Few are the wizards that seek to prolong their lives with dark rituals and foul magic to become the powerful undead beings called liches. But far fewer are those that seek to undo what necromancy what done and take back their lives after initiation to lichdom. Balipur is one of those few. Turned to a vassalich by the darklord Azalin against his will for impersonating him, Balipur, after Azalin's departure at the destruction of Il Aluk, seeks to imitate his former master's Grim Harvest project, inverted, in a smaller scale to forge a soul from the lives of other men.
The Abyss Approaches! Something wicked—and monstrous—stirs around the rugged Isgeri town of Saringallow, where the hated legacy of noble Chelish diabolists runs deep. With the recent disappearance of several apprentices, the nearby menace of particularly grotesque goblins, and the unsettling rumors about the old Sarini Estate, Mayor Sandra Trinelli knows that she needs help, and she needs it fast! The heroes must confront one of these crises, or all three, if they hope to stem the tide of darkness that looms. Before too long, the heroes discover that villains with ties to the Abyss have set their sights on Saringallow, and won't rest until the settlement and all its innocent inhabitants fall victim to their madness-inducing predations! Gallows of Madness is a 64-page, highly versatile collection of three adventures for 1st-level characters. Each adventure also includes scaling information for parties of 2nd-level characters. Written with beginning Game Masters and players in mind while also providing challenging content for veterans, these adventures can be prepared quickly and run separately or in any order. For GMs who wish to run a deeper, more narrative game, this volume also offers an overarching timeline of events and detailed tips for running these adventures as a cohesive whole. Bonus content includes new monstrous foes and a gallery of NPCs to help easily connect the adventures, plus a gorgeous double-sided poster featuring an overview of Saringallow and a miniatures-scale battlemap!
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).
Akeni was born a servant to a powerful drow family deep underground, but her personality was anything but servile. When she was caught in an affair with the house matron's mate, she killed the matron and her own paramour and fled, eventually stumbling into the lair of a powerful beholder mage named Ormathulak. Akeni knew immediately that the creature was just the ally she needed to wipe out her hated family. Pgs. 56-60
With the rising of the Blood Moon, the accursed abode of the Blood King returns to this world. The lord of all vampires comes to claim the blood that is owed to him. His halls contain treasures and secrets that would make any ambitious adventurer abandon reason and caution to seek them out. Will you risk your soul for gold and glory in the Halls of the Blood King?
During a summer drought, Mulmaster is threatened by a series of arson attacks. As the populace riots, accusations fly blaming Thayans, residents of the ghettos, rowdy sailors, the refugees from Phlan and dozens of others. Can you solve the mystery before the city burns?
Every year, on the tenth of Nightal, the villagers of Womford organize a large banquet in honor of their patron goddess Chauntea. What started out as a small reunion between neighbors has turned into the most important event of the year: the Womford Pie Contest! Carla is a would-be witch came in contact with a gulabus (a demon of gluttony), she made a pact with the fiend, hoping that it could help Mortimer (a villager she felt sorry for) win the pie contest. The demon possessed the witch and placed a curse on Mortimer. If the PCs don’t stop him, the gulabus might actually gain control of the entire village. Produced by Goblin Stone
The esteemed Blakros family—famous for their museum in Absalom—receives a large shipment of artifacts from Numeria but fears that the ever-vigilant Technic League will attack to reclaim its "stolen" property. When they request the help of Pathfinders to help guard the collection, the PCs discover that the Technic League is the least of their worries. Content in “The Silver Mount Collection” contains faction missions for the Dark Archive.
A murder mystery adventure for AD&D. The Arch Mage is dead. Murdered. The players must solve the mystery before time runs out.
Centuries past, Lady Ilse ascended to scion of House Liis by trading the archdevil Mammon what he wanted most: her immortal soul – and a diabolical betrothal. The triumph proved hollow, for every year on the eve of her fell covenant, she was beset by visions of Mammon and her foul promise. Seeking to save herself, she was buried alive, swaddled in the holy symbols of a dozen divergent faiths. This desperate ploy held Mammon at bay for centuries…but a devil can afford to wait a very long time. After hundreds of years, the last of the holy wards has fallen. The devil has come to collect his due. Tonight a storm crashes against the ancient manor house and forgotten spirits rise from the muck and mire. The fallen belfry tolls once more, announcing the hellish fete. As the adventurers arrive to explore the Black Manse, Mammon calls for his winsome bride. He will leave with a soul at the end of the night. The only question is: Whose?
If you're looking for a light-hearted adventure, you've come to the right place. Can a wizard and her beloved chef live a quiet life of baking and brewing, or is trouble destined to enter their innocent kitchen? It's up to the player characters to see what these two have cooked up before things get too hot to handle (without potholders, anyhow). Game designer Andy Collins offers the latest in our series of monthly free adventures. This original Dungeons & Dragons scenario, including full description and stats for a crusty new culinary creature, is suitable for a party of four characters of 2nd level. Adventure Preview When Andolyn met Gendrew, it seemed a match made in heaven. Andolyn was a skilled wizard with a love of a good meal, looking for an excuse to settle down from adventuring, while Gendrew was a master chef looking to create new methods of cooking. Together, they took up a quiet life of baking and brewing, content to live in a small cottage on the outskirts of town. But now one of their experiments has gone horribly wrong, and the characters must save poor Gendrew from his own delicious concoction, while defending themselves from the inhabitants of the cottage, and one unwelcome invader.
This is a trapped corridor which can be dropped into any castle, dungeon, ruin or underground adventure. It features full rules on how to scare the living be-jesus out of your adventurers and have sone great fun with them too. Get ready... as the 'Umber Eyes' is ready to receive you...
A one-shot adventure for level 1 characters, in which the party must investigate a series of mysterious happenings at an old, abandoned manor house on the outskirts of a small town.
The road to the remote village of Swordfall is a long and winding one. It takes pilgrims who wish to visit the holy site from the main trade road, through the hills, and into the mountains where once, thousands of years ago, two gods engaged in an epic battle. Now, all that remains of the battlefield is a lone sword, several hundred feet tall, embedded in the ground at the center of a massive crater. Over the years, a large temple to Thuul, god of battle, sprung up around the site. Now, warriors and fighters from across the land travel to Swordfall to pay their respects once in their lifetime. Recently, however, pilgrims have begun going missing. Somewhere between the main road and Swordfall itself, something, or someone, has been waylaying travelers. Unbeknownst to most, a cult to Ghenna has taken over one of the lone inns along the route and has begun using it to capture and sacrifice pilgrims to their own dark god. Unless a group of adventurers can stop them, the sacrifices won't stop.
A terrible plague has swept through the city of Cairdus, and despite the local clergy’s best efforts, they have been unable to control the spread of the disease. Even those who seem cured often contract the disease again. The only thing that is making any headway are the special blessings given by the powerful Baron Velstaf, but he only grants these blessings for a price that few can afford. The Star of Olindor is an adventure designed for 7th-level rogue, or other character of similar abilities. The obstacles in the adventure are set up to encourage the use of stealth and trickery, and many rely on classic rogue skills. The adventure takes place in the city of Cairdus, the details of which have been intentionally left imprecise, so that it can be easily slipped into an existing campaign, or better yet the adventure can be altered to take place in any existing city. Part 1 of the Olindor Trilogy.
Despite the bitter cold that reigns here nine months of the year, the Timberway Forest has long been a source of prosperity for civilized folk who live nearby. Many trappers and hunters spend the better part of the year within its borders, stockpiling furs and meat to trade in the frontier towns to the south, where they spend their winters. Most feel that the value of these commodities makes braving the Timberway Forest worth the risk. Recently, though, a small group of trappers and hunters has awakened a terrible new menace in the forest. Based in a remote hunter's abode called the Bluerock Lodge, they hunted the animals of the woods more out of a deep-seated desire to be cruel than a need to feed themselves. In particular, they focused their hateful attention on the local Timberway lion population. Timberway lions are rather small (more like leopards), but they are known for being lithe and wary. Still, the trappers had the advantage of intelligence and tools, and before long they had slaughtered the entire pride save for its leader. As the winter worsened and game grew ever more scarce, this last surviving lion began to starve. At that point, the darker forces of nature took notice, and the Timberway Forest gained a predator like no other. Frozen Whispers is a short D&D adventure for four 3rd-level player characters (PCs). The scenario is set mostly in and near a remote hunter’s lodge in a snowy forest. The scenario can be placed in any cold area of your campaign world that features a remote tract of woodland—a copse of trees near the arctic circle, a swath of taiga near the treeline on a high mountainside, or even a normally temperate forest caught in the grip of an unnaturally snowy winter. As always, feel free to adapt the material presented here as you see fit to make it work with your campaign.
When the hunters become the haunted. Some haunted houses are best left unexplored. The third adventure in the 'Mere of Dead Men' series! Pgs. 48-71
Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of a fabulous, forgotten treasure. What is its sinister secret. Made for 5-10 character of levels 1-3, contains maps, handouts and encounter descriptions. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is the first installment in a series of three modules designed and developed in the United Kingdom for beginning adventures with the AD&D rules. TSR 9062
Please come right in. What can we get started for you? We’re so sorry about that noisy eyesore across the street. I assure you, steps are being taken to solve that little nuisance. Oh yes. Steps are being taken. We have some lovely new teas in from far-away lands. Very mild but oh so delicious. And our cook just took some gorgeous biscuits out of the oven. I’ll bring you some to nibble. Now I need to run down to the basement for some more linens. I won’t be gone long, but my girls will take care of you while I’m away. And I’ll get that racket across the street taken care of. Yes, I most certainly will. Miss Teree runs a elegant teahouse in the upscale part of the city. But when a kobold, Sug, buys the inn across the street, her sales plummet. But then Sug starts finding rats in his basement, and they somehow manage to kill his bouncer. Sug suspects Miss Teree has something to do with his bouncers death, but he needs help figuring out how.
Travellers are going missing on the Long Road, on the 100 mile stretch between Triboar and Longsaddle. Our heroes investigate and discover a haunted mansion with a dark history and a gruesome secret. Their quest brings them to the very gates of hell itself, where an infernal abomination presents them with their greatest challenge yet... Inspired by a Clark Ashton Smith story.