"Need a good 1-night 2nd ed D&D module.." Topic

My buddy Paul is coming back into town and we're trying to get the gang together for a one-night D&D game. I'll be DMing the game using 2nd edition rules.

I'm going through my stuff (I've got a lot of old modules and stuff) trying to find a GOOD, one night module/adventure for 3-6 characters around levels 5-10.

I've hit RPGnow.com and other sites, but must admit that I'm overwhelmed by all the options. So, I thought I'd toss it out here -- any ideas or suggestions for specific modules, or specific companies I should look at?

Things I need:
- Can be run in 4-8 hours
- I prefer a classic Dungeoncrawl (no weird plots or twists)
- 3-6 classic characters (fighter, cleric, thief, mage)
- A game that's FUN

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

Does it have to be 2e? You can run most 1e modules with 2e without noticing anything at all, except for support for some specific 2e'isms like clerical domains. 2e wasn't exactly the treasure trove of module design that Basic and 1e were …

Against the Giants is fun. Works as well in 2nd edition as it did in 1st.

Depending on your party's play style they might finish it in 8 hours.

White Plume Mountain, perhaps?

Levels 5-10

One shot adventure.

It's a "puzzle" dungeon, if that's of concern, but it is definitely a dungeon crawl. One of my favorites.

I also really enjoyed Pharaoh (levels 5-7), later compiled into the Desert of Desolation series: link
The only real "twist" is that it's set inside an Egyptian pyramid; otherwise it's pretty much a straight up dungeon crawl, with some nice puzzles and a good overall story arc.

I enjoyed the village of hommlet.

White Plume is "Classic". Steading of the Hill Giant Chief might be completed in one session.

Your uncle (another crazy dwarf) left you a treasure map..you and your friends decide to go and find the treasure. You find a ton of things to fight (this is encounter intensive as my group enjoys those).. throw in some Trolls and other odds and ends.. After a hard fought four hours, they find the treasure. A case of Spam.. gets'em every time….

How about the Isle of Dread. You can pretty much go as far/little as you want with the adventure.

Another, but not level appropriate, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Probably just ramp up the number of pirates in the second 1/2 of the module.

Anything in an old dungeon magazine would probably fit the bill. I remember being annoyed as a kid that the adventures would only take a couple hours to do for the most part.

Anything in an old dungeon magazine would probably fit the bill.

I agree with this approach or something like it. Most published modules from 1st ed/2ed would take a few game sessions to get through for our group.

Edit : big exception was Ravenloft. We did that a couple of times over the years, that seemed to always go in a longish night. Good thing about that module is they randomize the key bits.

But it's not really a full on crawl.

I second White Plume. It hits all your goals and is a classic.

I like White Plume Mountain as well.

Also take a look at The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Levels 5-7
link

Cheers, Xin

We did "The Steading of the Hill Giant Chief" during an all night sitting at University. Each of the characters was also given a little blurb plus some objectives (one of which included party members/kit). Everybody that was involved still remembers that game more than 30+ years later

S2 White Plume Mountain (for high level characters)
C2 Ghost Tower of Inverness (for med level characters)

Gary Gygax created a great game in D&D but his modules (G,D series) were not that good.

I also thought the A series modules were excellent.

(I played first edition back in the day; I think 2nd edition is very similar)

Thanks for the tips. I'll check out White Plume Mountans and Inverness…

I'm also looking at a 3e module called "The Sunless Garden." It's by Dungeon Crawl Classics. I can rewrite it for 2e.

I'll also pull some old Dragon Magazines for ideas.

Among the Dragon modules, take a look for a golden oldie titled "The Chapel of Silence." It's a one shot created for Basic D&D, but it's easily translated to AD&D. I've run it several times, and it's one of my favorites.