The night air is chilly, but the crackling fire you've started warms your bones comfortably. Crickets chirp, and you smile up at the stars, glad for the quiet evening. There is a loud roar, and you are blinded momentarily as the campfire suddenly surges up into the air. The flames split down the middle, revealing an abyss that leeches the warmth from your soul. Out of this hellish place stumbles a black-cloaked figure clutching a scythe. Quickly, you reach for your weapons. The strange apparition staggers for a moment. Then, gathering its strength, it pulls back the hood on its cloak. Beneath is a bleached skull with stars for eyes. "I am Azrael, Lord of the Undead," it hisses. "Or rather, I will be Azrael, after time itself has died." Even as Azrael speaks, decay begins to eat away at its body, and the god shudders. Holding one arm up to watch as tiny fissures form in its bones, the deity sighs, "Ah, sweet Entropy, come to claim me at last." It's gaze sweeps back to you. "But no, not just yet. First, I must set events in motion." Weakness begins to overcome Azrael, and it sinks to one knee. "Long ago, I became the most powerful of all the gods, in spite of my enemies' efforts to stop me. Delirious with power, I destroyed the other gods and eventually fell to feasting upon the souls of their worshipers. After devouring every living creature, I consume the planets and, eventually, the stars themselves, until I was left alone, in darkness." The god struggles to finish its message as its bones turn to dust and blow away, "Unexpectedly, I felt remorse for what I had done. I grieved for the universe I had destroyed, but I lack the power to recreate it. So, I have come to you, to beg you to do what I cannot." Azrael reaches into its cloak and produces a leather sack. "Take these items and use them." As Azrael dissolves, it gasps out, "Kill me tonight, or tomorrow will never dawn." All that remains is a pile of dust and a leather bag.

When a volcano appears out of thin air, the ensuing eruption is a cataclysm unseen in this age. A group of legendary heroes will need to get to the heart of what's causing the volcano Iskh to break into the Material Plane, and in doing so, defeat an evil so ancient and powerful that the fabric of reality trembles at her wrath... Fires of Iskh is an adventure for four or five 20th-level characters. It includes: -Six new monsters! -A planar incursion from the Elemental Plane of Fire! -A super volcano full ancient secrets! -An epic battle with an ancient red dragon! -A carefully crafted format to make running the adventure easy and customizable. -Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure. -High-quality digital maps for use with virtual table tops.

The lord of a local realm is having his council members systematically killed or cast out for treason with little to no evidence to support the claims. This has been occurring for some time and a local shaman by the name of Borjah thinks he knows the cause. In his visions, he has seen a strange spirit shifting the shadows, a puppet master using the lord as its personal servant by warping his mind. This entity is slowly gaining power in the city and increasing its dominance over Lord Kestyl. Borjah attempted to warn the council of this corruption, but all those he informed ended up dead a few days later, so now he is taking matters into his own hands . . . with a bit of help from some willing adventurers of course. Borjah has a few strands of Lord Kestyl's hair, enough to create a strange potion for the party to consume. A potion that will link their minds to that of the lord and be able to fight back against the corruption that has taken hold. All they need to do is wait until his mind is at its most vulnerable . . . when he is asleep. Then, and only then, they can plunge into the mind of this once nobleman and drive back the forces of darkness that threaten to destabilize the entire political landscape of the area. The potion is powerful. Dying while in this dream state cause such severe mental trauma that it usually results in the death of that individual in the real world, so the party will need to be careful. The rules of the normal world don't necessarily apply in the realm of dreams, and as they close in on the entity things are sure to grow more and more chaotic and illogical. Find out if your players have what it takes to fight back against an invisible evil using nothing but their strength of will!

Hunt a terrifying predator in this adventure for 2nd-level characters set in the world’s greatest roleplaying game! A frightened tabaxi bursts into your tavern with his blood-soaked daughter, begging for aid. A ferocious beast known as the stalker injured her in a harrowing attack. What’s more, the injured girl was not alone when the stalker attacked, and she fears the beast has taken her beloved to be its dinner. The old tabaxi begs the party to enter the forest and eliminate the stalker. This second-level adventure is perfect for new DMs and players alike. Enter the dark Airedale forest, hunt the stalker, and save Edge of the World, or bring back his body. Included in this adventure: A quest to rid a forest of a terrifying predator. Ambushes, exploration, and intense last stands. Cold and dark forests dripping in cobwebs. 4 random encounters to help you extend the adventure as needed. Approx. 4 hours of fun. A gripping adventure for 2nd-level players. Visit the dark forest of Airedale!

This tower is said to be as old as time itself. It is also said to be sentient, ready to challenge any group that passes through its doors to determine if they are worthy. While brute strength is enough for some floors, others require a bit more elegance and cleverness, so a diversity is as much a strength as anything else. The spiraling top of this tower looms high in the sky, waiting for the right group of adventurers to climb to the top and claim victory. This dungeons contains alternating floors of combat challenges and puzzle challenges, so if your players are fans of such challenged then this is the dungeon for you! Note: This dungeons uses lots of puzzles included in the book. The monsters will have to be adjusted according to the party's levels.

Chip off the old block. The dwarves of Underduin and Thunderdelve have made some new friends … and enemies. A stronghold of dwarfs has been takin hostage and its up to the part to save them and return the stronghold to its former glory. XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain may act as a prequel. Pgs. 8-31

Some ports are more dangerous than the storm. It's alive, it's hungry, it's growing. And you're on the menu. Alone, out in the wilds with a savage winter storm bearing down on you, you need shelter to survive. You stumble through the trees and smell wood-smoke. Ahead you spot the small fortified trading outpost known as Jacob's well. You're not the only traveller to find themselves stranded here in the teeth of the storm. The only problem, someone has bought something with them, it's alive, it's growing, it's voracious and you are all on the menu. Think Aliens and The Thing and you're on the right track. Has potential to be scaled to suit a group of adventurers. Pgs. 8-23

Prison of the Hated Pretender is an introductory adventure for 4-6 characters levels 0-1. Originally published on the Dungeon of Signs blog, it is a short drop-in location-based adventure with a couple of interesting puzzles, a lack of "book" monsters, implacable foes with an obvious weakness, and a very weird roleplaying opportunity. The new 2020 edition republished by Hydra Collective adds suggested guidance for new Dungeonmasters who grew up with 5th edition and don't know how old-school works. Stats for both BECMI and 5th edition, and setting neutral (though there are some implied things about the history of the world).

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.

Just when you thought it was safe to take a long rest. She's Back! The terrifying SEQUEL to the PLATINUM bestselling, and Dragon+ Magazine featured horror adventure: The Haunt. The Haunt 2 is both a one-shot, and a sequel that can be run as either. Long, long ago St. Greycastle’s Hospital served the city through the years, mainly treating the wounded and sick among the militia. Over time, the lower basement was converted into a sanatorium, housing those who became maddened from enduring the violent, brutal orcs raids which plagued the region during that time. This was the place where Gertrude, the night hag, tormented patients, and created her masterpiece, the Evil Doll. Now, after all of these years, Montarthas Manor has finally fallen, and the Evil Doll has been wounded. She has returned to the only familiar and safe place she remembers, to lick her wounds and plot her next move. Her presence in the hospital awakens the evil inside, creating a nightmarish charnel house of terror. In addition, the hospital itself feeds on fear. Do your players have what it takes to enter the haunted and evil hospital, to finally end the haunt and terror of the Evil Doll?! Published by P.B. Publishing.

Tyger, tyger... A search for a small child in the woods outside of the town of Launise, a case of mistaken intentions, and the despoiled ruins of a forgotten goddess of magic. Cursed is the beast that stalks the Black Forest in... Orange and Black! Pgs. 66-71

From the magazine: "Before you know it, you've walked right into someone else's adventure." A villainous warden (after being banished to the Abyss in a duel) returns to the trading post of Strathern Point with a cadre of demonic soldiers. The players find this trading post abandoned save for several Abyssal hordlings. After clearing the hordlings, the warden reappears in the form of a bodak, and is set on vengeance upon the person who sent him to the Abyss.

An unceasing rain has settled over the hamlet of Holmford and with it a darkness has fallen. Minister Scrim is dead, livestock and crops wither and rot and now a child is missing. Whispers of an old hate returning feed fear and paranoia. All the while the Hornwood looms hiding it’s vile secret. Light must return to Holmford before history repeats and more innocents perish.

A vast, sprawling mega-dungeon beneath the ruins of a nearby castle. Reports have surfaced of stockpiles of wealth within the passages. Regions previously devoid of monsters are reported to teem with renewed activity. Magical and mundane traps have brought foolhardy explorers to their doom. Changes within the passages and chambers have rendered old maps and knowledge dangerously unreliable if not outright useless. To the bold and daring, only one message needs to be heard: the castle and its dungeons are once more ripe for exploration, and new legends are ready to be made. Note: This adventure requires three books for it to be complete (sold as a package): Adventure Book, Map Book, and Illustration Book. Published by BRW Games

Ever wanted to face the cold, dark, and dangerous unknown without the advantages of a fantasy hero? This is your chance! Fifth Edition Funnel puts a spin on character creation. In the Funnel, each participating player quickly generates several 0-level characters blessed with the abilities and low survivability of your average commoner. Those that survive will be promoted to 1st-level heroines and heroes. The Funnel bonds characters over common challenges they meet and (hopefully) overcome. The surviving 1st-level characters share a common origin as adventurers. Instead of merely rolling dice, there is a trial by fire where average people succeed against the odds to do something heroic (or hide under a table in a tavern).

This horror mystery adventure scenario takes the players to a small village just behind the fog. In a last month, three people went missing from Dormay village and they still haven't been found. The concerned villagers want the players to find the missing folk or at least shed some light on their disappearance. Through investigative work the players will discover that the village has a 100 year old secret, a secret which punishes the wicked. While the villain died over a century ago, he left behind a dreadful design that torments the people to this day. Players' heart and soul will be put to the test as they are ultimately faced with the creature born of sin. Penance for Sin features a short horror mystery adventure scenario. It introduces a new fiendish monster. The adventure favors invastigation and roleplay over combat encounters. "The horror element" section in the adventure gives advice how to make your gaming sessions more frightening.

A 1st-level dungeon crawl heavy on exploration, factions, and sorcerous wonder for Shadowdark RPG! Go below the dripping ruins of Bittermold Keep to hunt for legendary treasures and face off against three competing factions that want to claim the Hideous Halls: the degenerate Bittermold family, the wild halfling Howlers, and the disgruntled mutant catfish. The characters might even encounter the abominable god-ooze, Mugdulblub! Winner of "The Best" rating from tenfootpole.org! View the adventure walkthrough video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJ-t7qMjPo This adventure is part of Cursed Scroll Zine 1: Diablerie! Inside the zine, you'll find cursed knights channeling demonic power, mist-addled forests where witches and warlocks stalk the trees, and crumbling castles housing ancient, eldritch creatures. Shadowdark RPG is what classic, old-school fantasy gaming would look like after being redesigned with 50 years of innovation. It's the world's greatest roleplaying game in a whole new light! Learn more and download the free rules here: https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark

The wizard Fez has faith in the abilities of adventurers. But Mephistopheles isn't as confident. So a pact was made between the wizard and the demon. As each bargained madly to outdo the other's bet, Fez was trapped in a magical sleep. More than just a wizard's pact is at stake as you strive to accomplish the seven "impossible" tasks. FEZ II is a module which will challenge your ability to overcome dangers, solve problems, and adjust quickly to the unexpected. It was the wizard Fez that made the deal with the demon, but it is you who must make good on ...

The Jail of Gundavold is a scenario designed for a solo player but adjustable enough for a party size if needed. After a foray into the wilderness Ruins of Borgdell, you found yourself ambushed with a bag tossed over your head. After a grueling trek across uncertain terrain you find yourself in jail. Are you smart enough to get yourself out of this mess?

When a band of orcs attacks the town of West Fork, will you and your party bravely defend the townsfolk, and strike back? This adventure is intended to be used in any campaign setting and at any party level (see ‘Instructions’). This particular adventure takes place in a medium-sized village or small town. Most of the NPCs within this adventure are human, but they can easily be substituted for other common races to best suit your campaign. Published by Nord Games