“The Temple Between” is an adventure for 9th level characters, and it is challenging enough to take them to 11th level by the time all is said and done. Although intended as the final chapter of the heroic tier portion of the Scales of War Adventure Path, it can be run as a standalone adventure, or as an adventure in a campaign of your own making, with a small degree of modification. It contains elements of urban investigation, dungeon delving, and even wartime conflict, making it a suitable adventure to players of many tastes and preferences. The western end of Elsir Vale has been greatly troubled in recent days. The threat of the orc hordes from beyond the Stonehome Mountains, though turned back at Bordrin’s Watch, still lingers in the people’s minds. Peculiar and hostile creatures of shadow lurk in the caverns and caves below. Political squabbling grows among the city’s powerful dwarf clans. All this makes the city particularly vulnerable to an enemy nobody saw coming - that nobody even imagined. This enemy has goals and objectives far beyond the ultimately unimportant Elsir Vale, but the first step is the utter subjugation of Overlook. An enemy who, at least in part, is already here. In this adventure the player characters start by investigating the strange behavior of the city's clergy. They swiftly discover hints of a conspiracy worming its way through the city hierarchy - some members are possessed while others have been replaced by dopplegangers. After trailing this conspiracy to its source they discover a portal that leads to an ancient temple in the mountains. Using the portal, the PCs go to the abandoned ancient temple where they must confront both a cadre of fey and a band of mercenaries, from whom they learn there is a plot for a full-scale invasion of the region! The PCs must them rush back to Overlook and cement their place as heroes as they face off against the invading forces. Pgs. 4-71
It's all over (and literally so) after midnight. A mission with an unforgiving deadline. The characters must remove the magically-infused remains of a dead wizard and his medallion from a crypt. Pgs. 10-23
In the center of Lake Encarthan looms the dreaded Isle of Terror, accursed land of mystery and treachery. Hidden within the island's negative energy storms, the secret treasure city of the wizard-king Tar-Baphon has lain sealed for centuries. Now masked cultists have opened the golden city of Xin-Grafar to claim the wealth of the legendary city for the Living God Razmir. Can the PCs track the cultists through the poisoned swamps and blasted wastelands of the Isle of Terror to the City of Golden Death itself? And what forgotten dangers will oppose them as they struggle to prevent a dark faith from spreading across the world? Part 3 of the Price of Immortality trilogy.
Igor's Challenge is a 3-4 hour, non-lethal, funhouse style dungeon. It is a self-contained adventure that should fit into any campaign or serve as a one-shot adventure for any group. The adventure can fit a party of any level and size with only minor adjustments. Igor is an eccentric gnome inventor and retired adventurer renowned around the world. He has sent out invitations to adventuring groups to come compete for his latest, greatest invention. The competition will take place a few days hence in the village of Penthill and consist of a race through his specially created challenge-dungeon. Igor's Challenge includes a unique magic item, a small village with locations and NPCs, an encounter and story with a legendary NPC (stat bloc provided), and a 33 room dungeon of traps, tricks, and puzzles.
An expansion on the original Tomb of Horrors with plot and explanation. Contains a facsimile of the original adventure. The Dark Intrusion is causing the dead to rise from their graves. This is linked to a being known as the Devourer. Following the trail of Desatysso, a wizard who followed a similar quest, the players must enter the Tomb, and beyond that, the cursed City that Waits and the Fortress of Conclusion.
History states that Zobeck was reborn in blood 80 years ago, thanks in part to the creation of gearforged by a revolutionary coalition of workers and mages. Unfortunately, history has recorded only part of the truth, and the Praetors will do anything to make sure the rest remains buried.
Sharlo Tan was a sorceress. She was a scholar. She was a spy. And she left behind a legendary trove of treasure, guarded by riddles, secrets, and the passage of time. But it isn’t an ancient rumor that has the people of Rivesby on edge. The hobgoblins of the Lamellar Banner have encamped less than a day’s march away, and no one knows what has brought them out of their stronghold. In this richly detailed adventure, players can choose whether to play peacemaker or treasure hunter, explorer or exterminator. But they won’t be the only ones playing games, as they encounter creatures and NPCs who have their own conflicts and motivations. The Secret of Sharlo Tan is a mid-length adventure for levels 2-4 that easily plugs into any 5e campaign. It’s particularly suited to those who love witty books, solveable riddles, and nuanced interactions, but it readily accommodates smash-mouthed impatience as well. Depending on playstyle, it can fill 2-4 play sessions of 3-4 hours. The adventure includes: * 40-page fully illustrated PDF with player handouts * 3 stat blocks * 4 dungeon maps in DM and unmarked versions * 11 all-new magic items
A quick-paced exploration of the magic tower, home to the great Solomon, the Master Conjurer, an expert in fiendology. Adventurers have to find Control Orbs to disable the tower's security system before it destroys them, and discover the secrets of the tower in the process. Their progress will be ushered by a seemingly helpful entity with nefarious intent - Zarloxar, the blue Abishai. The success of adventurers could also finally spell freedom to the fiend... or not if players, under stress, will realize the trickery in time. Part of "Detailed Encounter" series - each "Detailed Encounter" - features new monsters with unique stat blocks, new magic items, a custom battle map, and detailed NPCs. It also has story hooks and advice enough, to quickly turn it into a separate adventure!
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.
You are the guest of the count, one of your allies and the strongest man in the region. Your sojourn has been pleasant, a nice change after weeks of battle. Suddenly the courtyard below your window is filled with the noise of galloping horses. More Guests? You yawn as you look out. But these people arriving look more like tax collectors than guests. You decide to give your attention to something more interesting, like dinner. Relax while you can, friend, because these new arrivals are about to lead you to a crimson sailor, a cozy Tower of Terror, and a river with an aching heart. Sabre River includes a complete campaign setting, new NPCs, dungeon and wilderness encounters, and a mysterious story. TSR 9119
No treasures here just lying around to be taken. This tomb's riches fight back! Never mind the guardians. Watch the loot! A new tomb has recently opened for business in your area! The wealth of a wizard's lifetime can be yours! Defeat his traps! Slay his guardians! Zathis the Insightful took a century to collect these marvelous treasures. Now they can be yours in a matter of hours! Pgs. 10-25
When the Pathfinder-obsessed daughter of one Qadira's most powerful trade princes goes missing trying to impress the Society, her father angrily demands the Pathfinders track her down or face expulsion from Katheer. Tracking the missing princess leads you to an underground complex filled with traps, tricks, and a creature so powerful, she's lived for a thousand years. Can you save the princess and uncover the power of the Eternal Obelisk?
Alkenstar, City of Smog, is a bastion of civilization in the magic-warped region known as the Mana Wastes. Its ingenious citizens survive in the treacherous Spellscar Desert with the help of canny inventions like guns and clockwork automatons, but now their construct protectors have begun to run amok within the city. It falls to the PCs to venture beyond the city walls to find the source of their strange behavior.
Long ago, before the arrival of civilized humanoids, a large colony of ogres thrived in the local area. When a great invasion from another dimension threatened this colony, their king, Koptila, prayed for his people to be spared. The gods heard these pleas, but commanded Koptila to sacrifice himself. The leader did so, and the clan disappeared—whisked away by the gods and lost to time. Over the years, a city grew up above the former subterranean home of the ogres, and no aspect of Koptila’s ancient bargain was preserved or remembered. Even so, the stars are aligned for the return of Koptila and his people. These powerful repatriates are unlikely to appreciate the changes in their old home. A sage has found dusty documents prophesying this return, and he asks the PCs to investigate the catacombs to defeat the potential threat to the city. The PCs travel down through city sewers and subterranean passages before finding the catacombs that the ogre colony once called home. Pgs. 48-53
Somewhere under a lost and lonely hill of grim and foreboding aspect lies a labyrinthine crypt. It is filled with terrible traps and not a few strange and ferocious monsters to slay the unwary. It is filled with rich treasures both precious and magical, but in addition to the aforementioned guardians, there is said to be a demilich who still wards his final haunt (Be warned that tales told have it that this being possesses powers which make him nearly undefeatable). Accounts relate that it is quite unlikely that any adventurers will ever find the chamber where the demilich Acererak lingers, for the passages and rooms of the Tomb are fraught with terrible traps, poison gases, and magical protections. Furthermore, the demi-lich has so well hidden his lair, that even those who avoid the pitfalls will not be likely to locale their true goal. In the far reaches of the world, under a lost and lonely hill, lies the sinister TOMB OF HORRORS. This Labyrinthine crypt is filled with terrible traps, strange and ferocious monsters, rich and magical treasures, and somewhere within rests the evil Demi-Lich. TSR 9022
The fabled sword of Selfaril is told to bestow wisdom and power upon whomever wields it, so naturally its discovery has caused quite a stir in Mulmaster. All of this is complicated when a masked benefactor claims to not only know the truth about the blade, but also how it can be used to benefit the oppressed people of Mulmaster. Can it truly change Mulmaster for the better?
It begins in the marketplace or main square of a town when the calm, peaceful day is interrupted by a hulking golem trouncing through town, smashing objects, and attacking townsfolk. The party witnessing this should intervene and stop the rampaging golem with combat or by luring it into a nearby warehouse to trap it so it can be damaged and, eventually, destroyed by the town guards. When the party examines the golem’s remains, they find bones encased in the metal armor and the name 'Quartztoil' written in gnomish script. The town guard explain that this is the eighth construct they have encountered in the area in the past six months. The party can then go on to investigate the name 'Quartztoil', leading them to learn of an old, gnomish, aspiring artificer, Penaral Quartztoil, who had a lab and workshop in a tower in the nearby mountains, but who has not been heard from for close to a century. Published by Nord Games
When a wizard makes a mistake, he makes a MISTAKE. Hirward the Wizard has a little problem on his hands - and it's destroying his fortress, followers and future. A good mix of character types is strongly advised, but paladins, rangers, dwarves, and gnomes may not be comfortable sparing the lives of Hirward’s kobold assistants. A generally neutral party composed of humans and half-orcs will stand the best chance of completing Hirward’s Task. This not a standard "hack-and-slash” adventure. The PCs will have to do some fighting to he successful in completing the module, but most of the time they must use their brains to figure out the best way to complete their mission. Pgs. 45-64
"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!
Abandoned and forgotten ruins never are. He left the Abyss to visit his human mother, not realizing he was a century too late. Still, there was a lot he had left to do... An ancient castle, Nol-Daer, has of late become the site of frequent strange occurrences. Gargoyles and Blood Hawks roost in the keep's ruined towers, Dwarves have been disappearing from the nearby area, and a Cambion controls it all from the shadows. Pgs. 3-17 & 64