XS2: Thunderdelve Mountain

XS2 "Thunderdelve Mountain" (1985) by William Carlson is an Expert D&D solo adventure designed for a 7th to 9th level dwarf.

Module XS2 "Thunderdelve Mountain" (1985) by William Carlson.  Cover illustration by "Jack Fred" (Larry Elmore).

Creative Team:

Carlson also worked on TSR's "Conan" RPG, writing CN3 "Conan Triumphant" (1985) based on the novel by Robert Jordan, and the article "Combat Complexity" in Dragon #113 (September, 1986).

Larry Elmore wasn't pleased with the cover illustration, and used "Jack Fred" as his signature, a pseudonym shared by himself and fellow artists at TSR for work they felt was not up to their usual standard (as discussed, here).

Mario Macari contributed the interior illustrations.  His other work for TSR included the interior illustrations for CM7 "The Tree of Life" (1986) in addition to illustrations for some of the Fantasy Forest and Crimson Crystal gamebooks.

The Adventure:

I posted a review of this module on Dragonsfoot, back in 2011.

The background incorporates information from the D&D Companion Set rules (1984) involving the Relic of a dwarven clan, a Forge of Power, and the hereditary role of a Keeper, 

A dwarven runic alphabet is also included.

The scenario can be run as a group adventure for 5-8 characters of levels 4-6 or 2-3 characters of levels 7-9, using the reconstructed map by LoZompatore

Location:

Possible location for Thunderdelve Mountain, from a map of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos in the Cook/Marsh Expert rulebook

While a specific location for Thunderdelve Mountain in the Lands and Environs of the D&D Wilderness is not explicitly stated, I've postulated a placement theory* in the western foothills of the Cruth Mountains, within the borderlands of central Darokin.

*see "The Dwarves of Thunderdelve" in Threshold #2 (January, 2014)

New Monsters:

Red Worms, Fyrsnaca, Vapour Ghouls

Hammer of Vitroin:

An intelligent warhammer +1, +3 vs. wyrms; Int 9; Ch 12; AL C.

The stats for Intelligence and Charisma likely refer to Intelligence and Ego.

The alignment must be a typo, as among the hammer's special powers is the ability to cure light wounds, a lawful spell.

Further Adventures:

Five additional scenarios are provided, laying the groundwork for an entire mini-campaign.

A loose sequel to this adventure, "Dragon's Delve" for character levels 3-6, written by Christopher Perkins for AD&D 2e, was published in Dungeon #62.