Exploring the Origins: Dungeon Magazine Issue #1 and Its Classic Adventures
In 1986, TSR introduced Dungeon Adventures, later known simply as Dungeon Magazine, as a sister publication to Dragon Magazine. While Dragon covered broad RPG topics, Dungeon was laser-focused on delivering ready-to-play adventure modules for Dungeons & Dragons. Issue #1 set the foundation for what would become an essential resource for Dungeon Masters (DMs) worldwide. With its mix of dungeon crawls, wilderness treks, and unique roleplaying encounters, this inaugural issue provided a treasure trove of adventures that still hold up today.
A New Era of Adventure Design
Roger E. Moore, the magazine’s editor, laid out the vision in his editorial: Dungeon would be a community-driven magazine, showcasing adventures written not just by TSR staff but also by game masters and writers from across the world. Unlike Dragon Magazine, which focused on game mechanics, lore, and editorials, Dungeon was designed to give DMs fully fleshed-out adventures, ready to drop into their campaigns.
Cover Art: A Fiery Introduction
The first issue of Dungeon featured Keith Parkinson’s stunning cover illustration: Flame, a massive, enraged red dragon from the adventure Into the Fire. Parkinson, known for his legendary fantasy artwork, borrowed from actual European treasure hoards to ensure that the dragon’s hoard looked authentic. This attention to detail and historical realism became a defining feature of TSR’s art style.
The Adventures Inside Dungeon #1
Dungeon #1 was packed with six distinct adventures, each offering different gameplay styles and challenges. From deep dungeon crawls to mysterious wilderness quests, these modules showcased the creative depth of early D&D design. Let’s take a deep dive into each of these adventures.
1. The Dark Tower of Cabilar (by Michael Ashton & Lee Sperry)
- Level Range: 4th-7th level
- Setting: A ruined fortress with a dark secret
- Plot Summary: A vampire has stolen the royal crown, and the only way to retrieve it is by infiltrating his ominous tower. The adventurers must navigate a treacherous dungeon, filled with traps, undead guardians, and sinister magic.
- Notable Features:
- The tower contains a hidden lair, where Cabilar, the vampire-wizard, waits with his undead minions.
- A mysterious jade crown, central to the adventure, carries an untold history.
- The dungeon includes a tricky puzzle involving weight-sensitive ledges, which can collapse at any moment.
- Cabilar’s personal guards are charmed and enhanced by dark magic, making them deadlier than standard foes.
2. Assault on Eddistone Point (by Frank Mentzer)
- Level Range: 3rd-5th level
- Setting: A remote signal tower in the mountains
- Plot Summary: A beacon tower that once guided travelers has gone dark. The adventurers are tasked with investigating the disappearance of its keepers, only to uncover a mystical threat hidden within the misty peaks.
- Notable Features:
- A mix of survival and mystery gameplay, as players deal with harsh mountain terrain and unknown dangers.
- The final battle takes place in a collapsed tower chamber, where players must navigate the unstable ruins.
- The adventure encourages problem-solving over brute force, rewarding clever tactics.
3. Grakhirt’s Lair (by Randy Maxwell)
- Level Range: 1st-3rd level
- Setting: A fortified goblin stronghold
- Plot Summary: A norker chieftain (a stronger breed of goblin) has begun raiding nearby villages, rallying various monstrous factions. The party must infiltrate his stronghold, take down the leader, and prevent a full-scale invasion.
- Notable Features:
- A tactical, combat-heavy dungeon filled with booby traps, ambushes, and goblin-infested tunnels.
- Players must locate Grakhirt’s secret escape tunnel before he flees to regroup his forces.
- The adventure introduces moral dilemmas, such as whether to kill the norker leader or take him prisoner.
4. The Elven Home (by Deborah Christian)
- Level Range: Any level
- Setting: A mystical elven dwelling
- Plot Summary: A brief roleplaying-heavy encounter where adventurers stumble upon an enchanted elven home, unlike anything they’ve seen before. Here, they can forge alliances, uncover ancient knowledge, or insult the wrong fey lord.
- Notable Features:
- A non-combat social adventure that rewards players who engage in roleplaying.
- Elven hospitality comes with unexpected magical consequences.
- The adventure can lead to future side quests, magical boons, or powerful rivals.
5. Into the Fire (by Grant Boucher)
- Level Range: 5th-8th level
- Setting: A volcanic mountain range
- Plot Summary: A 15-year-old mystery about a missing expedition leads players into the heart of a volcanic wasteland. The last team sent in was completely destroyed. Now, it’s the adventurers’ turn.
- Notable Features:
- A ticking-clock element, as lava flows threaten to trap the players inside.
- Fire-resistant creatures and deadly environmental hazards.
- A massive red dragon, Flame, who holds the key to the lost expedition’s fate.
6. Guardians of the Tomb (by Carl Smith)
- Level Range: 2nd-5th level
- Setting: A cursed shrine deep in the woods
- Plot Summary: A group of adventurers is sent to investigate a ruined temple, where all previous visitors have vanished. What lurks inside is a deadly force tied to an ancient curse.
- Notable Features:
- The temple is trapped with magical wards and animated guardians.
- A puzzle-based dungeon crawl, requiring clever thinking rather than brute force.
- The final encounter involves a powerful undead protector, whose motivations can be negotiated or fought.
A Legacy Begins
With Dungeon Magazine #1, TSR successfully created a dedicated space for adventure modules, ensuring that DMs always had new material to run. The magazine’s focus on high-quality adventures, reader submissions, and diverse storytelling styles helped it gain a cult following among tabletop gamers.
These adventures remain timeless examples of early RPG design, showcasing the variety that Dungeon had to offer: deadly dungeons, political intrigue, social encounters, and high-stakes combat. The legacy of Dungeon Magazine lived on, shaping how adventures were written and presented for decades.
For anyone looking to recapture the golden age of tabletop gaming, revisiting Dungeon #1 is like opening a portal to the origins of adventure itself.
