Running Keep on the Borderlands

27 Jul, 2024

	Gary Gygax Day special

B2: The Keep on the Borderlands¹ by Gary Gygax is a classic introductory module for Basic D&D and is certainly one of the most famous D&D modules ever. Having run it myself, I would like to share a couple of tips and tricks for the best experience playing this module.

📝 NOTE: First of all, the module has an outstanding "Notes for the Dungeon Master" section which I would recommend not skipping, regardless of which ruleset you are running the module in. There are also some useful hints on designing NPCs and floor plans at the back of the module.

Contents

• The Keep
• Under the Keep
• Wilderness
• Caves of Chaos
• Caves of the Unknown

The Keep ↩

NPCs

None of the denizens of the Keep are given names in the module. Name them yourself before running the module to make them more memorable for your players. For bonus points, add some personal trivia, relationship notes, or even some personal quests they can bestow upon PCs.

Here's a reference list of NPCs in the Keep, sans men-at-arms from the Keep's garrison, lackeys, servants, etc.

Under the Keep ↩

I would highly recommend incorporating the excellent dungeon from the Armchair Corporal blog. It comes with new rumors and adventure hooks, so familiarize yourself with this new information as well.

Wilderness ↩

Map

The overland map presented in the module is square-based. If you prefer hexes, there are multiple^2,3,4 hexcrawl remakes of this map online.

📝 NOTE: In the rules below, each square (or hex, depending on the map you are using) is 100 yards wide.

Traveling

I've slightly modified the original rules from the module, presenting them in a more palatable form of short tables.

Movement

Camping

Camping within the 6 square range of a fixed encounter area will have a chance of encountering monsters living there.

Hunting

Hunting takes d4 hours, and there is a 1-in-6 chance to catch an equivalent of d6 rations. If you are using rules for general skills, increase the chance for each point of relevant skill.

Locations

There are four keyed locations on the overland map, not counting the Keep, Caves of Chaos, and Caves of the Unknown. While it is perfectly reasonable due to a relatively small area of the region, I would recommend adding some minor landmarks and marks left by the chaotic creatures which can guide the attentive PCs in the direction of the Caves.

Caves of Chaos ↩

Map

If you prefer using pre-made maps, there is a fine collection of realistic maps of the Caves of Chaos by Jon Pintar.⁵

Factions

It might not be readily obvious that the tribes in the Caves fight with each other. The module hints at the possibility of providing this information to the PCs but doesn't explain the details. The most obvious way is adding this hint into the Rumor Table (p.7), but I would recommend also distributing it at the tavern, especially if PCs ask mercenaries and wanderers that can be found there. The mad hermit from location 4 can also know this if PCs manage to get him talking about it.

Caves of the Unknown ↩

This location on the overland map is left for the DM to design. It is also can be connected to the Caves of Chaos by a tunnel leading to Room 51 - Boulder Filled Passage. While the most obvious decision would be to place B1: In Search of the Unknown⁶ there, I don't see much sense in adding another starter module there (especially when we now have another dungeon under the Keep). Instead, put there the Lost Caverns of Tsojconth [sic] tournament module⁷ or its adaptation for Holmes⁸ on Pandius. Naturally, you can also use the later evolution of this module — S4: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth⁹ for 1e. In either case, there's a pack of realistic maps for this dungeon as well.

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