Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

DnDmodule| module_title = Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
module_

module_code = S4
module_rules = 1st Edition AD&D
module_character_levels = 6 - 10
module_campaign = Generic or Greyhawk
module_authors = Gary Gygax
module_first_published = 1982 (1976)
series = S1 S2 S3 S4 / WG4

"The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" is an adventure module for the "Dungeons & Dragons" fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR, Inc. in 1982 for the first edition "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" ("AD&D") rules. The 64-page adventure bears the code "S4" and is set in the "World of Greyhawk". Module WG4 - "The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun" is a loosely connected sequel to S4. [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 = ]

"The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" is a revised and expanded version of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth" (sic), a tournament adventure that Gygax wrote for WinterCon V, a gaming convention sponsored by the Metro Detroit Gamers (MDG) in 1976. [Lawrence Schick. "Heroic Worlds" (Prometheus Books, 1991).] MDG also made a version of the tournament (an 8-sheet packet in a plastic bag) available for purchase at the convention, making "Tsojconth" the second commercially-available adventure module for "Dungeons & Dragons". (The first commercial module, Wee Warriors's "Palace of the Vampire Queen", preceded "Tsojconth" by mere months.) [http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/s4.html]

The original "Lost Caverns" adventure was a "dungeon crawl" taking place entirely in an underground environment, written for the 1974 version of the "Dungeons & Dragons" rules with schematics partly derived from Rob Kuntz's "El Raja Key" of 1972/73. [http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_s4.html]

In 1980, Gygax began rewriting the adventure for first edition "AD&D", expanding it to include outdoor encounters. The redevelopment of "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" was one of the major delays in the completion of "The Temple of Elemental Evil" (Anon 1981, Gygax 1981).

Both versions of the module are noteworthy for introducing several new monsters to the published "Dungeons & Dragons" canon. The monsters introduced in the original un-published version were updated for "AD&D" rules and included in the first edition "Monster Manual". Monsters developed and introduced specifically for the S4 published version (including the demon princes Baphomet, Fraz-Urb'luu, Graz'zt, and Kostchtchie) later reappeared in the original "Monster Manual II". The published module features an illustration of a behir by Erol Otus.

In 1987, "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" was revised yet again and included in TSR's "supermodule" "Realms of Horror" (ISBN 0-88038-486-7).

"The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" was ranked the 22nd greatest "Dungeons & Dragons" adventure of all time by "Dungeon" magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the "Dungeons & Dragons" game.cite journal |last=Mona| first=Erik|authorlink=Erik Mona|coauthors=James Jacobs|title=The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time|journal=Dungeon |volume=116 |year=2004]

ynopsis

The players must travel into the Yatil Mountains south of the Greyhawk realm of Perrenland to investigate rumors of a lost treasure that scores of adventurers have perished attempting to find. The treasure is a remnant of the wealth amassed by the archmage Iggwilv, former ruler of Perrenland, prior to her presumed death at the hands of the demon Graz'zt.

References

*Anonymous. "RPGA Interview with... E. Gary Gygax." ""RPGA News"" (TSR, Autumn 1981).
*Gygax, Gary. "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth", Metro Detroit Gamers, Detroit, MI, 1976.
*Gygax, Gary. "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth", TSR, Inc., 1982, ISBN 0-935696-72-5).
*Gygax, Gary. "More 'Meat' for Greyhawk." "Dragon", (TSR, Nov 1981).
*Mona, Erik, James Jacobs, and the "Dungeon Design Panel". "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time." "Dungeon" #116 (Paizo Publishing, November 2004).

External links

* [http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/s4.html The Acaeum: S4] , retrieved June 15, 2006.
* [http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_s4.html Greyhawk's "Lost" Dungeon Levels: S4 "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth"] , retrieved June 15, 2006.
* [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/s4.htm "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth"] at the TSR Archive
* [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/rp/rp-lost.htm "The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth"] (sic) at the TSR Archive
* [http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_s4_encounters.html Tsojcanth - Tsojconth Encounters Comparison] at Grodog's Greyhawk