Meet Warduke, Strongheart, Kelek, Elkhorn and the unforgettable cast of Quest for the Heartstone, a classic D&D module packed with epic artwork and legendary monsters. Journey to Icewater Falls, where Ropers, Dragonnes, and Hook Horrors made their chilling debut!
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Quest for the Heartstone is a 1984 adventure module for the Expert Rules of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy RPG. The module was a tie-in with the LJN toy line introduced the previous year and included most of the characters & creatures from that toy line.
Not only that, but this module includes actual D&D stats for Warduke, Strongheart, Kelek, Elkhorn, Grimsword, Skylla, Zarak, Ringlerun, Mercion and more!
From the back cover:
"The king is dead! And the queen is in trouble. She has chosen you to find the fabled heartstone, which is buried somewhere deep in the Mountains of Ice.
Is the gem in the hands of the corrupt Master Thief? Has he harnessed its power for its own vile purposes? Or does it lie unguarded in the frozen ranges to the north, which teem with horrible creatures?
This is your kind of quest!
Quest for the Heartstone is a combined wilderness/dungeon adventure designed to be compatible with the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Action Toys from LJN Toys, Ltd. and the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Fantasy Adventure Figures from TSR, Inc. The adventure also includes complete maps, new monsters, and players' illustrations.
Will the heartstone be the key to peace in the kingdom? By her majesty's request...it's up to you to find out!"
With a cover and (most of the) internal illustrations by Jeff Easley, you KNOW this is going to be awesome.
(The other amazing illustrations were done by Timothy Truman and Larry Elmore!)
And oh, boy! This cliffside map! It’s a masterpiece of 3D cartography by David “Diesel” LaForce - all printed on the panels of the module cover! (See the earlier image for Map 2 “Perils of the Icewater Falls”)
DID YOU KNOW? This was the first and only adventure in the "XL" series for Expert Rules for Basic D&D. What did the “XL” stand for? An abbreviation for "Expert Licensed"!
DID YOU KNOW? The reception of this module was mixed and pretty much negative. Many people didn’t appreciate the trademarked notations throughout the module and the attempt to force the merchandising of Dungeons & Dragons with the LJN toy line.
Others thought it was an odd mix of non-sensical dungeon delving and a weak plotline that targeted an ill-defined audience.
“Graham Staplehurst reviewed Quest for the Heartstone for White Dwarf, and gave it 4/10 overall, calling it, "no more than a sales exercise for AD&D Action Toys".
Staplehurst felt that the module was "very reminiscent of everyone's first dungeon: a collection of randomly placed monsters with a random selection of Good Guys going off after some magic item and having to hack through them," criticizing that "No thought has gone into this at all, as far as I can see, although TSR have done their best with the artwork and maps to try and remedy the situation."
Staplehurst pointed out some of the many references within the module to the LJN AD&D toy line ("You may use the Five-headed Hydra Bendable Monster for this encounter", and "the Dragonne monsters produced by LJN Toys Ltd"), noting that "As the adventure progresses ... it merely degenerates into excuses to introduce monsters that happen to be in the TSR figures or LJN range."
He also pointed out some of the more bizarre encounters of the adventure, such as two giant crab spiders living in a cabin, and the "Golem Storage Room". Ultimately, Staplehurst said he despaired of ever running the module, as "Few and far between are sensibly planned encounters with alternative courses of action".”
But let’s not listen to Staplehurst and just enjoy this module for what it is . . . pure nostalgic fun!
DID YOU KNOW? Warduke’s Origin Story. In AC1 The Shady Dragon Inn (published in 1983, the year before Quest for the Heartstone), Strongheart and Warduke were part of an adventuring party that discovered the Heartstone, which brought out their hidden or strongest qualities – resulting in Warduke becoming evil!
I wish!
DID YOU KNOW? The writer of this adventure, Michael Gray, also wrote a couple TSR Fantasy Forest "Pick a Path to Adventure" books (1983-84) and contributed to DL16: "World of Krynn" (1988)!
(And YES! That top cover is done by Clyde Caldwell! (His daughter modeled for the female Halfling)
And speaking of gamebooks, and considering the romantic event of the other day, did you know that TSR released D&D-themed Romance gamebooks?
Nope. Not even a freaky-looking rubber Roper. I think I’ve failed at life.
DID YOU KNOW? Stats for the Dragonne, Roper, Hook Horror and Dragonfly were first printed within this module!
Your next piece of fantasy fun is calling.
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The Heartstone!
You are not only brave, but a Generous Adventurer whose love of Discovery, Imagination & Fun transcends our mere mortal coils . . .
Did you know you can get your very own awesome Elkhorn the Good Dwarf Fighter 7” ultimate action figure?
He’s ready for epic adventure with his sword, sheath, shield, backpack, battle axe, war hammer, war pick, dagger, gutbuster jug, torch, crystals, interchangeable head/hands . . . and oh, did I mention he’s got the Heartstone as well!!!
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Recently, I’ve been diggin’ the funky electronic videogame-style synth beats of the “Gauntlet X” album by fellow fantasy fan, Dream Thresh of Footwork Fetish.
“Gauntlet”and “Sorceress” are my faves, but he’s got a ton of other albums, songs, and musical styles to explore.
Boy, is technology moving fast! I haven’t played this yet, but watched some YT vids about airealm.com. It is becoming very impressive. After creating your character and giving it some references, it becomes an AI gamemaster to generate your very own interactive online gamebook adventures with voices and more.
“Picture a fireplace so bold, it doesn’t just warm your toes—it breathes fire like a mythical beast. Enter the world of stone dragon fireplaces, where functionality meets fantasy in a blaze of glory. These aren’t your grandma’s hearths. These are giant dragon fireplaces, sculpted to turn your living room into a medieval tavern or a wizard’s lair, …”
This Kickstarter hasn’t launched yet, but there are already 2,000+ followers awaiting. Make sure you’re one of them!
Excellent Adventurer, I hope you had as much fun as I did exploring this week’s treasures.
Did you ever play this module, have the LJN toys, or know about these D&D characters? Any news items get you excited? Make sure to comment below.
“Follow Your Heart(stone). It Knows The Way.” - anonymous
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Deep Beneath The Crystal Ice [Verse 1] Frozen walls surround me now Silent steps below Chosen by her majesty Time to let go [Pre-chorus 1] Deep beneath the crystal ice Something calls to me Deep beneath the crystal ice Set the kingdom free [Chorus] Into the depths I'm falling (Falling, falling) Ancient power is calling (Calling, calling) Deep beneath the crystal ice Where fate awaits for me [Verse 2] Footprints fade behind me here No way to return Sacred mission in my hands Watch the torches burn Deep beneath the crystal ice Darkness closing in Deep beneath the crystal ice Where did it begin? [Chorus] Into the depths I'm falling (Falling, falling) Ancient power is calling (Calling, calling) Deep beneath the crystal ice Where fate awaits for me [Bridge] Far below (Far below) Time moves slow (Time moves slow) The truth I need to know (Need to know) [Verse 3] Crystal shards reflect my face In this frozen hall Feel the pulse beneath the stone Hear the ancient call [Chorus] Into the depths I'm falling (Falling, falling) Ancient power is calling (Calling, calling) Deep beneath the crystal ice Where fate awaits for me Deep beneath the crystal ice Where fate awaits for me [Outro] Deep beneath... deep beneath...
The module may have not been hit but you can't deny how great the art was. And I agree with Daniel, love the fireplace but can imagine the damage stubbing your toe on one of those. My feet are already hurting thinking about it, ha.
Those Steve Jackson books are classics and I am really tempted to get one of those dragon fireplaces for the living room. However, not sure my wife would be too impressed 😁
So we never played this module. Yes, the artwork is great, but the existing characters and the links with toys etc made us think it wasn’t a real module and our DM never really wanted too many restrictions to his creations so we gave it a miss.
That being said, it’s great to read the pages and catch up with just how these were written and illustrated. I still take out my copy of Village of Hommlet just for a little nostalgia trip now and then. They really were brilliantly done 👍🏼
The module may have not been hit but you can't deny how great the art was. And I agree with Daniel, love the fireplace but can imagine the damage stubbing your toe on one of those. My feet are already hurting thinking about it, ha.
Some great stuff this week J.Q. 👍🏼
Those Steve Jackson books are classics and I am really tempted to get one of those dragon fireplaces for the living room. However, not sure my wife would be too impressed 😁
So we never played this module. Yes, the artwork is great, but the existing characters and the links with toys etc made us think it wasn’t a real module and our DM never really wanted too many restrictions to his creations so we gave it a miss.
That being said, it’s great to read the pages and catch up with just how these were written and illustrated. I still take out my copy of Village of Hommlet just for a little nostalgia trip now and then. They really were brilliantly done 👍🏼