Settling down as the sky turns black with rest, you gather by the heated campfire and swap stories to pass the night. You hear tales of wonder and worry, descriptions of distant lands, plants, and beasts. Exchanged this night are stories of thieving travellers, worried giants, and godly squabbles. Ever wanted small stories to make travel more interesting than random encounters? Ever just wanted to run shorter games? Maybe you’re just low on prep time for your next session. In this volume of campfire tales you’ll find eight half-a-session length adventures that help with all these classic DM worries. Also included is an in-depth appendix of fauna, flora, locations, and more to help boost your game.
Folk tales warn of strange noises from the Cormanthor Forest when winter fogs are thickest and the black of night has no shadows to cast. When such noises are heard on a late summer’s afternoon, perhaps it’s time to turn once again to the old stories? Part 1 of the Evenflow Saga
The Boneyard is a 3- to 4-hour adventure for characters levels 1st to 4th. It features a flavorful setting, memorable roleplaying, oddball and depraved NPCs, interwoven storylines, and macabre combat encounters! The adventure also includes 3 new NPC stat blocks. When darkness falls and the iron gates close behind you, the dead come out to play!
Anamdael is a small town remarkable only for its peacefulness. However, the town harbors a dark secret: Long ago, a resident entered into a pact with a Night Hag, whose services come at a price. Travelers who once gave little thought to Anamdael now hear rumors of a strange cult in its woods. Your party is hired to locate and return a missing person, last known to be traveling to Anamdael. Before you may enter “Mother’s” land, you face your first test. Your responses determine more than you know and set the stage for an eerie adventure.
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Are your player's moving out of Velkenvelve? Enjoying a stroll along the shores of the Darklake? On a day trip from Gracklstugh to Neverlight Grove? Sightseeing near Blingdenstone? Then Journey Through the Center of the Underdark is for you. Journey Through the Center of the Underdark contains several detailed encounters ideal for fleshing out traveling days between locations in Out of the Abyss. Furthermore, these encounters could be readily inserted into any 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Underdark oriented Forgotten Realms or home campaign setting. Designed for a party of 4-6 fourth through sixth level characters, with easy notes for adjusting encounter difficulties for lower or higher level groups, Journey Through the Center of the Underdark should provide 8-10 hours of exciting in game adventure. Written for your Rage of Demons Out of the Abyss campaign, Journey Through the Center of the Underdark is ideal for any descent into the depths your characters might take. Enjoy!
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
Synopsis: Goblin Bathwater, a magical drug, has taken hold in a sleepy coastal town at the edge of the Empire. As the characters investigate the origin of the drug, they uncover an international criminal conspiracy, wild and ancient magic, and a threat to reality itself. Contents: This beautifully made, 54-page adventure offers: A fully fleshed out, setting-agnostic starter area, brimming with colourful NPCs and hooks for adventure. Balanced encounters to bring characters to level 2; then some more devious encounters on their way to level 3. Three mini-dungeons built on the design philosophy of the "5 room dungeon method" Multiple big, cinematic set-piece boss encounters what will make your players feel epic. A facetted intrigue, which does not immediately suggest a simple, ready-made solution but invites the players to come up with their own, personal approach. Why pick this adventure? Hey, my name is Marius. This is my first time publishing on the DMs Guild but I wouldn't call myself a newcomer. I started playing Pathfinder 1e back in 2014. When I took over as our group's DM in 2019, we swapped over to 5e. We have run many, many modules and adventures since. Currently I play three games a week. In short: You could say I'm hooked. I created The Goblin Bathwater Incident as the ideal adventure for in-between your big modules, but it isn't a simple little adventure. With a playtime of about 30 hours, it still manages to hit that sweet-spot, where it establishes context, makes you grow fond of NPCs, and makes those big bossfight wins so much sweeter, all without taking more than a few sessions. The Goblin Bathwater Incident is different from many of the 1st tier adventures in that it pits the characters against traps and monsters, but also asks difficult, open-ended ethical questions, where a simple strategy of "apply sword to head of bad guy" will not cut it.
Love, Madness, and Immortality Collide Within the Haunted Halls of a Cursed Manor. Step into Immortality Manor, a 5e-compatible adventure that fuses gothic horror, intricate puzzles, and immersive storytelling. This campaign plunges adventurers into a tragic tale of obsession and dark magic. Explore the haunted estate of Stomund Wysalt, uncover secrets, navigate deadly traps, and make choices that will shape—or doom—your fate. -- Gothic Atmosphere: Every room is steeped in dark fantasy, offering a chilling gothic setting perfect for horror fans. -- Unique Resurrection Mechanics: Death isn’t the end. The Resurrection Coffin revives players but with growing exhaustion and increasingly dire consequences. -- Multiple Endings: Will you free Lucinta from her cursed prison, confront Stomund, or become trapped in the manor forever? -- Sandbox Exploration: Explore the manor non-linearly, uncovering secrets at your own pace with layers of mystery and puzzles. -- Intricate Mystery: Unravel a tragic love story while solving dark, intricate puzzles. -- Funhouse Dungeon Crawl: Play as a combat-heavy, puzzle-filled dungeon crawl for an action-packed experience. Key Details: -- Level Range: For parties of levels 1-3 -- Playtime: 3-6 sessions, or use each room as individual encounters. -- System: 5e-compatible, easily adaptable. -- Downloadable Content: Includes detailed maps, NPC character sheets, and tokens for all NPCs. Can you uncover the secrets of Immortality Manor, or will you join its list of eternal victims? Also available as a VTT on Roll20: Immortality Manor | Roll20 Marketplace: Digital goods for online tabletop gaming
An omnious encounter with a fortuneteller sends a party of adventurers on a 200-mile journey across the Lands of Intrigue. While traveling throught the towns and terrain (detailed here for the first time) that lie in their path, they hear rumors and obtain clues about their mission. Their ultimate destination is Castle Spulzeer, a once proud stronghold that has become a den of terror. When the heroes enter the haunted keep, they meet a terrifying trio of residents: a madman armed with stolen magical power, a liche whose secret laboratory houses untold horrors and treasure, and a furious ghost bent on revenge. These three ensnare the party in their fight over an ancient weapon. Each will stop at nothing to keep it from the other two. The heroes must choose with whom they will ally - and the wrong choice could lead to their doom. Castle Spulzeer is an adventure complete in itself. However, as a crossover story, it offers every Dungeon Master a choice between two endings. The first leaves the party in the Realms. The second transports the characters to the Demiplane of Dread, where the plot continues in the Ravenloft adventure The Forgotten Terror. For 4 to 6 Characters of Levels 8-12 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 Castle Spulzeer, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in digital format on the DMs Guild. Visit Classicmodulestoday.com for instructions on creating your own classic module conversions and selling them on the DMs Guild. Castle Spulzeer was originally scheduled for publication by TSR in June 1997. Then, near-bankruptcy caused a total failure of TSR's schedule, resulting in no books being published from February through the very end of July. Some books would be delayed for over a year, and others would disappear altogether, but Castle Spulzeer was relatively lucky: it was just delayed four months, until October 1997. The reason may well have been its theming, and its crossover with the Ravenloft line, which made Castle Spulzeer a great Halloween release. Castle Spulzeer has an even more far-reaching connection: its ending can lead players to the demiplane of Ravenloft and The Forgotten Terror adventure. This was probably intended as a bit of advertising for Domains of Dread (1997), the third edition of Ravenloft which was released in August 1997. In other words: in their last days, TSR was working very hard to cross-market their products, but they didn't live long enough to see the success of the Spulzeer-Intrigue-Dread connection.
Something lurks in the shadows inside the caverns under the hill called Brin Brenin. Ancient enemies of mankind have returned for revenge, starting with the tomb of a long-forgotten hero. Somewhere inside are answers to forgotten questions, deadly monsters, and hidden treasures.
On the eve of her wedding, Sita Obarskyr, princess of Cormyr, has vanished. The only clue: an invitation from Irina Ruthven, an avatar of Loviatar. Can the adventurers meet with Irina, face their hidden desires, and help Sita? This adventure explores the theme that avoiding pain is avoiding life. It’s light-hearted, kink-positive, and erotic. Eroticism is a dance with our senses. It’s about anticipation, about wanting rather than getting. It is not pornography, and need not be sexual or romantic. Because the characters’ desires shape the narrative, it is important to talk to your players beforehand. Ask them if desire is something they want to explore in their characters, and if they are willing to share narrative responsibilities with you.
In the small hamlet of Riverbend, the miller’s wife is missing, and the locals suspect the husband himself was involved. But all is far from what it seems. Ellessandra, the missing woman, is actually an elf from the Summer Lands. She came to live in the human settlement when the miller made a dangerous pact with the River King, the lands’ powerful sidhe ruler. Now, the player characters must unravel the truth behind Ellessandra’s disappearance, piece together the involvement of a young fey lord, and dive into the fey courts of the Summer Lands to stop a raid that would surely spell Riverbend’s doom. All the while, Arthurian intrigue and mischief runs high among the fey lords and ladies in this mercurial, open‑format adventure from acclaimed adventure designer Wolfgang Baur!
While on a mission to act as Waterdeep's (or other city's) trade ambassadors to the Delimbiyr city of Anvilton, an assassination attempt is made on a local leader. Ironically, the evidence points to the adventurers, and they become criminals on the run. They must now try to clear their names and complete their diplomatic mission. Will they also learn who is behind the assassination? This multi-session adventure offers: a mystery that doesn't lead the players (they have lots of choice) a story line that mixes player wits, combat skills, choice, and role playing options lots of background information for the DM to use a well-developed small city with detailed maps; a small urban adventure a bit of magic from an earlier time new villians that can be
An Undying Evil In Belthaar, city of dark alleys, strange cults, and rival sorcerers, a threat rises from beyond the grave! Can you solve the mystery of the Necromancer's Knife before it is too late? Savage Swords and Sinister Sorcery "The Necromancer's Knife" is a stand-alone sword and sorcery adventure module, inspired by the pulp era tales of Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. Venture in the footsteps of Conan the Cimmerian, Satampra Zeiros of Uzuldaroum, Imaro of Nyumbani, and other fabled thieves, reavers and slayers! Written for the Fifth Edition (5E) of the world's most popular roleplaying game, the adventure in this book can be easily adapted to any fantasy roleplaying game ruleset or edition. Note: This standalone adventure was originally published as part of the collection "The Spider-God's Bride and Other Tales of Sword and Sorcery". This new version has been updated to fifth edition rules and includes new maps and artwork.
Blinsky's Toyshop is our take on what happens to Blinsky and Piccolo during, or after the Curse of Strahd campaign. Blinsky, the toymaker in Vallaki with the cute monkey wearing a pink tutu, received a large inheritance from a long-time client. The client, Obtavius Swat, a retired adventurer and avid collector of toys, left his entire estate to Blinsky. The estate included coin, precious gems, art, and his collection of toys, some made by Blinsky and others he acquired during his travels. Blinsky used the fortune to pay a wizard to create a small island in the middle of Lake Zarovich, located just outside of Vallaki. He then paid masons and workers to build a fantastic new toyshop, which he designed to be an experience for both the young and old alike. Though the number of children in Barovia was increasing, mostly imparted to the devil Strahd’s downfall, Blinsky wanted to touch the inner child of the adults in the city. He wanted happiness. He wanted smiles. He named the castle Blinsky’s Toyshop of Marvels. One of the toys, a small silver tiara kept in a black satin-lined ivory jewelry box, was such a lovely piece. Blinsky couldn’t stand the thought of leaving it in the box. He already had enough gold and losing the small tiara wouldn’t be a large loss, so he decided to give it to his monkey – Piccolo (see Creatures of the Toyshop). He smiled at the thought of her running around in her pretty, shiny tiara. Sadly, as Barovian luck would have it, trapped inside the tiara is the sole of an evil gnome wizard named Aribetha Strangge. In his old age, Obtavious Swat forgot that he and his fellow adventurers used the tiara to imprison the gnome’s soul. Yesterday, when Blinsky placed the tiara on Piccolo’s head, silver tendrils cascaded from the tiara and into poor Piccolo’s skull, allowing Aribetha to control the monkey. Now, Aribetha has incapacitated Blinsky in the toyshop’s tower, brought many of the toys to life, and imprisoned or killed many of the workers and customers. The adventure includes costumes (which the character may wear), Strahd Hand Puppets, and a possessed Piccolo.
A desert trade route has been besieged by an aggressive blue dragon. The Radiant Oasis, a town on the shores of a small lake in the middle of the unforgiving wastes, relies on the caravans for its existence. Track the vicious lizard, Ilvax, back to his pyramid lair. Brave devious and deadly traps and battle the dragon’s loyal minions. If you survive, Ilvax himself awaits in his cavernous lair. There, even the sands beneath the party’s feet bend to his malevolent will! Includes: The Radiant Oasis, an oasis town, and the potentate that rules over it. A two level map of the dragon's lair, in a hidden cave behind an ancient pyramid Stat blocks for all monsters Unnumbered map suitable for use in your favorite VTT A new playable race, the scarab like Kheperite Published by Goblin Scrawl Games
The village of Dreigrenzdal has an enormous problem! On the morning of the town’s annual Spring Market Festival, the chieftain of a clan of neighboring stone giants is found asleep in the town square. When all attempts to awaken the giant fail, the characters must venture into an enchanted grove called the Cradle Wood to search for answers. There, they are caught up in an ancient feud between a hag named Goodie Grimjaw and her wicked sisters. Can the heroes help Goodie maintain the sorcerous ritual that keeps her evil sisters in check? Or will the party fall prey to the machinations of Goodie’s cursed elder sisters, Gertie and Grizzie, and their steel-toothed, construct minions?
An original one-shot adventure designed for 3-6 level 3 characters. SUMMARY: A recent archaeological expedition in Icewind Dale has uncovered a remarkable discovery: the Spine of the World mountain range is, in fact, the actual spine of a great giant. The discovery confirms an ancient legend, that giants as tall as mountains once roamed the Forgotten Realms. Lead archaeologist Silja Stengravar knows the truth. Centuries ago, a lich, threatened by the giants’ ancient elemental power, banished their race to an abandoned planet known as Kaiva. The lich was defeated, but its curse remains, protected by its minions in the heart of Garagai Mountain. Held captive to the curse, the giants are suspended in time, unable to roam free and claim Kaiva as their own. Silja’s discovery has summoned the portal to Kaiva. Will adventurers brave the perilous journey through the hostile and awe-inspiring planet to destroy the curse and reawaken the giants? DETAILS: 2-4 hour session for 3-6 players Play-tested material Unique items and mechanics Printable cards 16-page campaign guide Enjoy the adventure? Share your experiences with me! Hashtags: #SleepingGiantMountain #GiantsOfKaiva
The Nobriskovs are a proud and pious noble family beset by troubles they wish to keep quiet. When their angelic daughter is abducted by duergar slavers, the player characters are asked to surreptitiously rescue her from her captors. However, the distinction between predator and prey blurs as they discover the noble scion's secret. What's included? 1 hair-raising adventure divided into single-page sections for easy running 3 fully-colored maps with unlabeled versions for players (made with assets from 2-minute Tabletop) 4 statblock variations for cursed creatures in addition to detailed mechanics on implementing a more virulent strain of lycanthropy 6+ ending permutations based on what the player characters do and how they do them Content Warnings: Violence, death, abduction, slavery, horror