Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and behold the greatest circus in the land! Behold the skilled mummers performing at The Stage; you’ll literally feel like you’re part of the play! Thrill to the death-defying acts (and audience) in the two rings under the Big Top! Laugh at the antics of the baleful buffoons, harmful harlequins, and malevolent merrymakers of Clown Alley! Gaze in wonder at the wild beasts of the Menagerie, (just make sure you know which side of the bars you’re on)! All this and more, for the small price of a single admission, to Bitterbark’s Magnificent Circus! The circus is in town! But there’s something not quite right about it. There are rumors of missing children, evil plots, and more. Can you discover the secrets hidden inside Bitterbark’s Magnificent Circus? Intended as a stand-alone adventure, but there are notes on how to include it as part of the Castle of the Mad Archmage mega-dungeon adventure. Published by BRW Games
The Doom Desert in the Decanter of Delirium is an exotic OSR romp through a mysterious world of riddles, puzzles, inscrutable denizens. 5e compatible, this love letter to psychedelia is as vivid and beautiful as exciting and surreal. Get wrapped up in conversation with the dead drunks at the last saloon on earth, solve the sphinx riddle and discover the secrets of the Ziggurat, or break bread and wine with whispering harpies or the sun itself. This compelling narrative is written by Austin Holm and captures the exploration, social, and challenge pillars of a great game with the deft prose of a poet. With art by Maya Bee that captures the essence of the adventures many stunning scenes and characters. Your players will thank you for this one.
Picking up where Chapter 33: Adventures in the Ptolus book leaves off, the adventures in The Night of Dissolution cover an arc that pits player characters against the darkest foes the city of Ptolus has ever faced. Following the threads of a hidden conspiracy, the characters find themselves up against insane cultists, wild chaos magic, and horrors from the primordial days of the world. This adventure book is laced with urban intrigue, high action, and even some dungeon exploration. Some highlights include: A description of Pythoness House, a haunted oracle/brothel that hides a trove of weapons vital in the fight against the Cults of Chaos. A huge secret temple of chaos where insidious fanatics worship the dreaded Galchutt. Details of a city-wide network of covert spies and agents that extends even into the highest echelons of Ptolus’ elite society. These adventures culminate in the player characters’ attempt to stave off the Night of Dissolution, a dark time long foretold when the slumbering Galchutt will awaken in their hidden lairs deep below the city—and bring catastrophe and woe to the world. Published by Malhavoc Press
For the most part, the town of Ockney’s Hold has always been a peaceful place—bordering on boring. The most interesting things going on in this frontier mining settlement include the annual livestock fair, the cost of spirits at its various inns, and speculation fueled by those same spirits as to what foul things are being dumped into the river by the ore refinery. Recently, however, the usually placid Baron Reinson has begun to act erratically, ignoring most of his counselors, giving more responsibility to his equally erratic chamberlain, and replacing key figures in Ockney’s Hold with outsiders. With no clear answers as to what might be behind the baron’s strange behavior, his last loyal counselor seeks out a band of adventurers to help. Will these brave heroes be able to get to the bottom of a widening conspiracy? And can they expose the terrible and unseen forces manipulating the baron in time to save Ockney’s Hold? Published by Gamehole Publishing.
The Saint's Tomb is a single-player gamebook-style adventure that is playable in your browser. You make a 1st level character sheet, roll your own dice (though 2 of each are supplied in-browser), keep up with your inventory, spells, and HP, and click on options as you make decisions. It was written to help new players learn the game, but it should be fun for experienced players too. In the game, you'll investigate a mysterious figure who has a suspicious interest in the tomb of a dead priest. You'll battle the undead, figure out problems and roll the dice to save your city! The Saint's Tomb is free, though you can leave a tip if you're able by clicking "Support this Game". A Spanish translation is available as "La Cripta Sagrada"
South of the famed city of Caster’s Crossing lies a jungle rife with dreadful perils and savage predators, known by the locals as Erset La Tari. Adventurers crave the bountiful treasures and powerful artifacts of angelic devise said to be lost in the depths of this treacherous place, and many have lost their lives trying to uncover them. Driven by the abusive schemes of Warmage Czercic, whose cruelty is checked only by his avarice, a band of unfortunate commoners is now forced to best the horrors lurking in this dark place. Will they survive and perhaps unearth the prodigious power said to be hidden in the depths of Erset La Tari? Sword in the Jungle Deep is an introductory adventure for a party of level 0 characters, meant to challenge both new and experienced players. This stand-alone adventure can also be used to start or augment your own homebrew campaign. Published by The Keep Studios
The Siege of Castle Rend is an adventure for the fifth edition of the world’s first roleplaying game, suitable for five 5th-level characters. It takes place over four parts, and each part can be completed in one or two sessions of play, depending on your group’s playstyle and how long you like to play in a single sitting. If all goes according to plan over the course of this adventure, the player characters will expose an usurping lord, fight orcs, acquire a stronghold, defend it from an invading army, win the admiration of a town filled with potential vassals, and make political connections within the Barony of Bedegar. Of course, no adventure goes according to plan. The PCs will invariably throw these well-laid schemes into chaos, and they’ll have to improvise. But if we know how things would have gone if the PCs never showed up (or are cowards), it makes it easier for us GMs to improvise when things go off the rails. Published by MCDM
An ancient secret is discovered in an overrun border town, long ago forgotten by the elves of the east. It is a magical key—so obscure that history does not remember its form or even what it unlocks. But an unseen evil searches tirelessly, even as the lost knowledge finds its way into the most unlikely hands. The adventure contained within these pages will take a group of heroes from city to ruins, from wasteland to dungeon, and from despair to hope. It presents new creatures, spells and magic items. Published by Sovereign Press.
The company discovers the Easterly Inn, a piece of the Shire in the land of the Beornings. But the Wild is still the Wild, and it takes more than Hobbit cooking to keep adventures at bay; in no time, the companions find themselves involved in the search for a missing trade caravan. Their quest will put them on the road to the High Pass, and see them go over hills and under hills. Published by Cubicle7
A level 2–3 sewer adventure by Glynn Seal. PCs plumb fetid sewers and recently-revealed secret halls, in search of a lost worker. In these forsaken chambers, they may find answers and treasures, but may also come face-to-face with a bloated monstrosity and its depraved followers. For Old-School Essentials (OSE) Included as one of four adventures in "Old-School Essentials Adventure Anthology 1"
The quiet village of Greenfork is in a state of uproar, scarred twisted looking goblins raided the village during the night and kidnapped the miller’s daughter. The Mayor has put out a call for adventurers to bring the girl back safely and end the goblins threat once and for all. This adventure starts just outside the village of Greenfork and thrusts players straight into the action. This book contains a full length tabletop roleplaying fantasy adventure: Advancing players from one to three. Sixteen monsters and characters. New Games Masters advice and guides. A fantastic first adventure for new players, but more importantly this adventure was designed with first time Games Masters in mind, giving you as many tools as possible to help run the game. Published by Blue Sword Games
Heroes are needed in the mountainside town of Shibai—though thought to be spared from the horrors of the demonic Mists of Akuma, recently the supernatural haze has started to fall onto the settlement and a monster lurks through the evil fog. Despite the presence of the infamous Mubo Brothers, hired by the local mayor, a Sukochi bengoshi calls upon the party to get to the bottom of what ails Shibai. The truth of the matter lay within Robai Shita Temple, though what the adventurers find inside may see them undone!
A vibrant circus has just arrived, setting up on the edge of town. Run by the charismatic half-elf ringmaster, Marlow, the performers bring with them dazzling displays of magic and talent, artifacts with incredible powers to behold, and strange creatures most people would never get the chance to see close up. Behind all of the joy and revelry, the circus holds a dark secret, for Marlow keeps tyrannical control over his performers with both whip and word. As this latest performance reaches its height, two acrobats decide to take their chance at freedom, making use of a distraction to steal something valuable from Marlow and make their escape. Marlow will do anything to get the two back under his power, and so turns his significant charms upon a hapless band of adventurers attending his circus.
A city of burgeoning technology beset upon by intrigue and insurrection, Samon has been a thorn in Emperor Hitoshi's side since suffering in the rebellion against the Kengen Occupation, its wounds still fresh on the minds of its citizens. It is not beneath the notice of Hakaisuru Bengoshi however, and the adventurers are ordered by one such official to make certain that the Tazuki Rail company's doings are not curtailed by its increasingly aggressive laborers and their shadowy union, the Fangs. Little do they know that the bite of the fangs carries a far deadlier poison than any worker's ire! What you’ll find in Mists of Akuma: Fangs of Revenge: A complex cast of 20 NPCs beautifully illustrated by Nathanael Batchelor interwoven in an impressive tale of deceit, false trails, intrigue, and lethal adversaries The city of Samon, a settlement in the northern prefecture of Hakaisuru and home to Soburin’s most prosperous railroad company Four maps by cartographer Mike Myler: an isometric view of Samon, an isometric map of the Tazuki Rail Offices, a combat map of the Chujiang Gardens, and a combat map of the Tazuki Rail Basement The dangerous Mists of Akuma and the new misted condition The hengeyokai race and kitsune, nezumi, usagi, and (new!) hebi (snake) subraces The adeddo-oni and true hebi templates as well as a coterie of statblocks: adeddo-oni hunchling, adeddo-oni mage, adeddo-oni ninja, adeddo-oni samurai, factory worker, nuwa the brute (a true hebi), wajdet the charlatan (a true hebi), the many-faceted hengeyokai ninja, and the hebikontorora snake woman
Everyone in the city eagerly anticipates The Arena's opening at the end of every month. This month, an unexpected change to the lineup just days before is rife with rumours! The most feared and respected gladiator in history, Imhullu, the Dragon of Marduk, has issued a challenge to an unknown rival—a fight to the death on charges of heresy. Rumours of insults and slander are spreading throughout the Great Market, though the truth remains inscrutable. The crowds gathered outside The Arena are beyond belief; people must have come from every dimension. Gaining entrance to The Arena is going to be next to impossible. Also, you don't have a ticket! Fortunately for you, you haven't spent your youth in a particularly productive manner! Centred around a gigantic arena full of gladiators, your adventurers must brave the depths of The Pits evading and fighting strange, horrifying creatures, in order to gain entrance. Once inside, they must hold strong against social and political pressures in the hopes of finding a seat in time to watch the main event! But have they gotten themselves caught up in secrets best left alone? There’s only one way to find out!
Dreams of the sleeping wizard seep into reality. Manifest familiars war over the fate of a remote islet. An infinite garden houses an escaped experiment. The god of purity is fooled for his blessings. Into the nightmare we go. 16 pages contain 3000+ words describing 10+ keyed areas to explore (complete the wandering monsters table), 10+ friends and foes to talk to, 10 magic items to use, and thousands of gold worth of treasure to plunder. The adventure is designed for B/X, or like-systems. It is suitable for 4 to 6 characters of levels 1 to 3. It is heavily inspired by the dungeon synth album The Sleeping Wizard by Umbría, which may serve as a soundtrack.
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.
Delve into ancient ruins of civilizations past in this one-session adventure for 4th level heroes of the world's greatest roleplaying game! The Corwyn Catacombs is a one-shot adventure that sees characters delve into ancient ruins of a precursor civilization to rescue citizens of Corwyn and keep the village safe from harm! Will the heroes succeed in vanquishing the evils that lurk within? Or will they meet a grisly end, to rise again as servants of the undying Chiran Empire? Published by Animancer
"For the past sixty-seven years Wheatwinter Farm, a small farm outside the village of Longbranch, has produced an essential survival tool for the town — a unique strain of wheat that can survive the harsh winters of the region. However, for the past few weeks something has been terrorizing the livestock at Wheatwinter and the surrounding farms. Markus Wheatwinter has defended his farm from goblins time and time again, but this time something is different and he has put out a call for aid." When ankhegs assault Wheatwinter farm, the party is called upon to exterminate them and rescue the farmer in this adventure loosely inspired by Starship Troopers. Published by Green Feather Games
The mountainous lands of the Last Kingdom have long been home to dangerous oni and their foul servitors and kin, but the unification of the Saigoto under the enlightened rulership of the Five Truths has sent them scurrying back into darkness. For years since, they have kept the land shielded from harm. Yet even the great soldiers garrisoned across the Kingdom’s shores and roads cannot stop dissent from boiling up in the shadows. Not everyone embraces the edicts of the land—and while patient teachers, even the Five Truths have their limits. As growing numbers of lastfolk begin to question the traditions of the Last Kingdom, forces far more sinister, preying on the curiosities of mortals, have begun to emerge into the light... Can the PCs discover and end a treacherous plot that threatens to destroy the relative peace of the Last Kingdom?