Player characters attacking the lair of monsters that have been menacing the local village is a common D&D trope. This adventure turns the trope on its head. In Goblin Defense, the players create goblin PCs, and have to fight off repeated attacks by adventurers who are stronger and better equipped than they are. Starting at level 1 and running until level 7, this module encompasses 16 battles against unique and typically themed groups of adventurers built using player character classes and rules. The module is designed for 3 players, each of whom takes on an individual role within the tribe, granting unique bonuses or options for actions outside of combat. Goblin Defense can also be played with 4 players, but is not recommended for 5 or more players without substantial revision. The players aren't alone. Each commands a squad of goblin minions who can help in combat... but goblins are fragile, and adventurers hit hard. Life as a goblin is often brief and violent. Many will die, but as long as some survive, the tribe will carry on. A simple ruleset is provided for managing actions during the downtime between each attack. During this time, players can work to train their minions to use better gear, hunt for food for their tribe, recruit replacement warriors, brew potions, and - most importantly - improve their lair and its defenses by adding walls, traps, tunnels, doors, alarms, and anything else their creative minds can come up with. As the exact layout and placement of defensive features is critical, this is designed to be played on a grid. A PDF is included with the map scaled to print on 24"x36" (Arch D) size paper, available at most print shops. DMs may enjoy the chance to briefly try out many different character class and subclass combinations as they attack and eventually fall to the goblin pests they're trying to eliminate. Page count: Information for the DM only 6 Information for the players 4 Adventurer statblocks 37
Who ever heard of a civilized gnoll? Stories of a secluded valley full of peaceful gnolls have been swirling for years, the occasional nonviolent encounters dismissed as tall tales or unique oddities. Now you are about to discover these gnolls for yourself. The rumors are true...but the full truth is a secret more terrible than anyone knew. A sect of the tribe maintain the magical peace by a terrible ritual sacrifice--not of blood, but of memory. The gnolls who undergo it become Forgotten, losing their identity and becoming a stranger to the clan who once knew and loved them. What is the truth behind the valley's protection? Will the gnolls be allowed to continue living in peace? Or will their only hope become Forgotten?
Expect a surprise when you open a magic jar. The evil wizard had a fail-safe plan for survival. It worked perfectly - almost... Pgs. 58-71
When the water source of the city-state of Guerino is poisoned and its citizens enchanted, a group of adventurers must follow the treacherous path deep into Mistfall Mountain and restore balance to the kingdom. Pgs. 91-97
An adventure site for 3-5 characters of levels 3-4. Featuring two new monsters from the forthcoming guide, The Hag's Hexes! Seven fully developed encounter areas! It's National Gumdrop Day on February 15th, and the forthcoming release entitled THE HAG'S HEXES has a candy hag and its candy-coated minions, so we're releasing this exclusive, seven-encounter adventure site featuring two new monsters -- the enticing Gumdrop Ooze and the cursed Crul -- to celebrate!
Floating Eternally among the endless silver void of the Astral Sea are vast, once-living islands, cast-off flesh of primordials and deities who lost their lives sons past in a great war. Today these colossal outposts bear mute testimony to the date of even the mightiest among us. Pgs. 120-127
While exploring an uncharted island inhabited by sinister, otherworldly entities, the PCs are confronted with the ultimate dilemma: will they stop at nothing to uncover the forbidden secrets of an earlier age... or will they consign that ancient lore to be forever forgotten in the mists of time? Arriving at the correct choice may not be so trivial as it seems... A 5th-6th level adventure for An entire island to explore, with mysteries to solve and NPCs to interact with Challenging investigations and devilish enigmas Full-color art and beautiful handouts (even in digital format for online play) to engage the PCs Five new fearsome monsters ready to use in any campaign New feats and spells
Centuries past, Lady Ilse ascended to scion of House Liis by trading the archdevil Mammon what he wanted most: her immortal soul – and a diabolical betrothal. The triumph proved hollow, for every year on the eve of her fell covenant, she was beset by visions of Mammon and her foul promise. Seeking to save herself, she was buried alive, swaddled in the holy symbols of a dozen divergent faiths. This desperate ploy held Mammon at bay for centuries…but a devil can afford to wait a very long time. After hundreds of years, the last of the holy wards has fallen. The devil has come to collect his due. Tonight a storm crashes against the ancient manor house and forgotten spirits rise from the muck and mire. The fallen belfry tolls once more, announcing the hellish fete. As the adventurers arrive to explore the Black Manse, Mammon calls for his winsome bride. He will leave with a soul at the end of the night. The only question is: Whose?
Coming off the Plains of Dorack, you enter the Glockenspiel Mountains, where the remote village of Fargone is located. A merchant caravan you encountered a few days ago mentioned that Fargone residents have discovered a pass through the mountains to the sea; and a new trade route is opening up. This sounds like a nice place to stop before venturing to the sea! As you approach the area where Fargone is said to be, large billowing smoke clouds can be seen….this could be problematic…..
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.
STILL WATERS Sushi or Steak? Freshwater sahuagin!? Landlocked for hundreds of years, this colony of sahuagin have adapted to live in fresh water and flourished in secret, at least until recently, with the aid of a mysterious patron. Now, they need the party’s help to retrieve something precious to them… This adventure was originally made for a West Marches campaign, but is designed to easily fit into any standard fantasy setting. There are many areas to insert plot hooks for your own world or campaign. A 4-hour adventure for 6th-8th level characters by ALAN TUCKER
The cries of battle echo in the rustic wilderness, as a pair of fey sisters defend the ancient Briarwood against invaders. When the town of Bur Hollow sends militia men to support their fey allies, they disappear without a trace. The adventurers must enter the Briarwood and save them!
The small town of Boldon, and its surrounding villages are afraid. Dozens of people are missing, some speculate lost to some nefarious purpose. A broken drunkard tells fantastic tales of an evil temple and the horrible things within. The rare few who know the legends and history of the region are beginning to think the dark times have returned; not seen since the fall of the first age of man. People are beginning to feel the icy fingers of fear closing in. The party becomes aware of these events, and is inspired to investigate. This leads them to a broken man who tells them a story of a lost temple. Has it been rediscovered by men seduced by its forgotten evil? The drunkard’s tale leads to others who might help the party discover more before they face The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil. Published by Fat Goblin Games
Will You Venture Into the Low Crater? When the party stumbles across a ragged, battle-scarred band of knights they are amazed to hear that the hardy veterans were soundly beaten by mere kobolds. The crafty little fiends have set up in the rubble of a fallen Earthmote thought to be home to a long-dead dragon and - more importantly - its horde. When the Sable Spears charged in to drive them out, however, they were confronted with ambushes, traps and a whole lot of pain. Dare you venture where the Sable Spears failed, and explore the Low Crater in search of treasure, glory and adventure? Or will you join the sheepish ranks of adventurers turned aside by the prospect of tangling with Kobolds? Take your party through an adventure that will teach them that CR isn't everything, and that even the weakest foe can prove dangerous when they're cornered (though having the power to animate long-dead dragon bones helps too, of course).
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
Kingdom of the Blind is a short adventure for four 8th-level characters. The adventure is set in a minor duchy that is fairly removed from the ruler of the land. As a result, trouble can brew in the land and the king would not know immediately. The PCs faced all manner of fungus last time. Perhaps with a little more investigation, they'll discover what's really going on with Zhanna and Dephyl.
A storm brews on the cliffs, and thunder takes wing. Near a remote coastal village, livestock vanish and tempests rage without warning. Locals whisper of a legendary beast: the Stormwing—a massive eagle wreathed in lightning, said to nest high among the windswept cliffs. But is the creature truly a menace… or merely a misunderstood force of nature? Dare your party scale the perilous cliffside, brave elemental hazards, and confront the Stormwing atop its thunder-blasted perch? Inside This Adventure: ✅ A lightning-charged dungeon crawl through cliffs, caves, and stormy ledges. ✅ A dramatic final encounter with the Stormwing—can your party fight, negotiate, or outwit it? ✅ A thunderous environment with gusts, static surges, and dangerous terrain challenges. ✅ Unique rewards, including the Gloves of Conducting, a magic item that crackles with power. ✅ Multiple adventure hooks for easy campaign integration. This adventure is part of Thirsty Tiger Tales, an ongoing collection of thrilling one-shots for D&D 5e! Perfect for a one-shot or a side quest in any elemental, coastal, or storm-themed campaign. Pay What You Want until the end of May! Suggested price: $1.00 Will your party tame the skies—or be cast down by the storm?
Synopsis: Goblin Bathwater, a magical drug, has taken hold in a sleepy coastal town at the edge of the Empire. As the characters investigate the origin of the drug, they uncover an international criminal conspiracy, wild and ancient magic, and a threat to reality itself. Contents: This beautifully made, 54-page adventure offers: A fully fleshed out, setting-agnostic starter area, brimming with colourful NPCs and hooks for adventure. Balanced encounters to bring characters to level 2; then some more devious encounters on their way to level 3. Three mini-dungeons built on the design philosophy of the "5 room dungeon method" Multiple big, cinematic set-piece boss encounters what will make your players feel epic. A facetted intrigue, which does not immediately suggest a simple, ready-made solution but invites the players to come up with their own, personal approach. Why pick this adventure? Hey, my name is Marius. This is my first time publishing on the DMs Guild but I wouldn't call myself a newcomer. I started playing Pathfinder 1e back in 2014. When I took over as our group's DM in 2019, we swapped over to 5e. We have run many, many modules and adventures since. Currently I play three games a week. In short: You could say I'm hooked. I created The Goblin Bathwater Incident as the ideal adventure for in-between your big modules, but it isn't a simple little adventure. With a playtime of about 30 hours, it still manages to hit that sweet-spot, where it establishes context, makes you grow fond of NPCs, and makes those big bossfight wins so much sweeter, all without taking more than a few sessions. The Goblin Bathwater Incident is different from many of the 1st tier adventures in that it pits the characters against traps and monsters, but also asks difficult, open-ended ethical questions, where a simple strategy of "apply sword to head of bad guy" will not cut it.
The renegade magic-user Bargle is wanted, dead or alive. Rumor holds that he dwells in the bowels of a nearby abandoned keep, performing all sorts of foul sorcery. Only the truly brave, or perilously foolish, would dare to challenge Bargle in his own domain. Expanded dungeon of the BECMI red box sample dungeon.
"An ancient temple to the forgotten god of swords lies hidden behind a waterfall. Great piles of swords choke its halls and spill out into nearby streams and waterways. What strangeness still treads and what swords will you draw in the Temple of 1000 Swords? -A tarot-inspired fantasy RPG dungeon delve for 3rd level characters -Created for Old-School Essentials (B/X), compatible with RPGs with old-school sensibilities -A 19 room, keyed dungeon, easily insertable into a fantasy RPG campaign, sandbox, or “west marches” style table -d100 weird, magic, and cursed swords to discover. Roll to search the piles! -Anything is a sword--create weird sword creations through the temple's cursed magic -New monsters, factions, spirits, and curses -Includes a high-resolution unlabeled map for VTT use" "Temple of 1000 Swords" is set in a mystical temple filled with countless swords and intriguing magic. It offers a dense, exploration-heavy dungeon experience with unique mechanics and a rich backdrop of ongoing conflicts. Players can choose to ally with the Drukks (humanoid carnivorous ducks) or Merfolk (jocks) and manipulate both for their ends, or try to avoid conflict altogether. Gladio, the god of swords, issues quests that can alter the course of the adventure, demanding moral and strategic decisions from the players.