The ground-breaking introductory adventure for Dungeons & Dragons that served as a DM aid in the first D&D Basic Set, released by TSR in 1977. This set included a 48-page rulebook covering the first three levels of play, and was skillfully edited by Dr. J. Eric Holmes from the original 1974 D&D rules written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The original set included an exemplary dungeon level, but it was a loose collection of examples and not geared toward starting characters. Holmes advanced this concept by writing a new thematic dungeon with a strong backstory, creating an adventure that has remained a fan favorite over the decades. Officially, its only title is "Sample Dungeon" but colloquially it goes by various names based on Zenopus, the doomed wizard who built the dungeon under his tower
Hunt for the Thessalhydra is a short adventure published by Wizards of the Coast as a tie in to the "Stranger Things" franchise and part of the Stranger Things Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set. The adventure features characters, locations, and monsters inspired by that series. The adventure is suitable for characters of level 3-5.
You don't know where - or what - you are. You wake up in a dungeon. But how did you get there, and why? This adventure is for a solo paladin character, on a quest to gain a war horse. The character is suffering from amnesia and believes him/herself to be a normal fighter to begin. The quest begins with the character in the middle of an adventure in a dungeon, but not remembering how they got there. After defeating several undead including an intelligent zombie leader, the paladin gains a magic stone to summon a paladin mount. Pgs. 28-35
The village of Orașnou is panicked when a group of Bloodhand orcs appear at the edge of the woods. They bring news and an unusual request that reveals a new foe. Part Eleven of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
Your party is on a journey through a mountainous region distinguished by sheer cliffs and dangerous precipices. Thus everyone is quite grateful when, just at nightfall, they find a small abandoned chapel. It provides a dry shelter from the wind and radiates such an aura of good that there is no hesitation about sheltering within it. This is an adventure for a balanced party of six second- and third-level characters; ifd esired, the number may be increased by including three first-level characters.
"Ambush at Boxcar Rocks" is a two hour adventure for character level 1-3 (3-6 players) but is easily adapted to challenge higher level PCs by adjusting the spawn rate and the spawn limit. It features one hand-drawn, color map. It can be run as a brutal oneshot gauntlet or a quick side quest to pad the players purses. Deep within the labyrinth of massive, glacier deposited rocks there is a natural cave once used for interring the dead. Now the bones of the pit within stir because of a foolish neophyte. A listless, blood thirsty horde tramples toward daylight and nothing will remain in their wake...
Lost within the ruined House Cannith citadel of Whitehearth, an arcane workshop somewhere in the perilous Mournland, is the key to constructing a terrible magic weapon. Agents of the Emerald Claw will stop at nothing to recover the ancient device. As malevolent forces hunt for the artifact, only the most resourceful heroes will reach Whitehearth first and discover the secrets that lie within. "Shadows of the Last War" is a stand-alone adventure for the Dungeons & Dragons game that will immerse your characters in the Eberron campaign setting. Designed to challenge 2nd-level D&D heroes, it pits them against one of Eberron’s most nefarious organizations.
Decades have passed since Sokol Keep was reclaimed, and a small garrison placed there along with a beacon to help guide ships. Now, that beacon has gone dark, and the garrison has disappeared. In Phlan, rumors circulate that something ancient was discovered in the grounds beneath the keep, dating to before the clerics of Tyr built the small fortress. Uncover the secrets of Sokol Keep! An adventure for 1st-4th level characters.
The town of Sandpoint, Varisia, Inner Sea Region has put out a bounty on the nearby tribe of Licktoad Goblins in retribution for the goblins raiding traders and travelers near the quiet town. The party takes up the bounty and ventures into the swamp; eventually finding the goblin village in ruins and it's inhabitants scared in it's burned huts. The party finds out; either through investigation of the ruins or the goblins themselves; that a group of skeletons with eastern arms and armor had ransacked the village and took a stash of fireworks that the goblins stole from an old shipwreck. The party then makes it to this cave and finds it empty except for a half dozen skeletons. Further in past the skeletons is their leader, a skeletal samurai who fights the party in an attempt to defend his treasure. The treasure turns out to be a letter that reveals that secrets of the Kaijitsu family; the same family their good friend Ameiko who runs the Rusty Dragon inn belongs to; that lies in wait in the abandoned town of Brinewall to the northern boarder of Varisia. Ameiko along with several other important NPCs with a caravan north. It's recommended that GMs create encounters for the caravan trip north as it's essentially 3 weeks of travel with nothing in it. It's also recommended that GMs completely ignore caravan rules; they're not flushed out and they're not fun to run. The party and the caravan reaches the abandoned town of Brinewall where their friend Ameiko becomes possessed and is thrown into a coma; where the other NPCs agree to take care of her while the party explores the town and castle. The castle is a three floor behemoth of a dungeon populated by Dire Corbies, Troglodytes, and various other monsters all under the leadership of Kikonu, an Yamabushi Tengu Oni. The goal of exploring Brinewall Castle is to find the two keys to the vault; one of which is on the Yamabushi Tengu while the other is on a Half-Fiend Decapus that lives in the basement of Brinewall. Once the PCs enter the vault they find the Amatatsu Seal; one of the seals that cement authority to one of the ruling houses in Minkai of Tian Xia; as well as several visions that show that Ameiko Kaijitsu is the rightful heir to be ruler of Minkai and that they'll need to travel north to do so. Such ends the first book of six.
Characters are ready to make their mark as adventurers and travel to the City of Splendors to begin their careers. Their first job in Waterdeep promises to be a memorable one: a mermaid has hired them to rescue a kidnapped bard and bring justice to the witch who stole her voice.
Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner—and you are invited. Spans levels 1-10.
The Necropolis of Nuromen is a modular quest designed to let the referee introduce a group of 1st level characters to the thrills of Underworld exploration as they attempt to unravel they secrets of the evil necromancer’s lair and deal with some bandits, too. The Necropolis of Nuromen is set in a fantasy realm, beginning near the small town of Camlann Castle and leading adventurers to explore the sinister Necropolis of Nuromen. The narrative unfolds around Nuromen the Necromancer, who fell to ruin by dabbling in forbidden magic, leading to the downfall of his tower and the town known as Law's End. The adventure includes exploration of a haunted forest, encounters with various creatures, and a quest for lost treasures and magical artifacts hidden within the depths of the necropolis. To play this adventure you also require the BLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules or the BLUEHOLME™ Journeymanne Rules. This is an updated Version of "Maze of Nuromen" from 2013.
The town of Somber Hill is a quiet settlement in the foothills of a mountain range. A few days travel from the nearest city, the people of Somber Hill are a humble and self-reliant bunch. Unbeknownst to its people, the small town hides a sinister secret, some of the residents of Somber Hill belong to a cult that worships a long dead entity. Known only as The Dark One by their followers, this ancient being once called Old Somber Hill home. Their dark master is entombed in the catacombs beneath the town, and the cult hopes to resurrect their master with a blood sacrifice. The Crypt of Somber Hill is a Setting Neutral adventure and thus can be easily included in any existing story-line with minor alterations and adjustments or outright slotted into any existing campaign setting.
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.
A Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure for 4th-level characters, this volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path is part 2 of 6 of the Kingmaker Adventure Path, in which the heroes win and defend a small kingdom from threats foreign and domestic. PCs should advance to 7th level by the end of this adventure. The PCs receive a shipment of funds, materials, and colonists from Brevoy and beyond, along with instructions to build a town and attract more pioneers to their nascent country. Having already explored the northern reaches of their new domain, the PCs must now venture into the wilds to bring the rule of law to the south. Wicked fey inhabiting a ruined keep, undead haunting an ancient barrow mound, and others must be defeated to make the region ever more secure. Along the way, the PCs might also have the opportunity to ally themselves with some of the region’s local residents, including the dryad druid Tiressia, her satyr consort Falchos, and a band of gnome explorers called the Narthropple Expedition. In addition, the PCs will be called upon to mediate between two rival factions in the area: a group of independent loggers and the angry fey sorceress who opposes them. As they explore, evidence that a group of trolls is stirring up trouble in the region becomes apparent. Meanwhile, the PCs must deal with events within their burgeoning kingdom—a rabble rouser seeks to oust the PCs from their positions of power, the secretive cult of the hag goddess Gyronna has infiltrated the town, and a werewolf is preying on the townsfolk. All of these events build to the adventure’s twin climaxes: the sudden assault on their capital city by an owlbear of unprecedented size and the expansion of Hargulka’s trolls into the north. Faced with danger on multiple fronts, the PCs must draw upon all of their resources and bravery to become the undisputed rulers of the Greenbelt.
Lord Blackmoor's son has been kidnapped, and is being held in the crypts beneath an ancient fortress. Can our heroes rescue the boy before he is sacrificed in a diabolical ceremony? The party responds to a plea for assistance from Lord Blackmoor, whose son Willet has been kidnapped. Blackmoor desperately needs someone to mount a rescue mission. The party journeys along the old East Trail, facing bandits and dangerous obstacles before delving beneath the ruins of Firestone Keep, encountering fearsome enemies and ancient magic. Finally, the party must fight for their lives as the truth about Willet’s abduction is revealed.
Who Disturbs the Slumber of the Forgotten King? Wolves prowl the graveyard of sleepy Kingsholm, and death lurks behind shadowed tombstones. Something has disturbed the sleepers in the mausoleum, and brave adventurers are needed to explore the catacombs beneath the graves and discover what evil stirs in the darkling depths. Part 1 of the Barrow of the Forgotten King series. Followed by the Sinister Spire.
The PCs answer a call for heroes by the Church of Traladara, asking for help in finding an ancient relic- the Shield of Halav. This is located in a lost temple, and the PCs must locate this temple, and brave its dangers to recover the shield before two competing teams from other churches find it first. Part one involves setting up the adventure, doing research, following clues, and discovering the site of the lost temple. Part two; once the site is known (ruins under a modern town) the heroes must travel there and find the entrance. Part three is braving the lost temple, filled with traps, puzzles, and other dangers, to find the missing shield, and then culminating in a climatic showdown with the completing teams.
Death Is in the Cards The remnants of the Ebon Fold are cutting a deadly path through the Falkovian countryside, draining travelers of their life force and leaving withered corpses in their wake. Hot on their trail you come across the sole survivor of one of these deadly attacks, a young vistani man with an extraordinary skill for fortune-telling. His tarokka deck helps close the gap between you and the assassins. Together you follow the trail through Darkon, the dark domain of the lich lord Azalin, to the city of Nartok. With an Unholy Alliance... Something very strange is happening in Nortok. The killers enter the Temple of the Eternal Order and don't come out. It seems that the state of religion of Darkon is giving succor to these assassins. To make matters more confusing, the Kargat, the domain's secret police, has put aside its feud with the Eternal Order and has a large contingent staying at the temple as well. These three organizations working together bodes ill for the residents of Nartok. ... And Schemes Within Infernal Schemes Great amounts of life energy are being collected for some foul purpose, although no one seems to know what exactly it is. The tarokka cards provide only mysterious glimpses of the future - a future in which a powerful evil sweeps the land and Death walks the world. Can you discover the truth of what is happening in the temple in time to avert the disaster predicted by the cards? Death Ascendant is a full-length adventure that can be run as a stand-alone scenario or as the second part in the Grim Harvest series. It contains a 64-page adventure booklet plus a full-color poster map detailing the Temple of the Eternal Order. TSR 9526
There is no particular overarching story here, just a prospect dungeon you can drop into your own sandbox and run as you see fit. This adventure is formatted to both 1E & 5E gaming rules.