Deep in the forest, an ancient pyramid was constructed many millennia ago for an unknown purpose as part of a forgotten modron war. Within it is a labyrinth of strange traps, taxing puzzles, and some unwelcome troglodytes. This adventure for 1st-3rd level characters can be played as the first part of the Legacy of Zandrax campaign or as a standalone one-shot.
The Frozen Necromancer is a three-part adventure for Fifth Edition that takes player characters from levels 1 to 4. This adventure is the first in a storyline of four modules called The Demonplague that can be used as an entire campaign that takes characters from level 1 to 20. The entire adventure (or just pieces, characters, or encounters from The Frozen Necromancer) can be dropped into any fantasy setting with minimal changes
Are there actually vampires in Undermountain? The Baron of Blood demands that you find out! Part Two of the Vampire Hunt trilogy.
A Book of Books Candlekeep Mysteries is an anthology of adventures written by members of the Dungeons & Dragons community. Each adventure begins with a book that the characters find in Candlekeep, an enormous library located on the Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms setting. If you're not running a Forgotten Realms campaign, you can adapt the adventures in this book for other settings, substituting any large library similar to Candlekeep. Examples from other published D&D settings include the following: On the world of Exandria, the Soltryce Academy in Rexxentrum (a large city on the continent of Wildemount) or the Cobalt Reserve in Westruun (a small city on the continent of Tal'dorei) On the world of Eberron, the Library of Korranberg in the nation of Zilargo, the University of Wynarn's library in the nation of Aundair, or Morgrave University's library in the city of Sharn On the world of Oerth, the Great Library in the Free City of Greyhawk Contains: The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions Book of the Raven A Deep and Creeping Darkeness Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme The Price of Beauty Book of Cylinders Sarah of Yellowcrest Manor Lore of Lurue Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion Zikran's Zephyrean Tome The Curious Tale of Wisteria Vale The Book of Inner Alchemy The Canopic Being The Scrivener's Tale Alkazaar's Appendix Xanthoria
A gnomish settlement is plagued by inexplicable earthquakes, the wrath of an Earth Elemental. Can the heroes save the gnomes? Do the greedy gnomes deserve to be saved? "Valanche's Eye" was inspired by a desire to write an adventure which blurs the line of who the bad guy actually is, or indeed whether or not there's a really tangible villain. It takes the "patron hires adventurers to clear dungeon" trope and twists it – the patron turns out to be a pretty rotten bastard, and the monsters in the dungeon are just trying to live their lives. It starts when gnome gem-miners strike the mother lode of emeralds and sapphires, only to find themselves run off their claim. First they accidentally broke through to the Elemental Planes of Earth and Fire, and mephits burst out to annoy them. When they were just about done dealing with the mephits, they disturbed an earth elemental who just wants to be left alone, and emeralds are its favorite snack. The mine boss hires the adventurers to come kill all the elementals. But should they?
A spirit is attacking a town — no one knows why, but they’re determined to be rid of her. The adventuring party is recruited to investigate. However, what appears to be a simple haunting turns into a story of justice. Pgs. 43-59
The chase to save your family continues! After your encounter at the cove, you head south across Esaq to try and catch the slavers. With some experience under your belt, you are feeling more confident about your fighting ability, but it is about to be tested yet again. This scenario picks up where DQ1 left off and is the middle of a trio of adventures.
While in the peculiar village of Basht, a town full of strange customs and superstitions, an elderly woman asks you to check in on her grandson, a Gondite tinkerer testing out his latest invention in a nearby cavern. Sounds easy enough, right? A Two-Four Hour Adventure for 5th-10th Level Characters This adventure originally debuted as custom content for the 2019 U-Con convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Visit them at https://www.ucon-gaming.org/
"The Riverfront Rat Gang" is a ratfolk lair, also featuring wharflings and a doppelrat, designed for five 1st level characters. This adventure can be completed in one session. The old dockyards once served as the primary center of commerce in town. Years ago, political pressure from an influential merchant who wanted the docks to be loser to her business forced shipping concerns to move their docks upriver. The new facility accommodates larger ships, and the old docks fell into disuse. Talk of converting the property into a set of riverside shops died when a rat infestation proved to be an unsolvable problem. Thus, the old dockyards have been decaying for years. This situation suited a former thieves' guild member, a ratfolk rogue, named Matimer Creel. A botched robbery (for which Matimer blamed his accomplice) turned the guild against Matimer, who fled from certain death at the hands of the guild master. He hid out in the old dockyards, confident that not even guild members bothered to go there. From there he began to exact revenge against the guild by ruining its plans or stealing directly from it. He also befriended the rat population, thanks to a golden rat's tooth he acquired, and the vermin help with his schemes. A trio of rat-like wharflings and a doppelrat, washed up on the riverbank near the docks, have joined Matimer's retinue.
This adventure sees the party tumbling between two mad goblin inventors. This is the first time the characters will meet Professor Passifou and his inventions. Also available in French
The party approaches the Dwarven Kingdom of Narol'Duun, where things are far different than in your typical dwarven empire. The first major difference is that Narol'Duun is split into three distinct categories of dwarven tribes based on the main type of ore that they mine and refine. The dwarves take on characteristics of these ores - the Cobalt Dwarves having a tinge of blue to their hair, the Copper Dwarves having tough skin and beards of shining reddish-brown, and the skin of the Iron Dwarves is a deep grey in color. These dwarves engage in trade and drink, but the one thing that they are sure to never do is breed outside of their respective tribes. To be found in a relationship with a dwarf of another tribe is to be exiled to the surface - a punishment worse than death for most of these dwarves. On this particular adventure, the party finds themselves caught up in a case of forbidden love between a royal member of the Cobalt Dwarf family - Nadom Glintstone - and a simple merchant woman from the Copper Dwarf tribe by the name of Lajeera Copperfist. They have been doing their best to keep their love a secret for they both know the risks, but the Cobalt King, Norgith Glintstone, has suspicions and is deeply afraid of the damage such a scandal could have on his family's reputation. He doesn't want to draw any attention to the situation, so it is difficult to find a dwarf of his own tribe that could look into it further, so when the party comes along he sees it as a perfect opportunity. He will hire the party to look into the situation with Nadom, offering grand rewards in exchange for the truth if they can provide proof. The party will be torn between multiple threads of possibility in this adventure – telling Norgith the truth about his son's affair with Lajeera, helping Lajeera to permanently change her form to that of a Cobalt Dwarf so they can be together, or perhaps even trying to end the tribalistic ways of the dwarven kingdoms all together. This is a heavily role-playing based adventure, perfect for those who would rather talk their way through a difficult situation than cut their way through it, but there is still some combat along the way depending on the party’s choices. This story will decide if love can win out against all odds or if the temptation of coin is greater than the happiness of others.
FVC12 – Trollhaven Manor begins with the party finishing up a retrieval mission and finding themselves enjoying the safety of Shadyhaven city. During their stay they are approached by a wandering cleric with an intoxicating personality. He presents the party with a strange item that he is willing to part with…for a price. The padre also offers to show the party where he got it only a few days away. Will the PCs trust this stranger to risk more wealth and fame? Will Trollhaven Manor provide more mystery than answers? Will the PCs pick up some of their famous grapes while they are there?
"Sometimes bugs are just bugs, and sometimes they are organized into a hive mind that is just as smart as humans. Ants are just that. In battle, the ants become a horde of raging combatants that form a blur on all sides. While ants are typically peaceful, they respond to a threat against the hive with a scale of violence that’s almost impossible to imagine. Utterly devoted to duty, ants never retreat from a confrontation—even in the face of certain death. Their engagements are brief and brutal. Working in teams, ants grab enemies, holding them in place until one of the warriors rips into the captive’s body, leaving it smashed and oozing." "Of Ants and Men begins as a quest to recover (e.g., steal) eggs from a giant anthill near the town of Endhome." "This adventure is designed for characters of levels 4 to 8." "The adventure can also be played (perhaps more effectively) by smaller groups. In response to many requests from our fans, the main encounters are designed to work well with groups of two to three characters of levels 6 to 8. Even a solo adventurer could do reasonably well, if the individual character had very good climbing, trap finding, and stealth skills. Druids, barbarians, and rogues will fare best in cases where the groups are limited in size." "While there’s plenty of opportunity for combat here, characters who think through a situation before drawing their swords are likely to do best. Hacking one’s way through is likely to result in character deaths."
The denizens of the Old City have made some unusual sightings in the festering refuse pits on the outskirts of the city, and while such reports are seldom taken terribly seriously, the mysterious disappearance of a beloved figure in the poor part of Port Nyanzaru has folks on edge. Can you get to the bottom of this? Part One of The Rot from Within Trilogy.
God of Ore by Tom Knauss is a 3rd-level adventure that takes the PCs from the quiet, mountainside town of Miners’ Refuge into the heart of the Stoneheart Mountains in pursuit of a failed pilgrimage to discover a phony religious relic deep inside legendary Mithral Mountain. The dark, twisting tunnels that bore into the fabled mountain soon reveal that some mysteries are not what they first appear to be. Between a Rock and a Charred Place by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 7th level) The characters will be thrust into the middle of an epic confrontation between the dwarves of the Stoneheart Mountains and the hobgoblins just beyond their borders. Under their new leadership, the hobgoblin warmongers deploy an innovative grand strategy: to forge an alliance with one of the dwarves’ old enemies and a traitor in their foes’ midst. The dwarves’ dominance over the region and very survival hangs in the balance if the characters cannot thwart the monsters’ ambitious plans. The Covered Bridge by Kevin Wright (for 4 to 6 characters of 4th to 6th level) Are the characters up to the challenge of solving the centuries-old murder of a historic hero? Within the adventure, the characters are caught up in the haunted memories of the ghostly knight and help him to accomplish his heroic deeds. While doing so, the party becomes familiar with his world and the murder suspects, picking up clues to their motivations and actions along the way. At the end of the adventure, an enraged spirit confronts the characters and demands that they name his killer. If they can do it, they are richly rewarded; both in treasure and the knowledge that they let a good man finally find rest. If they fail, they must face the chilling wrath of the deathless phantom. The Hunter’s Game by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 4th level) This adventure will find the characters traveling into the foreboding Dyrgalas Fens, a temperate swamp in the Harwood Forest nestled between the Wolf Hills and Low Hills. Dyrgalas Fens is overrun by an eclectic collection of malevolent monsters, xenophobic humanoids, and foul beasts. When some of the region’s finest gentlemen and ladies never return from their excursions to the Answin Hunting Lodge, the characters must investigate their mysterious disappearances. The journey leads them into the figurative heart of darkness, taking them not only deeper into the dreadful Dyrgalas, but also plunging them into the harrowing abyss of hatred and greed. The Missing Pin by Alex Kammer is a 2nd-level adventure designed for 4 to 6 characters. In the Lost Lands setting it takes place in the Unclaimed Lands north of the Borderland Provinces at the point where the Great Amrin River meets the Glimmrill Run. At the confluence of the Great Amrin and Glimmrill Run rivers sits the small town of Gumspur, a small backwater town known only for its convenient location and its only real export, pottery. So, when an audacious theft victimizes one of the leading families of Gumspur, a group more capable than the local constabulary is needed. On its surface, what looks to be a simple theft conceals a much deeper and much more dangerous conspiracy. In the Time of Shardfall by Michael Curtis (for 4 to 6 characters of 5th to 6th level) In this open “seek and destroy” adventure, a relic from the prehistoric past — a mystical prison containing a powerful proto-dragon and other creatures from long ago — has been flung forward in time to arrive at the characters’ current era. The prison, an enchanted pane of obsidian called the Akaata, fractures upon arrival, breaking into several shards that fall to the land below. Soon, the prehistoric menaces trapped within wander out of their broken prison to threaten the realm. The characters must search for the five shards and destroy them and their former prisoners, then confront the now-free proto-dragon before it recovers its full strength. War of Shadows by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 8th level) This adventure can pick up where Between a Rock and a Charred Place left off or stand on its own. Erod Flan weathered the dark folk’s storm, yet the conspirators are not done. Their focus now turns to the critical outpost of Tyr Whin. The characters and the outnumbered defenders must somehow stop the hobgoblin warlord, Grugdour, and his army from overrunning the citadel and opening a beachhead for invasion into the Stoneheart Mountains. A Little Knowledge by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 5th level) This module takes the characters across the Stoneheart Mountains onto the forbidding Feirgotha Plateau to investigate the myths and tales surrounding the ancient and presumably deserted Library of Arcady. The PCs soon discover that the venerable building is not as abandoned as originally believed, and its unusual caretaker keeps more terrible secrets than any of its fabled lost writings. Awakenings by Steve Winter (for 3 to 5 characters from 1st to 3rd level) Strange things occur after a meteor streaks overhead in the night sky. Combining elements of a fairy tale with elements of cosmic horror, the characters will confront a community of these evolved animals with evil plans that involve finding the fallen star and confronting an unknown entity. Cave of Iron by Steve Winter (for 4 to 8 characters from 2nd and 4th level) When a wagon train fails to return from a supply run, the characters must investigate what happened to them and the riders that were dispatched to find them. The Desperation of Ivy by Lance Hawvermale (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 7th level) A once-imposing residence called Coltherstone Hold was abandoned years ago, and in the decades since, a fantastic amount of vegetation has grown up the walls and rooftops, covering the structure. Many of the plants are dangerous — deadly, even — and reclaiming the hold will require more than just a few machetes to chop down some weeds. Much worse, a few of the plant specimens possess intelligence as well as an undo degree of malevolence. They’ve infested a nearby village — all but burying it in overgrowth — and have absorbed a few villagers along the way. Fishers of Men by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 6th level) The Dragonmarsh Lowlands is a forsaken land blighted by the vile demon lord Tsathogga and countless foul denizens. When Quaywright Fishery inexplicably falls silent, it takes those of stout heart to determine what dire fate befell the former inhabitants and what monstrosity now lords in their place. The grisly carnage leaves even the most seasoned adventurers shaken to the core, as they witness firsthand and may personally experience what it feels like when the tables turn against humanity. Forgive and Regret by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 8th level) The sins that stained the blighted Wytch Bog more than two centuries ago still linger as the villain who perpetrated a genocidal act longs to free his tortured soul from his undead bonds. In his warped mind, only more violence can garner his freedom, placing the innocent descendants of his long-deceased conspirators — and an entire region — in his crosshairs. A Midnight Council of Quail by Lance Hawvermale (for 4 to 6 characters from 3rd and 5th level) The characters explore a village to locate the lair of a monstrous murderer — but the villagers don’t want the murderer to be discovered. The Archdruid Cadrryn is so old and mystical that his very presence often affects the natural world around him. Over the years, his close association with the region’s quail population has bestowed upon the birds a sentience uncommon to normal avians. With slightly advanced intelligence, the quail now act as local sentinels, reporting back to Cadrryn on all matters that transpire in his domain. But the druid has been away for more than a fortnight on business of the Druidic Order of Oescreheit, leaving the quail to decide on important events without his wise hand to guide them. When the birds learn that a sinister force has infiltrated the nearby village of Eorls Gedreas, where many of them roost upon the thatched rooftops, the quail convene to determine a way to fight back. Nightstone Keep by Ed Greenwood (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 6th level) This location-based adventure is centered on a ruined, long-disused stone keep in a temperate wild forest area (possibly not far off a caravan road or forest trail). The characters will be able to explore the ruins of the keep, which have become a plant colony, and attempt to wrest a powerful treasure from the clutches of the araunglyd, a gigantic sentient fungus. The araunglyd will attempt to thwart the players at every turn, using its drone-like minions to harass and hinder them as they go. Pictures at an Exhibition by Dr. Dennis Sustare (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 6th level) This adventure takes the characters on an exotic cruise in a parallel reality known as “the Real World”. During a stopover, they find themselves on a museum tour where the vivid paintings draw them into a world of fantasy. Also available for Pathfinder and Swords & Wizardry
The Notorious Goblin crime boss Krenko has escaped confinement in the Udzeo prison under suspicious circumstances. Now he plots to reestablish control over his criminal enterprise, raising the spector of a goblin gang war that could jeapordize the tenuous peace among the guilds. You must find Krenko and secure him before all-out war ensues! An introductory adventure.
The Premature Burial is the first in a series of four interconnected stories that recall the themes and atmosphere of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Terror. Baldur's Gate, year 1492 DR, a dark and terrifying sect works secretly in the slums with the aim of punishing all those who have long oppressed, marginalized and killed the city's poorest and weakest citizens. The patriars, unaware of anything, are the cult's main targets, and a magical plague is about to fall on them that can cause a veritable slaughter. The characters will find themselves caught up in these dangerous events and will be drawn into a spiral of horror, blood and madness that will strain their bodies and souls. The Prior who leads the mysterious cult has "a special plan" in mind for them and will do anything to achieve his goal. Players will be forced more than once to question their morals and make difficult choices in a scenario of complex social conflicts, personal revenge stories and tremendous machinations. What repercussions would the cult's plan have if it were carried out? And what would happen instead if it were averted and the patriars continued to run the city as they always have? Shadows as black as night once again loom over Baldur's Gate, and this time they may change its face forever. - Adventure: story lasting 4 to 8 hours for characters ranging in level from 4 to 6 - Setting: adventure set in the famous city of Baldur's Gate but easily adaptable to any setting - Narrative: detailed descriptions and an emphasis on story immersiveness - Roleplay: in-depth characterization of NPCs with biographies, descriptions of their personalities and their physical appearance - Bestiary: 3 new customizable opponents with the mechanics "Affixes," which can add an extra degree of complexity to confrontations, and " Weak spots," which grant a strategic advantage to characters who manage to discover them - Magic: obscure and unknown spells used by cultists to carry out their plans - Layout: designed to make it easier for DMs to browse information, featuring special attention to color coding and visual immediacy of text boxes - Maps: 3 maps available in high resolution, VTT and printer-friendly versions - PDF: available in high-quality, interactive, printer-friendly print versions - Playlist: a collection of songs selected by the authors to create the right atmosphere during game sessions
Dracula, the Lord of Shadow and Darkness, has covered the land in shadow and dispatched armies of monsters and undead from his magical castle. His armies threaten to overrun major cities and plunge the world into a literal Dark Age. The last of the vampire-hunting clan that traditionally opposed him has disappeared, and still the armies advance. He must be stopped. If that's not enough motivation, it is well-known that his castle is full of magical items and great riches... but also great danger. If you've ever wanted D&D and Castlevania to meet, look no further. This adventure is exactly what you wanted. Every area of the castle poses different and unique challenges to keep the party engaged and on their toes. Written for the DM as a ready-to-run adventure, it is designed for four to six characters. The adventure starts at level 3 at the outer defenses of the castle, and ends with the party advancing to level 13 after defeating Dracula in an epic battle. The adventure includes documentation to help even a new DM succed, including suggestions for how to run each of the area "boss" monsters in combat. There are approximately 50 new enemies and over 3 dozen new magical items. It also comes with a list of suggested music for many areas of the castle, and a 25-page campaign log recounting an actual tabletop play-through of this adventure from the DM's perspective.
Ra’s Evil Grin challenges adventurers of at least 11th level who are seeking a powerful magic item—the globe of Arden. If a different item suits your campaign better, another appropriate powerful item can be substituted as the final objective. This dungeon culminates in a battle with Dendorandra, a lesser marilith known as a dark daughter. As a lead-in to this adventure, the GM may use a map from another treasure hoard showing the location of the globe (detailed more fully in “The Legend of the Globe of Arden,” below) or a priestly tome describing Arden, the long-dead avatar of Ra, and the wondrous powers of an unknown artifact called the globe of Arden. Such a tome might mention that the globe emits rays as intense as those of the sun, destroying all they touch. In any event, characters should need to consult with sages and oracles to determine the location and history of the globe and dungeon. A sage could also provide a map to the dungeon’s location, referenced in the “The Legend of the Globe of Arden,” below. We set the dungeon on a small, remote island far across the sea, but you can relocate it to suit your campaign. This dungeon provides numerous puzzles, a few traps, and only two monsters. Those monsters, though few in number, should challenge and threaten even the most combat-hardened party—particularly after the party encounters all the vicious creatures that inhabit the Island of the Globe.
You have traveled to the westernmost point in the Duchy of Starryshade as you make your way to the borderlands. Your final stop in the duchy is a small roadside inn called the Shepherd’s Spear Inn. While stopping for a respite you hear a few tales including a mysterious abbey nearby. This structure is said to only appear for a short time every three years. Magic and wealth are said to be lost within the walls of this structure and with little else to do this might be a final hurrah for your stay in Starryshade!