A community for lazy dungeon masters
41 adventures found
Cover of The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
5th Edition
Level 1
24 pages
0

Chapter 2: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh In this version of the adventure, the characters find navigational charts and logs aboard the Sea Ghost that implicate its crew as slavers. Ned Shakeshaft is a Scarlet Brotherhood agent. He makes an attempt to foil the characters, but his true intent is to surrender and implicate Gellan Primewater as a key villain. The distraction afforded by the lizardfolk and the looming sahuagin threat gives the Scarlet Brotherhood the opportunity to bring more agents into town. posing as mercenaries brought in by Anders to protect the town. If Gellan can be removed from the council, Solmor might ask one of the characters to take his place.

Cover of HWA3 Nightstorm
HWA3 Nightstorm
BECMI
Levels 8–10
64 pages
0

To Find the Immortals! The all-powerful Immortals have vanished! The quest to locate them has led across the Atlass Ocean and the land of Shahjapur, where moguls hunt tigers, un-touchables respectfully avoid higher castes, and holy fakirs perch immobile for years on end. In this land of shrines and elephants and shapeshifting assassins, resolution may lie at the end of the mysterious "Emerald River." But no one knows the location of this river and no map shows its bed. Does the answer lie within the Temple of Eight Sweet Winds? Hopefully so, for time grows short. The Immortals themselves must be found and enlisted - to stave off the approaching cataclysm called: NIGHTSTORM! Nightstorm is the third adventure for the D&D Hollow World Campaign Set. The Hollow World boxed set is required to play. This 65-page adventure fits easily into your existing campaign, either as a stand-alone adventure or part of the history-spanning Blood Brethren trilogy. These three lined modules can be played in any order - but the adventure ends here! This adventure is designed for four to six characters of levels 8 to 10. Easily Adaptable to the AD&D Game! TSR 9311

Cover of Flotsam
Flotsam
AD&D
Levels 6–8
2 pages
0

Sometimes things are not what they seem. While the PCs are sailing through pirate-infested waters, a crewman spots the floating wreckage of a sailing ship. Two survivors are standing on the deck waving frantically. The survivors — an eccentric old man, and a noble woman, claim to be merchants from Waterdeep, but are in fact pirates. During an attack on a merchant vessel, the old man, a mage, had missed with a fireball and hit their own ship causing serious damage and killing several crew mates. As punishment, the pirate leader left them marooned on the wreckage, taking the ship they had attacked. This is a short module focused on roleplay. Combat is unlikely as the pirates have no reason to attack or threaten their rescuers. The female survivor seeks a hidden treasure, which could provide a hook for ongoing adventure. While the module isn't explicitly written for solo play, it could be easily adapted for any group size provided the power balance between rescuer and pirate is maintained. Pgs. 24-25

Cover of Deadman's Quest
Deadman's Quest
3.5 Edition
Level 1
20 pages
0

Living pirates are a common enough hazard around the islands known as the Serpent's Teeth. A dead one is even more trouble- especially when his treasure has been stolen. Characters who successfully complete this adventure should be of sufficient level to tackle the award-winning Freeport trilogy, Death in Freeport, Terror in Freeport, and Madness in Freeport. Pgs. 84-103

Cover of DDEX01-03 Shadows of the Moonsea
DDEX01-03 Shadows of the Moonsea
5th Edition
Levels 1–4
32 pages
0

Life on the Moonsea isn't easy. Bandits, pirates, and cruel lords dominate the land, threatening those who make an honest living there. Now, a new scourge is prowling the waters: A ghost ship has been striking small coastal villages, leaving its victims whispering about the "eye of the dracolich."

Cover of Dungeon Crawl Classics #79.5: Tower of the Black Pearl
Dungeon Crawl Classics #79.5: Tower of the Black Pearl
Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Level 1
20 pages
0

Once every decade, the tides of the Empyrean Ocean recede far enough to reveal the highest eaves of a mysterious undersea tower. Long ago this was an eldritch fastness of Sezrekan the Elder, the most wicked wizard ever to plague the Known World, but now the tower is known simply as the final resting place of the fabled Black Pearl – an artifact rumored to bring doom upon all who dare to posses it. Tonight the moon nearly fills the sky, and the tides have already begun to recede. Adventurers have eight short hours to explore the tower before the dark waters return. The fabled Black Pearl will be theirs for the taking…if they can survive the Pearl’s curse.

Cover of Dungeon Crawl Classics #7: The Secret of Smuggler’s Cove
Dungeon Crawl Classics #7: The Secret of Smuggler’s Cove
3.5 Edition
Levels 5–7
40 pages
0

In this adventure, the coastal village of Fair Haven needs the characters’ help. For decades, Fair Haven has relied upon its lighthouse to guide merchant vessels into port. But on a recent stormy night, the lighthouse suddenly failed. The trading ship Nymph’s Kiss was dashed on the rocks, and smugglers have already raided the wreck. Somebody has to restore the lighthouse, but the locals are afraid to go near because it shows all the signs of being haunted. Yet there might be more to the story, since there’s something living in the sea caves below…

Cover of The Ghostship Gambit
The Ghostship Gambit
BECMI
Levels 3–6
6 pages
0

'Help wanted: Fearless crew to stop undead pirates. Pay bills before applying." The first thing you'll hear is dead silence. The party must hunt down a ghostship disrupting commerce in the trade port of Koll. At least, everyone thinks it's a ghostship, the party may discover otherwise.

Cover of The Locrian Way
The Locrian Way
5th Edition
Level 3
9 pages
0

Driven off course by a devastating storm, you crash land on an island where sailors are lured beyond the foreboding treeline. While searching for your comrades, you find yourselves trapped between two warring cultures. Can you unlock the mysteries of Locria before it kills you? Pgs. 51-59

Cover of Crisis in Freeport
Crisis in Freeport
3.5 Edition
Levels 7–9
62 pages
0

This adventure works best after going through the original trilogy (Death, Terror, and Madness in Freeport). After exposing the madness and corruption of the previous Sea Lord, a succession crisis is upon Freeport. There are no heirs to the seat of power, leading the Captains' Council to overturn the Law of Succession. But opening up succession plunges the city into chaos as various factions vy for the title. The PCs will need to survive riots and secret plots to make sure the right man (or woman) ends up with the job.

Cover of Weathering the Storm
Weathering the Storm
5th Edition
Level 5
28 pages
0

Provost Faurious has procured an Aethervane, an astrolabe-like instrument tied to Kythri that's used to navigate manifest zones. Unfortunately for the Provost, the Riedran ship that was carrying the Aethervane across the Sea of Rage to deliver it to their agent in Regalport fell victim to piracy. The player characters are dispatched to Regalport to meet up with the Provost’s agent there and petition High Prince Rygar for more information about the stolen cargo. When the characters dock in Regalport, they meet the Provost’s contact and are ushered into a meeting with High Prince Rygar. Wishing to show his intolerance for piracy, Rygar charters one of his own ships for the party’s use as they investigate the stolen cargo. Upon arriving at the crash site of the stolen cargo, the party is set upon by a fleet of pirates known as the Wind Whisperers. When things turn sour, a new surprise reveals itself as an unnatural storm rolls in, a stolen airship at its heart. The Wind Whisperers have found a way to convert the Aethervane to serve their own purposes. Seeking aid from Rygar and House Lyrandar, the heroes chase after the pirates by sail and airship. As they do, they are bedeviled by the Chaos Fleet—strange ships sailed by an even stranger crew that are drawn to the Aethervane and the chaos it brings. In a final airborne confrontation, the party boards the rogue airship and retrieves the sought-after artifact, with a chance to salvage or sink the stolen vessel in the process…

Cover of SJA3 Crystal Spheres
SJA3 Crystal Spheres
AD&D
Levels 5–7
64 pages
0

Traveling the space lanes is risky and mysterious, and danger comes in many forms. The rescue of a tiny ship from pirate attackers leads to the discovery of a monumental, supernatural evil. Nothing is ever routine in space. Crystal Spheres takes player characters through four unique crystal spheres to battle a powerful force of darkness. Player Characters will find themselves fighting not just for their lives, but the fate of an entire solar system and its millions of inhabitants. TSR 9299

Cover of AT1 The Subtle Revenant
AT1 The Subtle Revenant
AD&D
Levels 5–7
16 pages
0

Join the adventure in the free city of Taux! Written as a narrative piece to help incorporate game play into the shared world anthology series Tales of the Emerald Serpent, this adventure for semi-experienced characters will put you on the run from the most powerful and notorious family in Taux. Can the characters write their own story and join the legends of Black Gate with the help of iconic personas made famous in Tales of the Emerald Serpent and A Knight in the Silk Purse. This adventure is formatted to both 1E & 5E gaming rules. Also available in PDF.

Cover of Old Sea-Dog
Old Sea-Dog
AD&D
Levels 2–5
7 pages
0

A barque with a bark; or, You can't be Sirius! Another day, another kidnap victim to rescue - but this victim has four feet and likes old soup bones. An adventure with some bite. Sir Veneti of Chardon's prize mastiff was stolen just before the city's mastiff duel. He knows that it was his biggest rival, Sir Machi. Sir Veneti needs the party to seize Sirius, the mastiff, from a ship called Gale's Teeth. What the party doesn't know is that a pirate stranged in town is also planning a heist on this ship the very same night that they plan to steal back the mastiff! This adventure has opportunities for both combat and roleplaying, and allows for multiple ways for the players to finish the adventure. Pgs. 32-38

Cover of X1 The Isle of Dread
X1 The Isle of Dread
BECMI
Levels 3–7
32 pages
0

One of the original D&D classics, "The Isle of Dread" is a hex crawl wilderness adventure. It focuses on surviving primitive beasts, dinosaurs, and pirates while uncovering the mystery of the island's inland city, where a great treasure awaits. From the cover: "This module contains maps and background material for the Isle, fifteen new monsters, and suggestions for further adventures. In addition, The Isle of Dread contains a map and background information for a large continent, and eleven smaller maps for encounters on the island itself. In this module, players will push their way through dark jungles and treacherous swamps to discover the lost plateau, and the final secrets of - the Isle of Dread!" TSR 9043

Cover of Pathfinder Adventure Path #56: Raiders of the Fever Sea (Skull & Shackles 2 of 6)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #56: Raiders of the Fever Sea (Skull & Shackles 2 of 6)
Pathfinder
Level 4
92 pages
0

The second installment of the Skull and Shackles Pathfinder adventure path. Bound for adventure upon the pirate vessel they've taken as their own, the heroes face a sea of dangers as they chart a course to become true Free Captains of the Shackles. But life as a pirate doesn't prove any easier now that they're in command, as deadly sea monsters, the corpses of drowned scalawags, and raiders from the deep rise to oppose them. When a most unusual map falls into the adventurers' hands, they have the chance to change their fate in a shingle daring raid. Is it the heroes' destiny to be the next victims of the merciless waves, or will fortune smile upon them and spur their rise as the newest and most infamous pirates of the Shackles

Cover of U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
AD&D
Levels 1–3
31 pages
0

Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of a fabulous, forgotten treasure. What is its sinister secret. Made for 5-10 character of levels 1-3, contains maps, handouts and encounter descriptions. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is the first installment in a series of three modules designed and developed in the United Kingdom for beginning adventures with the AD&D rules. TSR 9062

Cover of Dead Man's Cove
Dead Man's Cove
3rd Edition
Levels 4–6
9 pages
0

A wealthy sea-trader hires the PCs to solve a pirate problem and recover stolen supplies. Almost 100 pirates have made base in a treacherous cove. When the PCs arrive, most of the pirates are at sea on a mission. A large host of pirates remain in the base and force PCs to be creative with their approach, as a direct attack would be met with an overwhelming swarm of pirates. Unknown to the player's as they scheme is that the ship will soon return with its massive crew. The treasure cave is guarded by the dead sailors foolish enough to try and steal from the captain, who is the only one who can enter the cave safely. Players must be creative to deal with the pirates in the base and the approaching ship while still securing the plundered supplies in the treasure cave.

Cover of D2 By Shadow of Night
D2 By Shadow of Night
OSR
Levels 4–6
44 pages
0

The City of Bergholt lies upon the southern shores of the Interzae. Her crumbling walls and ancient cobbled streets are little more than a backwater, controlled by powerful merchants and thieves. In these darkened streets and twisted alleys people claw their way to the top through violence and guile. In Bergholt, the fear lingers in every shadow. In By Shadow of Night you’ll find a complete detailed description of Bergholt, a rich cast of NPCs who all have their own plots and plans, over 20 encounter areas, including a small dungeon and a large fold-out map of the city. All this setting material comes to life in the dark and deadly adventure, also included within, that is By Shadow of Night. By Shadow of Night picks up after the Death in the Treklant series, available from Troll Lord Games, though it can be a stand-alone adventure if desired.

Cover of Tides of Dread
Tides of Dread
3.5 Edition
Levels 9–11
32 pages
0

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.