This is O1: The Gem and the Staff (1984), a module for basic Dungeons & Dragons. “O” stands for One-on-One; the module is designed to be run by a dungeon master for a single player. It is a tournament module, though, with objective-based scoring built in (I should note, while I haven’t ever played this, the scoring system seems like baloney).

I say this every time I talk about D&D tournament play, but man, this really feels like a foreign country to me. I can’t imagine wanting to play the game like this. I am sure someone out there loves this sort of stuff, though.

Players take the role of a pre-generated theif, Eric the Bold (isn’t that a Tim Robbins movie?). The module is in two parts. The first has Eric stealing a gem from a wizard’s tower, the second involves stealing a staff from another wizard (oh, hey, I guess that’s in the title). Added complication: each part has a 30-minute time limit. It is also a pretty elaborate module, containing a separate booklet of 3D maps and cardboard character standees.

All that said, and as weird as a timed one-on-one game seems, this is a super tight adventure, extremely well prepared and presented. Run it for your friends in rapid succession, I guess?