B3: Palace of the Silver Princess is an unusual beast, as the version of the module that is most commonly known does not have the original text; indeed, the “Orange” cover version of the module got only a very limited release before being recalled and destroyed, due to the objections of senior members of TSR’s staff TSR due to what they considered ‘inappropriate content’. (as related by Jean Wells and Frank Mentzer)
This review deals with the revised module, written primarily by Tom Moldvay, adapting the original module by Jean Wells. A review of the original module will be forthcoming at some point.
At the time that B3: Palace of the Silver Princess was published (1981), the D&D Basic set had just been revised by Tom Moldvay, moving it away from its roots in original D&D and making it much more its own system. Moldvay’s work would form the basis of the better-known “Red Box” in 1983. Palace was the first adventure written for the new rules, although Keep on the Borderlands had been revised for the new ruleset and included in the basic Box. As Moldvay couldn’t be sure that everyone buying the adventure had the new rules, he included the revised combat system in the module.
In addition, Moldvay included a “programmed adventure” section, basically a ‘choose your own adventure’ section, although it was designed to be run by a Dungeon Master, to introduce a group to the basic procedures of the game. This used up a lot of page space for what was actually only four small rooms, but it did cover traps, searching and combat.
Jean Wells had written an exploration adventure set in a long-deserted castle, but Moldvay changed that to be a castle that had only just suffered a disaster: the evil Arik (an evil deity or other such supernatural power) had been trapped in a hell dimension, but had used the power of a ruby the dwarves of the kingdom had found to take control of the castle and to use it as the base of his return to the real world.
The resulting module is very much of the “explore and find weird things” variety, albeit with an overarching quest for the characters. Three methods are given for defeating Arik, and the DM is instructed to make sure the players find one of these, using the spiritual “Protectors” of Haven if necessary to impart the information the party is missed. There are a few unfortunate lapses in the text: the introductory text informs the DM that the adventure will take several sessions and that the party will need to return to town and rest, but the initial encounters trap the party within the castle!
The map for Palace of the Silver Princess was slightly redrawn from that of the original, with the small Tower Level being deleted entirely. A stairway near the entrance was added – although collapsed due to an explosion caused by the castle’s alchemist, and the only way to the upper level is in a fairly obscure place that will require quite a bit of searching to find. As far as realistic maps go, this is not a particularly good example. At least it isn’t entirely linear: there are several methods of approach to encounters in the adventure.
Exactly why a potion of ESP should be hidden amongst a lot of bath oils is never quite made clear by the module, nor why there should be spitting cobras hidden under bath towels. Making sense isn’t high on the list of this adventure’s priorities: it’s all about overcoming the challenges that are there, defeating the evil cleric before he can release Arik and breaking the curse.
The artwork in the module is quite poor, even with several pieces of the original removed and new pieces commissioned, it’s not particularly noteworthy in that respect. Poor Jean Wells wasn’t even credited for her artwork in the adventure, despite one of the pictures being signed by Wells and Sullivan.
The best part of Palace of the Silver Princess comes from the aid given to the new DM throughout, but the adventure itself is unengaging. There are good sections in the adventure, and having three separate ways of breaking the curse keeps the adventure from being too predictable, but it has never really engaged my enthusiasm.