Not unlike The Mad Cleric my recent forays in the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons awakened (or, in my case, reawakened) a fascination with the early editions of the game, most particularly the first edition of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Although that early rule set assuredly has its quirks, it really possesses a certain magic that difficult to find elsewhere. I honestly believe the latest form of the game strives hard to echo it. Encountering 5th Edition tomes like Tales from the Yawning Portal and Ghosts of Saltmarsh stirred my curiosity about the original versions of those adventures and, ultimately, brought me back to the compelling game that accompanied them.

Although the First Edition of the game has a reputation of being complex, I find that once players grasp the central, fundamental concepts, it quickly becomes very comfortable for them. OSRIC organizes the rules and concepts of the First Edition game into a form that’s also much easier for newcomers to read through and understand. Although I will be using Gary Gygax’s original books in running this adventure, I intend to rely on OSRIC for the essential rules.

The game is open both to longtime veterans of First Edition and to those entirely new to the game. For newcomers, the second edition of OSRIC can be downloaded for free at the Knights and Knaves Alehouse

Expedition to the Barrier Peaks has a storied history in the canon of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. It served as the second official AD&D tournament adventure at the second Origins convention in 1976. It is assuredly a challenging scenario, but one that offers a number of unique encounters and situations for the heroes and heroines that seek to conquer it. My first experience with it as a player remains one of the most memorable games I’ve undertaken, and I’m genuinely excited to present it to those who haven’t had the opportunity to venture into its mysteries.

For purposes of clarity, the only books I will be using in the game will be the 2nd Edition OSRIC book, along with the First Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual, as well as the material presented in the adventure module. I am not incorporating any of the rules from Unearthed Arcana or either of the Survival Guides.