Here at one of civilization's strongholds between good lands and bad, you will base yourselves and equip for forays against the wicked monsters who lurk in the wilds. True, some few who do survive the process will turn from Law and Good and serve the masters of Chaos, but most will remain faithful and ready to fight chaos wherever it threatens to infect the realm.Īhead, up the winding road, atop a sheer-walled mount of stone, looms the great KEEP. They will be tried in the fire of combat, those who return, hardened and more fit. Here, these individuals will become skilled in their profession, be it a fighter, or a magic user, cleric or thief. Such adventurers meet the forces of Chaos in a testing ground where only the fittest will return to relate the tale.
It is these adventurers who, provided they survive the challenge, carry the battle to the enemy. Bold adventurers from the Realm set off for the Borderlands to seek their fortune. Yet, there are allows certain exceptions and brave members of humanity as well as similar individuals among its allies (dwarves, elves and halflings) who rise above the common level and join battle to stave off the darkness which would otherwise overwhelm the land. If it were not for stout few, many in the realm would indeed fall prey to the evil which surrounds them. Always the forces of Chaos press upon its borders, seeking to enslave its populace, rape its riches, and steal its treasures. The Realm of mankind is narrow and constricted.
It typifies the dungeon crawls associated with beginning D&D players, while permitting some limited outdoor adventures. Plot twists include a treacherous priest within the Keep, hungry lizardmen in a nearby swamp, and a mad hermit in the wilderness.
Player characters are expected to arrive at the titular Keep and base themselves there before investigating the nearby Caves of Chaos, a series of closely-placed caverns teeming with multiple species of vicious humanoids. The Keep on the Borderlands was ranked the 7th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game. The structure of the "dungeon" as a series of separate caves allows for segmented playing sessions for beginners. The module also provides rudimentary rules for wilderness adventures as these were not included in the Basic D&D set. Tips for running encounters appear throughout the text to assist beginning DMs. The module's cover features artwork by Jim Roslof and notes it is especially designed to help beginning players and Dungeon Masters (DMs). A novelized version of the adventure was published in 1999.
The cover of the first printing included the notation, With minor modifications, it is also suitable for use with ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS this was removed from later printings. Although also available for separate sale, it was included in the 6th to 11th printings (1979-1982) of the Basic Set. It is designed for use with the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set. The Keep on the Borderlands (B2) is a Dungeons & Dragons module by Gary Gygax, first printed in December 1979.