The Nexus spore is an intriguing Underdark adventure that can be sewn into any subterranean setting. This one-shot production was designed with long campaigns in mind, for when you want to break up the narrative to keep things fresh and interesting. This short adventure is ideal for players of level 5-7, although, much like the length of the adventure, it is easy to adjust. The adventure fits well into a single long session, or 2-3 short sessions. It comes complete with maps, stat blocks, boxed descriptions and a rare magic item.
Some ports are more dangerous than the storm. It's alive, it's hungry, it's growing. And you're on the menu. Alone, out in the wilds with a savage winter storm bearing down on you, you need shelter to survive. You stumble through the trees and smell wood-smoke. Ahead you spot the small fortified trading outpost known as Jacob's well. You're not the only traveller to find themselves stranded here in the teeth of the storm. The only problem, someone has bought something with them, it's alive, it's growing, it's voracious and you are all on the menu. Think Aliens and The Thing and you're on the right track. Has potential to be scaled to suit a group of adventurers. Pgs. 8-23
The Walled City of Vandosia sits on the bay and is surrounded on three sides by water. One of the more interesting features of this city is its massive sewer system that keeps water and waste flowing out of the city. Rumors have it that these tunnels are home to special problems of its own. Are your players ready to brave the gritty underside of Vandosia?
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.
The busy port city of Jute’s Landing is built into the white cliffs of a deep, protected harbor. It is an important trade stop for many ships and merchants, but this was not always so. Long ago this quiet harbor was home to a coven of hags. Jute Windbrow killed two of the three when he and his crew claimed the harbor for themselves. Evanore, the surviving hag, has lived for more than 100 years in disguise while the city grew up around her. The legend of the heroic Jute Windbrow defeating the wicked monsters has grown as great as her bitterness and desire for vengeance.
A group of snaketongue cultists has occupied an abandoned, partially sunken temple near a swamp. They grow impatient waiting for their yuan-ti master to join them, unaware that he has been slain by a rival faction of yuan-ti. Frustrated, the cult strikes against nearby villages in the hope of drawing the favor of Zehir. Investigating rumors of a serpent cult harassing a nearby town, the PCs have explored the swamp and discovered the overgrown temple. Its once-ornate stone door now hangs off its hinges, providing a narrow space for one character at a time to squeeze through. Pgs. 42-47
The Proving Glade is a one-shot adventure meant for parties or duets. Your characters arrive in a small settlement that has a big problem. The forest, its lifeblood, has seemingly withdrawn its bounty. Others have gone in, only to return hours later confused about how they got out. Will your party have the wherewithal to navigate the treacherous forest, pass its surprising tests, and uncover what’s truly going on? I wanted a forest adventure that felt alive and busy. I also didn’t want every encounter to be solved with the swing of a sword. The Proving Glade is about questioning value, morality, judgement, and redemption. This adventure was written as part of the Summer 2019 RPG Writer's Workshop. We also submitted In the Heart of the Forest. While these two adventures are not necessarily connected, they both involve navigating difficult and dangerous scenarios in a forest and could naturally be strung together. This Product Includes -A 3 to 4 hour one-shot designed for parties or 1-1 play. -A new Sidekick stat block: Daelin Hoofbane, ranger extraordinaire. -A new custom creature: the mysterious and powerful Alseiad, a glade nymph of incredible beauty. -2 new maps: One region map for the forest around Quaervarr near Silverymoon and one battle map for The Hydra's Mire.
The party makes their way into a small mining village by the name of Skalintown. They quickly realize that the people here are terrified, hiding behind closed doors and peering out through boarded up windows. A gang of criminals that call themselves The Calamity have promised to destroy the city and everyone in it if they don't receive a tribute of twenty thousand gold by the end of the week. This is a poor town and even with everyone's wealth combined, it doesn't come close to that value . . . but they are fighters. Perhaps all they need to hold back these invaders is some help. The deadline is four days away and the closest town that would be able to help is three days travel one-way. Skalintown tried to reach out for aid, but no one cared enough to risk their own lives to help them. Now they must rely on your players for help. The party will need to rally the townsfolk and strategically decide how to prepare for the assault. Do they dig trenches to trip up enemy wolves, do they train the townsfolk to use crossbows, or perhaps they create explosives to detonate when the bandits make it into the city? Each of the party's decisions affect the final battle and means that every group will have a unique experience in their fight against The Calamity. This adventure is heavily influenced by the traditional Wild West shootout. Try to capture that feeling for your players by playing music of that era, in the way the townsfolk act and speak, and the way the town itself is operated. There are thousands of different options for the fight and if your players play their cards right, they make quick work of the gang and earn a pretty penny while they do so.
The desolate, uneven country known to locals as Battlefield Downs is strewn with the scattered remains of the ancient dead. During the last terrible years of the old empire, a series of grinding military engagements played out across the rolling fields of Battlefield Downs. In one battle that was part of a wider, disastrous campaign that contributed heavily to Nerath's downfall, the Empire of Nerath's legions clashed here against ravaging gnoll packs. It is now a haunted place, where only the bravest dare to tread. Pgs. 72-79
It’s a story as old as time. Boy meets girl. Girl meets abandoned well. Boy chases girl down abandoned well only to find horrors beyond their worst nightmares.. Perhaps those old tales about 'ol Grim Jack and Granny Hentooth lurking in a world below the water weren’t just silly children’s rhymes after all? The Weathered Well is a starting level Tabletop RPG adventure for the 5th edition of the world's greatest roleplaying game, centered around classic themes that feel familiar yet fresh to players of all skill levels. Designed to be easy to add into existing campaign worlds, this module takes the players through 3 levels of social, puzzle, and tactically focused combat encounters, and should take 10-12 hours to complete for a standard party of 1st-2nd level characters. The adventure takes the players through an open area town map, then into a more exploration focused dungeon crawl, and finishes up with a series of cinematic and challenging encounters, which combine enemy forces and the landscape to challenge the party and players alike. Designed for New Players and Game Masters! Getting started in tabletop roleplaying can be a daunting task. Learning the rules, finding the players, and convincing some poor fool to be the GM, all are difficult enough tasks on their own. We felt that there were a lack of adventures truly designed to be "1st level friendly" out there, and so got together to make The Weathered Well for just that purpose. This adventure is designed in a linear low-combat style which is intentionally helpful for low level characters and new players, and includes occasional blocks of DM Notes and tips to also aid Dungeon Masters new at their craft. It can be played both 'pick up and go', with many helpful block text descriptions, or read in advance for more appreciation of the backstory or for customization. The Weathered Well contains: 68 pages of highly illustrated adventure content, with detailed room and encounter descriptions. Three full-color maps printed within the book. The Black Root - a fully playable necromantic druid subclass, and the original builders of the Temple. Use them to create unique NPC's, or maybe even allow one of your players to play as a long lost member rediscovering their ancient temple! 13 new monsters, styled to fit the 'dark druids' theme; including bizarre fey creatures and monstrosities, like the Clawed Butterfly, Bliss Lizards, Weasel-worms, Zombie Oozes, and the vine wrapped crocodillian monster - the Hagator. 12 new magic items, specifically designed for low level characters. A mix of roleplaying, combat, puzzles, and skills designed to challenge but not overwhelm players of all skills. Multiple intro hooks, with matching wrap ups, as well as Further Adventures prompts. Published by Hack Shack Games
A bubbling stream cascades into a hole in the earth, leading to a series of underground watercourses and scintillating grottoes. Adventurers who delve within may discover odd mosses and fungi, a ruined temple complex, and the lair of a crystal-eating dream dragon.
A lone king arrives at the city's bustling harbor with hopes of negotiating peace for his people in a distant land. But an assassination attempt puts his mission in danger and reveals the king's hidden enemies. Can the characters protect King Rami and help him gain the political influence needed to achieve a lasting peace treaty? Treaty of the Tiger King is a diplomacy-focused, urban one-shot for 1st-3rd level characters. It take about 3-4 hours to complete and includes: -Social events, intrigue, and hidden assassins -Respect-earning mechanics that influence a treaty negotiation -Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure -High quality digital maps for use with virtual tabletops
In this level 5 adventure for three to five players, a suspicious death brings our adventurers to the village of Degorod on the night of an annual festival. Celebrations turn into chaos as an unknown force abducts villagers from above. The group must investigate the cause and, in the end, decide who to help. Pgs. 101-107
"Blood Money" is a caper adventure in which the adventurers work outside the law to pull off a major robbery. Good planning is essential, and the characters need to stay cool under pressure.
You and your associates have been contacted by Janko Milosh, fourth Earl of Tambish. Apparently, he has come into possession of a cursed item and he requires it be delivered to someone he trusts to examine it. With no mounts and none for sale, you better hope your boots are in good shape!
The Road to Broadhurst written by Carlos Cisco is available for free. Internally, MCDM called this “the Conventure.” It’s designed for experienced Directors who already know the rules, and want to run Draw Steel for new players at their local convention or game store. It doesn’t explain how to play, that’s what the director is for! Because RPG events at a convention can last anywhere from 45 minutes to 4 hours, The Road to Broadhurst has advice on how to skip sections you don’t have time for without affecting the flow of play. Road to Broadhurst is a short, modular adventure for Draw Steel. It’s written for three to six 1st-level heroes and a Director. This free adventure comes with pregenerated heroes and is meant to give experienced directors an easy way to introduce new players to the game, especially in environments such as game stores and conventions where time is limited. The Director should be familiar with the Draw Steel core rules found in Draw Steel: Heroes and Draw Steel: Monsters. This adventure can be run online on a virtual tabletop or in person at conventions, game stores, libraries, community centers, homes, and anywhere else roleplaying games are played. It can also serve as a lead-in to The Delain Tomb adventure for Draw Steel. The combat encounters in this adventure are optimized for a group of five heroes. Adjustments are included for groups as large as six or as small as three.
FT32 – Borgusburg is our first offering of November and, as always, free! This is a larger, walled village suitable for any campaign. While no scenarios are included, a variety of opportunities abound in this community. Feel free to use it for depth in your own campaign!
This adventure can be used in any setting that features landowning nobility as a social class. It focuses on the Firebird, a mythical creature from Slavic folklore similar to the phoenix. The characters begin inside a tailor’s shop where they’ve been gathered by Pero Toporov, the best tailor in the city of Krylo. The city is ruled by the confident and insensitive Baron Yuri, who commissioned Pero to create a beautiful cloak woven with the feathers of the Firebird, a creature known for its healing powers. Pero agreed on the condition that their work would be used to aid Yuri's citizens, who have been sick and ailing under Yuri's restrictive rule. Instead, the Baron took the cloak for himself. Pero is hiring the adventurers to help them break into the Baron’s fortress and steal the cloak back without being caught. The characters find a way inside the fortress and break into the dungeon, where the cloak is supposedly hidden away. Within the dungeon, the party finds the Firebird itself locked in a golden cage where Baron Yuri—wearing the magic cloak—is antagonizing it. Baron Yuri attacks them to protect his treasure and is not open to negotiation. However, the characters may try to befriend or capture the Firebird. If they sway the bird to their side it may help them fight the Baron. Once Baron Yuri is defeated, the characters can take the cloak for themselves or return it to Pero. Dethroning the Baron earns them the gratitude of the city’s people. If they return the cloak, Pero pays the adventurers and assures them that the cloak will be used for good from now on. Pgs. 173-179
The Great Trial is a 5e adventure for characters starting at 7th-level and ending at 10th-level. It's a dungeon consisting in the 3 levels, where the first level is the lowermost one and the last is the uppermost one: First level is composed by mean traps, puzzles and combat; Second level is a labyrinth with a construct Minotaur - the Minotal - and an iron wyvern, brand new creatures; The last and uppermost level is actually a jungle-like demi-place filled with dinosaurs in an open world format. Aenor Gleenwith, a powerful elf wizard, wants to make history alongisde Acererak for his Tomb of Horror and Halaster for his Undermountain. So he created his own dungeon. To test its efficiency, he captures adventurers and puts them in the lowermost level, where they need to work together to survive and leave the dangerous place. At the end, Aenor himself greets the group offering them apologies for the harm caused, to fix all damage caused and also rewarding them for the forced help. This module can be run in any setting, campaign, or as a one-shot. It should take around 10 to 14 hours to complete it since it contains 3 Chapters.
In the beginning, a pair of sphinxes — one male and one female — guarded a desert temple in relative peace. They watched over a vault that held a magical ring that could change the world. The androsphinx — Bazymoros — succumbed to corruption; he denounced the trickster god who created him. Bazymoros forged a pact with the demon god, Baphomet, becoming violent and sought to claim the item in the name of his patron. In an effort to save the world, the gynosphinx Asmuzi defeated him. She locked Bazymoros away, never again to see the light of day. The androsphinx remained as an example of what not to become. It has been so long since this battle that much of the knowledge of Bazymoros has disappeared from the collective memory of the races that inhabit the world. All that remains is the knowledge of the dangerous gynosphinx made from the flesh of human and creature. . . and the treasure she keeps.