The Village of Hommlet was the first Module I ever DM’ed. I think it’s the first adventure I DM’ed, but I don’t quite recall. I was writing my own stuff, right off the bat and there’s a good possibility that I put my friends through some weird little ecological disaster of a dungeon, before initiating them into the joys of T1.
Back then, during our first year or so of play, we didn’t have a campaign. One of the four of us would decide, or be chosen, to DM and the rest would pull out characters from our notebooks, or roll up some new ones, assembling a level appropriate party for whatever the DM du jour had in mind.
This sort of tournament style of play isn’t nearly as satisfying as a true campaign. But, the year or so we spent on one-shot adventures, was a fabulous learning experience. Each one of us DMed on a regular basis, honing our skills and learning from one another. On a Friday night, in my friend Mel’s bedroom, I ran T1.
Even then, during my green, first forays into DMing, I knew it was one hell of a great module. 26 years later, I recall very little of that gaming session. I do remember how well the game went. We all had a blast and the experience encouraged and inspired me to continue with my apprenticeship as a DM. I also had my first DM Evilgasm, as the players, who had accepted Turuko and Kobort as adventuring cohorts, were shocked and surprised, when their trust was rewarded with treachery.
It was the only time I ever ran T1. I think it’s time that I rectified that little injustice. So, this coming year, I resolve to run The Village of Hommlet, again. If anyone would care to join me, let me know. We can all compare notes and have some fun, seeing what we, as well as our players, do with this classic adventure.
