Do you dare delve into the depths of an ancient demon's prison? Designed to be a fun 5E challenge-dungeon. Delve into a cave where an ancient evil was once sealed away... but be wary, as over the ages, the seals upon the Demon have begun to weaken... This is the one-shot featured in my larger adventure, Tower of the Chronomancer, but more polished and slightly expanded to allow it to stand on its own. (Originally it was the Tower's "6th floor.") I'm making this Pay What You Want, hoping people will enjoy this content -- and maybe seek the larger adventures I've already written. The Cave. Mostly hidden behind a nondescript hill in a crowded wood, forgotten by almost everyone not of the nearest town, and even they have forgotten why the cave was originally created. What it contains -- what it seals in. Marked only by a broken, rotten sign, now it's viewed as a prank spot. Sometimes it's a hideout for unsuspecting bandits. Generally, it's a place no one goes on purpose due to the lingering "wrongness" that any who enter seem to feel. Any that pass through the perfectly-rectangular entrance will find that it's much more than meets the eye. Especially if they are able to find their way down to the Trials! The Story. Long ago, a shapeshifting demon called "Umbraeus, the Defiler" sought dominion over the world. It clawed its way out of the Hells and took control of the region through a mixture of trickery (empowering people it could use) and destruction (raining fire, destroying crops and rivals, etc.). Umbraeus reigned for many years... until it was betrayed by a rival, which allowed a group of adventurers and mages to defeat and trap it in a magical green gemstone. The gem was then buried deep underground, protected by a set of Trials that allowed only those pure of heart and capable of handling its influence to visit it. But a long time has passed. The seals that held Umbraeus at bay have begun to weaken. And the demon has found a way to crack the gemstone. Its malevolent influence has begun to seep out into the world above. If nothing is done, it may manage to fully escape! Includes: A 5e one-shot adventure for 5th-6th level adventurers (4-6 hours long) Combat, roleplaying, puzzles, discovery, randomness, and loot! A chalenging demon encounter with variable difficulty levels 6 original enemy statblocks, including an evil shadow-boss 2 original magic items. Keywords You Can Expect: High fantasy, cave dungeon, combat, evil demon, shadow dragon, puzzles, discovery, randomness, gelatinous cubes, constructs, moral quandries, and lots of loot.
The country of Rhyl has been beset nearly every night for many years by a large, terrible creature that flies out from the mountains near the city of Asereht. Nearly a year ago the creature broke through the wall of King Namreh’s castle and carried off the king’s son, Prince Laechim, along with a large amount of the royal treasure. After the creature’s raid on the castle, King Namreh ordered his army to search the mountains and discover Astylis’ complex. The soldiers made two forays into the mountain wilderness, but each time were harassed and eventually driven back by goblin raiders. Since the failure of the second assault, the king has taken to commissioning small parties of mercenaries and adventurers, sending them into the mountains with promises of great reward upon the completion of the rescue mission. For reasons which the king has never found out, none of these rescue parties has ever returned to Asereht. Your party is now attempting to be the first. Pgs. 37-44
In ages long past and best forgotten, the world was ruled by worms. Deep within dreaming jungles, and high atop monolithic temples, fell priests sacrificed the blood of man and his kith to the mammoth war-worms. One wizard would return the world to the rule of the worm. From deep within the blood-soaked earth, calling upon the spirits of the slain and blood of the dying, rising from the moldering bones of fallen warriors, the war-worms have returned. Their foul Mother – last of her kin – births more crawling horrors with every passing hour. The age of the worm is once more upon us. The call is sounded: Who will rise to purge the darkness?
While strolling through the streets of Kak you notice a pair of men laying in the alley. Upon closer inspection you notice that one of the dead men has a unique tattoo. Peering closer you notice that this man, dressed as a pirate, has a tattoo of an island with an “x” on it! Once this tattoo is discovered the PCs will need to locate a ship to head off on a treasure hunt. Finding a ship captain that is familiar with Xodus Isle will not be difficult but trusting the captain…well that’s a different story entirely.
Provost Nigel Faurious’s research has revealed the location of an icy spire near the eastern side of Icewhite Island. The Provost needs the Hoarfrost Flower, an artifact found inside this spire, to make his Convergence Manifesto a reality. Eager to complete his work as quickly as possible, the Provost previously paid for an expedition from the Deathsgate Guild to explore the icy spire at the same time the Clifftop Guild surveyed the Shining Valley in the last adventure. The Deathsgate expedition’s ship, the Nightwood Cask, was destroyed by the cold of the Risia manifest zone. They made it to the island on lifeboats and headed to the spire, hoping to use it as shelter until someone from the Deathsgate Guild comes to rescue them. The spire’s builders are long gone and forgotten, but their traps and magic remain. Mror archeologists once found this place while in search of their ancestors that many believe hailed from the Frostfell. Only their camp remains in the foyer of the spire, where the party from Deathsgate waits. While the Deathsgaters’ supplies dwindle, they argue among themselves on their next steps. Should they try and make it to shore and hope their ship somehow survived, continue to wait, or delve deeper into the spire to complete the task they were hired for?
Three dungeons in one! The party is given a "dimension shifting device" and sets out to explore a 15-area cave, simultaneously occupied by the DEMON CORSAIRS, the remnants of an ASTEROID MINING OPERATION, and the MONASTERY OF TRANQUILITY & TRANSCENDENCE! The three dungeons are presented in three columns, so when the characters shift from one dimension into another, it's easy to find the corresponding area description. For use with old-school or OSR RPG systems. Recommended for character levels 3-4. Published by Eldritch Fields.
When the fires smoldered in the belly of an ancient red dragon tyrant, and his thirst had been slaked by the blood of countless innocents, the old wyrm made a deal with a succubus to spawn him a son and ensure his name would live forever. The demon held true, though she imbued the wyrmling with her own infernal blood. Those who fear and serve the abominable spawn of this pact know him as the Wyrm Prince. Cast into the abyss centuries ago by the legendary Three- River Paladin, the Wyrm Prince licked his wounds and recovered his strength. The Three-River Paladin has passed into legend, and the Wyrm Prince has resurfaced, his vengeance awakened along with his hunger. The Wyrm Prince sacked the high city Zhaldanis, slaying its people and claiming the greatest gift from the gods — the Soulstone. At this late hour, you must venture into the catacombs of the Wyrm Prince before the Soulstone loses its power and all mortal souls are damned.
Nearly two thousand years ago, in the land which now holds the Klavek Kingdom, a different power ruled the land. The Saatman Empire was a land unlike any seen before or since: it was a place where dragons ruled as gods, each in their own kingdom keeping lesser races as cattle. And above all of these god kings stood and watched the Saatman, an emperor among god-kings. Eventually, the humans rose up, and great heroes struck down Saatman, bringing the empire to the ruins it was today, and scattering their servants. But not destroying them. Now, a cult still dedicated to the dragon-god-emperor has returned the ancient dragon to life. In revenge of his own empire, he has declared war on the Klavek Kingdom – and commanded the death of all humankind. Can the party stop the genocide, and turn his own allies against him? Also included in “Saatman’s Throne”: A detailed system for reputation and infamy amid a city warring houses – all of which lay claim to dozens of mad wizards! The city of Gustavin, where dragons are gods and feuding houses control every coin. The Scrollblade, a powerful weapon that can store any magic it chooses Radiant Elixir, and endless source of magical power, at a steep price A great and terrible spell, Genocide A stitched-together monstrosity, the Serpens Appendix: Gods and Kings detailing hidden secrets in the Klavek Kingdom Maps by ENnie award winning cartographer, Todd Gamble
This adventure is written with the intent that it takes place in the subterranean world called the Underdark in the world of Forgotten Realms, although it may be placed in other settings. Within the Underdark, Cyrog's lair can be placed anywhere though it is stated to be thousands of miles east of Gravenhollow. If you are running Out of the Abyss, you may want to have your players see the vision Cyrog Lives! Hail Orcus! (OOTA, 158). Additionally, it is recommended that this adventure be used for a party of 4 to 6 players, level 9 to 12. While merely hinted at through visions in Out of the Abyss, Orcus is roaming the Underdark unchallenged with an army of mind flayers at his disposal. Cyrog, the elder brain of a mind flayer colony in the Underdark has died. The demon lord Orcus has reanimated and taken control of it. The hive of mind flayers is now bent to Orcus's will through Cyrog as he strives to make all life in the multiverse into a vast undead horde under his control. The adventurers are contacted by a patron who gives them a special item (such as brain worms) to suppress their brain waves and make it possible to infiltrate the Cyrog's Lair without immediate detection. The adventurers must defeat or otherwise subdue mind flayers and a few guards, override the elder brain's mechanical defense system, and slay Cyrog.
A short adventure to tie player characters into the events of the climax of the Prism of Pentad series. Terrible cataclysmic occurrences herald the end of one Athasian age and the beginning of another. As the Great Earthquake rattled the Tablelands huge storm of lightning and torrential rain appeared over the distant edge of the Sea of Silt, a powerful defiler named Malignor watched for a sign from his master, Tithian, King of Tyr... The relentless passage of time sweeps across the burning plains, and the world beneath the crimson sun changes in its wake... The Dragon of Tyr is gone, his evil scattered on the scalding winds. Torrential rains fall over the Sea of Silt, spinning off deadly storms that can strike anywhere in the Tablelands with only a moment's notice. Violent upheaval rocks the city-states of Raam, Draj, and Balic after the deaths of their sorceror-kings. A new age has dawned on Athas, but will it be an age of restoration - or of destruction?
Fear and ruin grip the land as the long-imprisoned army of a mad genie renews its ancient war. From the streets of the exotic city of Katapesh to the shadow of cursed Pale Mountain, this horde of immortal warriors leaves only fire and ruin in its wake. Empowered and perverted by the granting of wild wishes, this seemingly invincible legion strangles the realm in its fearful grasp as an obsessed general stokes the embers of an age-old devastation. Can the PCs save Katapesh from both a burning tyrant and the resurrection of a living apocalypse? Find out in this, the climax of the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path! This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path includes: ◆ “The Final Wish,” an adventure for 14th-level characters, by Rob McCreary. ◆ Accounts of the Spawn of Rovagug, the titanic spawn of the god of destruction, by Clinton Boomer. ◆ The magic of genies and insights into the power of wishes, by Wolfgang Baur. ◆ Pathfinder Channa Ti’s last-ditch efforts to prevent a dark god from entering the world, in a climactic Pathfinder’s Journal by New York Times bestselling author Elaine Cunningham. ◆ Seven new monsters by Adam Daigle, Rob McCreary, and F. Wesley Schneider.
This adventure is designed for the D&D Adventures League Season 5 - Storm King’s Thunder campaign, and is meant to enhance your party’s connection to important events and NPCs. While it is intended for a party of around 6th level, the nature of the quest is such that it fits easily with a higher level as well. It will put your players in contact with Felgolos, the bronze dragon that is encountered in Chapter 9 of D&D Adventures League Season 5 - Storm King’s Thunder, as well as the ancient dragon Iymrith, who plays a prominent role in the main plot. Of course, you can also change names and locations to make this adventure fit into any other campaign world – as long as it has dragons and deserts. Enjoy!
People keep asking for "beginner" dungeons. Everyone can name "classic" dungeons - Tomb of Horrors, Barrier Peaks, Ravenloft, etc. - but in order for those adventures to make sense, there needs to be some sort of introduction. It's like all the adventures we have are Bach concertos. People keep writing amazing works of staggering genius, but someone needs to write a book on how to play the piano. I had the same questions, and since I couldn't find anything satisfactory, I decided to write the kind of dungeon I would have loved to find. I wanted to write the best basic OSR dungeon for beginners that I could, and I also wanted to show the design process. If you like this dungeon, please share it, tell people about it, print copies and leave them lying around local game stores, or email this post to friends who have "always wanted to try D&D but don't know where to start". The entire thing is and always will be free.
What the living forget, the dead remember forever. For some, duty and revenge are stronger than death. Pgs. 4-7
The Toxic Wood is a deadly wilderness adventure for Old School Essentials This hexcrawl adventure focuses on game-able content and being easy to use at the table. It is graphic and art heavy and utilizes a lot of random tables to make it easier for GMs to run with minimal prep. "You have been hired by a secretive council of wizards, who refuse to meet in person with you, to rescue the survivors of Mugwort - a town which was thought to have been destroyed and lies deep within The Toxic Wood. The Wood is corrosive and the air is not safe to breath there, so the wizards have given you a magical orb which will create a safe dome of air around you. The orb must be fed with fuel containing life force to continue operating properly. They have also gifted each of you a less effective necklace which will create a temporary small bubble of clean air around your head as an emergency measure. The Wood became noxious a couple of years ago after a dragon known as Ion moved in. You will have to navigate to Mugwort without Ion noticing if you are to conduct a successful evacuation." The toxic wood is home to many strange entities; spiteful mutated horrors, ancient insectoid witch sisters, bloodthirsty redcaps, a mushroom witch and a corrosive dragon cult. Noxious gases produced by alien plants slowly coil through the air creating an endless red haze. Anything that is not part of the woods lethal eco-system is rapidly corroded, with all evidence of its existence erased within days. Details: 32 pages Single column text 8.5 x 5.5 aspect Black & White Bookmarks Hyperlinks Random tables Hooks and rumors for your players Rules for surviving in the toxic wood using the orb and other means 16 keyed hex locations Backgrounds for characters to aid roleplay New monsters Key NPCs A timeline of events for the DM to structure their sessions around Flora of the wood Random treasure tables Prompts and resolutions for what happens if players take different actions Cursed Items and Powerful Artifacts: Scattered throughout the wood, offering potent abilities but often with dangerous drawbacks.
For hundreds of years, Aknar Ratalla's tomb remained undisturbed, the Black Blade safely hidden within its vaults. Can a band of adventurers use the tomb's guardians and traps to keep it that way? Long ago, Aknar Ratella brought pain and desolation down upon the land. His reign of ruin was finally ended by an unlikely alliance of the forces of law: a band of devils and devas slew the warlord but were unable to destroy his dangerous weapons and relics. They chose instead to hide these potent artifacts of evil in a remote tomb, selecting a devil and a deva to stand guard over the tomb for the rest of time. For many centuries, the tomb stood unspoiled... but now, a new player has entered the scene. After infiltrating the tomb themselves, a band of adventurers must become its guardians and use its denizens and traps to prevent a monstrous gnoll chieftain from claiming the deadly artifacts hidden within for his own nefarious glory. Pgs. 58-80
Stormy seas rock your vessel, tossing her about like a toy in the jaws of a hound. Thunder rolls in the distance. Then, an arc of lightning splits the sky, and the sound like an exploding fireball all but bursts your eardrums. Your mainmast, struck by lightning, burns, splinters, and topples onto the deck like a felled oak. The last thing you hear is the cracking of wood as the deck explodes into splinters, and the ship is torn asunder. All goes black. You awaken in shackles, half-submerged in water, and surrounded by salmon-pink coral. You survived, but what fate awaits you now? The sound of soggy footsteps echo down the hallway. A creature approaches with an answer. This week’s encounter is Coral Colosseum, a combat encounter in which the characters must prove themselves as worthy gladiators to escape the clutches of a ruthless sahuagin baron. This encounter can serve as a follow-up to Encounter of the Week: Sharkfin Shipwreck, or as a stand-alone mini-adventure. It could also serve as an introduction to Ghosts of Saltmarsh, which releases on May 21st, 2019.
A new megadungeon from Three Castles Award Winner (2018) and Barrowmaze author Dr. Greg Gillespie! HighFell: The Drifting Dungeon is a 246-page classic megadungeon for use with any old school fantasy role-playing games/clone. The pages of HighFell are crammed full with new material, maps, and art, including a colour cover by Ex-TSR artist Erol Otus (that matches Barrowmaze Complete and The Forbidden Caverns of Archaia as sister-books). HighFell: The Drifting Dungeon will keep your players on their toes and your campaign going strong for years. HighFell is brought to you by the Old School Renaissance (so don’t forget your 10’ pole).
Par1 – Opportunity to Shine brings your new group of PCs to Jayneville in the country of Pardor. A civil war is raging with neither side able to gain an upper hand. To make matters worse a third faction, “Green skins” has been running around the countryside taking advantage of the chaos. As your party is about to discover, these individuals need to be dealt with, severely!
Jobel the genie was famous for his bejeweled creations. But when a job to build a wizard’s tower took a turn for the worse, Jobel was imprisoned in a massive gemstone and buried deep within the earth. For one hundred years, the genie plotted his escape, using subtle magics, and slowly, he was able to work the gem toward the surface, where he’d be much more likely to be found and freed.