Something is killing people in Palebank Village, and if the party does not stop it they could be next.
A storm of unparalleled fury has been ravaging the peaks of the Earthspur Mountains for a tenday, and the Monastery of the Yellow Rose sits in its eye for now. Some monks have fled the monastery to the safety of Mulmaster and beseech you to convince their more obstinate brothers to retreat to the city before the eye of the storm shifts, and the monestary is in terrible danger. Can you brave the elements and convince the monks to escape?
The colony of Farshore has survived on its own for years, a secluded and struggling hamlet perched on the western shore of the tiny island of Temute. An island dwarfed by the savage landscape across the narrow channel to the north, a landscape of rugged mountains, tangled jungles, and trackless swamps. This is the Isle of Dread, and its resources and hidden treasures are matched only by its peril. Yet for all these dangers, what may bring doom to Farshore is not an invasion of inhuman monsters from the mainland, but an invasion of all-too-human monsters from across the sea. "Tides of Dread" is the fifth 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 #352 of Dragon magazine features rumors of Farshore, a helpful list of improvements the PCs can make to the colony, and other features to help get PCs oriented in their new home on the Isle of Dread. The destruction of a pirate ship signals the beginning of a Crimson Fleet invasion. The PCs must race against time to prepare for the onslaught before an old enemy can release another savage tide. Pgs. 28-59 Also see Pgs. 60-71 Backdrop: Farshore City of Hope.
Once a powerful proponent of Law, the Archmage Tazimack the Red was eventually driven mad by a fear of mortality. As he slipped into insanity his retirement home began to reflect the chaotic bent of his mind. Long after Tazimack’s unnaturally animated body has disintegrated, his manor house remains as a shadow cast by a twisted intellect. Can the characters bring order to this chaos?
A haunted house, a missing person, and a hint of wild fey magic. In the kingdom of Norland in the Moonshae Isles, King Keethan rules by the will of Torm the True, though in Glen Dourn folk still hold true to the old ways—a dense and layered folklore of monsters and tales to frighten children. It is to this remote valley that Keethan bids you make haste to seek out signs of his beloved cousin, Lady Sorcha Hannigard. Sorcha vanished on her wedding day three years ago, sending her groom and neighbours alike into mourning. But where can she have gone? The only remaining clues to this mystery lie in her abandoned mansion home, where powers less wholesome have now taken up residence. The Dread Coven will not give up what they know so easily, although they will strike a bargain if you’re willing to pay the price in pain.
The End of the World Is at Hand! A hideous death cult has seized control of an ancient artifact-monument known as Tovag Baragu. The power behind the cult is the Old One himself, Iuz the Evil, demonic master of an empire. He's on an all-or-nothing quest for supremacy over the world—and the heavens beyond. To stop him, heroes must face horrors never dreamed of, journeying to a shadowed city where Death rules and the living cower. Here, Iuz will achieve his mad dream by destroying the imprisoned master of that alien citadel: Vecna, the mightiest lich, an immortal demigod. Two items exist with the power to stop Iuz—the Eye and the Hand of Vecna—but using them carries fantastic risks. Not even the gods know what will be unleashed when these items are fully activated. Die Vecna Die! takes the heroes from the Greyhawk campaign to the demiplane of Ravenloft and then to the Planescape city of Sigil. However, none of the material from those settings is required for play. TSR 11662
For the past 5 years this elven village has been plagued by undead creatures of the nearby swampland. The undead are consisted of unlucky elf villagers or travelers who were foolish enough to walk through the swampland. It is unknown how the undead appeared in the swampland in the first place, but it is rumored that a demonic entity has found shelter in a cave inside the dark forest next to the swampland and it is being worshipped by necromancer cultists. This adventure is for parties no larger than 5 characters and no higher than level 5.
Two feuding kobold tribes have been left alone in their dragon queen's lair. Without supervision, surrounded by the wealth of nations and piles of magical artifacts. How long before things devolve into utter chaos? Set inside an enormous dragon's lair, the adventure allows players to take control of the best and brightest among the kobold tribe known as the Redscales. Their entire lives they have been the Dragon Queen's minions and her lair's caretakers. But the Dragon Queen has been gone for some time now and an ancient feud with another kobold tribe (the Bluescales) is about to be a rekindled. And the trap- and treasure-filled lair is to become their battleground. The gameplay is a mix of roleplaying, involving some tough moral choices (well, tough for kobolds), solving puzzles and wacky combat with kobolds wielding powerful ancient artifacts. There is an abundance of magic items, specially chosen for their potential to lead to hilarious situations.
A hundred miles off the Chelish coast lies the remote island of Deepmar, where the House of Thrune sends prisoners to work in crystal mines, wresting valuable spell components from the depths of the earth. A month ago, all contact with the penal colony ceased, and now someone must discover what mysterious fate has befallen the prisoners and guards of this isolated mining operation.
This deluxe adventure takes heroes into the ruins of Gardmore Abbey, a monastery that was once the base of a militant order of paladins devoted to Bahamut. According to legend, the paladins brought a dark artifact back from a far crusade and stored it in their abbey for safekeeping, and evil forces gathered to assault the abbey and take it back. What the legends don’t tell is that this artifact was actually the Deck of Many Things, a force of pure Chaos. This adventure brings characters into the extensive dungeons beneath the ruins - dungeons that are warped and twisted with the raw forces of Chaos surrounding the cards of the deck.
The Haunt Unlock the secrets and drive back the evil from Montarthas Manor In ages past, an ancient town was lost and destroyed to a seige of orcs. Only one building survived and to this day, the manor is the only still standing building to be seen for miles around. Some say it is haunted, a few whisper of great treasures within, whilst others whisper that it is the manor itself that lives! No one knows for sure, only that a great evil haunts its halls. Do you dare enter Montarthas Manor? Published by P.B. Publishing
The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path continues! A sudden string of brutal killings terrorizes the town of Sandpoint, and the killer's mark bears a familiar shape. Investigation leads to the Lost Coast's most notorious haunted mansion, a dilapidated ruin that has become the lair of a monstrous murderer. Yet this killer is but one of many, a member of a group of fanatic cutthroats calling themselves the Skinsaw Men. To defeat the cult, the PCs must travel to the bustling city of Magnimar to unravel the sinister source of these murders before they become the Skinsaw Men's next victims!
An embattled outpost at the edge of the wilderness has finally been overthrown. Strange creatures patrol the land. A local hamlet is in ruins. But just who-or what-has taken over this once mighty fortress?
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.
Riddled with veins of precious ore and gem, the Earthspur Mountains to the west have long been a valuable resource for anyone able to mine them. One such mine has gone silent and the only thing more concerning than its long overdue shipment is the fate of the members of the Soldiery sent to discover what has happened to the mine’s workers. Though the mine lay in a region of the Mountains once claimed by a clan of reclusive dwarves, the Ludwakazar clan wouldn’t be so bold as to violate their long-standing peace with Mulmaster. Or would they?
A trap that perhaps works too well. No matter how much loot you take, you never took anything at all. Confused? Wait until you try this dungeon. The players are hired to investigate and clear a tomb of a time wizard. This tomb is heavily guarded both by creatures and traps, and some sages are concerned that the defenses are lasting longer than they were supposed to. Unknown to the sages, the wizard, Sur-in Am, bound a time elemental to guard the treasures of the tomb. This guardian's duty is to frustrate robbers by returning stolen items to their original place and also reset traps in the tomb. Pgs. 26-36
In Heart of Nightfang Spire, the player characters are drawn to investigate Nightfang Spire, a lonely stone tower in a barren land. The vampire lord Gulthias, servant of the great dragon Ashardalon, has returned to the tower which was once the main cult temple of Ashardalon. The vampire prepares for the dragon's return by awakening the other cultists who had preserved themselves as undead creatures. Gulthias is a vampire and a level 13 wizard.
The land lies under a curse. Fruit drops to the ground, its pulp black and rotten. Leaves curl and wither on the branches. Animals flee the parched vale, or starve. Long ago, the Downs prospered under the care of Druids, but the priests of nature have retreated deep into the woods and rarely show themselves. One old man claims that the Druids have the power to save the valley, if only someone could find their Oracle to seek help. Will you reach the Forest Oracle of the Druids in time? And if you do, can they really lift the curse? Or does the answer lie elsewhere? Only the most daring and cunning adventurers will save the Downs. N2: "The Forest Oracle" (1984), by Carl Smith, is the second AD&D adventure in the novice (N-) series. Unlike its predecessor, it is not intended for 1st-level adventurers, but instead for 2nd level and up. This conversion guide allows DMs to run the original module with 5th Edition rules and provides a reference sheet for encounters. Also contains suggestions for placement in the Forgotten Realms. To use this conversion guide you will need a copy of The Forest Oracle, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in Digital format on the DMs Guild. Visit Classicmodulestoday.com to find out how you can create your own classic module conversions and sell them on the DMs Guild.
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 traditional "funhouse" dungeon, White Plume Mountain begins with the archmage Keraptis stealing three artifacts and leaving cryptic poems with their former owners. The players are hired to recover the items, and find a bizarre dungeon in the side of the eponymous volcano. TSR 9027