The rumors are true! The secret cave of the mystics holds a hoard of treasure vast enough to buy the kingdom seven times over. Gold coins piled as high as snow banks! Gleaming swords and jewel-encrusted wands crackling with arcane energy! Precious gems as large as your fist! The only thing standing between your present circumstances and a life of fabulous wealth is a pesky, slumbering elder god with a penchant for consuming entire worlds, an endless army of vat-grown hybrid monstrosities, a veritable tidal wave of disembodied eyes with awesome powers, giant acid worms, and a curse with the power to rip the still-living eyes from your skull. Do you have the mettle to stare down a god or will your eyes forever adorn the vault of The One Who Watches From Below? The winner of the Mystery Map Adventure Design Competition! In June 2012, Goodman Games sponsored a special adventure design competition. Our Free RPG Day 2012 adventure module included an incomplete adventure map. Readers could complete the map, send in their associated ­adventure proposal, and compete for a $1,000 contract to write that adventure. A panel of distinguished judges read the flood of proposals, and finally whittled the field down to a handful of contenders. After lengthy debate, a winner was chosen. This adventure is the winner of the Mystery Map Adventure Design Competition. There were many great submissions to the competition, but Jobe Bittman’s stood out above them all. This adventure has a strong Appendix N theme, unique encounters that your players will remember for a long time, many highly visual scenes that will stand out in your players’ minds, and some terrific twists and turns. It also features one of the most creative player handouts you have ever seen. Prepare for a very fun time. We think you’ll enjoy this adventure as much as we did.

A routine recovery job, bread and butter work for any party of sell-respecting adventurers. What could go wrong? A few bugbears aren't going to cause any difficulty, are they?

Do you dare delve into the depths of an ancient demon's prison? Designed to be a fun 5E challenge-dungeon. Delve into a cave where an ancient evil was once sealed away... but be wary, as over the ages, the seals upon the Demon have begun to weaken... This is the one-shot featured in my larger adventure, Tower of the Chronomancer, but more polished and slightly expanded to allow it to stand on its own. (Originally it was the Tower's "6th floor.") I'm making this Pay What You Want, hoping people will enjoy this content -- and maybe seek the larger adventures I've already written. The Cave. Mostly hidden behind a nondescript hill in a crowded wood, forgotten by almost everyone not of the nearest town, and even they have forgotten why the cave was originally created. What it contains -- what it seals in. Marked only by a broken, rotten sign, now it's viewed as a prank spot. Sometimes it's a hideout for unsuspecting bandits. Generally, it's a place no one goes on purpose due to the lingering "wrongness" that any who enter seem to feel. Any that pass through the perfectly-rectangular entrance will find that it's much more than meets the eye. Especially if they are able to find their way down to the Trials! The Story. Long ago, a shapeshifting demon called "Umbraeus, the Defiler" sought dominion over the world. It clawed its way out of the Hells and took control of the region through a mixture of trickery (empowering people it could use) and destruction (raining fire, destroying crops and rivals, etc.). Umbraeus reigned for many years... until it was betrayed by a rival, which allowed a group of adventurers and mages to defeat and trap it in a magical green gemstone. The gem was then buried deep underground, protected by a set of Trials that allowed only those pure of heart and capable of handling its influence to visit it. But a long time has passed. The seals that held Umbraeus at bay have begun to weaken. And the demon has found a way to crack the gemstone. Its malevolent influence has begun to seep out into the world above. If nothing is done, it may manage to fully escape! Includes: A 5e one-shot adventure for 5th-6th level adventurers (4-6 hours long) Combat, roleplaying, puzzles, discovery, randomness, and loot! A chalenging demon encounter with variable difficulty levels 6 original enemy statblocks, including an evil shadow-boss 2 original magic items. Keywords You Can Expect: High fantasy, cave dungeon, combat, evil demon, shadow dragon, puzzles, discovery, randomness, gelatinous cubes, constructs, moral quandries, and lots of loot.

A desperate refugee emerges from the earth's depths in shadow-cloaked Nidal with an urgent pleas. A new faction in the subterranean dark folk city of Lyrudrada -- a wicked cult called the Reborn -- seeks a fabled artifact called the Cradle of Night. Vanished demigods of the Shadow Plane once used this artifact to craft the elusive caligni race, and the Reborn want to use it to shroud the world in darkness once more. Cursed with the stain of shadow, the heroes must battle their way through the tomb of an ancient horselord chieftain before descending to Lyrudrada. Plots and schemes run rampant in this city riven with political upheavals and back-alley bloodshed, and the heroes must collect allies and information to confront the Reborn in their fortified fane. With the mysterious masters of the caligni race arrayed against them, can the heroes hope to shed their shadowy curse and claim the Cradle of Night?

"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."

Six kids, one heartfelt promise, one incredible exploration! First Adventure is a one-shot designed to be played as a long session of five hours or two shorter sessions of 2-3 hours each. Keep the promise you made to your dying mother! Journey to an old, abandoned mine to search for the gateway to the Faerie Realm! Fail in your first attempt and regroup again 17 years later to keep the promise! A well balanced mix of exploration, role-playing, riddles, combat and tons of fun suited for both DnD newbies and veterans!

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

An unknown force is inciting the people and creatures of the idyllic Greenwood to commit horrific acts of murder and carnage. Can the adventurers quell the towering rage of the rampaging Horseman? Part Thirteen of Misty Fortunes and Empty Hearts.

This setting was used in the FN series and like the others in the FA series, it was used as an area for multiple adventure opportunities as well as a semi-safe haven. The main community in the area is the Village of Tomore. This community is offered as a free download! With a multitude of side adventures this area helps mid-level adventurers increase their experience point base. Close to this area is the previously published Sunken Temple of Bulu and the Ruins of Tarlac Keep.

The Raven Queen’s servants often seek out mighty allies. One of these is the black dragon Quetzallus, who resides in a deep cavern on the Shadowfell guarding a stream of souls flowing into the Raven Queen’s realm. But a death knight named Raxikarthus, betrayed by the Raven Queen in life, now seeks to enslave this dragon for his own purposes. He madly believes that he can stand against the Raven Queen, and seeks allies of all stripes—even her own servants—to do so. The death knight has found a pathway into the Shadowfell thought closed by mortals. Beneath a decayed keep, the undead dragonborn has reopened this portal and led his forces into the Shadowfell itself. The PCs are called in to beard the death knight in his lair. They find it abandoned, but discover a strange passage in the lower reaches. Pgs. 162-167

The tritons have arrested the keeper of Skyhorn Lighthouse for unleashing vile, bug-like abominations into the sea. When a lone triton comes to the characters and asks their help in exonerating the keeper, will the heroes rise to the challenge and confront the dangers lurking in the deep? The Corruption of Skyhorn Lighthouse is a 5-7 hour adventure for 8th-level characters. You can run The Corruption of Skyhorn Lighthouse as a standalone adventure or as a follow-up to The Secrets of Skyhorn Lighthouse, a free 5th-level adventure downloaded over 100,000 times with 350+ five-star reviews! Inside the The Corruption of Skyhorn Lighthouse, you'll find: -Three new monsters that prowl the ocean depths -A goblin submarine, a darkmantle sea captain, and a marid with a pet starfish grove -The Arcane Library's signature format to make running the adventure effortless -Combat cards for monsters, PCs, and special treasure -Gorgeous maps designed for easy use with Virtual Table Tops

From the magazine: "'That's right," said the druid. "You must steal the giant's cauldron - without harming him in the slightest.'" The adventurers are sent on a mission to reclaim the legendary Cauldron of Plenty for a celtic inspired kingdom. This magic item is kept by an intelligent Verbeeg called the Bolg Mor. A secondary goal is to discover the command words for the cauldron in the cave system. There is a curse on the cauldron, stating that violence breeds violence; he who slays the owner of the cauldron and steals the device will also fall prey to acts of violence. Players are encouraged to attempt to roleplay and negotiate with the villain to gain the cauldron.

Beneath the roots of a silver elm, there lies a sidereal prison… Vaz’kin’rai is a one-session adventure for the 5th Edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game, which sees 1st level heroes venture beneath the village of Dur to uncover the secrets of a mysterious cosmic vault. What will the heroes find within? And what price might they pay for uncovering it? Featuring: Two bespoke creature statblocks, including a Paragon Creature! Four new magic items! Five premade characters suitable for playing through Vaz’kin’rai! A host of original artwork by Izzy Collins, Emma Durno, and Robin Baxter! A fully supported hook, as well as suggestions for others and how to develop the storylines and themes the adventure introduces into a larger game! A selection of free companion Sonoria – audio ambiences and sound effects you can use to bring the adventure to life sonically! Vaz’kin’rai comes embedded in an original campaign setting, but is self-contained enough that it can be sited easily in most other campaign settings with minimal effort. A selection of deities and lineage origins are also provided in the appendices to help fit characters within Vaz’kin’rai’s setting as presented. Go forth, and see what lurks within the vault of Vaz’kin’rai… Published by Animancer

With your past exploits being noticed the acting ruler of Dilad has requested your presence. An envoy of the leader has met with you and asked you to investigate a growing issue. The city of Acre is in a large scale building operation but limestone from the quarry has stopped coming. Delays will be costly and the party has been asked to go to Fecknic and discover what the problem is. You can’t really disappoint the top dog of the nation can you?

In the city of Waterdeep rests a tavern called the Yawning Portal, named after the gaping pit in its common room. At the bottom of this crumbling shaft is a labyrinthine dungeon shunned by all but the most daring adventurers. Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Long has the Mad Mage dwelt in these forlorn depths, seeding his lair with monsters, traps, and mysteries—to what end is a constant source of speculation and concern. This adventure picks up where Waterdeep: Dragon Heist leaves off, taking characters of 5th level or higher all the way to 20th level should they explore the entirety of Halaster’s home. Twenty-three levels of Undermountain are detailed herein, along with the subterranean refuge of Skullport. Treasures and secrets abound, but tread with care!

A Scavenger Hunt? The adventure begins in the city-state of Zoa as the wizard Geolain tasks the player characters with a quest to gather three ingredients they will use to forge a magic coin to defeat an evil wizard. Which will be more dangerous to collect, the mysterious diamond touched by death, the blood of a devil spilled by a coward or a blue dragon's breath? As the player characters race around Reanaaria Bay ti find the rare items, their nemesis Daresh the wizard begins to grow in strength and wrest power from the Skryvalkkers of the Lands of Skaarna. Will the player characters find the ingredients and enchant the coin in time? They just might be Skaarna's only hope. Published by Kenzer & Company

Trouble stirs in the Borderlands. Khazra, Red Prophet of the Bull God, has united the fractious People of the Bull and proclaimed the promised time is nigh. The Bull God demands blood! Fanatics raid the outlying villages, farmsteads and towns for sacrifices. None are safe! Unbeknownst to Khazra, a power older than man stirs under the earth, fed by the blood of sacrifice. Can a band of unlikely heroes prevail where all before them have failed? Are they brave enough to face not just the minions of the Red Prophet, but the eldritch terror of the Obelisk that Thirsts? The land will suffer terrors lost to time--unless heroes step up and answer the call! A module for 3-6 characters of levels 3-5. This adventure includes a situation for a 4th level paladin to find their mount. The adventure includes new spells, monsters, and magic items. Published by The Merciless Merchants

The party is enlisted to assist the Righteous Host, an army formed as a last resort to defend the world against the monsters of Elemental Evil. The host is greatly outnumbered. Its leaders send the party on a series of missions, each of which will give the Righteous Host an edge in the great battle to come. This epic adventure ends with the final push against the forces of Elemental Evil in the Meadows, and the outcome is informed by how effective the party is in their missions... and whether they are willing to risk putting themselves in the front lines. If the Righteous Host loses, players may decide to travel to Hommlet or other nearby towns to defend them. Whether the host is successful or not, players can decide to follow many different plot threads: exploring the Temple of Elemental Evil, finding the lich Kell the Eldest's lair and destroying his phylactory, or following the will of Bitbaern's Shield and discovering historical sites that were previously lost. Pgs. 44-69

The noble dwarf Wulfstan vom Meer seeks adventurers to travel on his one remaining ship to the clan’s village, and to protect his vessel against any threats at sea. When they meet the White Worg Reavers, he wants the party to negotiate for the loan of two longships and their crew. Vom Meer offers 500 gp to anyone willing to undertake this task. It seems like easy money. However, the Wolfheim clan has troubles of its own—a group of trollkin bandits known as the Mossback Raiders have been competing with the White Worgs for territory west of Wolfheim. Their rivalry is coming to a head. When the PCs arrive at the White Worg homestead, they learn that the reaver dwarves are recovering from a recent attack. Their homestead has been sacked and vom Meer’s kinsman, Knud Stoneson, has been slain. Without a family connection, the clan’s chief will agree to vom Meer’s proposal only if the PCs will help rid them of that troublesome band of trollkin. If the PCs are to succeed in their task and help vom Meer, then a reavin’ they must go! This adventure for the 5th Edition of the world’s first RPG is meant for four 2nd and 3rd-level characters. Designed by Lou Anders, with cartography by Dyson Logos and cover art by Phil Stone.

The Iron Gods Adventure Path begins with "Fires of Creation," an exciting new adventure set in Numeria, land of barbarians and super-science! In the town of Torch, the settlement's unignorable tower of violet flame has gone out. The only clue to its disappearance is a newly discovered cave dug nearby. Are the heroes bold enough to unearth the otherworldly secrets that sleep beneath the city and reignite the fires of Torch? Or will their first foray into Numeria's ancient mysteries be their last?