1975 (MCMLXXV) (5E) (2019)

From the introduction:

Now that you, as the reader, are sick of hearing this old grognard’s lectures of how he runs the game, it’s time to get on with the adventure. I have tried to illustrate several of the concepts I discussed above into examples of play and a scenario that will challenge and reward players for using their noggins.

The adventure begins with the characters finding a treasure map that leads them through a forested section of a river valley and down into the swamplands below. The map itself (players Map 1 and GM Map 1) show the general path to the “treasure” (in reality a small dungeon). The path taken to the dungeon may vary depending on the player’s choices of travel—the GM map is coded with locations of the various encounters and other areas of interest that they could find. No path is the “right” path, although some may be easier than others.

The player’s map is found in the back of the book and can be copied and given to them as a handout. The Judges map varies slightly in that it contains the map key detailing various encounter areas, and the players map just shows a dotted line. How the characters get the map is up to you as a Judge. Perhaps it was sold to the characters by a grizzled old man or found as part of another treasure hoard. In any case, the introduction to “how” they start the adventure is not detailed here.

The adventure begins as the characters leave the [tavern, town, etc.] and start down the road towards a valley. The valley itself is horseshoe-shaped, and the road the characters are on is near the top. The treasure map indicates that the “treasure” is in the bottom of the valley along a swampy river course and is located on an island within the swamp itself. The trick is to find a safe way through the valley to reach the swamp, then to locate the island and the treasure (really a small dungeon). The encounter areas are located on the map and can be used if the players travel near them.