Genius rogue artificer Ichabod Russet hired ten of his most brilliant colleagues to collaborate and build the greatest automaton yet invented: a clockwork beholder. He dreamed their invention would catapult him into stardom and wealth. In a secret mountain laboratory under Ichabod's direction, each scientist devoted themself to developing one ray for the creature's mechanical eyes -- but when the mysterious tenth ray was added to the automaton, it became too powerful. The clockwork beholder broke free during QA testing and destroyed half the lab. Only a few of the artificers escaped to tell the tale, and for the most part, they're keeping their mouths shut.
From time out of mind, the standing stones known as the Circle of Cahervaniel have stood lonely vigil on a grassy hilltop. Sheepherders once moved their flocks over the hill and through the circle, sometimes resting in the cool shadows cast by the ancient stones. Everything changed when a stone finger fell, revealing a fissure in the earth. Now, dark shadows caress the circle after the sun sets. Creatures out of nightmare dance upon the hillside at night. Many swear that a unicorn of deepest ebony now hunts all upon two legs who draw near, while stunted creatures scurry in the shadows, abducting sheep from their sheds and drawing them down below ground for food. After the disappearance of a sheperd, fear grows stronger in neighboring villages. Who will brave the black hollow of the ancient Circle of Cahervaniel? Heroes of stern mettle must descend into the cavity and explore the ancient spaces existing there. Product History "The Shattered Circle" (1999), by Bruce R. Cordell, is a generic adventure for AD&D 2e. It was published in January 1999. Origins: Another Generic. After Wizards of the Coast began publishing D&D, their first year and a half of generic adventures were all classic revivals: returns to RPGA tournaments, to classic adventures, and to Dungeon scenarios. Even "A Paladin in Hell" (1998) was a return in its own way, to the demons and devils that TSR had become afraid of. Wizards was staking out new ground by reclaiming the past. "The Shattered Circle" (1999) was the first generic Wizards adventure that was simply a generic adventure, with no deeper origins and no hidden motives. Artifacts of Note. the foundingstone and the harp Euphonious are both one-off named magic items. However, it's sword Icerazor that's the most interesting. It's said to have grown from a shard of Frostrazor — a sword that would only appear ten months later in Return to White Plume Mountain (1999). There, it's listed as one of Keraptis' four implements of power, alongside Wave, Blackrazor, and Whelm — meaning that Icerazor (and this adventure) are just one step removed from White Plume Mountain itself. Monsters of Note: Chitine. It's somewhat curious, given the Greyhawk and Neverness connections, to note that the chitine debuted in MC11: "Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix" (1991). The spider-humanoids have generally been a Realms creature, featuring in bestiaries and histories for that setting. However, they also received a more generic "Ecology of the Chitine" in Dragon #223 (November 1995), which introduced the choldrith, or chitine priestess. This is their major adventure appearance. When asked about pronouncing their name Cordell says that he "can't be 100% sure of the original designer's pronunciation", but he prefers "KI-TEEN". About the Creators. By 1999, Cordell was one of D&D's most prolific writers. He'd previously authored many slightly related adventures, such as The Gates of Firestorm Peak(1996) and the sahuagin (1997) and illithid (1998) Monstrous Arcana adventure trilogies. This conversion guide allows DMs to run the original module with 5th Edition rules. To use this conversion guide you will need a copy of The Shattered Circle, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in Digital format at the DMs Guild. This adventure is a generic adventure, not specifically based in any existing setting. Suggestions are given in the conversion guide to place the adventure in the Forgotten Realms.
When Fort Iron was taken from the duergar who inhabited it, much of their subterranean quarters were never fully explored. An ancient oubliette has been discovered and its contents have disturbed the miners. Can the mine and the miners be saved from the dangers of the Oubliette of Fort Iron?
What elder evils lurk in the depths of the freezing mountain ruins? Find out in The Stoneheart Ruin! The adventure features: An adventure set in a desolate, wintry mountain landscape. 16 pages full of intrigue and mystery, containing full color maps, plus 2 unique monster stat blocks. Provides a great introduction to Mind Flayer lore and mythos for Tier 1 players. Can easily be set in the Spine of the World for use in Rime of the Frostmaiden. Let your characters test their mettle as they climb and face the ancient dangers lurking in the cracks of The Stoneheart Ruin! “I have no explanation for any of these finds. We heard disturbing noises coming from further within the mountain; thunderous and growling.” Excerpt from a pamphlet, signed: “Koralia Meadring, Anthropologist Extraordinaire” Koralia needs you to investigate her most recent discovery: a ruined cavern deep in the mountains. Her small team of academics did a cursory walk-through and think they've found a big breakthrough! However, they left in a hurry after being frightened by the horrors they heard coming from deeper in the mountain. They escaped and found one of their team was missing - a goliath named Marek. You must climb the mountains and locate the ruin, make certain that it is safe for study by Koralia’s team, and if possible, find and rescue Marek, whose fate is uncertain. Made during the November 2020 RPG Writer's Workshop.
An oblivious villain or a strange Fey for your party to interact with, The Conductor is a snail humiform who can be a hex feature in your West Marches Sandbox Hexcrawls.
What links an infamous Zhentarim mercenary with a brilliant but tormented artificer? To find out, the adventurers must break the goblinoid siege of the village of Westfir. After the bizarre goblins are defeated, the Cornflower Hive must be destroyed. Ultimately, what secrets are held in the grain mill by the Westfork river? A D&D Adventurers League four-hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters.
In this level 5 adventure for three to five players, a suspicious death brings our adventurers to the village of Degorod on the night of an annual festival. Celebrations turn into chaos as an unknown force abducts villagers from above. The group must investigate the cause and, in the end, decide who to help. Pgs. 101-107
The players and the DM compete in a race against time to see if all humanity can be saved, or if the fiendish servants of the Hells can corrupt the world for their own nefarious purposes. Special time-keeping and resurrection mechanics are included to keep the pace exciting and the plot moving. Prepare to delve into the long-forgotten Tomb of Mercy!
A generic tomb exploration. Usable for a quick one off or random exploration discovery. Sometimes a DM needs a fill-in adventure for when their PC’s go off script. This is a single location low role play adventure that can be inserted anywhere needed.
The moon is turning green. A colossal tide of green slime has begun to engulf it, threatening to dissolve it entirely. As it does so, a tide of demonic madness begins to engulf the lands below. As the green shadow flows across the night sky, the world turns mad. The source? An insane cult of plasmoids dedicated to Juiblex, the demon lord of oozes and slimes. Soon the moon may be gone, the first part of a mad plan to dissolve the multiverse into the primordial slime of the Abyss. If only some heroes could appear before it’s too late... The Ooze That Ate The Moon is 5th-edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure based on the Spelljammer campaign setting. It is an investigative high-orbit pulp thriller paired with the wacky zaniness of Spelljammer, and every playthrough is likely to be different. It is designed for four 9th or 10th level characters and to be run in 3 to 6 three-hour sessions, or 2 to 3 longer sessions. It can be run as multi-session one shot or as part of an ongoing campaign. It fits perfectly after the events of Light of Xaryxis, but is written so as to be easily incorporated into any non-Spelljammer campaign. It requires the 5th Edition Spelljammer boxed set to run. Gameplay is based around investigation and roleplaying, with a good smattering of combat in the later acts. The climax of the adventure presents the players with a problem that has no clear solution. They’ll have to use all their wits and resources to overcome it, but can they do so in time?
This adventure is a supplementary scenario for Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, which can be used while the party is fleeing Elturel and are heading towards Fort Knucklebone at level six. It entails a bargain with Bagrivyek, the goblin deity of cooperation. The God offers them a deal they can’t refuse, significant magical assistance for their quest, should they become its test subjects in a fight to the death with some of its elite troops. Devils that have been infected with a special substance, which is called soul-ichor and was created by a psychomancer, in search of his own power. The heroes will have a chance to interact with a god and bargain with it, a fight to the death at the Hellbent Fighting Pits, and also get a chance to learn of or even be introduced into a long-forgotten school of magic. Will the players reap all the benefits of this god-deal, or suffer the consequences of failing?
CALLING ALL BEGINNER GMS AND PLAYERS! Prepare to be schooled! Exallizar Preparatory Academy is a place that, for generations, has trained the best and brightest heroes in the land. All of the students are the children of famous heroes, and as one of the fortunate attendees, it is your job to uphold the legacy of excellence attached to your family name. As a student in Exallizar, you will be put through the paces like never before. This first year will see you and three strangers attempting the Gauntlet – a mysterious crucible that will put all of your studies to the test! Also included in “A Learning Time”: The first look at an exciting new miniature campaign setting specifically intended for the basic version of Pathfinder Four new iconic pre-generated PCs for quick and immersive play A classic monster never before seen in the basic version of Pathfinder A grading system to let you know how well you’ve done at the end of the adventure The first chapter of a series of seasonally thematic modules that can be run to completion in 3-6 hours HERO LAB files available for all encounters within the adventure as well as the BASIC Iconics, all playable as PCs!
The tomb of the ancient barbarian prince Hammon has overlooked the village of Hammon's Creche for centuries. None have ever pierced its haunted portals, and the bones of all who have dared circle the hilltop surrounding the tomb. Yet rumours persist of fabulous treasure buried with the prince, including his legenedary axe, armour, and shield. But recently, miners who dug into the base of Hammon's Tor were never heard from again, and villagers whisper that the mines are now haunted by barbarian spirits. Could a new way have been found into the tomb? And what of the sightings of white-clad figures near the mine entrance? An adventure for four characters of 7th level. For 5th edition Dunegons and Dragons. This adventure features the 5th edition write ups of: blood amniote, caryatid column, crypt chanter, dread warrior, mohrg, the swordwraith template, the tombwarden template, and the umbral creature template. Additionally, the adventure includes a 5th edition version of three homebrew legacy magic items.
After undead start appearing near the local town of Angstadt, the Burgomaster and Father become worried. What could be causing these foul creatures to rise? After conducting research, the clergy discover that the throne room of a celestial avatar is located only a few days away from the town. Perhaps this holy site could hold a relic capable of turning the undead?
This short adventure can be used to give a 5th level PC an experience point boost, if they have fallen behind. As the name suggests, it takes place in a swamp, where a group of Lizardmen are terrorizing the local farms. Unbeknownst to the farmers, a far larger threat exists in the swamp…
Continue your duet campaign or add something new! Wake up in a druid colony and embark on a quest for trust and truth with plenty of political intrigue, hidden plots, and exciting combat along the way! Second Glance picks up where our first adventure, First Blush, left off and invites the PC to explore their world, test their growing abilities, and get to know their mysterious crystalline companion. However, this adventure can be inserted into any campaign setting and scaled accordingly. Second Glance is part of D&D Duet’s mission to bring you high-quality, ready-to-play material that supports adventuring parties of 1 Player and 1 DM. This adventure is written for a second-level character in a one-on-one 5th edition D&D campaign. It lets the PC explore a druid grove and observe its mysterious residents before traveling to a too-perfect town with twisted secrets. They’ll take on a calculating magistrate, addled cleric, and dark forest creatures but find that other, more ancient mysteries lie in wait just beneath the surface. Everything you need for your own two-person game is inside! This product includes: -A 2nd or 3rd-level adventure adaptable to any setting -Stat blocks for FOUR new creatures and three NPCs -A region map, two settlement maps, and two site maps to aid the PC’s investigations -A fully realized town complete with shops, fleshed out NPCs, and places to explore -Side-quests for curious adventurers or those fond of gold and magical items -Detailed backstory for the ancient warrior sheltered inside the PC’s treasured amulet -A custom magical item And helpful tips for DMing a one-on-one game This adventure is perfect for those looking to begin or continue their duet campaign. It could also serve as a story hook, session zero, or multiclassing narrative for a PC who wants to become a druid. Published by D&D Duet.
The party arrives at an abandoned outpost in a frozen landscape. The outpost appears to have suffered some strange attack. A halfmad scholar from a distant city hides in the outpost; he is drawn to the region by his visions of a breach in the ice nearby—a breach he believes leads to the realms beyond the stars. Heading east, the party finds that the breach is no simple chasm in the ice, and its scaled guardian does not appreciate its work being interrupted. In this frozen and otherworldly adventure the party must overcome rimy insects, a void dragon wyrmling, and the pull of the breach itself.
Thordak, the Cinder King has been destroyed but the city of Emon still reels from his terrible reign. It has been a year and the whole of Tal'dorei thought the threat was over...until the finding of a piece of red leathery, heavy as stone egg is found. A primordial child has survived. Now the council of Tal'dorei seeks help in dealing with this issue in secret before it causes panic. A fan made adventure based on the world of Exandria by Matthew Mercer and seen on Geek & Sundry's Critical Role
You wake up in a dark room with a group of friends. You don't know how you got here and your thoughts seem distant, echoing in your mind. The note you find reminds you your mission: retrieve the flower of oshadis and escape this temple alive. Culitsts and traps stand between you and freedom.
The party makes their way into a small mining village by the name of Skalintown. They quickly realize that the people here are terrified, hiding behind closed doors and peering out through boarded up windows. A gang of criminals that call themselves The Calamity have promised to destroy the city and everyone in it if they don't receive a tribute of twenty thousand gold by the end of the week. This is a poor town and even with everyone's wealth combined, it doesn't come close to that value . . . but they are fighters. Perhaps all they need to hold back these invaders is some help. The deadline is four days away and the closest town that would be able to help is three days travel one-way. Skalintown tried to reach out for aid, but no one cared enough to risk their own lives to help them. Now they must rely on your players for help. The party will need to rally the townsfolk and strategically decide how to prepare for the assault. Do they dig trenches to trip up enemy wolves, do they train the townsfolk to use crossbows, or perhaps they create explosives to detonate when the bandits make it into the city? Each of the party's decisions affect the final battle and means that every group will have a unique experience in their fight against The Calamity. This adventure is heavily influenced by the traditional Wild West shootout. Try to capture that feeling for your players by playing music of that era, in the way the townsfolk act and speak, and the way the town itself is operated. There are thousands of different options for the fight and if your players play their cards right, they make quick work of the gang and earn a pretty penny while they do so.