Welcome to Cirria’s Gambit, a four- to six-hour adventure for 2nd-4th level characters, designed for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition! This adventure invites you and your players to a fiendishly fun party with revengeful devils, a succubus who just wants to go back to hell, snobbish nobles, intoxicated socialites and one really irritated banshee! Cirria wants to go to hell! There is only one tiny problem: her mistress Glasya, archdevil of the sixth layer, has banished her for insubordination. So, what’s a succubus to do in Cirria’s place? Take over a local noble family and organize a grand feast like this boring plane has never seen before to channel the emotional energy of her guests into a ritual to open a portal, of course! Isn’t it obvious? Cirria’s plan only had one tiny unaccounted for issue: Lady Kaera, matron of the noble house Cirria targeted, is a banshee. Cirria found a momentary solution – but that will only hold so long as no intrepid group of adventurers disrupts it… This adventure can be run as a one-shot or inserted into an on-going campaign. The theme fits Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus particularly well!
By a well-trodden road lies the estate of the Eryx family. At some point the estate was converted into a roadside inn. The merchant Robert E. Wardlove has received an urgent letter from his daughter Derleth. She begs of her father to arrive in haste to the faraway inn and take her back home safely for the Evening of Still Streets draws near... Enigma of the Eryx Estate is a break from the usual dungeon crawls of the Shadowdark RPG system recommended for characters of lvls 1-3. During this adventure players get to solve a murder and the mysteries that surround it. Exploration and intrigue are emphasized as player characters gain XP for uncovering secrets. Combat is in a more minor role during this adventure, but if the players don't figure out the mystery by midnight, they might be in a fight for their lives. The adventure is designed for ease of running with punctual room and character descriptions.
"A dwarven prince has requested your party's aid in quelling the coming invasion (if there is one, of course). Do you take him at his honorable word, and gird yourselves for battle? Or do you listen to the street talk, and take the side of those who disbelieve the warmongering? Most importantly of all: what if you make the wrong choice?" Patriots of Ulek is an adventure set in the world of Greyhawk - designed for a party of six to eight characters of first to third level who must help defend the Principality of Ulek against the despot’s horde and uncover a conspiracy which could lead to Ulek’s defeat. Fighters and clerics with healing spells are best suited to this adventure, as it involves a substantial amount of combat. Mages are helpful, but not required. Thieves will find minimal opportunities to practice their trade, although their skills as spies and scouts may come in handy. This adventure was designed specifically for inexperienced players and beginning dungeon masters. TSR 9385
The Noble Rot is a location-based adventure for characters of 5th to 8th level. This adventure can be played in one or two sessions of reasonable length. It is a straightforward, haunted house-style adventure. The story revolves around Le Chateau Gluant, a vineyard and winery of repute. Vintages of its famous white (chardonnay) and red blend (cabernet sauvignon) are sought throughout the land. Some vintages can bring up to 200 gp per bottle from the right buyer. A case (twelve bottles) of the wine in pristine condition can fetch up to 1,500 gp. Unfortunately, the winery fell upon dark days and the prized wine has not flowed from its cellars for a few years. Approximately five years ago, the head winemaker, Malcolm Roth, hired Tobias Suey as an apprentice. Unfortunately for Roth, Suey was a member of the Cultus Limus (Cult of the Ooze). The Cultus Limus makes sacrifices to its demonic master Lumaszu in her faceless form. Lumaszu or “she who erases” is an ancient demoness who preys upon travelers by drinking their blood. She is the cause of nightmares, pestilence, infestation of pure water, and a bringer of disease, sickness, and death. Her worshipped form in Cultus Limus is that of a gigantic ooze. Suey turned the field hands who tended the vines against the winemaker. Then the new cult turned its attention to the Gluant family. Eventually the cult members started preying on each other. With each sacrifice to the ooze, Suey’s power grew—until there was no one left but Suey. The whim of demons is fickle. Suey was blighted and corrupted for his work. Now he deep in the cellars under the chateau as a minor ooze demon. His handiwork, however, remains. The chateau is now the abode of its former residents and workers, in undead form. Also slimes, molds, fungi, and other foulness fester in the fields, buildings, and cellars. The riches of the Gluant family remain undisturbed; would-be thieves and robbers quickly fall prey to the current residents. Besides normal valuables, cases of wine remain undisturbed and waiting to be plundered. The title The Noble Rot refers to a few factors in this adventure. The first is the rot that befell the Gluant family in the form of the Cultus Limus. Another is actual noble rot disease that may aid the PCs in overcoming the challenges posed. The phrase also refers to a real-world gray fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which in the right conditions creates world-class dessert wines such as French sauternes. In the wrong conditions, it destroys grapes and is known as gray rot.
This adventure can be used as stand-alone or continuing the arc started by Death in Freeport. Terror in Freeport leads the PCs deeper into the intrigue they began to glimpse in Death in Freeport. The investigation takes them from the corridors of power to the bowels of the underworld, with terrifying insights into who really controls the city. They discover that the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign has its claws in the town's power elite, but thanks to some clever camouflage by Sea Lord Drac. they may not find out just whom the serpents control until it's too late. As the adventure begins, the PCs are contacted once more by a very nervous Brother Egil. He tells them that while staying with Lucius one evening, he awoke to find a burglar in the roomstealing a scroll. Egil is certain that the Brotherhood have penetrated further into Freeport than anyone imagines. He wants the PCs to investigate Milos's other ties to the city and find out what's being done about the temple of the Unspeakable One. The PCs search the cultist's lodgings and discover it has been carefully gone over, and several possibly incriminating books are missing. But the burglars overlooked one thing: a Tome with a diagram of the Lighthouse of Drac sketched onto the back page, marked with the letter V. Upon leaving Milos's lodgings, the PCs come upon a gang of orcs beating up a hapless messenger. They lend a hand, only to discover they've been tricked - the messenger makes off with Milos's book! A chase through the back streets leads them to the boarded-up building the y discovered in Death What they find isn't encouraging. There is a guard posted out front, courtesy of "V"- -Verlaine. head of the Captains' Council. Meanwhile, down below, the cultists continue to have the run of the caverns-— in fact, they have been shipping their unholy relics to Verlaine's own home!
This adventure is set in the van Richten estate, a free-floating realm in the Mists of Ravenloft. While this scenario serves as the conclusion to the other adventure included in this boxed set, it can also stand alone with relatively minor modifications. Removing most of the monsters and emphasizing the intangible supernatural phenomena makes this adventure especially apt for a Masque of the Red Death campaign. Regardless of where it is set, you may play this adventure many times without it unfolding exactly the same way twice. Suitable for use with the Bleak House campaign or the Masque of the Red Death Setting. Included in Bleak House: The Death of Rudolph van Richten TSR 1141
The Blackstaff has discovered an oddity in the Weave that surrounds Waterdeep. The enigma may have been there all along or it might be new and the Blackstaff intends to figure it out using an ancient artifact from the reign of Emperor Shoon III. Part One of the Folded Time Trilogy. A Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 Characters (Bonus objectives are provided to stretch to 4 hours). Optimized for APL 3.
Ambushed on the road by goblinoids and then follow them to their lair in an old, abandoned hunting lodge in a forest. This is a short adventure that can be played in a session. The Goblins’ Gambit is perfect for situations where the party suddenly decides to go completely off the rails and the gamemaster does not have anything prepared for the destination. It is designed to be simple and the gamemaster is empowered to read and run it quickly. A 3rd level party is ideal for this adventure, but it can be easily tuned up to 5th level or down to 1st level by adding or removing a few simple enemies. This adventure can be used in three different ways - The starting adventure - This is a great adventure to start a new campaign with. A good option to use for a brand new group of players A random encounter - This is perfect for use for a random encounter along the road A retrieval mission - This adventure can also be used as a low level mission from a patron What is included? The adventure pdf DM's map of two different locations Two high resolution (8192x6144) maps for an abandoned hunting lodge and a roadside encounter (grid and gridless), which can be printed out as a tabletop map to play on.
"Deeptown lies in the shadow of mountains, a town where anything is for sale if you can only meet the price. But in the wild surrounding valleys of the Deeps, it's the bandits who make the darkest deals - and their ambition comes at a cost far greater than the contents of any wayward caravan. You and your team have just been handed a new job: disrupt a meeting between a bandit lord and his mysterious new allies. At a remote mountain villa, you will strike hard and fast and leave terror in your wake. They give you the tools. You provide the talent. Survive, and you'll be well rewarded. Fail, and you'll pay the price. You've got three days to raise some hell." This was one of the first third party adventures under the OGL for 3rd edition published by Atlas Games under the Penumbra line. The attack on the mansion is not a dungeon crawl, but feels like a commando raid aided by some unique magic items.
About: This encounter was cooked up in the Write your First Encounter workshop by the Storytelling Collective. It CAN be slid in as a side quest in any urban or sub-urban context, or be adapted to add confusion to any rescue mission you are presently running. Synopsis: Through the doorway a young woman shackled to the wall matching the description of Helena can be seen. Though disheveled and looking to be in great discomfort, her beauty is remarkable. But on closer inspection, there are other people here — three identical Helenas! Noble woman Elize Cleron has hired the party to infiltrate the catacombs under the Schaefer Estate and free her twin sister Helena. Helena is being held captive by the Schaefer family, trade rivals rumored to have ties to the underworld. Elize has been unable to free her sister herself because of her identical appearance. Rather than pay an unrealistic ransom, Elize has provided the party with what they need to break her out. This encounter is intended for 3rd level characters.
A serial killer is stalking the unsavory citizens of Baldur's Gate and freezing them solid! Discover who or what is responsible for these chilling crimes and unravel the killer's twisted motivations in this adventure for Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus! This adventure includes: 1 New Neighborhood for any Urban Location, 1 New Creature, 3 New Magic Items, 5 New Shops & Taverns, and 12+ New NPCs!
You are hired by a merchant to protect a rare item, a crystal crown, for one night against the attempts of the city's thieves guild. The arrogant guildmaster has informed the merchant that he will steal the crown and he cannot be stopped. Continues in Part 2 in Polyhedron #23 Pgs. 13-20
This single page, single player adventure introduces a new adventurer to the exploration life! Despite reservations by their family, the young PC opts to head to a nearby town to begin their career. The road to Remus is blocked thanks to a raging river but there was a shortcut that could be taken…
One bad apple. The brownies would have been fine, except for the addition of one unexpected ingredient. This is a starting adventure for one druid. They set off on a wacky adventure with teh help of their driud master. Pgs. 22-31
A simple hunt for a werewolf, or so we thought. Find its lair and slay the beast. No use for wolfsbane or other superstitions. Silver and magic would win the day. A worthy challenge, but nothing horrific, surely. Yet we never expected what we found in the Graenseskov, and our hubris cost us dearly... 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐨𝐯 is an 80-page bookmarked Ravenloft® adventure for characters of 1st-4th levels focused on mystery and exploration. It can be used in conjunction with 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐝, either as an introduction to Barovia or adapted as a side quest, as part of the original expanded Ravenloft setting, or it can be used as a stand-alone horror adventure-setting. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟔 𝐭𝐨 𝟐𝟒 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, and potentially much more for groups embracing an investigative style of play. In the mists at the edge of Count Strahd von Zarovich’s realm lies the Graenseskov, a land of deep woods and bleak hills overrun with wolves. A Beast haunts these misty lands, leaving bloody corpses and terror in its wake, the product of a hag’s curse placed upon the boyar’s manor. But the Beast is no arbitrary killer. The PCs find themselves drawn into the mystery of uncovering the Beast’s identity and breaking the hag’s curse before the Beast’s final victim gurgles their last breath and the Beast is beyond any hope of redemption. Requires the 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 and the 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥. This is a 63 Mb ZIP file containing a watermarked PDF of the updated adventure, a PDF with handouts, a PDF DM's cheat sheet, and PNG files of the Graenseskov region map for the DM and players. 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: • The DM (or the Tarokka) determines the guilty suspect and their motives, offering a different experience for each group’s play-through. • A vivid cast of characters with a NPC index. • Escalating random encounters, special events, and techniques for DMing a mystery. • New monsters: black annis hag & loup du noir. • All units given in SI & metric. • Handouts and maps for DMs and players. • DM's cheat sheet with quick prep notes, clue checklist, handy Tarokka tables, tips on running the Beast, and a decision point flowchart. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 May 16, 2016 DM's Guild Pick of the Episode! Thanks James! http://www.thetomeshow.com/e/round-table-119-giants-and-the-talented-bestiary/ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐆 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: The big update! Fixed several editing and grammar errors, including an error in Appendix D, and the repeated paragraph on page 12 (page 13 in new document). Added a new special event - Hanging the Vistani - to Chapter 1 which ties together several dangling plot threads. Clarified "Adjusting the Adventure" & added Werewolves in the Mist to the "Adventure Hooks" in the Introduction. Added two pieces of thematic filler art. 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: Added a DM's cheat sheet PDF to the zip file.
“A curse has hit Baron Ananias Galvan, the result of his son Philipe’s bad deeds. The young nobleman dishonored the beautiful daughter of Lady Josefa, the beautiful Joana, and did not commit to the girl. The Lady Josefa, a woman of knowledge of magic and necromancy, cursed the nobleman’s son and all his servants. Philipe was turned into an undead, and his property cursed. Baron Ananias hires heroes to invade the place and break the spell to bring the nobleman’s son back to his normal condition. However, for this to happen, it is necessary to face a horde of Zombies and unknown dangers. There are rumors that the property where Philipe lives is the secret to breaking this spell, but it is said that Lady Josefa didn’t only place Zombies on the site. Skeletons of dead people attack the unwary and there is a rumor that even a lich is present on such a property. Is this true, or is it the exaggeration of scared peasants?” Cursed House is a “One Shot” style adventure, one that you can play in an afternoon or fit into your larger campaign. This adventure is designed for up to 4 players from level 1 to 3. We recommend using the DCC, OSE, BX books or the old D&D books. Have Fun!
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).
Solve the Mystery! A series of unfortunate events wreak havoc in the small village of Cloudhost. From strange noises at night to temporary madness, from painful nightmares to freak accidents in the local temple, everything is going wrong and the people believe the city is cursed. Who is behind these events? Are they natural or magical? Discover the secret of Cloudhost with your party! A 1st level mystery adventure for 5th edition. After being caught in a fight on the Winter Festival, the party must investigate what is happening at Cloudhost, with a big showdown with evil! Meet reclusive merchants, fierce priests, and undead! Written for the RPG Writer Workshop.
When the Guildmaster speaks, everybody listens. When the going gets tough, the thieves get going. For 3-6 thieves. Pgs. 9-16 & 34
A good deed never goes unpunished in Ravenloft. Evil feeds upon itself - but it also feeds upon the good. Pgs. 54-74