The Approaching Swarm is a short adventure for four 9th-level characters. The party can consist of any mix of classes, but it should include at least one character that is good in wilderness settings, such as a druid, ranger, or barbarian, and at least one cleric. This scenario should prove a reasonable challenge for characters from 8th to 10th level. The adventure takes place in a swampland that is near a small settlement. A band of rag-tag settlers have carved out a small settlement, called Crivdall, on the edges of a great swamp that is infamous for its terrible creatures. The area is rich with resources, and the settlers have done well hunting and foraging in the swamps. Unbeknownst to them, however, an insane druid has taken notice of their transgressions and wants them to leave. The druid, Aleretheral, is a half-orc with a curious affinity for insects and vermin. The swamp is home to numerous breeds of monstrous insects, some of which the druid has begun to breed to make them even larger and more aggressive. Through his abilities, Aleretheral has set enormous vermin onto the helpless settlers, preying on them as they venture into the swamp. With autumn rapidly coming to a close, the settlers are becoming desperate as more of their numbers are killed by hordes of marauding vermin.
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.
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
Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner—and you are invited. Spans levels 1-10.
This horror-based adventure takes the characters to a manor shrouded in mists to discover that it is inhabited by deceased victims, arcane experiments, and a ruthless woman looking for new victims. The characters become trapped in the mists and must unravel the history surrounding the dubious deeds that have taken place in the manor. To leave, they must either defeat evil or bargain with it.
So you want to be a Mage of High Sorcery? To join the esteemed organization, you must travel to the Tower of Wayreth and undertake the most important event in your life—the harrowing Test of High Sorcery! If you can survive where so many aspiring mages have failed, you will forever bind your soul to the Gods of Magic and gain access to untold arcane secrets. The Test of High Sorcery is the perfect adventure for new and veteran players looking to experience Dungeons & Dragons in a new way! It is a solo adventure, where your choices have meaningful consequences, but it also provides balanced rules to play with a group or a Dungeon Master. This 154-page tome features: - A sprawling adventure that fits perfectly as an expansion to any Dragonlance campaign, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, or as a stand-alone replayable experience - A tale full of sorcerous intrigue, featuring many new characters alongside iconic favorites like Fistandantilus, Takhisis, Fizban the Fabulous, and the Gods of Magic - Innovative Destiny and Trait mechanics make your choices really matter—and ensure every mage’s Test of High Sorcery is a unique experience - Over 60 possible outcomes to determine which Order of High Sorcery you join and provide compelling new plot hooks for your character during future adventures - Dozens of unique locations with rich stories and sorcerous challenges that Dungeon Masters can use to create their own version of the Test of High Sorcery - New magic items and stat blocks, with mechanics that support clever use of enemies’ weaknesses and the environment against them - Four gorgeous sample characters, with interactive character sheets designed to be new-player friendly so that you can jump right into the story - A detailed primer on the history of Krynn and how it relates to the Mages of High Sorcery - A community survey when you finish to let you see how you compare to other mages taking their Tests of High Sorcery
Unravel the Mystery of the Darkside Brewery. Designed to be a fun, 5E adventure themed (loosely) around Cinco de Mayo... and the time magic called chronomancy. The Story. Nearly thirteen years ago, a powerful magic gripped the Darkside Brewery and sealed its doors. No one went in. No one came out. A few days ago, those doors reopened, releasing a silver mist that temporarily aged all it touched. Yet nothing else emerged. What happened to all the workers and visitors within? What could have caused the silvery mists? How could the doors have remained sealed for so long, and why have they reopened? Do you have the courage to figure out what happened within the Darkside Brewery? Gather your allies and find out!
From a ruined theater in the run-down Puddles district of Absalom, a goblin hero and self-styled king rules over the nearby goblins. Shifting foundations beneath the playhouse have revealed ruins from Absalom's early history, and the goblin king has put out a call for explorers to search the area and clear out its dangers. The Pathfinder Society has answered the call. They aren't the only group that is interested, however, and they must prove themselves to earn the right to enter these lost chambers.
All aboard! An investigation turned Groundhog Day horror mystery, this unique puzzle-like sandbox-on-rails adventure traps your players onboard Cyre 1313: The Mourning Rail. This lightning-rail train and its passengers are stuck in a time loop with no escape, cursed to ride forever in the endless mists of Ravenloft. The PCs wake up again & again, unable to leave the train's time loop until they figure out how to stop it. Each new day in the loop is a new chance to delve into the mystery and stop the forces responsible for the endless cycle. Why is Cyre 1313 stuck in time? How will the PC's escape? Who is the nefarious mastermind at the front of the train? How the players answer these questions is up to them! Product Overview: 37 pages for running a 6 to 9 hour adventure for three to five players of 3rd or 4th level. Time tracking and other systems to create the time loop. High resolution maps of each train car. A complex web of puzzle pieces for PCs to play with. Tips and tools to scale with player level, change difficulty, and add complexity. Suggestions on how to make it your own. Perfect to integrate into your Ravenloft, Eberron, or homebrew campaign! Product created free of AI generated content
Gadof Blinsky is a famed toymaker known for bringing joy to children throughout the bleak country of Barovia. Or at least, he used to be. That all changed after Blinsky and his wife welcomed their first child. The toymaker fell into a deep fit of anxiety and depression from which he never recovered. In this mini-adventure, you will investigate Blinsky's toy shop and battle a strange toy that seems to have taken on a life of its own, eventually uncovering what happened to Blinsky’s family and unraveling the secret of what the toymaker is hiding in his attic. Blinsky is No Fun! is a one or two session side adventure, for characters of levels 4-5, for use in the Curse of Strahd campaign setting.
(2017 ENNIE Awards Judges' Spotlight Winner!) THE MOST AWESOME ADVENTURE EVER Since the invention of the adventure module, there have only been five adventures that were rated the most awesome, the most epic. Broodmother Sky Fortress leaves them all behind. It’s got these creatures that are half shark. Half elephant. All badass. They fly around in this cloud fortress, wrecking everything in the campaign until the players step up to stop them. It’s all terribly exciting! And all brought to you by none other than the world-famous Arch-Mage of Old-School, Jeff Rients! As an added bonus, we’ve included a Greatest Hits of the ol’ Arch-Mage’s essays and game tools to build your campaign into the unstoppable juggernaut you’ve always wanted it to be. Your game won’t suck anymore! Broodmother SkyFortress: Buying any other adventure is just throwing your money away (includes "3.PF" edition stats by Jukka Särkijärvi because somebody somehow convinced me that would be a good idea back when this thing was being crowdfunded) Writing by Jeff Rients Art by Ian MacLean Graphic Design by Alex Mayo Cartography by Jez Gordon
The General who commanded the successful and profitable Crossroads Mercenary Company turns up murdered in his home, on the very eve of his scheduled announcement of which of his ambitious captains he’s chosen to succeed him as commander-in-chief. Every one of those commanders was in the house when the murder occurred, so they’re all suspects. If that’s not enough to keep things exciting, the clock is ticking down to zero. The General made a pact with devils years ago, and unless the murder is solved quickly, an infernal gate will open, allowing devils to flood through the General’s mansion into the world at large.
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?
While the name Codic Keep used to have prestige associated with it in the past, it is now a crumbling fortress blasted years ago by a large tornado. Now the ruin sits next to a swamp and is pretty much left ignored. Recently word has reached Feastelburg that strange lights have been noticed near the keep and many have wondered if the wanted criminal relative has returned to reclaim the property. Wanted posters of “Si” Codic have been circulating for quite some time with a reward of 1500 gp for his capture. Who’s up for a swamp trip?
"Wherein the local clergy makes the terrible mistake of not hiring enough assassins for the job." Synopsis: The heroes have just returned from the abyss (Occipitus) and reestablish themselves in Cauldron, when they are assaulted by a group of professional assassins. After they repel the attack, they trace back the lead to the temple of Wee Jas, where they find plenty of opposition from the second in command, Ike Iverson. After dispatching of the cleric and securing of a (spare) soul cage, the group finds evidence of a place important to the cagewrights' cause - an ancient underground complex named Karran Kurral. Mounting an expedition to that place, they find more evidence towards the horrific destiny on schedule for Cauldron. However, they gain access to the Soul Pillars after defeating a dracolich, that they can use to gather plenty of intelligence on the cagewrights' plans. Pgs. 12-51
Beneath the fetid roots of a noisome swamp linger the pathetic remnants of a once proud and noble tribe. Laid low by a powerful narcotic administered by their ambitious (but wildly paranoid) mistress, the lizardfolk of the Dark Oak are but a shadow of their former greatness. Now, in the fetid caverns below the slumbering body of a diseased treant she plots to bring bloody slaughter to the folk of the nearby villages before her followers forget their proud heritage and sink into a lethargy from which there is no escape.
You are aromantic, and your best friend is aromantic. There’s only one thing to do: go and fight a dragon. Two Aromantics Spend an Entire Day Doing Everything Except Experiencing Romantic Attraction is an unapologetically no-romo single-player adventure for a level 4 character. It should run for approximately 3-5 hours. This adventure requires at least some knowledge as to what it means to be aromantic. There are many useful resources available online for those unfamiliar with this term.
The village of Orașnou is panicked when a group of Bloodhand orcs appear at the edge of the woods. They bring news and an unusual request that reveals a new foe. Part Eleven of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
This module is the first of a series of High Forest adventures. It includes a description of the village of Merric, including detailed NPC's. Merric has always been at risk of raids by the local Gnolls, but now word has come that the Orcs of the Greypeak mountains are massing to invade High Forest. The elders of Merric have decided to hire and groom an adventuring group to ensure they have a balancing force against the invasion. Soon it becomes clear that there is something far more dangerous than Orcs threatening High Forest and if the children of Merric will ever be safe again, someone needs to stand between them and the evils that lurk in the dark.
One page side quest, one page maps. For decades old Alma Scarlet-thorn and her cat, Ferox, entwined as witch and familiar, reveled in tormenting travelers passing near her lair. But, recently, Alma has favored her newly created mist golem more. Although Ferox has enjoyed the power of their bond, she now believes the magical connection is no longer worth this jealousy. The cat, Ferox, has been searching for a way to punish her mistress or remove the golem. Adventure hooks provided. Published by Wicked Cool Games