 The cover ofDragons of Despair, with art byClyde Caldwell. The artwork depicts a group of adventurers confronting adragon. | |
| Code | DL1 |
|---|---|
| TSR product code | 9130 |
| Rules required | AD&D (1st Edition) |
| Character levels | 4–6 |
| Campaign setting | Dragonlance |
| Authors | Tracy Hickman |
| First published | 1984 |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 0-88038-086-1 |
| Linked modules | |
| DL1,DL2,DL3,DL4,DL5,DL6,DL7,DL8,DL9,DL10,DL11,DL12,DL13,DL14,DL15,DL16 | |
Dragons of Despair is the first in a series of16Dragonlance adventures published byTSR, Inc. (TSR) between 1984 and 1988. It is the start of the first major story arc in theDragonlance series ofDungeons & Dragons (D&D)role-playing gamemodules, a series of ready-to-play adventures for use byDungeon Masters in the game. This series provides a game version of the originalDragonlance storyline later told in theDragonlance Chronicles trilogy of novels. This module corresponds to the events told in the first half of the novelDragons of Autumn Twilight byMargaret Weis andTracy Hickman.[1][2] Its module code is DL1, which is used to designate it as the first part of theDragonlance adventure series.
As with mostD&D adventures, the exact storyline varies based on the actions that the game's players choose for theirplayer characters (PCs), although a general course of action is assumed by the adventure. The story begins with the PCs meeting up in the settlement of Solace after five years of unsuccessful individual quests to find any sign of "true clerics". A series of wilderness encounters are used to direct the PCs to find the Blue Crystal Staff and take it to the ancient ruined city of Xak Tsaroth.
In the jungle-covered subterranean ruins of Xak Tsaroth the player characters search for knowledge of the ancient gods of good, and first encounter the invadingdraconians.[2] They also find baby dragons and encounterKhisanth, an ancientblack dragon. The PCs follow the fleeing dragon down a well, where they must negotiate the first level of adungeon typical ofDungeons & Dragons adventures, filled with draconians, gully dwarf slaves, and other monsters.
On the second level of the dungeon, the PCs must confront and defeat Khisanth. This is an extremely challenging task for the party, but if they have her Blue Crystal Staff, they will be aided by the goddess Mishakal. The adventure ends with the PCs recovering the Disks of Mishakal, allowing for the return of true clerics toKrynn for the first time in over 300 years.
This module was first published in March 1984, seven months before the firstDragonlance novel, and is the firstDragonlance product released. In January and February, there were small teaser advertisements—each less than a quarter page—inDragon magazine, simply showing theDragonlance logo and the text "coming soon".[3][4] A full-page ad was featured inDragon in April 1984.[5]
The scenario is the first adventure in an epic series which takes place on the world ofKrynn.[2] The March 1984 issue ofDragon contained a short story titled "The Test of the Twins" by Margaret Weis, along with a sidebar describingDragonlance as "an epic adventure usable with theAD&D game system, and will be detailed through a series of TSR products – books, games, modules, and even miniature figures."[6] In the same issue a full-page teaser advertisement showed a black-and-white version of the painting from the cover ofDragons of Despair with the text "Play the epic series...Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dragonlance".[7]
The module consisted of a 32-page book with an outer folder.[2] The cover ofDragons of Despair features a painting byClyde Caldwell depicting the black dragon Khisanth fighting three heroes—Goldmoon,Tanis Half-Elven, andCaramon Majere—from the books upon which the adventure is based. This module features the first appearance of Draconians and Aghar (Gully Dwarves) in the game, and new locations such as Xak Tsaroth, Solace and Haven. It is the first appearance of the pre-generated player characters (PCs) that form theHeroes of the Lance group of characters–Tanis Half-Elven,Sturm Brightblade, Caramon Majere,Raistlin Majere,Flint Fireforge,Tasslehoff Burrfoot and Goldmoon.Riverwind is played as anon-player character (NPC) by the Dungeon Master.Tika Waylan makes her first appearance as an NPC; she is available for use as a PC and joins up with the Heroes of the Lance in Chapter 7 ofDragons of Flame. The villainoushobgoblin lord Fewmaster Toede also makes his first appearance.
The original concept of the module was done byTracy Hickman, who "designed a world and an heroic adventure to go with it".[8] The module was edited byMichael Williams. The module's design staff included Tracy Hickman, Harold Johnson,Douglas Niles,Carl Smith, and Michael Williams. The module features cover art byClyde Caldwell and interior artwork byJeff Easley.
The original series was updated toAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons second edition and repackaged as the threeDragonlance Classics modules, using module code DLC.DLC1 Dragonlance Classics Volume 1 reprintedDragons of Despair, along withDragons of Flame,Dragons of Hope, andDragons of Desolation, in 1990.[9]
In 1999,Wizards of the Coast published a new revision of the originalDragonlance story, includingDragons of Despair, inDragonlance Classics: 15th Anniversary Edition as part of theirTSR's Silver Anniversary line.[10] In 2000, the entire DL module series was reprinted exactly as the originals but in a smaller size. This printing was available as two slip case sets, withDragons of Despair included inDragonlance Volume 1: DL1 – DL8.[11] The four chapters ofDragons of Autumn, an updated version of someDragonlance modules converting them toDungeons & Dragons version 3.5, corresponds to the material inDragons of Despair.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance is avideo game based onDragons of Despair released in 1988. It is a horizontallyscrolling fighting game that represents the events of the module.Dragons of Despair has also been converted into theNeverwinter Nights computer game format. The adaptation requires both theShadows of Undrentide andHordes of the Underdark expansion packs as well as the original game.[12]
Steve Hampshire reviewed the scenario forImagine magazine.[13] He "enjoyed this module a lot"[13] and felt it was "well-detailed and original, and plays well".[13] Hampshire found it "good value",[13] his only problem having been reading "the rather flowery prose without being laughed down by the players".[13]
A review by Graham Staplehurst inWhite Dwarf magazine, issue #60, gave the module an 8 out of 10 overall, and noted that the lack of things such as gold andclerics in the adventure world "don't destroy the feel of the scenario, whilst creating a very novel atmosphere".[8] Staplehurst felt that the adventure was "...very much taken off fromLord of the Rings with a powerful magic item to be takenat all costs to the aggressor's innermost defences and through them. The characters will have to get past a nice new race of humanoids as well as a couple of other monster-concepts. The artwork (aside from the cover) is good and usable in the adventure. Another good product."[8]
In his 1991 bookHeroic Worlds,Lawrence Schick described the scenarios as "heavy-handed in channelling the players to follow the plot".[2] It placed 25th on a 2004 list of "The 30 GreatestD&D adventures of All Time", the onlyDragonlance module to make the list.[14]