I always thought the episodic comedy about a goofy street judge married to a straightedged Latina band leader was an interesting take on the whole campaign. I think it was even written by Gygax. If I recall correctly I believe it was called "I love Dredd".
When I was in college I slapped together a campaign composed of: The Isle Dread, with The Forbidden City on the central plataeu, with The Lost City sittign in the center of the Forbidden city. Then I wrapped it in a Call of Cthulhu feel by using the old Dieties&Demigods Cthulhu.
I like the idea that the two villains were just the two least liked of their species and got stuck down there when the empire collapsed. They could easily get out if they worked together but they hate each other and refuse to.
Very good recommendation to integrate with Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Note that pirates have a presence in the Isle of Dread, so it's easy to make the pirates related. Charts on the ship in Saltmarsh can lead there.
Dungen Magazine features so many nautical, island, and lost world themed adventures you could easily run a campaign just from those. Add in the 3E Freeport stuff and you have the solid makings of a nautical campaign. That's what I ended up doing.
there's definitely a good "plot hook" and built-in capability to connect them. if you run Saltmarsh, the group can gain access to sea travel by way of the Sea Ghost. hire on a few crew members to operate the ship, and you're all set! :)
If you’re interested in the Mystara setting and want to learn more about the world in the intro, you can always check out Mr Welch’s channel here on RUclips!
We played the Savage Tide campaign published in Dragon Magazine, and it was established on the Isle of Dread. I was eaten by a T-Rex, almost melted by a gelatinous cube, attacked by all forms of bandits and cannibals, out maneuvered aboleths, and finally rallied an army against Demogorgon! 10/10 Would visit again!
Ahoi! Isle of Dread is one of my all-time favorite adventures. I experienced it years ago as a player and had sleepless nights because of the Kopru. To this day I don't know how we survived. And about 4 years ago I directed it as a game master. I have revised a lot and adapted it to my group. We played it (once a week) for almost two years. It was one of the best times and players have grown fond of the island and those who died there. I can warmly recommend the module and advise everyone to include the island in their campaign. By the way: Thank you for your great posts! You are an inspiration and super entertaining!
Love this not only as the most thorough review ever but for the suggestions; so many great additions and alterations you suggest, most of which will work in any setting. And the plot analysis is superb. Hilarious when someone pokes holes in it many years after everyone had bought into the story.
If you did just the tentacle-face you will have them terrified that they are going to run into Mindflayers. As for the cannibals give them pterosaurs they use to attack from on high. Flying down to snatch people from the ground and carry them away to their mountain stronghold.
Yeah. That would be great. They'll all be sitting there thinking "omg, mindflayers" but they can't say anything... (DM rubs his hands together and cackles in glee 😁)
20:00 Here's an idea, one of the Zombie Masters was kidnapped and their apprentice isn't capable of keeping the zombies under control well, so now there's an element of urgency in the "let's make sure the natives don't get munched on by their dead relatives"
Two ideas pop into my mind in regards to some of the suggestions you made: 1. The "stone chief" of the village could simply be just a regular stone statue, no magical powers or anything, but is assigned its importance because the villagers are the descendants of the slaves of the kopru who sided with their masters during the slave revolts, who then made the statue as a kind of cultural coping mechanism when the slave revolt overthrew their masters. The statue is a crude interpretation of the idols the kopru used to enslave populations, but as it was made by human hands, holds no power, and the commands of a slaver are now replaced with guidance the "talking chief" has been trained in by the previous talking chief, like how to farm fish and medical advice both practical and spiritual. The "talking chief" could, as part of the ritual, say something (e.g. "praise to you, benevolent overseer") that the real kopru idol would force a charmed player to say, giving the player characters a bit more of an in-universe warning that something freaky is going on here. Might add some fun tension afterwards with the players unsure if the stone chief tribe is enthralled like they almost were (although I feel any discussion with them would make it clear they aren't--the kopru probably wouldn't be giving out advice for people on how to engage in aquaculture or give couples fertility blessings). 2. An idea that comes to my mind as to what you could have slithering about in the flooded second temple floor is that, in a decidedly pulp-y twist, the monsters are degenerated kopru, devolved to a point where they have lost their limbs, reason and magic abilities, and now dwell in the dark depths of their former glorious civilization, using their tentacled faces to snatch at the small, soft-bodied creatures that dwell within. They aren't particularly choosy about where a meal comes from, as the remains of a few fantons or birds that got in through holes in the ceiling could attest to, and could be another fun way to reveal what the kopru at some point looked like.
I love when Seth and Jack argue about stuff. I would love to see them in the same room! For example: Jack AND Seth are players in a game (with "The DM" as a the DM).
Seth - your Dwellers review is the reason I found you. I’m running a 1/2e campaign with DotFC as the centerpiece and a Sinbad’s adventures a major inspiration as the action occurs between the jungles that hide the City and tropical cities on a southern continent with an archipelago filled with pirates, giants, and fantastic creatures. Isle of Dread is a lost gem that’d be a great fit. Thanks for the reminder and trip down nostalgia lane.
One of my favourite modules, X1, love it. Played it to death when we were kids and ran it as a campaign. I shipwrecked the PCs on it and they just went bananas. Ended up staying on the island and ruling it but with some fantastic pulp adventures along the way.
Did someone say dinosaurs? I love dinosaurs. Loved them since the day I was born. I knew how to say Tyranosaurus rex or Triceratops at age 4 and when Jurassic Park came to theatre, it was a dream come true, as I hadn't seen a dinosaur movie since Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. Any D&D adventure with dinosaurs in it is cool with me.
The Goodman Games version of this one is really handy. It gives the OG module and an updated one for 5e, along with a bunch of useful info for people who've never played classic hexcrawls. It also includes some good updated maps.
Jurassic Park has made this module a perfectly legit idea mine for moderns and scifi too. I had a Traveller GM crib from it for a adventure back in 1985, complete with alien dinosaurs and a space pirate lair guarded by a giant mechanical Kong.
Module reviews like this have given me the confidence to become a DM/Keeper myself, partially from all the information in them and partially because I couldn't resist spoiling so many modules for myself from how fun they are to watch! Thanks for all the hard work Seth!
Don't be scared and jump right in! I learned more about DMing in my first game then I did reading dozens of articles and books as well as watching videos about DMing. Don't worry about mistakes, players know how difficult it is to be a DM and will cut you a lot of slack. ESPECIALLY newer players!
A perfectly timed video! I was actually thinking of placing Dwellers of the Forbidden City and All that Glitters in or around The Isle of Dread, using The Pit of Kutallu and Sinister secret of Saltmarsh as introductory adventures. I believe I'd have quite the pulpy campaign, and allow for some player choice in which adventure to follow. If anybody has any thoughts or tips, I'm all ears.
I'm currently running an Isle of Dred/ Dwellers of the Forbidden City/ The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan/ Hollow World campaign, and we're all having a great time of it. So this review is quite timely for me. Thanks!
I am currently running a Dwellers campaign with a pirate riddled archipelago to boot. Isle of Dread is one of the few original modules I haven’t read. It looks and feels like a great fit as I have a history built around a cataclysmic event that has the continent in its current configuration as a result.
I have fond memories of playing this module in the 80s using AD&D (1st ed.) rules. The DM got creative and we went on a mission to the island to obtain the scepter of the Arch Demon Orcus. On our way to the island, I remember fighting pirates, but I have lost all memories of fighting dinosaurs on the island.
I've seen all your videos and this is one of my favourites. And your extra ideas to make up for the adventure's deficiencies are brilliant. I missed this adventure time round because I was playing AD&D and didn't think of adapting. But 30 years later I think I might well adapt this into the new Runequest campaign I plan to run. Thanks Seth! I'm buzzing after watching this!
I just purchased the Expedition to Barrier Peaks 5e and was looking at Isle of Dread to pick up next! (I'm 31 and missed on playing these classic adventures) you never disappoint with your video topics. You also got my group and me into Call of Cthulhu
I love your reviews. Your suggestions make it more enjoyable and builds on the adventure by a lot. as well as addressing problems and turning them into opportunities. I like how the things we learned about game prep over the years corrects some old legacy problems - like making elements by which there is no hook or link to the PCs, or fleshing out the reason why things are there and the believability of it. All the old errors of the past being opportunities to make old adventures up to date and run better. like repairing a well loved piece of equipment. Agree very much with Rob walker comment i realize. I'm not the only one who appreciates it for that.
This is great. I have had this module since the early 80's but have never run it. Your ideas and customizations are fantastic. I am excited to run it. Thanks much.
Additional reasoning for why the plateau is so hard to get to: teleportation circles. You can have the players find some old broken circles for teleportation, having it so high up would give the ancient civilizations protection from invaders while the teleportation circle would allow access to allies locations
I don’t play D&D anymore but just want to say a huge thank you for allowing me to revisit my youth. I played a lot of these early modules when I was about 12 or 13 and your reviews are bringing back some great memories. Also looking forward to looking at the Call of Cthulhu videos. Used to play the scenarios in an old shed at the bottom of the garden with only candles (was mid 80s) to light the shed as it got dark. Really added to the atmosphere.
Cool assessment & creative ideas. One idea, or alteration, I would make regarding the black pearl, is simply have it be a PART of the Kupru statues. Like an "eye-catching" decoration? (or Magic item component) Something that draws your attention & increases the likelihood of people "staring" at the statue & having to make a saving throw? Maybe even requiring people who try to "retrieve" the pearl from the statue, roll the saving throw? (DM could even decide if removing the pearl disenchants the statue or not.) Also, with all your talk of "tentacles" and the Kupru, I was thinking "Pre-Mind Flayers?". Then, when I saw the statue image, I was thinking "Pre-Aboleth". Man, it has been FOREVER since I played Isle of Dread.
36:52 I always loved the Sinbad films! Golden Voyage was certainly my favorite out of the films. It’s short, sweet, to the point, and has a lot of Awesome moments in it.
I want to mix this with Tomb of Annihilation. Have the old masters trying to grow the Astropal god. The necromantic tribes in turmoil since their ancestors are decaying away due to the death curse. Can combine the encounters from both to have a more populated map!
ToA was pretty much based on Isle of Dread and The Forbidden City, and it just seems to be the way DMs head anyway if their collection of old modules is comprehensive enough. I know I did long before I read ToA and recognized it for what it was.
Love the tie in with Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, which I want to link to the Slaver's Series, so now you have me thinking that the Slave Lords are actually thralls of the Kopru. Would require some revamping of each of the A modules, but they're Tournament modules and already need some love. Thanks for another great review and some truly inspiring insight and comments.
We played through this and it was really epic. DM had a background chart and I rolled really high and was a lord. All of the other characters were lower on the social scale, so early on we all decided that my character would pay them for their service. We crashed landed on the island when the green dragon killed a bunch of our crew and we couldn't pilot the ship well (thank you low rolls). Later on I charged the captain of the pirates on my warhorse. Yes we saved him from the ship wreck. With the captain dead the pirates routed we became the heros to the villagers. Later we turned this island exploration into a kind of farming/resource selling game. It was epic.
So happy you made this video! I was starting to think that you had given up on proper D&D and decided to stick with Cyberpunk, Cthulhu, and Traveller. Those old school BECMI modules that introduced players and fledgling DM’s their first glimpse of Mystara (THE GREATEST D&D SETTING EVER), are simply amazing! Please do more reviews about the modules from that setting. Mr. Welch, (Also a fellow Texan of yours), is an amazing resource for all things Mystaran. Go check out his channel. Mr. Welch Welcome to Mystara
Great video! I love this adventure too. DM'ed it for several different groups, back in the day. I've never thought too hard about the problems at the end. Not all of my groups made it that far. I might just dig it up and put my current group through it. I will definitely take all your advice and suggestions into account.
Isle of dread was my first d and d experience as a player back in the 80s; dinosaurs, Indiana jones fun and pirates, I had a blast. I also had great time revisiting the isle of dread with paizo’s Savage Tide AP back in the 2000s and am planning on a return again in my current campaign. Love this adventure and setting. A real classic
3:00 The upper fold line on that King Kong poster makes it look like Fay Wray is talking doll, and Kong his pulling her string. 😍 5:15 GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri had some great artwork; both in side and out. It also had a cool Venice-themed city map. 19:26 I wonder, is that a Tim Truman illustration of the pirates? He did some work for TSR, and that picture has a strong, Grimjack vibe to it. Thanks for another great video. Jack is so full of great ideas; I can see why Seth keeps him around.
Wonderful review Seth. Love so many of your suggestions (the Saltmarsh add is genius). A couple years back, I ran this as part of my campaign world, and made some changes to the module to fit it. But so much of it was easy to use right out of the book. I picked up the Goodman Games version (love how they included the original versions as well as a solid 5E conversion with even more adventures and monsters added). The hilarious thing is your mention of "7th Voyage of Sinbad". I actually added the island of Colossa to my setting, and was on the way to the Isle of Dread. Most of my players are too young to recognize the movie reference. What is great about this module is that I can easily run this again (even for my same group) and it would run totally different. This is really a great setting for adventure - and the Kopru make for excellent villains.
I absolutely loved Glantri when I was younger; all the different eccentric wizards plotting against each other was great. I think I still have the boxed set somewhere in my basement.
this was a blast from the past! i remember basing a long campaign using this module as a start point then into Saga of the Shadow Lord which was bookended round Red Arrow Black Shield the countries on the main continent all had official D&D Gazetteers released about them; these were great. in depth information about cultures, politics, rulers, people, cities. made for really compelling adventures after the Shadow Lord was finally defeated letting the campaigns continue i think you can get them on PDF i started my players as lvl 1 using Keep on the Borderlands module, basing it in the north of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos - once that campaign got the players to "expert" levels, the Duke took notice and sent them to investigate the mysterious island to the south. after years of adventure and exploration, they returned to find the continent in uproar, with an evil shadow to the north. once again the characters set off to investigate. the first half of that then lead to continental war, and once that ended they hunted the Shadow Lord until he was finally defeated that is when the Gazetteers came into their own - in the upheaval following the war, each country was striving for dominance - or just struggling to survive. by that point the characters where Companion level so suddenly it was about winning land and building their own fiefdoms, or the elf returning home to claim his birth right to the throne of Alfheim, the Viking slaying his usurper brother, etc i got into AD&D later, but never let it be said that Basic D&D was a substandard game - those years of play using only those few modules (plus castle amberville) ruled
This was one of the last pre written modules I used. We did convert it to our version of AD&D. 1982 it was. Much fun ol X1. Used forbidden city as a search and rescue campaign, have stolen from it as it stole from others. 16:00 the way the clan system works needs a lot of jiggering. However, the labor system leaves a lot of openings. How big is the negative energy portal? How is blight kept under control? I used the cannibal aspect as a ritualistic thing, yes, there is a tunnel system. PCs find it while escaping. The "friendly" tribe also has its sinister aspects. 30:00 there are a lot of good documentaries out there.
OOOO this has given me such a good idea for an alternatre situation on this island. Make each of the tribes that remain have one bit of tehcnology that they still understand. maybe the Vikings have some kind of magic stones that lead the winds while a more fortified civilization has lightning rods or something. Basically the old empire only let certain people know certain things and that means the tribes that formed all gathered around one or two pieces of technology which are now sacred artifacts to them and defined their culture.
Enjoyed the original Isle of Dread . Nice wilderness Sand Box with a real Lost World/ King Kong feel to it. Had a lot of trouble with the various tribal interactions back in the day as there was an impulse once the Magic User had his fireball to try to get tribes to collect and then whack them. Yeah we didn't start up a trade route or start gold mining And we never found the pirates. I love you are calling for this after Sinister Secret of Salt Marsh I had an imagined campaign with Salt Marsh / Bone Hill/Lendore Islands / and then Isle of Dread. Haven't done it yet but that's the dream. Had a lot of fun with the Dinosaurs and the Rakasta and the loco weed addled Anklyosaurus. It is definitely worth adding a giant Ape. I remember being underwhelmed with the final monsters.
Love this review, Seth! One of my favorite modules as a young'un. I grew up on BECMI and dabbled with AD&D later. Got serious again 16yrs ago and never looked back. Now I run & play PF1e and D&D5e (for a bit longer) with friends and family. Your X1 suggestions have inspired me to re-tool this module and prep it for my pf1e crew!! Thx so much.
This was one of my favorite adventures when I was first getting into gaming ! So many years ( Decades...!!!!?) ago ! My God - I need a potion of Longevity!
The reason the adventure is not up for Print-on-Demand is because they agreed to hold off for some time for Goodman Game's reprint which includes both of the original prints (the blue and orange covers) within its hardback before the 5e update in it. I suspect it will be up for PoD later this year or next year.
Adding it to Saltmarsh is exactly what I'm doing in my campaign, although the 5e versions of both. I originally got it with the Expert Set back in 1980-ish, not realizing that it was for higher levels, but it always looked cool to me and I always wanted to run it. I only had to wait 42 years! This is assuming they survive raiding the Sea Ghost.
How about replace the Kopru temple and put the space ship from Barrier Peaks there instead. Use the Kopru as the alien race that crashed the ship there and have all the giant monsters on the island metal versions of themselves.
The Isle, Kopru, and black pearls were developed further in the Savage Tide adventure path, in the final 12 print issues of Dungeon (2006-2007), with players sailing to the Isle in issue 141 and adventuring there in 142-145. Solving the mystery of the pearls is a key step to thwart a world-threatening plot by a major power in the multiverse. Your ideas about the Kopru growing multiple pearls to make powerful artifacts are pretty close to to how Savage Tide expanded upon that neglected mcguffin from the original module.
I'm wrapping up a campaign on the Isle of Dread right now. My IoD has Sleestak on it. And a Berserker from Fred Saberhagen. It's been a real blast. I used the Goodman Games 5E version as a starting point and it's a fantastic base for a campaign.
Great job with this review! I wish I'd thought of some of these tips when I ran it. I absolutely agree about the pulp influences in this module. Perhaps you could do a follow up video about adapting it to different pulp inspired genres (Pirate adventure, interwar hero pulp, steampunk, science fantasy)?
Hey Seth, I'm a red box kid. This is my favorite module of all time. Like you said it's not just an adventure, it's a campaign! Thanks Seth, you have a wonderful day!
I suck at making maps. So what I do is take an existing map and convert it to what I need. I didn't realize how big this freaking island is. So now I have to adapt the encounters to something appropriate. (Using tabaxis instead of rakhastas, etc) and carve together something for a smaller party. (2 PCs and a DMPC) I definitely want dinosaurs and lizard men and Spiders but they can't take on a dragon. I'm keeping the temple but changing the villagers to something demihuman. Beastmen maybe. One thing I am adding is a few encounters with classic D&D monsters, like an owlbear and a displacer beast. But it all stems from the map. You can change encounters but you can't change topography (unless you give up on that first map)
The Goodman Games version is highly recommended. Has the two original versions and a rework for 5e with several additional side adventures and added content.
The follow-up which concentrates on cursed supermarket employees, The Aisle of Dread, is drastically underrated.
Do the players have to clean up some spillage ?
@@Nr4747 oozes and slimes, yuck!
I always thought the episodic comedy about a goofy street judge married to a straightedged Latina band leader was an interesting take on the whole campaign. I think it was even written by Gygax. If I recall correctly I believe it was called "I love Dredd".
Now there is an idea for a comedy modern adventure.
Anyone who dared answer the call of "Clean up in Aisle Dread" was never heard from again.
When I was in college I slapped together a campaign composed of: The Isle Dread, with The Forbidden City on the central plataeu, with The Lost City sittign in the center of the Forbidden city. Then I wrapped it in a Call of Cthulhu feel by using the old Dieties&Demigods Cthulhu.
It's like a Matryoska Doll of awesome!
Awesome!
That sounds sick as hell. How did it go?
BTW, the campaign went well, it was like a summertime campaign between my junior and senior year of college.
Brilliant!!
Love these classic D&D module breakdowns. But also hate em for not having enough time to play any of them!!
I like the idea that the two villains were just the two least liked of their species and got stuck down there when the empire collapsed. They could easily get out if they worked together but they hate each other and refuse to.
Well MAYBE if you would stop SLITHERING so goddamn much..
Very good recommendation to integrate with Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Note that pirates have a presence in the Isle of Dread, so it's easy to make the pirates related. Charts on the ship in Saltmarsh can lead there.
You could also easily slot Sinister Secret's sequel, Danger at Dunwater, on the Isle of Dread, as it is a lair of Lizardfolk.
Some old Dragon Magazine adventures fit in too, like Can Seapoint Be Saved?
Dungen Magazine features so many nautical, island, and lost world themed adventures you could easily run a campaign just from those. Add in the 3E Freeport stuff and you have the solid makings of a nautical campaign. That's what I ended up doing.
there's definitely a good "plot hook" and built-in capability to connect them. if you run Saltmarsh, the group can gain access to sea travel by way of the Sea Ghost. hire on a few crew members to operate the ship, and you're all set! :)
This is exactly what I do. If the platers take the pirate's ship, they end up on the Isle of Dread.
I've said it before and I'll keep saying it: this channel is criminally under-subbed.
huh, [earnestly] just realized I wasn't subbed. Thanks.
@@DevKerrigan
I just realized how much I want a turkey sub, with hoagie peppers. I also am unsubbed.
If you’re interested in the Mystara setting and want to learn more about the world in the intro, you can always check out Mr Welch’s channel here on RUclips!
Mr Welch is to blame/thank for my working on an old-school basic/expert campaign that will likely take me the rest of my life to play
Goodman Games Hardback edition has all the original versions of the modules in there in addition to the updated 5th edition. It's worth the purchase.
We played the Savage Tide campaign published in Dragon Magazine, and it was established on the Isle of Dread. I was eaten by a T-Rex, almost melted by a gelatinous cube, attacked by all forms of bandits and cannibals, out maneuvered aboleths, and finally rallied an army against Demogorgon!
10/10 Would visit again!
It made the Black Pearl important.
I remember playing this module back when I was 12 (I'm 47 now). I really want to play this again now!
Seems like yesterday to me
Ahoi! Isle of Dread is one of my all-time favorite adventures. I experienced it years ago as a player and had sleepless nights because of the Kopru. To this day I don't know how we survived.
And about 4 years ago I directed it as a game master. I have revised a lot and adapted it to my group. We played it (once a week) for almost two years. It was one of the best times and players have grown fond of the island and those who died there. I can warmly recommend the module and advise everyone to include the island in their campaign.
By the way: Thank you for your great posts! You are an inspiration and super entertaining!
Love this not only as the most thorough review ever but for the suggestions; so many great additions and alterations you suggest, most of which will work in any setting. And the plot analysis is superb. Hilarious when someone pokes holes in it many years after everyone had bought into the story.
There's always holes if you over think it.
I really love all those suggested additions! :)
@@timd4524 *SNORTS HUGE LINE OF COKE*
IT'S FANTASY MAAAAAN, IT AIN'T GOTTA MAKE SENSE!
If you did just the tentacle-face you will have them terrified that they are going to run into Mindflayers. As for the cannibals give them pterosaurs they use to attack from on high. Flying down to snatch people from the ground and carry them away to their mountain stronghold.
Seconded, on both the Mind Flayer bait-and-switch, and the cannibals on pterosaurs.
Yow.
Holy Johny Quest, Batman.
Good ones.
Yeah. That would be great. They'll all be sitting there thinking "omg, mindflayers" but they can't say anything... (DM rubs his hands together and cackles in glee 😁)
20:00
Here's an idea, one of the Zombie Masters was kidnapped and their apprentice isn't capable of keeping the zombies under control well, so now there's an element of urgency in the "let's make sure the natives don't get munched on by their dead relatives"
Two ideas pop into my mind in regards to some of the suggestions you made:
1. The "stone chief" of the village could simply be just a regular stone statue, no magical powers or anything, but is assigned its importance because the villagers are the descendants of the slaves of the kopru who sided with their masters during the slave revolts, who then made the statue as a kind of cultural coping mechanism when the slave revolt overthrew their masters. The statue is a crude interpretation of the idols the kopru used to enslave populations, but as it was made by human hands, holds no power, and the commands of a slaver are now replaced with guidance the "talking chief" has been trained in by the previous talking chief, like how to farm fish and medical advice both practical and spiritual. The "talking chief" could, as part of the ritual, say something (e.g. "praise to you, benevolent overseer") that the real kopru idol would force a charmed player to say, giving the player characters a bit more of an in-universe warning that something freaky is going on here. Might add some fun tension afterwards with the players unsure if the stone chief tribe is enthralled like they almost were (although I feel any discussion with them would make it clear they aren't--the kopru probably wouldn't be giving out advice for people on how to engage in aquaculture or give couples fertility blessings).
2. An idea that comes to my mind as to what you could have slithering about in the flooded second temple floor is that, in a decidedly pulp-y twist, the monsters are degenerated kopru, devolved to a point where they have lost their limbs, reason and magic abilities, and now dwell in the dark depths of their former glorious civilization, using their tentacled faces to snatch at the small, soft-bodied creatures that dwell within. They aren't particularly choosy about where a meal comes from, as the remains of a few fantons or birds that got in through holes in the ceiling could attest to, and could be another fun way to reveal what the kopru at some point looked like.
I love when Seth and Jack argue about stuff.
I would love to see them in the same room!
For example: Jack AND Seth are players in a game (with "The DM" as a the DM).
Seth - your Dwellers review is the reason I found you. I’m running a 1/2e campaign with DotFC as the centerpiece and a Sinbad’s adventures a major inspiration as the action occurs between the jungles that hide the City and tropical cities on a southern continent with an archipelago filled with pirates, giants, and fantastic creatures. Isle of Dread is a lost gem that’d be a great fit. Thanks for the reminder and trip down nostalgia lane.
One of my favourite modules, X1, love it. Played it to death when we were kids and ran it as a campaign. I shipwrecked the PCs on it and they just went bananas. Ended up staying on the island and ruling it but with some fantastic pulp adventures along the way.
Love that they became the rulers that's awesome
Did someone say dinosaurs?
I love dinosaurs. Loved them since the day I was born. I knew how to say Tyranosaurus rex or Triceratops at age 4 and when Jurassic Park came to theatre, it was a dream come true, as I hadn't seen a dinosaur movie since Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend.
Any D&D adventure with dinosaurs in it is cool with me.
Gotta have dinosaurs! LOL 😍
It's now up for Print-on-Demand on DM's Guild, btw!
Currently running the Goodman Games version. In my version, the island was dragged to the Plane of Water. Good times.
The Goodman Games version of this one is really handy. It gives the OG module and an updated one for 5e, along with a bunch of useful info for people who've never played classic hexcrawls. It also includes some good updated maps.
Every one of the OAR adventures are fantastic! I have the Isle of Dread and the Lost City. Fantastic
Ah, yes. The Lost City, another classic!
I have no desire to play 5e but I am so glad Goodman has been updating classic modules. It's wonderful.
@@AdairTheSkull I don't run 5e either, I take the older adventures and run them with Dungeon Crawl Classics. It works out great.
@@AdairTheSkull same, I own a few of their other remade adventures for the purpose of not actually using them for D&D lol
Jurassic Park has made this module a perfectly legit idea mine for moderns and scifi too. I had a Traveller GM crib from it for a adventure back in 1985, complete with alien dinosaurs and a space pirate lair guarded by a giant mechanical Kong.
I remember how excited I was opening up my Expert Set and finding this. Still one of my favorite modules of all time.
No doubt. I bought the B/X boxes and ran the snot out of IoD and KOTB. Best modules ever.
Module reviews like this have given me the confidence to become a DM/Keeper myself, partially from all the information in them and partially because I couldn't resist spoiling so many modules for myself from how fun they are to watch! Thanks for all the hard work Seth!
Don't be scared and jump right in! I learned more about DMing in my first game then I did reading dozens of articles and books as well as watching videos about DMing. Don't worry about mistakes, players know how difficult it is to be a DM and will cut you a lot of slack. ESPECIALLY newer players!
Your humor is spot-on! The whole editions thing, then the pronunciation lament were epic!
A perfectly timed video! I was actually thinking of placing Dwellers of the Forbidden City and All that Glitters in or around The Isle of Dread, using The Pit of Kutallu and Sinister secret of Saltmarsh as introductory adventures. I believe I'd have quite the pulpy campaign, and allow for some player choice in which adventure to follow.
If anybody has any thoughts or tips, I'm all ears.
I'm currently running an Isle of Dred/ Dwellers of the Forbidden City/ The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan/ Hollow World campaign, and we're all having a great time of it. So this review is quite timely for me. Thanks!
I am currently running a Dwellers campaign with a pirate riddled archipelago to boot. Isle of Dread is one of the few original modules I haven’t read. It looks and feels like a great fit as I have a history built around a cataclysmic event that has the continent in its current configuration as a result.
I have fond memories of playing this module in the 80s using AD&D (1st ed.) rules.
The DM got creative and we went on a mission to the island to obtain the scepter of the Arch Demon Orcus.
On our way to the island, I remember fighting pirates, but I have lost all memories of fighting dinosaurs on the island.
Great review! A couple of years ago when a DM started us on Tomb of Annihilation, I found myself with nothing but fond memories of X1.
I've seen all your videos and this is one of my favourites. And your extra ideas to make up for the adventure's deficiencies are brilliant. I missed this adventure time round because I was playing AD&D and didn't think of adapting. But 30 years later I think I might well adapt this into the new Runequest campaign I plan to run. Thanks Seth! I'm buzzing after watching this!
Thank you for making these videos. It is really comforting to listen to when I go to bed or nap.
I just purchased the Expedition to Barrier Peaks 5e and was looking at Isle of Dread to pick up next! (I'm 31 and missed on playing these classic adventures) you never disappoint with your video topics. You also got my group and me into Call of Cthulhu
I've been running a lot of Old School Essentials (a Basic/Expert clone) recently. I may have to grab this to run in that.
Love the old stuff. It just has a different feel to me from the newer internet/online stuff.
And if your looking for more on Mystara then I have to suggest Mr. Welch (Yes, that Mr. Welch) Welcome to Mystara series.
I love your reviews.
Your suggestions make it more enjoyable and builds on the adventure by a lot.
as well as addressing problems and turning them into opportunities.
I like how the things we learned about game prep over the years corrects some old legacy problems - like making elements by which there is no hook or link to the PCs, or fleshing out the reason why things are there and the believability of it. All the old errors of the past being opportunities to make old adventures up to date and run better. like repairing a well loved piece of equipment.
Agree very much with Rob walker comment i realize. I'm not the only one who appreciates it for that.
This is great. I have had this module since the early 80's but have never run it. Your ideas and customizations are fantastic. I am excited to run it. Thanks much.
Additional reasoning for why the plateau is so hard to get to: teleportation circles. You can have the players find some old broken circles for teleportation, having it so high up would give the ancient civilizations protection from invaders while the teleportation circle would allow access to allies locations
I don’t play D&D anymore but just want to say a huge thank you for allowing me to revisit my youth. I played a lot of these early modules when I was about 12 or 13 and your reviews are bringing back some great memories. Also looking forward to looking at the Call of Cthulhu videos. Used to play the scenarios in an old shed at the bottom of the garden with only candles (was mid 80s) to light the shed as it got dark. Really added to the atmosphere.
Cool assessment & creative ideas.
One idea, or alteration, I would make regarding the black pearl, is simply have it be a PART of the Kupru statues. Like an "eye-catching" decoration? (or Magic item component)
Something that draws your attention & increases the likelihood of people "staring" at the statue & having to make a saving throw?
Maybe even requiring people who try to "retrieve" the pearl from the statue, roll the saving throw? (DM could even decide if removing the pearl disenchants the statue or not.)
Also, with all your talk of "tentacles" and the Kupru, I was thinking "Pre-Mind Flayers?". Then, when I saw the statue image, I was thinking "Pre-Aboleth".
Man, it has been FOREVER since I played Isle of Dread.
What about post-aboleth and pre-illithid... a kind of missing link between these two mind-bending species?
Man Seth I’ve been *waiting* for you to cover D&D again! Thanks so much.
Man that brought back so many memories! Thanks so much for this!
36:52
I always loved the Sinbad films! Golden Voyage was certainly my favorite out of the films. It’s short, sweet, to the point, and has a lot of Awesome moments in it.
I want to mix this with Tomb of Annihilation. Have the old masters trying to grow the Astropal god.
The necromantic tribes in turmoil since their ancestors are decaying away due to the death curse.
Can combine the encounters from both to have a more populated map!
ToA was pretty much based on Isle of Dread and The Forbidden City, and it just seems to be the way DMs head anyway if their collection of old modules is comprehensive enough. I know I did long before I read ToA and recognized it for what it was.
Hmmm, nice thinking.
A buddy sent me the Basic/X1/X2 box sets as a gift a while back and I got a real kick out of Isle of Dread.
I'm a newbie DM and I just started running this module in 3.5, perfect timing honestly and really needed this so thank you
Love the tie in with Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, which I want to link to the Slaver's Series, so now you have me thinking that the Slave Lords are actually thralls of the Kopru. Would require some revamping of each of the A modules, but they're Tournament modules and already need some love. Thanks for another great review and some truly inspiring insight and comments.
We played through this and it was really epic. DM had a background chart and I rolled really high and was a lord. All of the other characters were lower on the social scale, so early on we all decided that my character would pay them for their service. We crashed landed on the island when the green dragon killed a bunch of our crew and we couldn't pilot the ship well (thank you low rolls). Later on I charged the captain of the pirates on my warhorse. Yes we saved him from the ship wreck. With the captain dead the pirates routed we became the heros to the villagers. Later we turned this island exploration into a kind of farming/resource selling game. It was epic.
So happy you made this video! I was starting to think that you had given up on proper D&D and decided to stick with Cyberpunk, Cthulhu, and Traveller. Those old school BECMI modules that introduced players and fledgling DM’s their first glimpse of Mystara (THE GREATEST D&D SETTING EVER), are simply amazing! Please do more reviews about the modules from that setting. Mr. Welch, (Also a fellow Texan of yours), is an amazing resource for all things Mystaran.
Go check out his channel.
Mr. Welch Welcome to Mystara
Great video! I love this adventure too. DM'ed it for several different groups, back in the day.
I've never thought too hard about the problems at the end. Not all of my groups made it that far.
I might just dig it up and put my current group through it.
I will definitely take all your advice and suggestions into account.
Just when I'm about to start preparing it for future sessions, you're a gift to us good sir.
Isle of dread was my first d and d experience as a player back in the 80s; dinosaurs, Indiana jones fun and pirates, I had a blast. I also had great time revisiting the isle of dread with paizo’s Savage Tide AP back in the 2000s and am planning on a return again in my current campaign. Love this adventure and setting. A real classic
We're getting a classic D&D review??? Bless my lucky stars.
"casts bless at first level."
Right?!? I love these
3:00 The upper fold line on that King Kong poster makes it look like Fay Wray is talking doll, and Kong his pulling her string. 😍
5:15 GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri had some great artwork; both in side and out. It also had a cool Venice-themed city map.
19:26 I wonder, is that a Tim Truman illustration of the pirates? He did some work for TSR, and that picture has a strong, Grimjack vibe to it.
Thanks for another great video. Jack is so full of great ideas; I can see why Seth keeps him around.
always great to see classic d&d content from your channel
Man this brings back some good times we had placed this isle in the Maztica campaign setting so it had an Aztec flair
X1 Isle of Dread was one of my top three adventures as a kid! I say top three just to give myself some wiggle room. I loved this adventure.
You’re cutaway bits are really well done/well meshed into the review nice work
Wonderful review Seth. Love so many of your suggestions (the Saltmarsh add is genius). A couple years back, I ran this as part of my campaign world, and made some changes to the module to fit it. But so much of it was easy to use right out of the book. I picked up the Goodman Games version (love how they included the original versions as well as a solid 5E conversion with even more adventures and monsters added). The hilarious thing is your mention of "7th Voyage of Sinbad". I actually added the island of Colossa to my setting, and was on the way to the Isle of Dread. Most of my players are too young to recognize the movie reference. What is great about this module is that I can easily run this again (even for my same group) and it would run totally different. This is really a great setting for adventure - and the Kopru make for excellent villains.
I absolutely loved Glantri when I was younger; all the different eccentric wizards plotting against each other was great. I think I still have the boxed set somewhere in my basement.
Another great video! I find myself rewatching yours often!
this was a blast from the past! i remember basing a long campaign using this module as a start point then into Saga of the Shadow Lord which was bookended round Red Arrow Black Shield
the countries on the main continent all had official D&D Gazetteers released about them; these were great. in depth information about cultures, politics, rulers, people, cities. made for really compelling adventures after the Shadow Lord was finally defeated letting the campaigns continue
i think you can get them on PDF
i started my players as lvl 1 using Keep on the Borderlands module, basing it in the north of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos - once that campaign got the players to "expert" levels, the Duke took notice and sent them to investigate the mysterious island to the south. after years of adventure and exploration, they returned to find the continent in uproar, with an evil shadow to the north. once again the characters set off to investigate. the first half of that then lead to continental war, and once that ended they hunted the Shadow Lord until he was finally defeated
that is when the Gazetteers came into their own - in the upheaval following the war, each country was striving for dominance - or just struggling to survive. by that point the characters where Companion level so suddenly it was about winning land and building their own fiefdoms, or the elf returning home to claim his birth right to the throne of Alfheim, the Viking slaying his usurper brother, etc
i got into AD&D later, but never let it be said that Basic D&D was a substandard game - those years of play using only those few modules (plus castle amberville) ruled
Nothing gets me to click on a video faster than being able to hear Seth's greeting in a new video,
This was one of the last pre written modules I used. We did convert it to our version of AD&D. 1982 it was.
Much fun ol X1.
Used forbidden city as a search and rescue campaign, have stolen from it as it stole from others.
16:00 the way the clan system works needs a lot of jiggering. However, the labor system leaves a lot of openings.
How big is the negative energy portal? How is blight kept under control?
I used the cannibal aspect as a ritualistic thing, yes, there is a tunnel system. PCs find it while escaping. The "friendly" tribe also has its sinister aspects.
30:00 there are a lot of good documentaries out there.
Oh man, this is a great review! And the extra ideas are really awesome, thank you sir!
Its so great to see you brimming with ideas and inspiration!
These are always my favorite videos of yours. Such great information.
OOOO this has given me such a good idea for an alternatre situation on this island. Make each of the tribes that remain have one bit of tehcnology that they still understand. maybe the Vikings have some kind of magic stones that lead the winds while a more fortified civilization has lightning rods or something. Basically the old empire only let certain people know certain things and that means the tribes that formed all gathered around one or two pieces of technology which are now sacred artifacts to them and defined their culture.
Enjoyed the original Isle of Dread . Nice wilderness Sand Box with a real Lost World/ King Kong feel to it. Had a lot of trouble with the various tribal interactions back in the day as there was an impulse once the Magic User had his fireball to try to get tribes to collect and then whack them. Yeah we didn't start up a trade route or start gold mining And we never found the pirates.
I love you are calling for this after Sinister Secret of Salt Marsh I had an imagined campaign with Salt Marsh / Bone Hill/Lendore Islands / and then Isle of Dread. Haven't done it yet but that's the dream.
Had a lot of fun with the Dinosaurs and the Rakasta and the loco weed addled Anklyosaurus.
It is definitely worth adding a giant Ape.
I remember being underwhelmed with the final monsters.
Isle of dread is my absolute favorite of all time modules. I too have used it and ripped it off a billion times.
I must have watched this nearly a dozen times. It has become 'comfort viewing' at this point. Thank you, Seth.
Your vids are always charming and thought-provoking, thanks so much Seth!
BX? That's my jam! Zeb is a great guy. I really regret never meeting Tom Moldvay.
me too. it's really hard to find out any information about him.
It would be a lot of work mechanically, but Isle of Dread is also ripe for conversion to Modiphius' Conan game.
Love this review, Seth! One of my favorite modules as a young'un. I grew up on BECMI and dabbled with AD&D later. Got serious again 16yrs ago and never looked back. Now I run & play PF1e and D&D5e (for a bit longer) with friends and family.
Your X1 suggestions have inspired me to re-tool this module and prep it for my pf1e crew!! Thx so much.
This was one of my favorite adventures when I was first getting into gaming ! So many years ( Decades...!!!!?) ago ! My God - I need a potion of Longevity!
Re: longevity, I suggest you do a web search for “blue zones”.
The reason the adventure is not up for Print-on-Demand is because they agreed to hold off for some time for Goodman Game's reprint which includes both of the original prints (the blue and orange covers) within its hardback before the 5e update in it. I suspect it will be up for PoD later this year or next year.
Good to know.
Adding it to Saltmarsh is exactly what I'm doing in my campaign, although the 5e versions of both. I originally got it with the Expert Set back in 1980-ish, not realizing that it was for higher levels, but it always looked cool to me and I always wanted to run it. I only had to wait 42 years!
This is assuming they survive raiding the Sea Ghost.
I LOVE these reviews old modules. Great work!
Out of the many modules I’ve read, this is the one I most want to play. 😀
Really cool review, gave me lot of inspiration for my own campaign, thanks !
Awesome blast from the past! IoD is a true classic. This takes me way back, thanks!
Me too! Wow!
My favorite D&D module. I updated it for my own game to 5e and dumped it into the world I was playing with. The players liked it.
Best TSR published adventure EVER!
I was just watching some of these old reviews. Cool a new one.
How about replace the Kopru temple and put the space ship from Barrier Peaks there instead. Use the Kopru as the alien race that crashed the ship there and have all the giant monsters on the island metal versions of themselves.
Your ideas for the backstory are fantastic.
OMG, I have the original printing in my pile.
We loved this adventure.
The Isle, Kopru, and black pearls were developed further in the Savage Tide adventure path, in the final 12 print issues of Dungeon (2006-2007), with players sailing to the Isle in issue 141 and adventuring there in 142-145. Solving the mystery of the pearls is a key step to thwart a world-threatening plot by a major power in the multiverse. Your ideas about the Kopru growing multiple pearls to make powerful artifacts are pretty close to to how Savage Tide expanded upon that neglected mcguffin from the original module.
I'm wrapping up a campaign on the Isle of Dread right now. My IoD has Sleestak on it. And a Berserker from Fred Saberhagen. It's been a real blast. I used the Goodman Games 5E version as a starting point and it's a fantastic base for a campaign.
Great job with this review! I wish I'd thought of some of these tips when I ran it. I absolutely agree about the pulp influences in this module. Perhaps you could do a follow up video about adapting it to different pulp inspired genres (Pirate adventure, interwar hero pulp, steampunk, science fantasy)?
Thanks for this video! I love your reviews of older modules!!!
Hey Seth, I'm a red box kid. This is my favorite module of all time. Like you said it's not just an adventure, it's a campaign!
Thanks Seth, you have a wonderful day!
I suck at making maps. So what I do is take an existing map and convert it to what I need. I didn't realize how big this freaking island is. So now I have to adapt the encounters to something appropriate. (Using tabaxis instead of rakhastas, etc) and carve together something for a smaller party. (2 PCs and a DMPC) I definitely want dinosaurs and lizard men and Spiders but they can't take on a dragon. I'm keeping the temple but changing the villagers to something demihuman. Beastmen maybe. One thing I am adding is a few encounters with classic D&D monsters, like an owlbear and a displacer beast. But it all stems from the map. You can change encounters but you can't change topography (unless you give up on that first map)
Wonderful as always Seth.
The Goodman Games version is highly recommended. Has the two original versions and a rework for 5e with several additional side adventures and added content.
Though it’s a very expensive way to get the same adventure written three times back to back
@@dilarus8231 true. Its a hefty book, though. The GG rework of Village of Hommlet and Temple of Elemental Evil is 2X as big, and 2X as costly.
8:06 - In the dark and magical land of Mystara.. an evil presence dwells... that is the inheritance tax.
Any DMs about to run Ghosts of Saltmarsh - get this adventure, it can slot PERFECTLY with it.
34:40 OR....the black pearls are the dominators eggs!
This was great! I miss hearing about D&D stoires. Are we ever getting anymore cyberpunk stories as well?