Once every decade, the tides of the Empyrean Ocean recede far enough to reveal the highest eaves of a mysterious undersea tower. Long ago this was an eldritch fastness of Sezrekan the Elder, the most wicked wizard ever to plague the Known World, but now the tower is known simply as the final resting place of the fabled Black Pearl – an artifact rumored to bring doom upon all who dare to posses it. Tonight the moon nearly fills the sky, and the tides have already begun to recede. Adventurers have eight short hours to explore the tower before the dark waters return. The fabled Black Pearl will be theirs for the taking…if they can survive the Pearl’s curse.
Explore an abandoned wizard’s tower in this short mini dungeon! This adventure is a Micro Dungeon. Preface Long ago a wise wizard named Adubeus lived deep within the forest. As he lived, he would pass out nuggets of wisdom to those in need, and aid the local townsfolk in times most dire. Long past are these happy days, however, and the kindly old wizard has not been seen in many decades. Some say he found a calling elsewhere in the world, while others whisper of his demise at the hands of a secret experiment gone awry. One thing is certain, however. His tower, long forgotten, still stands out there in the forest. Occasionally, some hapless person wanders upon it much to their personal peril. The specific details of Adubeus are left vague on purpose. This small adventure is intended to be played as part of a larger campaign, and the location can be modified to fit your setting. The reasons for your adventuring party to be heading towards the tower are entirely up to you, however, below are some good sample adventure hooks.
While at times cliché there are few adventures better than an old fashioned trek into the ruins of a deserted castle. This adventure pits a new adventurer against the decades old remains of a hilltop castle that is “haunted”. The old keep was the site of a mighty battle years before that swayed the power in the area but now it is the crumbling remains of the once powerful Baron Sancrist. While the old fortress is supposed to be deserted the area farmers and villagers swear they have seen the dead walk the parapets in the moonlight. Well you wanted adventure….here it comes!
Zhentish soldiers, Maerimydran drow, and Sharran cultists have forged a dark alliance to subjugate the peaceful land of Shadowdale. Elminster's tower lies in ruins, Lord Amcathra governs at the sufferance of the dale's conquerors, and the very Weave of magic in this embattled land seems to fray with each passing day. The Zhentish yoke lies heavy over Shadowdale—but the Dalesfolk are ready to fight for their freedom, if only they can find true heroes to lead the way!
While travelling the open road, the party encounters two good-hearted thieves with a potentially lucrative proposition: The despotic baroness Ytrix hoards a large treasure nearby, locked within her army’s fort. Wouldn’t it be exactly what she deserves to have that treasure stolen and given to the needy that she’s so long ignored and oppressed? That’s what the party’s new companions think anyway, and they certainly have no ulterior motive for the job... The treasure is protected by high walls, a legion of soldiers, a fanatical wizard, and plenty of other surprises to keep would-be thieves on their toes. The party will choose how to approach the fort, case the joint, make their plan, and execute their heist. When they're done—and if they're successful—they'll leave with a small fortune and even a few unique magic items. A 6-8 hour adventure for 3rd or 4th level characters.
The Siege of Castle Rend is an adventure for the fifth edition of the world’s first roleplaying game, suitable for five 5th-level characters. It takes place over four parts, and each part can be completed in one or two sessions of play, depending on your group’s playstyle and how long you like to play in a single sitting. If all goes according to plan over the course of this adventure, the player characters will expose an usurping lord, fight orcs, acquire a stronghold, defend it from an invading army, win the admiration of a town filled with potential vassals, and make political connections within the Barony of Bedegar. Of course, no adventure goes according to plan. The PCs will invariably throw these well-laid schemes into chaos, and they’ll have to improvise. But if we know how things would have gone if the PCs never showed up (or are cowards), it makes it easier for us GMs to improvise when things go off the rails. Published by MCDM
With the rise of Tiamat threatening to destroy the world, the undead masters of Thay have approached the Council of Waterdeep to discuss the possibility of an alliance. But the Dragon Queen has agents everywhere, even in a remote keep on the Thayan frontier. A vampire noblewoman has been killed, and the characters are the prime suspects. To clear their names, they must find the real killer, and learn how even the undead may die… Murder in Thay is a 4-6 hour Dungeons & Dragons adventure for characters of levels 13-14, for use as an expansion of the "Mission to Thay" chapter in Tyranny of Dragons or as a standalone module. This publication comes with a map pack, a new magic item (the pyx of soul capture), and monster and NPC stat blocks, including two new creatures, the fearsome dread centurion and the not so fearsome undead cat!
The king summons the heroes to investigate the death of a knight, and the final fate of the king's long-missing son. The knight and his entire order was killed by a Dragon! Yay we get to fight a dragon in the first issue of Dungeon Magazine! Much travel over many different terrain types featuring avalanches, volcanoes spewing lava, and many random encounters (not detailed here) before the heroes reach their real goal: A lake with a ruined wizard's tower and dragon's cave. Opens with a particularly byzantine Background section for the DM involving a prince you never meet, pirates you never meet, knights you never meet, and deep gnomes you never meet. See Out of the Ashes in Dungeon #17 for sequel to this adventure. Pgs. 42-60
Crops wilt, leaves wither on the trees, and animals must leave the once-fertile Downs valley or die. All who dwell there must abandon their homes or perish-- unless your party can lift the curse TSR 9084
Far above the village of Barovia sits Castle Ravenloft, the home and fortress of vampire lord Strahd Von Zarovich. Legends claim that Strahd flies with the bats and runs with the wolves to terrorize the countryside. Ancient tales also tell of dungeons and catacombs deep under the castle. Other stories recall the great halls, treasures, and glory of Ravenloft in centuries past. "House of Strahd" is a revision of the classic gothic horror tale I6: Ravenloft, one of the most popular adventures ever produced for the AD&D game. This version is updated for the AD&D 2nd Edition rules, and those from the Ravenloft campaign set. Count Strahd is now more powerful, and his castle is even more terrifying! TSR 9418
The Frog People were never a threat before, more of a nuisance really, they would show up once a year steal a few things and drink some ale. Then they would be gone. This year though they did not leave and now they are taking people! The town needs help and it has found it in you and your friends.
In this adventure, the heroes face the sinister Baron Metus, the vampire who took the life of Van Richten's son, Erasmus. Metus, with Daclaud Heinfroth, has been doing the bidding of the ghost of Madame Radanavich in her quest to destroy Rudolph van Richten. But Metus has his own reasons for seeing van Richten destroyed as well. Included in Bleak House: The Death of Rudolph van Richten TSR 1141
A 1st-level dungeon crawl heavy on exploration, factions, and sorcerous wonder for Shadowdark RPG! Go below the dripping ruins of Bittermold Keep to hunt for legendary treasures and face off against three competing factions that want to claim the Hideous Halls: the degenerate Bittermold family, the wild halfling Howlers, and the disgruntled mutant catfish. The characters might even encounter the abominable god-ooze, Mugdulblub! Winner of "The Best" rating from tenfootpole.org! View the adventure walkthrough video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJ-t7qMjPo This adventure is part of Cursed Scroll Zine 1: Diablerie! Inside the zine, you'll find cursed knights channeling demonic power, mist-addled forests where witches and warlocks stalk the trees, and crumbling castles housing ancient, eldritch creatures. Shadowdark RPG is what classic, old-school fantasy gaming would look like after being redesigned with 50 years of innovation. It's the world's greatest roleplaying game in a whole new light! Learn more and download the free rules here: https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark
Old soldiers never die... For more than three decades, Dr. Rudolph van Richten stood against the forces of darkness, and hunted their servants in the far corners of the land of Mists. Now he had thought his long battle over, had thought he could spend his declining years in quiet enjoyment with old friends. But for some, a tragic end is inevitable. Dark forces have been gathering in the Mists. Their objective is to see Ravenloft's foremost expert on the supernatural destroyed, shattered in spirit as well as in body. From the crumbling edifice of Van Richten's childhood home, an enemy long thought vanquished spins a web of powerful evils and lost souls, drawing Van Richten to his doom. And then a group of heroes gets trapped in the web as well.... This is a boxed set adventure containing 3 adventures: Whom Fortune Would Destroy: https://www.adventurelookup.com/adventures/whom-fortune-would-destroy The Baron: https://www.adventurelookup.com/adventures/the-baron Homecoming: https://www.adventurelookup.com/adventures/homecoming TSR 1141
If love overcomes evil, remember to get rid of the imp! It took only the love of one good woman - and the hatred of one evil familiar. After leading a life a villainy, the wizard Elzid Natholin gradually left his wicked ways, transformed by the true love of a young maiden. His imp familiar was not pleased with this benign transformation and tricked his master into detonating himself and his tower. The players will investigate the tower to determine the nature of the explosion. The imp still guards the treasure in the dungeon, and is waiting for a legion of infernal soldiers to come claim the treasure for their devil lords. Pgs. 20-28
What’s Included Escape from Mt. Balefor is a self-contained 8-10 hour adventure for three to five 5th level characters. This premium module contains a full three-part story, battle maps, and NPC stat blocks. Your Mission Your party of Wood Elves will start in the mines and have to sneak and backstab their way to freedom. There are a number of chances to choose your path, whether you plan to avoid fighting or want to kill every last High Elf in the mines. There will also be a number of ways to affect the world around you if you choose to continue the story after the party escapes from the mines.
New to Loudwater, the heroes learn of a tower locked in ice in the nearby wilderness. Traveling there, they discover that the tower’s master left many surprises behind for the unwary. Also available with e 5e solo conversion: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/247505/DD-Solo-Adventure-Menace-of-the-Icy-Spire-5e-Solo-Conversion Pgs. 4-22
The best of intentions. Pay your taxes or go to jail - and don't even thing about using magic. Pgs. 8-23
A high octane, edge of your seat, seat of your pants, run and gun thrill ride for your 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons game. Life was peaceful in the pleasant village of Thornyfoot… until the Kobolds of nearby Crag Canyon started kidnapping their kids! Now the distraught villagers turn to a rag tag group of adventurers, who just happened to be having a drink at the local inn, to save the day. Do your heroes have what it takes, the right stuff, the metal, the intestinal fortitude, to fend off the Kobold Hunting Drakes, face the Kobold Commandos, take down the Kobold Air Cavalry and yes… defeat the Kobold Covergirl with the Gun? Will they climb the treacherous canyon, survive the forest gauntlet, storm the fortified keep, raid the dastardly dungeon and thwart the big bad evil nefarious kobold plot? Or will they die a horrible, brutal, violent, traumatic, explosive death? There’s only one way to find out. Killer Kobolds! Action just leveled up. Killer Kobolds is designed for a party of four to eight characters of levels 8 through 12, but could readily be tweaked to accommodate parties of lesser or greater strength. Intentionally set in an entirely generic small village in need, Killer Kobolds can be easily dropped into any Dungeons and Dragons setting. Recently updated with a Yawning Portal cameo, the content within fits perfectly into any Tales of the Yawning Portal campaign, slotting perfectly between White Plume Mountain and Against the Giants. Additionally, it could readily be worked in to your Tyranny of Dragons, Elemental Evil, Rage of Demons or Storm King’s Thunder campaign.
In Feast of Goblyns, a party of adventurers is mysteriously transported from the lands they know to a dark and dangerous demiplane known as Ravenloft. Trapped in this realm of terror, they must use all their skills to escape the manipulations of one of Ravenloft's most powerful lords as they attempt to seek out the accursed Crown of Soldiers. If all goes well, they just might live long enough to escape this dread land and return to their homes. Also of note: As the first published adventure, is bundled with a DM screen for running games in Ravenloft. TSR 9298