This adventure is designed as a side quest that can be inserted into an ongoing adventure or campaign. It involves a series of three linking scenes (and an optional fourth research scene between the others) that can be placed in between the action of whatever other event the party is undertaking. Ideally the scenes of this side adventure should be spread out and inserted into the game over several sessions of play.
From time out of mind, the standing stones known as the Circle of Cahervaniel have stood lonely vigil on a grassy hilltop. Sheepherders once moved their flocks over the hill and through the circle, sometimes resting in the cool shadows cast by the ancient stones. Everything changed when a stone finger fell, revealing a fissure in the earth. Now, dark shadows caress the circle after the sun sets. Creatures out of nightmare dance upon the hillside at night. Many swear that a unicorn of deepest ebony now hunts all upon two legs who draw near, while stunted creatures scurry in the shadows, abducting sheep from their sheds and drawing them down below ground for food. After the disappearance of a sheperd, fear grows stronger in neighboring villages. Who will brave the black hollow of the ancient Circle of Cahervaniel? Heroes of stern mettle must descend into the cavity and explore the ancient spaces existing there. Product History "The Shattered Circle" (1999), by Bruce R. Cordell, is a generic adventure for AD&D 2e. It was published in January 1999. Origins: Another Generic. After Wizards of the Coast began publishing D&D, their first year and a half of generic adventures were all classic revivals: returns to RPGA tournaments, to classic adventures, and to Dungeon scenarios. Even "A Paladin in Hell" (1998) was a return in its own way, to the demons and devils that TSR had become afraid of. Wizards was staking out new ground by reclaiming the past. "The Shattered Circle" (1999) was the first generic Wizards adventure that was simply a generic adventure, with no deeper origins and no hidden motives. Artifacts of Note. the foundingstone and the harp Euphonious are both one-off named magic items. However, it's sword Icerazor that's the most interesting. It's said to have grown from a shard of Frostrazor — a sword that would only appear ten months later in Return to White Plume Mountain (1999). There, it's listed as one of Keraptis' four implements of power, alongside Wave, Blackrazor, and Whelm — meaning that Icerazor (and this adventure) are just one step removed from White Plume Mountain itself. Monsters of Note: Chitine. It's somewhat curious, given the Greyhawk and Neverness connections, to note that the chitine debuted in MC11: "Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix" (1991). The spider-humanoids have generally been a Realms creature, featuring in bestiaries and histories for that setting. However, they also received a more generic "Ecology of the Chitine" in Dragon #223 (November 1995), which introduced the choldrith, or chitine priestess. This is their major adventure appearance. When asked about pronouncing their name Cordell says that he "can't be 100% sure of the original designer's pronunciation", but he prefers "KI-TEEN". About the Creators. By 1999, Cordell was one of D&D's most prolific writers. He'd previously authored many slightly related adventures, such as The Gates of Firestorm Peak(1996) and the sahuagin (1997) and illithid (1998) Monstrous Arcana adventure trilogies. This conversion guide allows DMs to run the original module with 5th Edition rules. To use this conversion guide you will need a copy of The Shattered Circle, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in Digital format at the DMs Guild. This adventure is a generic adventure, not specifically based in any existing setting. Suggestions are given in the conversion guide to place the adventure in the Forgotten Realms.
A tale of dreadful draconic sibling rivalry, this adventure is designed with ease of Dungeon Mastering in mind. Inspired by products such as The Lost Mines of Phandelver and 1991 Easy to Master Introductory Black Box it aims to provide a compelling story which will engage players while making that story easy to tell. It has prompts and advice on how to run each encounter making it ideal for beginning Dungeon Masters or Dungeon Master's ready to move on to the next tier of play.
A high octane, edge of your seat, seat of your pants, run and gun thrill ride for your 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons game. Life was peaceful in the pleasant village of Thornyfoot… until the Kobolds of nearby Crag Canyon started kidnapping their kids! Now the distraught villagers turn to a rag tag group of adventurers, who just happened to be having a drink at the local inn, to save the day. Do your heroes have what it takes, the right stuff, the metal, the intestinal fortitude, to fend off the Kobold Hunting Drakes, face the Kobold Commandos, take down the Kobold Air Cavalry and yes… defeat the Kobold Covergirl with the Gun? Will they climb the treacherous canyon, survive the forest gauntlet, storm the fortified keep, raid the dastardly dungeon and thwart the big bad evil nefarious kobold plot? Or will they die a horrible, brutal, violent, traumatic, explosive death? There’s only one way to find out. Killer Kobolds! Action just leveled up. Killer Kobolds is designed for a party of four to eight characters of levels 8 through 12, but could readily be tweaked to accommodate parties of lesser or greater strength. Intentionally set in an entirely generic small village in need, Killer Kobolds can be easily dropped into any Dungeons and Dragons setting. Recently updated with a Yawning Portal cameo, the content within fits perfectly into any Tales of the Yawning Portal campaign, slotting perfectly between White Plume Mountain and Against the Giants. Additionally, it could readily be worked in to your Tyranny of Dragons, Elemental Evil, Rage of Demons or Storm King’s Thunder campaign.
For months, the dreams of the people of Emystrell have become dark and terrible. It seems their nightmares have come to life as in recent weeks, people have mysteriously gone missing, vanishing in the night without a trace! Everyone is too paralyzed by their own despair to do anything or venture far from the safety of their homes. Emystrell is on the brink of collapse. The baron is offering a handsome reward to anyone who can show proof of the end of whatever evil curse that has taken hold of their town. This adventure is designed for a party of 3-5 heroic characters from the 2nd to 3rd level. It has elements of mystery and investigation in the first section which can be detailed and highly involved for groups that enjoy the process of searching for clues and solving mysteries or just as easily glossed over for groups that are more tactics focused. The second section of the adventure features the dungeon: a labyrinthine complex of an ancient elven crypt which the thieves guild has used as a base of operations for a decade...until the serpent worshipping cult arrived. The third section of this book is the detailed map and notes on the town and surrounding area of Emystrell. Roleplaying notes are kept light to allow for room for your own interpretations and details to NPCs remain as free to do with as you choose unless I felt inspired and hoped to give you a cool idea. This adventure has hooks for Dungeon Masters interested in a larger campaign involving the sinister plots of the Yuan-Ti (snake people) as well as other interesting adventure hooks (such as the giants in the nearby mountains or the stolen gem: The Eye of the Dragon). These plot points are intentionally left vague for you to fill in the gaps based on what your players seem interested in. You are invited to use this as a launch point adventure to lead your heroes on a larger adventure that might someday set them against an Anathema Serpent demigod, or it may simply be the adventure that begins their journeys and the evil of Yargoth stops here at Emystrell. If your campaign is set in a pre-published setting, this town of Emystrell can be replaced or fit into any campaign with a few tweaks to local gods and names. If you are playing in Dragonlance, you could replace Yargoth the Dread Serpent with Tiamat, or Dendar in Fearun. The local goddess, Tyr, could be the Tyr from the Forgotten Realms or even Norse myth if that is your campaign setting.
Steal gifts! Fight Reindeer! Save the holidays! Take on the dreaded devil Belsnickel and save the snowy gnomish town of Cheerington from his grasp in this fun-filled adventure for one-on-one parties or small groups level 4-5. Inside you'll find: -A one-shot adventure involving roleplay, exploration, and combat! -4 new festive creatures! -2 maps ready for print or import! -6 exciting new magical items to gift to your players! This adventure also has lots of fun mechanics like mistletoe and corrupting coal! We put together some of our favorite wintery stories and holiday tales in this fun holiday one-shot! It's perfect for a side narrative to try out one-on-one play for the first time, introducing someone new to the game, or taking your party to a festive demiplane for a unique Christmas-y one-shot adventure.
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!
The Heartland Scouts – brave defenders of the Coast Way – have been captured! What their captors haven’t counted on is the adventurers’ feisty animal companions. Left behind, they are nevertheless bound to spell trouble! In this entirely unique adventure, players take on the roles of trusty animal companions and familiars on a quest to rescue their adventurer masters. Surely leaving behind a druid’s harmless badger friend is no threat to one of the great evil powers of the world – or is it? Rescue: A Familiar Tale features a story and challenges designed especially for the animal companions. Players choose and customize their animal companion from over 20 options, with illustrated character sheets included for each one. This adventure does not require existing player characters and can be enjoyed by players of any experience level with the game. While it makes for a perfect “something different” one shot, Rescue can also serve as a session zero for any new campaign and includes guidelines for a fun and surprising way to create inspired new characters at the adventure’s end!
The ruins of Castle Hermitage are shrouded in mystery after the disappearance of Lord Soulis Hermitage some 50 years ago. In the time since, the thriving village of Bellshall has grown a reputation for its market and specifically for the gemstones that can be bought there. Unfortunately for the people of Bellshall that supply of gemstones is at risk. Something is watching the Deep Gnomes who live and work in the mine. Soon it will need to feed. Are there any heroes who can help defeat this horrible menace, save the Deep Gnomes, and the village’s prosperity? Contains: A 4 to 6-hour adventure for four 4th level characters. With scaling information for other levels. A new CR3 monster, the Ettercap Host. Print friendly version. Accessible version. Separate GM & player map images for VTT use (Gridded and Gridless).
TENTACLES. VERY DANGEROUS. YOU GO FIRST. Adventure in the Underdark, Part Two The colony of svirfneblin, while grateful for the adventurers’ deeds, is still in need of a reliable source of drinking water. The kuo-toa hold the lake, and there is the matter of the tentacled menace the party faced previously… This adventure is a continuation of Tentacles. Why Did It Have to Be Tentacles?, but can be run by itself as well. It is designed to easily fit into any standard fantasy setting. A 4-hour adventure for 6th-8th level characters
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
Blinsky's Toyshop is our take on what happens to Blinsky and Piccolo during, or after the Curse of Strahd campaign. Blinsky, the toymaker in Vallaki with the cute monkey wearing a pink tutu, received a large inheritance from a long-time client. The client, Obtavius Swat, a retired adventurer and avid collector of toys, left his entire estate to Blinsky. The estate included coin, precious gems, art, and his collection of toys, some made by Blinsky and others he acquired during his travels. Blinsky used the fortune to pay a wizard to create a small island in the middle of Lake Zarovich, located just outside of Vallaki. He then paid masons and workers to build a fantastic new toyshop, which he designed to be an experience for both the young and old alike. Though the number of children in Barovia was increasing, mostly imparted to the devil Strahd’s downfall, Blinsky wanted to touch the inner child of the adults in the city. He wanted happiness. He wanted smiles. He named the castle Blinsky’s Toyshop of Marvels. One of the toys, a small silver tiara kept in a black satin-lined ivory jewelry box, was such a lovely piece. Blinsky couldn’t stand the thought of leaving it in the box. He already had enough gold and losing the small tiara wouldn’t be a large loss, so he decided to give it to his monkey – Piccolo (see Creatures of the Toyshop). He smiled at the thought of her running around in her pretty, shiny tiara. Sadly, as Barovian luck would have it, trapped inside the tiara is the sole of an evil gnome wizard named Aribetha Strangge. In his old age, Obtavious Swat forgot that he and his fellow adventurers used the tiara to imprison the gnome’s soul. Yesterday, when Blinsky placed the tiara on Piccolo’s head, silver tendrils cascaded from the tiara and into poor Piccolo’s skull, allowing Aribetha to control the monkey. Now, Aribetha has incapacitated Blinsky in the toyshop’s tower, brought many of the toys to life, and imprisoned or killed many of the workers and customers. The adventure includes costumes (which the character may wear), Strahd Hand Puppets, and a possessed Piccolo.
Are your player's going fishing in the Underdark? Booked a ride with the Kua Toa Travel Agency? Taking a cruise on the Darklake? Well then Journey Through the Center of the Underdark 2 - The Darklake Strikes Back is just what the Leemooggoogon ordered! Like the first Journey, The Darklake Strikes Back contains several encounters designed with Out of the Abyss traveling days in mind, but easily inserted into any 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Underdark setting. Unlike the first Journey, The Darklake Strikes Back has a mid sized three level dynamically defended dungeon, complete with a dragon at the bottom! This complex is right at home on the Darklake but could also readily be inserted into your Tyranny of Dragons campaign as well. Written for a party of characters levels 4-6 with notes included for adjusting encounter difficulties for lower or higher level groups Journey Through the Center of the Underdark 2 - The Darklake Strikes Back should provide 6-10 hours of gameplay excitement!
Greger’s Grotto is a community of pirates and other criminals, hidden away on a desolate coastline. The players are slaves sold to the Grotto’s owning family and used for manual labour and bloodsport in the arena. In this adventure, the players will need to: * survive harsh prison conditions, including the rivalry between prisoner factions: human, orc, goblin and hobgoblin * fight in arena battles against prisoners and beasts, often with strange twists to entertain the crowd * explore small mini-dungeons attached to the prisoners’ caverns * ultimately escape; whether by force, alliance with fellow prisoners, stealth, cunning or any combination of these Features of this adventure: * Pay-what-you-want (even nothing). * Illustrated with art by Setvasai. * Designed to fit into most campaign worlds. * Simulationist or story-driven: includes information for both. Use random rolls to determine what happens when, or take inspiration from various story hooks. (Or do both.) * 11 unique NPCs, including members of the Grotto’s owning family and leader of the prisoner factions. * Full maps of the Grotto, its arena and prisoner caverns, totalling over 40 rooms.
It stalks the jungles of Chult. On the path to the lost city lies an ancient danger, a creature that posseses the very jungle and destroys man, beast, and undead alike. Your party has seen the signs of its violence and destruction. Soon they, too, will be hunted by the entity known as Uluu Thalongh. It Walks the Jungle at Night is an adventure supplement for Tomb of Annihilation, designed for a party of 4 players of 5th-7th level. It is a sandbox-friendly adventure designed to fit within a broad adventuring area. The adventure includes strong DM guidelines to hasten or slow the adventure's buildup, allowing the Dungeon Master to control the adventure's pace and incoprorate its early phases into normal day-to-day travel. The adventure includes: -A wide series of random encounter options for the party to discover. They'll find victims of Uluu Thalongh who are relevant to the factions they've interacted with. -A magical item reward: Lash of the Jungle-Walker. -The full-page Myth of Uluu Thalongh, written to embrace Tomb of Annihilation's focus on legend and folklore. -The stat blocks for the Uluu Thalongh (with legendary actions!) and its possessed jungle. -An appendix for chase complications if or when the party flees from the dreadful entity.
This is an introductory adventure to Eberron and Sharn. It is written for 3-6 characters of levels 1 to 5. This adventure showcases the versatility of urban adventures in Sharn. The adventure takes a party of characters from the lowest and more dangerous parts of the city, the lower wards and The Depths, to the highest and most exclusive neighborhoods in the upper wards and the Skyway. This adventure has it all. There are roleplaying opportunities, underground exploration, interesting NPC's, a flying chase scene on flying vessels, and a BBEG with enough charisma to captivate any player.
Sharn is paralyzed. Half of the council was under the control of roach thralls for the last 20 years, and with the conspiracy revealed the government apparatus is at a standstill. The criminal organization Daask rises from the underbelly to take control of the chaos and further destabilize the city.
The Director of the precognitive mages puts out a call to the Guilds for assistance in investigating a new threat which would disrupt an upcoming annual celebration along the Transguild Promenade in Precinct Four and cause the deaths of many Ravnican citizens. The Adventurers must find the evidence pointing to the perpetrators and stop the oncoming riot during the celebration in 24hrs. This is a One shot adventure for a group of four, at 3rd level. It could possibly be the first of many other adventures you might run in Ravnica!
Greetings! I've created a sea-themed supplement that you might find uuseful: Encounters on the Savage Seas is a 100-page supplement containing mini-adventures, NPCs, new ships, locations, and magic items. In all, the writers have produced 19 unique encounters, NPCs, and locations for you to add to any nautical campaign. We’ve even included scaling suggestions so they can be used with different party levels. •Visit the township of Badu - the village riding on the back of a gigantic dragon turtle •Encounter space pirates •Interact with goblin pirates commanding strange water vehicles •Roleplay with Loan Sharks •Endure the Fog of Horrors •and so much more.... You can view the 30-page preview by clicking this link:https://www.dmsguild.com/product/270757/Encounters-on-the-Savage-Seas Also, go grab my FREE playable race: Otterfolk: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/267692/Otterfolk I hope you enjoy the content if you pick it up!
A perfect side-quest adventure for a party based in Phandalin or after completion of Lost Mines of Phandelver. Unravel the malevolent mysteries of Knacker’s Knothole! A party of four to six 5th level characters meet Knacker, the ancient awakened grandfather oak, who was introduced in Volo’s Vetted Vendors. He has a request: one of his cherished death’s heads is missing and he implores the party to find out what happened to it. Although Knacker suspects the people of Phandalin, the party’s investigations ultimately reveal a much more sinister threat. The party must investigate the disappearance while an unseen foe attempts to thwart their efforts with ambushes and misdirection. It is not long before there are more disappearances, and the party must use its ingenuity to prevent open hostilities. This adventure is part of a new series based on Volo’s Vetted Vendors and Elminsters Excellent Establishments. It can be played as the final part in this series, and it is also ideally suited to a party that has just completed Lost Mines of Phandelver. This is a 5-7 hour adventure that will advance the party to 6th level. This full-color 60-page adventure includes: * 29 pages of adventure content. * 2 pages of convenient NPC summaries. * 8 beautiful maps suitable for use with any VTT (separate files are included for all maps, including both high- and low-resolution versions). * Many random tables including adventure hooks, customers at Knacker’s Knothole, rumors, random encounters, chase complications and battle events. These tables can provide inspiration for other adventures and campaigns as well! * 20 pages of monster and NPC stat blocks.