"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 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.
"It was already a freezing morning when you set out for the legendary Castle of Madness – the mysterious castle that is said to emerge from blizzards once every seven winters. " In this short treasure hunt for one 2nd level player, you'll brave an frigid mountain, an icy cave, and a haunted castle to bring home a pile of loot. Written as a digital gamebook, you will keep track of your character's hit points, spells, and inventory on your character sheet, and keep track of enemies using your own scratch paper. The game will play GM and all enemies.
Not so deep in Lake Marione an amulet sinks. This adventure is set in the town of Marione where PCs will be asked to retrieve a lost amulet. I hope you enjoy the adventure! A D&D 5e One-Shot Adventure
Fleeing the rage that consumed their feuding families, Juliana and Orlando fled to the Cave of Echoes, where it is said every wish is granted. Two years have passed, and all attempts to return the lovers to their parents have failed, though some believe them lost in the enchanted garden beyond the cave. Many are the rescuers venturing into that enchanted park; a few have returned after long absences, their minds and memories curiously disturbed. Now, the handsome reward offered for the return of the lovers has tempted you, but who knows that lies beyond the Crystal Cave? TSR 9066
A serpentine lamia lair suitable for four or five 4th-level characters. A matriarch lamia leads a large consortium of merchants from a distance and through intermediaries. However, she has recently descended into the common madness of her kind and set up a 'celebration' at an abandoned mine for her consortium and their guards. Will you survive the party?
A search for the ghostly dragon of the Deadwaters. The sage's deal is simple: The more you learn about the dragon, the richer you get. In this adventure, the bard Rondelle offers players rewards for learning all they can about a mysterious dragon that has been sighted in the area. Pgs. 22-38
Hi! I am pleased to present the official English-language release of the Italian best-selling adventure: La Seconda Alba Nera – The Second Black Dawn! If anyone is looking for a good starter adventure for 5th edition but wants something a bit grittier and darker may I recommend it. The Second Black Dawn is coming ... The king is missing. Hordes of undead spread across the kingdom like a plague. Outlaws attack and pillage defenseless villages. A party of adventurers is called upon to explore the region and investigate the mysterious disappearance of the king. Main Features: - A compelling, dark adventure estimated to last over 30 hours of gameplay and bring the characters from 1st to 5th level. - Five new monsters and one new weapon - Random encounters designed specifically to integrate with the tone of the adventure. - A list of music suitable for use as a soundtrack to accompany the adventure, to engage the players and emphasize the adventure's atmosphere. - Four pre-generated characters usable for the adventure. - Hypertext links in both the index and the text and bookmarks included. - An optimized PDF also available in a printer-friendly version. Find out what is bringing the kingdom to its knees... before it’s too late! Thanks to Marco Fossati for the translation and Simon Collins for the English-language editing. Any questions, please ask!
Not even memories of past glory live on in the gentle hills around the village of Kusnir. Today its people have more concern for commonplace things, like the harvest, trade, and the threat of death in the night! Kusnir is beset by a skulk. The attentions of such a creature are a curse on any community. Streets and alleys which ring to the voices of children by day become fearful, shadowy places by night. Men go abroad armed and in groups, while women and children stay behind locked doors and even there are not safe. But life goes on. The lot of the peasant is always hard, what cannot be prevented must be endured and, of course, things could be worse. Much worse. The skulk has begun to visit the village more and more often. Sometimes it kills, yet just as often it spares a victim, leaving clear signs of what it might have done had it wished. Its visits are now marked by strange and illegible symbols scrawled in blood on the walls of the buildings. The people are worried, helpless, and desperate. Desperate enough to welcome adventurers. UK2: "The Sentinel" (1983) is the second UK-series adventure, the fifth TSR UK adventure overall, the first solo effort by Morris, and the first half of the two-part Adlerweg series (whew!). It was run as a tournament at the GamesFair '83 Open, then published later in 1983. TSR 9101
Something is killing people in Palebank Village, and if the party does not stop it they could be next.
Chasing pirates can be a dicey business especially with an ocean storm bearing down upon you. As you give chase to Captain Longstockings and her crippled ship, she wanders into a cove...TRAPPED! This criminal cleanup is almost complete...
You and your close friends have decided to become adventurers and seek out your destiny. As you head to a Pacifica, a port city, you cross the mining territories and hear a cry for help. It turns out a nearby mining colony has been overrun by humanoids. Looks like your legendary exploits start today!
The people of the Linsholm fear orcs are about to raid their small farming village. For the past several days, they have been seeing orcs in the hills and forests around the village. They don’t realize that something much worse than this small band of orcs is out there. For now, it’s hunting the orcs. But if the townsfolk aren’t careful, they could be next. Protect the village of Linsholm, but perhaps not from what they fear. Discover that not all orcs are evil. Reunite the fractured orc clan, and broker peace between them and the villagers. Uncover what is hunting the orcs, and the secret to their power. A 6-8 hour adventure optimized for a party of 4th level characters.
When an injured child collapses in the street, will you venture into the cellar he fled from to discover what hides, creaking in the dark? Published by Nord Games
A hideous hag threatens to corrupt everything it can, including a young bronze dragon who protects this stretch of coastline. The heroes must stop Dread Shelan at all costs, lest the entire area come to ruin. Can the brave adventurers defeat Dread Shelan and her pet sahuagin? This package (adventure, maps, etc. within) forms a complete module for use with Dungeons & Dragons ® 5th Edition rules. It is especially designed for Dungeon Masters to initiate play with a minimum of preparation, and to invoke that OSR look and feel you remember from the original Saltmarsh back in the 80s. In addition to descriptive and situational material, this module also includes special informational sections giving background history and legends, listings of possible monsters and treasures and how to place them, a list of adventuring characters, tips on various aspects of play for the Dungeon Master, and helpful advice for starting players. Old School Look and Feel! Instructions given for scaling the encounters for levels 5 to 10.
Something sinister is brewing in the Emerald forest! It starts off simple, as they do. A group of fresh-faced adventurers is tasked with clearing out rats in the tavern cellar. What they find down there is something more than they bargained for. Now, they have to make a perilous journey across an uncharted forest to face off against an unknown threat (it’s a swarm of BrainiumOGL Rats). The fate of the entire world might be at stake! (or that of a small hamlet, at any rate!) Ratcatchers is a 4-6 hour setting neutral one-shot adventure for four to five characters of level 1-2. It has been designed keeping in mind players new to the game. Features A 25 page full-color and fully illustrated PDF, a printer friendly B&W version, and a tested for screen readers accessible version. A beginner friendly adventure that hangs a lampshade on RPG tropes, then sets said lampshade on fire. A template to convert any beast into were-rat hybrids. Rat-bunny and rat-pigeon, a.k.a. Trash Gryphons included. Several colorful battle maps for VTT use. Terrible rat based puns. Content Warning: The intended tone of this adventure is a mix of horror and comedy. Where it exactly lies on the spectrum of horror to comedy is up to you, the DM, and your players. There is depiction of body transformation and body horror, parental neglect and tight spaces. Also, there are rats. Lots and lots of rats. Published by undeadR
These are three one-shot dungeon delves. Each delve features nine rooms or locations full of challenges and interactivity. Each delve has only one type of monster, but they are complex, and there are lots of them! This volume of Wicked Little Delves includes three small dungeon adventures: - a tunnel complex full of dragons trying to eat each other, - a desert palace of sorcerous mummies trying to restore life to the wasteland, and - an ancient cathedral where zealots of Chaos try to summon unspeakable terrors from beyond the stars. SYSTEM: Each monster has stats for Fifth Edition, Old School Essentials, and Into the Odd. These adventures are intended for characters at levels 7, 8, and 9. They are mainly focused on exploration and combat, with some minor social encounters. Estimated run time for each: 1 session, or 2-5 hours. Each adventure includes one complex original monster and a variety of unique treasures. ADVENTURE TYPE: Mid Level / Combat / Exploration / One-Shot / Dungeon Delve DESIGN NOTES These adventures are intended for mid-level characters Level 7-9 9 unique encounter locations per delve (27 in all!) 3 original monsters with multiple abilities and weaknesses Dungeon maps and original illustrations
"More than five hundred years ago, clans of dwarves and gnomes made an agreement known as the Phandelver’s Pact, by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave. In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great magical power. Human spellcasters allied themselves with the dwarves and gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge (called the Forge of Spells), where magic items could be crafted. Times were good, and the nearby human town of Phandalin (pronounced fan-duh-lin) prospered as well. But then disaster struck when orcs swept through the North and laid waste to all in their path. A powerful force of orcs reinforced by evil mercenary wizards attacked wave echo cave to seize its riches and magic treasures. Human wizards fought alongside their dwarf and gnome allies to defend the Forge of Spells, and the ensuing spell battle destroyed much of the cavern. Few survived the cave-ins and tremors, and the location of Wave Echo Cave was lost. For centuries, rumours of buried riches have attracted treasure seekers and opportunists to the area around Phandalin, but no one has ever succeeded in locating the lost mine. In recent years, people have resettled the area. Phandalin is now a rough-and-tumble frontier town. More important, the Rockseeker brothers - a trio of dwarves - have discovered the entrance to Wave Echo Cave, and they intend to reopen the mines. Unfortunately for the Rockseekers, they are not the only ones interested in Wave Echo Cave. A mysterious villain known as the Black Spider controls a network of bandit gangs and goblin tribes in the area, and his agents have followed the Rockseekers to their prize. Now the Black Spider wants Wave Echo Cave for himself, and he is taking steps to make sure no one else knows where it is." Extra Info from AL.com users: by @marcellarius. "There are a variety of locations in this adventure: the town of Phandalin, a gang hideout, a ruined keep in the forest, a destroyed village, and Wave Echo Cave (a dungeon crawl). The adventure is written in a sandbox style and relies on the players to choose their path. Phandalin offers several side-quests which could serve as hooks for continuing adventures. The premade characters have ties in their backgrounds to NPCs and locations. If you're not using these you'll need to consider other ways to introduce key NPCs."
Greger’s Grotto is a community of pirates and other criminals, hidden away on a desolate coastline. The players are slaves sold to the Grotto’s owning family and used for manual labour and bloodsport in the arena. In this adventure, the players will need to: * survive harsh prison conditions, including the rivalry between prisoner factions: human, orc, goblin and hobgoblin * fight in arena battles against prisoners and beasts, often with strange twists to entertain the crowd * explore small mini-dungeons attached to the prisoners’ caverns * ultimately escape; whether by force, alliance with fellow prisoners, stealth, cunning or any combination of these Features of this adventure: * Pay-what-you-want (even nothing). * Illustrated with art by Setvasai. * Designed to fit into most campaign worlds. * Simulationist or story-driven: includes information for both. Use random rolls to determine what happens when, or take inspiration from various story hooks. (Or do both.) * 11 unique NPCs, including members of the Grotto’s owning family and leader of the prisoner factions. * Full maps of the Grotto, its arena and prisoner caverns, totalling over 40 rooms.
Gazing down from the pinnacle of Hardway Mountain, who would not be drawn by the far-off glint of the Serpent's Eye? The descent will be hard, the mountains know neither mercy nor compassion. Many are the lessons to be learned, but fate has left you little choice - are you equal to the challenge? "Eye of the Serpent" is a one-on-one wilderness adventure module for one player and one Dungeon Master, and has been designed to develop the specialist skills of a 1st-level druid, ranger, or monk character. It can also be used for a normal party of four to six 1st-level player characters. The perils of Hardway Mountain are unchanging, but the routes between them are not. This module includes a unique route planning system with different of routes linking the encounters to challenge the abilities of druids, rangers, or monks. TSR 9125