It's a horrible time to have a curse! Each wielding a powerful item to a family legacy, your players are a group of young adventurers who barely survive an attack on their order of vampire-hunters by agents of Dracula. After escaping, they discover Dracula has placed a curse upon the land which makes restful sleep difficult outside of hallowed areas. Dracula, "alive" on another plane but dead on this one, must be resurrected so they can kill him, end the curse, and avenge their dead. To accomplish this goal, the player characters must journey through forest, marsh, hill, and underground paths to retrieve relics of Dracula's last life from keeps and fortresses overrun by monsters and the undead. If they can resurrect him, he will be weak and easy to kill... but the adventurers aren't the only ones who want Dracula on the Material Plane, and Dracula is not the only vampire in the world. Gameplay overview This adventure takes the players from 2nd through 9th or 10th level on a milestone basis as they choose where to travel in what order to retrieve what they need. Starting at a happy gathering at the Belmonte Order, which the characters are hereditary members of, the campaign kicks off with a bang as the group retrieves their chosen legacy items, salvages what other gear they can in a race against time and a growing number of foes, and then escapes to begin their quest. In addition to the six main "dungeons," there are two optional regional lairs, traveling vampires, and many foes along the way. Most of the towns in the area have managed to survive, providing points of light at which the party may stop, long rest safely, acquire supplies, and socialize. Travel is hazardous! 5e classes are balanced for resource management across a 5-8 encounter adventuring day. The campaign is designed to have a semi-variable flow of encounters as the party traels around the area. Encounters grow progressively more difficult as time passes and the party spends more time within a region. These are not random encounters rolled on a table, but encounters designed to be unique to each area's geography, combat terrain, and mix of foes. As the party spends more time in a region or revisits it, the encounter difficulty increases. Dracula's curse requires a Constitution saving throw to successfully long rest outside of Hallowed areas (towns). The difficulty scales up over time, forcing the party to balance speed and safety as they try to accomplish their goals without pushing beyond the limits of what they can handle. The game concept, general map layout, and some enemy distributions are loosely inspired by Castlevania II for the NES, one of the forerunners of the "Metroidvania" genre. Dracula's Curse is indeed a game in which the forests are dark and full of monsters, and every night is a horrible one to have a curse. Includes 15 Legacy items, from weapons like whips and swords to a shield, a belt, or a decanter of holy water 60+ enemy statblocks 8 unique dungeons with unique layouts & challenges 5 inhabited towns with multiple named NPCs 100+ travel encounters (expect to use 30-50%) The module is printer-friendly with no artwork and straightforward grid maps for location-based encounters which require one.
There is the well-known regional legend of Iptiz, a spirit naga whose greed was remarkable even among its own kind. Murderous raids and relentless pillaging yielded a hoard so valuable that the creature needed some place to store and protect it. Thus was the Vault conceived: an underground complex custom built to destroy anyone who is not its creator. Years ago, Iptiz's campaign of terror suddenly ended without precursor or cause. The location of the Vault was never discovered. Until now. The ring-city of Sulindal, built upon the shores of a mile-wide desert oasis, has come under martial law by an invading army of yuan-ti. They intend to exploit the resources in this renowned city of knowledge to locate the third and final Beacon of Selune. ...but for what purpose? A four to six hour adventure for four 5th level players.
Missing relics and a mysterious well. These are the things that have drawn your party to this idyllic region of the land. Why would someone take sacred objects, what do they have to do with each other…and why does the trail lead to a well in the middle of a lake?
The sleepy little town of Scharokhova has gone from dreary to depressing and dangerous. Shortly after a strange man in a hooded cloak came to town one evening, visiting the posh manor home of the local noble family, the Petrovas, a fog descended upon the valley where the town lies. What’s more, all manners of beasts, from rats to bats to wolves, are attacking the townsfolk, or destroying their supplies. And that fog! Anyone that tries to leave escape the town through the fog finds their mind too addled to make it through. And those that made it the furthest were set upon by beasts, beasts that seemed to try to keep the villagers from leaving town. Now, the townsfolk’s only hope rests with a group of outsiders who made it to the village through the mist, and now find themselves stuck in town, just like the residents have been. Eliminate the beasts threatening the townsfolk! Explore Petrova Manor and discover the secret that has caused this curse to descend upon Scharokhova! Finally, free the town from the grip of evil, and perhaps even bring Gorak, the last of the Petrova line, back from darkness into the light!
The jungle has opened up and revealed her secrets—now is the time to act upon them. All signs point to a long-abandoned city as the source of the undead contagion, and so you have been called upon to venture within and put an end to it once and for all. Are you up to the task? Part Three of The Rot from Within Trilogy.
The Proving Glade is a one-shot adventure meant for parties or duets. Your characters arrive in a small settlement that has a big problem. The forest, its lifeblood, has seemingly withdrawn its bounty. Others have gone in, only to return hours later confused about how they got out. Will your party have the wherewithal to navigate the treacherous forest, pass its surprising tests, and uncover what’s truly going on? I wanted a forest adventure that felt alive and busy. I also didn’t want every encounter to be solved with the swing of a sword. The Proving Glade is about questioning value, morality, judgement, and redemption. This adventure was written as part of the Summer 2019 RPG Writer's Workshop. We also submitted In the Heart of the Forest. While these two adventures are not necessarily connected, they both involve navigating difficult and dangerous scenarios in a forest and could naturally be strung together. This Product Includes -A 3 to 4 hour one-shot designed for parties or 1-1 play. -A new Sidekick stat block: Daelin Hoofbane, ranger extraordinaire. -A new custom creature: the mysterious and powerful Alseiad, a glade nymph of incredible beauty. -2 new maps: One region map for the forest around Quaervarr near Silverymoon and one battle map for The Hydra's Mire.
Auril's curse may be lifted, but something still has Good Mead in its icy grasp Good Mead is thriving again since Auril's curse on Icewind Dale has been lifted. Recently however, the town's secret protector has disappeared, replaced by a monstrous man that seems dead set to destroy the small town. Can you free the townsfolk from the fearsome and icy grip of this new evil? Unbearable Witchcraft includes: An adventure for 4-5 characters of 5th to 7th level set in Icewind Dale. 3 Frigid maps including a ruined keep on an icy river and an old temple dedicated to Auril. All necessary monster stat blocks, 6 all new including the Young Wight Dragon. Unnumbered maps usable in your favorite VTT.
A 20th level one-shot "An ancient white dragon guards a mystical portal. Its power grows and threatens the world with eternal winter. Can the adventurers close the portal and defeat the dragon? Or will they end up just another frozen snack?" Not sure of what to throw at your epic level players? Try this! This 20-page, 4-6 hour adventure is sure to give them a chance to prove their worth. It includes... - An arctic location adaptable for any campaign - Three large battle maps - Action-oriented stat blocks for all monsters - Snow weirds! - ...and other stuff! Perfect as a high-level one-shot or a campaign finale.
A powerful new narcotic is making its way through the Spine of the World. Behind it is a secret that could change everything! Explore a lost city and discover the secrets hidden by the gods themselves. (TW: some drug use and the possibility for players to use drugs)
Phandalin is a great location from which PCs can adventure. The information in this supplement can be used in conjunction with Lost Mine of Phandelver, After Lost Mine, other adventures set in and around Phandalin, or used to add more flavor to any town. This supplement has information specific to the local varieties of the creatures that inhabit the plains and hills in the area of Phandalin and provides new NPCs, backgrounds, feats, organizations, and adventure seeds that DMs can use.
Pursued by wolves and worse, the party must fight a running battle to take refuge at the relative safety of the Bittermoon Inn, a decrepit old inn high in the mountains. But night is falling, can they uncover the secrets of the inn and use them to survive the night? This adventure can be played as a stand alone one-shot, or can be used as a drop-in side quest to almost any campaign. It is suitable for a party of about 5 characters at the First Tier (Levels 1-4). The players must fight a running battle with wolves to reach Bittermoon, then they must discover the secrets of the inn before escaping through a smuggler's tunnel. Finally they must face off against their unseen opponent at Skull Cavern. There are four encounter maps included with this title.
The Party that Split is a standalone adventure set in the peculiar village of Basht. This quiet town keeps having problems that only adventurers can solve. The village's children have gone missing from a birthday party, the only thing that was left behind was a note saying "Your move, Adventurers -- MS." Has the mysterious stranger struck again? Where did the children go, and will you be able to return them? A Four-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 characters, Optimized for APL 3. Seed used: Party Time! Content Warnings: Children in Peril, kidnapping The Party that Split originally debuted at U-Con on November 2021 (http://www.ucon-gaming.org/) The story continues where The Goat Mayor and Straw Bears leave off, a year later. Many of the things that adventurers in past adventurers have done in previous adventures have an affect on this adventure, and the events in this will affect adventures in the future. The village of Basht is a little Grimm's Fairy Tale village that was used for several CCCs and DungeonCrafts U-Con. I hope that your players enjoy the whimsy and dark undercurrents as much as mine have, and I would love it if you share your experiences in Basht with me! I've included VTT-friendly maps and handouts in separate files to help with running your games virtually because we can't let a simple thing like physical distance prevent us from sharing our stories. I also have a printer friendly version included for those that prefer their works to be printed on the flesh of dead trees. Please see other adventures written for U-Con: The Goat Mayor (by me, Daniel Chapman) is the first introduction to Basht and it's peculiar traditions The Straw Bears (by me, Daniel Chapman) takes place just a few tendays later, describing the strange annual tradition of the procession of Straw Bears Blood and Fog (by Alan Patrick) was the first CCC written for U-Con and the first mention of the Blood Lord. Rescue Down Under (by Alex Lown) continues the story of Basht and revisits the friendly tinkerer Yul Khahan. The story will continue in Have You No Heart? If you see any errors or have any suggestions, or just wish to retell the tale of how your group went through the story, feel free to contact the author at: http://hoshisabi.com
The 13th Circle is an epic battle with one of the archfiends of legend, the demon Baphomet. Designed for Tier 3-4 characters (levels 15-17) and set in the Dread Domain of Kachelior, the adventure requires the party to navigate the mysterious and maddening mazes that protect the demon's castle, and battle fiends of all kinds to reach his throne room. But will they discover the truth of his machinations? Word has spread through the small collection of towns within the Grey Shade that a cult of Baphomet has been preparing something for their master within his palace. The players will travel to Baphomet’s palace, and make their way through the massive forest maze that surrounds it. They will find the corpse of one of the previous heroes enshrined near the center which hints towards the true purpose of the cultists. They will then have to infiltrate the dread palace either stealthing or fighting their way through the defenses. They then must make it past Baphomet’s Lieutenant, Aphalos, the Godeater. The characters defeat Aphalos or persuade him to leave his master to his fate. Once they enter the chamber, Baphomet’s plan is made clear. He wishes to create a maze within time, thus trapping this world in the same cycle of pain and doom as before.
A series of unusual heists has both the thieves’ guild and city guard scrambling to uncover the culprits before the burglaries destabilize the thriving trade within the city, threatening the budding kingdom the Kroth Magg have fought and died to forge.
The Night of the Rise is a unique adventure that offers the party an alternative to the "hack & slash" approach. The opportunity for role play is high and it is sure to tap into skills and abilities most of your characters never knew they possessed. Not only does it offer a new experience for your players, but hopefully it has them smiling several times during the night. A request to deal with a bandit captain named Giles Ne'Ville sends the adventuring party on a two-day journey. During this journey, they find an entertaining way to deal with this Giles Ne'Ville. Will they use this opportunity? Or will they take the typical 'hack & slash' approach to dealing with villans? This adventure is written in a non-specific location but is easily insertable into any campaign as a one-shot adventure. I feel that it would work great in Strom King's Thunder as an added traveling encounter.
The hunt for the white hind is the stuff of myth – according to legend, those who can keep up with the mystical stag will discover treasures lost to time. In truth, the heroes in these stories are being tested, but not for anything as simple as stamina. During the hunt heroes face hard fights, questions of morality and opportunities to show their skills.
This uniquely styled adventure involves players starting out with little information about the characters they will play. No characters are prepared in advance. This is a nonstandard method of play. Player characters only know their names, ability scores, race, and background. This adventure was created to give the feeling we got as kids just starting out with D&D. It will be great for new players and seasoned vets alike. Who is in charge? Who is torturing the players? Let the chaos begin…
"I said right from the very beginning: this is going to end badly. But I never imagined it would be this horrible..." — Mydith Ryc, survivor of the High Walls Massacre A wandering prophet comes to a High Walls refugee camp on the outskirts of Sharn. He carries a message that brings people hope but also deepens the rift between communities. His sermons blame the district’s growing troubles on a new type of outsiders: peoples of Droaam. As tensions grow, a sudden ritualistic murder brings the entire community on the edge of collapse. Dive into a dangerous power struggle between Old Man Garin and the hardened captain of the guard, Elara Talsen. Echoes of Salvation is a gripping mini-campaign designed for four to six 5th-level characters, where it is almost impossible to save everyone and the time is always ticking. Features: - Over 25 beautifully grim pages - 10-15 hours of gameplay - Optional rules to keep your players on their toes - Intricate Influence system to weave power currents in the camp. Comes with a convenient tracking sheet — tyranny was never so easy to track - 9 unique monsters with custom rules for crowd fights - Custom maps of High Walls Refugee camp for both exploration and battle CONTENT WARNING Murder, gore and mutilation, manipulation (gaslighting), substance abuse, xenophobia, political violence, police brutality, child endangerment. No AI was harmed (or used) in the process
In the town of Easthaven, a group of adventurers is tasked on a routine mission to resupply an expedition to the Reghed Glacier. But everything is not quite as it seems, and it's not long before the chronographer's misfortunes become apparent.
The people of Northwood’s Rest need help. Winter is coming, and something’s been slaughtering the livestock. Surely it must be the orcs of the Northwood! Heroes are needed to hunt them down. Will you answer the call? Welcome to Hunted! The latest adventure from the critically acclaimed platinum best-selling author Tony Petrecca. Hey, that’s me! I’ll stop with the 3rd person talk now. My last release, Killer Kobolds, was all about unadulterated, non-stop run and gun action, and quite purposefully contained absolutely no moral quandaries. Its theme was simple - Kidnapping Kobolds needed killing… now go! The result was an absolute blast, but with Hunted! I wanted to explore notably different themes. With Hunted! Exploration, investigation, and role play go hand in hand with unexpected twists and turns to present an adventure I’m quite proud of. Worry not, action hounds, as there’s plenty of combat to be had, but with Hunted! mindless murder hobo’s need not apply. Set in the frontier town of Northwood's Rest, a simple thorpe on the edge of a forest, Hunted! lends itself to easy insertion into any campaign setting and would make an excellent side quest for Storm King's Thunder. With direct tie ins to Acererak, Hunted! fits naturally within any Tales of the Yawning Portal campaign. Scaled for a party of 4-6 adventurers of levels 5-7, Hunted! can be easily tweaked to accommodate parties of lesser or greater strength. Featuring gorgeous cartography by Ennie award winner Elven Tower Cartography, beautiful art, a bevy of new creatures, new locations, several potential plot twists and a fun new magic item, Hunted! should provide six to ten hours of outstanding Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition adventuring fun.