Settling down as the sky turns black with rest, you gather by the heated campfire and swap stories to pass the night. You hear tales of wonder and worry, descriptions of distant lands, plants, and beasts. Exchanged this night are stories of thieving travellers, worried giants, and godly squabbles. Ever wanted small stories to make travel more interesting than random encounters? Ever just wanted to run shorter games? Maybe you’re just low on prep time for your next session. In this volume of campfire tales you’ll find eight half-a-session length adventures that help with all these classic DM worries. Also included is an in-depth appendix of fauna, flora, locations, and more to help boost your game.
Something is plaguing the farmland around the village of Oxdale, out in the middle of nowhere. The beast visits regularly and carries off an animal, disappearing into the hill country north of the village. Word is that it is also buzzing around the new goblin camp to the northwest. It wasn't too big of a deal until it tried to carry off a village youngling; now the mayor and the citizens want it dealt with immediately. (Spoiler - the beast was sent by a gentleman vampire who doesn't like hunting for himself. Find him in his cave or encounter him once he ventures to the village to find out what happened to his machine, should it go missing.) The Draining Caverns of the Winged Beast is a one-shot 5e adventure for a party of four 5th or 6th level characters. This adventure can be slotted into most 5e adventures (maybe with some reflavoring if it's a frozen setting), or stand alone as its own adventure. This adventure includes: The adventure PDF, with several combat encounters, and opportunities for exploration and roleplaying encounters Four maps - one region, one village, and two battlemaps, both in the adventure and as separate JPEGs Random encounter table for trekking through the hill country One magic dagger held by the vampire.
You are hired by the Greenskull orc clan as merceneries to assist in the eradication of a firblog settlement from the swamp the orcs need to conquer in order to survive. You are first sent in to retrieve the bodies of scouts that never returned, but you soon realize that something wicked is going on in the swamp. Will you escape with your lives, or will you also become a victim of the Druid's Curse?
Sometimes you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time... Sheltering from a savage storm, a group of fledgling adventurers find themselves trapped by circumstances and powerful forces from a bygone age. Escaping from dark and dismal caverns, the heroes must brave a nightmarish trek through haunted and hostile terrain, pursued by an mysterious assailant to the very walls of Anduria – home of the greatest civilisation in the world. On the edge between madness and salvation, they must broker a deal with shadowy cults and political powers to determine not only their own fate, but potentially that of the Eternal City itself.
A Vistani fortuneteller has called you out by name during the Burgomaster’s private reading. She raved of an army of the dead, a delicate powderbox, and a beautiful yet dangerous woman. Now the Burgomaster wants to know why you’re more important than he is... Part Four of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
Nightmares that kill, a mysterious thief that only steals knick-knacks, tales of a huge beast terrorising fisherfolk, an inn with disappearing guests, discoveries of hidden magic portals and rumours of an assassin at large: None of these things are enough to stop the ever-flowing tide of traders and travellers crossing the Bridge of Fallen Men, but its protectors - Cormyr's Purple Dragons - are short on time, and courage... ...will adventurers answer the call?
Get ready to Draw Steel like a Viking! Apotheosis is a norse-inspired adventure designed for a group of three to six 1st-level heroes, set in the fictional world of Orm, where the players help to create the pantheon! Plot Hook: There has been tension for generations between two neighbouring regions in the country of Kvysia: Kjalwick on the north-west coast, and Oruma on the north coast. It is common for the two regions to raid back and forth until another uneasy truce is called. This time, though, the Orumians have gone too far... What's included: - A 1st-level adventure lasting two, maybe three, 4 hour sessions. Heroes can expect to earn between 6-8 Victories. - A forked adventure! Depending on if the heroes win or lose their first encounter, the adventure goes one of two ways. Two groups may experience completely different endings! - Custom Rival statblocks, for before they become the heroes' real Rivals. Descriptions of each provided to help bring them to life through roleplay! - Eight encounters, including a seafaring montage and a potential negotiation (if the heroes are charismatic enough!). Adjustments for between 3-6 heroes are included. - Encounter sheets, custom maps and statblocks for each of the encounters! Designed in a way to make best use of Draw Steel's mechanics in interesting and fun ways, for both the Director and the players. - Custom Retainers and modified titles to suit the adventure. - Printable, lightweight documents designed for online or pen & pencil play.
𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑-𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐃𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐏! 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐙𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐔𝐒 is a fifth edition (5E) conversion of the ground-breaking introductory adventure for Dungeons & Dragons that served as a DM aid in the first 𝐃&𝐃 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐭, released by TSR in 1977. This set included a 48-page rulebook covering the first three levels of play, and was skillfully edited by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉. 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐬 from the original 1974 D&D rules written by 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐲𝐠𝐚𝐱 and 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧. Holmes advanced the "Sample Dungeon" concept by writing a new thematic dungeon with a strong backstory, creating an adventure that has remained a fan favorite over the decades. Officially, its only title is "Sample Dungeon" but colloquially it goes by various names based on Zenopus, the doomed wizard who built the dungeon under his tower. An adventure for 1st to 2nd level characters; four pregenerated characters are included. Also includes ideas for using it as an adventure site in 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡. 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: Using this conversion requires a copy of the original dungeon found in the (1977) Basic D&D rulebook. However, Wizards of the Coast has provided a free pdf of this dungeon since 2008 on their website, see the first page of the pdf for the link. 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒: Introduction, page 2 The Setting, page 3 About the Dungeon, page 4 Dungeon Master's Map, page 5 Areas of the Dungeon, pages 6-13 Appendix A: Further Reading, page 13 Appendix B: Dungeon Factions, page 14 Appendix C: Portown Rumors, pages 15-17 Appendix D: Use with Ghosts of Saltmarsh, pages 18-19 Appendix E: Pre-generated 1st level characters, page 20 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐍𝐏𝐂𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟓𝐄: Cleaning Cube, Veteran Smuggler, Thaumaturgist, Monstrous Sand Crab, Lemunda, Monstrous Rat, Brazen Head of Zenopus, Verminslayer Longsword, Lesser Wand of Petrification, Scroll of Stone to Flesh The Ruined Tower of Zenopus was featured as part of the "D&D Classics" column in Issue #32 of Dragon+ magazine! Go to 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐠.𝐜𝐨𝐦 or find the link on the Wikipeda page for Dragon magazine. 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒: Original Dungeon: J. Eric Holmes Conversion, Added Content & Cartography: Zach Howard Content Review & Editing: Scott McKinley Interior Art: Chris Holmes (“Octopus Attack”, page 9) Cover Art: “Italian Coast Scene with Ruined Tower” by Thomas Cole, 1838. Open Access Image from the National Gallery of Art at images.nga.gov Format: Derived from the “Adventure Template for Open Office/LibreOffice” by Dale Robbins on DMs Guild Dungeon Maps drawn using the application Gridmapper by Alex Schroeder
The River's Curse is an exciting and challenging adventure for your favourite tabletop role-playing game. Set in a mysterious and dangerous wilderness, this adventure takes players on a thrilling journey to uncover the secrets of a cursed river and the powerful entity that haunts it. With detailed maps, unique encounters, and intriguing characters, The River's Curse is a must-have addition to any game master's collection. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or a new player, The River's Curse will test your skills, your wits, and your luck. Are you brave enough to face the curse?
You and your fellow Pathfinders are sent to Katheer, the shining capital of Qadira, to witness the wedding of Pathfinder Faireven to the wealthy and beautiful Lady of Silver and bring back a trove of relics given to the Society as part of the wedding dowry. When the wedding is disrupted by unscrupulous thieves, you soon find yourself dodging double-crosses, accusations of grave robbery, and worse. You must find the relics soon, or risk facing the eternal expulsion of the Society from the treasure-filled deserts of Qadira.
The grain has rotted in the town of Elmwood, which means people might starve, businesses and banks might fail, and endanger the town’s already- precarious existence. Brave adventurers are needed to travel through the wild forest to seek the advice of the Sage of Cormanthor. Four hour adventure. Also contains information about the town of Elmwood. Part One of the Misaligned Trilogy
The logging town of Falcon’s Hollow has been through rough times—first a kobold tribe abducted the town’s children for an evil ritual, then an unknown force reanimated the defeated kobolds to attack the town. Now a horde of zombies approaches and a mysterious evil gathers power in the north, tainting wildlife and the buried dead, its presence hinting at ancient evils better left undisturbed.
When the Pathfinder Society receives word of a promising, unexplored ruin in Osirion, the PCs set out to uncover the site's secrets. Yet upon arriving, the PCs learn that a different group of Pathfinders has already entered the ruins. Has there been some mistake, is the site's magic playing tricks on everyone, or is there something more nefarious afoot? Tags: Repeatable
You wake up in a dark room with a group of friends. You don't know how you got here and your thoughts seem distant, echoing in your mind. The note you find reminds you your mission: retrieve the flower of oshadis and escape this temple alive. Culitsts and traps stand between you and freedom.
Damnation! The Companion that once stood as a beacon of hope and goodness above the city of Elturel has been extinguished and the entire city—along with its denizens—have been drawn into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells! While those fortunate enough to have been outside of the city’s walls during its departure have been spared that fate, but they’re not yet out of danger! The refugees formed a caravan bound for the nearby city of Baldur’s Gate. Can you keep them safe from devils, bandits, and one another until they reach safety? Four One-Hour Mini-Adventures for 1st to 2nd Characters. Optimized for APL 1.
Since time immemorial, you and your people have toiled in the shadow of the cyclopean ruins. Of mysterious origins and the source of many a superstition, they have always been considered a secret best left unknown by folk of your hamlet. But now something stirs beneath the crumbling blocks. Beastmen howl in the night and your fellow villagers are snatched from their beds. With no heroes to defend you, who will rise to stand against the encircling darkness? The secret of Chaos are yours to unearth but at what cost to sanity or soul? An introductory adventure for the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, Sailors on the Starless Sea pits a mob of 0-level adventurers against legacy of the Chaos Lords and their corrupted hordes. Delving beneath the crumbling ruins, the characters discover ancient crypts, a starless sea, and an ancient ziggurat, where death and treasure await in equal measure!
Bizarre thunderstorms in the city of Arabel are only the beginning. Who is killing all the city's mages? Foul weather foes A city is plead by mysterious weather and unique monsters. The Party must find and stop whatever is causing the weather and the monster to attack. Pgs. 28-43
What links an infamous Zhentarim mercenary with a brilliant but tormented artificer? To find out, the adventurers must break the goblinoid siege of the village of Westfir. After the bizarre goblins are defeated, the Cornflower Hive must be destroyed. Ultimately, what secrets are held in the grain mill by the Westfork river? A D&D Adventurers League four-hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters.
The first savage tide has already touched the mortal world, yet none who live today recall this time of red ruin. Unleashed from the cruel heart of a fell seed known as a shadow pearl, this savage tide swept over an ancient city perched atop the crown of a remote island. The tide transformed beggar and noble, merchant and thief, resident and visitor into feral, ravenous fiends. The fruits of centuries of labor came crumbling down in a matter of days, and when the survivors tried to stem the tide by destroying the pearl, the resulting blast of power sunk their city into the boiling lake of death. Through it all, the Abyssal architect of the savage tide watched, taking pride in the ruin. When the tide's final ripples had faded, what was left became known as the Isle of Dread. Now, after a thousand years, the true masters of the Isle of Dread look upon new targets, new cities beyond the horizon, compelled by the hateful will of their demonic lord Demogorgon to prepare for the coming glory. This time, the doom will not be limited to one hapless city. This time, all of civilization waits unknowing on the shore, blissfully ignorant of what the incoming tide brings in. "There Is No Honor" is the first chapter of the Savage Tide Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures that will appear in the next twelve issues of Dungeon. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand upon the campaign. Issue #348 of Dragon kicks off this series with details on six affiliations based in Sasserine that your players may wish to join. And if you're running Savage Tides in the Forgotten Realms or Eberron, make sure to check paizo.com for the latest conversion notes for each adventure. The Savage Tide Adventure Path debuts as a new band of heroes confronts exotic monsters, undead pirates, and a sinister guild of thieves on the cusp of unleashing a murderous coup. Pgs. 14-46
Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undeath, craves the power of the Raven Queen and mastery of death's domain. The key to his ascension and the secret to his destruction lies buried in the heart of the Abyss. As heroes chase Orcus into the abyssal depths, evil opposed them at every turn, and each victory brings them closer to their final fate. Concluded the epic series of adventures and the entire story line begun in Keep on the Shadowfell.