DUNGEON DELVE modules are all written with an underlying philosophy. They do not insist that you—the DM—run them in a particular way; after all, it is your game. Instead, they provide a framework for play rather than a complete script, trusting the DM to shape the adventure through adjudication, improvisation, and the players’ choices.

This article examines how published modules affect creative authority and personalization in Dungeons & Dragons. By R. Nelson Bailey Published modules have existed since the early days of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), with the first, The Temple of the Frog, appearing in the 1975 Blackmoor supplement. Since then, the number of modules has grown substantially, not only for D&D but for nearly every role-playing game system. The ubiquity of published adventures means that nearly ev