Sunday, March 21, 2021

B1: Sequels to the Unknown

Module B1 "In Search of the Unknown" was intentionally vague about the fates of Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown, leaving open the possibilities for further adventures.  There have been two notable sequels, one co-authored by Mike Carr, himself.


B0.5 Secrets of the Unknown:


Cover to B0.5 "Secrets of the Unknown" (2015) by Bill Barsh.  Illustration by Matt Costanzo.

Intended as a supplement connecting module B1 "In Search of the Unknown" with Pacesetter's B1 "Legacy of the Unknown", this 8-page adventure was released a few years after Pacesetter's B1.  Both are OSRIC/AD&D 1e-compatible.

After completing exploration of the Caverns of Quasqueton, the PCs are approached by a veteran of the legendary battle in which Rogahn and Zelligar repelled the barbarians.  The old warrior remembers seeing a group of barbarians escaping behind a waterfall.

A short series of encounters leads to some clues regarding the fate and potential whereabouts of the infamous duo.  This adventure is not necessary to complete in order to proceed with B1 "Legacy of the Unknown", but is a nice complement to the latter.


B1 Legacy of the Unknown:


Cover to B1 "Legacy of the Unknown" (2011) by Bill Barsh.  Illustration by Chris Letzelter.

This ambitious 72-page adventure is designed for 4-8 characters of levels 2-4.  It provides answers to the mysteries encountered in B1 "In Search of the Unknown" together with background and the framework for an entire campaign setting.

From documents found in the Caverns of Quasqueton, the PCs have discovered the location of an ancient, ruined city, destination of the final, ill-fated expedition of Rogahn and Zelligar.  Some additional wilderness set piece encounters are included.

Originally intended as part of a series of related adventures, including C1 "The Circle of Fire" (2011), the other modules didn't ultimately see print, as far as I'm aware.  That's too bad, because the underlying concept involving a lost civilization was intriguing.


LR6 Discovery of the Unknown:


Cover to LR6 "Discovery of the Unknown" by Michael Carr and Paul J. Stormberg.  Illustration by Darlene.

"Discovery of the Unknown" was featured as the Legends Tournament at Gary Con XI in 2019.  I was fortunate enough to participate, along with my son.  Our DM was Allen Hammack, and our group didn't fare too badly (although didn't place).

Updated pregens from the back of module B1 were used (I played Dohram, Servant of Saint Carmichael, now a 5th level cleric).  As an extra treat, each of the preprinted character sheets included a character sketch, illustrated by Tom Wham.

The idea behind "Discovery of the Unknown" is that rumors have arisen concerning a fabulous cache of treasure hidden somewhere in the north.  The PCs possess a key, obtained from the Caverns of Quasqueton years earlier, which might provide a clue to its location.

The adventure is designed for 4-9 characters of levels 4-7, and is a lot of fun.  It's presently scheduled to be released by Legends of Roleplaying at some point in the near future.  You can be sure that I'll be reviewing it here, once it comes out.

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