The Wizardarium of Calabraxis starts off with strangely behaving apemen, but players who start to explore the cave where they reside will soon discover there is a lot going on: ancient civilizations, the mad experiments of a forgotten wizard, and a couple unique magic items are guaranteed to provide a lot of bang for your buck to your players. This module has stats for the DCCRPG, but if one wants to work around the weird dice, this module is probably at home in just about any OSR rules system.
A hidden trail leads through a swamp to a dilapidated shrine. A profound evil is nearby. The shrine is either to a powerful dead thief, or a god of thieves. A cool, simple little puzzle protects some treasure. Just cash! No items. A short interlude designed to be dropped into an ongoing adventure. Pgs. 61-63
Base of Operations is a short adventure intended for four 5th-level characters. DMs can easily modify the adventure to suit higher- or lower-level adventurers, or larger or smaller parties of adventurers. Simply adding a few monsters to every encounter area makes the adventure more challenging for larger parties, and adding levels to any of the humanoids can make them more of a threat to high-level groups. For low-level adventurers, make the relationship between the two factions within Brightstone Keep more strained, and take away a few monsters from each group. You can remove levels from some of the humanoids in the adventure to make it a lower-level challenge, but it is important that the orc cleric (described in encounter area 8) still have the ability to animate the dead. Still, he can have fewer minions around him when encountered, and that makes him less of a challenge for a lowlevel party.
The adventure takes players from a town devastated by an unexpected flood, through a drowned land where nature is turned upside down and desperate families cling to the roofs of their ruined homes, hiding from the monstrous products of a disordered world, through the strange tomb of an ancient race, to a profundal zone, hidden for millennia and now exposed, and finally to the Observatory itself, an eerie abandoned treasure palace, where they will encounter a pale and unexpected terror which will seek to claim their lives. The adventure is suitable for a lucky mid-range party, a stupid high-level party or an exceedingly clever low level party. It is difficult, with a meaningful possibility of character death. Should you find them, and defeat their guardians, the treasures of an ancient culture will be yours. At the final point of the Observatory is a glimpse of another world. Published by False Machine Publishing
In Temple of the Dragon Cult, the characters are called in to pursue a dragon that the king’s army was able to wound but not kill. It seems straightforward enough: the army tracked the dragon to its lair, and all the characters have to do is go in and kill it. But this dragon has a devoted cult of dragonblood followers who worship its every breath. Its lair is their temple — and they’ll fight to the death to defend their dragon-god…
A Halloween themed adventure for characters levels 3rd to 4th, meant for a single 3-6 hours session. The pumpkin-farmers of Goldgrain are in for terror, as in a rather ironic turn of events, their crops rise to harvest them instead. What's causing the pumpkins to become alive and angry? Is it the curse of a long dead witch? Or is it something even more sinister? Why are they dragging the corpses of their victims away, and to where? Who commands them? Soon enough, they'll find out answers to those questions, or perish under the wrath of the haunted crops.
Nothing living guards this island - that's the problem. The party must clear a burned out abbey, only recently the home to a group of evil clerics.
Far to the west, beyond civilized lands, lie the Tolomak Islands— volcanic peaks covered in pestilential jungle and bestriding sunken ruins. The legends say the Tolomaks are home to treacherous witches, ferocious cannibals, moon demons, and worse! Wise are those who steer well away from these accursed jungle isles, but not everyone is wise… For the legends also speak of power unimaginable and treasures beyond the limits of mortal avarice. Now, under the light of the triple moons, a band of intrepid adventurers sails ever nearer the islands. With luck, they will escape with a fortune; without it, they may not keep their souls.
Sometimes protecting the cargo is easy but getting the pay not so much. The Bottle has been waiting on the docks for two days, no one has come down and no one dares to go up to see what happened and that is your ship, that is the ship that is going to take you and your cargo across the sea.
The island of Merehurst was once a bustling center for trade. But this was not to last, for in one single deadly night sixty years ago all the people and the animals of the town died - collapsing where they stood. The neighboring villagers of Coombe claimed that the miners dug too deeply into Ynyswel and the spirit of the isle was offended. The island gained a fearsome reputation and only the bravest would dare set foot upon its forested grounds. Yesterday strange lights were seen in the sky over the island and Ynyswel started smoking. The villagers can wait no longer. Brave adventurers must be found who are willing to investigate the Isle of Merehurst to either appease or oppose what lies behind the latest mysterious activities. Advanced Adventures #3 The Horror of Merehurst is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventurers of 1st level.
A mysterious adventurer stumbles into an inn in the night, looking for an escort to the nearest temple. Before the night is over, he inexplicably disappears, leaving a trail of corruption leading into the nearby woods as packs of twisted forest creatures emerge to plague travellers. Pgs. 83-89
FOR PUBLIC POSTING: Last week, several laborers who were working to clean up the damage to our sewer caused by the recent earthquake had been found brutally murdered. Until further notice, citizens should stay clear of any sewer gratings, openings, or tunnels for their own safety. Do not allow children to play unattended in areas where such openings are known to exist. The governor is assembling a group of interested persons to investigate these murders. Each member of the investigation team will receive 500gp up front, with an additional 2000 GP to follow upon a thorough and satisfactory completion of the investigation, provided evidence that the matter has been dealt with is presented to the governor. If you desire to join this investigation, please apply at City Hall.
Within the muck and darkness of a cave off in the forest lies an ancient creature. A manifestation of evil and psychosis that causes even devils and demons to turn a blind eye. This monstrosity is known as The Gol'Goroth. Rumors say it has just sockets where there should be eyes, yet it sees everything in this world and in others. It pierces the veil of the mind and inflicts madness on all who come near . . . of course these are surely just rumors. Surely just an excuse to justify the actions of a twisted cult that is ravaging local villages. Surely this is just the manifestation of their crazed minds as they carve their own bones into weapon and slice their own flesh to ribbons - all in the name of the Gol'Goroth
Years ago a Gnome female named Carlota retired from adventuring and built a small tower not far from Dano’s Point. While the illusionist/tinker kept to herself her home was reputed to have a cache of magical items from years on the trail. It has been several years since anyone has seen the diminutive woman and she is believed to be deceased. As you begin your adventuring career you decide that a trip to the tower is in order. If Carlota is alive, perhaps she can give you advice, if she isn’t perhaps you can help yourselves to some of her items.
Deep in the elven forests of Myereth, ancient rowan trees spread white boughs above a sacred site. Pillars of stone twist like some strange form of vine, curling among the branches and reflecting the light of a silvery moon. The forest is silent, and beautiful, protected since the dawn of time by a powerful Unicorn. The elven forest of Myereth is well known throughout the world as a safe haven of good and peace, a place where evil cannot stand to enter and where the trees weep healing tears upon those injured within its boundaries. Any player character elves know of the forest, its healing properties, and its legendary beauty. They may have heard of it as a legend, or they may have visited its mystic shrine when they were children, brought along on a pilgrimage by other elves. But something has gone terribly wrong. Refugees from Myereth, terrified and confused, are flooding into other elven cities. They speak of a great evil that has conquered the forest, one that has killed the body of the immortal Unicorn and tainted its spirit. Myereth runs with blood, they say, and the once-powerful rowan trees have begun to wither and die. In the center of the Rowan Grove, the bloodied bodies of the last elven warriors of Myereth lie scattered and broken. Those responsible call themselves the Servants of the Blood Moon, and they are led by a dark-robed sorcerer. The surviving elves do not know this evil man — all but one of those who fought against the Servants died — but they know that the sorcerer calls himself Tamarat. He has butchered the Unicorn, the spirit of the forest. The Myereth, and the elves, are dying.
Igor's Challenge is a 3-4 hour, non-lethal, funhouse style dungeon. It is a self-contained adventure that should fit into any campaign or serve as a one-shot adventure for any group. The adventure can fit a party of any level and size with only minor adjustments. Igor is an eccentric gnome inventor and retired adventurer renowned around the world. He has sent out invitations to adventuring groups to come compete for his latest, greatest invention. The competition will take place a few days hence in the village of Penthill and consist of a race through his specially created challenge-dungeon. Igor's Challenge includes a unique magic item, a small village with locations and NPCs, an encounter and story with a legendary NPC (stat bloc provided), and a 33 room dungeon of traps, tricks, and puzzles.
Nanfield is an island village of over 50 NPCs with mysteries plaguing both its present and its past. It contains a unique ecosystem and economy and a ship full of friendly pirates that will invite you by for dinner after accidentally attacking your party. It can be inserted into any campaign as an interlude during a travel montage, as a one-shot encounter, or as the base of future adventures. Nanfield contains over 50 NPCs you can use, several very unique and compelling characters, a Druid stat-bloc, a ship-to-ship fight, an investigation, and a fight with a Harpy (or more, depending on the outcome of the investigation).
With your past exploits being noticed the acting ruler of Dilad has requested your presence. An envoy of the leader has met with you and asked you to investigate a growing issue. The city of Acre is in a large scale building operation but limestone from the quarry has stopped coming. Delays will be costly and the party has been asked to go to Fecknic and discover what the problem is. You can’t really disappoint the top dog of the nation can you?
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
Despite the bitter cold that reigns here nine months of the year, the Timberway Forest has long been a source of prosperity for civilized folk who live nearby. Many trappers and hunters spend the better part of the year within its borders, stockpiling furs and meat to trade in the frontier towns to the south, where they spend their winters. Most feel that the value of these commodities makes braving the Timberway Forest worth the risk. Recently, though, a small group of trappers and hunters has awakened a terrible new menace in the forest. Based in a remote hunter's abode called the Bluerock Lodge, they hunted the animals of the woods more out of a deep-seated desire to be cruel than a need to feed themselves. In particular, they focused their hateful attention on the local Timberway lion population. Timberway lions are rather small (more like leopards), but they are known for being lithe and wary. Still, the trappers had the advantage of intelligence and tools, and before long they had slaughtered the entire pride save for its leader. As the winter worsened and game grew ever more scarce, this last surviving lion began to starve. At that point, the darker forces of nature took notice, and the Timberway Forest gained a predator like no other. Frozen Whispers is a short D&D adventure for four 3rd-level player characters (PCs). The scenario is set mostly in and near a remote hunter’s lodge in a snowy forest. The scenario can be placed in any cold area of your campaign world that features a remote tract of woodland—a copse of trees near the arctic circle, a swath of taiga near the treeline on a high mountainside, or even a normally temperate forest caught in the grip of an unnaturally snowy winter. As always, feel free to adapt the material presented here as you see fit to make it work with your campaign.