It begins as a simple martial arts tournament. Sure, your skills are tested and you might even win a trophy - or learn a lesson or two. But it's still just a tournament.... Until someone starts playing for keeps. When a traitor to the empire is revealed, His Excellency calls loyal and heroic citizens to follow the trail of deception. The scale of the treachery is grand - it seems that an entire army has turned its back on its rightful liege! The trail leads through trackless (or seemingly trackless) mountains, into peaceful (or seemingly peaceful) valleys. The emperor has promised great rewards to heroes who can solve his mystery, but as the journey progresses the heroes find their own reasons for continuing. As a sinister suspicion grow in the minds, the adventure reaches its climax in the ruins of an ancient civilization. Finally, our heroes are faced with an ultimate choice - between success and failure, loyalty and betrayal, even good and evil. On their choice rests the future of nations. TSR 9257
The end of the road. A lonely fort stands on the banks of a mighty river. It is here the hardy bands of adventurers gather to plan their conquests of The Hill, the hulking mass that looms over this tiny settlement. The Hill is filled with monsters, they say, and an evil witch makes her home there. Still, no visitor to The Hill has ever returned to prove the rumors are true or false. The thrill of discovery is too great to pass up, and only the river stands in the way. The adventurer's boat is waiting! This module is designed for use with the D&D Basic Rules. A trip through the wilderness begins a unique challenge for the novice player and Dungeon Master. TSR 9078
The nightbound realm of Sithicus is dying! The grey forested crags scarred by jagged rifts echo with the laments of the dying elven nation. But the lord of the land sits uncaring on his blackened throne in the charred castle of Negragaard, lost in ancient memories. Through his passion and hatred the nightmare haunted death knight, Lord Soth, permitted catastrophe to befall his native world of Krynn. Now trapped in the Realm of Terror, Soth has once more brough calamity to his home. Abandoning rule of his twisted realm of Sithicus, Lord Soth has retreated to a still more distorted domain: the mad fantasies of his own history. To save the land and themselves, the heroes must venture into banshee-haunted Nedragaard Keep, and there into the warped mindscapes of a tormented darklord. TSR 9476
Every Berk in Sigil Struggles to keep his savage sid at bay. But now the bars of the cage are breaking down. . . . Don't go to sleep, cutter-that's where the shadows slink, gnawing at the frail cord of sanity. The dream-touched sods of Sigil are snapping one by one, turning on each other like wildcats in the streets. And as people become animals, animals become monsters, rending friend and foe alike with fang and claw. The lawful factions have enough trouble dealing with a rash of breakouts form the Prison. But when the shackles of society fall away, it's all a body can do to keep the beast within form bursting free?and running wild. Something Wild is a Planescape adventure for four to six characters of 4th to 7th levels. When Sigil falls prey to disturbing nightmares and outbreaks of violent fury, the heroes must follow bloody trails to the treacherous peaks of Careeri and the savage jungles of the Beastlands. An ancient terror threatens the planes anew, and only the player characters can stop it from feasting on the flesh of the multiverse. The Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set is required to run this adventure. The Planes of Conflict Campaign Expansion boxed set, the Planescape Monstrous Compedium Appendix, and In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil are recommended as well. Product History "Something Wild" (1996), by Ray Vallese, is the sixth standalone adventure for Planescape. It was published in March 1996. Continuing the Planescape Series. If 1994 was the year of Planescape adventures, and 1995 was the year of Planescape settings, then 1996 had a new focus: novels. The year led off with the first Planescape novel, Blood Hostages (1996), which also led off the setting's increased emphasis on the Blood War. Meanwhile, it took until March for a new RPG book to appear. "Something Wild" was the first of just two adventures published during the year. It continued the trend of 64 page adventure books, but was the first Planescape adventure that didn't have a GM Screen. Adventure Tropes. As with many Planescape adventures, "Something Wild" starts out in Sigil and then travels off into other planes. Like most adventures of the '90s, it's also heavily plotted, with individual scenes moving the storyline along. Though the adventure includes sections set in the wilderness and in a town, they're not explorations, they're segments of a story. There is a traditional dungeon crawl of a gehreleth lair toward the middle of the adventure, but that's it for older-school fare. The most interesting aspect of the adventure is probably its inclusion of a "dreamscape" that players travel through. Though adventures of this type date back to at least DL10: "Dragons of Dreams" (1985), the idea was little used in D&D adventures. Still, it was gaining some traction in the mid '90s thanks to the Ravenloft setting, and especially thanks to the Nightmare Lands (1995) supplement, which includes rules for dreamscape adventures. Expanding the Outer Planes. "Something Wild" travels to the Beastlands and Carceri, both of which had recently been detailed in Planes of Conflict (1995; it includes some new details on each. The expansion of the Beastlands is the most important, because much of the adventure is centered on that plane and the goals of its denizens. Signpost, which lies on the border between the plane's top two layers, is also detailed. Finally, the Cat Lord gets a spotlight; he's a strange being dating back to Monster Manual II (1983) that had never received much attention previously, except in Gary Gygax's Dance of Demons (1988) novel. The information on Carceri is not as generally useful because it details a very specific, primordial prison for a bestial god named Malar. Nonetheless, "Something Wild" makes good use on the plane by focusing on the demodands (gehreleths), a fiendish race dwelling on Carceri that has never gotten much attention. "Something Wild" was also the adventure that really started to push the Blood War forward. For the first two years of Planescape's existence, this fiendish war was a background element, but in the novels and supplements of 1996 it turned into a true metaplot. That ball starts rolling here with several hints that "a particularly nasty stage of the Blood War" lies just ahead. About the Creators. TSR Editor Vallese had done considerable development work on "Fires of Dis" (1995) the previous year, and was now given his own adventure to write. He'd continue on with a few more Planescape products in the next few years, concluding with the Torment (1999) novel. About the Product Historian This history of this product was researched and written by Shannon Appelcline, the author of Designers & Dragons - a history of the roleplaying industry told one company at a time. Please feel free to mail corrections, comments, and additions to [email protected].
Ravening armies sweep across the land! Vast hordes of foul monsters lay siege to mighty cities! Tremendous battles are fought to decide the fate of entire lands - and you are in command! Swords of the Iron Legion is an anthology of adventures set in the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign setting for large-scale battle using the BATTLESYSTEM rules for mass combat. The adventures, written by a group of talented designers, range from simple skirmishes to all-out wars! Flying creatures, war machines, fortifications, and plenty of other twists ensure that each scenario is more than a simple bash-'em-up. Some adventures also include role-playing oppurtunities for characters, who get a chance to perform individual heroics to lead their armies to victory! These adventures are suitable for one-time play, or they can be inserted with ease into an existing campaign. Complete descriptions of the armies, special characters, terrain, and other interesting features to guarantee you hours of fun on a grand scale are included in each adventure. TSR 9226
The door to the Abyss can be opened with good intentions. An act of mercy released a creature of unspeakable evil. Now, only you have a chance to stop it. A vrock has been trapped inside a stone circle outside the village of Sundown. This stone circle remained untouched for thousands of years, until an unwitting mage decided to depetrify one of the standing stones that he mistakenly thought was a helpless farmer. This released the vrock, who killed the mage and has been trying to regain enough power to plane shift back to its home. This module primarily is based on investigation and problem solving, with a final fight with the vrock at the end. Roleplaying should be emphasized. The town of Sundown is fleshed out with NPCs and stores for player exploration. Pgs. 4-16
The village of Wistil is known for only two things: amiable halflings and tasty red apples. Someone has spoiled this year's crops and the halflings are scrambling to figure out how to respond. A band of stout folk set out from the town searching for answers; but, they have gone missing. The heroes are called in to investigate. Includes a random encounter sidebar, an overland map, and a map of the hill giant's hovel.
One bad apple. The brownies would have been fine, except for the addition of one unexpected ingredient. This is a starting adventure for one druid. They set off on a wacky adventure with teh help of their driud master. Pgs. 22-31
Revolt of the Gladiators! The corrupt Thyatian senator, Helenites Osteropolus, his latest scheme smashed by the adventurers and their gladiator allies, hatches a new plot to destroy the influence of the Order of the Sands (even, perhaps, to attack the Emperor himself!) Yet greater dangers lie ahead. If his plot succeeds, it will remove the guardians that protect the city from the creatures that lurk in the caverns and catacombs below. Can the players block his gambit? Will the wheel of justice grind small, or will the greasy palm of political corruption reach out and save the senator once again? You decide, in the chaotic swirl of the Thyatian capital's politics. This module is designed especially for the DM who wants to sharpen his interactive skills. Recommended for four to six characters, levels 3-4 Includes map of a realistic catacomb complex below Thyatis City Unique role playing climax tests players' integrity and skill New information on the military Legions of Thyatis This module is a stand-alone sequel to DDA1 Arena of Thyatis. TSR 9296
"Terror by night! The village of Orlane is dying. Once a small and thriving community, Orlane has become a maze of locked doors and frightened faces. Strangers are shunned, trade has withered. Rumors flourish, growing wilder with each retelling. Terrified peasants flee their homes, abandoning their farms with no explanation. Others simply disappear. . . No one seems to know the cause of the decay -- why are there no clues? Who skulks through the twisted shadows of the night? Who or what is behind the doom that has overtaken the village? It will take a brave and skillful band of adventurers to solve the dark riddle of Orlane!" TSR 9063
"Tyr is free! Tyr is free!" Such is the heady cry that echoes from the darkest warrens to the gleaming chambers of the Council in that ancient city. Now is your chance to savor life released from the oppressive gloom of the sorcerer-kings-but for how long? New forces threaten the newly-born independence of Tyr, as outside forces march upon the city. King Tithian is determined to resist, but there are others on the Council of Advisors less eager to risk their wealth and lives for the cause of independence. It falls upon you to help mobilize and lead the citizen-army of Tyr on the road to Urik. In Road to Urik, the city-State of Tyr has thrown off the yoke of the sorcerer-king Kalak and declared all slaves free, but the neighboring city-state of Urik is amassing its own armies to conquer Tyr. In the first part of the adventure, the PCs must negotiate with various factions of the city in order to win their support for the war effort. In the second part the PCs leading a scouting force ahead of the main army, and the choices and successes in the first part will affect the troops they lead here. Finally, they will need to fight and lure away the Urik army's own scouting force, letting the army of Tyr ambush them. The second and third part make heavy use of the Battlesystem rules, which were pushed pretty heavily in the early Dark Sun books. Like many Dark Sun adventures, the module makes heavy use of handouts that come in a flip-book along with the main adventure. This adventure is a sequel to Freedom. It stands on its own, but the plot of the adventure is based on the events of Freedom and the novel the Verdant Passage, so you can't really run them in reverse order. Much like Freedom took place concurrently with The Verdant Passage, Road to Urik takes place just before the events of The Crimson Legion, the second novel in the Prism Pentad. TSR 2406
Expect a surprise when you open a magic jar. The evil wizard had a fail-safe plan for survival. It worked perfectly - almost... Pgs. 58-71
"The southlands of Eor are being despoiled. Merchants will no longer run their caravans on the main highway past the quiet village of Waycombe. The peasants are fleeing their lands, and all are demanding protection from the powerful Count of Eor. The goodly count has sent a troop of his trusted fighters to exterminate the brigands believed responsible for these outrages, but weeks have passed, and still there is no word from this force. Now John Brunis, Count of Eor, has turned to you for aid. After taking counsel with the High Priest of Eor, he believes that a small party of cunning, bold adventurers may succeed where armed might has failed. You find yourselves faced with many mysteries! Why has robbery suddenly erupted in the peaceful southlands? How could mere brigands be as powerful as the foes described to you by their numerous victims? Is this really mere robbery? Or is there some truth to the rumors, told only in hushed whispers, about the beginnings of a hideous plot being hatched by an ancient, vile, and evil foe of all mankind?" Eor is beset by marauders and lizardmen of a boldness not seen in years. Hired by the Count of Eor, the party is tasked with tracing the source of these foes and eliminating them for the safety of the realm. After a set piece combat in Count Brunis's castle, the party must trek across Eor's wilderness, eventually coming to the Great Southern Swamp beyond the village of Waycombe. With further exploration they can locate the Ancient Temple which serves as the tomb and stronghold of Sakathas, the vampiric LIZARD KING! TSR 9055
Everybody's a fool for a lost kid. He wanted power but settled for scraps - for now. The outcast wizard Lertol has adopted two leucrotta, and their team is ambushing passing travelers and robbing them with no-one the wiser. The players first fall into this trap when the leucrottas mimic a lost child and a search party in the middle of a night at camp. If the players leave to investigate the voices, the wizard loots the camp while they are gone. The players can then follow the wizard back to his lair and get their treasure back. Pgs. 48-49 & 28
The strangest things wash up on the beach sometimes. The inhabitants of the Acitoff coastline are accustomed to storms, but last week the largest hurricane ever recorded swiftly struck a 60-mile stretch of coastline. The first day after the hurricane, mysterious bodies started floating to surface. They bore the symbol of the feared pirate, Jaggertooth Grin! Now it is up to the adventurers to locate the pirate ship and claim the treasure. The adventurers will have to fight the creatures of the deep in this primarily underwater adventure. Pgs. 3-14
THRESHOLD! The northernmost town in the Duchy - and your last stop before your adventures begin. Threshold, the gateway to mysterious castles, lost temples, deadly caves and caverns. You have heard the stories and legends, now you wish to see for yourself. This product provides a complete campaign adventure that will take beginning characters from 1st all the way to 3rd level and possibly beyond, drawn from the first nine modules of the B-series adventures. See individual adventure entries for Boss, Common Monster and Items lists. TSR 9190
While visiting the small village of Carthington Cross, the PCs hear a tale about a wizard who unleashed an owlbear on Carthington Cross and its unsuspecting community. After a night of stories and gossip in the local inn, the heroes are approached in the morning by this same notorious wizard who needs their help. Includes an overland map and a map of Quelkin's manor.
A very big problem from a very small source. Pay the toll or feed the troll' seems pretty obvious. Too bad that it isn't. A tricky gnome has used illusions to fleece anyone crossing a bridge, posing as a fearsome troll. To direct more traffic across his bridge, he has also set fire to the Great Bridge downstream. The players find the Great Bridge burned and follow this detour. At the bridge, the players will fight with the illusory troll. After a few rounds, it flees back to the gnome's lair under the bridge, and the players will need to deal with a combination of the gnome and his traps if they investigate. Pgs. 22,23 & 69
Unknown to even the mightiest of the great sorcerer-kings, a fire is stirring deep beneath the barren soil of Athas. Sheltered by the titanic bulk of the Black Spine Mountains, a terrible force has ripped open the very fabric of time and space. Now a shimmering portal stands open and a long-forgotten enemy assembles its sinister forces to invade the kingdoms under the dark sun. The only thing that stands in the way of this terrible fate is a band of heroes. Assembled from the four corners of this tortured world and bound together by the tangled cords of fate, they must face an enemy the likes of which they have never seen before. The odds are against them, but they dare not fail. The fate of the world is in their hands. The previous flip-book modules (Black Flames, Merchant House of Amketch, and Marauders of Nibenay) precede this adventure, but they are not necessary to enjoy Black Spine. Contains 3 - 96 page adventure books and 2 fold-out maps TSR 2428
From the magazine: "'That's right," said the druid. "You must steal the giant's cauldron - without harming him in the slightest.'" The adventurers are sent on a mission to reclaim the legendary Cauldron of Plenty for a celtic inspired kingdom. This magic item is kept by an intelligent Verbeeg called the Bolg Mor. A secondary goal is to discover the command words for the cauldron in the cave system. There is a curse on the cauldron, stating that violence breeds violence; he who slays the owner of the cauldron and steals the device will also fall prey to acts of violence. Players are encouraged to attempt to roleplay and negotiate with the villain to gain the cauldron.