"Several small wagon trains have recently been overrun by a force of goblins and wolves while the former were camped out at night. Among the attackers was a titanic black beast on which some of the goblins rode, a monster so huge that it crushed whole wagons beneath its feet and flung horses and riders aside with its arms." --from the adventure. Includes an extensive narrative opening to the adventure and a map of the cave system.
Beneath the fetid roots of a noisome swamp linger the pathetic remnants of a once proud and noble tribe. Laid low by a powerful narcotic administered by their ambitious (but wildly paranoid) mistress, the lizardfolk of the Dark Oak are but a shadow of their former greatness. Now, in the fetid caverns below the slumbering body of a diseased treant she plots to bring bloody slaughter to the folk of the nearby villages before her followers forget their proud heritage and sink into a lethargy from which there is no escape.
After escaping the oppressive rule of the hobgoblin empire, a tribe of goblins stumbles across a long-abandoned iron mine that would make the perfect home for them, if only it wasn’t already full of dangers. What lurks in the mine is however a secondary problem for the goblins, as they know that hobgoblin scouts will be hot on their heels. Looking to gain a valuable ally, they turn to the local town of Cathric for help. Under orders from the Marquess of Cathric, your band of adventurers is tasked with ensuring that the mine can provide a steady source of iron. Of course, this will mean helping the goblin tribe to get the mine working and defending them from their old masters. Your players will have to face off against the monsters in the mine, a hobgoblin scouting party and some over enthusiastic mining equipment, all while trying to put on a brave face in front of three trainee goblin fighters. Content warnings: spiders, enclosed spaces, displaced populations, authoritarian regimes. It is also implied that a monstrous creature is wounded by another monstrous creature.
Reports of the owlbear incident were vastly exaggerated. When is an evil mage not an evil mage? 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. Pgs. 18-28
Outside Briar Glen lies a dangerous swamp, and deep within it runs the Weeping River. Those who venture too far into the swampland near the river are overcome with grief and cry until their tears turn to blood. If they’re lucky, they die quickly. Lately, however, women in town disappear into the swamp near the Weeping River at night... and return in the morning, entranced but unscathed. Their families want to know why they return at sunrise with no memory of the previous night. These women found themselves a friend in the boo-hag, angry at the townsfolk for damaging her swamp. She initiated the women into her coven and tasked them to drain the life energy from their families to help the boo-hag heal the swamp.
In your many adventures since ridding the world of Sukits the Butcher you have heard whisperings of his boss in the area. The name Bromide the Wicked has been passed around as a greater threat to the freedom in the area as he is the slaver boss. The Plainsmen have given your party the general direction of this evil man and ask for your help in the matter. Is your party ready to deal with the slaver issue and take down the network of traffickers?
A 1st-level dungeon crawl for Shadowdark RPG where the characters delve into a ruined citadel hunting for legendary treasures while avoiding the wrath of the infamous scarlet minotaur! Inside the citadel are secrets about the downfall of the warrior-cultists who once ruled it, three legendary weapons they wielded, and several factions of intelligent creatures to turn into allies or enemies. This adventure is part of the free, digital Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set, which comes with two 68-page booklets (Player and Game Master guides), 8 pre-made characters with gorgeous art, and a form-fillable character sheet. 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! Download the free Quickstart set here: https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark
For centuries, the volcano now called Mount Zulgar was the battlefield of a conflict between red dragons and frost giants. The final battle saw the extinction of the dragons and only a handful of living giants. The dwarves of the Frostblood clan used this opportunity to drive out the giants and take the mountain as their own for its rich deposits of gold. 100 have passed, and now the volcano bubbles to life once more, bringing with it all manner of fiery creatures. Miners have been killed, and implike monsters assault the citizens of the mountain. The master of the goldsmith's guild has called upon your party to snuff out the Fire in the Frostblood Mine. Fire in the Frostblood Mine is a 4-5 hour adventure for 4 3rd-level characters. It can be used as either a one-shot or as part of an ongoing campaign. This module includes a single-session adventure to introduce your players to the strange creatures of the inner planes, maps of the two levels of Frostblood Mine, and a unique sentient magic item.
When a wizard makes a mistake, he makes a MISTAKE. Hirward the Wizard has a little problem on his hands - and it's destroying his fortress, followers and future. A good mix of character types is strongly advised, but paladins, rangers, dwarves, and gnomes may not be comfortable sparing the lives of Hirward’s kobold assistants. A generally neutral party composed of humans and half-orcs will stand the best chance of completing Hirward’s Task. This not a standard "hack-and-slash” adventure. The PCs will have to do some fighting to he successful in completing the module, but most of the time they must use their brains to figure out the best way to complete their mission. Pgs. 45-64
A mission to find a rare recipe ingredient for a local wizard. The recipe to fashion that magic item calls for a few drops of fey blood. Hmmm...where in the world can that be found?
I am sorry child. The world is unfair. You are not like the rest of them. And you never will be. Sparkless is a 5E adventure set in a world of spirits and filled with exploration, conflict and magic. This adventure is designed for characters of 1st level and should provide enough content for two or three game sessions. In this supplement, you will find everything you need to take your players on a dangerous journey through mist-covered swamps to unearth forgotten knowledge and save a lost child. Content Warning: While no children are harmed in this adventure, it features a kidnapped newborn as a major driving force of the story. Before running this adventure with your friends, consult them and make sure they feel comfortable with exploring this theme in their game. The supplement contains 3 encounter maps and 2 dungeon maps. Each map is available in high resolution for print, and a lower resolution perfect for VTT. You can also download each of the maps without a grid and customize it to your liking! Sparkless contains plenty of new 5E compatible material including: 5 creatures, 3 magic items, 1 spell, and a new playable race: The Reclaimed. A new design that lets you keep some of your old race features and get access to new ones! Published by Beyond the Screen
The village of Bad an Fithich is besieged by a monster and the villagers offer a reward for its head. Thus far none have succeeded, but the tales tell only of a large wolf, which seems like an easy bounty. The party’s first night in the village is marked by the cry of a banshee proclaiming their inevitable doom, but if they listen closely they may hear another story. Pgs. 119-127
The ruins of Castle Hermitage are shrouded in mystery after the disappearance of Lord Soulis Hermitage some 50 years ago. In the time since, the thriving village of Bellshall has grown a reputation for its market and specifically for the gemstones that can be bought there. Unfortunately for the people of Bellshall that supply of gemstones is at risk. Something is watching the Deep Gnomes who live and work in the mine. Soon it will need to feed. Are there any heroes who can help defeat this horrible menace, save the Deep Gnomes, and the village’s prosperity? Contains: A 4 to 6-hour adventure for four 4th level characters. With scaling information for other levels. A new CR3 monster, the Ettercap Host. Print friendly version. Accessible version. Separate GM & player map images for VTT use (Gridded and Gridless).
Nothing's more dangerous than a vengeful dwarf except, perhaps, a greedy one. En route somewhere in a barren wilderness, the PCs find a couple of dwarves--one is burying his brother who was killed by a stone giant; but not all is as it seems. "The module can be placed in any temperate wilderness setting. Players who excel at role playing may find the adventure more rewarding than hack-and-slash types. At least one character should possess a silver or magical weapon." Pgs. 16-17
A dispute erupts between a trade ambassador and a wealthy merchant and the players are hired as champions only to learn that they face a brutal and savvy opponent. Will the players be a second in time? "A Second in Time" is a two-hour adventure for 3-6 players. It is written for characters 1st-3rd level. The players act as a champions in a harsh blood sport that is as much the court of a river city as it is entertainment. This module includes a new poison, a new type of item and a rudimentary rule for addiction. The river city of Lotian is a rough place, where might often means right and the thirst for blood is nigh unquenchable. Gold may be the currency of the realm but justice is paid for in blood...
Beneath the jungle-covered ruins of an ancient human temple lies a small outpost of grell that have taken to hunting the nearby area by night. Sangkon Bhet is a fairly typical example of a small grell outpost; the monsters occupy convenient ruins or caverns for a time as they search out new places to move a colony that has over hunted its previous locale. Pgs. 115-120
Your magic user friend has had his spellbook taken by marauding bugbears. He, and by extension you, are tasked by his mentor to recover the tome. Now you must track the goblinoids across the maze like hill country to find his stolen book. Pgs. 9-24 of Polyhedron #28
The air is moist. The moisture mixes with your sweat — the heat is relentless. The drone of insects gives you headaches, and the fever from the infected wounds has left you delirious. Your raft is damaged, and there are spirits in the trees. You’ve only been here for three days. Fever Swamp is a hex-crawl sandbox adventure compatible with Lamentations of the Flame Princess and most other Dungeons & Dragons clones.
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.
Some weeks ago, a tiny sliver of shadow crept into Yarralanya Swamp. It fed on the worms, then on the fish and snakes, growing larger over time until it threatened the lives of the swamp folk, who took up their weapons and fought back, to no avail. In order to buy time for a second attempt, the swamp folk began to steal livestock from the nearby village to satiate the beast’s hunger. After all, who but those villagers could be responsible for unleashing this threat? Soon after, a band of adventurers visiting Rishel’s Hollow find themselves tasked with a simple mission: end the theft of cattle by whatever means necessary. This adventure should run for 3-5 hours, either as a standalone one-shot or as part of an existing campaign, especially one featuring creatures from the Shadowfell or the experiments of a mage. Encounters assume a party of 4-6 level 4 characters.