A community for lazy dungeon masters
777 adventures found
CCC-CIC-08 The Last Voyage of the Woolgathering Tidsoptimist
5th Edition
Levels 1–5
32 pages
0

Zor von Finklestein has purchased an aging cargo vessel and filled it with food for suffering Mulmaster. Now you only need to make sure the vessel comes into port

The Library of Biblius
5th Edition
Levels 7–9
54 pages
0

Long before the rise of Waterdeep... Biblius ruled the sword coast with an open hand full of love and knowledge, but even the purest of men can fall when they hear greed's sultry call. Explore Biblius' forgotten library and discover if his mystical history of the universe is more than just a tragic myth. 13 Monsters mutated by arcane radiation 21 Unique and powerful magic items 16 Ancient tomes filled with forgotten knowledge 4 Bizarre NPCs that have managed to make the library their home 11 Lost spells from a time before humanity 9 Full color maps A 4-10 hour adventure for 8th level characters.

Cover of Thelanis: The Moonlit Garden
Thelanis: The Moonlit Garden
5th Edition
Level 5
15 pages
0

"The trees bend, twist and rearrange themselves as the sun fades, replaced by a single massive moon hanging high in the sky. You find yourself somewhere altogether different with bigger more gnarled trees, everything more vibrant with color in the bright moonlight. The bold browns, purples and blues around you don't feel real, more like something from a beautiful painting. Yet here you stand..." This is a one-shot adventure through one of the twisted fairy tale baronies of Thelanis. In it, the players find themselves in a strange land seeking an item they know little about. They will encounter a village whose people have been turned to shrubs, be shrunk down to a 20th of their size in a garden of tiny trees, fight a tree which is also a beholder, and come face to face with the Lady in Shadow herself. The adventure is for four level 5 players (though adjusting for 3-6 players would be minimal effort) and is expected to take around five hours. It is a great introduction to the planes of Eberron for DMs and players alike. It includes: * An exciting mystery to unravel * Three vicious new monsters to fight: earth bear, topiary beast, and the treeholder * Simple rules for running a skill challenge * A series of detailed maps for each combat encounter and an image for the puzzle encounter

Cover of The Pied Piper of Hillthorpe
The Pied Piper of Hillthorpe
5th Edition
Levels 2–4
4 pages
0

The village of Hillthorpe has been under the "protection" of a rough sleeping stranger. The extortion began with demands for a bushel of wheat or a basket of apples, accompanied by threats of rats and mice being sent to ravage the sick and sleeping, and to ruin the stores. Over time, the demands escalated, reaching the point where the village could no longer afford to pay without starving to death over winter (3 sacks of grain, a barrel of ale, and all the ripe cheese you have each week!). As a result, the village is seeking outside help.

Cover of The Stoneheart Ruin
The Stoneheart Ruin
5th Edition
Levels 2–4
16 pages
0

What elder evils lurk in the depths of the freezing mountain ruins? Find out in The Stoneheart Ruin! The adventure features: An adventure set in a desolate, wintry mountain landscape. 16 pages full of intrigue and mystery, containing full color maps, plus 2 unique monster stat blocks. Provides a great introduction to Mind Flayer lore and mythos for Tier 1 players. Can easily be set in the Spine of the World for use in Rime of the Frostmaiden. Let your characters test their mettle as they climb and face the ancient dangers lurking in the cracks of The Stoneheart Ruin! “I have no explanation for any of these finds. We heard disturbing noises coming from further within the mountain; thunderous and growling.” Excerpt from a pamphlet, signed: “Koralia Meadring, Anthropologist Extraordinaire” Koralia needs you to investigate her most recent discovery: a ruined cavern deep in the mountains. Her small team of academics did a cursory walk-through and think they've found a big breakthrough! However, they left in a hurry after being frightened by the horrors they heard coming from deeper in the mountain. They escaped and found one of their team was missing - a goliath named Marek. You must climb the mountains and locate the ruin, make certain that it is safe for study by Koralia’s team, and if possible, find and rescue Marek, whose fate is uncertain. Made during the November 2020 RPG Writer's Workshop.

Cover of Whims of the Heart
Whims of the Heart
5th Edition
Levels 5–10
18 pages
0

A Beholder Love Story A dwarven mineshaft has become the new home of the heartbroken beholder Sindryl. Discover who could be wicked enough to separate Sindryl from his love Prix'am, put a stop to their plot, and restore Prix'am's missing heart. A 3-6 hour Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition adventure for Tier 2 characters. This adventure includes: 2 New Monsters (including 1 New Beholder!), 3 New Magic Items, New NPCs, a Minecart Skill Challenge, Romantic Random Encounters for the Underdark!

Cover of Formaggio's Font
Formaggio's Font
5th Edition
Levels 3–5
26 pages
0

Can an ancient, smashed relic be put back together? Your employer thinks it can and sends you to find some of the fragments. A colorful town, detective work, interesting NPCs, a new race, and a challenging trip to the dump await you. The surrounding region inspires additional adventures.

Cover of Wizard in a Bottle
Wizard in a Bottle
5th Edition
Levels 2–3
11 pages
0

A retired adventurer approaches our heroes with a mission - help find a former comrade, a talented young wizard who went missing twenty years ago. The quest takes them into a magical underground lair, where every room reveals something as remarkable as it is deadly. But they soon realise that finding the wizard was the easy part...

Cover of Factions of Sigil - Abbey of the Iron Star
Factions of Sigil - Abbey of the Iron Star
5th Edition
Level 10
8 pages
0

We get it. Factions are an integral part of D&D, but it's not always clear how to use them in your campaigns. Luckily, Factions of Sigil has you covered for each of the twelve main factions found across Sigil and the Outlands! This supplement goes over the various rules and lore around the primary factions found in Sigil and the Outlands, making it easy for any new or veteran DMs to integrate the factions more into the core stories being told, and making them feel more useful for the players that choose to join. This adventure sees the characters ally with the Athar of Sigil to raid the Abbey of the Iron Star and destroy the devils within who are attempting to bring Asmodeus to Sigil.

Cover of Hidden Cove
Hidden Cove
5th Edition
Levels 5–10
21 pages
0

This 4 hour module takes the characters from a hidden cove near the Moonsea to hidden tunnels leading under the Glacier of the White Worm. What starts as a recovery mission leads to the uncovering of a much more sinister plot. Optimized for a group of level 7's (APL 7), this adventure can be adjusted for any Tier 2 party. Inside you'll find: * Three battlemaps * Introducing the ice encrusted skeleteon, a hardier version of the standard skeleton for colder climates.

Cover of Orc Blade & Elven Blood
Orc Blade & Elven Blood
5th Edition
Levels 8–11
24 pages
0

A monastic community of elves and orcs worshipping a divine daughter of both Corellon and Gruumsh tried to bring peace and reconciliation between the two races. For their trouble, they were wiped out by zealots and erased from history. Centuries later, their mountaintop temple is rediscovered -- and rumor has it that two artifacts hearkening back to the very origin of elvenkind and orcdom are concealed within....

Cover of We Eat in the Dark
We Eat in the Dark
5th Edition
Levels 3–4
13 pages
0

You wake up in a pitch-dark cavern... The stench of bodies fills your nostrils. The crack of bone and the sound of teeth rending flesh are the only sound you hear. Something is feeding nearby...something you can't see. We Eat in the Dark is a deadly adventure for 3rd or 4th level characters. Navigate the caves of the Darkshard Abattoir, where light sources are muted and creatures hid invisibly in the dark. Fight for your life against troglodytes empowered by a mysterious artifact and other cavern hazards. Includes an appendix for limited starting gear for a more lethal challenge. A perfect murder-happy one-shot for your players to question your friendship.

Cover of LP-2 The Lost Places: Sunken Tower
LP-2 The Lost Places: Sunken Tower
5th Edition
Levels 1–4
43 pages
0

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.

Cover of CCC-TRI-15 The Dark of the Hive (Part Four of the Yulash Series)
CCC-TRI-15 The Dark of the Hive (Part Four of the Yulash Series)
5th Edition
Levels 11–16
47 pages
0

Strange events are occurring near the town of Yûlash—ground tremors originating from an old mind flayer hive. Our heroes are asked to investigate the old hive and determine the cause of the seismic activity, but another pressing matter is revealed to them, too. This Adventurers League legal adventure set in a small town near Yûlash. This module first premiered at TotalCon 2018. Contents include: PDF of the adventure PDF of the Adventurer’s League certificate High resolution maps

Cover of Lake Marione
Lake Marione
5th Edition
Level 3
5 pages
0

Not so deep in Lake Marione an amulet sinks. This adventure is set in the town of Marione where PCs will be asked to retrieve a lost amulet. I hope you enjoy the adventure! A D&D 5e One-Shot Adventure

Cover of Winter Yonderland
Winter Yonderland
5th Edition
Levels 5–8
12 pages
0

Beasts in the Blizzard After offending that wizard last night, you awake feeling a strange chill in your bones. Perhaps it’s just a figment of your imagination, a physical manifestation of paranoia. As you rise from your bed and look out the window, you think perhaps not.

Cover of The Goblin Bathwater Incident
The Goblin Bathwater Incident
5th Edition
Level 1
54 pages
0

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.

Cover of All Eyes on Chult
All Eyes on Chult
5th Edition
Level 1
17 pages
0

All Eyes on Chult is a 2–3 session adventure for player characters of 1st level. These characters will rise to 3rd level by the end of the adventure. It takes place in Port Nyanzaru, Chult just after two ships flying black flags enter the port under cover of dark. Though this takes place in locales familiar to players of the Tomb of Annihilation storyline and can be played as a side quest in Port Nyanzaru, it has no relation to the Death Curse nor any other major plot elements of Tomb of Annihilation. Instead, it focuses on two nefarious Faerûnian factions—the Zhentarim and the Xanathar Guild—working together to plunder Chult for their own gain.

Cover of Into the Underdark - The Shadowed Hollows Gazetteer
Into the Underdark - The Shadowed Hollows Gazetteer
5th Edition
Levels 4–6
37 pages
0

How’d you get here? Let me explain... No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Rescued a retired hero's hapless nephew from goblins at some ruins on a hill Found out that there aren’t any goblins, but spider creatures called chitine instead Uncovered a chitine plot to start a war between the surface world and the drow Got convinced to try to stop that war Got trapped in the caves under the ruins Chased the chitine’s leader, a choldrith, further down into the cave system Nearly got crushed in a cave-in Fought your way through an undead infested mine Nearly got eaten by a colony of chitinous reptiles Picked up the choldrith’s trail and followed it deeper into the earth And now you stand at the entrance to a massive cavern filled with all manner of aggresive creatures. Yep, that about sums it up! And now, here you are, in this giant cavern thousands of feet beneath the surface. All you have to do is pick up that choldrith’s trail again, and manage to navigate the many factions vying for control of this little section of the Underdark. Good luck! And have fun storming the Hollows! This Gazetteer contains: Descriptions of the factions that live in The Shadowed Hollows, a massive cave complex far below the surface The underground city of Naakrasad and the important NPCs that live there Three quests leading to brief adventures within the Hollows for characters of level 4 to 6 7 custom maps of the Shadowed Hollows, Naakrasad, and the quest destinations All necessary monster stat blocks Everything needed to set the scene for the upcoming second chapter of the Into the Underdark Adventure Series

Cover of Against the Idol of the Sun
Against the Idol of the Sun
5th Edition
Level 13
295 pages
0

Do you want to run or play an adventure where characters start at level 13 instead of ending at level 13, and actually get to progress to 20 like the rules say they should? Do your players like to travel far and wide, exploring a huge unknown area? Do your players like to change their plans on a whim, and travel somewhere other than where they told you they planned to go last session? Do your players feel like fighting against an empire at odds of 20,000 to 1? Do your players want to commit occasional acts of sky piracy? Do you want an adventure that is designed to handle players using Scrying, Transport Via Plants, and Teleportation on a daily basis? If you answered yes to some of these questions, this adventure may be for you. Check out the detailed preview packet, which includes a campaign log showing how this adventure has actually played out. WARNING: FULL OF SPOILERS; VERY LONG. Against the Idol of the Sun is an epic hexcrawl campaign designed for high-level play. Adventuring parties should start at about level 13, and will likely end the campaign at level 20 with multiple Epic Boons. As a hexcrawl, there is no set adventure path that the party must follow. There is only one encounter that's even close to plot-mandatory aside from the climactic battle. Anything else can be skipped or handled in any order. The players are free to move about the map in any direction at any time, limited only by the risk of enemy action and encounters. The DM, meanwhile, is encouraged to have foes react to and actively hunt the PCs once they become a threat. Along the way, they may find and explore a number of dungeons, including a millenia-old laboratory in the grips of a time distortion, several mines that were abandoned for good reason yet may hold wealth within, and other challenges appropriate for high-level characters. This module is heavy on Exploration and Combat, but the Social aspect of D&D also is necessary as the player characters meet new peoples, work to convince them that they can make a difference, motivate them to action, and create overall plans for the NPCs and factions to follow off-screen to support the players in their main assaults. The key set piece encounters, which are optional but highly probable, involve attacking well-defended temples in the centers of enemy cities. Planning for these attacks will require paying attention to reconnaissance, timing, the use of allies, how to enter, and how to exit and break contact succesfully when dealing with enemies that fly faster than most player characters can walk. The adventure does not include artwork, and the maps are basic.