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
Get ready to Draw Steel like a Viking! Apotheosis is a norse-inspired adventure designed for a group of three to six 1st-level heroes, set in the fictional world of Orm, where the players help to create the pantheon! Plot Hook: There has been tension for generations between two neighbouring regions in the country of Kvysia: Kjalwick on the north-west coast, and Oruma on the north coast. It is common for the two regions to raid back and forth until another uneasy truce is called. This time, though, the Orumians have gone too far... What's included: - A 1st-level adventure lasting two, maybe three, 4 hour sessions. Heroes can expect to earn between 6-8 Victories. - A forked adventure! Depending on if the heroes win or lose their first encounter, the adventure goes one of two ways. Two groups may experience completely different endings! - Custom Rival statblocks, for before they become the heroes' real Rivals. Descriptions of each provided to help bring them to life through roleplay! - Eight encounters, including a seafaring montage and a potential negotiation (if the heroes are charismatic enough!). Adjustments for between 3-6 heroes are included. - Encounter sheets, custom maps and statblocks for each of the encounters! Designed in a way to make best use of Draw Steel's mechanics in interesting and fun ways, for both the Director and the players. - Custom Retainers and modified titles to suit the adventure. - Printable, lightweight documents designed for online or pen & pencil play.
A short Dungeon in the Desert for 3rd Level Characters. There is a secret in the desert that must not be discovered, and a gang of tomb-robbers are going to find it. Chase them through the dungeon and stop them. Of course, they almost found the secret. It couldn't be too much work for you to find it now... Unshifted Sands is a short adventure built around a tomb in the desert, designed to be played in 4-5 hours. VTT Maps Included.
It was supposed to be a simple job... A strange merchant offers you a simple job – pick up and deliver cargo. You have three days to get it a mere fourteen miles through the city. How hard could it be? A Simple Job is a journey through the city of Anduria, a cascading series of events that takes the heroes to explore strange locales and bargain with even stranger creatures. What secrets does the city hold, buried away for countless centuries?
Despite what some may think, those in Zhentil Keep haven't forgotten about their orc troops in Phent. In public discussion in Zhentil Keep, the leaders of the Zhentilar, the military branch of Zhentil Keep, have confidently asserted that the orcs in Thesk are completely loyal to Zhentil Keep. They maintain that the orcs are just biding their time and building up trust among the citizens, until the appointed time when the word is given. In private, these same leaders are gravely concerned. The leaders didn't get to positions of command by being idiots, and they know that the orcs are treated well and accepted in Thesk, which is a rarity for them with the humans and humanoids of Faerûn in general. The leaders know that many of the orcs would be reluctant to destroy the source of this acceptance. But what if the orcs' chief god, Gruumsh, told them to? The Zhentilar turned to the Black Network and presented the problem. The Zhents knew what to do. The Zhents have dispatched a powerful cleric, a master of persuasion and deception, to pose as an orc prophet of Gruumsh and whip the orcs into a destructive frenzy. In addition, the Zhentilar have staged raids against human caravans by what look like orc warriors so that they can start antiorc sentiment among the population of Thesk. Twin Oaks is a tiny, sleepy little thorp located just within the sheltering eaves of a great forest. Home to an extended family clan of farmers and woodcutters, the community was founded within living memory and since its creation the inhabitants have known only peace and prosperity. But just as the gentle breezes of late summer can transform rapidly into the deadly storms of autumn, dark times have come suddenly to Twin Oaks, in the person of Deskryn, a vampire who finds himself on the run from deadly enemies. Just two nights ago, as the good folk of Twin Oaks prepared for the annual harvest, Deskryn’s castle home was invaded by an intrepid band of adventurers led by a noble paladin. Although the party did not achieve its goal of slaying the vampire himself, they managed to drive him from his lair and force him to flee into the night with only the barest fraction of his former resources in tow. Unfortunately for the good folk of Twin Oaks, theirs was the community onto which the 2 vampire stumbled first, and it is here that the fiends have taken refuge. The little settlement offers the displaced vampire all that he needs: shelter from the hateful light of the sun, a selection of new servants, and a supply of fresh mortal blood. Even in his current condition, Deskryn alone is more than a match for the nhabitants of the thorp; but his best hope of survival lies not in conquest, but in secrecy. He plans to hide in Twin Oaks until he believes it safe to leave; then, he can begin plotting his revenge on the hateful paladin and her compatriots who brought him to this lowly state. As for the citizens of the thorp, they are all but helpless in the face of this powerful enemy. The vampire has already slaked his unholy thirst on one of their number, and his minions have taken hostages to ensure that the inhabitants do as they are told. All the folk of Twin Oaks hope that Deskryn will take what he wants and then leave them in peace, but few of them believe that such hopes are realistic. Until Deskryn has satisfied himself that the coast is clear, Twin Oaks—and its people—belong to him.
The heroes of the town of Torch follow a trail of clues to the sprawling junkyard known as Scrapwall, where bands of desperate and violent brigands vie for control of the technological remnants found within. The Lords of Rust dominate Scrapwall, and their swiftly rising power threatens more than just the town of Torch, for this gang has the support of one of the terrifying Gods of Numeria. What slumbers fitfully beneath the wreckage of Scrapwall could catapult the Lords of Rust into a new level of power if they're not stopped!
Into the Dragon's Lair takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting, and takes place after the novels The High Road and The Death of a Dragon by Troy Denning. The nation of Cormyr tries to rebuild after the death of King Azoun IV, and seeks the treasure hoard of a dragon to fund these efforts and keep the kingdom from falling into chaos. The player characters must find this treasure before all the other seekers.
Zhentish soldiers, Maerimydran drow, and Sharran cultists have forged a dark alliance to subjugate the peaceful land of Shadowdale. Elminster's tower lies in ruins, Lord Amcathra governs at the sufferance of the dale's conquerors, and the very Weave of magic in this embattled land seems to fray with each passing day. The Zhentish yoke lies heavy over Shadowdale—but the Dalesfolk are ready to fight for their freedom, if only they can find true heroes to lead the way!
Lots of stronghold assaults and shipboard travel/encounters in this one. This adventure's deep political basis might be seen as an introduction for the domain-focused adventures of Companion-level play. This adventure is for use with the Dungeons & Dragons Basic, Expert, and Companion Rules, and includes the intrigue of engaging with nobility's lands and agendas. Intro: All is not well in the kingdom of Vestland. Not only is the king dead and the holy Sonora Crown missing, but the heir to the kingdom was lost at birth and no on knows where to find him. As if this wasn't bad enough, the forces of the Ethengar Khanate, never on the best of terms with Vestland, are now massing on the borders, hoping to take advantage of Vestland's plight. To complete the rosy picture, traitors from within also threaten to speed the downfall of the High Kingdom. Sounds like a job for you. You must find the long-lost heir to the kingdom and recover the Sonora Crown, the mystical device without which a king cannot be crowned. Standing in your way are traitors and spies from within and invaders from without the kingdom of Vestland. Time is running out! Can you save Vestland from disaster? TSR 9218
The PCs find themselves besieged by marauding elves in a wilderness trading outpost. Can they organize a defense of Outpost Three against the elves and their sinister allies—and figure out why the elves attack night after night? Pgs. 32-50
A scenario for a party of 4th-7th level adventurers You've earned quite a reputation as fearless adventurers, the sort who take on anything. But what happens when you come face-to-face with the challenge that bested the greatest adventurer in the whole Kingdom? Can you succeed where Feyr-Panniras failed? Can you find what has turned his friends against the Kingdom? And, more than anything, can you survive against the power of the New Gods?
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.
Condemned to death! You are a criminal in the Cauldron, a maximum security prison in the city of Capital. Only the worst criminals are kept here, and you are the worst of the worst. You’re due to be hanged tomorrow, but you were taken out of your cell today, fitted with a collar that looks an awful lot like a war dog collar, and taken to meet a mysterious figure. He offers you a deal. Undertake a top secret mission in exchange for your freedom. Your record, even your identity deleted if that’s what you want. The only catch? IT’S SUICIDE. Misbehave? And you’ll find out what those collars do. The Condemned is a Draw Steel adventure for 3rd-level heroes. Actually, no, for 3rd-level protagonists! Designed for three to six players, plus the director. This fast-paced, high-stakes adventure assumes the players have moderate experience with the Draw Steel system and the game’s core rulebooks. Protagonists can expect to earn up to 12 victories across the course of the adventure. Because The Condemned involves a team of original heroes, and does not take place within the continuity of your normal home campaign, players are encouraged to create new (villains) protagonists just for this adventure. We also include a healthy variety of original pre-generated characters with unique and interesting backstories. Put them in front of your players and watch them get excited! They may want to keep playing them once the adventure is through. Assuming they survive!
Vecna Lives is a high level adventure that pits players against the lich and almost demi-god Vecna. Although based in Greyhawk, the adventure is easily adaptable to Ravenloft and Planescape. This adventure is meant to kill characters. If you are a DM who cannot bring himself to kill a player’s prized character or one who can be pressured to “give a guy a break,” you must be extra strong when running Vecna Lives! For centuries, Vecna-archmage, despotic tyrant, the most fearsome of all liches-has been nothing but fearful legend to the honest folk of Greyhawk. Once the supreme master of all undead sorcerers, even today his Hand and Eye are object of immense power. Now something evil is stirring in the lands around Greyhawk. The Hand and Eye of Vecna have been found-and Vecna wants them back. TSR 9309
Sometimes you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time... Sheltering from a savage storm, a group of fledgling adventurers find themselves trapped by circumstances and powerful forces from a bygone age. Escaping from dark and dismal caverns, the heroes must brave a nightmarish trek through haunted and hostile terrain, pursued by an mysterious assailant to the very walls of Anduria – home of the greatest civilisation in the world. On the edge between madness and salvation, they must broker a deal with shadowy cults and political powers to determine not only their own fate, but potentially that of the Eternal City itself.
“Siege of Bordrin’s Watch” is the sequel to “Rescue at Rivenroar,” continuing the unfolding story of the Scales of War campaign. This adventure features exploration, roleplaying opportunities, and combats in dynamic environments. In this adventure, a new threat looms to the west: A vast horde of orcs and their despicable kin emerge from the barren lands bent on plunder and conquest. While the Elsir Vale and other lands mobilize their meager forces to respond to the danger, a call has gone out to those heroes of the Vale to join forces and help to push back this new evil before it’s too late. Pgs. 4-55
A Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure for 4th-level characters, this volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path is part 2 of 6 of the Kingmaker Adventure Path, in which the heroes win and defend a small kingdom from threats foreign and domestic. PCs should advance to 7th level by the end of this adventure. The PCs receive a shipment of funds, materials, and colonists from Brevoy and beyond, along with instructions to build a town and attract more pioneers to their nascent country. Having already explored the northern reaches of their new domain, the PCs must now venture into the wilds to bring the rule of law to the south. Wicked fey inhabiting a ruined keep, undead haunting an ancient barrow mound, and others must be defeated to make the region ever more secure. Along the way, the PCs might also have the opportunity to ally themselves with some of the region’s local residents, including the dryad druid Tiressia, her satyr consort Falchos, and a band of gnome explorers called the Narthropple Expedition. In addition, the PCs will be called upon to mediate between two rival factions in the area: a group of independent loggers and the angry fey sorceress who opposes them. As they explore, evidence that a group of trolls is stirring up trouble in the region becomes apparent. Meanwhile, the PCs must deal with events within their burgeoning kingdom—a rabble rouser seeks to oust the PCs from their positions of power, the secretive cult of the hag goddess Gyronna has infiltrated the town, and a werewolf is preying on the townsfolk. All of these events build to the adventure’s twin climaxes: the sudden assault on their capital city by an owlbear of unprecedented size and the expansion of Hargulka’s trolls into the north. Faced with danger on multiple fronts, the PCs must draw upon all of their resources and bravery to become the undisputed rulers of the Greenbelt.
Finding missing people is a job any adventurers for hire get used to. But when the missing person turns out to be the recently deceased wife of a prominent merchant's son, and when there is the small matter of a major jewelry theft to deal with as well, then you've got an adventure that is nothing other than normal.... Find the Lady is an adventure for the D&D and AD&D game systems. It is designed for a party of 1st - 3rd level characters, with secondary skills generated according to the article in this issue. This scenario was not designed with any set number of characters or mix of professions and levels in mind, and could equally well be run as a group or solo adventure. It can be played as a one-off adventure or as part of the Pelinore or Zhalindor campaigns, and notes are included on placing the adventure in either world. GM2 Find the Lady Pgs. 15-46
"Mysterious Ways" is a D&D adventure set in the Holy Land (Israel and Jordan) during the time of the Crusades (1114 A.D.) in an alternate-Earth setting. This is a world where the portals to otherworldly realms, particularly the Lower Planes, are closed--sealed shut by the power of the True Cross, a holy relic sought by evil thieves who would see the gates to the Lower Planes flung open. Magic exists in this alternate world, but it is less prevalent than in other D&D campaign settings. This paucity of magic serves the core of the adventure's storyline and should be preserved, if possible. This adventure is designed for a party of four 7th-level player characters (PCs). It is recommended that the party include at least one lawful cleric or paladin. Consult the "Adapting the Adventure" sidebar for ways to incorporate the adventure into generic D&D campaigns and modify it for higher or lower levels of play. Pgs. 84-112
Sacred relics of the monastery, the eyes of the dragon, have been stolen from their rightful place in the eyes of the Ascendant Dragon statue. The elders have chosen one from among their ranks to go and retrieve these two fist-sized emeralds and bring them home.