The chase to save your family continues! After your encounter at the cove, you head south across Esaq to try and catch the slavers. With some experience under your belt, you are feeling more confident about your fighting ability, but it is about to be tested yet again. This scenario picks up where DQ1 left off and is the middle of a trio of adventures.
A free short adventure for four 4th-level characters by Mike Mearls Looking Glass Deep is a flexible, site-based scenario that presents you with the details of the ruined abode of the wizard Urlen Sparlek -- and the gang of outlaws that now occupies the place. This 10-page adventure by Mike Mearls is designed for 4th-level characters. Unlike some site-based scenarios, Looking Glass Deep features a dungeon full of monsters that take proactive steps to defeat the player characters (PCs). Tzarrik the hobgoblin sorcerer is an intelligent tactician with the ability to spy on the party almost at will when the group is within the Deep. His ragged gang of followers work together as a team under his command to repel attackers. Throughout the course of the adventure, the characters have the opportunity to locate an artifact called book the key of the way , discover the mysteries of the throne of the Deep -- and perhaps, in the end, even gain themselves a new headquarters. Published by Malhavoc Press
The players get more than they bargain for when answering a night-time call for assistance from a mutual friend. Can they escape the githyanki prison known as the Crucible and find their way home from the Astral Plane? Designed for characters of 5th to 9th level, the Crucible can be played as a standalone one shot adventure, or as the first in a four part series of connected one shots that see the party fight their way to hell and back.
Silas Cusk built a menagerie of magically reconstructed saurians on a tropical island and sold tickets to it. The party arrives as VIP guests on preview day — the same morning Cusk's former partner steals the diamond that powers every containment ward on the island. The wards go dark, the cages open, and the island has two hours before its magical foundations give out and it slides into the sea. A complete, ready-to-run one-shot for a small table: 2–3 players, levels 2–3, one 2–3 hour session, zero prep. Eighteen named scenes across four acts, with a branching second act (a subterranean stealth route or an exposed aerial one) that reconverges so nothing is gated behind the choice. A visible 0–10 tension meter — the Containment Instability Index — climbs as the island fails and sets the severity of the finale. The apex predator is not a villain: it is a construct whose control collar overloaded when the diamond was stolen, and it is in agony, not hunger. The three-phase boss has a discoverable weak point and ends in a single-round choice between three fully written endings — destroy the island's heart, restore containment, or free the beast — none of them clean. Includes 8 SRD 5.1 creature stat blocks, 4 NPCs, 4 ready-made characters (any two form a viable party), 6 battle maps, 6 opening hooks, 6 contingencies, and 5 campaign seeds. Every encounter is tuned and stress-tested for the worst-case small table.
People keep asking for "beginner" dungeons. Everyone can name "classic" dungeons - Tomb of Horrors, Barrier Peaks, Ravenloft, etc. - but in order for those adventures to make sense, there needs to be some sort of introduction. It's like all the adventures we have are Bach concertos. People keep writing amazing works of staggering genius, but someone needs to write a book on how to play the piano. I had the same questions, and since I couldn't find anything satisfactory, I decided to write the kind of dungeon I would have loved to find. I wanted to write the best basic OSR dungeon for beginners that I could, and I also wanted to show the design process. If you like this dungeon, please share it, tell people about it, print copies and leave them lying around local game stores, or email this post to friends who have "always wanted to try D&D but don't know where to start". The entire thing is and always will be free.
Tired and sore, you struggle over the burning sands toward the long-forgotten city. Will you reach the place in time to save yourselves from the evil efreeti? The sun beats down, making your wounds stiff and worsening the constant thirst that plagues anyone who travels these waterless wastes. But there is hope - are those the ruins over there? In the midst of broken columns and bits of rubble stands a huge statue. This is the place! You've found it at last. Gratefully, you sink onto the sand. But there is no time to lose. You must hurry. So with a quavering voice you say the magic words. And then you wait... A hush falls over the ruins, making the back of your neck prickle. Then, out of the east, a wind rises, gentle at first but quickly growing stronger and wilder, until it tears at your clothes and nearly lifts you off your feet. The once clear sky is choked with white and grey clouds that clash and boil. As the clouds blacken day turns to night. Lightning flashes followed by a menacing growl of thunder. You are beginning to wonder if you should seek shelter, when all of a sudden there is a blinding crash and a bolt of lightning reduces the statue to dust. For a moment, silence. The, out of the statue's remains, soars a blue flame. Its roar deafens you as higher and higher it climbs, until it seems about to reach the clouds. Just when you think it can grow no larger, its shape begins to change. The edges billow and soften, their roar lessens, and before your eyes materializes a gigantic blue man. This adventure can be played alone or as the second part of the Desert of Desolation series. For characters level 6-8. TSR 9053
Many of the local lords had gathered for a peace moot. A perfect opportunity for the demon-possessed Aeldrith Forkbeard to murder them all in cold blood. The PCs, attending the moot, must now flee for their lives. Harried by a Northlander warband, the party is forced to flee into the dreaded Witchwood. To reach the safety of the Kingdom of Marshes they must traverse the depths of the forest, avoiding Northlander raiders and the strange creatures of the Witchwood. The adventure also takes the PCs into the Feywild, where time runs strangely and memories are fragile. Finally, they must face the chilling Gatekeeper guarding the Feywild portal that allows the PCs to return to the Material Plane. Into the Witchwood is a generic adventure suitable for use in the Moonshae Isles. The adventure includes a map of the area, three new creatures and a new legendary magic item, the Circle of the Forest God.
Deep below the surface lies an ancient beholder city called Ilth K'hinax. In times past, hundreds of beholders called it home - until simmering rivalries within their society exploded into warfare. The few survivors fled, leaving the city deserted for hundreds of years. However, the story of Ilth K'hinax's glory was passed down from one generation of beholders to the next. Now, after countless years of self-imposed exile, the beholders are back! After securing the city, the hive mother of Ilth K'hinax implemented a plan to wipe out all the beings living above it. Unfortunately for the beholders, several facets of the hive mother's plan have been revealed through the exploits of a party of adventurers. Now, this group of heroes must meet eye to eye with Ilth K'hinax's newest occupants in an effort to stop the hive mother's pernicious plan! "Eye to Eye" is the last of three adventures featuring the nightmarish beholder. It can be played as an individual mission or as part of the series that began with "Eye of Pain" and continued in "Eye of Doom." TSR 9536
A cry for help by a small village in the Howling Valley. An abandoned monastery on top of the mountain. Hordes of undead pouring into the realms. A mad mage with bad intentions. Will you be able to put an end to the unfortunate events in the valley?
If the ravens die, Crawford Manor falls. Soaked from the storm and weary from travel, the adventurers seek shelter for the night at the manor house on a hill. The PCs are shown rooms to change into dry clothing, and invited to dine with Lord Crawford this evening. Dinner is interrupted by a woman's scream from a nearby room: Corbett, the master-at-arms has been murdered! This adventure is an atmospheric murder mystery set in a manor house. While it's setting-neutral, it would be a good fit for a Ravenloft setting. Pgs. 52-64
"The first raid on our village happened a little over 3 months ago. We awoke in the morning to discover that the Cooper family's house at the edge of town had been sacked in the entire family was missing," croaks Obed, the village elder. "We mounted a search party, but found no trace of them." The old man lifts his gaze to the west woods. "After the third such attack, we sent a messenger to seek aid from one of the larger towns nearby. He never returned." He turns back to face your party and continues, "We had no idea who or what was attacking our village... Until last week. Creatures in black robes drifted out of the woods to the west and began setting houses on fire. Then, they seized four of our bravest men and carried them, screaming, into the mists." Obed throws his mug of ale into the fire, suddenly angry, "The only creature capable of this evil is the Barrow King, who lives in the burial mounds to the west. But I swear, we have done nothing to focus his anger upon us, nothing!" Warily, the elder stands, leaning heavily on his walking stick. Slowly, he lifts it, pointing at each one of you in turn. "If it is the Barrow King, God help us!"
For the past several days, dozens of strong earthquakes have rocked the coastal area surrounding the underground Temple of Poseidon. Since the first quake, there have been a growing number of reports of strange events and macabre occurrences throughout the area. Several families near the temple have abandoned their farms and refused to return. They claim to have been terrorized by inhuman specters who prowled about their farms late at night. One of the farmers says he found a farm animal crucified and eviscerated in a ritualistic fashion on his front porch. Following the first tremors, all communications with the Temple of Poseidon, seemingly the center of the troubled area, were cut off. Messengers dispatched to the temple to request guidance from the Holy Oracle located there have not returned. Now the darkness has spread to this town. Unnatural births have occurred. Strange cries can be heard in the night, and there is a cowl around the moon. Magical divining has proven useless in naming the dark forces that invade. Many of the townspeople have already abandoned their homes and those who remain have but one recourse left: They have sent out a cry for hardened adventurers, experienced in dispatching evil. They must travel to the temple to discover the fate of the men there, and, if possible, elicit their help in destroying the growing heinous power. Pgs. 31-46
The Approaching Swarm is a short adventure. 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. The adventure takes place in a swampland that is near a small settlement. The characters have just arrived in the small settlement of Crivdall, which is a fort on the edge of a huge, dangerous swamp. In the dead of night, a small armada of monstrous vermin attacked the characters and their hosts, and the PCs may have spied a mysterious figure that controlled their actions.
Goblin attacks have always plagued the farmers and merchants who live and travel along the roads leading to Whitesparrow. But a recent rash of new attacks are something different. The goblins of one particular tribe have gotten particularly smart, attacking with careful tactics and cunning ambushes. The village guards haven’t been able to outwit the goblins, even when laying traps of their own and hiring mercenaries to stop them. Even as goblins go, Rosethorn isn’t much to look at. He’s small and runty, and yet a lucky break placed him in charge of the Brownleaf goblin tribe. When he claimed a powerful magic relic from a dead wizard three months ago, Rosethorn found his intellect multiplied many times over. The world began to make a more intricate kind of sense to him, and he saw patterns in the ways other folk traveled the roads. After hiring a spy in Whitesparrow to tell him which wagons to pursue, Rosethorn cunningly bribed the wagons’ guards to throw battles in the goblins’ favor. He then moved the lair of the Brownleaf tribe away from their dank caves and into the ruins of the Bearded Man—an enormous dead tree at the center of the Howling Wood. There, Rosethorn continues his campaign of ambush against the foolish villagers, increasing his wealth and power with each robbery.
A generic tomb exploration. Usable for a quick one off or random exploration discovery. Sometimes a DM needs a fill-in adventure for when their PC’s go off script. This is a single location low role play adventure that can be inserted anywhere needed.
A small valley in the Basalt Mountains is home to a small farming community and a priory for the deity Enyndeth. Here young acolytes study to be full-fledged clerics of their faith. The priory was built into the side of one of the mountains when the community specialized in mining. This town should be able to provide road weary adventurers a reprieve from problems….or will it?
The local nobles of the region have sent word to your group requesting a meeting. Later that day you find the Black Raven roadside tavern and are met at the door. After being escorted to a back room which has seen its share of shady dealings you are propositioned with an offer to investigate and depose a set of local nobles who are brothers. Rumor has it that the Ironrod brothers, who have been overtaxing the citizens, have now employed humanoids as guards. This is forbidden and if true, the brothers need to be brought to justice immediately!
About: This encounter was cooked up in the Write your First Encounter workshop by the Storytelling Collective. It CAN be slid in as a side quest in any urban or sub-urban context, or be adapted to add confusion to any rescue mission you are presently running. Synopsis: Through the doorway a young woman shackled to the wall matching the description of Helena can be seen. Though disheveled and looking to be in great discomfort, her beauty is remarkable. But on closer inspection, there are other people here — three identical Helenas! Noble woman Elize Cleron has hired the party to infiltrate the catacombs under the Schaefer Estate and free her twin sister Helena. Helena is being held captive by the Schaefer family, trade rivals rumored to have ties to the underworld. Elize has been unable to free her sister herself because of her identical appearance. Rather than pay an unrealistic ransom, Elize has provided the party with what they need to break her out. This encounter is intended for 3rd level characters.
"For untold eons, Eshebala ruled over Vulgarea, the 193rd Layer of the Abyss...content to revel in hedonism, corrupt the hearts of her dwindling followers and inflict petty cruelty. Yet, if there are days in the Abyss, there came one when she realized she despised her own province. She hated demonkind. She hated the Abyss. It had become unbearably tedious, spent...done. The burgeoning goddess decided she would dip her toe back into the lives of mortals, and quest to remember...to understand her own existence...But that was a lofty goal for a mind that had long ago begun to unravel. Instead...She is learning that all she has left is cruelty...and it was always cruelty that gave her power, so she now believes, to the woe of any who cross her path." Partly inspired by a scant notation by Carl Sargeant in 1992's TSR book Monster Mythology: "Eshebala is the foxwoman deity of vanity, charm, greed, and cunning. Her symbol is a female fox. Eshebala appears as a foxwoman, a shapely fur-covered female with a fox’s head, or as a beautiful young elf maiden. She is bedecked in rich clothing and jewels, and carries a silver mirror. Eshebala’s realm of Vulgarea can be found on the 193rd layer of the Abyss. She is wily and vain. She favors beautiful things and collects jewelry and art, the tackier and flashier the better. She prefers to overcome her opponents using subtlety rather than force, seducing and devouring out of boredom. She loves gossip, and always insists on being the center of attention. Eshebala is a patron of evil shapeshifters who use their wits and wiles before resorting to violence." Eshebala is a true chaotic evil demon goddess, behaving 100% true to form, and an extremely challenging opponent to take down for your players. An unforgettable 262 page jaunt for Levels: 15-17, with multiple possible modes of play, including Party Mode for up to 12 players. Profusely and paintstakingly illustrated over the course of several years by an award-winning professional illustrator. No stock illustration in this beast! A loving, dark & insanely detailed exploration of the 193rd Abyssal Plane An exuberant nod to the most grueling, deadly dungeons ever created Rich encounters that play out in a unique way each time 100 + NEW CREATURES 200 + NEW TREASURES (& possibly the most illustrated treasury ever provided) 82 BOOKS for PCs to discover 70 + NEW SPELLS & RITUALS, INCLUDING DETAILED OPTIONS FOR DEMON SUMMONING 50 + NEW TRAPS, HAZARDS & EFFECTS (guaranteed to run amuck) 4 RANDOM TREASURE TABLES, including a TABLE OF GEMSTONES that would be useful in any campaign 2 NEW CLASS SHIFTS: the Demonologist & the Exorcist!
When Treason Walks the Land... Trouble stirs in Dunador! The King lies dead of a wound received during a hunting expedition. His brother, Lord Edrin, challenges the rightful Crown Prince, a half-trained young man named Edmund, for possession of the throne while Edmund travels on a pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Nevron. Forces throughout the kingdom vie for control of the realm. Can the player characters find the Crown Prince and protect him from the treacherous forces at large in Dunador? N3: "Destiny of Kings" (1986), by Stephen Bourne, is the third adventure in the novice series for AD&D. It's up at the upper end of what could be considered "novice" play, though, with the pre-rolled characters being 3rd and 4th level. It was released in February 1986. Like N2: "The Forest Oracle" (1984), this adventure is offered as a generic adventure, not specifically based in any existing AD&D setting. Suggestions are given in the conversion guide to place the adventure in the Forgotten Realms. Out of the Dungeons. One of the most impressive elements of N3 is its complete lack of dungeons. Instead - as was increasingly the case by the mid 80s - the players are heavily embroiled in a plot. They must find the prince of Dunador and return him home safely. Elements of investigation and intrigue thus find their way into the game. There is also some opportunity for wilderness adventure - a quality that was also becoming more common in AD&D by the mid-80s. Future History. A decade after its original publication, Wizards of the Coast updated "Destiny of Kings" to 2nd edition AD&D and reprinted it (1998). It was one of the few classic adventures to receive this treatment. This conversion guide allows DMs to run the original module with 5th Edition rules and provides a reference sheet for encounters. To use this conversion guide you will need a copy of Destiny of Kings, originally available in hard-copy and now for sale in digital format at the DMs Guild.