A meteorite has crashed into the countryside, and now vicious enemies prowl the night. Can the characters put a stop to the sinister force that is causing savage animal attacks and a growing list of missing people? Watchers in the Dark is a cosmic horror one-shot adventure for 4th-level characters. It takes about 3-4 hour to complete and includes: - A horrifying discovery beneath a meteorite crater - Three new monsters: two variant ankhegs and an alien being, the mind-shard - Combat cards for each monster, PC, and special treasure - Gorgeous, hand-drawn maps by Jake from Beware the Wizard
This is a scenario for Runequest characters with skills between 50% and 75% and little Rune magic, or AD&D characters of 4th- 5th Level. Statistics are given in full for the Circus troupe, who can be played as PCs by the party, or run as NPCs, though they should be essentially non-combative. Stats for the other major NPCs are also given at the back of the adventure. INTRODUCTION Ghararna is a prosperous little village in a fertile valley, surrounded by mountains on one side and steppes on the other. However, a Horde of Barbarian Nomads have recently arrived in the area: they took three hostages from the village to ensure obedience, and are planning to stay for the winter. Worse still, they plan to attack a nearby tribe of non-humans, the Karagol, in the mountains near the valley: they have captured a leader of the tribe, throwing the Karagoi into confusion. The villagers have had good relations with the tribe; they fear the coming war will destroy the friendship. Also, the likely battleground will be the villagers' fields, destroying the unharvested crops that are vital for surviving the harsh winter. To counter this threat, the village elders have pooled all their resources to hire the party: their objectives are to make the Horde leave without carrying out any reprisals against the village, to rescue the hostages, and to ensure the tribe do not attack the village. The villagers have also paid Sravindly, the boss of a travelling circus, to take the party into the camp as part of the circus: the circus will give what aid it safely can. Once in, the party can learn what the Horde is like and decide on their course of action, either acting immediately or after the circus leaves.
'A Doven Investigation' is an adventure for 5e to take characters from level 1 to 3. Within the city of Doven a series of bizarre accidents have worried city authorities. They suspect the origin of these accidents come from a necromancer and so seek out a group of adventurers to hire. Their job is to find out what is causing these accidents and put a stop to it. This job though won't be as easy as it seems. The party will have to make sure to not accuse innocent people, work what the city authorities aren't telling them about these accidents and finally uncover the more infernal origin of what endangers Doven. This adventure serves as a sandbox mystery adventure presenting the party a variety of ways to uncover what truly is happening in Doven. It is a good way for a parties characters to meet up and explore the city of Doven together as they work out more and more about the city.
For centuries, Ma’at’s temple sat peacefully in silent beauty; a great symbol of justice and harmony. The gems of its glistening ceiling glitter and fade with each rising sun as Ra lights the daytime sky. Isfet, the god of chaos, Ma’at’s greatest enemy, has grown restless. Some have rumored that he tore out Ma’at’s heart out of jealousy of her power. The bravest of adventurers must face the challenges of Duat and keep up with the determined Ma’at.
In this town, nothing goes like clockwork. A voice in the darkness offered him power, with only one string attached: first he had to find some adventurers. A fiend and minions of the plane of fire have set up shop beneath a small town, and have been attracting evil minions to their lair! In this town of Jenkel, the religious leader (named Broderick) is secretly under the influence of the demon and has been doing her will out of his own greed for power. A tilted pyramid appeared in the town years ago, and is actually the tip of a tower buried in the town. The tower leads to a dungeon and a shrine where the party can fight off the demon and rid the town of the evil influence. Pgs. 18-31
The Sea Witch is a short adventure for four 10th-level characters. The difficulty of the adventure can be adjusted by changing the level of main antagonist (Black Molly, the sea hag pirate) or by altering the number of her ogre servants. To tailor the encounter to groups of different levels, refer to table 4-1 in Chapter 4 of the DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE. The adventure is set off a lightly populated coastline known as Misty Bay, but adapts easily to any coastal region in existing campaigns. The sea hag known as Black Molly is a notorious pirate who has plagued the coastal cities for the better part of a decade. A successful Knowledge (local) check (DC 15) will reveal that Molly and her ogre crew have a filthy reputation as merciless killers who delight not only in plundering vessels for their riches, but also in destroying the ships themselves and sending all hands to the bottom of the sea. Now the villain and her followers have seized control of the Old Lighthouse of Misty Bay located off a lightly populated coastline. For generations the lighthouse beacon has protected the fishermen of this region, warning them of the dangerous rocks that lurk just below the level of the high tides. Recently, the hag has put out the beacon, darkening the lighthouse; misery and destruction are sure to follow as ships start to blunder into the rocks. Blackmail is apparently Black Molly’s aim in this venture: She conveyed a message to the nearest shore community, the fishing village of Poisson, demanding the princely sum of 50,000 gp. Until she receives this ransom, she intends to hold the lighthouse and its beacon hostage. The fate of the human keepers who tend the lighthouse is unknown to the seaside communities at this time, but they fear the worst. The Sea Witch is ostensibly a rescue mission: The PCs are pitted against the evil of Black Molly and the brawn of her savage ogre crew. It is the heroes’ task to retake the lighthouse and, if possible, free its captives from the clutches of their jailer. What neither the PCs nor the shore communities yet realize is that while she 1would be pleased to have the gold, Black Molly is in fact after bigger treasure. Molly has no intention of giving up the lighthouse — at least, not until she finds what her master sent her here for. Lying on the sea floor practically at the base of the rock on which the lighthouse sits is the wreck of the war galley Flying Cloud, which according to popular legend was captained by a cleric who wore around his neck an amulet of the planes. Black Molly wants this prize, but so far she hasn’t been able to find it. She’s scoured the wreck without finding any sign of the magic item. Now she’s trying to determine where to search next, for the item might well be somewhere near the wreck. If she can’t find it, she’ll start torturing her captives to find out if they have any useful knowledge about the amulet.
A Titan’s Dream is a D&D 5e adventure that invites your party to a conflict between three mountain tribes that are competing for a dreaming Titan’s power. Through the adventure, a party of four or five level 3 characters gain two levels. It takes 4 to 6 four-hour sessions to finish the adventure. The adventure is structured into three acts: 1. The party meets the Visig tribe and learns their customs. They join a ritual run that takes them across the region and discover a necrotic affliction. The act culminates with a battle against a warlock of the Undying tribe and undead beasts. 2. The party seeks out a sage to learn about the trials of strength. They explore the harsh mountains, face fabled beasts, and the Fastus and Undying tribes as they complete the three trials. 3. With the trials complete, the party enters a Titan’s resting place and their dreams. They explore memories from a bygone world and return for a final confrontation between the three tribes.
Though small, Seawell is a prosperous trading town with a good location on the coast. Next to it is a long peninsula that features mostly swamplike terrain. The inhabitants of this peninsula include tribes of lizardfolk, plus several kinds of reptiles and amphibians. Most of these creatures don't bother the town, and Seawell's militia is experienced at repulsing raids by the more aggressive lizardfolk. A large reef extends the entire length of the peninsula on the side away from Seawell. This great wall of coral is a favorite site for fishermen, but it has always presented a serious hazard to ships approaching from that direction. Thus, about 45 years ago, the people of Seawell built a lighthouse on a small promontory near the reef, about 200 yards from the shoreline. Operated by a family that lived inside it, this lighthouse ensured that ships could easily steer clear of the reef. A few weeks ago, ships stopped arriving from that direction. Three ships are now overdue, and the people of Seawell have begun to suspect foul play. Thus far, however, they have not been able to investigate because of increased raiding by the lizardfolk. Something has stirred them up, and the town militia has been too busy repulsing raids to mount an expedition to the reef. Wreck Ashore is a short D&D adventure for four 1st level player characters (PCs). The scenario takes place on and around a swampy peninsula that juts out from a longer stretch of coastline. Along one side of this peninsula stretches a dangerous reef. Just offshore on the reef side stands a lighthouse built to warn ships of the danger. At the base of the peninsula on the side away from the reef is a small port town called Seawell.
Strange doings are underfoot in the wild hills bordering the realm of decent and civilized folks. Villagers and cattle have gone missing; woodcutters have disappeared; misshapen beings have been seen shuffling through the forests. Some brave villagers have tracked a group of stolen oxen as far as the rocky banks of a small river in the hills. The trail disappeared down into a fissure in the limestone rock, where a fast-running stream plunges down to the dark caverns below. Gird your loins, stand behind the dwarf, and get ready to face The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom!
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?
Under the Temple Crypt is the first in a series of site-based, Swords & Wizardry** compatible, “micro modules” that can be dropped into just about any campaign (especially a sandbox-style campaign). No underlying story-hook or rationale for exploring the site is given here. This dungeon assumes that there is a temple somewhere with a mysterious walled-in doorframe in the basement crypt. The walled-in doorframe predates the temple itself and leads to ancient subterranean structures that hint of an older civilization as well as an expansive underworld.
Sometimes its better not to know... Citizens are turning up in the city in catatonic states, alive but devoid of personality. Are they the victims of an illness or disease, or is there something more sinister at work? Encountering one of these poor souls, the characters are drawn into an investigation of politics and treachery, seedy underworld dealings and rooftop chases, culminating in a fiery conclusion. Can they discover the cause of this epidemic before it’s too late?
A rare breed of wolf has apparently been staging daring attacks on citizens of Rendrick. A group of hunters seek to claim bounty on the beast, but as the PCs quickly learn, the wolf isn't all it appears. Something sinister lurks in the woods near town, and the PCs must act quickly to save innocent lives. Pgs. 16-26
Something strange lurks within the stony confines of an abandoned wizard’s tower. The sole surviving member of a forlorn adventuring party is desperate to find out what happened to his friends and is willing to provide a generous reward to anybody willing to launch a second expedition. Will the heroes uncover the secrets of the tower, or will they also disappear into the darkness?
Barrow of the Culder is the initial adventure in the dangerous land of Provincia. Carrying on from this month’s free adventure, this scenario brings the adventuring party together in the small community of Merrydale. Two PCs will be meeting on the hill outside of town and then move forward to find additional members of the group as well as their first challenge. One PC will have received a job to find a missing minor artifact and have orders to gather any assistance…hence the party forms and has a common goal! After gathering their equipment they will follow a hidden trail to the final resting place of the feared warlord named the Culder.
In the frozen wastes, one can find wealth, beauty and one's own death. A deadly hunt deep in the arctic wastes Pgs. 11-26
After arriving at a seemingly abandoned trading post, the heroes discover to their horror that all the inhabitants have been transformed into black trees! Upon further investigation, they find clues that lead them to the hidden lair of Nockmort, a treant gone bad. Nockmort has been transformed by the strange radiation of a meteorite he discovered, and now he is a terrible force of evil. The characters must enter his sunless garden to save the town. And along the way they just might discover fabulous treasure...
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 ancient forest known as the Wildering Woods has a reputation for confounding those who dare venture through it. When a series of unusual events befall a nearby lumber camp, the player characters are asked to seek out a mysterious wizard rumored to reside within. As the adventure unfolds, it soon becomes apparent that big trouble awaits them inside the forest. What's included: 1 fanciful adventure divided into single-page sections for easy running 2 fully-colored maps with unlabeled versions for players (made with assets from 2-minute Tabletop) 3 custom creature statblocks with clickable links for quick access Content Warning: Violence, death, abduction around the Wildering Woods, a fey-inhabited forest whose residents are being terrorized by a delusional hill giant who believes he is a wizard.
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