A slaver gang known as the Bloodreavers are terrorizing the countryside from their base deep in the labyrinth under Thunderspire Mountain. But these slavers are only the symptom of a larger threat in the bowels of Thunderspire.
Ancient port city on the edge of a desert. The city is stratified by social class and some of the slaves have formed a cannibal cult to Kthulhu. City + hexcrawl + dungeon. The Anthropophagi of Xambaala™ takes players into an action-packed realm of adventure: the mythical world of Hyperborea, a sword-and-sorcery campaign setting inspired by the fantastic fiction of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and others. This adventure is inspired by Robert E. Howard’s “The Man-Eaters of Zamboula” and by various short tales of H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith. It is designed for use with Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea ™(AS&SH™), a role-playing game descended from the original 1974 fantasy wargame and miniatures campaign rules as conceived by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. AS&SH is compatible with most traditional fantasy role-playing games (c. 1974 to 1999) and their modern simulacra, such as OSRIC™ and Swords & Wizardry™. This work is both a setting and an adventure. The setting describes the town of Xambaala, noting key people, locations, and local lore. The adventure proper provides players with a variety of environments and the several factions fighting over them for their own goals. With a bit of skill and luck, stalwart adventurers may emerge richer and maybe wiser. The situation that will develop in Xambaala will be determined by the players’ choices.
A young noble is found dead a block away from Nabulee’s Bazaar of the Extraordinary. Everything suggests that Nabulee was neglectful and left his scarab of death unattended, which ultimately led to the death of the noble. But how did the cursed brooch find its way out of Nabulee’s impenetrable vault in the first place? And why doesn’t Nabulee remember taking it out? Will the characters solve this mystery before the noble’s vengeful father has Nabulee beheaded?
An ancient and mysterious race revisits Freeport for the first time in two centuries. The adventure culminates in an encounter with a strange new race. The adventure from that point is up to the GM, but could include the PCs facilitating diplomatic relations, negotiating recovery of ancient artifacts without bloodshed, or working with an underground rebellion to rid Freeport of the Strangers. It's probably not an adventure to take on as a beginning GM. NOTE: The Tales of Freeport that contains this adventure is NOT one of the versions currently available in the Green Ronin store. Those contain short stories. This is an older item that appears to no longer be available from Green Ronin. It is possible that the adventures within it have been included in other products since then. But I have linked to the original product on DriveThru RPG.
When an attempt to arrange an early inheritance backfires, a man of lesser ambition than Vanthus Vanderboren would no doubt withdraw into his sister's manse to hide under her skirts and pray that the truth of his patricide remain hidden. Fortunately for Vanthus, lack of ambition has never been a problem. Now the Vanderobrens' prodigal son slinks east along the coast of Blood Bay, lured by rumors of an incredible prize kept in a smuggler's hideout called Kraken's Cove. Yet what he is destined to find there is far more than a lucrative bit of banditry. What awaits him is the savage tide. "The Bullywug Gambit" is the second chapter of the Savage Tides Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures appearing in Dungeon magazine. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon magazine's "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand upon the campaign. Issue #349 of Dragon magazine looks into the region surrounding Sasserine, and provides useful information if your PCs wish to explore this area more thoroughly than they do in the course of this adventure. The hidden caves of Kraken's Cove have long served the pirates of the Crimson Fleet as a place to stage their smuggling operations. When their latest cargo backfires, the PCs find themselves faced with something far worse than murderous pirates. Pgs. 12-48
A political wedding is threatening a major source of income for the Thieves Guild Ebonclad. Ebonclad would like to see the affair disrupted and the couple never wed. Such a job may be risky, and its outcome could very well start a war if done poorly or without subtlety. That’s why a team of promising agents has been assigned to handle it. The mission’s goal is to disrupt the upcoming wedding of Camilla Swain and Le’Nal Beshiin, to ensure Ebonclad keeps a revenue stream open that their marriage would surely close. The caveat is, neither the bride nor the groom are to be harmed. This will mean the party will have to come up with a method to disrupt the wedding as it’s happening, while avoiding suspicion. As a bonus, the party members can rob wealthy guests or steal wedding presents. The mission is open-ended, giving the players full reign to decide how they will work towards a successful outcome. It lets you work to guide player decisions based on the information presented here, or improvise results based on the players’ actions.
Rumors fly up and down the river. People have vanished. Bodies have appeared, horribly mutilated. Death stalks the streets of Zobeck, and the people are afraid. Will you stop the killer before he strikes again, and again … and again?
This adventure is light and comedic and is indeed a heist adventure! It is designed as a one-off side quest for an established party but can be tweaked to work as an introductory adventure for characters meeting one another for the first time. This is ideal for a well-rounded party in which each player can show off and play a vital role in the mission’s success as they rob an evil potion master blind! Players can obtain potions of Heroism, Invisibility, Flying and Mind Reading. This adventure is perfect for DMs looking to fill a shorter session or injecting some light humor after an intense end-of-the-world campaign.
The nefarious master wrestler Dib, the goblin, is "terrorizing" the streets of the town (or city). Since his defeat in his roadside fortress, the would-be chieftain has plotted his revenge. Gathering to him a new batch of dim minions, Dib has transformed a stolen merchant wagon into a machine of war. The wagon is powered by several goblins inside who, while devoted to Dib, lack the strength to pedal the thing quickly or consistently. Dib's plan to wreak a path of havoc through the streets has resulted in something a bit more disappointing. In this light-hearted and quirky adventure for four first- or second-level PCs, the party must confront the war wagon, gain entry to it, and defeat its defenders—the lives of several potted plants and a few market stalls depend on it!
The Knolls is the second largest city in the Duchy of Bast and a frequent spot for the adventurers going through the Filbar Quest (FQ) series. At over 60 pages this setting can easily appear in any campaign. Welcome to the city that Baron Tamar Wizzel rules and is a safe haven for adventurers of any level.
Sometimes its better not to know... Citizens are turning up in the city in catatonic states, alive but devoid of personality. Are they the victims of an illness or disease, or is there something more sinister at work? Encountering one of these poor souls, the characters are drawn into an investigation of politics and treachery, seedy underworld dealings and rooftop chases, culminating in a fiery conclusion. Can they discover the cause of this epidemic before it’s too late?
“The Shadow Rift of Umbraforge” is a sequel to “Siege of Bordrin’s Watch” and the third part of the Scales of War Adventure Path. In “Siege of Bordrin’s Watch,” the PCs discovered that dark creepers had sold arms and tactical intelligence to the orc war chief Tusk, aiding him in his attack against the folk of the Stonehome Mountains. In this adventure, the PCs investigate the link between the orcs and the dark ones, stumbling into an armsrunning operation that takes them to the Shadowfell in order to finally confront the charismatic figure behind it. Pgs. 4-53
This adventure takes place in the Moonsea of Faerûn. The players have been brought to Melvaunt to search for the missing scions of the city's great families. To the north, in Thar the orc tribes converge on the ruined fortress of Xul-Jarak, flocking to the banner of a charismatic warlord. There, he intends to sacrifice the scions of the great families of Melvaunt in a bloodritual to Gruumsh. The players will escape Melvaunt, search along the wilderness of Thar for the Fortress of Xul-Jarak, and then explore the dungeons of the ruined fortress and hopefully rescue the scions before they are sacrificed. There also is a Web Enhancement by Eric Cagle on the archives of wizards of the coast's website designed to scale the adventure to level 8. For example, it replaces the Owlbear with a Tyrannosaurus. This is an easy to scale adventure with much of the player's difficulty coming from intelligently avoiding problems, choosing how to approach each floor in the most tactical way, and quickly adjusting when something goes wrong. The adventure has sidebars including common orc battle cries (In Orc!), ready to use orc names, weather and random encounter table in Thar, a description of what happens if the party fails or partially succeeds, and suggested minis for each of the encounters. There is even an extended description of the bloodspear ritual, an event the party is not meant to encounter in a normal run. The appendix is detailed for all the humanoid characters including the scions and their equipment, the named villains, and variety of unnamed orcs the party will encounter. The fortress also offers an opportunity to introduce the players to the Underdark and the Zhentil Keep. There is a passage to the Underdark the players can accidentally explore, and return to later. Emissaries from Zhentil Keep have come to watch the ritual and have their own motivations. These npcs provide an opportunity for exposition and role playing at a point which otherwise might be combat heavy, acting as a valve for the first floor - helping or hurting the party with subtle magic should the difficulty be off.
Ten thousand flawless killers surround the city. Utterly silent in battle and in death, they seem unconquerable. They mean to choke the life out of the age-old city and leave it an empty ruin. The city calls upon its heroes to defeat this unnatural menace. The heroes gather to ponder the question: how do you defeat an impregnable foe? And then a wizard from a far-off world whisks the heroes away to fight battle of a very different sort, leaving them with a strange neon pink glow around their eyes… Note: This adventure can be used setting neutral or as a means to enter the "Purple Planet" DCC setting.
An immense urban sandbox and eastern fantasy noir mega adventure for D&D 5E that takes 4–6 characters from 3rd through 12th level! An enmity between the Gekido, Hakaisuru, Kirai, and Namida clans has persisted for ages, the wounds from the Battle of Broken Spears torn open every few years by border skirmishes and trade disputes. Seeking to win the minds of the people by a grand gesture during these dark times, Emperor Hitoshi Masuto has arranged an alliance between the quarreling noble families—20 brides and grooms have been chosen to wed in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the decisive final battle in the rebellion against more than a century of foreign occupation. Imperial Matchmaker Weddings Decree Whether the adventurers seek honor and glory by protecting these fiancees or choose to line their pockets by ensuring the unions never come to pass, opportunity knocks at their door as the bengoshi of several clans sift through the mercenaries and spellswords that walk the streets of Sanbaoshi. To rise above the chaff in the capital of the Imperial Prefecture the PCs must be willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals and survive among their cutthroat competition, the corrupting Mists of Akuma, and any designs of the monstrous forces keen to strike a foothold anew in Soburin. What's to be found in Imperial Matchmaker? Statistics for over 120 monsters and NPCs! No matter where the party goes or who they interact with GMs will quickly be able to provide skill bonuses, hit points, and everything else they might need to populate the world, creating a dynamic and seamless environment around the adventurers. Over 40 maps including an insane 2-page isometric illustration of Sanbaosh by Indi Martin! The urban sandbox where most of the mega adventure takes place has a staggering amount of cartography to make certain GMs are never hard-pressed when figures are needed. 147 pages of material focused on the capital of the Imperial Prefecture! With NPCs and maps galore the detail poured into Sanbaoshi make its chapter a book unto itself, making this an outstanding addition to any GM's collection (whether running the mega adventure or not). New magic items including the sheathe ring and black glass dagger, as well as innovative rules for Absentee & Memorial cards! New character options! Put your allies (or pet) into a frenzy with the College of the Maddening Flute, use a deadly bladed brush to turn painting into reality as a Genjitsugaka fighter, look upon the Kami when making a pact to gain a spiritual companion, or become a warlock of Ancestors to pierce through the veil of time. A unique adventure unlike any you've played before! There are 10 high profile matrimonies set to take place in this gigantic module but so very much more awaiting the PCs as they walk the streets of Sanbaoshi: specialized sidequests for the Mists of Akuma Iconics, unexpected trials like Nobukai Bamboo Grove, and virtually endless intrigues amongst the gangs, criminal organizations, noble clans, and other folk that make their homes in the capital of the Imperial Prefecture.
Designed as an Introduction to the world of Eberron and is intended for a party of four 1st-level characters. This adventure takes place in Sharn, the city of Towers. It begins, as many incidents in the City of Towers do, with a corpse. A warforged assassin, a mysterious blank book, and an offer from a House Cannith heir leads the adventures into the depths of Sharn--eventually to an ancient ruin dating back to before the creation of the Kingdom of Galifar. Along the way, if the adventures are successful, they recover a lost schema--a part of a pattern used by artificers to craft magic items. They also learn that many different agencies are interested in this relic, including those loyal to the various House Cannith elders and agents of the infamous Lord of Blades. Pgs. 307 - 317
Many years ago, Evard came to Duponde to destroy his rival Vontarin, a powerful wizard who lived in a manor at the edge of town. The two mages met near the walls of the abbey of St. Avarthil and dueled all night long with black spells, laying the old monastery in ruins with their magic. In the morning, the surviving friars found Evard dead in the wreckage and buried him in the town’s graveyard. Vontarin was never seen again. Now, almost fifty years after his death, Evard’s final curse is about to descend on the town and everyone within it. Also available in Dungeon Magazine #219 Pgs. 30-90
Dragonbowl is a setting and pulp action adventure in one. It plunges a party into a rich festival scenario that revolves around a deadly gladiatorial contest, where the dangers they face in the arena are almost secondary to those they encounter in the murky criminal underworld they find themselves in: a world that stinks of corruption, human trafficking, illegal dinosaur-trading, necromancy, blood sacrifice and unnatural arcane experiments. The action takes place in a vast cavern in Mount Waterdeep, known as the Underbelly, where not only Dragonbowl Arena, but also an entire festival grounds – consisting of temples, bars, casinos, funfairs and markets - has been constructed to host this grand sporting extravaganza. With Xanathar, Jarlaxle, Davil, Volo and the Black Viper all in attendance, and scores of 'entanglements' (faction missions) to keep players busy, Dragonbowl can be played as a sequel to Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, or as a first step towards the Undermountain and the Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Equally, it can be played as a stand alone adventure, or easily transported into other settings. The adventure is written for a party of four 6th level adventurers, and easily customisable for three to five players, of any mid-tier level (the adventure contains maps and handouts adapted for both 4 and 5 player tables). The adventure is designed to last around ten to fifteen 4-hour sessions, but can very easily be shortened or lengthened according to the DM's desire. The adventure features all three pillars of play: combat (in and out of the arena), social interaction (a succession of parties and parades, where players can get entangled in NPC business) and exploration (30+ locations in the festival grounds alone).
The coastal city of Magnimar is no stranger to crime, yet recently, a series of murders has sent a chill through the early morning streets. Someone—or something—is stalking and killing worshipers of Sarenrae, the goddess of the sun. The city guard is prepared to ambush the murderer, but they need help—help of the kind that adventurers are so good at providing. What is the sinister truth behind these violent acts?
Agents of the fire giants of Maerimydra, a city in the Underdark, have overtaken the drow outpost of Szith Morcane. The factions seek out adventurers to free the outpost’s leaders for questioning on the giants’ activities. Can you extricate them before it’s too late?