Desert of Desolation is a compilation adventure module for 1st-edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
It was magic that conveyed you all to Bralizar, & an ancient map that guided you through the pass in The Dustwall. But it was, after all, the tales that finally brought you to this place - tales of endless wealth, of spirit-guarded pyramids, of crystalline obelisks, of gemstones with mysterious properties. Now, as the haunted voice of the spectre before you begins his tale, you wonder if the treasure & the quest are worth the price...perhaps your very lives.
Are you really the heroes of the prophecies, those who will overcome the foretold tests, & those for whom the treasure awaits? It is time to search your hearts before you venture further into the Desert of Desolation.Description[]
Desert of Desolation combines the three previously published individual modules Pharaoh, Oasis of the White Palm, and Lost Tomb of Martek, which were produced for use with the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.
Each module is an Egyptian-styled adventure. The individual modules were well received by critics at the time of their release, and the compilation has garnered accolades in the 2000s.
Pharaoh was created by Tracy and Laura Hickman soon after they were wed in 1977, and published by TSR in 1982. Oasis of the White Palm was a collaboration between Tracy Hickman and Philip Meyers, while Tracy Hickman wrote Lost Tomb of Martek; both were printed in 1983. It was the first TSR product to have the "Forgotten Realms" imprint.
Contents[]
- Foreword
- Chapter 1: Background And Storyline
- Chapter 2: Judging Notes For The Referee
- Chapter 3: Setting Up The Campaign
- Chapter 4: Bralizzar, Gateway to Raurin
- Chapter 5: Across Northknife Pass
- Chapter 6: Desert of Desolation
- Chapter 7: Sunken City Of Pazar
- Chapter 8: Tomb Of Amun-Re
- Chapter 9: Oasis Of The White Palm
- Chapter 10: Temple Of Set
- Chapter 11: Crypt Of Badr Al-Mosak
- Chapter 12: Lost City of Phoenix
- Chapter 13: Skysea/The Curse City Of Stone
- Chapter 14: Lost Tomb Of Martek
Plot summary[]
Pharaoh[]
Pharaoh is an Egyptian-styled adventure that includes a pyramid map and a trap-filled maze. Cover art was provided by Jim Holloway.[1] In Pharaoh, the player characters are driven into the desert for a crime they did not commit. The characters journey to the sunken city of Pazar, and from there they travel to the haunted tomb of an ancient pharaoh. While in the desert, the characters encounter the spirit of Amun-Re, the last pharaoh of Bakar, cursed to wander the desert until his tomb is robbed. Amun-Re begs the PCs to remove his staff of ruling and the Star of Mo-Pelar from his tomb to break his curse. The tomb was built to be thief-proof, and has so far lived up to its reputation. While in Amun-Re's pyramid, the characters can use an item called the Dome of Flight to control or reverse gravity; carelessness can cause them to fall upwards, and the palm trees in this room bear exploding fruit. The module contains wilderness maps, and includes a number of smaller adventures which complement the main one.
Oasis of the White Palm[]
In Oasis of the White Palm, the characters arrive at the Oasis of the White Palm, which is on the brink of turmoil. Shadalah, who is to be the bride of the shiek's eldest son, has been kidnapped. The shiek believes her to be held by his enemies somewhere in the oasis. The player characters must solve a mystery before they can progress further. Once the characters make the contacts they need at the oasis, they continue to the Temple of Set and the Crypt of Badr Al-Mosak, and the adventure concludes in the City of Phoenix; there, the PCs must obtain the three Star Gems (the one from Amun-Re's tomb in the previous adventure, and two more introduced here) and free the djinni if they plan to move on to the next module.[2] The Oasis of the White Palm module contains wilderness maps, and includes a number of smaller adventures which complement the main one.
Lost Tomb of Martek[]
The goal of the player characters is the tomb of the millennium-dead wizard Martek. The tomb lies in the vast Desert of Desolation, and the majority of the adventure takes place within Martek's tomb.[3] The adventure is organized into seven parts, taking the party from the desert through a number of planes on their way to the Citadel of Martek. They must use the Star Gems to revive the dead wizard. When they have done so, he lets them choose from a variety of magical treasure, and leaves to defeat the efreet.[3]
Index[]
Characters[]
- Abu Karesan • Aeraldoth • Al-Dolak • Alham Pasha Burak • Aman Al-Raqib • Amun-Re • Ashuk Masani • Athis Al-Din • Bandik • Baris • Barus Broadblade • Cookie • Corga Kazan • El-Tarifa • Fuigarm • Habrauk Al-Nirin • Hassan Arslan • Hogan Underwood • Kaedros • Kalitrates • Kerina • Khalif Mubrek • Khalitharius • Korus Eikoth • Krinos Pandipolous • Larith • Martek • Munafik • Muthi Pashtral • Nadron Ilanis • Pawnis • Percivilis • Prit • Roland the Minstrel • Rose Underwood • Sardok • Shadalah • Sithal Al-Husn • Sothal • Tasha Lal • Tekuna Chand • Thurnas Netmaster • Tolnus Granicus • Trifakas • Zomara • Zorath Blackblade
- Referenced only
- Badr Al-Mosak • Chininsk Ambar • Elminster Aumar • Fogli Forkbeard • Hochart Vestman • Joachim Mullerschmidt • Kharan • Kalif Maniozimus • Kordan • Sedarik • Takosh-Re • Qatrun Medrusa
Creatures[]
- aerial servant • androsphinx • ant (fire ant) • asp • beetle • beholder • bugbear • camel • centipede • chabang man • clay golem • cockatrice • cryptknight • desert jackass • doppelganger • drow • dustdigger • dwarf • fruitfly • ghast • ghost • ghoul • giant fire beetle • giant mountain goat • giant poisonous snake • giant rat • giant scorpion • giant spider • gnome • goblin • goat • gopher • gorgon • grizzly bear • groaning spirit • halfling • hill giant • horse • huge spider • hyena • jackal • large spider • lurker above • minotaur • mountain lion • mummy • necrophidius • neo-otyugh • otyugh • packrat • pegasus • purple worm • roc • rust monster • sandman • shadow • shadow demon • skeleton • skittercrab • smoke mephit • snake (cobra) • spectre • sphinx • tarantula • thunderherder • tick • tortoise • trapper • troglodyte • troll • umber hulk • war dog • wight • wraith • wolf • worg • xorn • yeti • zombie
Locations[]
- Bodies of Water
- Me'at Halwa • Pool of Tefnut • Resurrection Spring • River Athis • Sweepaway Ford • Oasis of Akhir
- Buildings
-
- Bathhouses
- Baths of Drusus • Baths of Garimsharr • Baths of Kordek • Baths of Persepolis
- Crypts & Tombs
- Crypt of Badr Al-Mosak • Pyramid of Amun-Re • Tomb of Martek (Grandal)
- Taverns & Inns
- Happy Hogan's Desert Igloo • House of Mirth • Inn of the Golden Palm • The Swayback Camel
- Temples
- Temple of Balder • Temple of Eilish • Temple of Horus • Temple of Prometheus • Temple of Ra • Temple of Set
- Deserts
- Plains of Purple Dust • Raurin
- Landmarks
- Skysea
- Mountains
- Dustwall Mountains • Hinjaz • Mound of the Lawgivers
- Nations
- Bakar
- Roads
- Sandvoyagers Track
- Settlements
- Akhir • Bralizzar • Medinat Muskawoon • Pazar • Terbakar
- Valleys
- Athis valley • Breakheart Cleft • Giant Step Cleft • Northknife Pass
- Referenced only
- Alamber Sea • Gheldaneth • Goldenflow • Golden Water • Inner Sea • Jhandyl • Mulhorand • Pandemonium • Phannaskul • Phelzol • Phoenix • Seldazzar • Semkhrun • Semphar • Thommar • Uttermost East • Unthalass • Unther • Ustann • Zindalankh
Magic[]
- Armor & Clothing
- boots of elvenkind • cloak of elvenkind • cloak of protection • harness of Seker • helm of alignment change • necklace of strangulation • medallion of time • ring of contrariness • ring of invisibility • ring of protection • ring of spell turning
- Books
- book of infinite spells • libram of gainful conjuration • libram of ineffable damnation • tome of clear thought • Tome of Time • tome of understanding
- Items
- crystal ball • decanter of endless water • incense of meditation • incense of obsession • liahona • palm sign amulet • phylactery of monstrous attention • scarab of protection • skull of Garath • staff of curing • staff of ruling • staff of teleportation • Star gem of Martek • (Star of Aga-Pelar • Star of Khan-Pelar • Star of Melos-Pelar • Star of Mo-Pelar • Star of Shah-Pelar)
- Potions
- oil of slipperiness • periapt of foul rotting • potion of clairaudience • potion of ESP • potion of gaseous form • potion of invisibility • potion of invulnerability • potion of undead control
- Spells
- burning hands • comprehend languages • dimension door • distance distortion • fireball • flame strike • fly • glyph of warding • haste • lightning bolt • limited wish • permanency • remove curse • sanctuary • temporal stasis • time stop • wall of fire • wall of lightning
- Substances
- unholy water
- Weapons
- Bar-Ethel • Enduval • scimitar of the Sultan • sword of 9 lives stealing • sword of dancing • wand of fireballs • wand of paralyzation • Shylo's Slicer
Organizations[]
- Airlancers • Lancers of Death • Malatath • Pazar dynasty • Sandvoyagers Guild
Religions[]
- Anu • Baldur • Celtic pantheon • Dunatis • Egyptian pantheon • Finnish pantheon • Greek pantheon • Horus • Isis • Norns • Norse pantheon • Osiris • Prometheus • Ra • Set • Tyche • Untamo
Miscellaneous[]
- Armor & Clothing
- baldric • banded mail • chainmail • leather armor • plate mail • robe • sash • turban
- Art & Literature
- 201, A Sea Odyssey • A Thousand Nights and a Night • Better Caves and Dungeons Cookbook • Farewell to Limbs, A Pictoral Vorpal Glossary • Gone with the Air Elemental • Humantales for Young Fairies • Ledger of the Sandvoyagers Guild • Martek, By Martek • Moby Dragon • Orc Stew and Its Uses in Lubrication • Paradise Displaced • Snow Dwarf and the Seven Wights • Tome of Amun-Re
- Currencies
- platinum piece
- Ethnicities
- Durpari • Raurindi • Guilder • Palan-teen
- Fields of Study
- Astrology
- Food & Drinks
- ale • coconut • date • flour • pita bread • wine
- Gemstones
- black sapphire • citrine • diamond • emerald • moonstone • pearl • ruby
- Items
- blanket • book • brazier • candle • chain • cleaver • coffin (sarcophagus) • compass rose • cutlery • davit • gong • hammer • hinge • incense • kettle • manacles • map • mirror • net • oil lamp • pouch • saddle • scroll • stake • tent • torch • vial
- Materials & Substances
- brass • bronze • cement • coal • copper • drow sleep poison • flagstone • glassteel • gold • granite • iron • lead • limestone • marble • mortar • obsidian • paper • plaster • platinum • sandstone • silk • silver • slate • steel • sulfur • wool
- Phenomena
- The Shaitan
- Plants
- bamboo • fern • grass • lily • mold • moss • palm tree
- Titles
- Pharaoh
- Vessels
- reed boat
- Weapons
- battleaxe • dagger • dart • lance • scimitar • spear • whip
- Referenced only
- apple • banded mail • beer • dung • mango • pineapple • orange • pear • splint mail
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This adventure was ranked the 6th greatest adventure of all time by Dungeon magazine for the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons® game in 2004.[4]
Credits[]
- Original Module Design: Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers
- Additonal Design: Peter Rice, William John Wheeler
- Editing: William John Wheeler, Curtis Smith, Edward Sollers, Marlene Weigel
- Cover: Keith Parkinson
- Cartography: Dennis Kauth, Ron Kauth, Dave LaForce, Steve Sullivan, Stephanie Tabat
- Typography: Betty Elmore
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ As the product was adapted to the Realms using Ed Greenwood's first materials sent over to TSR, it is taken to predate the rest of the 1st edition products, which were set in 1357, but to be set close enough in time that those would remain valid. Thus, the date of 1356 is chosen.
External links[]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.
References[]
- ↑ Tracy and Laura Hickman. Pharaoh (TSR, 1982), ISBN 0-888038-007-1
- ↑ Meyers, Philip and Tracy Hickman. Oasis of the White Palm (TSR, 1983)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hickman, Tracy Raye. Lost Tomb of Martek (TSR, 1983)
- ↑ Erik Mona, James Jacobs and the Dungeon Design Panel (November 2004). “The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #116 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (116)., pp. 68–81.