City of the Spider Queen is an adventure module

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...

 for the Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 campaign setting

Campaign setting

A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...

 of the 3rd edition 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...

.

Plot summary

This 160-page book begins with an introduction on pages 3–9. According to the adventure background provided, drow priestesses are no longer receiving spells or guidance from their goddess, Lolth

Lolth

Lolth is a fictional goddess in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Lolth , the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of drow elves...

. While in most places, the drow have remained steadfast, the Underdark

Underdark

The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...

 city of Maerimydra is in a state of unrest and has been invaded by a host of enemy creatures. Some of the desperate survivors have begun making raids on the surface world. The adventure outline provided states that 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 will be investigating these raids, travelling through the Underdark and exploring the ruined city, fighting the creatures that have taken it over, ultimately fighting a priestess of the rival drow goddess Kiaransalee

Kiaransalee

Kiaransalee is the fictional drow deity of slavery, undead, and vengeance. She was created for the AD&D Second Edition, first appearing in Monster Mythology, and as such is a general deity not specific to any one game world.-Publication history:Kiaransalee was first detailed in the book Monster...

.

Following the introduction is the four-chapter adventure scenario: Part 1: Spinning the Web, is on pages 10–44, Part 2: The Deep Wastes, is on pages 45–63, Part 3: Maerimydra", is on pages 64–101, and Part 4: The Undying Temple", is on pages 102-114. The book also features two appendices. Appendix 1: Monsters and Magic, on pages 115-130, features the statistics for several monsters used in the adventure, and also presents a number of spells and magic items

Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the character in whose hands they fall into. Magic items have been prevalent in the game in every edition and setting, from the...

. Appendix 2: Creature Statistics, on pages 131-160, contains a summary of the statistics for all the NPCs

Non-player character

A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...

 and monsters that appear throughout the adventure. Included in the back of the book are 16 one-page maps of various locations that the characters may explore as part of the adventure.

Publication history

The book was published in 2002, and was written by James Wyatt

James Wyatt (game designer)

James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...

, with cover art by Todd Lockwood

Todd Lockwood

Todd Wills Lockwood, born in Boulder, Colorado, is an American artist specializing in fantasy and science fiction illustration. He is best known for his work on the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, and for his covers for the books of R.A. Salvatore...

 and interior art by Scott Fischer, Rebecca Guay

Rebecca Guay

Rebecca Guay is an artist specializing in watercolor painting and illustration. She is mostly known for her work commissioned by Magic: The Gathering, White Wolf, and DC Vertigo comics, World of Warcraft TCG, Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons and Bella Sara TCG.-Early life:Guay received a...

, Vince Locke

Vince Locke

Vincent Locke is an American comic book artist known for his work on Deadworld and A History of Violence and for his ultraviolent album covers for death metal band Cannibal Corpse.-Biography:...

, Raven Mimura

Raven Mimura

-Early life and education:Raven was born Jeffery Ernest Mimura on March 30, 1974. Raven and his older brother Daniel were raised in north Dallas, Texas by their parents Harley and Muriel Mimura. His father is an engineer and his mother was an artist and architect. Raven was an all-around gifted...

, Puddinhead, Christopher Shy

Christopher Shy

Christopher Shy, who occasionally goes by the pen name "Ronin," is a freelance fantasy and science fiction artist.-Biography:His work includes character portraits for White Wolf's Mage: the Ascension revised edition and Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of...

, Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith is an Australian comic book artist best known for his work in the American comic book industry, most notably the Image Comics series Fell, with writer Warren Ellis, which is credited with pioneering a new format for commercial comics, and IDW's 30 Days of Night with writer Steve...

, and Sam Wood

Sam Wood (artist)

-Works:Sam Wood has continued to produce interior illustrations and cartography for many Dungeons & Dragons books and Dragon magazine since 1997, as well as cover art for Deities and Demigods , Underdark , Frostburn , and Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss...

.

Reception

The adventure was ranked the 24th greatest adventure of all time by Dungeon

Dungeon (magazine)

Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...

magazine for the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game in 2004.

Dungeon Master for Dummies lists City of the Spider Queen as one of the ten best 3rd edition adventures.

External links

• http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7731.html
• http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10581.phtml