Despite what some may think, those in Zhentil Keep haven't forgotten about their orc troops in Phent. In public discussion in Zhentil Keep, the leaders of the Zhentilar, the military branch of Zhentil Keep, have confidently asserted that the orcs in Thesk are completely loyal to Zhentil Keep. They maintain that the orcs are just biding their time and building up trust among the citizens, until the appointed time when the word is given. In private, these same leaders are gravely concerned. The leaders didn't get to positions of command by being idiots, and they know that the orcs are treated well and accepted in Thesk, which is a rarity for them with the humans and humanoids of Faerûn in general. The leaders know that many of the orcs would be reluctant to destroy the source of this acceptance. But what if the orcs' chief god, Gruumsh, told them to? The Zhentilar turned to the Black Network and presented the problem. The Zhents knew what to do. The Zhents have dispatched a powerful cleric, a master of persuasion and deception, to pose as an orc prophet of Gruumsh and whip the orcs into a destructive frenzy. In addition, the Zhentilar have staged raids against human caravans by what look like orc warriors so that they can start antiorc sentiment among the population of Thesk. Twin Oaks is a tiny, sleepy little thorp located just within the sheltering eaves of a great forest. Home to an extended family clan of farmers and woodcutters, the community was founded within living memory and since its creation the inhabitants have known only peace and prosperity. But just as the gentle breezes of late summer can transform rapidly into the deadly storms of autumn, dark times have come suddenly to Twin Oaks, in the person of Deskryn, a vampire who finds himself on the run from deadly enemies. Just two nights ago, as the good folk of Twin Oaks prepared for the annual harvest, Deskryn’s castle home was invaded by an intrepid band of adventurers led by a noble paladin. Although the party did not achieve its goal of slaying the vampire himself, they managed to drive him from his lair and force him to flee into the night with only the barest fraction of his former resources in tow. Unfortunately for the good folk of Twin Oaks, theirs was the community onto which the 2 vampire stumbled first, and it is here that the fiends have taken refuge. The little settlement offers the displaced vampire all that he needs: shelter from the hateful light of the sun, a selection of new servants, and a supply of fresh mortal blood. Even in his current condition, Deskryn alone is more than a match for the nhabitants of the thorp; but his best hope of survival lies not in conquest, but in secrecy. He plans to hide in Twin Oaks until he believes it safe to leave; then, he can begin plotting his revenge on the hateful paladin and her compatriots who brought him to this lowly state. As for the citizens of the thorp, they are all but helpless in the face of this powerful enemy. The vampire has already slaked his unholy thirst on one of their number, and his minions have taken hostages to ensure that the inhabitants do as they are told. All the folk of Twin Oaks hope that Deskryn will take what he wants and then leave them in peace, but few of them believe that such hopes are realistic. Until Deskryn has satisfied himself that the coast is clear, Twin Oaks—and its people—belong to him.
“Den of the Destroyer” is the sequel to “The Lost Mines of Karak,” continuing the unfolding story of the Scales of War adventure path. In this adventure, the PCs are called back to Brindol by a surprising summons. There they learn that a platinum sword they had collected back in "Rescue at Rivenroar" is no mundane item - the blade is sentient! The blade charges the PCs to undertake a dangerous mission to an abandoned githzerai fortress in order to perform a ritual to awaken the blade's true form. Along the way, they must deal with bounty hunters hired by an old enemy (from "Shadow Rifts of Umbraforge"), and confront a vile gang of gnolls terrorizing Elsir Vale. Pgs. 14-54
An interesting and atypical adventure in its writing style. For one the module contains insightful "When things go Wrong" sections and DM guidance for sticking close enough to the rails for the story and fun's sake. Lots of DM hints about how to handle PCs' choices. Overall the story is fine too - a traditional hook, a mystery, some twists. There's a tower, a surprise pocket-dimension context, and a dungeon. It's mirror of life trapping, isn't it? Well, yes and no. People go in, and they don't come out. Nor can you talk with anyone inside. Somehow, that's not quite the way you remember those mirrors work. This Skarda fellow showed up a few years ago with a band of raiders, and no one in the land has been safe since then. Whole villages have disappeared into this Skarda's mirror. Your band is approached by relatives of one of the victims?and adventurer like yourselves. You have to get into that mirror of whatever-it-is, find this man, and get him out in one piece. The reward is more that adequate. Only problem is, no one out here can tell you what to expect once you get in? or even how to get there. TSR 9188
Irtep’s Dish is an adventure for characters from 6th to 8th level. This adventure requires the skills of a rogue or some other expert at traps, a cleric or character that can heal allies and offer beneficial bonuses to the team, a wizard or other master of the arcane arts, and a fighter to take care of “the heavy lifting.”
The brilliant (if somewhat eccentric) detective Viktor Saint-Demain has put more criminal masterminds behind bars than any three other inqusitives. But when the master sleuth fails to get the recogintion he deserves, he sets out to prove to Sharn that they can’t live without him. Pgs. 16-34
"Wherein the local clergy makes the terrible mistake of not hiring enough assassins for the job." Synopsis: The heroes have just returned from the abyss (Occipitus) and reestablish themselves in Cauldron, when they are assaulted by a group of professional assassins. After they repel the attack, they trace back the lead to the temple of Wee Jas, where they find plenty of opposition from the second in command, Ike Iverson. After dispatching of the cleric and securing of a (spare) soul cage, the group finds evidence of a place important to the cagewrights' cause - an ancient underground complex named Karran Kurral. Mounting an expedition to that place, they find more evidence towards the horrific destiny on schedule for Cauldron. However, they gain access to the Soul Pillars after defeating a dracolich, that they can use to gather plenty of intelligence on the cagewrights' plans. Pgs. 12-51
Into the Dragon's Lair takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting, and takes place after the novels The High Road and The Death of a Dragon by Troy Denning. The nation of Cormyr tries to rebuild after the death of King Azoun IV, and seeks the treasure hoard of a dragon to fund these efforts and keep the kingdom from falling into chaos. The player characters must find this treasure before all the other seekers.
Sometimes you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time... Sheltering from a savage storm, a group of fledgling adventurers find themselves trapped by circumstances and powerful forces from a bygone age. Escaping from dark and dismal caverns, the heroes must brave a nightmarish trek through haunted and hostile terrain, pursued by an mysterious assailant to the very walls of Anduria – home of the greatest civilisation in the world. On the edge between madness and salvation, they must broker a deal with shadowy cults and political powers to determine not only their own fate, but potentially that of the Eternal City itself.
The Siege of Castle Rend is an adventure for the fifth edition of the world’s first roleplaying game, suitable for five 5th-level characters. It takes place over four parts, and each part can be completed in one or two sessions of play, depending on your group’s playstyle and how long you like to play in a single sitting. If all goes according to plan over the course of this adventure, the player characters will expose an usurping lord, fight orcs, acquire a stronghold, defend it from an invading army, win the admiration of a town filled with potential vassals, and make political connections within the Barony of Bedegar. Of course, no adventure goes according to plan. The PCs will invariably throw these well-laid schemes into chaos, and they’ll have to improvise. But if we know how things would have gone if the PCs never showed up (or are cowards), it makes it easier for us GMs to improvise when things go off the rails. Published by MCDM
Them Ogres Ain't Right... The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path continues! The notorious Hook Mountain ogres, known for their violent and savage ways, have slaughtered the soldiers of Fort Rannick. The few surviving rangers need heroes to help them retake this key fortification before the ogres use it as a staging ground for further assaults on the region. Yet why have the ogres chosen now to launch this sudden attack? What sinister force grows in the surrounding wilderness, and what ties to the mysterious Sihedron Rune do the ogres of Hook Mountain hide? Are the rumors of an army of giants massing for war true?
In ages past, the wizard Karavakos made a deal with devils, which resulted in him being trapped in an extradimensional pyramid, unable to escape. His only hope for escape is to lure adventurers into the Pyramid, in hopes that they will destroy his splinters and return his power to him. But his wife Vyrellis, whom he slew in a rage when the Pyramid formed, still lingers in spirit and wants nothing more than to see him laid low... Although set to allow PCs to just fight through each encounter, tips are included for PCs negotiating with the factions trapped in the pyramid.
Your investigations into weird occurrences in Waterdeep's Field Ward leads you to the source of a disease that suddenly breaks out. You are the only ones who know of the cure, but you won't be able to procure it if you remained quarantined like the rest of the ward. The clock is ticking for you and your allies.
Waves of supernatural darkness sweep over the subterranean city of Stoneholme, quenching lights and bringing with it foul creatures of shadow. After heroically defending a group of dwarven children being ravaged by a group of these shadow beings, the PCs are approached by Shtawn Deppenkhut -one of the king's own advisers- and are offered the task of finding the source of the darkness that threatens the city. The PCs investigation takes them through the Underworld to hidden caverns, where demon worshiping priests offer living sacrifices in an attempt to plunge Stoneholme into everlasting darkness, a first step in destroying the hated city once and for all, but as it turns out the priests aren't the only ones behind this unfolding plan to destroy Stoneholme. Dark Days in Stoneholme is ideally suited for a group of dwarven adventurers. It is recommended that you have access to the Stoneholme section of the Rise of the Drow revised & expanded edition (2014) but it is not necessary to run the adventure. Also available for Pathfinder. Published by AAW Games.
The plague-stricken Copper District of Waterdeep's Southern Ward needs your help. What is causing the plague? Can it be stopped? Are you the right person for the job? Published by Arcana Games.
A derelict raft drifts into Mulmaster’s harbor carrying a young woman. Delirious with hunger, the only words she seems able to speak so far have been “ash and fire.” The only other clue to her identity is an ornate tattoo. Is the woman insane, or is something nefarious at play?
Unmerciful is a detective scenario that focuses on roleplay and investigation. It is an event based quest, meaning that things will happen with or without PCs interaction. The DM receives a list with all the murders and details about them, a list of NPCs that are relevant to the case and how, and one of the ways players could track the killer down. A party of any level can be challanged with this scenario and it can be played in any (low) fantasy setting. Adventure Synopsis: The players are hired to find out who has brutally killed Father Marius. After inspecting the murder scene, players can be sure that killer is driven with revenge and that this is only the first murder. Good old detective work brings them closer to the killer, but also to the fact that everything isn’t like it seems. As the body count rises, players must decide whom to aid in the final confrontation, the Church or the Punisher.
"Monument of the Thunderer" is a desert half-dragon lair intended to challenge a party of four 7th-level characters. Near the city state of Makuria, on a small island in the middle of the Green Nuria River, an immense stone sculpture of a dragon watches over the mighty Red Cliffs and the waterfall that pours off them. The monument was built by ancient worshipers of the Mharoti conqueror known as Zulatil the Thunderer, but now serves as a base of operations for a band of sinister thugs who call themselves the Red Cliff Raiders.
Candlekeep is under siege, and it needs adventurers to help protect it! Heed the call to defend the legendary monastery and stand against the tide of evil. Confrontation at Candlekeep was used as a D&D Next playtest for D&D 5E. It was released to organized play Dungeon Masters in August 2013, and ran at Gen Con, PAX, and other major conventions. The adventure includes rules for running multiple tables, but can also be run for just one table. The attack on Candlekeep by forces of Asmodeus is tied to the events in Ed Greenwood's novel about the Sundering, "The Herald."
Marek the Stalwart, Paladin of the Knights of the Eternal order has stolen a powerful magical artifact. Fleeing the order’s keep he has left several slain paladins of the order in his wake. Our adventurers have been charged with returning Marek, preferably alive, and the artifact to the Knights of the Eternal Order so he can face trial for his crimes This adventure is designed for 4-6 characters of level 4-5. I would love to hear any feedback you have after looking over/running the adventure. Cover art provided by Marco Ortiz https://www.facebook.com/marcosartcommissions/
The City of Sands adventure module starts where the Domes of Ishaq-Zahur leaves off, sending a party of heroes from the peril of the desert tombs to the streets of the sandy metropolis, Archensheen. There the players will find themselves caught in the middle of a fierce struggle for political power and ancient artifacts as factions from all across the city vie for control of relics from the Nartheneen's glory days. Choosing a side may make more enemies than it does friends, but can the heroes survive if they choose to stand alone? Part 2 of 6 in the Fate of the Forebears series.