Today's prompt: Amazing adventure
Released in 1979 by Phoenix Games, The Lost Abbey of Calthonwey is my favorite published adventure because it does so many things well. The abbey and the dungeon beneath it are thoughtfully designed as both an intriguing environment to explore and a space for adventure. It leaves open the possibility of further adventure with undefined lower levels upon which the referee can expand. It has a terrific backstory that allows it to be dropped into a homebrew campaign. It's filled with non-player characters with motivations and relationships that reward players who didn't take Charisma as a dump stat.
What makes it stand out for me is how the design of the abbey itself reflects the events of the backstory. Spaces built for a purpose by the brothers are re-purposed in ways that are interesting and make sense. This is a really big thing for me, as it adds a feeling of history to the location that doesn't involve timelines or pages and pages of exposition - it's something the adventurers can see in front of them rather than having it read to them. I'm not sure how much I did this before Lost Abbey, but it's been something I include when designing a feature in a setting ever since: how has this place changed since it was built? what are visible clues to its builders and their intended purpose?
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