''Cloudland'' is an unlicensed adventure published by
Grenadier Models in 1984 using the rules of the fantasy role-playing game ''
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ...
''.
Contents
In a role-playing adventure designed for beginning players, the
player characters
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
explore the towers and basements of the abandoned Cloudland Castle.
Although the product is designed for use with the rules of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', this is not stated specifically anywhere in the manuscript, since Grenadier Models was not licensed by
TSR to produce ''AD&D'' products. Instead, Grenadier used the generic term "Fantasy" to describe the rules system.
Publication history
Grenadier Models was founded in 1975 as a manufacturer of fantasy miniatures. In 1984, Grenadier tried to diversify by creating four adventures for various role-playing games: ''
The Horrible Secret of Monhegan Island'' for ''
Call of Cthulhu''; ''
Disappearance on Aramat'' for ''
Traveller''; ''
Raid on Rajallapor'' for ''
Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes
''Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes'' (''MSPE'') is a tabletop role-playing game designed and written by Michael A. Stackpole and first published in April 1983 by Blade, a division of Flying Buffalo, Inc. A second edition was later published ...
''; and ''Cloudland'' for ''AD&D'',
a 48-page book written by Tony Fiorito, with interior artwork by Flint Henry and Gary Pilkington, and cover art by Martin Kealey.
None of these adventures attracted much attention, and Grenadier discontinued writing them.
Reception
In Issue 23 of ''
Imagine
Imagine may refer to:
* Imagination
Music Albums
* ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008
* ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002
* ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012
* ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971
** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
'', Chris Hunter thought the adventure was very poor, saying, "''Cloudland'' from Grenadier Models Inc is appalling! It consists of a castle with five dungeon levels beneath it and is severely overcrowded with many different types of monsters who spend their entire lives sitting in their rooms waiting to be killed by adventurers."
In the March–April 1985 edition of ''
Space Gamer
''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...
'' (No. 73),
Rick Swan
Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR.
His work for TSR, mostly for ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', appeared from 1989 to 1995.
Swan also wrote '' The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin' ...
agreed that the adventure would be terrible for long-time players, but thought new players would appreciate it, saying, "There's definitely a place for simple introductory modules for new roleplayers, and ''Cloudland'' fills the bill nicely. The same elements that make it a treat for newcomers, however, will make it a real bore for the experienced. Size up your own group and proceed accordingly."
References
{{reflist
Fantasy role-playing game adventures
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1984