Vault of the Drow
| Greyhawk Source | |
|---|---|
| Vault of the Drow | |
| Type | Adventure |
| Code/ Abbreviation | D3 |
| Edition | AD&D 1st edition |
| Author(s) | Gary Gygax |
| First Published | 1978 |
| Series | G1 G2 G3 D1 D2 D3 Q1 |
| Classification | Canon |
Vault of the Drow is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game written by Gary Gygax. The module bears the code "D3" and was published in 1978 by TSR, Inc. for use with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first edition rules.
The module is the third and final in the "Drow" series of adventures that began with D1 - Descent into the Depths of the Earth and D2 - Shrine of the Kuo-Toa (later compiled into a single adventure titled simply Descent Into the Depths of the Earth).
The "D" series itself is part of a larger overall campaign of adventures set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The overall campaign begins with the three modules in the Against the Giants series (G1, G2, and G3), continues through the "D" series, and concludes with module Q1 - Queen of the Demonweb Pits. The latter segments of the campaign, including the "D" series and module Q1, are set in a vast network of caverns and tunnels called the Underdark. The entire campaign was eventually combined into a supermodule GDQ1-7 - Queen of the Spiders.
Synopsis
After traveling for league after league into the Underdark, the adventurers come upon Erelhei-Cinlu, the vast subterranean city of the drow (or "dark elves"), the twisted, corrupt cousins of the surface elves. The adventure is written in a very open-ended fashion, giving the Dungeon Master free reign to script any number of mini-campaigns or adventures taking place inside the drow capital. An extensive overview of the Drow power structure is given for just this purpose. Eventually, the players may discover an astral gate leading to the plane of the Abyss, leading into the Q1 module.
Module artwork
The initial publication of the module in 1978 featured monochrome cover artwork by David C. Sutherland III. In 1981, however, TSR re-issued the adventure to coincide with the release of the D1-2 compilation Descent into the Depths of the Earth. The D1-2 compilation featured color cover artwork, and so Erol Otus was tasked with creating a new color cover for D3 as well (pictured above). Sutherland's interior artwork was retained, and other interior artists for the module include Jeff Dee, David S. LaForce, David A. Trampier, and Otus.
External links
- Drow Series at the Acaeum.com.
- Vault of the Drow at the TSR Archive.
- Vault of the Drow at the Pen & Paper RPG Database.
