Bloodstone Pass
Encyclopedia
H1 Bloodstone Pass is an adventure module for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
(D&D) fantasy role-playing game
. It was written by Douglas Niles
and Michael Dobson
and published by TSR, Inc.
, in 1985. While it contained some traditional D&D elements, the main portion of the module was a series of mass battles using the D&D Battlesystem
.
combat. In the plot, the player character
s are hired to organize the defense of the town of Bloodstone Pass against an army of orcs
, goblins
, giants
. The army also included human renegades led by a powerful assassin
.
The module's action focuses on leading the armies rather than having the battle occur in the background while the players adventure to find a MacGuffin
.
Bloodstone Pass was written by Douglas Niles
and Michael Dobson
and published by TSR, Inc.
, in 1985 as a boxed set
. The set included a 32-page scenario booklet, a 24-page unit roster, a model-building instruction booklet, 12 cardstock building sheets for constructing a fold-together cardboard village and miniature figures, and 104 cardboard counters.
Originally intended as a stand-alone module, it later became the first part of the four-part Bloodstone Pass Saga. The saga is known as the H series and includes Bloodstone Pass (H1), The Mines of Bloodstone
(H2), The Bloodstone Wars
(H3), and The Throne of Bloodstone
(H4). When The Bloodstone Wars was published, the original generic setting of Bloodstone Pass was retconned into the Forgotten Realms
campaign setting. Module FR9, Bloodstone Lands, describes the area of the Forgotten Realms where the Bloodstone Pass Saga occurs. In this module's version of history the events of H series modules have run their course with the pregenerated PCs.
reviewed Bloodstone Pass for Dragon
magazine #135 (July 1988). He called it a "real nice package" but felt that, because it was designed for use with Battlesystem, "the buildings are not even close to 25mm scale".
Rich Baker
, one of the designers of the 2006 module Red Hand of Doom
, compared that adventure to Bloodstone Pass, saying they provide similar challenges to players.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D) fantasy role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. It was written by Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game.-Early life:Niles was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, and...
and Michael Dobson
Michael Dobson (author)
Michael S. Dobson is an American author in the fields of Business , Alternate History novels and Role-playing game adventures .-Early life:At a young age, Dobson's family moved from North Carolina to Germany; his father...
and published by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, in 1985. While it contained some traditional D&D elements, the main portion of the module was a series of mass battles using the D&D Battlesystem
Battlesystem
Battlesystem is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It was first released in 1985, compatible with either Advanced Dungeons & Dragons or the Basic / Expert Dungeons & Dragons...
.
Plot summary
Bloodstone Pass combines a role-playing scenario with BattlesystemBattlesystem
Battlesystem is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It was first released in 1985, compatible with either Advanced Dungeons & Dragons or the Basic / Expert Dungeons & Dragons...
combat. In the plot, the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s are hired to organize the defense of the town of Bloodstone Pass against an army of orcs
Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, orcs are a primitive race of savage, bestial, barbaric humanoid.-Publication history:The orc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game. The D&D orc is largely based upon the orcs appearing in the works of J.R.R...
, goblins
Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of...
, giants
Giant (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, giant is a type of creature, or "creature type." Giants are humanoid-shaped creatures of great strength and size.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
. The army also included human renegades led by a powerful assassin
Assassin (Dungeons & Dragons)
The assassin is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It first appeared in 1975 in the Blackmoor supplement, as a thief sub-class. It next appeared in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons again as a thief sub-class...
.
The module's action focuses on leading the armies rather than having the battle occur in the background while the players adventure to find a MacGuffin
MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is "a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot of a work of fiction". The defining aspect of a MacGuffin is that the major players in the story are willing to do and sacrifice almost anything to obtain it, regardless of what the MacGuffin actually is...
.
Publication history
Bloodstone Pass was originally the working name of what became the first edition of Battlesystem. However, it was felt that the name did not convey the feeling of the system. After the developers had settled on the name Battlesystem, they used the "Bloodstone Pass" name for the first Battlesystem game accessory.Bloodstone Pass was written by Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game.-Early life:Niles was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, and...
and Michael Dobson
Michael Dobson (author)
Michael S. Dobson is an American author in the fields of Business , Alternate History novels and Role-playing game adventures .-Early life:At a young age, Dobson's family moved from North Carolina to Germany; his father...
and published by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, in 1985 as a boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
. The set included a 32-page scenario booklet, a 24-page unit roster, a model-building instruction booklet, 12 cardstock building sheets for constructing a fold-together cardboard village and miniature figures, and 104 cardboard counters.
Originally intended as a stand-alone module, it later became the first part of the four-part Bloodstone Pass Saga. The saga is known as the H series and includes Bloodstone Pass (H1), The Mines of Bloodstone
The Mines of Bloodstone
H2 The Mines of Bloodstone is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot:...
(H2), The Bloodstone Wars
The Bloodstone Wars
H3 - The Bloodstone Wars is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.-Plot summary:The Bloodstone Wars consists of a Battlesystem scenario depicting a battle to rid a city of a bandit horde....
(H3), and The Throne of Bloodstone
The Throne of Bloodstone
H4 - The Throne of Bloodstone is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.-Plot summary:In The Throne of Bloodstone, the player characters take a trip to the Abyss to steal the wand of the demon prince Orcus....
(H4). When The Bloodstone Wars was published, the original generic setting of Bloodstone Pass was retconned into the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting. Module FR9, Bloodstone Lands, describes the area of the Forgotten Realms where the Bloodstone Pass Saga occurs. In this module's version of history the events of H series modules have run their course with the pregenerated PCs.
Reception
Ken RolstonKen Rolston
Ken Rolston is an American computer game and board game designer best known for his work with West End Games and the hit computer game series The Elder Scrolls...
reviewed Bloodstone Pass for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #135 (July 1988). He called it a "real nice package" but felt that, because it was designed for use with Battlesystem, "the buildings are not even close to 25mm scale".
Rich Baker
Richard Baker (game designer)
Richard Baker is an American author and a game designer who has worked on many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings.-Early life, education, and military:...
, one of the designers of the 2006 module Red Hand of Doom
Red Hand of Doom
Red Hand of Doom is a 128-page adventure module for the 3.5 edition of Dungeons & Dragons . It is designed to be used as a generic D&D adventure, which can be dropped into any campaign world, including a personal one...
, compared that adventure to Bloodstone Pass, saying they provide similar challenges to players.