Through Dungeons Deep https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/ The Oldest of the Old-School RPG Guides Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/cropped-logo2-32x32.webp Through Dungeons Deep https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/ 32 32 Monster Matrix: Hobblegoblins! https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/monster-matrix-hobblegoblins/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/monster-matrix-hobblegoblins/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:23:56 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=145 This very short article was first published in The Dungeoneer #17, May/June 1980. No. Appearing: 1-100 AC: 6 Movement: 1.5″ Hit Dice: 1+1 Attacks/Damage: By Weapoin Alignment: Lawful Evil Bred by an Evil Wizard who wanted troops who never fled the field, Hobblegoblins resemble Hobgoblins with extremely short, stumpy legs that render flight impossible. Hobblegoblins ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/monster-matrix-hobblegoblins/feed/ 0 Carrying a Heavy Load? Let a Mule Do It for You! https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/124-2/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/124-2/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:12:15 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=124 by Robert Plamondon First published in Dragon Magazine #48, April, 1981. Many players of fantasy role-playing games have their characters take mules with them on adventures, hoping to fill their empty saddlebags with loot. Few players think of putting more than a few arrows and an extra bottle of wine on the mule for the ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/124-2/feed/ 0 Dragon’s Blood and Invulnerability https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dragons-blood-and-invulnerability/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dragons-blood-and-invulnerability/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2026 23:05:41 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=120 by Robert Plamondon First published in Dragon Magazine #41, September, 1980. Siegfried, hero of Teutonic and Norse myth, slew the great dragon Fafnir and bathed in its blood. The dragon’s blood hardened his skin to the point that no weapon could pierce it—except where a linden leaf stuck between his shoulder blades during the bath ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dragons-blood-and-invulnerability/feed/ 0 KZINTI! https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/kzinti/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/kzinti/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:11:27 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=137 by Robert Plamondon First published in Dragon #50, June 1981. FREQUENCY: Rare NO. APPEARING: 1-1000 ARMOR CLASS: Variable (9 if unarmored) MOVE: 18″ HIT DICE: 4+4 % IN LAIR: 20% TREASURE TYPE: C NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6 or by weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard INTELLIGENCE: Very ALIGNMENT: Lawful ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/kzinti/feed/ 0 Dungeon Ventilation Clears the Air https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dungeon-ventilation-clears-the-air/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dungeon-ventilation-clears-the-air/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2026 18:09:48 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=105 by Robert Plamondon First published in Dragon Magazine #45, January, 1981. Note: This is the second of two related articles, both published in Dragon #45. The other is Gas ’em Up and Smoke ’em Out. A major design flaw in many DMs’ dungeons is the lack of a ventilation system. This is a shame, since ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/dungeon-ventilation-clears-the-air/feed/ 0 Gas ‘em up and smoke ‘em out https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/gas-em-up-and-smoke-em-out/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/gas-em-up-and-smoke-em-out/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2026 17:54:03 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=97 by Robert Plamondon First published in Dragon Magazine #45, January, 1981. Note: This is the first of two related articles, both published in Dragon #45. The other is Dungeon Ventilation Clears the Air. Players in dungeon adventures are often confronted with situations involving poison gas, heavy smoke, and various magical clouds. Dungeon Masters who have ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/gas-em-up-and-smoke-em-out/feed/ 0 Devious Magic https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/devious-magic/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/devious-magic/#respond Sat, 05 Sep 2026 22:29:08 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=72 By Robert Plamondon First published in Different Worlds #17, December 1981. Most players that have played D&D long enough can recite the magic item powers from memory, While 1 have never heard anyone say disgustedly, “Oh, it’s just another Throne of the Gods,” the appearance of an over-familiar magic item may induce terminal boredom in veteran players. ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/devious-magic/feed/ 0 Hand-Held Thermonuclear Devices https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/hand-held-thermonuclear-devices/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/hand-held-thermonuclear-devices/#respond Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:15:22 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=67 by Robert Plamondon First published in Different Worlds #16, November, 1981. Players In fantasy role-playing games constantly search for new and more potent weapons. In any long-running campaign, the players will eventually work their characters up in power to a point where they can have just about anything they want. In some campaigns, a preferred ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/hand-held-thermonuclear-devices/feed/ 0 Running Low-Level Dungeons https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/running-low-level-dungeons/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/running-low-level-dungeons/#respond Sat, 05 Sep 2026 06:31:55 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=56 By Robert Plamondon This article was originally featured in Different Worlds #11 (February/March 1981). Perhaps the most crucial adventure in fantasy role-playing is the first game, when a novice player with no experience plays a first level character and enters into a dungeon scenario. In spite of its importance as a means of hooking people on FRP ... Read more

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]]> https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/running-low-level-dungeons/feed/ 0 Chapter 14 of Through Dungeons Deep: How to Referee https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/chapter-14-of-through-dungeons-deep-how-to-referee/ https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/chapter-14-of-through-dungeons-deep-how-to-referee/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:18:24 +0000 https://through-dungeons-deep.com/wordpress/?p=48 Through Dungeons Deep: A Fantasy Gamers’ Handbook Part II. Game Mastering Chapter 14. How to Referee Knowing the rules and having a campaign aren’t enough; you need to muster props, master techniques, and put on a memorable show. Setting Up the Game As Game Master, you have the responsibility of coming up with enough chairs, ... Read more

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