''The Keep on the Borderlands'' is a ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...

adventure module An adventure is a playable scenario in a tabletop role-playing game. These can be constructed by gamemasters for their players, and are also released by game publishers as pre-made adventure modules. Different types of designs exist, including l ...

Gary Gygax Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson. In the 1960s, Gygax created an ...

, first printed in December 1979. In it,

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...

s are based at a

keep A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...

and investigate a nearby series of caves that are filled with a variety of monsters. It was designed to be used with the ''

Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' is a set of rulebooks for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. First published in 1977, it saw a handful of revisions and reprintings. The first edition was written by J. Eric Holm ...

'', and was included in the 1979–1982 editions of the ''Basic Set''. It was designed for people new to ''Dungeons & Dragons''. ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' went out of print in the early 1980s, but has been reprinted twice; a sequel was also made. A novelized version of the adventure was published in 2001. The module received generally positive reviews, and was ranked the 7th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by ''Dungeon'' magazine in 2004.

Plot summary

Player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...

s begin by arriving at the

which they can adopt as a base before investigating the series of caverns in the nearby hills that are teeming with monsters. These Caves of Chaos house multiple species of vicious humanoids. Plot twists include a treacherous

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

within the keep, hungry lizardmen in a nearby swamp, and a mad

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...

in the wilderness. It typifies the

dungeon crawl A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinth environment (a "dungeon"), battling various monsters, avoiding traps, solving puzzles, and looting any treasure they may find. Video games an ...

s associated with beginning ''D&D'' players, while permitting some limited outdoor adventures. When ''

The Grand Duchy of Karameikos ''The Grand Duchy of Karameikos'' (product code GAZ1) is an accessory for the '' Basic Set'' edition for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The book was written by Aaron Allston, and was published in 1987. Cover art is by Clyde ...

'' edition of the Gazetteer series was published, the Keep was given a specific location in the Known World of

Mystara Mystara is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role playing game. It was the default setting for the "Basic" version of the game throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Most adventures published for the "Basic" edition of ''D&D'' ...

, in the Atlan Tepe Mountain region in northern

Karameikos Mystara is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role playing game. It was the default setting for the "Basic" version of the game throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Most adventures published for the "Basic" edition of ''D&D'' ...

Original publication

''The Keep on the Borderlands'' was published in 1980. It consists of a 32-page booklet with an outer folder; the module was written by

, with cover art by

Jim Roslof James Paul Roslof (November 21, 1946March 19, 2011) was an American artist who produced cover art and interior illustrations of fantasy role-playing games published by TSR, Inc. during the "golden age" of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. As Art Director a ...

and interior illustrations by

Erol Otus Erol Otus is an American artist and game designer, known internationally for his contributions to the fantasy role-playing game (RPG) genre, especially early in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. He is also known for his artwork on the multiple ...

. It is designed for use with the ''

''.Gygax, Gary (1979). ''The Keep on the Borderlands'', TSR, Inc., . It was included in printings 6–11 (1979–1982) of the ''Basic Set'', although it was also available for sale separately. The cover of the first printing included the notation, "With minor modifications, it is also suitable for use with ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS"; this was removed from later printings. The module's cover notes that it is especially designed to help beginning players and Dungeon Masters (DMs). Tips for running encounters appear throughout the text to assist beginning DMs. The module also provides rudimentary rules for wilderness adventures, as these were not included in the ''D&D Basic Set''. The structure of the adventure as a series of separate caves allows segmented playing sessions for beginners. The module has been described as a low-level introductory scenario, which leads the

s from an outpost on the frontier of law into the forces of chaos.
preview
Jon Peterson, for ''

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...

'', highlighted that ''Keep on the Borderlands'' was created after "sales of the ''Basic Set'' rose dramatically" following the September 1979 disappearance of

James Dallas Egbert III James Dallas Egbert III (October 29, 1962 – August 16, 1980) was a student at Michigan State University who disappeared from his dormitory room on August 15, 1979. The disappearance was widely reported in the press, and his participation in t ...

. The financial success of Mike Carr, writer of the previous module included in the boxed set, showed that "a module like this ..could bring significant income to its author". In early 1980, Carr's module was replaced by Gygax's in the ''Basic Set''.

Reception

Anders Swenson reviewed ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' for ''

Different Worlds ''Different Worlds'' was an American role-playing games magazine published from 1979 to 1987. Scope ''Different Worlds'' published support articles, scenarios, and variants for various role-playing games including ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Ru ...

'' magazine and stated that "It is well balanced, and suitable for the levels of characters for which it was written. ''D&D'' is a good introductory set of adventure gaming rules, and ''The Keep on the Borderland'' is a good introduction to ''D&D''." Kirby T. Griffis, reviewing the adventure in ''

The Space Gamer ''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...

'' No. 37, found the module "interesting and full of excitement", though he considered the map sloppily done. He concluded by stating "on the whole, I enjoyed this module and recommend it."

Lawrence Schick Lawrence Schick is a game designer and writer associated with role-playing games. Early life and education Schick attended Kent State University Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university al ...

, in his 1991 book ''Heroic Worlds'', describes the adventure as "A good start for new players" and speculates that at the time, "There probably have been more copies of B2 printed than of any other role-playing scenario." A retrospective review in ''

Shadis ''Shadis'' is an independent gaming magazine that was published in 1990–1998 by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). It initially focused on role-playing games. Publication history Shadis was conceived and started by Jolly Blackburn as an indepen ...

'' #29 (1996) said that "''Keep on the Borderlands'' was designed with beginners in mind, and may seem quaint to experienced role-players. But that quaintness grows on you as you read through it, and the mix and match quality of the dungeon leaves an impression that's hard to ignore. For a Basic D&D nostalgia trip, there's very little that can match it." ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' was ranked the 7th greatest ''Dungeons & Dragons'' adventure of all time by ''

Dungeon A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period. An oubliette (from ...

'' magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game. Ken Denmead of ''

Wired ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fra ...

'' listed the module as one of the "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend". According to Denmead, the module "should give a party of low-levels a rather challenging time." Peterson commented that the original ''Keep on the Borderlands'' is "a classic, beloved module, whose Caves of Chaos owe no particular debt to Carr's Caverns of Quasqueton, though much of Carr's enlightening text about the art of dungeon mastering was effectively paraphrased in Gygax's version. ..Because ''Keep on the Borderlands'' would ship with the Moldvay ''Basic Set'', at the height of the ''D&D'' boom in 1981, it became one of the most widely known modules in ''D&D'' history, selling 750,000 copies a year. It might never have served as the gateway to adventure for so many players if it hadn't been for a certain legal dispute and its consequences".

Later versions and reprints

The ''10th Anniversary Dungeons & Dragons Collector's Set''

boxed set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

published by TSR in 1984 included the rulebooks from the ''Basic'', ''Expert'', and ''Companion'' sets; modules AC2 ''Combat Shield and Mini-adventure'', AC3 ''The Kidnapping of Princess Arelina'', B1 ''In Search of the Unknown'', ''The Keep on the Borderlands'', and M1 ''Blizzard Pass'';

Player Character Record Sheets ''Player Character Record Sheets'' is an accessory designed for the tabletop fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. Publication history Early years: 1974-1977 The first role-playing game published, ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1974), did ...

; and dice. The set was limited to a thousand copies, and was sold by mail and at

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17. ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' went out of print in the mid 1980s. However, the module was partially reprinted in the ''supermodule'' compilation B1–9 In Search of Adventure (1985), which included the Caves of Chaos but not the keep or surrounding wilderness. A reprinting of the original adventure was made available in the ''Dungeons & Dragons Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition''

in 1999 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game, with slight modifications to make it distinguishable from the original (for collecting purposes). A sequel was released in 1999, ''

Return to the Keep on the Borderlands Return to the Keep on the Borderlands is a 1999 adventure module for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It is a sequel to the original ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' module (B2) from 1979. Both modules were published by TS ...

'' for 2nd edition ''AD&D''. The original B2 publication was generic in terms of setting, while the 1999 ''Return'' module placed the Keep in

Yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army, British Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve, descended from volunteer British Cavalry, cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of ...

, making it a canonical location in the ''

World of Greyhawk Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''— Dave Arnes ...

''. The placement of the Keep in Greyhawk did not match many details in the sequel, such as several non-Greyhawk deities, nations, and peoples. At least two of the non-player character descriptions refer to details from the

setting rather than Greyhawk. In 2001,

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...

published '' Keep on the Borderlands'', a novelization by Ru Emerson for the Greyhawk Classics series. The novel was also set in the World of Greyhawk with scant references to its location. A ''hacked'' version of the module was published for the ''

HackMaster HackMaster is a fantasy role-playing game produced by Kenzer & Company. It began as a fictional game, a parody of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' played by the characters of the ''Knights of the Dinner Table'' comic strip by Jolly R. Blackburn. The ...

RPG'' in 2005, and entitled ''Little Keep on the Borderlands''. In September 2010, the module was re-released for D&D 4th Edition by

for use in the weekly D&D Encounters sessions as ''Keep on the Borderlands: A Season of Serpents''. Like the original, this revised module was designed for use with the contemporaneously released ''Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game'' boxed set for D&D Essentials, which is oriented towards the beginning player. This time, ''The Keep on the Borderlands'' is set in the ''D&D'' base world of the Nentir Vale, in an area known as the Chaos Scar. The module is "a multi-week adventure as a set of individual encounters, each of which is meant to be run as a single session lasting 1.5 to 2 hours. ..'Season of Serpents' is the longest Encounters season ever, with five chapters of four encounters each, resulting in 20 total sessions of play. Considerable effort is expended to differentiate the chapters and the overall play experience; thus, PCs adventure in broadly different areas during each chapter of play. Nonetheless, many GMs found the adventure too long—mainly because it made it hard to bring in new players late in the season, something that matters more in an organized play environment". A revised edition was released at D&D Expo in January 2012 under the title ''Caves of Chaos'' as playtest material for the upcoming 5th edition of D&D. Players had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before playing the adventure. In 2016, the Brazilian publisher ''Redbox Editora'' released a remake of The Keep on the Borderlands called ''O Forte das Terras Marginais'' for their own retro-clone system ''Old Dragon''. The module was translated and adapted by Rafael Beltrame, chief editor of ''Old Dragon''. In March 2017

Mike Mearls Michael Mearls is a writer and designer of fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) and related fiction. He was the senior manager for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' research and design team. He co-led design for the 5th edition of the game. He also worked ...

, Mike Carr, and Chris Doyle announced that Goodman Games had entered a partnership with

to publish a collector's edition of ''The Keep on the Borderland'' and ''In Search of the Unknown''. In January 2018 Goodman Games announced that the hardback book would be 380 pages in length and contain digital scans of the originals, 5th edition conversions, additional new content, and "testimonials". The Goodman Games reprint entitled ''Into the Borderlands'' appeared in May 2018 as volume one of "Original Adventures Reincarnated".

In video games

Dungeons & Dragons Online ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine for Microsoft Windows and OS X. The game was originally marketed as ''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach''. Upon switching to a h ...

'' released an adaptation of the ''Keep on the Borderlands'' adventures in 2019.

References

External links

''Keep on the Borderlands'' novel based on the module

A module (in English) by ''ENoa4''
for the ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' CRPG, aiming to recreate a rendition of ''The Keep On The Borderlands'' within that game engine. (Work seemingly complete, or tentative at best. As of 4/23/2007, the patch level stands at version 1.10.) * http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_1297.html * http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4108.html * http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_1250.html * http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3071.html * http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2109.html * http://www.rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44087/the-keep-on-the-borderlands {{DEFAULTSORT:Keep On The Borderlands Dungeons & Dragons modules Mystara Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1979