About: This encounter was cooked up in the Write your First Encounter workshop by the Storytelling Collective. It CAN be slid in as a side quest in any urban or sub-urban context, or be adapted to add confusion to any rescue mission you are presently running. Synopsis: Through the doorway a young woman shackled to the wall matching the description of Helena can be seen. Though disheveled and looking to be in great discomfort, her beauty is remarkable. But on closer inspection, there are other people here — three identical Helenas! Noble woman Elize Cleron has hired the party to infiltrate the catacombs under the Schaefer Estate and free her twin sister Helena. Helena is being held captive by the Schaefer family, trade rivals rumored to have ties to the underworld. Elize has been unable to free her sister herself because of her identical appearance. Rather than pay an unrealistic ransom, Elize has provided the party with what they need to break her out. This encounter is intended for 3rd level characters.
The Clockwork Queen and the Dame of Dirt have been fierce rivals for years--but a brazen abduction sees the situation escalate dangerously. To put matters right, the party must scale an ever-changing clockwork tower full of weird magic and mechanical mayhem, and attempt a daring rescue!
The goblin, King Tatter-roo, and his tribe are plagued by an unseen hunter. They have placed an unusual plea to anyone who will listen. The promises of goblin wealth and peace amongst the free people is attainable for a limited time only. All King Tatter-roo requires is an inquisitive mind and a sharpened blade.
DC-POA-PND-3 The Watcher in the Attic (Part 2 of the Strange Case of Erland Forsk) Strange lights have been appearing in the topmost windows of the Forsk estate, and local cats have been going missing. Will you find out what lurks in the attic? A Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 Characters. Optimized for APL 3. Using the DungeonCraft seed Awake and Afraid Don’t go into the Attic! The Strange Case of Erland Forsk is a four part series of DungeonCraft adventures, each 2-hours long. DC-POA-PND-2 What Skitters Beneath? (tier 1) DC-POA-PND-3 The Watcher in the Attic (tier 1) DC-POA-PND-4 Eateat Go Home? (tier 2) DC-POA-PND-5 What Stalks the Night? (tier 2) ``` Unworkable inventions? Lost or shattered Nothing is perfect Nothing is worthless Unloved, dusty, rusty, dirty Here at the top Where the things that are lost find a home in my attic —Professor Elemental, The Attic ```
The lands that lie west, across the great sea, are uncharted. The West March Company has spent a fortune on an expedition to loot and tame it. You are part of that expedition. You are the desperate, the outcast, the destitute. This new world is weird and dangerous. Rumours abound of a city of tombs. A cursed dwarven fortress in the mountain. Mist-covered swamps that howl in the night. Pass that treasure map around the table. Drink deeply from your cups and imagine what awaits in the wilderness: gold, glory, death. Inside West Marches Company: A Grim Promise you'll find: Twelve new monsters to surprise and terrify your players. A cult of worms, a city of tombs, centaur khans and a twenty-page dwarven fortress dungeon crawl with over forty rooms. Loaded with art, evocative descriptions, weird NPC's and 2 new magic items. High resolution maps of both dungeons: Kazad Mor The Cursed Dwarfhome and Tunnels Beneath Fort Bramble This module can be run as a standalone adventure or as a west marches style game.
The small village of Jaromir seems beset by a powerful curse. For the past twelve days anyone who enters the forest is never seen again. There are now six missing all adults, five men and one woman without a trace. The mayor has offered 200 gp and three Dungeoneer’s packs to any who can find the source of the curse and free his town. Pgs. 15-19
Will your party survive the frostbite Frostbite Gauntlet? A sequel to The Great Trial, this module is an arctic, highly challenging gauntlet focused on exploration and combat, planned for fours 10th-level characters. The adventure can be also run as a one-shot or as part of any campaign for that level. For more information on The Great Trial, see at the end of this page. The module is divided in two parts: Chapter 1 The gauntlet itself, the party will be taken to a demi-plane against their will and from there, they have a simple goal: leave. However, a powerful undead guardian will make things difficult. The party needs to find some of the sources of power of Deathwings, the guardian, to weaken it and have a chance against it. Chapter 2 After leaving, the group will arrive at a cave complex made of stone and ice. A ancient dracolich names Icingdeath will chase the party, squeezing through the tight tunnels, always on the party' heels. Once out, the party is greeted by Aenor and offered their rewards.
The village of Silverwell lies at the foot of a mountain range in the icy north. Through most of its history it has enjoyed relative peace, save for its battles with the harsh elements. Recently however, a group of villagers were attacked by bandits while hunting in nearby Rothir’s Pass. The bandits left behind a grim message warning for none to follow. Frightened by the possibility of a larger attack on the village, the headman will happily reward any brave adventurers that can help. Unknown to the inhabitants of the remote village of Silverwell, this new terror pales in comparison to the troubles that have already begun to flood down from the distant Mount Neboria – troubles stemming from the dark wish of a dying dragon. This is an introductory adventure for a group of four or five 1st level characters, which should run for roughly 4 hours of gameplay (excluding preparation time), ending with a quest hook for groups that wish to continue into a full campaign. It includes extra tips and tricks both for new DMs and for interaction with new players.
The Hungering Maze A Dungeon Crawl Adventure for Characters Level 5-7 Beneath the silver-rich mining town of Silberflut, a labyrinth lies waiting for those brave (or foolish) enough to enter. Twisting tunnels, shifting walls, and an ever-present sense of doom make The Hungering Maze a deathtrap for any adventurer. Dark magic has corrupted the once natural cave system, turning it into a place where madness takes root and lost souls are consumed by despair. This adventure is designed for four characters of levels 5-7 and will challenge their wit, resolve, and resourcefulness. As they explore the ever-shifting maze, they will encounter cursed creatures, dangerous traps, and dark secrets buried in the maze’s twisted corridors. Adventure Highlights: Maze Shifting Mechanics: A dynamic dungeon that shifts during exploration and combat, challenging players to stay sharp. Unique Monsters: Face off against terrifying new monsters like the Treasure Maw and Lonely Revenant. Multiple Adventure Hooks: Choose between three compelling story hooks to lead your party into the depths of the maze. Strategic Dungeon: Give your players opportunities to manipulate the maze and gain advantages over its traps and denizens. Rich Storytelling: Uncover the tragic fate of those who entered before, and seek a powerful artifact that could be both a blessing and a curse. Do your players have what it takes to escape The Hungering Maze, or will they, too, become part of its dark history?
Yonder lies the Shrine of Lucien Harpell, greatest mage of this or any other age. In the arts of golemancy, artificery and necromancy, his equal has never been known, nor will be again. Cursed are those who enter this tomb. Cursed are those who look upon this statue. Cursed are those who seek his riches. Know that your demise is certain – your lives will be short, and your deaths slow. Read this, fools, and despair! The Shrine of Lucien Harpell is the stuff of legends - full of hideous traps and strange monsters, but guarding fabulous treasures. It was lost for generations beneath the grim and lonely Starmetal Hills, but has now been found again. Will any dare enter? Little Shrine of Horrors contains over 20 encounters and is full of puzzles, tricks, traps, roleplaying and combat. Do your players have what it takes to outwit Lucien Harpell?
For over a decade, the necromancer Malion has hidden in the wilderness, creating golems infused with spirits of the dead in his obsessive search for perfect beauty. At long last, he produced a doll that he knew it to be his final masterpiece, and, knowing there was no mortal soul pure enough to complete his work, Malion prayed to the goddess of love to bring his statue to life. Against all odds, his blasphemous prayer was heard, and the furious goddess sent her servant to bring Malion to justice.
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.
Village children are disappearing in the dead of night. Are the characters willing to risk their very souls to stop the Night Fiend? This adventure is a short side quest designed for the Dungeons & Dragons Ravenloft setting and easily merged into Curse of Strahd by Wizards of the Coast. It features a powerful ghostly villain who brings the heroes to the brink of death. The only way to defeat this ethereal foe is to battle him on equal terms, spirit against spirit.
"You enter some sort of corridor, but it is a far departure from the airship hallway you expected. The walls and ceiling are rusty chain-link fences and the floor is a corroded mesh of iron slats. Beyond the fence is a void of black, unmoving emptiness which carries the faint scent of ozone and rotten meat..." Inspired by horror franchises such as Silent Hill and Saw, Flight of Madness is a one-shot horror adventure in which the players must venture though an airship which has been warped by the plane of Xoriat--also known as the Realm of Madness! During the adventure the players will attempt to save the crew from unspeakable horrors, uncover the nature of the madness that has afflicted the ship, and face off against the one who appears to be responsible for all of this. But is everything as it seems? The adventure is for four level 5 players and is expected to take around 5 hours to complete. It is a great introduction to the darker side of Eberron for DMs and players alike. • An exciting mystery to unravel, with multiple interpretations and endings • An alternative to the madness mechanics provided in the Dungeon Masters Guide, which is integral to the final encounter of the adventure • Two terrifying new monsters: the winged torso and corrupted captain • Detailed battle maps as well as a map of the ship • Newspaper hand outs for the end of the adventure • Terrifying monster art WARNING: This is a horror adventure aimed at mature audiences and as such includes extreme violence and disturbing scenes. Before running this adventure it is recommended that you confirm that your players are comfortable with the adventure’s contents.
Deep in the Marsh of Chelimber lie the ruins of a great wizard’s tower. SEER has received intelligence, which she imparts via her emissary Hsing, that deep beneath the marsh in the remains of an old tower is knowledge of older magics. This could be just what Parnast needs to resist the onslaught of Bad Fruul and his armies!
Vengeance of the Winter Queen A small town has been attacked by an unknown entity in the midst of celebrating their Midwinter Festival and many of the citizens have been frozen solid. Discover who or what is responsible for the condition of the villagers by entering the frozen catacombs beneath the temple grounds! A 3-5 hour Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition adventure for 5th - 10th level characters.
The PCs are sent to investigate a sculpture of the goddess Ezra with seemingly miracle-granting powers. The investigation takes the heroes on a pilgrimage to a forgotten chapel, where they encounter a terrible plague, a wererat police force, death, resurrection, mist horrors, and the miracles of the statue itself.
A Tutorial and Alternate Start for Lost Mines of Phandelver Before Phandelver is a tutorial adventure designed to help new players and DMs be better introduced to Dungeons & Dragons. Crafted with best educational practices in mind and covering important details of preparation and mindset often overlooked, especially by new DMs, Before Phandelver will help the Lost Mines of Phandelver truly become the adventure worthy of inclusion in the Starter Set.
A galvanice weird has torn apart an Izzet laboratory in the Blistercoils. The weird’s path of destruction leads to Tin Street where the weird was spotted being subdued and taken aboard the notorious Palace of Pain’s Pleasures, a mobile Cult of Rakdos performance stage. To return the weird to its proper owner and discover the mystery behind its bizarre behavior the party must brave The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures! The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures is a 2-hour Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica adventure for 2nd - 3rd level characters. Picking up where Off to a Weird Start left off, this adventure is designed to be part of an ongoing campaign. For Dungeon Masters who wish to incorporate The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures independently from the ongoing story, 20 Adventure Hooks (two for each guild) are included, giving The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures flexibility for one-shot play or for inclusion in your own campaign! The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures contains: A new location that is also a magical construct. New trinket tables for the Cult of Rakdos. A new NPC antagonist (or contact), Ophyira, the star performer of the Palace! Two new magic items. One new spell. Discover the secrets of The Palace of Pain’s Pleasures TODAY!
Deep in the swamp, villagers claim something unnatural is happening at a large manor on the edge of town. A suspicious owner whose wife died years ago is attempting something dark and terrible, and it's up to the party to stop him. The true fun of this adventure lies in the house itself, which is filled with hidden references and homages to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, with the author himself filling the role as the suspicious home owner.