bitchin'!

But wait...THERE'S MORE! For the 2015 edition Goodman Games added a "mini" adventurer...The Temple of Tsathoggus by Michael Curtis! 

Kudos to Goodman Games! This is an excellent addition to any D&D campaign. Like any good middle aged RPGer I have dreams of running this dungeon in the near future!

And then we have 1978's CITADEL OF FIRE

This version of COF was published in 1980...I recently purchased it from Ebay. It's in pretty decent shape. Looks like a tough adventurer...An evil Wizard's Tower to explore...with dungeon levels below! Plently of cool Old School art to go with it. Crude, by todays standards, but it has a charm all its own!

This dungeon is aimed at "Higher Level" player characters...and it has some tough situations as well as monsters!

Just so you get an idea of what the dungeons look like...not as say "professional" as D&D at the time...1978 is when the 1st batch of TSR modules was released...but damn good & absolutely worthwhile! 

And, from 1984, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Player Character Record Sheets

Excellent cover art by the legendary Jeff Dee!
I also recently purchased this off Ebay. I know there are older versions...I'm just not that big a fan of the Erol Otus cover! And I'm not ready to part with the kingly ransom that people are asking for the older version with the magnificent cover by Tom Wham! Not yet at least! 
Anywhoo...This is missing 1 sheet each of the Fighter, Magic User & Bard pages...but its in excellent shape throughout!

It's all down to personal preference...I like the Basic Character Sheets from this same time better for game use...and the older 70's PC Sheets even moreso...the simpler the better in my eyes!
But all 3 of these were worthy additions to my D&D collection/obsession! 'Till next time...UP THE IRONS!