''Treasure Hunt'' is an

adventure module An adventure is a playable scenario in a tabletop role-playing game. These can be constructed by gamemasters for their players, and are also released by game publishers as pre-made adventure modules. Different types of designs exist, including ...

for the ''

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 ...

'' (''AD&D'')

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

, written by

Aaron Allston Aaron Dale Allston (December 8, 1960 – February 27, 2014) was an American game designer and author of many science fiction books, notably ''Star Wars'' novels. His works as a game designer include game supplements for role-playing games, sev ...

for the 1st edition ''

'' (''AD&D'') rules. The

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), 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 tha ...

s must evolve into their roles as the adventure progresses, beginning as slaves on a galley who become freed after a shipwreck on an island where orcs and goblins contend over a treasure. The adventure received a positive review from ''

White Dwarf A white dwarf is a Compact star, stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. A white dwarf is very density, dense: in an Earth sized volume, it packs a mass that is comparable to the Sun. No nuclear fusion takes place i ...

'' magazine.

Plot summary

The characters begin in the Korinn Archipelago, and have been captured by slavers. A sea storm sends the pirate ship on which the characters are being held off course, and it crashes on an island once ruled by Viledel, the Sea King. Allston, Aaron. ''Treasure Hunt'' ( TSR, 1986) Orcs and

goblins A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous humanoid creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances dep ...

are involved in a conflict over a treasure on the island. The characters begin with no possessions or equipment and no money. After surviving the shipwreck, the characters are able to make choices which will both help them develop their sense of freedom and determine what career they will take as adventurers.

Gameplay

''Treasure Hunt'' is an adventure designed for zero-level characters. The

s earn their way to 1st level. The scenario allows the characters to evolve into their roles as adventurers, instead of starting them out on that career. Those who fight well become fighters, those who study the magical items found along the way become magic-users, those who attempt thieving activities become

thieves Theft (, cognate to ) is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal short ...

, and so on. The actions and attitudes taken by each character determine which character class that character will be. Each character's behavior also determines their

alignment Alignment may refer to: Archaeology * Alignment (archaeology), a co-linear arrangement of features or structures with external landmarks * Stone alignment, a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones Biology * Struc ...

. The Dungeon Master (DM) makes regular

checks, and keeps track of how the characters behave in terms of role-playing and with handling magic and combat, recording how a character is developing towards a first-level character with a

character class In tabletop games and video games, a character class is an occupation, profession, or role assigned to a game character to highlight and differentiate their capabilities and specializations. In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes ag ...

. The module includes record sheets as handouts for the DM to track PC behaviors. There is a two-page "Players' Introduction" at the beginning of the adventure that each player is supposed to read themself. The adventure includes a two-page appendix entitled "If Things Go Wrong", which is a detailed, episode-by-episode treatment of ways to handle the player characters if they don't do what they are expected to do during the course of the adventure.

Publication history

''Treasure Hunt'' was written by

, and featured a cover by

Jeff Easley Jeff Easley (born 1954) is an oil painter who creates fantasy Work of art, artwork for role-playing games, comics, and magazines, as well as non-fantasy commercial art. Early life Easley was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky in 1954. He spent time ...

and interior illustrations by

Stephen Fabian Stephen Emil Fabian Sr. (January 3, 1930 – May 6, 2025) was an American fantasy and science-fiction artist who only became a professional artist at the age of 54 after losing his job. Despite being a self-taught artist, he became a widely know ...

. It was published by TSR in 1986 as a 36-page booklet with a 3-panel outer folder. Included in the module is a 12-page removable inner section. The Korinn Archipelago later appeared in the accessory FR2 '' Moonshae''. Issue 194 of '' Dungeon Magazine'' featured ''Temple of the Weeping Goddess'', a zero-level adventure for 4th edition rules written by Philippe-Antoine Menard, who called it "both a sequel and a tribute" to ''Treasure Hunt''.

Reception

Carl Sargent Carl Lynwood Sargent (11 December 1952 – 12 September 2018) was a British parapsychologist and author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels, who used the pen name Keith Martin to write '' Fighting Fantasy'' gamebooks. Early li ...

reviewed ''Treasure Hunt'' for ''

'' No. 93, noting that characters "will need to be resourceful in their choice of action". He felt that the plotline was "guided but not obtrusively so." He also complimented the "If Things Go Wrong" section: "One of author

's best innovations is an extensive section for the GM of the 'What if they do/don't do this?' variety - very useful indeed." Sargent noted an emphasis on roleplaying, careful observation, planning, and sensible negotiation, which he found refreshing, and found the whole adventure "beautifully simple". He felt that "As a first adventure for initiates, this can't be beaten. For old hands who may be tiring of ''AD&D'', it will be a welcome change." Sargent felt that the pre-generated characters were too weak in most cases, but that Allston handled this problem by avoiding excessive scores, and suggesting that players double up better scores on combinations, which leaves options open for further character evolution. Sargent concluded the review by stating, "This is a goodie: well-crafted... and truly creative. Well worth a look even if you don't normally buy ''AD&D'' adventures, you won't be disappointed."

Ken Rolston Ken Rolston is an American computer game and role-playing game designer best known for his work with West End Games and on the computer game series ''The Elder Scrolls''. Tabletop role-playing games Ken Rolston began working as a professional g ...

reviewed ''Treasure Hunt'' for ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

'' magazine No. 125, calling ''Treasure Hunt'' a "fine example" of the subgenre of "low-level adventures in which the characters are stripped of all their game-mechanics resources and forced to improvise with their wits". Rolston complimented a few of Allston's design choices, including having player characters graduate from zero-level to 1st level with the DM tracking their progress, providing explicit staging for the DM, and displaying flexibility with interpreting the ''AD&D'' game rules. He felt the layout and presentation was generally good, calling the interior artwork "stylish", but the cover artwork "unremarkable", and the interior maps "uninspired but functional". Rolston criticized some of the layout choices, such as having the players read the "Players' Introduction", feeling that the material would be much better as a player handout.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Treasure Hunt (Module) Dungeons & Dragons modules Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1986