A community for lazy dungeon masters
196 adventures found
Cover of SJA2 Skull & Crossbows
SJA2 Skull & Crossbows
AD&D
Levels 6–10
64 pages
0

Different worlds have different laws. But everywhere you go, you're going to find people who bend and break those laws and turn a healthy profit doing it. Whether sailing the high seas or the Flow, they are called pirates. It's these pirates that you've been hired to hunt. With letters of marque in your mapcase, your job is to track down and capture, alive or dead, some of the most dangerous characters in the known( and unknown) spheres. Of course, not everyone in space is a pirate. You'll also meet Torgan Betz (a man famous for bending the laws, rarely breaking them), Tiktitik, the Thri-kreen crusader, " Thought Taker," the illithid, and the feared Drow commander Teela Darkcloud. Even so they all have their personal agendas, and it's often hard to tell enemies from friends. TSR 9286

Cover of DDEX01-11 Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer's Isle
DDEX01-11 Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer's Isle
5th Edition
Levels 5–10
49 pages
0

Long unoccupied, the pyramid on Sorcerer’s Isle now flows with strange magical energy, warping creatures and the landscape around it. The Cult of the Dragon and Red Wizards of Thay have taken notice, and it’s up to you to keep whatever power dwells there out of their hands. An adventure for 5th-10th level characters.

Cover of OP5 - Corsair Cove
OP5 - Corsair Cove
5th Edition
Levels 3–5
2 pages
0

OP5 – Corsair Cove is a short scenario involving the recently discovered lair of a pirate ship. With raids becoming a huge problem, the local magistrate has enlisted your group’s assistance to resolve the issue. The hidden lair has been found and you are being sent directly into this hidden cave along the cliffside to deal with them. Only a lightning raid stands the best chance of solving the problem.

Cover of Pathfinder Adventure Path #56: Raiders of the Fever Sea (Skull & Shackles 2 of 6)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #56: Raiders of the Fever Sea (Skull & Shackles 2 of 6)
Pathfinder
Level 4
92 pages
0

The second installment of the Skull and Shackles Pathfinder adventure path. Bound for adventure upon the pirate vessel they've taken as their own, the heroes face a sea of dangers as they chart a course to become true Free Captains of the Shackles. But life as a pirate doesn't prove any easier now that they're in command, as deadly sea monsters, the corpses of drowned scalawags, and raiders from the deep rise to oppose them. When a most unusual map falls into the adventurers' hands, they have the chance to change their fate in a shingle daring raid. Is it the heroes' destiny to be the next victims of the merciless waves, or will fortune smile upon them and spur their rise as the newest and most infamous pirates of the Shackles

Cover of The Bullywug Gambit
The Bullywug Gambit
3.5 Edition
Levels 3–5
37 pages
0

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

Cover of Lore of Aetherra: The Lost Druid
Lore of Aetherra: The Lost Druid
5th Edition
Levels 1–5
265 pages
0

Lore of Aetherra: The Lost Druid is an award-winning 5th Edition adventure designed to bring characters from level one to five, and is the first in an expansive 4-book saga of science-fantasy adventures that will take your players to level 20. Fano. Things here haven't always been so grim. Time and chance have conspired to transform this once magnificent city upon the lake into a run-down sanctum for the destitute and depraved alike. Those who would see Fano renewed seek a lost druid who brings with him the hope to restore the city to its former glory and awaken the ancient technology hidden deep within its constructs. Could Fano's awakening usher in a new era of peace and prosperity, or will it unearth a conspiracy lurking in the shadows? Lore of Aetherra: The Lost Druid is a 5th Edition adventure designed to bring characters from level one to five, and is the first in an expansive 4-book saga of science-fantasy adventures that will take your players to level 20. A uniquely immersive RPG experience, The Lost Druid employs a myriad of digital content that can be experienced using the Alchemy RPG platform. Enjoy a cinematic storytelling structure, breaking chapters into scenes supplemented by expansive soundscapes, dynamic musical scores, voice-acted flavor text, and environmental motion graphics. 2023 IPPY Awards Winner: GOLD in Reference Product Contents: Over 250 Pages Over 2 hours of Audio Content 5 Premade Player Characters 6 Side Quests 7 Tavern Mini Games 35 New NPCs and Monsters Maps: 8 area, 1 city, and 1 region New Backgrounds, Spells, and Magic Items Over 60 NPC Profile Blocks AI Combat Tactics for Every Encounter Published by HITPOINT Press

Cover of The Song Pharaoh's Coda
The Song Pharaoh's Coda
Pathfinder
Levels 9–10
37 pages
0

The PCs are called on to assist in retrieving the legendary Scrolls of Thoth on behalf of Khemet III, the Ruby Prince of Osirion. Along the way, they discover the ultimate fate of the ancient Song Pharoah -- and potentially assist her in her journey through the Duat, the final series of tests that a Pharaoh must face in the afterlife. It was designed as a one-shot lasting approximately 5-6 hours, but could be run as a side-quest in the Mummy's Mask adventure path. See the site for notes on adjustments to make if you are using it in that way. It includes maps, handouts, stat blocks for all of the NPCs, and Hero Lab files for Hero Lab users. Because the adventure is born digital, the page count is a rough estimate based on print previewing the pages in the site. There is no source of a printed copy other than printing one yourself (which you are welcome to do). This adventure has not been published, and is made available under the terms of the Paizo Community Use License.

Cover of Assault on Hellmaw Island
Assault on Hellmaw Island
5th Edition
Levels 5–10
21 pages
0

Hellmaw Island is a place of legend, a hidden fortress protecting the greatest treasures in the world. Rumour says it is guarded by wicked traps, bizarre and terrifying monsters, and maddening enchantments. Our heroes have been tasked with penetrating this mysterious stronghold, and they will find it to be stranger and more dangerous than anything they have encountered before. Assault on Hellmaw Island is a 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure for characters of levels 5-10. It will take 4-8 hours to complete.

Cover of SJS1 Goblin's Return
SJS1 Goblin's Return
AD&D
Levels 7–10
96 pages
0

Hundreds of years ago, the elves and goblinkin fought for control of known space in the Unhuman War. The elves emerged victorious and the goblinkin were driven out to lick their wounds an plot revenge for another day. That day has come. After centuries of plotting and building, a new race of advanced orcs known as the scro have rallied the goblins, hobgoblins, and kobolds. It is only a matter of time before they infiltrate known space to wreak destruction on the inhabited planets. The elves are looking for a few good adventurers to infiltrate a scro base and steal any information valuable to the war effort. Your PCs are offered the chance to become heroes?or die trying. Goblin's Return is a 64-page adventure set in the second Unhuman War. The first of a two-part module series, it can later be linked with Heart of the Enemy or it can be played as a stand-alone adventure. TSR 9347

Cover of The Lamenting Lighthouse
The Lamenting Lighthouse
5th Edition
Levels 5–10
45 pages
0

The Lamenting Lighthouse is a four-hour adventure for 5th-10th level characters, designed for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, with a nautical theme, heavy undead and horror elements, and mysteries to solve! One lonely lighthouse shines the way through the rocks and shoals that deny entry to the northern Moonshae Isles. But when the party’s transport approaches, a horrific gale at their backs - no light is in sight... The party must venture ahead of their vessel in a race against the storm to the restore the beacon before their ship is lost. What has befallen the keepers, and what dark secret does the lighthouse hold? Will the heroes prevail, or will they join the lighthouse's lament? This adventure can easily be inserted into a run-through of Ghosts of Saltmarsh. This one-shot can also serve as a nautical interlude in any on-going campaign where the characters have to take to the sea. Included with this adventure are: + 6 original custom creatures, the dread wraith, the dread wight, the swarm of seagulls, the captain, the rating, and the sailor + 12 player hand-outs with notes that shed light on the mystery of the lamenting lighthouse, with a randomization mechanic that ensures a degree of replayability + 9 original fleshed out NPCs, including personality traits and roleplaying tips + 2 original magical artifacts + 7 hand-drawn maps of important locations + a story reward and 2 story hooks for continuing the adventure (depending on how the adventure resolves)

Cover of Torrents of Dread
Torrents of Dread
3.5 Edition
Levels 4–8
16 pages
0

A supernaturally powerful storm, mudslides, and agitated dinosaurs are the least of the worries in the tropical village of Mora. The village's spiritual leader, the Zombie Master, has gone missing, and now undead rise from sodden graves and the village matriarch lies dead, murdered by her own son. What dire menace awaits in the flooded catacombs below? Set on the infamous Isle of Dread.

Cover of Dungeon Crawl Classics #79: Frozen In Time
Dungeon Crawl Classics #79: Frozen In Time
Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Levels 0–1
20 pages
0

Eons-old secrets slumber beneath the forbidden Ghost Ice. Since the time of the Elders, the local tribes have shunned the crawling glacier, knowing it as taboo land that slays all who tread its frigid expanse. Now, the Ghost Ice has shattered, revealing hints at deeper mysteries entombed within its icy grasp. Strange machines and wonderful horrors stir beneath the ice… Frozen in Time is a level 1 adventure for any DCC RPG campaign. It also includes new material for judges who want to send their adventurers in a Stone Age setting!

Cover of The Race to Doomspace
The Race to Doomspace
5th Edition
Levels 15–16
25 pages
0

Wildspace is rife with tension as various factions seek to gain the upperhand against their rivals. When a highly advanced spelljamming ship is uncovered within the Doomspace system, the player characters are asked to claim it before other groups can take it for themselves. However, the party may soon come to realize that their greatest adversary might be the ship itself. What's included: 1 high-octane adventure divided into single-page sections for easy running 4 fully-colored reference maps with unlabeled battlemap versions for players (made with assets from 2-minute Tabletop) 4+ ending variations based on the player characters' decisions Content Warnings: Death, entrapment, mental manipulation, violence may soon come to realize that their greatest adversary might be the ship itself.

Cover of FVC1 - Marooned!
FVC1 - Marooned!
5th Edition
Levels 5–7
18 pages
0

At the borderlands between the Noteflame Coast and the Duchy of Starryshade is the small town of Bluffton. You and your party heard of strange lights in the sky there while visiting the capital city of Vandosia. Further research shows that merchants that passed through the area two days ago and saw the strange lights at night and it appeared to be powerful magic at work. Vandosia was becoming stale anyway so a quick trip to a cartographer and you can be on your way to adventure!

Cover of Pathfinder Adventure Path #55: The Wormwood Mutiny (Skull & Shackles 1 of 6)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #55: The Wormwood Mutiny (Skull & Shackles 1 of 6)
Pathfinder
Level 1
92 pages
0

The Wormwood Mutiny is the first in the Skull and Shackles Adventure Path by Paizo. The adventurers wake to find themselves press-ganged into the crew of the pirate ship Wormwood, the vessel of the nefarious Captain Barnabus Harrigan. They'll have to learn how to survive as pirates if they're to have any hope of weathering rough waves, brutal crew members, enemy pirates, ravenous beasts, and worse. But when fortune turns to their favor, it's up to the new crew to decide whether they'll remain the pirate's swabs or seize control and set sail for adventures all their own.

Cover of The Howling Caverns
The Howling Caverns
5th Edition
Level 1
58 pages
0

A horror fantasy adventure for 3-5 1st level characters The hunched beast prowls the forest, sniffing at the still air. The roiling sky flashes and thunder breaks the silence. The time is near and the beast senses it. The monstrous form bounds toward the darkened village, a demonic howl in its throat... Shipwrecked on a perilous shore, a group of adventurers stumble into a blighted land and come face to face with a great black beast with a terrible curse. Can they unravel the mystery and solve the Barghest's curse before it’s too late? - 58 pages, 10 locations, 10 dungeon rooms - 2 new spells and 5 new monsters - Over 20 original illustrations - Inspired by English folklore - Emphasis on exploration, interaction, and usability

Cover of The Ballad of the Dark Maiden
The Ballad of the Dark Maiden
5th Edition
Levels 1–8
30 pages
0

Over a millennium ago, a clan of dark elves broke away from their evil kin and fled from the city of Menzoberranzan. Though many lives were lost in the initial exodus, the large numbers of the renegade band ensured that they were more successful than any could have hoped. And yet, the drow that finally arrived into the surface world found themselves shunned at every turn by those unable to see past their appearances. Just as their hope was beginning to wane, a song rang out through the night, beckoning the way to the sea and to a silver ship waiting amidst the dark waves. Many years have passed, and little knowledge remains of the strange island that the dark elves came to call their home, but the wicked Lolth forgets nothing. Evil magic converges upon El’tara and begins to steal away the light of hope. Whether through fate, mere coincidence or perhaps divine intervention, a band of adventurers find themselves standing at the shores of this land in the time of its greatest need. This adventure should run for approximately four to five hours and may be played either as a one-shot or as part of an ongoing campaign. It contains guidelines for running the adventure at any level from 1st to 8th and for a variety of group sizes.

Cover of SD4 - Safari on Dragon Isle
SD4 - Safari on Dragon Isle
5th Edition
Levels 4–5
31 pages
0

After enjoying a bit of free time in Cullifield while some members of your party finish their training, you hear word of a quick trip out to sea. Further investigation leads you to understand a certain list needs fulfilled and a drunken sea captain is willing to split the profits. Well, no need to sit around on your hands…let’s hit the waves!

Cover of AL3 - River Pirates
AL3 - River Pirates
5th Edition
Levels 3–5
19 pages
0

With a bit of experience under your belts, you roll into the small town of Windomere with the hopes of catching a ferry to the larger community of Sepopolis. Your initial greeting lacked a warm glow and you quickly discover why. Apparently a river pirate with the moniker of ‘Slippery Peat’ and his cronies have been causing quite a stir in the area. You have a bit of a layover…ready to do the region a favor?

Cover of The Goblin Bathwater Incident
The Goblin Bathwater Incident
5th Edition
Level 1
54 pages
0

Synopsis: Goblin Bathwater, a magical drug, has taken hold in a sleepy coastal town at the edge of the Empire. As the characters investigate the origin of the drug, they uncover an international criminal conspiracy, wild and ancient magic, and a threat to reality itself. Contents: This beautifully made, 54-page adventure offers: A fully fleshed out, setting-agnostic starter area, brimming with colourful NPCs and hooks for adventure. Balanced encounters to bring characters to level 2; then some more devious encounters on their way to level 3. Three mini-dungeons built on the design philosophy of the "5 room dungeon method" Multiple big, cinematic set-piece boss encounters what will make your players feel epic. A facetted intrigue, which does not immediately suggest a simple, ready-made solution but invites the players to come up with their own, personal approach. Why pick this adventure? Hey, my name is Marius. This is my first time publishing on the DMs Guild but I wouldn't call myself a newcomer. I started playing Pathfinder 1e back in 2014. When I took over as our group's DM in 2019, we swapped over to 5e. We have run many, many modules and adventures since. Currently I play three games a week. In short: You could say I'm hooked. I created The Goblin Bathwater Incident as the ideal adventure for in-between your big modules, but it isn't a simple little adventure. With a playtime of about 30 hours, it still manages to hit that sweet-spot, where it establishes context, makes you grow fond of NPCs, and makes those big bossfight wins so much sweeter, all without taking more than a few sessions. The Goblin Bathwater Incident is different from many of the 1st tier adventures in that it pits the characters against traps and monsters, but also asks difficult, open-ended ethical questions, where a simple strategy of "apply sword to head of bad guy" will not cut it.