Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun

DnDmodule| module_title = The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun
module_

module_code = WG4
module_rules = 1st Ed AD&D
module_character_levels = 5 - 10
module_campaign = Greyhawk
module_authors = Gary Gygax
module_first_published = 1982
series = S4 WG4

"The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun" is an adventure module for the "Dungeons & Dragons" role-playing game, set in the "World of Greyhawk" campaign setting. The module bears the code WG4 and was published by TSR, Inc. in 1982 for the first edition "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" rules. Because it is one of the "WG" modules, it is a module intended for the "World of Greyhawk" campaign setting.

The adventure is a loosely connected sequel to module S4 - "Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth". [cite journal | last = Bambra| first = Jim| authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Open Box | format = review | journal =White Dwarf | volume = | issue =Issue 44 | pages =14 | publisher =Games Workshop | year = 1983 | month = Aug | url = | issn = | accessdate = ] It is a combined wilderness and dungeon adventure set in the Southern Yatil Mountains focused on a temple dedicated to the evil and insane Greyhawk god Tharizdun. [cite book
author = Gygax, E. Gary
title = The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun
publisher = TSR
year = 1982 ]

The module was written by Gary Gygax with artwork by Karen Nelson.

Plot summary

The adventurers are involved in the story by a gnomish community and travel to the temple. After battling their way in, the characters explore the temple chambers which contain mundane creatures and new monsters from the "Fiend Folio". This segment of the module is similar to many other of TSR's "AD&D" dungeon crawls including those of the S1-S4 series which precedes this module.

During their exploration the characters may reach the chambers of the temple in which religious rituals were performed, and risk insanity and death as they contact remnants of the worship of the imprisoned god Tharizdun. To progress further the characters must enact portions of the rituals of worship of Tharizdun, travelling into a dark and freezing underground subtemple, and magically opening an inner sanctum called the "Black Cyst." Having advanced this far the characters are likely to be driven insane, killed outright, or permanently trapped within the underground temple.

Lovecraftian elements

The thematic elements of nightmare and insanity which are introduced when the PCs are exposed to the evil influence of Tharizdun's temple bring elements of Lovecraftian horror to "Dungeons & Dragons", not for the first time. The concept of a trapped, malevolent god, intent upon the destruction of all that is, harkens to the dark and insane Great Old Ones. In his comprehensive article on the topic of Lovecraftian influence on "D&D" – "The Shadow Over D&D" – James Jacobs says of "The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun" and "Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil", "Tharizdun [...] obviously owes his pedigree to Lovecraft."cite journal | author=Jacobs, James | title=The Shadow Over D&D: H. P. Lovecraft's Influence on Dungeons & Dragons | journal=Dragon | issue=#324 | month=October | year=2004]

Reception

"The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun" was ranked the 23rd greatest "Dungeons & Dragons" adventure of all time by "Dungeon" magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the "Dungeons & Dragons" game. However, some have said that the final moments in the Black Cyst are anticlimactic. [cite journal
author = Erik Mona, James Jacobs, et al.
title = The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time
journal = Dungeon
issue = #116
publisher = Paizo Publishing
year = 2004 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/wg.html World of Greyhawk Series (WG4 - 12)] at The Acaeum
* [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/gh/gh-wg4.htm "The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun"] at the TSR Archive