Rahasia
Encyclopedia
Rahasia is an adventure module
published by TSR, Inc.
in 1984, for the Basic Set
rules of the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. Its product designation is TSR 9115. The book was designed by Tracy
and Laura Hickman, and features artwork by Jeff Easley
and Timothy Truman
.
maid, and to do so they must enter the Temple of the Sacred Black Rock, break a curse, and capture the evil Rahib.
In the revised module B7 Rahasia, the adventures must save a group of kidnapped elven women held in the dungeons beneath a good elven temple taken over by an evil cleric.
An elven village is threatened by a dark Priest only known as the Rahib. He has kidnapped two of the village's fairest maidens and now demands that Rahasia, the most beautiful elf, is to surrender herself to free the others. The player character
s are drawn into this adventure when they find a plea for help from Rahasia. The only way to free the captured maidens is to enter an old temple, built upon the ruins of a wizard's tower buried under a mountain.
The Hickmans decided to privately publish the first two adventures they had designed together, Rahasia and Pharaoh, which gained them a reputation on a local level. However, disaster struck when Tracy went into business with an associate who went bad, leaving the Hickmans to cover $30,000 in bad checks. They were driven into bankruptcy, and Tracy decided to sell their modules to TSR
, "literally so that I could buy shoes for my children". TSR decided not only to buy the modules, but hire Tracy as a game designer. He said of the event: "They said it would be easier to publish my adventures if I was part of the company. So, we made the move from Utah to Wisconsin."
Tracy and Laura Hickman rewrote Rahasia, which was published by TSR in 1983 as a sixteen page booklet with an outer folder, with the code RPGA1, and sold as a limited edition only to members of the RPGA
. In 1984, TSR revised and compiled RPGA1 Rahasia and the second tournament module RPGA2 Black Opal Eye
, and published the combined adventure as B7 Rahasia, a thirty two page booklet with an outer folder, featuring cover art by Jeff Easley
and interior art by Easley and Tim Truman.
This module was later featured in the compilation B1–B9 In Search of Adventure
in 1987.
and Laura Hickman
Editing: Curtis Smith
Cover Art: Jeff Easley
Interior Art: Jeff Easley
and Timothy Truman
Cartography: David S. "Diesel" LaForce
and David C. Sutherland III
Art Direction: Ruth Hoyer
ISBN 0-88038-113-2
No. 73. Ligon commented, "A nice story combined with an interesting temple complex makes this module a good one. The villains are well-portrayed and have definite objectives." He felt that this was a good module all in all, because the emphasis is not on killing, and the module forces the players to think.
In his review of B1-9 In Search of Adventure in Dragon
magazine #128 (December 1987), Ken Rolston
calls Rahasia one of the "two exceptionally fine adventures" in the compilation, and "a classic low-level FRPG scenario by Tracy Hickman".
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...
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 1984, for the Basic Set
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
rules of 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...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
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...
. Its product designation is TSR 9115. The book was designed by Tracy
Tracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
and Laura Hickman, and features artwork by Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
and Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman is an American writer, artist and musician. He is best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack , Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale...
.
Plot summary
In RPGA1 Rahasia, the heroes seek to save a kidnapped elvenElf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
maid, and to do so they must enter the Temple of the Sacred Black Rock, break a curse, and capture the evil Rahib.
In the revised module B7 Rahasia, the adventures must save a group of kidnapped elven women held in the dungeons beneath a good elven temple taken over by an evil cleric.
An elven village is threatened by a dark Priest only known as the Rahib. He has kidnapped two of the village's fairest maidens and now demands that Rahasia, the most beautiful elf, is to surrender herself to free the others. 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 drawn into this adventure when they find a plea for help from Rahasia. The only way to free the captured maidens is to enter an old temple, built upon the ruins of a wizard's tower buried under a mountain.
Publication history
The original Rahasia was written by Laura Hickman, and was first published in 1979 by Daystar West Media as a thirty two page booklet. Daystar West Media was Tracy Hickman's private publishing company, and no more than 200 copies were ever printed. Rahasia was the first in the Night Ventures line of scenarios.The Hickmans decided to privately publish the first two adventures they had designed together, Rahasia and Pharaoh, which gained them a reputation on a local level. However, disaster struck when Tracy went into business with an associate who went bad, leaving the Hickmans to cover $30,000 in bad checks. They were driven into bankruptcy, and Tracy decided to sell their modules to TSR
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....
, "literally so that I could buy shoes for my children". TSR decided not only to buy the modules, but hire Tracy as a game designer. He said of the event: "They said it would be easier to publish my adventures if I was part of the company. So, we made the move from Utah to Wisconsin."
Tracy and Laura Hickman rewrote Rahasia, which was published by TSR in 1983 as a sixteen page booklet with an outer folder, with the code RPGA1, and sold as a limited edition only to members of the RPGA
RPGA
The RPGA , is part of the organized play arm of Wizards of the Coast that organizes and sanctions role-playing games worldwide, principally under the d20 system...
. In 1984, TSR revised and compiled RPGA1 Rahasia and the second tournament module RPGA2 Black Opal Eye
Black Opal Eye
Black Opal Eye is an adventure module published in 1983 for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:The scenario Black Opal Eye was a sequel to RPGA1 Rahasia...
, and published the combined adventure as B7 Rahasia, a thirty two page booklet with an outer folder, featuring cover art by Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
and interior art by Easley and Tim Truman.
This module was later featured in the compilation B1–B9 In Search of Adventure
In Search of Adventure
In Search of Adventure is an abridged compilation adventure module published by TSR, Inc. in 1987, for the Basic Set of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Its product designation was TSR 9190...
in 1987.
Credits
Design: TracyTracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
and Laura Hickman
Editing: Curtis Smith
Cover Art: Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
Interior Art: Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
and Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman is an American writer, artist and musician. He is best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack , Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale...
Cartography: David S. "Diesel" 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:...
Art Direction: Ruth Hoyer
ISBN 0-88038-113-2
Reception
Wayne Ligon reviewed the adventure in The Space GamerThe Space Gamer
The Space Gamer was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the late 70s through the mid-80s...
No. 73. Ligon commented, "A nice story combined with an interesting temple complex makes this module a good one. The villains are well-portrayed and have definite objectives." He felt that this was a good module all in all, because the emphasis is not on killing, and the module forces the players to think.
In his review of B1-9 In Search of Adventure in 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 #128 (December 1987), Ken Rolston
Ken 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...
calls Rahasia one of the "two exceptionally fine adventures" in the compilation, and "a classic low-level FRPG scenario by Tracy Hickman".
External links
- B7 Rahasia
- http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4120.html