Long ago, a local priest created a warded graveyard on a remote hillside. As the years passed, it gained a reputation as a spot whose defenses were powerful enough to keep undead in and tomb robbers out. Adventurers began to bring the remains of any creatures they suspected might become restless in death to the Tomb Steppe for interment, and in time they also sought aid against such creatures from the friendly priest. After his death, a brief spate of undead activity commenced, then died away once again. As the years passed, the tales of undead activity in the Tomb Steppe faded into legend, and colonists began to move into the lands nearby. The town of Night Falls was founded a short distance from the graveyard, and it grew quickly into a thriving trade center and farming community. Realizing that the Tomb Steppe was safe enough during the day, the citizens began burying their dead there rather than building new crypts on pristine farmland. Because this method of interment was cheap and easy, people from many surrounding communities brought their dead to the town as well. The business of burial brought new prosperity to Night Falls, and a guild called the Funerary House sprang up to control the trade. But it seems that the threat from the Tomb Steppe has not entirely been laid to rest. The Great Mausoleum -- the largest and finest tomb in the steppe, has been unsealed, and an apparition has been seen within. Who will go to the Tomb Steppe by night and reseal the tomb? Lest Darkness Rise is a short adventure for four 7th-level characters. In keeping with the season, it has a stronger horror theme than most D&D adventures. This scenario can be used as the climax of a series of adventures featuring its secondary characters, or it can simply be a site-based adventure that the PCs stumble across at the right moment. The scenario is set in a semi-civilized area in the far north, far from cities and churches, where winters are harsh and summers never get very hot. These inhospitable conditions have resulted in a low humanoid population. The scenario need not be set in such a wilderness; a rural farming community far from cities works just as well. The only real requirement is that the area have few settlements. The action takes place in the small town of Night Falls and a nearby necropolis of tombs, mausoleums, and graves known as the Tomb Steppe. As always, feel free to adapt the material presented here as you see fit to make it work with your campaign.
A terrible thunderstorm batters a seaside port, yet thunder and lightning are nothing compared to what is about to be unleashed by the diabolic crew of the Rabid Dawn. Casters with access to control water, control weather, or control winds will prove especially valuable, as will characters with strong Swim skills. The adventure is best suited to a predominantly good or neutral aligned party of PC's. Strike on the Rabid Dawn takes place in the port city of Hardby (Dungeon #109). As most of the action takes place within a lighthouse and on a ship at sea, however, any suitable port from your campaign makes an appropriate substitution for Hardby. Pgs. 12-32
Wherein a solid plan to ransom captured wands turns sour for three friends and their employees, and a local luminary loses his tongue.
The Characters come across an ancient wizard's tower. The nearby keep has been reduced to rubble over the ages, but the tower is in perfect condition. It is surrounded by an impenetrable force field that cannot be breached - not even by the ghost of the long-dead wizard, who has been trapped within for centuries. Surely there must be great treasure within this magical abode. But how to get to it?
The white dragon Hinterbite has kept the barony of Icenvale ruler-less and poor for centuries. But now his power and that of his secret supporters is threatened by the popularity of an heir who hopes to make a change for the betterment of the people. Can the PCs take on the dragon and his minions and restore power to the barony's rightful ruling line? Download this new adventure by Owen K.C. Stephens and let your PCs face the dangers of the dragon lair! Fait Accompli is suitable for 12th-level characters. At its most basic level of use, Fate Accompli is a straightforward quest to clear a dungeon and slay some dragons in an arctic climate. However, it also includes political elements that you may either may play down or use to expand the scenario into a mini-campaign, as you wish. Fait Accompli is a short adventure for four 12th-level characters. It is set in the wilderness north of a minor border barony that has at best an arms-length relationship with any larger nation. Though the adventure requires all these elements to work, it can be set on the outer edge of any kingdom near an arctic region. As always, feel free to adapt the material presented here as you see fit to make it work with your campaign.
Smoke still rises from the shattered buildings and ruined streets of the troubled town of Cauldron, yet if not for the actions of a band of heroes, it would not exist at all. A sinister cabal of cultists bent on plunging Cauldron into the prison plane of Carceri had awakened the volcano below the town, and amidst the attacks of dragons and fiends from the outer planes, these heroes were able to evacuate the city and then strike at the cultists in their lair near the volcano's heart. Now, this cult, the Cagewrights, lies shattered, their members put on the defensive for the first time. All that remains is to finish the job, but the surviving Cagewrights still have some surprises left in their mysterious stronghold under the snake-haunted ruins of Shatterhorn. "Strike on Shatterhorn" is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure designed for four 18tth-level characters. This adventure is part of the Shackled City Adventure Path that began with "Life Bazaar" (Dungeon #97) and continued with "Flood Season" (Dungeon #98), "Zenith Trajectory" (Dungeon #102), "The Demonskar Legacy" (Dungeon #104), "Test of the Smoking Eye" (Dungeon #107), "Secrets of the Soul Pillars" (Dungeon #109), "Lords of Oblivion" (Dungeon #111), "Foundation of Flame" (Dungeon #113), and "Thirteen Cages" (Dungeon #114). The Adventure Path concludes in Dungeon #116 with "Asylum." Pgs. 56-82
Hidden amid the tattered parchment and mundane ink of a mysterious map hides the fabulous paradise of Kakishon. A realm of mystical wonders, mythical beasts, and legendary treasures, this long-lost creation of one of history’s greatest wizards once again inspires the bold to seek its wonders. Yet time, ancient magic, and bitter rivalries work to corrupt the incredible realm, turning it into both paradise and prison. Can they tame the powers of Kakishon’s magical islands and best the masters of the wondrous land? Or will they forever be prisoners of paradise? This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path includes: ◆ “The End of Eternity,” an adventure for 9th-level characters, by Jason Nelson. ◆ A glimpse into the Maelstrom and the lives of its enigmatic natives, the proteans, lords of primeval chaos, by Todd Stewart. ◆ The magical rites of Sulesh the Great, master of seals and binder of genies, as transcribed by Wolfgang Baur and James Jacobs. ◆ Pathfinder Channa Ti faces danger on the River Asp in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by New York Times bestselling author Elaine Cunningham. ◆ Six new monsters by Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Jason Nelson, F. Wesley Schneider, and Todd Stewart.
The shifting desert sands have revealed an ancient obelisk from a forgotten age, an obsidian monolith whose presence is having an unsettling effect on the surrounding desert. Ancient dead arise from the dunes, dangerous jackalweres launch attacks on caravans and villages, and the mysterious Order of the Obsidian Eye has flocked to the unearthed ruin for reasons no doubt dire. What monstrous portents do these events foretell?
Framed by the Covenant of the Knife and thrown in the notorious Blackmaw Prison, Karl Manderholm awaits his execution at the hands of the deadly assassins’ guild. In order to save him, the PCs must enter Blackmaw in the guise of lowly prisoners and expose the one man who can clear Karl’s name, the Shadowmaster of the Covenant himself. Pgs. 34-50
The village of Haven-Fara has a problem - it's been overrun with spiders that have been forced out of their nearby lair. Yet could this spider problem be merely a symptom of something worse to come? When the backwater town of Haven-Fara wakens under a thick blanket of webs to find half its populace missing, its up to the PCs to descend into a silk-chambered nest of the arachnid abductors. In a vertical maze of web-lined tunnels, they discover a dying queen, a legendary treasure, and a secret that could change Haven-Fara forever. Pgs. 14-20 & 22-28 & 30, 32 and 34
Condemned by a history of horrors, an army of the living dead stands between Korvosa and its only hope for salvation. Within the grim fastness of haunted Scarwall, the lifeless legions of the ancient warlord Kazavon guard the same accursed halls they’ve stalked for more than 700 years. Crossing a forsaken land to reach the infamous citadel’s dreaded gates, the PCs must explore the foul castle’s haunted halls, contend with otherworldly terrors, and purge the taint of Kazavon’s final days before having any hope of finally breaking the Curse of the Crimson Throne. This volume of Pathfinder includes: ► “Skeletons of Scarwall,” an adventure for 12th-level characters, by Greg A. Vaughan. ► A terrifying glimpse into the sadistic church of Zon-Kuthon, god of darkness, envy, and pain, by Sean K Reynolds. ► An exploration of the orc-ruled Hold of Belkzen, untamable land of monsters, savagery, and ancient secrets, by James L. Sutter. ► Surrounded by savages, Eando Kline discovers the cruelty of orcs stretches far beyond mere bloodlust in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by James L. Sutter. ► Five new monsters by Greg A. Vaughan and Sean K Reynolds.
Rumors of an Eberron dragonshard of enormous size and power have reached the city of Sharn. Unfortunately, the shard is concealed winthin a Talenta Plains tomb located below a camp of cruel halfling nomads and their dinosaur pets. For centuries the Crypt of Crimson Stars has lain hidden in the vast expanse of the Talenta Plains. Now it has been found, and its legendary lost treasures draw adventurers from across the continent. Can you navigate deadly traps, fearsome guardians, and vengeful nomadic halflings to claim the prize? "Crypt of the Crimson Stars" is part one of the three-part "Shards of Eberron" Campaign Arc. Pgs. 32-41
If the PCs are to avert the Age of Worms, they must invade the heartland of Kyuss' power, the Wormcrawl Fissure, and destroy one of the world's most powerful dracoliches before the Wormgod awakens. "Into the Wormcrawl Fissure" is the eleventh installment of the Age of Worms Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures, several "Backdrop" articles to help Dungeon masters run the series, and a handful of poster maps of key locations. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon's monthly "Worm Food" articles, a series that provides additional materials to help players survive this campaign. Issue #343 of Dragon presents statistics for some extraplanar entities the PCs may wish to call upon to aid them in the Wormcrawl Fissure. Pgs. 54-89
The characters have escaped the maze only to find themselves in strange dimensions of fire, stone and ice, and a strange idyllic hunting ground where all is not as it appears.
Iggwilv. Orcus. Maleanthet. Obox-Ob. Charon. These names are among the most notorious in the multiverse, appellations belonging to some of the most dangerous and powerful creatures on the lower planes. Heroes from countless worlds have raised their arms against these immortal foes and, in most cases, these heroes have perished to their soul-blasting, life-ending might. Their lairs are notorious as they are: the River Styx, beautiful but deadly Shendilavri, the Gray Wastes of Hades, frozen Thanatos, and mind-numbing Zionyn. Simply entering one of these scions of evil is akin to suicide. Yet now, as the Prince of Demons begins the final rituals to bring the savage tide to the Material Plane, heroes must approach these immortal villains not as enemies, but as allies. "Enemies of My Enemy" is the eleventh chapter in the Savage Tide Adventure Path, a complete campaign consisting of 12 adventures appearing in Dungeon magazine. For additional aid in running this campaign, check out Dragon magazine's monthly "Savage Tidings" articles, a series that helps players and DMs prepare for and expand on the campaign. Issue #358 of Dragon magazine features a map of the River Styx and advice for those who would use this notorious river as a route in exploring the lower planes. The time draws near for the final assault on Gaping Maw, but first the PCs must recruit allies from the depths of the Abyss to the eladrin Court of Stars. yet will this unlikely alliance of demons and eladrins be enough to stop the Prince of Demons? Pgs. 40-85
The Curse of the Crimson Throne takes hold of Korvosa! In the shadow of an ailing king, a new ruler gathers power, sending shockwaves through a populace already plagued by unrest and pushing the largest city in Varisia to the brink of disaster. In the face of anarchy, a new band of heroes gathers at the call of a mysterious patron. Strange magic and mysterious prophesies set them on the trail of a common foe— a path that draws them into a struggle to save the city from ruin. Amid the intrigues of kings and generals, heroes and thieves, it’s up to these new heroes to decide whether the rule of a new monarch will usher in a new age of glory or a reign of chaos. This volume of Pathfinder begins the Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path, and includes: ► “Edge of Anarchy,” an adventure for 1st-level characters, by Nicolas Logue. ► Revelations of the Harrow, the tarot-like deck of Varisian divinations, by designers Mike Selinker and Teeuwynn Woodruff. ► An exploration of Varisian culture, detailing the living history and mysterious ways of these enigmatic nomads, by Amber Scott. ► Details on Eando Kline’s first journey into the dangerous Cinderlands, as recorded in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Michael Kortes. ► Six new monsters by Nicolas Logue and Mike McArtor.
For centuries, the Great Swamp has hidden hints of an ancient culture of barbarian kings. While passing through this miserable bog, the PCs encounter Stygoth the Damned, a half-dead black dragon driven mad by a mysterious disease. Delving further, the heroes discover that the disease is tied to the very swamp itself. A great corruption once infested this place, destroying the savage barbarian kings and leaving only mighty statues as their legacy. Now this corruption has returned, and a terrible Witch Queen is mining the corrupted swamp-earth to produce evil, blighted artifacts. In order to stop the spread of these evil weapons, the heroes must enter the ancient caves of the savage kings, put to rest the corrupt legacy of their downfall, end the disease that scars the land, and then face off against the Witch Queen herself.
Take your first exciting foray into D&D's newest campaign setting with a deadly exploit in Sharn, City of Towers. Descend into the ruined undercity to face the legacy of the daelkyr, aberrations from the evil plane of Xoriat, and come face to face with the Queen with Burning Eyes! Pgs. 16-32
It should have been the end. When the bloodthirsty adventurers burst into his throne room and mercilessly cut him down, the tale of Merlokrep, last king of the ill-fated Truescale Tribe, should have ended. But the fates weren’t yet finished with the Kobold King, and now a dark power has brought him back from the dark beyond to wreak his vengeance upon those foolish adventurers who destroyed his tribe.
Madness in Freeport, the final part of the Freeport Trilogy, details the final confrontation between the PCs, the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, and Sea Lord Milton Drac. In Part One, the Drac invites the PCs to the Grand Lighthouse Ball. Careful investigation can reveal the secret purpose of the lighthouse. In Parts Two and Three, the PCs must recover a powerful artifact to thwart the Brotherhood's plans. They must pass through an infamous pirate's hidden caves, then search a sunken temple of the serpent god Yig. In Part Four, the heroes must enter the Grand Lighthouse, AKA Milton's Folly, in a race against time to stop the Brotherhood's world-shaking master plan from coming to fruition. (Bibliographic note: This adventure was originally written for v.3.0, and later updated to the v.3.5 rules. The revised versions of Death, Terror, and Madness in Freeport were reprinted in an omnibus edition, along with two shorter filler adventures, as The Freeport Edition: Five Year Anniversary Edition.)