𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 Wherein our adventurers seek out the Topaz of Earthly Perfection, reputed to be held within an extraplanar mountainside genie retreat. 𝐀 𝐃&𝐃 𝟓𝐄 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟒-𝟕 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡-𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥. 𝟑𝟔 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬.

*THIS IS A D&D NEXT/5E PLAYTEST ADVENTURE* Imani, a Turmishan wizard and former adventurer, seeks the aid of heroes to infiltrate Dretchroyaster’s lair and recover the Diamond Staff of Chomylla—the key to powerful magic and wisdom locked away for thousands of years. In addition to his own sagely interest in the lore of lost Uvaeren, Imani recognizes the dangers of such powerful magic falling into evil hands. The dracolich has secured the staff in his lair’s cen- tral chamber, using ancient wards of protection that can be bypassed only by four artifact-idols once belong- ing to a cult of Bhaal. Each group of adventurers enters the dungeon through a different section of the dun- geon—a forgotten temple of Bhaal, a vast underground lake, a troglodyte village, or Dretchroyaster’s vaults. Dretchroyaster’s lair is no simple set of caverns and ancient ruins. It sits atop a source of great power and energy, which the dracolich and his Cult of the Dragon allies hope to use to unlock the secrets of the staff. Only by undertaking a unified assault against Dretchroyas- ter’s lair can the adventurers hope to recover the Diamond Staff and survive the dracolich’s fury. The adventurers must make their way through the lair and recover the Bhaalite idols that will help unlock the Diamond Staff, all the while dealing with the lair’s creatures and avoiding the dracolich as he pur- sues intruders. Entering the Chamber of the Diamond Staff, the heroes must overcome its magical wards and claim the staff before being slain by the dracolich and his servants.

When an ill-favored orb drops from the sky and devastates the countryside, only the PCs stand between an ambitious wizard, a cult of dragons, and a dark ambition that could bring an army of fiendish wyrms into your campaign world! "The screams became overpowered by the sound of the terrible falling star--a black orb of malign energy hurled from the firmament in the dead of night. In that instant, the village of Rhale was utterly destroyed, reduced to a hollow crater of flaming decay. Now, frightened talk of a dark presence descended from above has taken root, though none can put name to the faceless fear that might reside within this terrible orb." While traveling the countryside, the player characters witness an explosive event - the falling of a meteor into a distant hillside. Soon thereafter, they encounter several mercenaries menacing some refugees. From them, the PCs can learn, that a group of dragon worshippers called the Black Covenant are in the area and intend to use the fallen star for their own nefarious purposes. Upon arriving at the crater, the PCs find that the falling star is in fact a massive sphere of iron with an opening in its side. They enter the sphere to find a small complex of rooms protected by numerous traps and guardians. They also battle several members of the Black Covenant, until they make their way to the heart of the complex, where they discover the source of the Covenant's interest in the Black Egg, they try to use it to create a half-fiend red dragon. The PCs must succeed if they wish to prevent the creation of an army of fiendish dragons. Lot's of monstrous NPCs with class levels and templates for enemies (half-black dragon orc warriors level 7, for example) are used in this adventure. Pgs. 57-78

Along the caravan routes that tie the Cities of the West to the Kingdoms of the East, many tales are told of the mountains called the Towers of the Sun. One of these legends concerns a dark road said to be hidden among the twisty trails that spiderweb the mountains. Into the earth the road leads, into and through a series of vast caverns filled with treacherous traps and cunning monsters. Yet dangerous though the path is, many a party of adventurers have been tempted to walk it, for the stories say that the loot of a hundred lost caravans lies concealed along that evil way. [Comment: Uncertain for what levels of play this adventure is designed]

While many monuments exist to the defunct Adurite culture has been raided, this graveyard has remained undisturbed as it has been in the wilderness for several centuries. Recently a sage came to the area with information pertaining to the resting spot of the famous general and explorer fever has gripped the region. One group of adventurers did discover the resting spot a months ago but also located the trapped gate of the cemetery. Can you two brave adventurers do better?

Catastrophe strikes the frontier village of Swallowfeld! With a grinding groan, the town’s mill slews into the Kilian River and breaks through the ceiling of an ancient subterranean dungeon. This accident frees a long-imprisoned evil to prey upon the shocked townsfolk. When several Swallowfeld residents—some innocent and some not so innocent—are spirited away into the rapidly flooding dungeon, it falls to a brave group of heroes to venture underground and rescue the missing before dark, rising waters seal their fate.

What would Greenpeace say about this problem? Last night the Vikings were your hosts. Now, you're in the middle of their feud. A beached whale is claimed by two Viking houses, and is necessary to the survival of both. Player characters are caught in the middle. Roleplaying, politics, negotiation. Set in generic Viking fantasy setting. Pgs. 36-38

The Approaching Swarm is a short adventure for four 9th-level characters. The party can consist of any mix of classes, but it should include at least one character that is good in wilderness settings, such as a druid, ranger, or barbarian, and at least one cleric. This scenario should prove a reasonable challenge for characters from 8th to 10th level. The adventure takes place in a swampland that is near a small settlement. The adventurers have located the secret lair of Aleretheral, an insane half-orc druid with mastery over vermin. He has been breeding and training monstrous vermin to defend his territory. With the adventurers invading his home, he will do anything he can to protect it.

“Come! Sit! Be my guests. You will find that dinner is up to the highest standards, and I’ve even provided a show.” When the adventurers entered the manor of the old mayor they did not expect to fall into another plane of existence. It seems Archmage Lonore was ready for their arrival, and had arranged the finest entertainment... for herself. Can the adventurers survive Lonore’s death trap and capture the mad mage once and for all? This one-shot adventure is designed for characters of 6th level, and contains plenty of traps, encounters and misdirection. Adventure Synopsis Chasing the bounty on a murderous archmage, the characters find themselves plunged into an arcane deathtrap. Their quarry was prepared for their arrival, and had devised entertaining challenges (for herself) in this magnificent mansion demiplane. The characters will fight through various arcane hazards on their path to the inner sanctum of Archmage Lonore. As they get deeper and near the sanctum, the characters will meet the mage and her mother, possibly learn a bit about the relationship between them. This encounter leads to the final showdown in the archmage’s sanctum, where the orb of reality is located. The adventure includes a map for every encounter! (Print & VTT versions) Published by Beyond the Screen

Sometimes wandering through the frontier garners information as opposed to bloodshed. In this adventure the party stumbles across a party of Plainsmen who tell the party of some strange goings on at a remote graveyard. They tell the party that they observed ghostly figures after a lightning strike and small fire. As they were unprepared to deal with the undead but suggest if the party is up for some experience, perhaps they should head north in the morning!

By a well-trodden road lies the estate of the Eryx family. At some point the estate was converted into a roadside inn. The merchant Robert E. Wardlove has received an urgent letter from his daughter Derleth. She begs of her father to arrive in haste to the faraway inn and take her back home safely for the Evening of Still Streets draws near... Enigma of the Eryx Estate is a break from the usual dungeon crawls of the Shadowdark RPG system recommended for characters of lvls 1-3. During this adventure players get to solve a murder and the mysteries that surround it. Exploration and intrigue are emphasized as player characters gain XP for uncovering secrets. Combat is in a more minor role during this adventure, but if the players don't figure out the mystery by midnight, they might be in a fight for their lives. The adventure is designed for ease of running with punctual room and character descriptions.

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.

Beneath the blood moon, a dark monastery appears for one night atop a high plateau. Inside its walls, the mighty black lotus flower reaches its full bloom. Can the characters steal inside the monastery, defeat its sorcerous guardians, and claim the blossom before the sun rises? Monastery of the Shadow Sorcerers is a fiendish sword-and-sorcery adventure and includes: -An extra-planar monastery brooding beneath the blood moon -Sorcerer-monks who move like smoke and strike with fire and blade -Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure -High-quality digital maps for use with virtual table tops

Written by the setting’s creator, incomparable RPG author Monte Cook, Ptolus: Queen of Lies is an action-packed fantasy adventure painstakingly re-designed for Ptolus: Monte Cook’s City by the Spire. Involving numerous challenging scenarios for characters of 11th level, Queen of Lies is filled with dozens of dark elf personalities, cunningly showcasing their alien culture—a world of merciless betrayal and sinister lusts. Deep below the surface, in the sunless lands of the Netherdeep, creatures of darkness build weapons and amass armies, dreaming of invasion. An attack on a peaceful elven shrine in Emerald Hill sends the heroes on a quest to retrieve stolen artifacts and kidnapped friends. All signs point to the actions of the dark elves of Ul-Drakkan, far below the city of Ptolus. However, even within that ancient fortress, there exists a deeper darkness.... Underground enemies lurk beyond every twisting passage, and strange creatures abound. The foul culture of the dark elves is both decadent and cruel, and the heroes may discover that they’ve stumbled into a web of deceit and treachery spun by the self-styled queen of the dark elves. Can the player characters complete their mission without being discovered, or will they find out, perhaps too late, that their actions been orchestrated all along by the wicked Queen of Lies? Published by Fiery Dragon Productions

Dungeon Full of Monsters is a modular megadungeon for use with Labyrinth Lord and other old school fantasy role-playing games. The megadungeon is composed of 50 individual sections, separated into 5 different levels. You can assemble these in any configuration you like, either randomly or not, either before the campaign or on-the-fly in play. You can also use these sectiosn on their own, without reference to the larger dungeon itself. The second half of the book contains dozens of monsters, illustrated in full colour, often with multiple variations and types. Combined with the unique monsters located in specific dungeon sections, this book contains over 150 different monster stat blocks. There are criminal organizations, insane cultists, meddling deities, evil wizards, undead kings, infernal demons and other invaders from beyond the stars, numerous unspeakable horrors and arcane beasts, and even a few rival adventurers. Use these monsters with this dungeon or any other. Specific conversion guidelines for The Nightmares Underneath are also provided.

Figgy Puddin' Steals Christmas is a short adventure Designed for use with Shadowdark RPG. The adventure is designed for three to six characters of low to mid experience. The anticipated run-time is 2- to 4-hours. There's a bit of roleplay in this adventure, which may extend the playtime. Adventure Background A traveling jester known as Figgy Puddin’ and her Coal Smudge Gang have stolen Christmas presents and now hold them for ransom. While safe and secure in her lair, she awaits either a payment of an outrageous ransom, or a crew of heroes to claim the presents after they navigate her not-so-festive lair. What's the Adventure? After you introduce the hook, the adventure occurs in Figgy Puddin's lair - a refurbished kobold bunker consisting of eight rooms. As the characters explore the linear dungeon, they encounter new creatures, complete challenges, and are tested about their Christmas knowledge. However, the final confrontation with the naughty Figgy Puddin' could make for a very Unhappy and Unmerry Christmas for our heroes, the children of Thistleton, and their parents. Who Is Figgy Puddin’? Figgy Puddin’ was once a happy jester who loved Christmas. For years she traveled the realm, bringing fun and festive cheer to villages and children while preparing the way for Santa. However, times have become tough, and entertainment doesn’t always pay as well as one would like. As Figgy prepares for retirement, she’s learned she doesn’t have enough gold to last. During this time, she’s also decided that Santa doesn’t know who she is, let alone appreciate the work she puts in every year. Using her savings, extortion, blackmail, and other nefarious means, she’s convinced several mechanical geniuses and arcane specialists to help her refurbish her underground bunker with wondrous effects, creatures, and tests.

Delve into the depths of the tomb of the long forgotten elven king to bring the eternal peace onto its disturbed dwellers. A 4-hour adventure for two 4th level characters. Small Party Adventure: Though the party size of 3–5 characters is considered optimal in D&D, there are times when you can only gather one or two players at most. This adventure is designed exactly for such occasions.

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

An Adventure for 0-Level Characters Remember the good old days, when adventures were underground, NPCs were there to be killed, and the finale of every dungeon was the dragon on the 20th level? Those days are back. Dungeon Crawl Classics don’t waste your time with long-winded speeches, weird campaign settings, or NPCs who aren’t meant to be killed. Each adventure is 100% good, solid dungeon crawl, with the monsters you know, the traps you fear, and the secret doors you know are there somewhere. For the past few years, an ogre that lairs in a cave near the wilderness town of Dundraville has demanded tributes of ale and supplies. The villagers were happy to comply, lest the brute attack them or destroy their property. But recently, the ogre changed his demands. Now he wants gold, building supplies — and captives! When the ogre walked into town only to have his request denied, he flew into a rage. The brute dragged two townsfolk off to his cave, to be eaten for sure! The villagers have no heroes to protect them — so someone must rise to the challenge! Six determined townsfolk have taken justice into their own hands. Can these village commoners defeat the ogre in his own lair before their fellows are eaten?

The PCs follow the trail of some particularly competent kobold thieves to the lair of a dragon cult deep in the swamp. There they discover efforts underway to grant sentience to the skeleton of a powerful red dragon once named Flame. Eventually the PCs determine that trouble has returned to the Western Mountains in the form of a band of fire giants ruled by a clone of the original red dragon named Flame.