People keep asking for "beginner" dungeons. Everyone can name "classic" dungeons - Tomb of Horrors, Barrier Peaks, Ravenloft, etc. - but in order for those adventures to make sense, there needs to be some sort of introduction. It's like all the adventures we have are Bach concertos. People keep writing amazing works of staggering genius, but someone needs to write a book on how to play the piano. I had the same questions, and since I couldn't find anything satisfactory, I decided to write the kind of dungeon I would have loved to find. I wanted to write the best basic OSR dungeon for beginners that I could, and I also wanted to show the design process. If you like this dungeon, please share it, tell people about it, print copies and leave them lying around local game stores, or email this post to friends who have "always wanted to try D&D but don't know where to start". The entire thing is and always will be free.

Swamp creatures! They surround you now as you move slowly through the gurgling muck. How will you reach Quagmire now? Each day, the hungry sea swallows more of the ancient port city. A fierce fever ravages its people, and now - these foul monsters! Their beady eyes glimmer from deep within the tangled vines. Are these the creatures that have blockaded the city, turning away the ships that are the city's lifeline? Are these the scum that are starving the people of Quagmire, threatening an entire race with extinction? These creeps? Let's clean this jungle out! Quagmire includes a large-scale map that expands the D&D world and introduces new areas to explore. The adventure also includes new magic items and a special, expanded monsters section. Hurry! Hoist your colors, saddle your horse - go, before the city by the sea becomes the city beneath the sea! TSR 9081

This is the laboratory of High Alchemist Sureves Epans. He led a group of alchemists in research for many years, but recently there was a bit of a mishap. He discovered his wife was cheating on him with one of his employees and while in a drunken stupor trying to create a discreet potion to deal with the two of them, he let loose an infectious plague on the lab which turned all but a lucky few in the facility into shambling husks of their former selves., fused with their own creations as their minds turned to know but one thought - rage. This dungeon has rules to modify all encounters for a group of players levels 4 through 6 and is intended for a party of four. If you have more players, feel free to adjust the difficulty up one level for each additional player or simply tune the monsters to your needs. This dungeon contains many original enemies, a unique puzzle, and an environment that is meant to bring a sense of terror and anxiety on your players. I consider this to be the Horror-themed adventure of the module so feel free to add some creepy music and extra details along the way to bring the area to life (or death).

Deep beneath the Isle of Dread, in a place forgotten by the world of light, an ancient, unfathomable evil festers. Within the desiccated ruin known as Golsimorga, the debased kopru servants of Demogorgon work foul rites, steeping immature shadow pearls in pits of liquid insanity. None from the world above have yet fathomed what terrors lurk beneath the Isle of Dread, nor what mad scheme roils to profane life deep within the city's gangrenous corpse. "The Lightless Depths" is the sixth chapter of the Savage Tides Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures appearing in Dungeon magazine. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon magazine's monthly "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand upon the campaign. Issue #353 of Dragon features ways to improve the PCs' vessel, the Sea Wyvern, as they take their adventures back to the seas. When the PCs journey deep under the Isle of Dread to find the source of the shadow pearls, they discover horrors beyond imagining in a haunted underground city perched on sanity's razored edge. Pgs. 28-66

A short plug in adventure that can be used as part of a larger campaign or run as a one shot for 3-4 Tier I or II characters. The Twin Temple was once a place where the people of the city can come to and get help and guidance, but change has come to the Twin Temple now. The characters seek to find what poisons this well and how they can get to the bottom of it and who is responsible. This adventure is ideal for for 3-4 tier I and II characters. Playable as a one shot or the start of a larger campaign. The characters are sent to investigate the Twin Temple and see if they can find the root cause of trouble with various clues and encounters in most rooms this adventure is customizable and adaptable to fit into most campaigns as needed.

Chapter 1 - When a relative of someone close to the characters goes missing from a nearby village, the players are asked to investigate. The party has to recover stolen goods from a thief before setting out from the City of Ravens Bluff. They travel through the wilds of Vesperin in search of the missing person, finding trouble and helping locals along the way. Chapter 2 - As the journey continues, the party arrives in a small hamlet suffering from a strange blight. The players will need to investigate the situation and choose sides in a longstanding feud between the mayor and a local magic user. Chapter 3 - After clearing a tribe of violent orcs from a nearby mountain pass to protect the residents of a town, the party will have to enter the lair of a long-dead dragon to rescue their quarry from a band of goblinoid slavers, where they discover an entrance into a dwarven city, lost and forgotten centuries ago. Chapter 4 - The party will have to traverse the ruins of the dwarven city, avoiding hazards and battling the horrors that lurk there, to uncover the identity of the slaver's leader. A discovery that will lead them through a treacherous forest to the city of Tsurlagol in search of a pirate ship called the Star Carver, and its drow captain, The Viper's Kiss. Along the way, they meet an unlikely ally. Chapter 5 - Once they arrive in Tsurlagol, the players will have to choose between gaining the assistance of the city council to fight the pirates head on, or making a deal with the Viper's Kiss, herself. The path they choose will either lead to an epic battle on the Sea of Fallen Stars, or into the deadly sewers and tunnels beneath the city to face an enclave of wererats, undead, and a tribe of mad, kraken-worshipping kuo-toa, in search of a fabled relic. The Laughing Horde of Ruin, Part 1 is the first module of an original 5e adventure campaign. It is designed for character level 1-5, and uses material from the Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, and Volo's Guide.

One of four magical, snow white pearls protecting Tarylon has been stolen! And you, a Companion level elf, are responsible for its safe keeping. Now the very existence of your beautiful village is threatened unless you can find the powerful pearl. Milgor, the evil wizard with an evil sense fo fun, challenges you to find the pearl, and return it to Tarylon. This adventure uses a "Magic Viewer" - a piece of colored film - to reveal the hidden results of the player's choices. This includes encounters, puzzles, and traps. TSR 9128

If you save only one kidnapped daughter this year, save this one. Rescuing maidens is a dirty job, but - you know the rest. On the road, the PCs encounter the aftermath of an attack on a small merchant caravan. The PCs must find and return Zenobia, the merchant's daughter. To do this, they must track, locate, and confront the unknown raiders while keeping the Zenobia's safety in mind. Pgs. 4-19 & 34

Men always seek the blood of monsters. Some spill it to avenge their massacred families. Others swim through an ocean of gore to find treasures worth the envy of kings. A few know blood can be a priceless treasure in and of itself. Alchemy has long used the lifeblood of monstrosities as arcane fuel, and of all the legendary beasts, the blood of the gorgon holds the most secrets. Few know the blood's darkest lore, its ability to draw out the monster within every soul. Those who drink gorgon's blood are forever changed, and the darkest horrors of their mind unleashed. The heroes hunt a deadly murderer who stalks the streets of the Free City of Zobeck after nightfall, and cross blades with a guild of monsters who rule the city from below. Lucky heroes might risk no more than their lives. Unlucky heroes must wager their souls in a game where monsters and men dance close enough to share their blood and their fate.

The grain has rotted in the town of Elmwood, which means people might starve, businesses and banks might fail, and endanger the town’s already- precarious existence. Brave adventurers are needed to travel through the wild forest to seek the advice of the Sage of Cormanthor. Four hour adventure. Also contains information about the town of Elmwood. Part One of the Misaligned Trilogy

In the Tower of Yladhra the Grim, a party of adventurers braves the dangers and puzzles of an enchanted wizard's tower, and finally confronts the wizard herself. The adventure is designed for a party of five adventurers between levels five and eight. It features: Encounters by Level - Varying types and quantities of creatures are suggested based on the party's actual level, allowing each encounter to present the appropriate challenge to the party. Encounter Notes - Suggestions for how to run combats are provided for game masters who place an emphasis on engaging, tactical battles. Inciting Action - Suggestions for ways to present the adventure to players are provided. Aftermath - Ideas for future adventures based on this one. Unique Magic Items - New magic items to introduce into a campaign. Ease of Use - The format and style of the document allows the game master to find information quickly while running the game at the table. Detailed Maps - What's an adventure without maps? Not much else to say here.

The legendary spellcaster Emirikol the Chaotic has turned the region into a wild magic zone, a place where all magic goes awry. The only way to put things back to normal is to retrieve the source of the problem deep inside the Ooze Chambers of Emirikol! This adventure is for 4th level characters and can be run on its own or as part 3 of the Litany of Arrows adventure path. This adventure contains, 2 pages of new magic items, 8 new monsters and NPCs, a full write-up of Bwimb II, the Paraelemental Princess of Ooze, an entity referred to in many D&D products but never fully fleshed out and stats for the 3rd edition iconic heroes Regdar and Mialee, who play a major role in this adventure. It's got over 10 pieces of original art, full color maps, tagged and untagged, and a special handout for the player who obtains the Ooze Fist of Emirikol. This adventure builds on the story begun in the platinum-selling Castle of Corellon and the follow-up, Warpath of Gruumsh.

"The creatures are just too intelligent, too crafty, and too strategy-minded to "rampage." Rampaging brings the wrath of oath-bound knights, powerful mages, and divinely-protected priests. Why would a dragon want such attention, unless it had some special secret, or unless it was insane? Or both. The northern reaches of the Derideth Swamp were once plagued by a rampaging dragon. This black dragon, named Storamere, took a mad glee in attacking human villages, wiping out orc camps, driving off the lizardfolk, and decimating farmland. He met his untimely end, though, in an ambush devised by the monks of the Order of St. Chausle. Storamere died with a curse upon his draconic tongue: "you could not have defeated me in my lair," he told his slayers. "I am forever invincible in my lair." Now Storamere is back, with a horde of his misshapen half-dragon offspring, to have his vengeance. All that remains of the once-heroic monks are two old men driven mad by their last encounter with the black dragon, so it falls to a band of adventurers to again defeat the mighty dragon -- this time in his palace, where the boastful Storamere claims he is at his strongest." Includes maps and damage rules for navigating Storamere's lair, a semi-solid palace made of a dangerous, corrosive liquid five feet thick and located on the ethereal plane. Most of the monsters in the lair have the Half-Dragon template applied. Published by Atlas Games

This quest is for a party looking to acquire diamonds to use as components for higher-level resurrection spells. To gather what they need, the characters embark on a brief expedition to the Elemental Plane of Earth where diamonds are fairly abundant. However, the party only has an hour to gather as many diamonds as they can before the portal—and the entire cave area—collapses. Includes a quest-related NPC that a player can control if they're waiting for their character to be resurrected.

Stop evil cultists of the Crushing Wave. The party rescues a member of the Brotherhood of the Cloak in Mulmaster (local mage guild); Drayson Fivestar. Drayson asks them to investigate the murder of his colleague. After some urban investigation, the investigation leads to a former guard tower of the Zhentarim, now occupied by elemental cultists. The tower was submerged in mud, but recently uncovered. The party faces of with the cultists. (Large page count, but feasible as a one shot after some editing, will probably take two sessions at most)

In the city of Waterdeep rests a tavern called the Yawning Portal, named after the gaping pit in its common room. At the bottom of this crumbling shaft is a labyrinthine dungeon shunned by all but the most daring adventurers. Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Long has the Mad Mage dwelt in these forlorn depths, seeding his lair with monsters, traps, and mysteries—to what end is a constant source of speculation and concern. This adventure picks up where Waterdeep: Dragon Heist leaves off, taking characters of 5th level or higher all the way to 20th level should they explore the entirety of Halaster’s home. Twenty-three levels of Undermountain are detailed herein, along with the subterranean refuge of Skullport. Treasures and secrets abound, but tread with care!

A One-on-One Competition Module for Thieves Level 8 Your peaceful evening has been interrupted by an unusual request. As a thief, your skills are unmatched, but can you rise to the challenge of thieving for a powerful and frightening wizard? Do you have a choice? The Gem and the Staff is a special One-on-One competition module designed for one player and on Dungeon Master. The Module contains two separate scenarios, so you can switch roles with the other player after the first adventure. Scoring sheets and encounter summaries are provided for each adventure to make running competitions quick and simple. Character figures and a map book are also provided to help visualize the adventures. The player's maps are designed so you can see the rooms as they would appear. Complete DM's Maps are included. TSR 9050

Trapped in the mysterious Castle Amber, you find yourselves cut off from the world you know. The castle is fraught with peril. Members of the strange Amber family, some insane, some merely deadly, lurk around every corner. Somewhere in the castle is the key to your escape, but can you survive long enough to find it? TSR 9051

Agents of the fire giants of Maerimydra, a city in the Underdark, have overtaken the drow outpost of Szith Morcane. The factions seek out adventurers to free the outpost’s leaders for questioning on the giants’ activities. Can you extricate them before it’s too late?

The King is dead! And the queen is in trouble. She has chosen you to find the fabled heartstone, which is buried somewhere deep in the Mountains of Ice. Is the gem I the hands of the corrupt Master Thief? Has he harnessed its powers for his own vile purposes? Or does it lie unguarded in the frozen ranges to the north, which teem with horrible creatures? This is your kind of quest! Quest for the Heartstone is a combined wilderness/dungeon adventure designed to be compatible with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Action Toys from LJN Toys, Ltd. and the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Adventure Figures from TSR, Inc. The adventure also includes complete maps, new monsters and players' illustrations. Will the heartstone be the key to peace in the kingdom? By her majesty's request... it's up to you to find out! TSR 9114