For months, the dreams of the people of Emystrell have become dark and terrible. It seems their nightmares have come to life as in recent weeks, people have mysteriously gone missing, vanishing in the night without a trace! Everyone is too paralyzed by their own despair to do anything or venture far from the safety of their homes. Emystrell is on the brink of collapse. The baron is offering a handsome reward to anyone who can show proof of the end of whatever evil curse that has taken hold of their town. This adventure is designed for a party of 3-5 heroic characters from the 2nd to 3rd level. It has elements of mystery and investigation in the first section which can be detailed and highly involved for groups that enjoy the process of searching for clues and solving mysteries or just as easily glossed over for groups that are more tactics focused. The second section of the adventure features the dungeon: a labyrinthine complex of an ancient elven crypt which the thieves guild has used as a base of operations for a decade...until the serpent worshipping cult arrived. The third section of this book is the detailed map and notes on the town and surrounding area of Emystrell. Roleplaying notes are kept light to allow for room for your own interpretations and details to NPCs remain as free to do with as you choose unless I felt inspired and hoped to give you a cool idea. This adventure has hooks for Dungeon Masters interested in a larger campaign involving the sinister plots of the Yuan-Ti (snake people) as well as other interesting adventure hooks (such as the giants in the nearby mountains or the stolen gem: The Eye of the Dragon). These plot points are intentionally left vague for you to fill in the gaps based on what your players seem interested in. You are invited to use this as a launch point adventure to lead your heroes on a larger adventure that might someday set them against an Anathema Serpent demigod, or it may simply be the adventure that begins their journeys and the evil of Yargoth stops here at Emystrell. If your campaign is set in a pre-published setting, this town of Emystrell can be replaced or fit into any campaign with a few tweaks to local gods and names. If you are playing in Dragonlance, you could replace Yargoth the Dread Serpent with Tiamat, or Dendar in Fearun. The local goddess, Tyr, could be the Tyr from the Forgotten Realms or even Norse myth if that is your campaign setting.
A monster amonkst us... The monastery of Montelegro was once a major center of academia, but it fell out of favor when its library burned to the ground some 20 years ago. (The fire is rumored to have been started by the candle of a monk who fell asleep while reading.) Without books to attract scholars and patrons, the order of monks that run the monastery has dwindled. Now the monastery is a mere shell, its once-thriving halls empty. Only 21 monks remain. The order that runs Montelegro supports a number of scribes dedicated to copying and illuminating books of all kinds. The most talented of these illuminators was Brother Abel of Corbone, a young monk fresh out of the university. A few days prior to the adventure, Brother Abel witnessed a miraculous sight. While walking about on the outskirts of the monastery, he beheld a vision of his god. The vision instructed him to build a well upon the spot where he stood. If Abel did this, the god promised prosperity would return to Montelegro. Unfortunately Brother Abel was unable to fulfill his god's vision and appears to have taken his own life.... Or was there Murder in the Monastery? Pgs. 8-17 & 55
The party is called to investigate ghostly wails heard in a nearby crypt where a noble knight was supposedly laid to rest centuries ago. Un-beknownst to the townsfolk, the crypt actually holds the remains of a bandit lord, who was dressed in the knight’s armor as part of the knight’s plan to fake his death. The wailing is caused by the restless spirit of the bandit lord, newly awakened by mischievous fey who now play pranks on the village for their own amuse-ment. Players will need to navigate traps and puzzles set by the fey, uncover the truth of the crypt’s inhabitant, and lay the bandit lord’s spirit to rest.
An unusual pirate outpost on a small island is causing big trouble for the residents of coastal towns in more ways than one. A Minotaur clan have recruited outlaws and formed an alliance with Sahuagin in order to establish a pirate outpost on a formerly abandoned island and have begun raiding up and down the coast...
The player characters have been invited to compete in the infamous Laureate Trials. The Laureates are a well-known adventuring guild. Once a year, they allow a select group of known adventurers to take part in the Laureate Trials. The prize is becoming an official member of the Laureates, with all the perks and responsibilities that awards. Rumour has it that new initiates will be awarded a coveted Laureate Pin, with special powers of communication. This adventure is a starting module, designed for new players and Game Masters. It should take 1 - 2 hours with a standard group of 4 players. Everything you need to know is contained inside or in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rules. It is ideal for helping a beginning group of heroes get started and giving them a motivation for further adventures. Inside, there are Trials to test Agility, Wits and Combat, plus a special encounter at the end which will determine the fate of a forgotten individual.
The Cost of Beauty Deep in the snake infested jungle of Serpent Isle stands an ancient temple. Rumour has it that something still lurks in that place. Something evil from a lost era of devils and darkness. Now fishing boats are going missing off the island’s coast and dark shapes can be seen moving through the undergrowth. Could something have remained on that cursed isle?
Some monsters don't have any class. The quest for knowledge can be as dangerous as any other. The heroes investigate a library after one of the locals claims to have seen a librarian be attacked by a tentacled creature. In reality, a group of orcs found a secret entrance into the library and the "tentacle" is merely the whip that the leader wields. The party must make their way through a labyrinth hidden underneath the library and rescue the hostages. Pgs. 4-9
Beware of Baba Yaga and her infamous hut! Baba Yaga is an ancient crone who is said to have power over day and night itself. Many seek her out for her wisdom, which she has gleaned from centuries of travel through numerous worlds. Others, bolder and more foolish, search out the hut to plunder its treasures, which Baba Yaga has gathered from every corner of the multiverse. None, thief or scholar, who enter the Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga leave unscathed. How will you fare now that the great Baba Yaga is in your neighbourhood? TSR 9471
Hushed Hills is an adventure location set in a haunted town nestled in hilly woodlands. It doubles as a toolbox with encounters and NPCs to support DMs in running a gothic horror adventure. You can use it in three ways: 1. Run the Hushed Hills as a Tier 1 adventure that takes one, two, or three 5-hour sessions (based on the starting quest you select). 2. Select the best encounters and NPCs to add to your game. 3. Use the presented content as fuel to inspire your ideas. This toolbox is packed with assets and consists of: • 50 encounterswith 4 quests to tie them into an adventure. • 21 NPC outlines (including eldritch chimeras), • 3 multi-phased boss battle against the Godless Chimeras. Assets are grouped into 3 regions, including Crestfall Abbey, Town of Kletva, and Mirage Forest. Each region has a high-resolution map and each NPC a portrait. Published by: Immersive Adventuring
Expand your game with this collection of 56 NPCs of various Challenge Ratings, thirteen of which include maps and details of their lairs. Add these NPCs as a side-quest, a main villain, a one-shot, a bounty for easy money, or however else you wish. Written by some of the best-selling authors on the Dungeon Masters Guild and outstanding podcasters, each NPC includes an image, a backstory, motives, flaws, and a stat block. Some even include new magic items!
The Dark Tower A Worlds Without Number Compatible Adventure The adventure is set up so the Player Characters [PCs] can encounter diverse types of situations and different adventure styles, allowing for role-playing within a rural situation, with wandering monsters, and a dungeon/Deep encounter. The module offers a chance for the GM to immerse themselves and their players with as much, or little, detail as they want to put in. Rolling countryside surrounds The Dark Tower for miles. Giving you, the GM, the opportunity to fit the adventure into almost any setting within your game. I have left the ending open, allowing the GM to slot in further encounters or adventure twists to keep the game moving but with enough happening to turn it into more than one session if so desired. The Plot There are several options for the plot: A local innkeeper would like you to investigate the haunted tower on the hill. He is willing to offer a good reward. A local village Elder could ask the PCs to seek out/investigate/destroy the walking dead that have been seen around the tower. Please investigate the tower to see if the rumors are true. A Local priest would like the PCs to remove the possible undead worrying the locals from the tower.
In the frozen depths of winter, murderous winds mercilessly batter the crumbling Priory of Cymer. Within, trapped by their duty and the heaped snowdrifts that render travel near impossible, the few remaining faithful huddle together and tend the sacred places of their forbears. With the weather worsening, nerves fray and tempers snap as the wind howls its mournful dirge for the forgotten dead of a fallen time. But the worst is yet to come. One of those trapped within holds a murderous grudge that only blood can expunge and as the storm reaches its savage height terrible revenge is wrought amid the frigid halls and faded glories of a bygone age. A 1st level adventure that is so much more than a trip to stop goblins killing cows. Great NPCs and a great location gives this the feel of The Name Of The Rose.
"The Tree Prince“ is a short adventure. The adventurers will meet a fae leader for whom they will fulfill a task.
The entity known as Oreiax is a gruesome, stunted monstrosity born of ancient death. Rescued from an eternity of petrification by Doresain the Ghoul King, Oreiax immediately pledged itself to the Ghoul King's service, and thus indirectly, into Orcus's service. Oreiax, born of stone and death, seeks to glorify Doresain by petrifying the world. Pgs. 112-119
The Sea Witch is a short adventure for four 10th-level characters. The difficulty of the adventure can be adjusted by changing the level of main antagonist (Black Molly, the sea hag pirate) or by altering the number of her ogre servants. To tailor the encounter to groups of different levels, refer to table 4-1 in Chapter 4 of the DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE. The adventure is set off a lightly populated coastline known as Misty Bay, but adapts easily to any coastal region in existing campaigns. The sea hag known as Black Molly is a notorious pirate who has plagued the coastal cities for the better part of a decade. A successful Knowledge (local) check (DC 15) will reveal that Molly and her ogre crew have a filthy reputation as merciless killers who delight not only in plundering vessels for their riches, but also in destroying the ships themselves and sending all hands to the bottom of the sea. Now the villain and her followers have seized control of the Old Lighthouse of Misty Bay located off a lightly populated coastline. For generations the lighthouse beacon has protected the fishermen of this region, warning them of the dangerous rocks that lurk just below the level of the high tides. Recently, the hag has put out the beacon, darkening the lighthouse; misery and destruction are sure to follow as ships start to blunder into the rocks. Blackmail is apparently Black Molly’s aim in this venture: She conveyed a message to the nearest shore community, the fishing village of Poisson, demanding the princely sum of 50,000 gp. Until she receives this ransom, she intends to hold the lighthouse and its beacon hostage. The fate of the human keepers who tend the lighthouse is unknown to the seaside communities at this time, but they fear the worst. The Sea Witch is ostensibly a rescue mission: The PCs are pitted against the evil of Black Molly and the brawn of her savage ogre crew. It is the heroes’ task to retake the lighthouse and, if possible, free its captives from the clutches of their jailer. What neither the PCs nor the shore communities yet realize is that while she 1would be pleased to have the gold, Black Molly is in fact after bigger treasure. Molly has no intention of giving up the lighthouse — at least, not until she finds what her master sent her here for. Lying on the sea floor practically at the base of the rock on which the lighthouse sits is the wreck of the war galley Flying Cloud, which according to popular legend was captained by a cleric who wore around his neck an amulet of the planes. Black Molly wants this prize, but so far she hasn’t been able to find it. She’s scoured the wreck without finding any sign of the magic item. Now she’s trying to determine where to search next, for the item might well be somewhere near the wreck. If she can’t find it, she’ll start torturing her captives to find out if they have any useful knowledge about the amulet.
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?
Mother Haggle is an elderly crone who runs a Lost & Found Emporium on the edge of the Misty Forest. The old lady pays her mercenaries well, and attracts all kinds of talent to send on her various errands. Mother Haggle doesn't deal in world shaking problems, but it's uncanny how often simple tasks like "fetch that cow" or "bring me a boggle" end in embarrassment, grievous injury or death. As she always says, it really can't be helped. Using the streamlined Plausible Complications and Unlikely Disasters layout, Mother Haggle's adventures are one-sheet wonders ready to pick up and play with groups of the specified level. Mother Haggle wants her cow back. It seems to get lost a lot, but she doesn't care how much she has to spend as long as her darling gets home safe. Included in Mother Haggles's Notice Board - The Missing Cow are six standalone bovine adventure seeds in which Mother Haggle's cow needs rescuing. She should really keep that cow in a better pen, or lock the gate or something, but who needs common sense when you have money and mercenaries?
This guide describes how to run a one-session festival for your players. It combines a black market, costumes, and various activities suitable for different PC skills. The setting is a beach at night near a coastal town or city, but it can be easily adapted for other locations. It is suitable for players with little experience, and characters of any level. It makes a good first session for new players since they can try various skills without risk.
Since time immemorial, you and your people have toiled in the shadow of the cyclopean ruins. Of mysterious origins and the source of many a superstition, they have always been considered a secret best left unknown by folk of your hamlet. But now something stirs beneath the crumbling blocks. Beastmen howl in the night and your fellow villagers are snatched from their beds. With no heroes to defend you, who will rise to stand against the encircling darkness? The secret of Chaos are yours to unearth but at what cost to sanity or soul? An introductory adventure for the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, Sailors on the Starless Sea pits a mob of 0-level adventurers against legacy of the Chaos Lords and their corrupted hordes. Delving beneath the crumbling ruins, the characters discover ancient crypts, a starless sea, and an ancient ziggurat, where death and treasure await in equal measure!
The sea has many perils. Are the treasures of a sunken pirate ship worth the risk? Arkos Seatamer, a privateer and the sole survivor of a shipwreck has gathered a new crew. He's returning to the wreck to recover the body of his closest friend, Devek Harpwind, for a proper burial. Arkos had rammed the pirate vessel 'Striking Shadow' in combat, shattering its hull. He leapt aboard the sinking ship to take the pirate queen as a prisoner. Shortly after, a sudden storm arose, so violent that it sunk his ship as well. This isn't the whole story. The pirate queen wore a cursed gold armband, shaped like a coiled eel. The sight of the band made Arkos mad with greed and he moved to slay her to take it. Devek tried to intervene but Arkos killed his friend in rage. With his dying breaths Devek laid a horrible curse upon Arkos to become a were-eel each night. The PCs are hired to accompany Arkos and his crew to the wreckage and recover Devek's body from the wreck, along with the armband he still lusts for. Pgs. 18-35