The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Encyclopedia
The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan is an adventure module
for the Dungeons & Dragons
(D&D) fantasy role-playing game
, set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for use with the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. It is the first in the C-series of modules, a set of unrelated adventures originally designed for competitive play, with the C representing the first letter in the word competition.
Originally printed for the 1979 Origins International Game Expo
, the module was made available to the general public in 1980. The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan received generally positive reviews from critics and was ranked the 18th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon
magazine in 2004.
s explore a stepped pyramid
deep in the heart of a tropical jungle—the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. The characters must penetrate this Mayan-style temple, which is full of tricks and traps. Some of the traps include cursed items, firebombs, and triggered statues.
(Origins '79). The original printing consisted of forty loose-leaf pages in a zipper storage bag, with a light blue cover; only three hundred copies were printed for sale at Origins '79. In addition to the adventure itself, the module contains a scoring system and pre-rolled characters for adventuring. The original Origins pre-publication version did not have a module code and was titled Lost Tamoachan: The Hidden Shrine of Lubaatum. After Origins '79, unsold copies were put up for sale at the Dungeon Shoppe in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
. Surviving examples of this version are quite rare and are highly prized by collectors.
The first version published for sale to the general public in 1980 was titled The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan and bore the module code C1. This book was written by Harold Johnson
and Jeff R. Leason, was printed as a thirty-two page book and an eight page book with an outer-folder and a two-color cover illustrated by Erol Otus
, and featured illustrations by Otus and Darlene Pekul
. The 1981 version consisted of a forty page booklet with an outer folder and a color cover. The 1980 version featured a monochrome cover of a fire-breathing bat-monster, while the 1981 printing had a dark brown full color cover with cover art of a green giant. A separate booklet of artwork was included in the module, containing illustrations of what the player character
s would see in specific encounters, including work by Otus, Jeff Dee
, Greg Fleming, David S. LaForce
and David C. Sutherland III
.
The module was the first to introduce players to the Olman
culture of the World of Greyhawk, a society loosely based on Aztec
, Mayan
, and other sources. Most unusual for Greyhawk modules, the adventure therefore references Aztec gods such as Quetzalcoatl
and others. The adventure itself takes place in the Amedio Jungle at a disused temple near the ruined city of Tamoachan.
, and gave the module an 8 out of 10 overall. Bambra noted the adventure's "Central and South American flavour", and "setting... from Aztec and Mayan culture and mythology". He added, "the room descriptions portray this very well and the accompanying booklet of black and white illustrations enhance the atmosphere even more." He felt that the treasures were skimpy, and that Dungeon Master
s running the adventure as part of a campaign would need to increase the total value to make exploration worthwhile to the players. He felt that the recommended levels of 5th-7th was a bit unrealistic, as the lower level characters would have a very hard time in the shrine, and felt that 6th-8th level characters would have a reasonable chance of success. He called the adventure "enjoyable and colourful", especially for players who think and act fast. Bambra said it would appeal more to gamers who like mental challenges and problem solving.
The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan was ranked the 18th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon
magazine in 2004.
Dungeon Master for Dummies includes The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan in its list of the ten best classic adventures, noting the players' destination as a "Mayan-style temple full of surprising traps and devious tricks.
Ken Denmead of Wired
listed the module as one of the "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend". According to Denmead, "the whole dungeon is trap-o-palooza, and it's really important to listen, pay attention, and always assume that when something looks too good to be true, you're probably dead already, so go ahead and grab it."
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
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...
, set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for use with the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. It is the first in the C-series of modules, a set of unrelated adventures originally designed for competitive play, with the C representing the first letter in the word competition.
Originally printed for the 1979 Origins International Game Expo
Origins International Game Expo
Origins Game Fair is one of North America's most prominent annual gaming conventions, second in size only to Gen Con. Origins takes place each year in Columbus, Ohio at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, in late June or early July....
, the module was made available to the general public in 1980. The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan received generally positive reviews from critics and was ranked the 18th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazine in 2004.
Plot summary
The player characterPlayer 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 explore a stepped pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
deep in the heart of a tropical jungle—the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. The characters must penetrate this Mayan-style temple, which is full of tricks and traps. Some of the traps include cursed items, firebombs, and triggered statues.
Publication history
This module was originally used for the Official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons tournament at the 1979 Origins International Game ExpoOrigins International Game Expo
Origins Game Fair is one of North America's most prominent annual gaming conventions, second in size only to Gen Con. Origins takes place each year in Columbus, Ohio at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, in late June or early July....
(Origins '79). The original printing consisted of forty loose-leaf pages in a zipper storage bag, with a light blue cover; only three hundred copies were printed for sale at Origins '79. In addition to the adventure itself, the module contains a scoring system and pre-rolled characters for adventuring. The original Origins pre-publication version did not have a module code and was titled Lost Tamoachan: The Hidden Shrine of Lubaatum. After Origins '79, unsold copies were put up for sale at the Dungeon Shoppe in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
. Surviving examples of this version are quite rare and are highly prized by collectors.
The first version published for sale to the general public in 1980 was titled The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan and bore the module code C1. This book was written by Harold Johnson
Harold Johnson (game designer)
Harold Johnson is a game designer and editor, and an author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early life and education:...
and Jeff R. Leason, was printed as a thirty-two page book and an eight page book with an outer-folder and a two-color cover illustrated by Erol Otus
Erol Otus
Erol Otus is an American artist and game designer, known internationally for his contributions to the fantasy RPG genre, most notably for the early Dungeons & Dragons franchise...
, and featured illustrations by Otus and Darlene Pekul
Darlene Pekul
-Biography:Pekul graduated from Beloit College in 1976.After college Pekul dated Mike Carr, who was working as an editor at TSR Inc., the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons. As a result of this connection Pekul started to do freelance work for TSR...
. The 1981 version consisted of a forty page booklet with an outer folder and a color cover. The 1980 version featured a monochrome cover of a fire-breathing bat-monster, while the 1981 printing had a dark brown full color cover with cover art of a green giant. A separate booklet of artwork was included in the module, containing illustrations of what 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 would see in specific encounters, including work by Otus, Jeff Dee
Jeff Dee
Jeff Dee is an American artist and game designer. Based in Austin, Texas, he is a recognized figure in the role-playing game community and game industry...
, Greg Fleming, David S. LaForce
David S. LaForce
David S. LaForce is an artist, noted for his artwork in fantasy role-playing games.-Career:Along with Jeff Dee, Erol Otus, Jim Roslof, David C. Sutherland III and David A...
and David C. Sutherland III
David C. Sutherland III
David C. Sutherland III was an early Dungeons & Dragons artist. Sutherland was a prolific artist and his work heavily influenced the early development of Dungeons & Dragons.-Early life and inspiration:...
.
The module was the first to introduce players to the Olman
Olman
The Olman are a fictional race of humans in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. They inhabit the southern fringes of the Flanaess and are primarily a tribal people, though in the past they commanded a great empire...
culture of the World of Greyhawk, a society loosely based on Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
, Mayan
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
, and other sources. Most unusual for Greyhawk modules, the adventure therefore references Aztec gods such as Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
and others. The adventure itself takes place in the Amedio Jungle at a disused temple near the ruined city of Tamoachan.
Reception
Jim Bambra reviewed The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan for the British RPG magazine White DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
, and gave the module an 8 out of 10 overall. Bambra noted the adventure's "Central and South American flavour", and "setting... from Aztec and Mayan culture and mythology". He added, "the room descriptions portray this very well and the accompanying booklet of black and white illustrations enhance the atmosphere even more." He felt that the treasures were skimpy, and that Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
s running the adventure as part of a campaign would need to increase the total value to make exploration worthwhile to the players. He felt that the recommended levels of 5th-7th was a bit unrealistic, as the lower level characters would have a very hard time in the shrine, and felt that 6th-8th level characters would have a reasonable chance of success. He called the adventure "enjoyable and colourful", especially for players who think and act fast. Bambra said it would appeal more to gamers who like mental challenges and problem solving.
The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan was ranked the 18th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazine in 2004.
Dungeon Master for Dummies includes The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan in its list of the ten best classic adventures, noting the players' destination as a "Mayan-style temple full of surprising traps and devious tricks.
Ken Denmead of Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
listed the module as one of the "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend". According to Denmead, "the whole dungeon is trap-o-palooza, and it's really important to listen, pay attention, and always assume that when something looks too good to be true, you're probably dead already, so go ahead and grab it."
External links
- The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan at the TSR Archive
- The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan at the Pen & Paper RPG Database
- Lost Tamoachan / C1 Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan at the Acaeum.com