A Ghastly Mess is a one-shot adventure for a group of 3rd-level characters that takes place in a haunted mansion Unlike your regular haunted house, the inhabitants of this building are far from scary. The ghosts of the former staff still live in it—or, well, unlive—not realizing they’re deceased and unable to move on because of it. The Lord of the mansion still awaits the return of his beloved, Lenore, for which he has commanded the staff to have the house in pristine condition. Help the only alive member of the staff, a sleepwalking old-man, clean the house, defeat any and all monsters that might be lurking in the somewhat abandoned building and help the ghosts pass on to the great beyond in this short but exciting adventure! The story includes a host of interesting characters for your players to meet, each with their own unique personalities and accompanying art; an array of unique monsters specially designed to challenge your party in more ways than one; and an intriguing mystery surrounding Lenore’s fate and what happened to the members of the staff. Now, you might be thinking “hey, this ain’t spooky at all, what gives?” and to that I say: how dare you?! Nothing is scarier than doing your chores! That’s why we built an adventure around it! That being said, A Ghastly Mess is not meant to be a scary story, but rather an interesting mystery-type of social adventure. Most combats can be resolved by running away, the stakes are low, and the NPCs don’t think of the situation as anything more than a normal day in their lives. The tragic aspects of the story have already happened by the times the characters show up, and the intent is for everything to go well from there.
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.
Unmerciful is a detective scenario that focuses on roleplay and investigation. It is an event based quest, meaning that things will happen with or without PCs interaction. The DM receives a list with all the murders and details about them, a list of NPCs that are relevant to the case and how, and one of the ways players could track the killer down. A party of any level can be challanged with this scenario and it can be played in any (low) fantasy setting. Adventure Synopsis: The players are hired to find out who has brutally killed Father Marius. After inspecting the murder scene, players can be sure that killer is driven with revenge and that this is only the first murder. Good old detective work brings them closer to the killer, but also to the fact that everything isn’t like it seems. As the body count rises, players must decide whom to aid in the final confrontation, the Church or the Punisher. Published by: Adventurer's Inn
Gifts for Him is a short, challenging, open-ended, gothic-horror, 5E-compatible Christmas adventure for tier 1 characters to be run in about three sessions, but it can be easily adapted as a one-shot. It contains over 25 pages with original artwork, three original battle maps, three unique monsters, stat blocks for five NPCs, three magic items, and a partridge in a pear tree. ----- The village of Bargrave has a secret. Every year, on Christmas Eve, the villagers cower in their homes while a savage beast prowls the streets, wreaking bloody doom on whomever has not left it a suitable gift on their doorstep. But Elias Buhl has had enough. This year, the old farmer won’t be buying the beast a gift, hoping instead to bait it into attacking him at his homestead, where he will trap and kill it once and for all. But he can’t do it alone. Buhl has hired a band of adventures to help him fortify his home, set traps, and slay the creature. They have three days to prepare, gather allies and equipment, and plan their defense. Or… They can dig a little deeper and uncover what Bargrave has been hiding all these years. Will they slay the beast, as agreed? Might they capture it to use it for their own ends? Can it be redeemed? Or will they die — their blood melting the snow — just the latest victims of the creature’s reign of terror? --- Gifts for Him is a complete, playtested, illustrated adventure that is currently pay what you want.
A member of the Thieves Guild Ebonclad has betrayed the guild and left a trail of bodies in his wake. The incident leaves the guild in a vulnerable position, and now a cleaning crew is necessary to find the rogue agent and cover the guild’s tracks. The party has to track down and eliminate Rikus Nickol, a guild defector. Rikus violated the honor among thieves when he murdered his teammates and made off with an enigmatic coral tablet that they were sent to steal from a building on the Ohlrise campus. The party is encouraged to retrieve this tablet as well, though eliminating Rikus is the most important goal. The party plays the role of investigators. The mission primarily deals with investigating a botched job on the Ohlrise (College/Wizard) campus, though it culminates in searching for a thief who defected from the guild. The characters are confronted by the rogue agent, forcing them to react to the situation as it unfolds.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚. The PCs have escorted a trade caravan to the dwarven stronghold of Nirzumbil and are preparing for a boring trip home. But what is that sound of horns in the distance? And why are the dwarves closing the front gates to the mines? This is an adventure for 2nd level PCs. It is the first in a series of adventures detailing on orc uprising against the dwarves with sinister implications. Includes a 5th edition write up of the Dread Warrior, an undead that previously appeared in Monsters of Faerun.
Long ago, a powerful lich threatened the kingdom and was destroyed by mighty heroes. Though its phylactery could not be found, a powerful curse was laid upon the lich, trapping it inside its phylactery. This fading magic can’t hold the creature muchlonger, so the PCs must enter the phylactery itself in order to destroy the lich before it escapes back into the world. Pgs. 144-149
Deep blue mists of the night swirl over the sands of Raurin, the incomparable Desert of Dust. As the cool night air drains the heat from the sand, you and your friends huddle around your campfire, glancing nervously at the giant pyramid in the distance. Gradually, the winds change direction, bearing a thin streak of white mist toward you from the pyramid. It swirls and takes shape as a faceless man dressed in ancient robes and an ornate head-piece; moonlight shining through his ghostly body and robes, he lifts his arms toward the pyramid and speaks. It was magic that conveyed you all to Bralizar, and an ancient map that guided you through the pass in The Dustwall. But it was, after all, the tales that finally brought you to this place - tales of endless wealth, of spirit-guarded pyramids, of crystalline obelisks, of gemstones with mysterious properties. Now, as the haunted voice of the spectre before you begins his tale, you wonder if the treasure and the quest are worth the price...perhaps your very lives. Are you really the heroes of the prophecies, those who will overcome the foretold tests, and those for whom the treasure awaits? It is time to search your hearts before you venture further into the Desert of Desolation. An epic adventure includes the revised Desert of Desolation series plus totally new adventures within Raurin, a desert wilderness set in the Fabulous Forgotten Realms TSR 9199
You are a Dragon Wing captain aboard the Storm Chaser, a huge levitating Skycastle fueled by powerful arcane forces and electrical energy harnessed from storms. When a hostile castle appears from behind a large cloud bank, you are tasked to lead a team to infiltrate the enemy stronghold and take it down from the inside. The forces aboard the fast-approaching threat would overwhelm the combatants and defenses of the Storm Chaser; failure is not an option. Dragon Wing is a battle focused one-shot designed for 3-5 players of roughly 10th level. With beautifully designed maps and a fully guided sequence of rooms and areas, your players will infiltrate the giant stronghold, tackle intricate puzzles and tough combat scenarios with an array of monsters.
After hiring a group of brave adventurers to help him "acquire" a beholder specimen, the mage Velinax disappears! Rumors blame an insidious thieves' guild called the Unblinking Eye for this turn of events. Why would the Unblinking Eye wish to "take care" of the mage? Why does the guild want to speak to anyone involved with Velinax? Finally, what dark goal does the guild truly intend to accomplish? Finding out the answers to these questions will lead doughty adventurers straight through the shadows of a crafty thieves' guild and onto the threshold of an even deeper and more dangerous darkness. "Eye of Doom" is the second of three adventures featuring the nightmarish beholder. It can be played as an individual mission or as part of the series that began with "Eye of Pain" and concludes in "Eye to Eye." TSR 9530
The Purple Planet: Where tribes of man-beasts wage an endless war beneath a dying sun. Where mighty death orms rule the wastes, befouled winds whistle through ancient crypts, and forests of fungi flourish in the weirdling light. Where ancient technologies offer life ... or a quick death. Bereft of patron, friend or god, your survival depends on quick wits and a strong blade. Will you and your companions stand as conquerers atop this alien land? Or will you fall beneath the blast of an ink-black death rays, just another corpse left to litter the wastes of the Purple Planet?
The baron’s wife is dead. But she isn’t gone. Can the players lay her to rest and defeat the festering evil hidden away inside the Gilded Tower? Another thrilling tale of madness and mystery inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s writing! Following the events of Masque of the Worms, the story continues into the hauntingly beautiful forests of the Painted Valley… Valley of the Gilded Tower is a one-shot for four to six 2nd-level characters. It takes about 2-3 hours to complete and includes: Events inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's most ethereal writing: -A new monster that can take over the minds of its victims -Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure -Gorgeous, hand-drawn maps by Jake from Beware the Wizard
War is looming between Nanch and the Fey. Those on the border are caught between two dangerous dynasts. Pressed into duty for lord and country, the peasants and gong farmers of Nanch find themselves in a strange and unnerving forest full of denizens older than the practice of naming. In this new world, the rules of life and death are a game of whimsy practiced by fantastic forces, and bizarre ancient feuds re-ignite in the chaos of war. Those errant attendants of Nanch will be fortunate to survive the madness of either ruler! The adventure spans a series of strange and otherworldly encounters with the magical and surreal denizens of Greenwood—while under the incompetence, cowardice, and bullying of Pertrub (one of the King’s footmen). As the encounters continue, signs of the Earl’s fate are everywhere. The players must pick up clues and begin to grasp the realities behind them! The adventure features a number of visual puzzles with handouts to help the players solve them. This 20-page, stand-alone adventure includes a new class: the Wild Elf. The adventure is for low-level characters. It is not setting specific and can be placed near any ancient woodlands.
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.
Ever been on a long running campaign and in one of the sessions one or a few players couldn’t make it? This adventure was made to be used as sort of a filler episode to fix that. Made for a small party of 1st-4th lvl characters and to be played in a single session. Story summary - The Gold Knife Bandits, a gang formed by a former army squadron that deserted. They are remarkably loyal to each other and are known in the area for attacking army caravans and camps. However, after several months of unfortunate loots. They decided to house a cultist of Beshaba and do what he asks to take away the curse of misfortune the gang is obviously under. Unfortunately, that includes using some members of the party as a sacrifice. The party will find the bandits cavernous hideout, clear through it, face the cultist, the Bandit's old boss, or both! All in a day’s worth of adventuring.
The adventure text was written by a neural network (Talk to Transformer) and compiled by a human editor. It is surprisingly usable. The adventure is centered upon the dangerous and thoroughly weird Tomb of the Daughter, the burial place and temple of an ancient Goddess. Explore several rooms connected by teleport systems, fight strange creatures, and perhaps thwart a demon summoning.
DMs, do you wish you had more time to put together fresh, innovative adventures for your players? Have you ever been stuck for a new plot line, but been unwilling to delve into the reading and preparation required by full-length modules? Here is a AD&D game accessory designed for the DM who wants variety and challenge for player characters. Adventure Pack I contains 12 short modules, each a complete stand-alone adventure. The scenarios are unique and unusual; they will intrigue characters of all levels, and offer a variety of settings and plots for the DM to choose from. These adventures are suitable for one-time play, or can be inserted into your campaign at any time. Each module includes one or more maps, background for the DM, NPC capsules, and complete encounter descriptions. The scenarios are designed for a specific range of player character levels, and can easily be made more or less difficult if necessary. Now, with a minimum of preparation, you can give your player characters a challenge that will last for as little as one day of game time or months of it. DMs are sure to find Adventure Pack I convenient, innovative, and invaluable! This conversion guide allows DMs to run the 12 adventures in the original module with 5th Edition rules and provides new monsters and magic items! To use this conversion guide you will need a copy of I13 Adventure Pack 1, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in digital format at DMs Guild.
It all begins with a simple request (doesn’t it always?) from an old farmer. The request – protect his cattle herd from vicious wolves. Simple enough for the brave adventurers, right? But it doesn’t stay that way. Not at all. Soon, the adventuring party will find themselves in the thick of it as they solve puzzles, avoid traps, fight for their lives, and endure witty taunting. And in the end, they discover an artifact that may, or may not, be useful to them. This adventure includes a cursed shield, a new undead creature, and a new artifact. Total party experience earned is approximately 14,500.
After undead start appearing near the local town of Angstadt, the Burgomaster and Father become worried. What could be causing these foul creatures to rise? After conducting research, the clergy discover that the throne room of a celestial avatar is located only a few days away from the town. Perhaps this holy site could hold a relic capable of turning the undead?
Manthrak's Malicious Steamroller After an experiment with a teapot goes wrong, a wizard's tower rolls through the forest, crushing all beneath it. Its owner, Manthrak the Meticulous wants it back. It's up to you and your companions to stop the tower's rampage before something even worse happens. Manthrak’s Malicious Steamroller is a short, high-octane one-shot adventure module for a party of four or five 4th level characters. With no setting specific details, it can be easily dropped into any campaign, or run on by itself for an action-packed escapade. Included: Full-color 13-page PDF Virtual tabletop maps - Gridded & Non-gridded Accessible & print-friendly PDF A fun, unforgettable experience