Thread by @drskyskull

Let's do a quick #OldSchoolDungeonsAndDragons: Pillars of Pentegarn (1982), by Rose Estes!

Obviously, this book, which was also labeled a "Pick-A-Path Adventure," uses the same format as classic "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, that exploded in popularity with the first book in 1979.

What I didn't know is that the Endless Quest books were part of a TSR initiative to develop curriculum programs for reading and problem solving! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_Q…

If you don't know the format: the books present the reader with choices at key moments, directing you to different pages depending on your choice. Thus you "pick" a "path" through the book, with different endings possible, some good, some horrific.

I still have four of my original Endless Quest books, and I focus on Pillars of Pentegarn because it is the one burned into my brain: it is practically a horror story!

In the book, you "play" as Jaimie, a young boy who can inexplicably talk to animals and hangs out with them in the forest. When his animal friends spot goblins pursuing an adventuring party, he opts to go warn them. (Or not, in which case the story ends immediately!)

In the ruins called the Pillars of Pentegarn, Jaimie meets a wizard, a fighter, and an elven rogue, who have arrived to reclaim the lands for King Pentegarn -- the wizard -- from the evil Dark One.

This book stands out from other Endless Quest books due to it particularly eerie nature. You are playing a rather vulnerable young person, thrust into a catacombs filled with goblins and horrific undead, including the dracolich on the book's cover.

I feel comfortable saying that EVERYONE who has read the book has the scene burned into their minds when the rogue scouts ahead, finds some cursed treasure, and returns as an animated skeleton! This is a magnificently horrific scene.

I did a quick reread through Pillars just to remind myself of the story and see how I would fare, and I'm delighted to say that I got probably the best ending on the first try! (I would've been traumatized if I had skeletonized Lydia again.)

The book is early enough in D&D history that it doesn't have any particular setting. That's part of the charm for me: there's no huge Forgotten Realms lore and backstory to worry about, just a boy, his talking fox and owl friends, and an evil Dark One.

Reading it was a great nostalgia trip, and I will probably dig through the others I own eventually, too! /END

PS somehow I only now just learned that TSR also published a series of "HeartQuest" books, D&D stories with romance, aimed and young women! Now I need to read one...