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{{Greyhawk source|fgcolor=#fff|
{{Source
image=[[Image:Dwellers of the Forbidden City.jpg]]|
|name            =  
caption=|
|image           = [[Image:Dwellers of the Forbidden City.jpg]]
bgcolor=#000|
|caption         = The cover of ''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'', with art by [[Erol Otus]]. The artwork depicts a battle between [[bullywug]]s (left) and player characters.
fgcolor=#fff|
|type             = Adventure
name=''Dwellers of the Forbidden City''|
|code             = I1, TSR 9046
type=Adventure module|
|edition         = First edition
code=I1|
|author           = [[David Cook|David "Zeb" Cook]]
edition=|1st edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''|
|editor          = Harold Johnson, Allen Hammack, Roberta Reilly, Edward G. Sollers, Steve Winter
author=[[David Cook]]|
|cover_artist    = [[Erol Otus]]
first published=1981|
|inter_artist    = [[James Holloway]], [[Jim Roslof]], [[Erol Otus]], Harry Quinn, Stephen D. Sullivan
series=I|
|series          =
class=Canon
|publisher        = [[TSR]]
|first published = 1981
|pages            = 28
|isbn            = 0-935696-33-4
|class            = Officially published content
|setting_date    =  
}}
}}
'''''Dwellers of the Forbidden City''''' is an adventure module for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, set in the game's ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' campaign setting. The module was published in 1981 by TSR Hobbies, Inc. for the first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' rules.
'''''Dwellers of the Forbidden City''''' is an adventure for first edition D&D and is intended for four characters of fourth to seventh level. The adventure was published in 1981 by TSR Hobbies, Inc. for first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''.


''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' was written by [[David Cook]] with cover art by Erol Otus and interior art by James Holloway, Jim Roslof, Harry Quinn, and Stephen D. Sullivan. The adventure was first used as a tournament module at the Origins Game Fair in 1980.
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' was written by [[David Cook]] with cover art by Erol Otus and interior art by James Holloway, Jim Roslof, Harry Quinn, and Stephen D. Sullivan. The adventure was first used as a tournament adventure at the Origins Game Fair in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tsrinfo.net/archive/dd1/i1.htm |title=Dwellers of the Forbidden City |work=Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive |publisher=TSR Archive |accessdate=April 24, 2011}}</ref>


The module was originally intended to bear code S4, but this code was re-assigned to ''[[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]'' before ''Dwellers'' was published. As published, the adventure bears the code I1 and is the first in the I (Intermediate) series of modules, a group of mostly unrelated adventures.
== Description ==
The adventure is set in the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]''{{csb|I1|2}} and was later used to add detail to the continent of [[Hepmonaland]] in Greyhawk supplements.{{csb|LGG}} In the Greyhawk accessory ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]'', by [[Sean K. Reynolds]], the Forbidden City was named '''Xuxulieto''', and the mountains wherein it lies are called the [[Xaro Mountains]].
{{quoted text|Set deep in a tropical jungle, Dwellers Of The Forbidden City is located on the WORLD OF GREYHAWK map in a small group of unexplored (and unmapped) mountains south of the [[Pelisso Swamp]] in [[Hepmonaland]].|{{csb|TSB|}} }}


In ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]'' accessory by [[Sean K. Reynolds]], the Forbidden City was named [[Xuxulieto]] and the mountain range it lies in is called the [[Xaro Mountains]].
In the adventure, the characters are hired to find an object taken to a lost oriental-style city, which has been taken over by a cult of snake-worshipers, the [[yuan-ti]], and their servants, the [[Mongrelfolk|mongrelmen]] and [[tasloi]].<ref name="HW"/>


==Table of contents==
==Cover text ==
* note there was no actual table of contents printed in the module.
{{quoted text|Somewhere in the heart of the steaming jungle lies the answer to the whispered tales - rumors of a magnificent city and foul, horrid rituals! Here a brave party might find riches and wonders - or death! Is your party brave enough to face the terrors of the unknown and find - the [[Forbidden City]]!}}
 
{{quoted text|Parts of this adventure were used in 1980 for a major East Coast convention tournament. Information is presented here to reconstruct this exciting tournament and even more has been given to expand play. Here characters may adventure several times in a unique and interesting mini-campaign. Included in this adventure are background and tournament notes, referee's keys, new monsters, pre- generated characters, and eight different maps. }}
 
==Plot summary==
The adventure begins when the player characters hear reports of bandits waylaying and attacking caravans in a jungle region. Most of the ambushed merchants and guards have been killed, but the few who have returned alive tell fantastic stories about deformed plants and deadly beasts in the jungle. The stolen goods taken from the caravans provide an impetus for the characters to enter the jungles in search of this lost treasure.
 
After a long and perilous journey, the player characters encounter some friendly native people and are invited to stay in their village. The characters learn from the village's chief about the dangers of creatures called the [[yuan-ti]] and their servants, the [[tasloi]], and that these creatures recently kidnapped the chief's son, taking him into the jungle. The chief and village [[shaman]] tell the player characters about a "forbidden city" in the jungle which they believe houses the ghosts of their dead enemies, and they supply the characters with guides to show the party the way to this forbidden city.
 
The adventuring environment in this adventure allows for both action and intrigue. The player characters can recruit allies from the various power groups and factions within the city, namely the [[bugbear]]s, [[Mongrelfolk|mongrelmen]], and [[bullywug]]s, or else help pit these factions against each other for their own benefit.
 
==Content ==
=== Table of contents ===
'''''Note'''—there is not a table of contents in the adventure, this is created for convenience of reference.''
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
Line 55: Line 75:
|}
|}


==Credits==
=== Notable nonplayer characters ===
*[[Aratheas]] - half-elf magic-user adventurer who has become trapped in the city
*[[Groak]] - king of the bullywugs in the city
*[[Horan]] - magic-user who has made the city his home and may be the instigator of recent troubles
*[[Kwairno]] - Horan's assistant/apprentice
*[[Shruzgrap]] - would-be leader of the bugbears
*[[Yrak]] - bugbear witchdoctor
 
=== New monsters ===
*[[Aboleth]]
*[[Mongelfolk|Mongrelman]]
*[[Pan Lung]] (Asian dragon)
*[[Tasloi]]
*[[Yellow musk creeper]]
*[[Yuan-ti]]
 
== Creative origins ==
The adventure was written by game designer [[David Cook (game designer)|David "Zeb" Cook]], who partly ascribes his hiring by TSR to his work on this adventure.
 
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' began as part of a campaign run by David Cook before he worked for TSR, meant to evoke the feel of Robert A. Howard's Conan stories. Cook used the "main hall" of this adventure as part of his application to work for TSR. When it was accepted, he expanded on it, adding the city and the mongrelmen.
 
== Publication history ==
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' was first used in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' tournament play at the [[Origins Game Fair]] in 1980.<ref name="HW"/><ref name="mwt2">{{cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060106a |title=Monsters with Traction, Part 2 |last=Decker |first=Jesse |authorlink=Jesse Decker |first2=David |last2=Noonan |authorlink2=David Noonan (game designer) |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] |accessdate=2007-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/i.html |title=Intermediate Series (I1 - I14) |accessdate=2007-12-21 |publisher=Acaeum D&D Index}}</ref> The adventure was published in 1981 by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] for first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', and consisted of a thirty-two page booklet with an outer folder.<ref name="HW"/> The adventure was written by [[David Cook|David "Zeb" Cook]], with cover art by [[Erol Otus]] and interior art by [[James Holloway]], [[Jim Roslof]], Harry Quinn, and [[Stephen D. Sullivan]].
 
It is the first of the mostly unrelated and unconnected Intermediate series (I-series) of adventures designed for characters at between 4th and 8th levels. 
 
The adventure was originally intended to bear the code "S4",<ref>{{cite journal |title=D&D Clones |journal=''White Dwarf'' |volume=24 |date=April–May 1981}}</ref> but the code was reassigned to ''[[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]'' before ''Dwellers'' was published. As published, the adventure bears the code "I1".
 
It was one of the first adventures written by Cook, and he attributed an early version of the adventure to his being hired at TSR.<ref name="HW">{{cite book |first=Lawrence |last=Schick |authorlink=Lawrence Schick |year=1991 |title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games |publisher=Prometheus Books |location=Buffalo, New York |isbn=0-87975-653-5 |page=101}}</ref> Cook would become the lead designer for the second edition of the ''AD&D'' rules, which debuted in 1989, and years later, he became the lead designer on the ''City of Villains'' MMORPG.
 
The adventure was instrumental in introducing the yuan-ti as a new species of antagonists.<ref name="mwt2"/>  Much like the [[drow]] from the ''[[Queen of the Spiders]]'' Series, the yuan-ti have been featured in a number of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Edition books for the ''D&D'' game, and are one of the few species that Wizards of the Coast did not keep open for the "Open Game License".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.d20srd.org/faq.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=D20srd.org}}</ref> The yuan-ti have also been expanded from their introduction in this adventure to other game worlds, in particular the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wyatt |first=James |authorlink=James Wyatt |last2=Heinsoo |first2=Rob |authorlink2=Rob Heinsoo |title=''Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn'' |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |year=2001 |isbn=0-7869-1832-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Greenwood |first=Ed |authorlink=Ed Greenwood |first2=Eric L. |last2=Boyd |author-link2=Eric L. Boyd |first3=Darrin |last3=Drader |author-link3=Darrin Drader |title=[[Serpent Kingdoms]] |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |year=2004 |isbn=0-7869-3277-5}}</ref> Other new monsters introduced to the game through this adventure include the aboleth, [[bullywug]], [[mongrelfolk|mongrelman]], [[tasloi]], and [[yellow musk creeper]].<ref name=Wyatt08/>
 
On March 26, 2013, it was re-released in digital format on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $4.99.
 
=== Full Credits ===
Design: [[David Cook]]<br />
Design: [[David Cook]]<br />
Development: Harold Johnson, Lawrence Schick<br />
Development: Harold Johnson, Lawrence Schick<br />
Line 65: Line 119:
Typesetting: Dianne J. Burke  
Typesetting: Dianne J. Burke  
Key line: Joyce A. Kress, Laura Roslos , Mary Hendryx
Key line: Joyce A. Kress, Laura Roslos , Mary Hendryx
photography: Joyce A. Kress
Photography: Joyce A. Kress


Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. <br />
Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. <br />
Line 71: Line 125:
product number 9046 394_51424-6TSR0550
product number 9046 394_51424-6TSR0550
ISBN 0-935696-33-4
ISBN 0-935696-33-4
==Cover text ==
<blockquote>
''Somewhere in the heart of the steaming jungle lies the answer to the whispered tales - rumors of a magnificent city and foul, horrid rituals! Here a brave party might find riches and wonders - or death! Is your party brave enough to face the terrors of the unknown and find - the [[Forbidden City]]!''
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
''Parts of this module were used in 1980 for a major East Coast convention tournament. Information is presented here to reconstruct this exciting tournament and even more has been given to expand play. Here characters may adventure several times in a unique and interesting mini-campaign. Included in this module are background and tournament notes, referee's keys, new monsters, pre- generated characters, and eight different maps.''
</blockquote>
==Notable nonplayer characters==
===New monsters===
*[[Aboleth]]
*[[Mongrelman]]
*[[Pan Lung]]
*[[Tasloi]]
*[[Yellow musk creeper]]
*[[Yuan-ti]]


==Reception==
==Reception==
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' was ranked the 13th greatest ''Dungeons & Dragons'' adventure of all time by ''[[Dungeon]]'' magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.
While ''Different Worlds'' described it as "a good buy",<ref>{{cite journal |title=Dwellers of the Forbidden City |journal=[[Different Worlds]] |volume=16 |date=November 1981}}</ref> ''RPGnet'' gave it a slightly more favorable rating of nearly 6.8 ("Good").<ref>{{cite web |title=I1: Dwellers of the Forbidden City |publisher=[[RPGnet]] |url=http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=2476 |accessdate=2007-12-21}}</ref>  Latter day ''D&D'' writer James Wyatt described it as the first "Super adventure", and lamented that with another hundred pages of fleshing out, it could have been as memorable as the landmark ''[[Temple of Elemental Evil]]''.<ref name=Wyatt08>{{cite book |last=Wyatt |first=James |authorlink=James Wyatt (game designer) |title=Dungeon Masters Guide |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |year=2008 |edition=4th |pages=138}}</ref>


==Creative origins==
Jim Bambra of ''White Dwarf'' magazine reviewed the adventure in the magazine's "Open Box" feature and gave it an overall rating of 5 out of 10, commenting that while presentation of the adventure was quite good (8/10), it seemed to be "hastily thrown together".<ref name="WD40"/>  Bambra gave the adventure playability and enjoyment ratings of 5/10, and skill and complexity ratings of 6/10. He felt the adventure was "very mundane" and "lacks any real cohesion".  Bambra noted that parts of the adventure were created for tournament play.  The tournament section deals with getting into the city, and he felt the rest of the adventure seemed to be tacked on to that. He did like the mini-campaign included in the adventure, and the ideas included on how to expand on it.  However, he felt that any Dungeon Master who used ''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' would have to expend so much effort to make it more than "just a series of encounters," that they were better off "starting from scratch".<ref name="WD40"/> Bambra concluded that this adventure was "just not worth considering" with all the other better quality adventures available from TSR.<ref name="WD40">{{cite journal |first=Jim |last=Bambra |authorlink=Jim Bambra |title=Open Box - Dwellers of the Forbidden City Review |journal=[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]] |volume=40 |date=April 1983}}</ref>
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' began as part of a campaign run by David Cook before he worked for TSR, meant to evoke the feel of Robert A. Howard's Conan stories. Cook used the "main hall" of this adventure as part of his application to work for TSR. When it was accepted, he expanded on it, adding the city and the mongrelmen.


==Bibliography==
''Dwellers of the Forbidden City'' was ranked the 13th greatest ''Dungeons & Dragons'' adventure of all time by ''[[Dungeon]]'' magazine for the 30th anniversary of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game in 2004.  Judge Eric L. Boyd described it as a "classic adventure" in which Cook created a "lost city jungle in the great tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs".  The players "battle their way into the city through a labyrinth of traps and monsters or find their own way into the sprawling, jungle-cloaked ruins...  Cook provides a host of backgrounds to motivate exploration of the city, but the map itself is motivation enough."  Judge [[Wolfgang Baur]], editor of ''Dungeon'' magazine, described the adventures thus: "This adventure may be best remembered for its monsters&mdash;it was from ''Forbidden City'' that D&D gained the Aboleth, the mongrel-man, the tasloi, and the yuan-ti.  The aboleth that guarded one of the entrances to the city was worshipped by the local mongrelmen as a god."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mona |first1=Erik |authorlink=Erik Mona |last2=Jacobs |first2=James |author-link2=James Jacobs (game designer) |author3="''Dungeon Design Panel''" |title=The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time |journal=[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]] |volume=116 |publisher=[[Paizo Publishing]] |date=November 2004}}</ref>
*[[David Cook|Cook, David]]. ''Dwellers of the Forbidden City.'' Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, 1981.


*[[Erik Mona|Mona, Erik]], [[James Jacobs]], and the Dungeon Design Panel. "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time." ''[[Dungeon]]'' #116. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, November 2004.
=== Reviews ===
*''[[Ares (magazine)|Ares Magazine]]'' #12


*[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K]]. ''The Scarlet Brotherhood''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.
== See also ==
* [[Portal:Adventures]]


==External links==
== External links ==
{{External link disclaimer}}
*[http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/i.html Intermediate Series (I1 - I14)] at ''The Acaeum''.
*[http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/i.html Intermediate Series (I1 - I14)] at ''The Acaeum''.
*''[http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/i1.htm Dwellers of the Forbidden City]'' at the ''TSR Archive''.
*''[http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd1/i1.htm Dwellers of the Forbidden City]'' at the ''TSR Archive''.
*[http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26912&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=120 Ask David "Zeb" Cook thread at Dragonsfoot.org].
*[http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26912&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=120 Ask David "Zeb" Cook thread at Dragonsfoot.org].


==References==
===Citations===
<references />
===Bibliography===
* <onlyinclude>{{StandardRef
|title  = Dwellers of the Forbidden City
|article = Dwellers of the Forbidden City
|page    = {{{1|}}}
|sub    = {{{2|}}}
|year    = 1981
|month  =
|abbr    = I1
|code    = TSR9046
|prefix  = I1
|box    = no
|canon  = Canon
|cs      = [[David Cook|Cook, David]]. ''Dwellers of the Forbidden City.'' Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, 1981.
|url    =
}}</onlyinclude>
*[[Erik Mona|Mona, Erik]], [[James Jacobs]], and the Dungeon Design Panel. "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time." ''[[Dungeon]]'' #116. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, November 2004.
*[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K]]. ''The Scarlet Brotherhood''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.
{{Wikipedia}}
{{FRwiki}}
{{index}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwellers Of The Forbidden City}}
[[Category:Adventures]]
[[Category:Canonical sources]]
[[Category:Canonical sources]]

Latest revision as of 10:21, 18 December 2024

Greyhawk Source
Dwellers of the Forbidden City
The cover of Dwellers of the Forbidden City, with art by Erol Otus. The artwork depicts a battle between bullywugs (left) and player characters.
Type: Adventure
Code/Abbreviation: I1, TSR 9046
Edition: First edition
Author(s): David "Zeb" Cook
Editor(s): Harold Johnson, Allen Hammack, Roberta Reilly, Edward G. Sollers, Steve Winter
Cover Artist(s): Erol Otus
Interior Artist(s): James Holloway, Jim Roslof, Erol Otus, Harry Quinn, Stephen D. Sullivan
Publisher: TSR
First Published: 1981
Pages: 28
ISBN: 0-935696-33-4
Class: Officially published content

Dwellers of the Forbidden City is an adventure for first edition D&D and is intended for four characters of fourth to seventh level. The adventure was published in 1981 by TSR Hobbies, Inc. for first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Dwellers of the Forbidden City was written by David Cook with cover art by Erol Otus and interior art by James Holloway, Jim Roslof, Harry Quinn, and Stephen D. Sullivan. The adventure was first used as a tournament adventure at the Origins Game Fair in 1980.[1]

Description

The adventure is set in the World of Greyhawk[2] and was later used to add detail to the continent of Hepmonaland in Greyhawk supplements.[3] In the Greyhawk accessory The Scarlet Brotherhood, by Sean K. Reynolds, the Forbidden City was named Xuxulieto, and the mountains wherein it lies are called the Xaro Mountains.

"Set deep in a tropical jungle, Dwellers Of The Forbidden City is located on the WORLD OF GREYHAWK map in a small group of unexplored (and unmapped) mountains south of the Pelisso Swamp in Hepmonaland."[4]

In the adventure, the characters are hired to find an object taken to a lost oriental-style city, which has been taken over by a cult of snake-worshipers, the yuan-ti, and their servants, the mongrelmen and tasloi.[5]

Cover text

"Somewhere in the heart of the steaming jungle lies the answer to the whispered tales - rumors of a magnificent city and foul, horrid rituals! Here a brave party might find riches and wonders - or death! Is your party brave enough to face the terrors of the unknown and find - the Forbidden City!"

"Parts of this adventure were used in 1980 for a major East Coast convention tournament. Information is presented here to reconstruct this exciting tournament and even more has been given to expand play. Here characters may adventure several times in a unique and interesting mini-campaign. Included in this adventure are background and tournament notes, referee's keys, new monsters, pre- generated characters, and eight different maps. "

Plot summary

The adventure begins when the player characters hear reports of bandits waylaying and attacking caravans in a jungle region. Most of the ambushed merchants and guards have been killed, but the few who have returned alive tell fantastic stories about deformed plants and deadly beasts in the jungle. The stolen goods taken from the caravans provide an impetus for the characters to enter the jungles in search of this lost treasure.

After a long and perilous journey, the player characters encounter some friendly native people and are invited to stay in their village. The characters learn from the village's chief about the dangers of creatures called the yuan-ti and their servants, the tasloi, and that these creatures recently kidnapped the chief's son, taking him into the jungle. The chief and village shaman tell the player characters about a "forbidden city" in the jungle which they believe houses the ghosts of their dead enemies, and they supply the characters with guides to show the party the way to this forbidden city.

The adventuring environment in this adventure allows for both action and intrigue. The player characters can recruit allies from the various power groups and factions within the city, namely the bugbears, mongrelmen, and bullywugs, or else help pit these factions against each other for their own benefit.

Content

Table of contents

Note—there is not a table of contents in the adventure, this is created for convenience of reference.

Chapter Page
Background 2
Notes for the DM 2
Notes for tournament play 3
Start 4
The Forbidden City 11
Lair of the Treemen 13
Court of the Master 14
Bugbear Brigands 17
Ruins of the Mongrelmen 18
The Bullywug Stockade 20
The God of the Bullywugs 21
The Swamp Horrors 22
New Monsters 24

Notable nonplayer characters

  • Aratheas - half-elf magic-user adventurer who has become trapped in the city
  • Groak - king of the bullywugs in the city
  • Horan - magic-user who has made the city his home and may be the instigator of recent troubles
  • Kwairno - Horan's assistant/apprentice
  • Shruzgrap - would-be leader of the bugbears
  • Yrak - bugbear witchdoctor

New monsters

Creative origins

The adventure was written by game designer David "Zeb" Cook, who partly ascribes his hiring by TSR to his work on this adventure.

Dwellers of the Forbidden City began as part of a campaign run by David Cook before he worked for TSR, meant to evoke the feel of Robert A. Howard's Conan stories. Cook used the "main hall" of this adventure as part of his application to work for TSR. When it was accepted, he expanded on it, adding the city and the mongrelmen.

Publication history

Dwellers of the Forbidden City was first used in Dungeons & Dragons tournament play at the Origins Game Fair in 1980.[5][6][7] The adventure was published in 1981 by TSR for first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and consisted of a thirty-two page booklet with an outer folder.[5] The adventure was written by David "Zeb" Cook, with cover art by Erol Otus and interior art by James Holloway, Jim Roslof, Harry Quinn, and Stephen D. Sullivan.

It is the first of the mostly unrelated and unconnected Intermediate series (I-series) of adventures designed for characters at between 4th and 8th levels.

The adventure was originally intended to bear the code "S4",[8] but the code was reassigned to Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth before Dwellers was published. As published, the adventure bears the code "I1".

It was one of the first adventures written by Cook, and he attributed an early version of the adventure to his being hired at TSR.[5] Cook would become the lead designer for the second edition of the AD&D rules, which debuted in 1989, and years later, he became the lead designer on the City of Villains MMORPG.

The adventure was instrumental in introducing the yuan-ti as a new species of antagonists.[6] Much like the drow from the Queen of the Spiders Series, the yuan-ti have been featured in a number of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Edition books for the D&D game, and are one of the few species that Wizards of the Coast did not keep open for the "Open Game License".[9] The yuan-ti have also been expanded from their introduction in this adventure to other game worlds, in particular the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.[10][11] Other new monsters introduced to the game through this adventure include the aboleth, bullywug, mongrelman, tasloi, and yellow musk creeper.[12]

On March 26, 2013, it was re-released in digital format on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $4.99.

Full Credits

Design: David Cook
Development: Harold Johnson, Lawrence Schick
Able Assistance: Jon Pickens, Mike Price, Jean Wells
Editing: Harold Johnson, Allen Hammack, Roberta ReilLey, Edward G. Sollers, Steve Winter
Cover Art: Erol Otus
Interior Art: James Holloway, Jim Roslos off, Erol Otus, Harry Quinn, Stephen D. Sullivan
Playtesters: Helen Cook, Allen Hammack, Harold Johnson, Jeff Klinzman, Tom Moldvay, Lawrence Schick, Jean Wells, Skip Williams
Typesetting: Dianne J. Burke Key line: Joyce A. Kress, Laura Roslos , Mary Hendryx Photography: Joyce A. Kress

Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors.

product number 9046 394_51424-6TSR0550 ISBN 0-935696-33-4

Reception

While Different Worlds described it as "a good buy",[13] RPGnet gave it a slightly more favorable rating of nearly 6.8 ("Good").[14] Latter day D&D writer James Wyatt described it as the first "Super adventure", and lamented that with another hundred pages of fleshing out, it could have been as memorable as the landmark Temple of Elemental Evil.[12]

Jim Bambra of White Dwarf magazine reviewed the adventure in the magazine's "Open Box" feature and gave it an overall rating of 5 out of 10, commenting that while presentation of the adventure was quite good (8/10), it seemed to be "hastily thrown together".[15] Bambra gave the adventure playability and enjoyment ratings of 5/10, and skill and complexity ratings of 6/10. He felt the adventure was "very mundane" and "lacks any real cohesion". Bambra noted that parts of the adventure were created for tournament play. The tournament section deals with getting into the city, and he felt the rest of the adventure seemed to be tacked on to that. He did like the mini-campaign included in the adventure, and the ideas included on how to expand on it. However, he felt that any Dungeon Master who used Dwellers of the Forbidden City would have to expend so much effort to make it more than "just a series of encounters," that they were better off "starting from scratch".[15] Bambra concluded that this adventure was "just not worth considering" with all the other better quality adventures available from TSR.[15]

Dwellers of the Forbidden City was ranked the 13th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon magazine for the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game in 2004. Judge Eric L. Boyd described it as a "classic adventure" in which Cook created a "lost city jungle in the great tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs". The players "battle their way into the city through a labyrinth of traps and monsters or find their own way into the sprawling, jungle-cloaked ruins... Cook provides a host of backgrounds to motivate exploration of the city, but the map itself is motivation enough." Judge Wolfgang Baur, editor of Dungeon magazine, described the adventures thus: "This adventure may be best remembered for its monsters—it was from Forbidden City that D&D gained the Aboleth, the mongrel-man, the tasloi, and the yuan-ti. The aboleth that guarded one of the entrances to the city was worshipped by the local mongrelmen as a god."[16]

Reviews

See also

Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Dwellers of the Forbidden City. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Archive. TSR Archive. Retrieved on April 24, 2011.
  2. ↑ I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City (1981), p.2.
  3. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).
  4. ↑ The Scarlet Brotherhood (1999).
  5. ↑ a b c d Schick, Lawrence (1991) Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games, Buffalo, New York⧼colon⧽ Prometheus Books, p. 101 ISBN: 0-87975-653-5.
  6. ↑ a b Decker, Jesse. Monsters with Traction, Part 2. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
  7. ↑ Intermediate Series (I1 - I14). Acaeum D&D Index. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
  8. ↑ (April–May 1981). "D&D Clones". 'White Dwarf' 24.
  9. ↑ Frequently Asked Questions. D20srd.org. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
  10. ↑ Wyatt, James (2001) Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn, Wizards of the Coast ISBN: 0-7869-1832-2.
  11. ↑ Greenwood, Ed (2004) Serpent Kingdoms, Wizards of the Coast ISBN: 0-7869-3277-5.
  12. ↑ a b Wyatt, James (2008) Dungeon Masters Guide (4thth ed.), Wizards of the Coast, pp. 138
  13. ↑ (November 1981). "Dwellers of the Forbidden City". Different Worlds 16.
  14. ↑ I1: Dwellers of the Forbidden City. RPGnet. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
  15. ↑ a b c Bambra, Jim (April 1983). "Open Box - Dwellers of the Forbidden City Review". White Dwarf 40.
  16. ↑ (November 2004). "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time". Dungeon 116. Paizo Publishing.

Bibliography

  • Cook, David. Dwellers of the Forbidden City. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, 1981. TSR9046
  • Mona, Erik, James Jacobs, and the Dungeon Design Panel. "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time." Dungeon #116. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, November 2004.
  • Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.
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This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Dwellers of the Forbidden City on the Forgotten Realms Wiki (view authors.

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