"The longest, and perhaps strongest, AD&D adventure we've ever done." The fabled Mace of St. Cuthbert has been lost from the sight of both human and demi-human for many centuries. Some claim it lies at the heart of an active volcano, guarded by salamanders and flowing lava; others swear it lies buried deep inside the earth, warded by powerful magics raised by those who would see its power denied to the forces of Law and Good. A few assert that it has never left the possession of the Saint, and even now he holds it in his strong right hand. But a few claim that none of these are so that long before the Sainted Cuthbert rose to his exalted station, his mace was hidden away from those who would steal it before he returned for it, hidden away outside the bounds of normal time and space, in a place so outlandish that the Mace's power and destiny would be unknown and unknowable, and thus safe. Pgs. 45-54 & 56-57 & 59-68
A madman hidden deep below Sharn plans to tear open a portal to the Sea of Fire. Can a band of heroes reach him in time to save the city from conflagration? The city of Sharn bakes in the grip of an intense heat wave. For most citizens, the temperature is nothing more than an annoyance. The scholars of the city know the heat is a sign of something more -- Fernia, the plane of fire, has drawn near. For one insane sorcerer, the heat is a sign that his revenge is at hand as he prepares to drown the city in a lake of fire. "Pit of the Fire Lord" is part three of the three-part Shards of Eberron Campaign Arc. Pgs. 48-59
"At midnight everyone will die..." Azalin the lich lord is launching another diabolical plan. He has allied himself with the entity known as Death, and together they plan to raze the domain of Darkon. From the ashes of the once-mighty land will rise a new domain - Necropolis, the land of the dead! For the citizens of Darkon, death has been an everyday companion, and sometimes a yearned-for end to suffering. However, now the cold comfort of the grave is forever denied these good men and women as they find themselves walking the land after their breath has left them. Heroes have always considered the undead to be mere monsters, legions of mindless evil to be slain with no second thought. Now the heroes will learn the agony of actually being one of the living dead. They become monsters, and the entire world becomes their enemy. Death Triumphant: A 64-page adventure that puts the heroes in the middle of Lord Azalin's ultimate scheme to escape from Ravenloft. Death Triumphant can be played as a stand-alone adventure or as the final chapter in the Grim Harvest series. Part of TSR 1146 Requiem - The Grim Harvest
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
When a stuffy noblewoman decides that leshys make for pretty centerpieces for her fancy tea party, she has no idea what sort of trouble she's stirring up. Not every plant in the forest wants to be put on display, and some of them are more than well-equipped to fight for those who are plucked from their homes! In A Fistful of Flowers, you take on the role of one of four unique leshys—plants who have been granted sapience and wills of their own. When new sproutlings are snatched out of the woods and taken away to civilization, it's up to your band of furious flowers and pugilistic plants to set things right! A Fistful of Flowers is a short adventure for 3rd-level characters that takes a band of leshy heroes out of the forest and into that most dangerous of locations—an aristocrat's fancy tea party. In addition, the four pregenerated characters provide a quick way to jump into the adventure right away in this exciting offering for Free RPG Day! Grab some dice and some friends and play the role of the forest's newest heroes!
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.
The lord of a local realm is having his council members systematically killed or cast out for treason with little to no evidence to support the claims. This has been occurring for some time and a local shaman by the name of Borjah thinks he knows the cause. In his visions, he has seen a strange spirit shifting the shadows, a puppet master using the lord as its personal servant by warping his mind. This entity is slowly gaining power in the city and increasing its dominance over Lord Kestyl. Borjah attempted to warn the council of this corruption, but all those he informed ended up dead a few days later, so now he is taking matters into his own hands . . . with a bit of help from some willing adventurers of course. Borjah has a few strands of Lord Kestyl's hair, enough to create a strange potion for the party to consume. A potion that will link their minds to that of the lord and be able to fight back against the corruption that has taken hold. All they need to do is wait until his mind is at its most vulnerable . . . when he is asleep. Then, and only then, they can plunge into the mind of this once nobleman and drive back the forces of darkness that threaten to destabilize the entire political landscape of the area. The potion is powerful. Dying while in this dream state cause such severe mental trauma that it usually results in the death of that individual in the real world, so the party will need to be careful. The rules of the normal world don't necessarily apply in the realm of dreams, and as they close in on the entity things are sure to grow more and more chaotic and illogical. Find out if your players have what it takes to fight back against an invisible evil using nothing but their strength of will!
SQ2 – Cesspool of Redrook takes a group of initial adventurers on their first challenge. Your new group wants to be big-time adventurers but don’t really have the money to wander out from the safety of the city of Redrook. As you question your options a wanted poster gives you just the opportunity you have been seeking. Can your party capture the notorious “Briny Pete”?
It's a frigid New Year's Eve, and the heroes gather near midnight in a small condemned tavern wihtin the Free City-State of Gate Pass. Located in the mountain pass which separates two hostile nations. Gate Pass has been neutral since the end of their last war. That neutrality is about to be put to the test, as a scourge comes for the city from the nearby empire of Ragesia. By now, every magic-user in Gate Pass knows of the Scourge. The Emperor of Ragesia died barely a month ago, and a witch named Leska has moved to cementer herself as the next empress. Leska leads the Ragesian Inquisitors, clerics specialized in countermagic and has decreed ass disloyal mages to be tracked down and killed to prevent future threats to the empire. Their first target is Gate Pass, whose neutrality has long been viewed as an insult to the nation's honor. This is the first of twelve adventures in the War of the Burning Sky adventure path from E.N. Publishing.
A dispute erupts between a trade ambassador and a wealthy merchant and the players are hired as champions only to learn that they face a brutal and savvy opponent. Will the players be a second in time? "A Second in Time" is a two-hour adventure for 3-6 players. It is written for characters 1st-3rd level. The players act as a champions in a harsh blood sport that is as much the court of a river city as it is entertainment. This module includes a new poison, a new type of item and a rudimentary rule for addiction. The river city of Lotian is a rough place, where might often means right and the thirst for blood is nigh unquenchable. Gold may be the currency of the realm but justice is paid for in blood...
The town of Medeira was once a thriving and bountiful place. Over the last six months, what once appeared to be alive, is now slowly withering away into nothing. Crops are failing. Disease plagues the townsfolk. Nearby water sources are drying up. And everything traces back to the goddess that the town worships, a creature that most adventurers will recognize as… Medusa. Only she can return the town to its former glory. Or perhaps she’s destined to bring ruin. If only someone could get to her and find out.
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.
Welcome to the seat of power in the Duchy of Starryshade! This large city is where the Archduke Meldor Gantrius IV rules his land. A walled city on the bay, Vandosia is bustling with activity. A busy seaport sits down the road from the fortified city with regional farmers coming into town every day. Many former adventurers call the city home and training guilds are available for those levelling up. While “mostly” safe this city is not without adventure, especially with the massive sewer system below the streets.
A lone king arrives at the city's bustling harbor with hopes of negotiating peace for his people in a distant land. But an assassination attempt puts his mission in danger and reveals the king's hidden enemies. Can the characters protect King Rami and help him gain the political influence needed to achieve a lasting peace treaty? Treaty of the Tiger King is a diplomacy-focused, urban one-shot for 1st-3rd level characters. It take about 3-4 hours to complete and includes: -Social events, intrigue, and hidden assassins -Respect-earning mechanics that influence a treaty negotiation -Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure -High quality digital maps for use with virtual tabletops
Far out in the void, an ancient city of vampires endures. Welcome to Araveshti, a city of a thousand towers floating safely in the shadow of the world, glittering with starlight, thrumming with ancient magics, and crawling with vicious immortals. Will you seek to destroy these bloodthirsty aristocrats? Or will you help them pursue their bizarre alchemical experiments in immortality? Or will you simply seek a way to escape their twisted and crumbling paradise? Within these ancient towers, adventurers will find vampire lords and servants, zealots and goliaths, as well as werewolves, mycotic zombies, victims of strange experimentation, fanatical holy knights, tragic vampire hunters in black, shipwrecked dreamers, castaway aliens, metal angels, eldritch horrors, star dragons, and (of course) the vampires' giant dragon-killing mecha suit... This is a dark sandbox. Players will explore a vast city of undead people and monsters in outer space, full of homages to classic horror and science fiction films and literature. ADVENTURE TYPE: Mid Level / Combat / Exploration / Dark Fantasy / Fantasy City / Gothic Horror DESIGN NOTES This adventure is intended for mid-level characters around Level 5-10 Players explore a large vampire city in space, encounter numerous NPCs and monsters, and engage with diverse factions to destroy, conquer, or escape from the city 40+ unique encounter locations, plus countless randomly generated locations 100+ original magic items 40+ original monsters One city map Estimated play time: 1-8 sessions (4-32 hours)
A member of the Thieves Guild Ebonclad has betrayed the guild and left a trail of bodies in his wake. The incident leaves the guild in a vulnerable position, and now a cleaning crew is necessary to find the rogue agent and cover the guild’s tracks. The party has to track down and eliminate Rikus Nickol, a guild defector. Rikus violated the honor among thieves when he murdered his teammates and made off with an enigmatic coral tablet that they were sent to steal from a building on the Ohlrise campus. The party is encouraged to retrieve this tablet as well, though eliminating Rikus is the most important goal. The party plays the role of investigators. The mission primarily deals with investigating a botched job on the Ohlrise (College/Wizard) campus, though it culminates in searching for a thief who defected from the guild. The characters are confronted by the rogue agent, forcing them to react to the situation as it unfolds.
The Kingdom of Halruaa’s past is a mystery. The disappearance of the entire kingdom during the Spellplague and its subsequent return has always been looked upon as feat of magic that will never be replicated and Halruaa’s Council of Elders has dedicated itself to ensuring that this magic remains hidden. rumors are starting to surface that someone may have found a way to duplicate the feat and this has made faction leaders throughout Toril nervous, especially when recent communications with Faction agents in the area have grown silent. What can be discovered in the Kingdom of Halruua? Are the rumors true or is there something else entirely happening? The Discarded Gem is a 3 to 4-hour adventure for characters level 1 - 4.
Far2 – Discord at the Docks is a short adventure based in the city of Phoenix in Fartook. Similar to Far1, this adventure is for low/novice level players. The adventure begins as your ship docks in Phoenix and you and your group debark. The scenario was designed for five players and gives them a variety of small problems to tackle. The PCs were on a delivery mission but mistook a subject on the dock as the intended recipient. The true owner is not pleased at the foul up and demands the party fix it IMMEDIATELY. Part of the inspiration for GenCon 17’s adventure, this scenario gives a number of “inconsequential” encounters that bring depth to urban adventuring!
This setting brings the players to a community with a jungle atmosphere. Based offshore the city of Ru-Marta is a trading depot and religious center. Several independent adventures are also available for those PCs needing just a little more experience points to level up!
As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion. — Antisthenes The destruction of Cyre and creation of the Mournland marked the end of The Last War. Since then, a towering wall of mystic fog has covered what used to be the nation of Cyre. Those who have ventured inside and made it out have spoken of unusual beasts, wild warforged, and other strange occurences. Most stay away. Others dedicate their lives to plundering the mysteries beyond the veil. House Cannith is the House of Making and, despite being split over the destruction of their homeland, they are still very adamant about keeping their monopoly over arcane creations and are very suspicious of anything coming out of the Mournland. Recently, rumours reached the heads of the Cannith South enclave that some scavengers working for the Daask organisation actually captured living spells from inside the Mournland and brought them back to Sharn for study, taming, and who knows what else. Now Cannith employs independent contractors to enter the secret lab, and destroy the research and its future. Another group will hunt down the actual scavengers and eliminate the spells themselves. This adventure takes place in Sharn, the City of Towers, some time before the formation of the independent adventurers organisation by 'The Twelve'. It is an infiltration mission in hostile territory which includes some investigation, maybe a bit of socialising, and some quick dungeon-crawl elements. It is designed for multiple possible endings. In my mind, this adventure is E for Everyone and doesn't contain anything dark, NSFW, or triggering beyond any other standard D&D adventure.