Step right up ... You too can be a contestant on … Adventuring Gladiators? A set of challenges meant to test the resolve of the party. Pgs. 32-45
Rumours tell of a secluded cave where a powerful cleansing artifact resides, guarded by a mythical creature that no one has seen and lived to tell the tale. Heat boils forth from this cave, and tortured shrieks echo on the wind. Do you have what it takes to brave the Lair of the Lava Queen?
Centuries ago, a beholder named Yeryl fled from the place of his birth and wandered the countryside in search for a place to call home. After many sleepless nights spent carving out a safe nook for himself in the wilderness, he at last slipped into slumber. In his dreams, he found an ideal place for his lair: long-abandoned ruins hidden amidst a dull and barren valley. Yeryl spent years transforming the place to suit his paranoid designs. Visitors were rare enough, and the few that made it to Yeryl’s lair were quickly destroyed or forced into the beholder’s service, building the lair ever deeper and more magnificent. As time went on, Yeryl finally completed his task. Safe at last, but with nothing to occupy his mind, Yeryl was struck by melancholy; was this lonely and empty life truly what he had chosen for himself? On that day, Yeryl made a decision: next time an adventurer came to his lair, he would welcome them in. With this resolution in mind, Yeryl began to dismantle his traps and replace them with ones he considered to be more fun. Unfortunately, for all his good intents, Yeryl has not yet realised that killing people is a bad way of getting them to like him. Yeryl's Super Happy Fun Murder Dungeon is a highly obnoxious and mildly ridiculous collection of traps, combat and puzzles designed to test your players' wits and patience. It is optimised for a group of four to five 3rd level players, but the text also contains a guide for level adjustments for different sized groups.
It should have been the end. When the bloodthirsty adventurers burst into his throne room and mercilessly cut him down, the tale of Merlokrep, last king of the ill-fated Truescale Tribe, should have ended. But the fates weren’t yet finished with the Kobold King, and now a dark power has brought him back from the dark beyond to wreak his vengeance upon those foolish adventurers who destroyed his tribe.
... for hundreds of years, the monks of Sheargardt Manor at Luci Vale have provided spiritual guidance (in the name of their deity—Caelis) and world-class ales to the folk who live in nearby Luci Village. At the head of the high-mountain valley Luci Keep is tasked with keeping the pass over the high mountains safe fortravelers throughout the year. However, in recent months, word has come down from the mountains to the port city of Galan that the Abbot Christoph has allowed evil to enter the Manor. And now, a representative of the Caelian order is sent to learn the truth of the matter, and remove Christoph if necessary... Published by Usherwood Publishing
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. The PCs have just learned that Dephyl is alive and well and ordering blocks of granite. Meanwhile, Zhanna and Dephyl are on the third floor. If the PCs encountered the animated staircases on the first floor, the shriekers on the second floor, or triggered the trap outside Dephyl's study, the couple knows someone unwelcome is downstairs and moving up. They begin to prepare for their arrival.
Great riches and sudden death, free for the taking. The owners of the vault dared all looters to test their wits against it. Hundreds of years later, the vault is still unopened. Now, it's your turn to try to get in. A heavily trapped vault containing a whole lot of treasure. Little combat. Pgs. 41-46
Ages ago, a religious order known as the Druun practiced rituals from inside sacred oak groves, ceremonial pools, and stone henges. In time, the Church of Law and Order suppressed the Druunic teachings, and the ancient holy sites were lost, forgotten, or converted to other uses. One such former site is located in the capital city of Dolmvay in the center of a small neighborhood known as Whiteoak Square. This neighborhood has recently been experiencing a strange phenomenon: At night, small dancing lights have been seen floating throughout the neighborhood. The residents were afraid of this sorcery at first, however, the lights seem to exude a feeling of peace and contentment, and the locals have grown used to them. How it Started: A few weeks ago, a butcher named Walton Brand was clearing out his cellar when he stumbled upon a secret underground passage that led to an ancient Druun hall. This hall was filled with lost relics, arcane lore, and forgotten treasures of the Druun. Walton told his friends, Loomis the Baker and the chandler Stefan of Walsbury, and the three men began sneaking away from their wives at night to dress in Druun finery and pretend to be men of wealth. A harlot named Red Kirsten was hired to attend them as they drank, feasted, and cavorted in the sacred hall. Unbeknownst to the revelers, the Druun hall still retained some of its magical powers and their merriment awakened the ancient guardian spirits of the grove. These creatures, known as faerlings, are the lights that have been seen dancing throughout the neighborhood. The faerlings were given life by the revelers' glee, and they project that joy and happiness onto the other residents of the neighborhood. This glee, however, is about to turn to horror. . . Oak Grove Whispers is a Labyrinth Lord™ adventure designed for 3-6 characters of 1st-3rd levels (about 10 levels total). The adventure is broken up into three chapters that take place in a small neighborhood located in the capital city of Dolmvay (the Labyrinth Lord is free to substitute any medium- to large-sized city from his own campaign world). Oak Grove Whispers involves a mixture of roleplaying, investigation, and dungeon crawling, so a diverse range of classes is recommended. As the adventure is set in a civilized city, the characters must also be careful their interaction with NPCs does not land them on the wrong side of the law. Published by Small Niche Games
Odyssey of the Dragonlords is heavily inspired by stories from ancient Greek mythology. As we designed the campaign, we sought to include ideas from many different sources: The Odyssey, The Iliad, Jason and the Argonauts, The Oresteia, and others. However, Thylea is not ancient Greece. You will not find Zeus, Athena, or Apollo among the gods. As you explore Thylea, you will encounter familiar tropes, monsters, and treasures from Greek mythology—but the rules are different here. Mortals have only recently come to these lands. The world of Thylea blends high fantasy with the trappings of ancient history. Elves, dwarves, and halflings now live alongside minotaurs, centaurs, and satyrs. Our goal is to make your party feel like heroes from one of the greatest stories ever told—but the ultimate end of that story is entirely within your power. Your players will make choices that forever change the world of Thylea. As the gamemaster, we encourage you to embrace this idea and run with it. How will your players reshape history—and what does it mean to be a hero?
Barrow of the Culder is the initial adventure in the dangerous land of Provincia. Carrying on from this month’s free adventure, this scenario brings the adventuring party together in the small community of Merrydale. Two PCs will be meeting on the hill outside of town and then move forward to find additional members of the group as well as their first challenge. One PC will have received a job to find a missing minor artifact and have orders to gather any assistance…hence the party forms and has a common goal! After gathering their equipment they will follow a hidden trail to the final resting place of the feared warlord named the Culder.
Two centuries ago, the last king of the celtic kingdom of Pellham was deposed in favor of a High Council. Now, however, things are going badly, and a restless populace longs for the days of the ancient kingship. The High Council is floundering - and the political situation is turning ugly. It was then that the Brothers of Brie, and obscure monastic order, discovered a long-forgotten prophecy. In Pellham's time of greatest need, a long-dead king will rise to restore order. You have been chosen to prove that this is the time of the prophecy. You will take the first steps toward returning the lost king to the throne. This adventure contains the first four rounds of the AD&D OPEN Tournament that was originally run at GEN CON XVI Convention. It includes a tournament scoring system and a team of 10 characters of levels 4-7. This adventure can be played alone or as the first part of the two-part PROPHECY OF BRIE series. TSR 9107
No-one knows why, but many of the villagers of Greenmist have been going insane. Not only that, but something has caused the surrounding environment to transform into fetid swamps. Heroes from far and wide have gone into the swamps to destroy the source of the madness, but none have returned. The truth is that the psychic whispers of an aboleth have invaded the minds of Greenmist's people. The creature called Seedooloo has been using forbidden magic, mad science, and the strange ability of his kuo-toan worshipers to grant himself the power to drive the surface world to insanity. The Call of Seedooloo includes monsters found in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.
A collection of five one-shot adventures for Cairn! Imperial Vault 19 A grieving widow in the forest begs you to save her baby. A hedge witch has taken the infant down into an old imperial vault where she uses the child’s Chaos tears in alchemical potions. And who knows what old treasures might still be hidden in the vault? Unless it’s not that kind of vault… Barrow of the Blood Baron Face off against vampire bats, vampire thralls, and a vampire noble, as well as a few other creatures that have clawed their way into this once-armored vault. Discover works of art, exotic wines, enchanted clothing, and filthy weapons. Negotiate with the guards and intruders alike, using clever words or whatever stake-like objects are close at hand! Tomb of the Tin Templar Encounter electric jellyfish, tinker gnomes, and the rusted corpse of the noble Sir Tristan, as well as a few other creatures that have drifted into this marvelous mechanical vault. Discover windup toys, clockwork companions, and baffling devices. Negotiate with the guards and intruders alike, using clever words or whatever rusty objects are close at hand! Priory of the Primate Priest Defy root trolls, monkey monks, and a beguiling dryad, as well as a few other creatures that have found their way into this marvelous living vault. Discover magical armor, haunted skulls, and the bonest of the apes' victims. Negotiate with the guards and intruders alike, using clever words or whatever living objects are close at hand! Fane of the Fey Fellmonger Match wits with guild goblins, pixies, and a living skin suit, as well as a few other creatures that have spirited their way into this disturbing leathery vault. Discover arcane clothing, deadly sewing tools, and a fey lord who isn't entire dead yet. Negotiate with the guards and intruders alike, using clever words or whatever sewing objects are close at hand! New PC Background: The Dungeoneer! In addition to some unusual delving gear, select one of 10 unfortunate results of a recent delve-gone-wrong, as well as one of 13 helpful boons or tools from a recent delve-gone-right.
The Full Campaign - Updated for 2020! On Shadowed Shores In a land few have heard of, and fewer still have visited, lies untold adventure, treasure and fame. The renowned Captain Farsail has sent out word that she will undertake an expedition to Serpent Isle, but is in need of a crew. Anyone able to hold a sword or cast a spell is welcome, but be warned, the island is as deadly as it is beautiful.
Deep under the ruins of Maure Castle lie the Chambers of Antiquities, vaults designed by ancient wizards to store magic items even they didn't quite understand. A continuation of last year's hit "Maure Castle." This adventure is set under the infamous ruins of Maure Castle, a monolithic edifice of night-black granite built by a powerful family of wizards. The Maures sealed themselves into the dungeons below their castle long ago, and today these dungeons have become one of the most infamous adventuring sites in the land. Although estimates have placed the number of monster-infested and trap-haunted dungeon levels below Maure Castle at 17, there may in fact be even more. This adventure presents one of those dungeon levels in detail. Pgs. 76-101
A noble scion and his retinue from Baldur’s Gate left on an adventure amid much fanfare. That was two weeks ago. Rumours in the taverns suggest only a single soldier returned, bearing grievous wounds and a ransom demand. Is this a simple case of misadventure, or are darker conspiracies afoot? Can you locate and rescue the nobleman, or will you fall victim to the malevolent powers stirring deep within the Temple of the Opal Goddess?
Citadel by the Sea is an AD&D gaming module for 4-8 characters, each of 1st to 3rd level. The fewer the characters available, the higher their levels should be. Characters should be well equipped, with at least one magical weapon apiece, but do not need any particular game experience. It is recommended that at least one ranger character and one elf character be members of the adventuring party, and that no player character be a half-orc. The Dungeon Master should read the entire module carefully before running this adventure; the events are laid out in the approximate order in which characters would normally encounter them, and the text builds the adventure as one reads through it.
There have been disturbing signs over the last few months, signalling that something is wrong in Humblewood. The troubles appear to originate from activity in the Scorched Grove, an ashen plain that was ravaged many centuries ago by a destructive fire. Whatever caused the fire has scarred the land with elemental magic, making it inhospitable to all but strange fire-based creatures. Of late, the Grove has begun to expand. At first, it was hard to notice the slow expansion, but those in tune with nature (especially the Tenders) could see the imbalance in the elemental forces of Humblewood. For many common folk, this imbalance has been experienced as unseasonal dryness, which has led to crop failure and an increased frequency of forest fires. There have also been a number of unusually aggressive emberbat clouds reported far outside of their natural ranges. The true nature of the danger still remains hidden from the people of the Wood. A corvum necromancer named Odwald Ebonhart has stirred the elemental aspect of fire, which has lain dormant beneath the Scorched Grove since its first burning. The aspect’s energies have begun to empower fire-based creatures within the Wood. The increased range of emberbat swarms have brought fires that have expanded the Grove. Many forest-dwellers, who have been left without homes, have turned to banditry to survive. Soon the elemental incarnation will break free, and players must find a way to stop the aspect of fire before it reduces the Wood to ashes.
Buried in the desert sands of Mulhorand, near the city of Mishtan, lies an ancient stone statue of a sphinx queen. After a fierce sandstorm reveals a huge tablet etched with hieroglyphs between the statue’s paws, the PCs must translate the strange writing to find the secret entrance into the Temple of the Sphinx Queen. The conclusion offers three optional endings for DMs to choose from to suit their players, including a wicked trap, a twist that leads to further adventures, or a tough climactic combat suitable for a one-shot. Included are: Five new Egyptian-themed monsters: The Sphinx Queen, Black Lion Guardian, Zombie Scarabs, Snake of Set and Desert Spirit. A new weapon, the khopesh Four new magic items: Statue of Set, Guardian Khopesh of Set, Warded Puzzle Box and Minor Concoction of Healing Two hieroglyphic puzzle player handouts and a DMs translator sheet
"Can you solve the Labyrinth within 13 hours and get back what was stolen from you?" A 4-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 characters optimized for APL 3 taking place in the Feywild Domain of Delight, Labyrinth, where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems. This adventure takes place when the characters have been abruptly teleported into the Feywild Domain of Delight, Labyrinth. The Kobold King has given the characters thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth, or they will lose what he stole from them forever. "It's only forever, not long at all..." Pillars of Play: Skill challenges and exploration. Minimal/optional combat. Content warning: Non-consensual theft Adventure Inspiration: Jim Henson's Labyrinth (1986)