For the most part, the town of Ockney’s Hold has always been a peaceful place—bordering on boring. The most interesting things going on in this frontier mining settlement include the annual livestock fair, the cost of spirits at its various inns, and speculation fueled by those same spirits as to what foul things are being dumped into the river by the ore refinery. Recently, however, the usually placid Baron Reinson has begun to act erratically, ignoring most of his counselors, giving more responsibility to his equally erratic chamberlain, and replacing key figures in Ockney’s Hold with outsiders. With no clear answers as to what might be behind the baron’s strange behavior, his last loyal counselor seeks out a band of adventurers to help. Will these brave heroes be able to get to the bottom of a widening conspiracy? And can they expose the terrible and unseen forces manipulating the baron in time to save Ockney’s Hold? Published by Gamehole Publishing.
Elven Tower presents a compilation document of all the content for DMs running Out of the Abyss module. This guide has been very well received by the DMs community. I have gotten great response during the creation of this content. The guide is over 60 pages long and contains hoards of information, guides, suggestions, and general information for DMs running this module. It now has clickable table of contents and bookmarks for all the different chapters for easy navigation. There are maps for Gauntlgrym, Sorcere Tower, Vizeran's Tower, Karazikar's Maw as well as some very needed flowcharts and infographics to better understand the adventure. The guide also features some maps drawn by me (Elven Tower) to supplement the missing illustrations for important locations.
If absolute power corrupts absolutely, Matron Maelora best beware; her plans for total domination of the Underworld are already close to satisfactory completion, while attacks on the Upperworld have become increasingly successful. The other power-hungry drow families of Holoth may despise her but they know a true leader when they see one, and House Gullion has been revealed as the family to lead them all on the path to glory. With the entire Underworld in chaos and the Spider Goddess regularly communing with her chosen Matron, far greater dreams than mere regional conquest are within the grasp of the drow, as Maelora prepares her grand dark elf army for victory! With other mystical allies standing firm with the Matron, other Underworld races beneath her heel or cowering behind fortified walls, and every drow ready to play their part when she gives the word, what could possibly stop her from achieving her final triumph and fulfilling her destiny? But even the greatest of plans has a flaw if you look hard enough, and a party of stout heart and strong resolve can make a difference. At first, such a party may well believe it is on a smaller adventure, perhaps to win a few baubles or some small acclaim by rescuing a few kidnapped villagers. Soon, however, those adventurers will realise that much more is at stake, and that they are the ones who will need to make moves against the evil Matron Maelora and her increasing dominance if both the entire Underworld and Upperworld are to be saved. But how will they go about it? Can they ensure their own success when an entire city is standing against them? Only they have the chance to halt the Rise of the Drow! Published by AAW Games.
The Adventurers arrive at a drow outpost in the Underdark. They must either dispose of the drow or ally with them against the invading legions of Orcus!
Part 3 of the Shackled City Adventure Path "Wherein a tribe of the Sea Mother's children suffer for sparing the life of a mad prisoner they probably should have eaten." Synopsis: The adventure begins with an Umber Hulk attack in the middle of the city. The fame gained by assisting during the attack allows them to gain the notice of a representative of Davked Splintershield. The group is asked to rescue Zenith Splintershield from a Kuo-Toan temple in the Underdark. But to find it, they have to visit Crazy Jared to locate an entrance to it. Upon journeying to Crazy Jared's, they fight Hookface's offspring. After more travelling, they are able to descend into the Underdark. Once they find the Kuo-Toan temple, they must fight through many hard challenges, only to realize that Zenith is not a prisoner, but instead is a prophet. Zenith does not go willingly, and so must be captured. Pgs. 28-61
Originally designed as a convention module, this adventure sends the heroes into the underdark to do battle against the mysterious denizens of the deep! A drow housemistress commissions the characters to acquire a mysterious weapon known to be in the hands of her dark elf enemies. Locating, identifying, and acquiring the magical weapon leads the heroes on a great trek across the underdeep, where they must battle svirfneblin, a powerful lich, and enemy drow. This adventure us specifically designed for play by drow characters, but can be used with any adventuring party. Pregenerated drow characters are included.
The mine has been known as Tessount’s Folly for years, due to it producing nothing of value. Now Valmour, the youngest son of the mine’s late owner, has inherited the mine...and found something he should have left buried. Pgs. 56-81
Deep beneath the Isle of Dread, in a place forgotten by the world of light, an ancient, unfathomable evil festers. Within the desiccated ruin known as Golsimorga, the debased kopru servants of Demogorgon work foul rites, steeping immature shadow pearls in pits of liquid insanity. None from the world above have yet fathomed what terrors lurk beneath the Isle of Dread, nor what mad scheme roils to profane life deep within the city's gangrenous corpse. "The Lightless Depths" is the sixth 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 monthly "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand upon the campaign. Issue #353 of Dragon features ways to improve the PCs' vessel, the Sea Wyvern, as they take their adventures back to the seas. When the PCs journey deep under the Isle of Dread to find the source of the shadow pearls, they discover horrors beyond imagining in a haunted underground city perched on sanity's razored edge. Pgs. 28-66
The kuo-toa are a piscine race with a psychic affliction that makes them behave erratically and invent gods when feeling threatened. That same affliction gives them the power to bring those gods to life. Blibdoolpoolp is the most widely worshipped, and thus most powerful, of their gods. Blibdoolpoolp views the kuo-toa as her children despite having been born after them. Like all good mothers, she nurtures and protects. One of her chief concerns is understanding the kuo-toa’s psychic affliction, which causes them to undermine themselves whenever they strive for greatness. She discovers that a corrupted elder brain deep in the Underdark has a connection to the race; though the connection gives them psychic powers, it also turns them into powerless thralls, explaining their self destructive behaviors. Constrained by the same leash on her children, Blibdoolpoolp seeks adventurers to destroy the elder brain. Its death would free the kuo-toa, but potentially at great cost: if the kuo-toa lose their powers, will Blibdoolpoolp die?
The final confrontation with the giant, King Snurre, and the entry of mighty adventurers into the caverns under his stronghold (DUNGEON MODULE G3, HALL OF THE FIRE GIANT KING) discovered the Dark Elves, the Drow, had instigated the giant alliance and its warfare upon mankind and its allied races. This module contains background information, a large-scale referee's map with a matching partial map for players, referee's notes, special exploration and encounter pieces, a large map detailing a cavern area, encounter and map matrix keys, and an additional section pertaining to a unique new creature for use with this module and the game as a whole. A complete setting for play of ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is contained herein. This module can be played alone, as the first part of a series of three modules (with SHRINE OF THE KUO-TOA, D2, and VAULT OF THE DROW, D3), or as the fourth part of a continuing series of modules which form a special progressive campaign scenario (DUNGEON MODULES G1, G2, G3, D1, D2, D3, and Q1, (QUEEN OF THE DEMONWEB PITS). TSR 9019
Sekarvu is a typical beholder. It spent much of its youth exploring underground realms and killing everything it found. One day, it came upon a large cavern filled with violet fungi. At the edge of the cavern, it found a small band of adventurers who had all but succumbed to the toxins of the fungi's tendrils. They offered little resistance to Sekarvu as it approached and began to feed on their still-writhing bodies. With its first bite, the beholder's life changed forever.
Undermountain: The Caverns of the Many-Legged is an adventure detailing a hidden mini-level for Dungeon of the Mad Mage for characters of levels 12-13. It uses some of the story and lore of that book, but it can be incorporated or dropped into any setting or homebrew campaign. In a hidden part of Undermountain, former slaves feed their fat, monstrous queen who is fixated on revenge. A broken drow house has finally found a place to call home – only to become abominations. And a massive beast slithers, hunting for anything to satiate its hunger and quell its madness. Welcome to the Caverns of the Many-Legged. Which side, if any, will adventurers choose as they explore this hidden mini-level for Dungeon of the Mad Mage? In this adventure, you will find: a mini-level that can be easily incorporated into Dungeon of the Mad Mage a vivid cast of unique monsters and NPCs, including chitine warriors, a choldrith queen, a spellcasting draegloth, a mad yuan-ti anathema, and others (stat blocks provided for all creatures not in the Monster Manual) locations that could be used or adapted elsewhere, such as a chitine colony and a drider-controlled drow fortress a combination of roleplay, exploration, and combat encounters
The Zhentarim ask the party to investigate what happened in one their most important underdark outposts. If the party accepts, they'll have to deal with maddening darkness, grimlocks, an insane kenku assassin and unpredictable mixtures of potions. A short, fun dungeon romp that is easily adapted to other settings and other patrons. The combination of utter darkness and a villain based on sound makes for fun shenanigans on the side of the DM. Feasible as a one shot for an efficient party. Two tendays ago, Zhentarim agents were to transport a shipment of rare potions between their Underdark outpost and the surface world. The shipment has yet to arrive, and the outpost is not responding to any sending spells. Growing worried, the outpost’s overseer sends a group of hireswords to investigate and return it to Zhentarim hands. This particular adventure deals with the delusions of madness of Fraz Urb'luu. It also features Muurmic, the mad kenku first described in the December 2015 issue of Dragon+.
Waves of supernatural darkness sweep over the subterranean city of Stoneholme, quenching lights and bringing with it foul creatures of shadow. After heroically defending a group of dwarven children being ravaged by a group of these shadow beings, the PCs are approached by Shtawn Deppenkhut -one of the king's own advisers- and are offered the task of finding the source of the darkness that threatens the city. The PCs investigation takes them through the Underworld to hidden caverns, where demon worshiping priests offer living sacrifices in an attempt to plunge Stoneholme into everlasting darkness, a first step in destroying the hated city once and for all, but as it turns out the priests aren't the only ones behind this unfolding plan to destroy Stoneholme. Dark Days in Stoneholme is ideally suited for a group of dwarven adventurers. It is recommended that you have access to the Stoneholme section of the Rise of the Drow revised & expanded edition (2014) but it is not necessary to run the adventure. Also available for Pathfinder. Published by AAW Games.
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!
"The module takes place in a large cavern that is part of an extensive underground cave network. It can be used as a side-trek encounter in the Undermountain or Night Below campaign." -- from the adventure. Includes a small keyed map of the cavern.
Centuries ago, a powerful wizard locked himself in his inner sanctum to dedicate his life to the pursuit of knowledge. His discoveries and magic remain sealed inside to this very day. Solve his riddle and unravel the fate of the wizard Maalzinabar and the sinister evil lurking in the depths. A 2-3 hour adventure for 5th-12th level characters
A cave-in at the dwarven mine exposed a passage into the eerie, alien world that lies deep below the surface. Monsters poured out of the darkness and killed many before the surviving miners made it back into the light. Now they seek brave adventurers to face the dangers down in the dark depths. As a one shot or the first adventure of a new campaign, The Eyeless in the Dark carries new and experienced players away from the light of the ordinary surface world and down into the fantastical dark depths where here there be monsters. Chock full of adventure, as well as design notes for Dungeon Masters that will help novice and veteran DMs provide their players with an exciting and memorable game night, and leave them eager for the next session. Use this adventure in combination with the Integrated Hill Encounters and/or the Forest and Grasslands to create an open world sandbox of adventures that can fill many sessions of a campaign.
This material was originally published as two separate adventures, D1: "Descent into the Depths of the Earth" and D2: "Shrine of the Kuo-Toa." Contained herein are referee notes, background information, maps, and exploration keys intended for use with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. The adventure can be used alone or as part of an extended adventure that begins with G1-3: "Against the Giants" and continues with D3: "The Vault of the Drow" and Q1: "Queen of the Demonweb Pits." TSR 9059
She ran. Where to or for how long, she really couldn't say. The little flame of her oil lamp sputtered and went out a few times. She'd snap her fingers and make the wick flare to life, but she may as well have ran blind. The hallways were pitch black with soot and choked with smoke, every turn was a guess and every corridor a gamble. Unnatural screams echoed from every direction. Left, right, left again, was this the south or north end of the labyrinth? She had no idea. The next turn brought her face to face with a doorway completely consumed in blue fire. The room beyond was so bright she had to look through her fingers at it. A shadow covered her, a shape in the doorway: a hulking creature with a wolf-shaped muzzle and enormous pincers for hands, wreathed in the same blue flames. The screams were getting closer behind her, too. They had her cornered, again. The demon slammed its shoulders through the narrow opening, splintering the wood and stone. She dropped the lantern and let the wand in her sleeve fall into her waiting hand. With a word of power and a gesture, she appeared in the familiar bedroom: stuffy and reeking of wood smoke. She'd have to try again tomorrow, if she could remember. During an exploration on the sixth level of Undermountain, a strange invisible creature leads to a series of collapsed chambers that hide a forgotten secret and one of the most devastating forces known to the multiverse. Marambra Nyghtsteel, the forgotten apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak, has been locked away for an age deep within Undermountain. What point and purpose her forced seclusion has, only Blackcloak may know. When a spell consuming blue fire, known as The Spellplague is trapped within the chambers, a series of events have left Marambra, lost in her madness, struggling to survive.