Kingdom of the Blind is a short adventure for four 8th-level characters. The adventure is set in a minor duchy that is fairly removed from the ruler of the land. As a result, trouble can brew in the land and the king would not know immediately. About three years ago, a medusa, Zhanna Serpentlock, began systematically turning every person in Duke Jellhyn Fedorel's (N male human Ari5) duchy to stone. After losing many peasants to the medusa, Jellhyn attempted to placate her. He offered her his second son, Dephyl, for a husband. Duke Jellhyn and his family had always been rather tense and uncomfortable around Dephyl anyway due to the fact that Dephyl had lost an eye in a freak magical explosion as a boy. Zhanna accepted the marriage, and though Dephyl didn't really care for his family due to how they treated him, he was also less than happy with the arrangement. A year ago, Zhanna appeared at Fedorel's citadel again. She claimed that Dephyl had been untrue and that she had turned him to stone for his adultery. Throwing Dephyl's stone head down in the courtyard of the citadel, she swore vengeance on all Fedorels for his betrayal. Duke Fedorel and his household fled the citadel. Rather than give chase, Zhanna took up residence there and began ruling the duchy as the sole remaining Fedorel family member. Jellhyn and his family have lived in exile for a year. This is what the PCs can learn, but more is going on. As it turns out, Dephyl is alive and quite happy with his marriage. Zhanna is not repulsed by his disfigurement as his family was, and Dephyl's missing eye is something of an asset in the relationship since it lessens his chance of being accidentally petrified by his wife. In the two years of his marriage, he has grown up and gained ambition -- he wants to rule. As a second son (pawned off on a monster), he would never have received the chance. Now, with Zhanna's help, he can rule. However, Dephyl doesn't have the stomach for killing his father and brother. Instead, he and Zhanna plotted to take over the duchy by frightening everyone away. Zhanna carved a stone bust of Dephyl and used it to frighten off the rest of his family. Now Dephyl and Zhanna live happily in the citadel and rule the duchy together, though Dephyl's existence among the living is a secret.
The ground-breaking introductory adventure for Dungeons & Dragons that served as a DM aid in the first D&D Basic Set, released by TSR in 1977. This set included a 48-page rulebook covering the first three levels of play, and was skillfully edited by Dr. J. Eric Holmes from the original 1974 D&D rules written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The original set included an exemplary dungeon level, but it was a loose collection of examples and not geared toward starting characters. Holmes advanced this concept by writing a new thematic dungeon with a strong backstory, creating an adventure that has remained a fan favorite over the decades. Officially, its only title is "Sample Dungeon" but colloquially it goes by various names based on Zenopus, the doomed wizard who built the dungeon under his tower
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
A long, perilous ocean journey behind them, the crew of the Sea Wyvern finds itself shipwrecked on the Isle of Dread. Their destination lies well over 150 miles to the south, miles heavy with the threat of the island's terrible inhabitants. Yet the unknown enemies are far more sinister, for more than just dinosaurs hunt the vast jungles. Before long, a cunning fiend picks up their trail, and its duplicitous master demands their sacrifice. "Here There Be Monsters" is the fourth chapter of the Savage Tide Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures appearing in Dungeon. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand upon the campaign. Issue #352 of Dragon explores the Isle of Dread in detail, providing a complete ecology of the island and the writing of Larissa Vanderboren. This article can be used as a player handout to represent the journals the group recovered from the Vanderboren family vault in the first adventure in the Campaign. Shipwrecked on the Isle of Dread! Faced with a dangerous journey, the PCs must escort a ragged band of castaways through monster-infested wildlands in order to reach the safety promised by the colony of Farshore on the isle’s southern tip. Pgs. 32-60
If the drought doesn't get you, the goblins will. The river has mysteriously run dry and the farmers' crops are in peril. Locals are convinced a nearby tribe of goblins are responsible, and have offered a reward to anyone brave enough to sort it out. While they were correct about the goblins causing the drought, they were wrong about the reason. The chief of the goblin tribe is an enthusiastic fisher and a particular fish, Salvel the Talking Trout has continually eluded him. This adventure has a humourous tone and emphasises role-playing and negotiating. Pgs. 8-21 & 49
The Temple of Draxion is an adventure with 2-3 encounters that uses clever tactics, trickery, and good defensive positions to make low-level monsters challenging. The defenders in the encounter try to deceive the PCs; groups willing to accept anything the DM says at face value will horribly misjudge the actual level of danger they are in. The adventure is set in a partially-collapsed dungeon that was once a temple to Erythnul, but is now the headquarters of a pair of aspiring bandits, and their kobold employees. Pgs. 12-15
Evil Reigns in the Elven Ruins Where elves once built the shining city of Myth Drannor, demons and devils now prowl in search of prey. Ancient evil slumbers beneath mossy stones, waiting for those foolish enough to venture within its grasp. Bold swordsmen, stealthy rogues, and skillful wizards have all met their end within the walls of Myth Drannor. But the lure of the city's magical treasures still draws heroes and villains alike to tempt death—or worse. Drawn by the dream of limitless magical power, the Cult of the Dragon has carved out a secret stronghold in the heart of the ruins. Using the power of a corrupted pool of radiance, the Cultists stand poised to attain their goal of subjugating all of Faerûn... unless a group of brave heroes can stop them first.
A deathpriest hierophant of Orcus has turned the lower catacombs of a cemetery into a base for the undead and demonic horde it is gathering. The deathpriest loses control, however, with the arrival of a balor, and its carefully orchestrated forays to snatch victims have turned into wholesale slaughters. The PCs arrive in a nearby town to meet with a merchant who promised to sell them a long-coveted magic item. They are not altogether pleased to arrive to find the aftermath of a brutal attack—and no sign of their item. Pgs. 150-155
Players must prove their worth in this series of trials. Face the minotaur in his own maze, resist the allure of a crafty nymph, put on a show for the crowd as you face down an incubus / succubus duo in the arena, crawl through the muck and sneak past the demons that lie in wait, and finally use all of your creativity to navigate a glass golem through a gauntlet of traps. Another exciting blend of combat and puzzle-solving.
The forlorn Falkrest Abbey in the icy Lune Mountains is where the Queens and Kings of Yore used to be crowned and buried, along with their treasures. According to legends, the Fountain of St. Brynedd still pours its miraculous water somewhere inside. But what caused the fall of the blessed Abbey? Falkrest Abbey is a level 1–3 dungeon adventure for Old-School Essentials. Written by Andrea Tupac Mollica and Giuseppe Rotondo, with original art by Zaira Diana. Content: A 19 room dungeon with exploration, combat, mystery, puzzles and NPCs Encounters and events along the way on the icy Lune Mountains Several hooks and alternate outcomes with possible repercussions on your campaign 3 new monsters 2 new magic items, plus one almighty magic vial of miraculous water Original art by Zaira Diana Map drawn with dungeonscrawl Utility: Treasure & monsters overview sorted by room Interactive hyperlinked map and index Interactive hyperlinked map snippets accompanying room descriptions Printable hand-outs (optional) Extra files: VTT friendly maps without room numbers, monsters, secrets doors etc
For as long as men remember, the Lord of Evil Amphibians carried out unspeakable rites in his squatting temples situated far from civilization. Tales of human sacrifice, squirming servants, and rich but loathsome treasures were whispered of his followers. Now, unexpectedly, his servants have seemingly vanished, leaving behind their fanes to molder in the marshes. A brave band of adventurers gathers to explore one such tabernacle, eager to discover what riches—and terrors—the Lord of Evil Amphibians has left behind…
In the frontier stronghold of Purdey’s Rest, rumors of mysterious lost ruins lead a group of young adventurers into the wilderness — and the forgotten dungeons of a legendary dark mage. Facing off against evil bandits, foul undead, and ravenous monsters, the characters seek the rewards of wealth and fame. But before they can claim either, they must survive all the deadly threats of Hazakor’s lost halls. The Hidden Halls of Hazakor is a starter adventure for fifth edition fantasy roleplaying, written with a special focus on young, beginning Gamemasters of ages twelve and up. In a friendly and straightforward fashion, this adventure explores some of the ways a good fantasy RPG dungeon crawl can be put together. It offers advice on how to just let things happen during a game session, and how to not be overwhelmed by all the directions in which an adventure can go. It talks about how to bring nonplayer characters to life, how to have fun running monsters, and how to challenge the other players and their characters alike. The Hidden Halls of Hazakor is for any player who’s ready to sit in the GM’s chair for the first time — and who is ready to learn some of the tricks and techniques that help all GMs run great games. The PDF download also includes untagged maps for Purdey's Rest and the Hidden Halls of Hazakor dungeon, making it easy to run the adventure in a virtual tabletop setup. These maps are missing the number key and any features that should initially be known only to the GM (including traps and secret doors). The publisher's website offers free pregenerated characters for the adventure, but they are not included in the adventure. The website also has a free GM Guide as well. Insane Angel Studios
This deluxe adventure takes heroes into the ruins of Gardmore Abbey, a monastery that was once the base of a militant order of paladins devoted to Bahamut. According to legend, the paladins brought a dark artifact back from a far crusade and stored it in their abbey for safekeeping, and evil forces gathered to assault the abbey and take it back. What the legends don’t tell is that this artifact was actually the Deck of Many Things, a force of pure Chaos. This adventure brings characters into the extensive dungeons beneath the ruins - dungeons that are warped and twisted with the raw forces of Chaos surrounding the cards of the deck.
This is the "Vecna: Eve of Ruin" + "Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk" crossover you didn't know you've been waiting for. As dusk settles over the village of Phandalin, a palpable sense of unease grips the villagers. Rumors spread that a hilltop keep has inexplicably materialized on the outskirts of town, and worse yet, the sun fails to rise come morning. Unbeknownst to the townsfolk, a powerful cult of Vecna-worshipping vampires has arrived, and the only hope Phandalin has is a ragtag pack of werewolves and a few brave heroes ready to make their mark on the world. While this adventure can be run as a standalone module, it can also seamlessly serve as a prequel to "Vecna: Eve of Ruin" or as a side quest for "Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk." This module can also serve as a sequel to "Phandalin Werewolves: Beasts of Her Moon" which is exclusively available over at the dmsguild. Designed for 4-6 players with an average party level ranging anywhere from 4 to 7, this adventure aims to create a backstory of bad blood between the cult of Vecna and the PCs. It includes a monster folio, tokens, as well as maps from the esteemed Tessa Create Maps, Dyson Logos, and Elven Tower.
The town of Somber Hill is a quiet settlement in the foothills of a mountain range. A few days travel from the nearest city, the people of Somber Hill are a humble and self-reliant bunch. Unbeknownst to its people, the small town hides a sinister secret, some of the residents of Somber Hill belong to a cult that worships a long dead entity. Known only as The Dark One by their followers, this ancient being once called Old Somber Hill home. Their dark master is entombed in the catacombs beneath the town, and the cult hopes to resurrect their master with a blood sacrifice. The Crypt of Somber Hill is a Setting Neutral adventure and thus can be easily included in any existing story-line with minor alterations and adjustments or outright slotted into any existing campaign setting.
Built into what was thought to be an inactive volcano, the Halls of Beoll-Dur were created as an isolated training ground for dwarven clerics. However, upon their mountain shaking itself awake the dwarves discovered that they shared the mountain with something far more sinister. Few escaped to tell of the massacre as an horde of salamanders rising from the fiery depths, claiming the halls for their king. Now the temple sits desecrated, waiting for the day that hero's will purify it of the evils within. Pgs. M1-M16
The Ivory Scimitar now has a choice, continue on into the azure glow that leads to Mithelvarn's Dungeon or retrace their steps and investigate the source of the sounds they heard on the way in. Inside the unknown region is a massive forge, home to mad Kin who has been crafting weapons and armor that are delivered to his 'god', although in reality they are transported into Mithelvarn's Dungeon. This adventure is formatted to both 1E & 5E gaming rules.
During the Last War, the ancients deployed their war-skiff assault units from elevator platforms that now dot a sector of the wasteland like a ravaged forest of rusted steel stumps. Most of the platforms are buried by the shifting sands or stand as shattered reminders of a war that was once meaningful, but one of these decaying steel stumps still remains partially energized, layered with tunnels below ground, and powered by a unique extra-dimensional reactor core beneath the surface of the planet.
This book goes over the various rules around the faction of the Lords' Alliance in Phandalin and the Forgotten Realms, making it easy for any new or veteran DMs to integrate it more into the core stories being told, and making the faction feel more useful for the players that choose to join. In the adventure, the characters are tasked with adventuring through the uppermost level of the abandoned Dwarven city of Southkrypt Garden and assassinating an evil mage before they lead an army of Goblinoids to besiege Neverwinter.
Time is running out for the members of the Ivory Scimitar as they strive to overcome the latest challenges of the Infernal Machine and Mithelvarn's Labyrinth. With the discovery of a secret entrance into the 5th level of the dungeon, the party must now enter uncharted waters with an entirely new type of environment and monstrous threats. Can they withstand these new creation of the Machine, and will they finally breach the 6th seal and gain entry into the last level of the legendary dungeon and save all of Roslof Keep? This adventure is formatted to both 1E & 5E gaming rules. Also available in PDF.