A Ghastly Mess is a one-shot adventure for a group of 3rd-level characters that takes place in a haunted mansion Unlike your regular haunted house, the inhabitants of this building are far from scary. The ghosts of the former staff still live in it—or, well, unlive—not realizing they’re deceased and unable to move on because of it. The Lord of the mansion still awaits the return of his beloved, Lenore, for which he has commanded the staff to have the house in pristine condition. Help the only alive member of the staff, a sleepwalking old-man, clean the house, defeat any and all monsters that might be lurking in the somewhat abandoned building and help the ghosts pass on to the great beyond in this short but exciting adventure! The story includes a host of interesting characters for your players to meet, each with their own unique personalities and accompanying art; an array of unique monsters specially designed to challenge your party in more ways than one; and an intriguing mystery surrounding Lenore’s fate and what happened to the members of the staff. Now, you might be thinking “hey, this ain’t spooky at all, what gives?” and to that I say: how dare you?! Nothing is scarier than doing your chores! That’s why we built an adventure around it! That being said, A Ghastly Mess is not meant to be a scary story, but rather an interesting mystery-type of social adventure. Most combats can be resolved by running away, the stakes are low, and the NPCs don’t think of the situation as anything more than a normal day in their lives. The tragic aspects of the story have already happened by the times the characters show up, and the intent is for everything to go well from there.
She ran. Where to or for how long, she really couldn't say. The little flame of her oil lamp sputtered and went out a few times. She'd snap her fingers and make the wick flare to life, but she may as well have ran blind. The hallways were pitch black with soot and choked with smoke, every turn was a guess and every corridor a gamble. Unnatural screams echoed from every direction. Left, right, left again, was this the south or north end of the labyrinth? She had no idea. The next turn brought her face to face with a doorway completely consumed in blue fire. The room beyond was so bright she had to look through her fingers at it. A shadow covered her, a shape in the doorway: a hulking creature with a wolf-shaped muzzle and enormous pincers for hands, wreathed in the same blue flames. The screams were getting closer behind her, too. They had her cornered, again. The demon slammed its shoulders through the narrow opening, splintering the wood and stone. She dropped the lantern and let the wand in her sleeve fall into her waiting hand. With a word of power and a gesture, she appeared in the familiar bedroom: stuffy and reeking of wood smoke. She'd have to try again tomorrow, if she could remember. During an exploration on the sixth level of Undermountain, a strange invisible creature leads to a series of collapsed chambers that hide a forgotten secret and one of the most devastating forces known to the multiverse. Marambra Nyghtsteel, the forgotten apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak, has been locked away for an age deep within Undermountain. What point and purpose her forced seclusion has, only Blackcloak may know. When a spell consuming blue fire, known as The Spellplague is trapped within the chambers, a series of events have left Marambra, lost in her madness, struggling to survive.
The Arena of Power is a versatile an variable battleground where player characters can fight player characters or groups can fight their enemies. We all know the PvP functions of video games. They may call “battle royal”, “arena” or “rumble”, but it is always a number of players fighting each other until only one is left standing. And the Arena of Power now gives you a place and some rules to do exactly that with your players. Send them into the arena and find out how well they know their skills. The Arena of Power is composed for 2 – 7 players of level 3 – 12.
A tale of dreadful draconic sibling rivalry, this adventure is designed with ease of Dungeon Mastering in mind. Inspired by products such as The Lost Mines of Phandelver and 1991 Easy to Master Introductory Black Box it aims to provide a compelling story which will engage players while making that story easy to tell. It has prompts and advice on how to run each encounter making it ideal for beginning Dungeon Masters or Dungeon Master's ready to move on to the next tier of play.
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
Deenus was a necromancer that was put out of business a quarter century ago by a group of adventurers. Despite their success, the delvers were never able to discover the dungeon entrance. Your new benefactor may have information on that…
The kuo-toa are a piscine race with a psychic affliction that makes them behave erratically and invent gods when feeling threatened. That same affliction gives them the power to bring those gods to life. Blibdoolpoolp is the most widely worshipped, and thus most powerful, of their gods. Blibdoolpoolp views the kuo-toa as her children despite having been born after them. Like all good mothers, she nurtures and protects. One of her chief concerns is understanding the kuo-toa’s psychic affliction, which causes them to undermine themselves whenever they strive for greatness. She discovers that a corrupted elder brain deep in the Underdark has a connection to the race; though the connection gives them psychic powers, it also turns them into powerless thralls, explaining their self destructive behaviors. Constrained by the same leash on her children, Blibdoolpoolp seeks adventurers to destroy the elder brain. Its death would free the kuo-toa, but potentially at great cost: if the kuo-toa lose their powers, will Blibdoolpoolp die?
A religious festival in the nearby town of Saratoga is the spot your introductory level PCs have opted to begin their careers. With so many people coming to the festival the group anticipates finding information on adventures they can start their budding careers with. Action begins sooner than expected as the celebration is interrupted by a group of Stirges bothering some of the revelers and it quickly gets worse…
One crazy night in Waterdeep. Start as tavern bouncers. End up on the Astral Plane. All in one crazy night in Waterdeep. The party has been hired for a simple mission: make sure the Slumbering Prince tavern doesn't get wrecked during the rowdy Midsummer Festival. And what better motivation than 200gp per person for a single night of work. Sound too good to be true? Well, here's the catch: all damages to the tavern are to be deducted from that amount. And there is no shortage of festival-goers looking to unwind by wrecking other people's stuff. Over the course of the festival, the party must deal with drunken wizards, vain bards, loud goliaths, incompetent parade goers, complaining neighbours, disruptive satyrs, aspiring cultists, and a full-on tavern brawl. As well as an unusual number of strange slugs crawling around. Slowly they become aware there is something off about the Slumbering Prince. And when a reckless noble disturbs the secrets beneath the tavern, our heroes must soon delve into the hidden dungeon themselves. Down below, they discover the terrible threat: a planar rift that can only be opened on Midsummer's Eve, and the slumbering demigod that awaits beyond, the great astral slug Cthumbra!
After the first expedition to locate an ancient tomb was prematurely ended by monsters, the Search and Locate Treasure Consortium is doubling down. Camp established, they are looking for adventurers to make their dreams come true, but the leader of the Consortium is hiding something. Will the characters be able to avoid the Man Slayer tribe that destroyed the first expedition, help Larazmu settle his internal struggles, and locate the tomb that they have been searching for without getting into Moor Trouble?
"Lost Halls of Everforge" is a flame dragon wyrmling lair suitable for four or five 3rd level characters. This adventure can be completed in one session.
The wizard Abracadamus hid the Forever Stone in the darkest depths of a failing mine, coerced monsters into serving as guardians, and rigged the dungeon with traps galore. Then he died, as all good wizards do. Many heroes have fallen prey to the Forever Stone’s lure of immortality. To date, only one stalwart band has plunged into the Mines of Madness and lived to tell the tale. You think you’re better than them? You think you got what it takes to grab life by the stones and conquer the dungeon that won the 2012 Gygaxian Award* for Bonecrushing Awesomeness? We seriously doubt it, but go ahead . . . prove us wrong! Mines of Madness is a Very Special D&D® Next Adventure written for PAX East 2013 and designed for four 3rd-level characters.
Whilst spending time in Doorstep, the settlement that has grown up around the gates of Gauntlgrym, the town is attacked by an overwhelming force of orcs and you are pushed back into the city. You and your companions are offered an opportunity to escape the mountain through the trap laden, kobold infested, Red Wing Warrens and get help for the besieged city.
This higher level adventure takes the group on a survey mission for the Merchant’s Guild. The party will be asked to go through Uvarno, home of the Horselords, and attempt to locate a suitable passage for a merchant caravan into The Melcore. The party’s previous dealings with one of the Horselords, as well as they proven abilities to resolve “problems” has made them a natural choice for the mission. Built as a hex crawl, this scenario will require the party to map the wilderness as well as clearing out any “hostiles”.
An initial level adventure, this scenario has allowed for each PC to have an encounter as they get to the community of Lakedale (offered earlier) to prepare for their career. After successfully getting to the town the new PCs quickly discover a job opportunity pertaining to an overdue shipment from a Gnome Alchemist. Gelbo Green, alchemist, has an agreement with one of the merchants in town and is late on a delivery. Lettice Beauson runs the Purloined Purse and is looking for a group of adventurers to check on him. Time to start your careers!
The Chinese legend of Lady White Snake, like a serpent shedding its skin, is a tale that’s been renewed many times. At its core, it is a tale of a water snake granted magic and human form when a mortal man drops a god’s gift of immortality into the river. It is a story of friendship in which the white snake saves a green snake’s life and shares her powers. It is a story of jealousy in which a turtle spirit covets their immortality and plots against them. It is a story of selflessness in which the white snake sacrifices all—trapped in a pagoda for eternity—to save, from the turtle spirit, the same mortal man she’s grown to love. But in some retellings, it is a story of evil and good, Lady White Snake, an evil demon, and the turtle, a well-intentioned monk. Or it is a story of treachery, the green snake betraying her closest friend. This adventure embodies the multi-faceted nature of the original legend transformed over centuries. The town’s healer, Lady White, has been captured, and everyone in the village has a different story to tell. It’s up to the characters to decide who they trust, what they believe, and what they’re going to do about it.
Far from shore, in the cold depths of the ocean, lies a legendary whirlpool, five fathoms wide, hungry for sailors, their ships, and their goods. By its side sits a man-eating monster, many-headed and hungry for any who escape the maelstrom. But beneath these perils are the ruins of a palace, rumored to be filled with treasure beyond imagining and, maybe, a history of secrets lost to time beneath the waves. In the midst of a storm, the party’s ship is caught in a strong current. The whirlpool traps them inside of the ruins of an underwater palace, which was once home to a group of nymphs and now is the last vestige of the story of how the nymph Scylla was transformed into the infamous peril she is today. Pgs. 165-171
The Creepy Handshake is a dark comedy 5e micro-adventure of urban investigation. Wander around the city, investigate the latest robberies, and uncover the mystery of a strange lost pet. This adventure is part of the supplement Tiny Weird Adventures - Urban Edition, a collection of short adventures to be used in conjunction with the fifth edition of the most popular fantasy RPG of recent times. Although it was written with a system in mind, it can be easily adapted to any other medieval fantasy RPG.
Something strange is afoot within the Quivering Forest. So much so that even the elves of Greenhall have left their homes to seek out help from their newfound neighbors. But, their tales of a strange beast are not earning them any favors; especially among the Vistani, whom the elves suspect are to blame for their ills. Return once more to the Quivering Forest and learn the terrifying truth! Part Two of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
The locals are spreading rumors of the emergence of an age-old relic in a remote farming village. Surely you won’t be the only one to seek it, but can you afford to not be successful in this mission? And why haven’t they claimed it for themselves? Part Three of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.