Beneath the fetid roots of a noisome swamp linger the pathetic remnants of a once proud and noble tribe. Laid low by a powerful narcotic administered by their ambitious (but wildly paranoid) mistress, the lizardfolk of the Dark Oak are but a shadow of their former greatness. Now, in the fetid caverns below the slumbering body of a diseased treant she plots to bring bloody slaughter to the folk of the nearby villages before her followers forget their proud heritage and sink into a lethargy from which there is no escape.
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.
A Gritty OSR Fantasy Setting by Travis Legge The mortal lands are divided. A dozen kingdoms lie scattered across the world, separated by dangerous wilds filled with bandits and monsters. The bravest mortals act as adventurers, guiding travelers between the kingdoms, killing monsters to thin their numbers, and plundering ruins in search of the lost treasures of the golden age. This is the world of Odysseys & Overlords! The party are traveling west through the Untamed Gauntlet, on their way to somewhere else and using a stream to guide their steps. They step out from under the eaves of the forest to spy looming before them a cliff, a tall wall of stone which stretches away to either side as far as they can see. A waterfall cascades onto sharp rocks into a pool from which pours the stream they were following. The sheer cliff is easily 100 feet high, and too wet and slick to climb safely, though it can be tried. Atop the cliff is a bare stone hill which looks like it was at one time worked by intelligent hands; a look-out post of sorts has been carved into its southernmost peak. The map says it’s called “Wyvernseeker Rock,” but it doesn’t say why. The hill appears deserted. A long age ago, beyond mortal memory, a forgotten people built a watching post and refuge atop and within Wyvernseeker Rock. A hundred years ago, an adventurer named Olaf Wyvernseeker claimed the Rock for his own and set out with companions to clear the lands thereabouts. They were never heard from again. The upper chambers of the Rock are a convenient lair for a Giant Rhadogessa and its spider servants. Still, it’s got to be safer than climbing the cliff. Right? Published by Aegis Studios
Long abandoned and all but forgotten, Ridgeway Watch has fallen to lawless hands. Travellers talk of ambushes on the high pass, but few dare challenge Kessel’s gang. Can the heroes reclaim the ruin, or will they join the list of the missing?
"Ribbons of blood dance through the air, tracing wide crimson arcs before fraying into thousands upon thousands of bright red droplets. The cheerful tavern atmosphere evaporates in a moment, rent apart by screams and cries. A woman with grey hair stands near the bar, grasping at the dagger in her throat with fingers made slippery by blood. She sways and collapses. More screams. A man stands before her. He is holding the hilt of the dagger, but lets it slip from a gory hand as the woman falls. He freezes for a moment, then spins and sprints away, knocking aside people as he goes. A young, flaxen-haired woman at the back of the tavern cries out, “Stop him! Stop him!” as he approaches the entrance – the entrance where you and your comrades are standing. What do you do?" A lonely outsider murders a popular village local before a room full of witnesses. But could he be innocent? The Lurker Beneath Red Larch is a 4-6 hour adventure for characters of 3rd-4th level. It is full of roleplaying, problem solving and challenging combat encounters.
"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.
After arriving at a seemingly abandoned trading post, the heroes discover to their horror that all the inhabitants have been transformed into black trees! Upon further investigation, they find clues that lead them to the hidden lair of Nockmort, a treant gone bad. Nockmort has been transformed by the strange radiation of a meteorite he discovered, and now he is a terrible force of evil. The characters must enter his sunless garden to save the town. And along the way they just might discover fabulous treasure...
The ancient world of Harth withers beneath its dying sun…but it’s not dead yet. Welcome to the strange and dangerous city of Carcassay, huddled below the skeleton of a titan rat, sprawling above the ruins of countless dead civilizations. This is where folk come to find wealth, power, revenge, secrets, oblivion… and everything in between. Carcassay is a sandbox city adventure. There are many locations to explore in, around, and under the city. Players can explore any place at any time, and may radically reshape the city’s politics, economy, religions, and physical existence. There are standard dungeons stacked under the city, and GMs are encouraged to keep adding more dungeons… all the way down. Tone. It leans more toward low fantasy or sword-and-sorcery. Most shops look like real shops. Most people look like real people. But strange and horrible things lurk everywhere as soon as you start to scratch the surface. This is my Lankhmar. Carcassay is a vast, bizarre city. It has over 100 locations where you can meet Chaos cultists, Lawful knights, retired adventurers, shopkeepers, brewers, musicians, artists, scientists, hermits, royalty, beggars, doctors, space vampires, eldritch horrors, machine priests, crab colonists, mushroom farmers, mummies, assassins, and diplomats from distant lands… and the moon. And every one of them has goods or services to sell, and a quest (or three) to offer. What sort of quests? Fetch a relic, assassinate a rival, find a relative, steal a soul, implant an agent, cure a disease, stop a riot, solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet, hunt a thief, locate a shrine… the list goes on. And for every Quest, there is a specific Reward: money, weapons, relics, Chaos mutations, exclusive memberships, information, Angelic miracles… the list goes on. This is a place where you can make a lot of money, but also where you can spend that money on interesting goods and services. Factions? We have a few. Seven Chaos cults, five knightly orders, two mercenary companies, four wealthy families, six (seven!) Corpse Lords, foreign diplomats, rival innkeepers, rival tavern owners, plus all the dungeon-delving gangs currently mucking about underground. When you grow weary of all the adventures at ground level, there are three classic dungeons buried under the city to explore. This book contains months (if not years) of campaigning. Enjoy the Chaos.
Dracula, the Lord of Shadow and Darkness, has covered the land in shadow and dispatched armies of monsters and undead from his magical castle. His armies threaten to overrun major cities and plunge the world into a literal Dark Age. The last of the vampire-hunting clan that traditionally opposed him has disappeared, and still the armies advance. He must be stopped. If that's not enough motivation, it is well-known that his castle is full of magical items and great riches... but also great danger. If you've ever wanted D&D and Castlevania to meet, look no further. This adventure is exactly what you wanted. Every area of the castle poses different and unique challenges to keep the party engaged and on their toes. Written for the DM as a ready-to-run adventure, it is designed for four to six characters. The adventure starts at level 3 at the outer defenses of the castle, and ends with the party advancing to level 13 after defeating Dracula in an epic battle. The adventure includes documentation to help even a new DM succed, including suggestions for how to run each of the area "boss" monsters in combat. There are approximately 50 new enemies and over 3 dozen new magical items. It also comes with a list of suggested music for many areas of the castle, and a 25-page campaign log recounting an actual tabletop play-through of this adventure from the DM's perspective.
A blood curdling SCREAM shatters our adventurers rest as they set up camp for the evening. Without warning the forest comes alive and a heroic struggle begins, as our adventurers battle to avoid becoming the forest's latest victims. Take your players deep into a cursed glade on a dark and stormy night to confront an evil Druidess, and a horrifically corrupt tree...
The Godless Depths For the first time in eons, ancient aberrations are emerging from the deep ocean. Driven by some otherworldly fervour, they encroach upon the local villages, searching with beady eyes for anyone linked to the Gods. Even now you hear rumours of kidnap, men and women dragged kicking and screaming into the depths.
On the southern shores of the Moonsea, the residents of Mulmaster have eked out a living where others would likely have given up long ago—in a bleak city where corruption is rampant and the Church of Bane holds sway. In these five short, introductory adventures, you will travel the breadth of the City of Danger, meet its people, see its sights, and witness firsthand how the city truly has earned its ominous moniker. An introductory adventure for 1st-2nd level characters. City of Danger is broken into five mini-adventures, each designed for one to two hours of play. Therefore if you are attempting to run all five missions in one session you need a minimum of five hours to do so (and probably more). If running this adventure as part of an event that cycles players through quickly, the DM should be familiar with the mini-adventures that he or she is going to run. At public events, time is often the most important factor. Get the players into the mini adventure as quickly as possible, keep an eye on the clock, and take whatever shortcuts are necessary to stay on schedule. If time is not an issue, let the characters spend more time interacting with the non player characters within the mini-adventures. It is not required that the mission be played in order.
Two centuries past, the dwarven smith Durgeddin the Black carved a secret stronghold from the caverns riddling a hill known as the Stone Tooth. Laboring ceaselessly in their halls under the mountain, Durgeddin’s clan forged enchanted weapons for use in their vendetta against the orcs that had driven them out of their old homes. Durgeddin and his followers are long dead, but the dwarf-hold is not empty. Deadly peril waits in the caverns beneath the Stone Tooth, as well as Durgeddin’s hidden armory of matchless weaponry. The Forge of Fury is a dungeon crawl, or site-based adventure, describing the ruined stronghold of Khundrukar. The characters come to the Stone Tooth in search of a hidden cache of Durgeddin’s superior blades. They find the old stronghold inhabited by a number of dangerous monsters.
*THIS IS A D&D NEXT/5E PLAYTEST ADVENTURE* Imani, a Turmishan wizard and former adventurer, seeks the aid of heroes to infiltrate Dretchroyaster’s lair and recover the Diamond Staff of Chomylla—the key to powerful magic and wisdom locked away for thousands of years. In addition to his own sagely interest in the lore of lost Uvaeren, Imani recognizes the dangers of such powerful magic falling into evil hands. The dracolich has secured the staff in his lair’s cen- tral chamber, using ancient wards of protection that can be bypassed only by four artifact-idols once belong- ing to a cult of Bhaal. Each group of adventurers enters the dungeon through a different section of the dun- geon—a forgotten temple of Bhaal, a vast underground lake, a troglodyte village, or Dretchroyaster’s vaults. Dretchroyaster’s lair is no simple set of caverns and ancient ruins. It sits atop a source of great power and energy, which the dracolich and his Cult of the Dragon allies hope to use to unlock the secrets of the staff. Only by undertaking a unified assault against Dretchroyas- ter’s lair can the adventurers hope to recover the Diamond Staff and survive the dracolich’s fury. The adventurers must make their way through the lair and recover the Bhaalite idols that will help unlock the Diamond Staff, all the while dealing with the lair’s creatures and avoiding the dracolich as he pur- sues intruders. Entering the Chamber of the Diamond Staff, the heroes must overcome its magical wards and claim the staff before being slain by the dracolich and his servants.
Laveth, Lolth's half drow daughter, is plotting to seize power from her chaotic evil mother.
An Adventurers League Con-Created Content Module. Tier 1, 2-4 Hours. (Compatible with Homebrew games too!) May I have the next 100 words to convince you to purchase this adventure? **PITCH BEGINS!** This module features three ways to play: join the Knights of Holy Judgment, the Cult of Zariel, or the forces of Chaos as you search for a lost Angel of Tyr, Ser Vindictus. Play like it is 1990 and experience the first Adventurer’s League module to use 16-bit art for maps, tokens, NPC portraits, and magic items! Each purchase includes the PDF, Fantasy Grounds module, four maps, 15 tokens, comic art for the backstory, and an imaginary high five from the author. Make a DC 92 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, reroll! On a failed save, buy this adventure! **PITCH ENDS!** Author’s note: This is part one of a two part Tier 1 series. I plan to make future Verses if these do well and people like them. Thanks for looking at my adventure and please leave an honest review! -Anthony Joyce (Twitter: @Thrawn589) All artwork was commissioned and commercially licensed for this module. Pixel Art by: Joaquin Reymundo "Dsurion" (Twitter: @Dsurion) Comic Art by: James Gifford (Twitter: @Mrjamesgifford) Fantasy Grounds Module by: Chris Jernigan
The exciting artifact series concludes with AS3 – Peregrination. With a pair of control rods in hand you are guided to an ultimate prize, a Gnomish flying vessel! The rods have directed you to a crashed ship buried in the sandy beach. A check of the debris sheds light on the mystery of the artifact and a description of how to repair the intricate machine. Apparently finding the vessel is just the start!
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
"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."
Farms in the hamlet of Winterton are being raided at night. Who, or what, is doing the raiding is a mystery. Animals have disappeared and now a visiting merchant has gone missing. The only clue is a blood drenched hat sitting in the snow along a stretch of road. Blood in the Snow is intended as a small side-adventure set in Winter, in a tiny village in the Bay of Spirits. A desperate clan of goblins are raiding the settlement and the player characters have been asked, or hired, to help. Published by Roan Studio