When an old beggar shows up filthy and injured on the doorstep of the Augustana Pathfinder Lodge in Andoran and demands to be recognized as Andoran's one true Emperor, Venture-Captain Wallace is inclined to chase him off. But when the old beggar reveals a wayfinder and tells a tale of demons and portals to another world beneath the streets of Augustana, Wallace summons you from Absalom to investigate. Will you make it through sewers, swarms, and sanctuaries to uncover the truth or will the dangers of the Augustana underworld consume you forever?
Written by the setting’s creator, incomparable RPG author Monte Cook, Ptolus: Queen of Lies is an action-packed fantasy adventure painstakingly re-designed for Ptolus: Monte Cook’s City by the Spire. Involving numerous challenging scenarios for characters of 11th level, Queen of Lies is filled with dozens of dark elf personalities, cunningly showcasing their alien culture—a world of merciless betrayal and sinister lusts. Deep below the surface, in the sunless lands of the Netherdeep, creatures of darkness build weapons and amass armies, dreaming of invasion. An attack on a peaceful elven shrine in Emerald Hill sends the heroes on a quest to retrieve stolen artifacts and kidnapped friends. All signs point to the actions of the dark elves of Ul-Drakkan, far below the city of Ptolus. However, even within that ancient fortress, there exists a deeper darkness.... Underground enemies lurk beyond every twisting passage, and strange creatures abound. The foul culture of the dark elves is both decadent and cruel, and the heroes may discover that they’ve stumbled into a web of deceit and treachery spun by the self-styled queen of the dark elves. Can the player characters complete their mission without being discovered, or will they find out, perhaps too late, that their actions been orchestrated all along by the wicked Queen of Lies? Published by Fiery Dragon Productions
Something vile has transformed a sleepy rural village -- the locals have become monsters, and the only survivors are insane. Can the PCs unravel the mystery before a troupe of sinister bards plunges the heart of an unsuspecting city into the Far Realm? A D&D adventure for 9th-level characters.
The Wells of Darkness is the seventy-third layer of the Infinite Planes of the Abyss, a prison used by demon lords and a graveyard for creatures the multiverse would rather forget. Imprisoned in one of these wells is Shami-Amourae, the Lady of Delights. This minor demon lord and former consort of Demogorgon is one of the few beings who knows the true secrets of Demogorgon's twin personalities and his plot to reconcile them, thereby growing immeasurably in power. "Wells of Darkness" is the tenth chapter in 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 "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand on the campaign. Issue #357 of Dragon magazine features rules for three new binder vestiges connected to the imprisoned demons within the Wells of Darkness. The Prince of Demons hides a secret, one that could well be the key to stopping the savage tide. Yet the only one who knows this secret is imprisoned on one of the most notorious realms in the Abyss. Will the price for rescuing her be too high? Pgs. 52-84
Clues discovered in Diamond Lake lead to the Dark Cathedral, a forlorn chamber hidden below a local mine. There the PCs battle the machinations of the Ebon Triad, a cult dedicated to the three vile gods. What does the Ebon Triad know about the Age of Worms, and why are they so desperate to get it started? "The Three Faces of Evil" is the second installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures, several "Backdrop" articles to help Dungeon masters run the series, and a handful of poster maps of key locations. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Worm Food" articles, a series that provides additional materials to help players survive this campaign. Issue #334 of Dragon provides comprehensive lists of all the things you can find for sale in Diamond Lake's (often) dubious shops. Pgs. 16-47
The insurgent agent Adan, a spy in Alvedara, came across plans for an upcoming assault on Bodrun, the largest remaining dwarven clanhold in the South. Though the dwarves were unknown to him, this Sarcosan rebel decided that he must do his best to get word to these allies in the mountains. He stole the plans and abandoned his cover identity, fleeing east along the Eren and hoping to find succor in the Forest of the Sahi before his trek into the Kaladruns. He didn’t make it that far. A legate spyhunter was on his tail within hours of his departure, and with his stronger mount and divinatory magic, was sure to run him to ground on the Horse Plains of Erenhead. Adan hoped to throw off the scent of his tracker in the town of Malima, where he had contacts and might be able to wait out the legate in a safehouse. Unfortunately, the situation in Malima had worsened since Adan had last been there, and it had become a place of exile for Alvedarans with the plague. It was a question of choosing the lesser of two evils: plague and possible death in Malima, or torture, betrayal, and certain death at the hands of the legate. Adan chose to hide in Malima, but contracted the plague while hiding from his pursuers. Though unable to contact the outside world, Adan sent his familiar, a raven, eastward in the hopes that it would reach a dwarven settlement that could send agents to aid him. The raven made it to the Hagaran Observatory in the Forest of the Sahi, where the PCs have been assisting the sages of the observatory. Midnight Runner Up - Gen Con 2005
The crown of the kobold king will be anointed in blood. Five children from the town of Falcon’s Hollow have gone missing, dragged off into ruins underneath a cursed dwarven monastery. Soon they will be sacrificed to the crown, all to the glory of the twisted King of the Kobolds. If they are to be saved from this gruesome fate, brave heroes must follow their trail to the monastery and plumb the depths of its trap-laden and monster-infested halls.
The PCs follow the trail of some particularly competent kobold thieves to the lair of a dragon cult deep in the swamp. There they discover efforts underway to grant sentience to the skeleton of a powerful red dragon once named Flame. Eventually the PCs determine that trouble has returned to the Western Mountains in the form of a band of fire giants ruled by a clone of the original red dragon named Flame.
Not all evil spawns in ancient ruins or on fiendish planes. Sometimes, all corruption needs to take root is a jealous memory, cultivated bitterness, and a lonely place to bloom. An elusive killer is leaving a trail of noble blood across the city. When the PCs are recruited to protect an influential spinster, they discover that more is afoot at Dromdal House than anyone suspects. In fact, they may be the ones who need protection, from their aging ward. Pgs. 18-28
The vile city of Scuttlecove is the home of murderers, thieves, demon whorshipers, peddlers of vice, and monsters. Here, anyone can find a place to hide, provided they can survive the terrors and dangers that infest the city streets. Scuttlecove is also the home of the Crimson Fleet, a notorious band of pirates who have long held the Vohoun Ocean as their private looting grounds. The time has come to take the fight to these legendary pirates, to confront them in their own depraved lair. "Serpents of Scuttlecove" is the eighth chapter in the Savage Tide 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 #344 of Dragon magazine features several additional locations the PCs might wish to visit during their stay in the city of Scuttlecove. The characters once again board the Sea Wyvern, this time to sail for Scuttlecove – a hideous city of pirates, slavers, cannibals, and worse – in search of clues to the final Savage Tide and the rescue of their patron. Pgs. 42-75 Also see Pgs. 76-85 for Backdrop: Scuttlecove City of Chaos.
While investigating rumors of a dangerous blue dragon wreaking havoc in the deep desert, the heroes tumble under the sands into the magically sealed dome of an ancient palace. The temporarily weakened dome reseals above them, and they are left to explore the golden palace of Zahadran, once seat of power for the legendary Caliph Ardishir the Magnificent. But the dome is weak because it has been assaulted by the mythical storm demon Azi Dahaka and his trapped minions, evil creatures that were sealed under the magical dome to keep them from ravaging an unsuspecting world.
The Golden Dragon, conceived as a skyfaring warship, now serves as a symbol of peace among the Five Nations. Even before the luxurious airship embarks on its maiden voyage, nefarious pirates, thieves, and saboteurs conspire to defame, steal, or destroy it. Resourceful adventurers are needed to protect the ship and its passengers, but can they uncover the secret enemy lurking in their midst? "Voyage of The Golden Dragon" is a stand-alone adventure for the Dungeons & Dragons game that immerses your characters in the Eberron campaign setting. Designed to challenge 7th-level characters, it takes heroes on a perilous journey from Sharn to Stormreach and also serves as a launching pad for adventures the world over.
Now that the ruined pyramid tombs of the ancient emperor-gods of Osirion are finally open to exploration, the race is on to plumb their depths and rescue their priceless treasures. Entombed with the Pharaohs is a desert adventure written by Michael Kortes that pits players against rival adventurers bent on getting to the treasure first as well as the vicious monsters and lethal traps set to stop them from their plunder. Ancient secrets and wealth beyond imagination await you in the pharaohs' tombs—will you be the first to find them?
The PCs return to Diamond Lake to consult with the sage Allustan, they find the town in shambles and Allustan is missing. Locals tell tales of a terrible dragon's rampage through town. Unfortunately for the characters, the dragon is only the beginning. "A Gathering of Winds" is the sixth installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures, several "Backdrop" articles to help Dungeon masters run the series, and a handful of poster maps of key locations. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Worm Food" articles, a series that provides additional materials to help players survive this campaign. Those who have studied the cult of Kyuss and read through the Apostolic Scrolls they recovered in "The Champion's Belt" may qualify for the wormhunter prestige class, a highly customizable five-level prestige class detailed in Dragon #338's "Wormfood." Pgs. 38-66
An unusually severe drought in a remote area recently worsened dramatically when three lakes dried up almost simultaneously. The locals suspect foul play, and the foulest player they know is a bugbear named Relgore -- the leader of a highly successful group of humanoid bandits. Could he be seeking revenge for the militia attacks that recently dispersed his band?
Famed Pathfinder Bodriggan Wuthers disappeared from his dig site beneath the House of the Immortal Son in Taldor's gilded capital of Oppara. Once a grand temple to Aroden, the Immortal Son is now Oppara's most opulent theater. Sent to locate Wuthers, the Pathfinders must attend an opera with members of the Oppara elite in order to gain access to the secretive theater's dig site. When a cult crashes the performance and the nobility change into hideous walking dead, the Pathfinders are forced to choose between finding Wuthers or saving themselves.
The hidden masters of the Ebon Triad have something special planned for the culmination of the Champion’s Games: a foul ritual designed to transform the arena into a stage of enormous carnage to honor their dark overgod. To stop them, the PCs must explore the dark complex of the arena’s master, and destroy his pet monster before it’s too late. An Age of Worms Adventure Path Adventure for 9th level characters. "The Champion's Belt" is the fifth installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures, several "Backdrop" articles to help Dungeon masters run the series, and a handful of poster maps of key locations. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Worm Food" articles, a series that provides additional materials to help players survive this campaign. Check out issue #337 of Dragon for guidelines on what they can purchase in the Free City. Pgs. 30-62
"Auranorex, the greatest gold dragon in the world, is dead and his kin are looking for answers. To uncover the mystery of his demise, the heroes must travel to the one place forbidden to all mortals: the dragon graveyard. Guardians of Dragonfall is a mid-level adventure written by Anson Caralya that has the players investigating the untimely death of a dragon. Violating the dragon graveyard is a death sentence and the heroes must risk their very life if they are to uncover the secret behind Auranorex’s fate."
One of Freeport's most popular holidays is Swagfest, which celebrates the success of the infamous Great Raid conducted by the city's earliest Sea Lords. This year, Captain Lydon is sponsoring the festivities. While the PCs participate in various contests, they also have to deal with potentially deadly interruptions. Bibliographic note: "Holiday in the Sun" was originally written for v.3.0; this version can be found for free at at: http://freeronin.com/gr_files/focus05a.pdf The adventure was updated to the v.3.5 rules as part of The Freeport Trilogy: Five Year Anniversary Edition.
Picking up where Chapter 33: Adventures in the Ptolus book leaves off, the adventures in The Night of Dissolution cover an arc that pits player characters against the darkest foes the city of Ptolus has ever faced. Following the threads of a hidden conspiracy, the characters find themselves up against insane cultists, wild chaos magic, and horrors from the primordial days of the world. This adventure book is laced with urban intrigue, high action, and even some dungeon exploration. Some highlights include: A description of Pythoness House, a haunted oracle/brothel that hides a trove of weapons vital in the fight against the Cults of Chaos. A huge secret temple of chaos where insidious fanatics worship the dreaded Galchutt. Details of a city-wide network of covert spies and agents that extends even into the highest echelons of Ptolus’ elite society. These adventures culminate in the player characters’ attempt to stave off the Night of Dissolution, a dark time long foretold when the slumbering Galchutt will awaken in their hidden lairs deep below the city—and bring catastrophe and woe to the world. Published by Malhavoc Press