DLS1: New Beginnings (1991) is one of the many attempted on-ramps TSR dreamed up for the Dragonlance campaign setting. None of them really worked, but this is among the most interesting.

Some context. The original mainline Dragonlance tale plays out in the DL-series modules and it is essentially wrapped up neatly by the end. To keep Dragonlance going, TSR shifted to a previously unknown continent called Taladas, which is a very cool place, but also not recognizably the Dragonlance of the DL-series or the novels. There was a Taladas box set and an arc of modules, but precious little else. But then came this, an introductory module. And it’s a good one!

It includes a basic run-down of the starting region of Taladas, walks players through character creation and then puts them through a very brief encounter-based scenario in five parts, each of which teaches different ways to approach classic D&D situations (exploration, roleplaying, combats, traps, and so on). I don’t think this is the best intro TSR devised (N4: Treasure Hunt still hold that title for me), but it is up there.

It is most hampered by the fact that it is set in Taladas, and the continent would only get one more support product, a sourcebook for the local Minotaur culture. If only this was keyed for the main setting, which once again became the focus in the Tales of the Lance box set the following year, maybe it would have gone somewhere.

Jeff Easley cover, and a pretty good one, I think. Valerie Valusek on the inside. I like her work generally, but at this point I associate her so strongly with early Forgotten Realms that I find her a little jarring in Krynn. Good work, though, despite this.