B/X D&D: Keep on the Borderlands
Venture into the fearsome Caves of Chaos; many enter, few return...
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Friday - 7:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 12–24 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In the rugged frontier where civilization's last light flickers against a savage wilderness, the Keep on the Borderlands stands as a fortified beacon of hope and intrigue. This B/X Dungeons & Dragons campaign delivers pure old-school sandbox adventure, emphasizing player agency, exploration, and emergent stories over rigid plots. Arrive as ambitious adventurers at this remote outpost, dealing with wary guards, cunning traders, and secretive priests amid swirling rumors of the deadly Caves of Chaos. Resource management, careful mapping, and sharp tactics define the classic B/X style—torches burn low, gold fuels glory, and every choice reshapes a reactive world of warring monster tribes and lurking cults. Combat is quick and lethal, rewarding clever plans, while role-playing thrives in the keep’s lively halls. This freewheeling frontier invites you to seize treasure, forge alliances, or spark chaos, crafting legends through grit and ingenuity. Experience authentic B/X thrills in sessions packed with atmospheric tension, discovery, and high stakes that celebrate clever problem-solving and shared storytelling. Scout the wilds, raid bandit camps, or delve the sprawling Caves of Chaos teeming with orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, and darker horrors under a sinister influence. No balanced encounters or hand-holding here—danger is real, XP flows from loot and bold deeds, and survival demands wit as much as steel. The keep serves as a dynamic hub for rest, intrigue, and faction play, where NPCs pursue their own schemes and the threat of invasion forces hard choices. Ambush foes in torchlit tunnels, negotiate with evil priests, or hold the walls against raids: every moment blends peril, humor, and camaraderie in the raw, imaginative spirit of early D&D. Claim your place in this revival of the iconic Keep on the Borderlands, a gateway to endless B/X adventure that promises pure, unforgettable fun. Ideal for veterans seeking nostalgic sandbox freedom and newcomers eager for the hobby’s roots, it offers open-ended exploration, evolving factions, and a living world shaped by your actions—secure the border or plunge deeper for greater riches. Vivid descriptions bring misty hills, echoing caverns, and bustling courtyards to life, with fair yet challenging play that builds lasting memories and heroic tales. Gleaming hoards, potent magic, and tavern renown await the daring. Enlist today for sessions crackling with possibility, transforming nights into epic Borderlands sagas of glory and survival.
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