B/X D&D: Curse of the Walking Wet (Janelle Jaquays Campaign)
B/X sandbox of non-linear dungeons packing vertical secrets, deadly whimsy, treasures & slime horror for high-stakes player-driven adventure.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
1 player following this game
Weekly / Wednesday - 6:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 16–24 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In summer 1976, Jennell Jaquays (as Paul) and the Fantastic Dungeoning Society launched The Dungeoneer, one of the first D&D fanzines—debuting alongside Dragon #1. These six issues offered fully keyed mini-adventures, among the earliest independent scenarios, when most GMs invented dungeons from scratch or used geomorphs. Issue #1: Jaquays’ F’Chelrak’s Tomb—a multi-level wizard’s crypt with vertical shafts, idols granting boons/curses, flaming gremlins, manticores, and magic-jar climax. Later: Davenport’s puzzle-filled Fabled Garden of Merlin; Jaquays’ Borshak’s Lair (hero’s tomb seized by goblin/orc bandits, talking amulets, weirdness); Ward’s Pharaoh’s Tomb; and the two-part Night of the Walking Wet. The latter is a regional sandbox: ruined Krake barony overrun by ogres; swamp castle; crashed “comet” (otherworldly vessel); slime-god cultist; virulent aquazombies (Walking Wet) spreading infection. Plus new monsters (mirror men, slime beasts, harvestmen), magic items, traps, fatigue rules, and “The Arcane Elders” swords-and-sorcery serial (Sorvyn Conquests). Many call this the first substantial interconnected campaign content—the raw proto-setting of early D&D. We run it as written in B/X D&D (Moldvay/Cook), perfect for 1976–77 player skill, resource management, exploration, and lethal risk/reward. Non-linear “Jaquaysed” dungeons feature secret paths, verticality, living factions with agendas, save-or-die balanced by wild treasures and strangeness. Sandbox play lets parties jump from F’Chelrak’s whimsical deathtrap to slime-haunted Krake cosmic horror. Wilderness and ruined barony support hex-crawls, rumors, and emergent tales. Zine extras (new classes, odd items, optional rules) add flavor without clutter. Classic pillars: hand-mapping, careful probing, creative solutions, and high tension—parties may not all return, but survivors claim dawn-of-hobby artifacts and legends. No safety rails or railroads; pure raw creativity that made Jaquays legendary and defined “Jaquaysing.” Thursdays on Discord: live voice+text B/X at $20/player. Grognards wanting authentic early material, OSR newcomers seeking roots, or fans of clever maps, deadly whimsy, pulp adventure with horror and dark humor—delve the first great wave of published D&D content with a group that loves the originals. Classic B/X chargen (3d6 down the line or equivalent; retainers welcome). Tone: high adventure + slime-god weirdness + dungeon-delving. Memorable, player-driven stories from these foundational adventures. Spots limited—claim yours and keep the Fantastic Dungeoning Society’s flame alive nearly 50 years later.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Theater of the Mind
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(7)
4 years on StartPlaying
8 games hosted
Highly rated for: Rule of Cool, Creativity, Knows the Rules
About me
I’ve been running games for as long as I can remember, more than thirty years at this point; I make my living as a science-fiction author, have done for a decade, with the occasional dip into fantasy and historical fiction. I’ve a few RPG credits to my name; I was heavily involved in the adaptation of one of my settings, ‘Battlecruiser Alamo’, a few years back, and I’ve done some work in the OSR, running a fanzine called OD&DITIES back in the day. Growing up, I ran an awful lot of D&D, but in recent years I’ve found myself drawn to other games; I’ve run multiple campaigns of Star Trek Adventures over the last three years, and had two Star Wars campaigns going at once at one point. I’ve been a Star Trek fan for longer than I’ve been a gamer, and love to delve deep into the lore to find fun things to anchor games around. Having a bookshelf full of Star Trek novels is a real benefit! I always run a completely inclusive table; I wouldn’t know how to do anything else. My focus in campaigns tends to be on storytelling and character progression, and it’s always immense fun to watch a campaign twist and turn as the sessions progress. I tend heavily towards the Rule of Cool, and prefer narrative systems that allow for player buy-in, just to ensure the wonderful chaos that can ensue. Above all, I believe that the purpose of a campaign is to have a good time, to have fun, and that is my Prime Directive!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character Creation will take place at the start of the first session as a group, 'cheat sheets' will be provided prior to play.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Before the game, you'll need to join the Discord server and create a character; the GM will happily provide full guidance and support where needed. The rules are available for sale on DriveThruRPG but are not necessary for play.
What Richard brings to the table
Thirty years of experience as a DM and twelve years as a novelist, a comprehensive collection of rule books and endless knowledge of arcane D&D and associated lore. The campaign will be run using Theatre of the Mind, and both I and the system are extremely supportive of the Rule of Cool!
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Richard creates a safe table
Before play begins, we will discuss the campaign and gameplay style on the Discord Server, as well as at the start of the first session, a break will be taken in the middle of the session with a debrief at the end, and an open door policy will be available. Prior to the first session, I will contact each player individually to discuss any issues that might arise during the campaign. This is meant to be fun for everyone, and all support necessary will be available to make sure that it is.
Content warnings
Safety tools used