Welcome to How Not to Host a Murder, a short D&D experience that captures the details of Mike Krahulik (Penny Arcade)'s adventure run at the Acquisitions Incorporated live game at PAX East 2016. The wizard Elminster is hosting a murder mystery party, and you are invited. When you arrive at his demiplane home with the other guests, however, the night quickly turns sour as it is discovered that Elminster has truly been killed! It falls to the party to investigate the death and identify the culprit before they can escape the premises. When they've been identified, it's a race to apprehend the murderer before they can escape amidst the kooky chaos of Elminster's sanctum in this comedic adventure for sub-optimal 7th-level adventurers.
Centuries ago, a powerful wizard locked himself in his inner sanctum to dedicate his life to the pursuit of knowledge. His discoveries and magic remain sealed inside to this very day. Solve his riddle and unravel the fate of the wizard Maalzinabar and the sinister evil lurking in the depths. A 2-3 hour adventure for 5th-12th level characters
What elder evils lurk in the depths of the freezing mountain ruins? Find out in The Stoneheart Ruin! The adventure features: An adventure set in a desolate, wintry mountain landscape. 16 pages full of intrigue and mystery, containing full color maps, plus 2 unique monster stat blocks. Provides a great introduction to Mind Flayer lore and mythos for Tier 1 players. Can easily be set in the Spine of the World for use in Rime of the Frostmaiden. Let your characters test their mettle as they climb and face the ancient dangers lurking in the cracks of The Stoneheart Ruin! “I have no explanation for any of these finds. We heard disturbing noises coming from further within the mountain; thunderous and growling.” Excerpt from a pamphlet, signed: “Koralia Meadring, Anthropologist Extraordinaire” Koralia needs you to investigate her most recent discovery: a ruined cavern deep in the mountains. Her small team of academics did a cursory walk-through and think they've found a big breakthrough! However, they left in a hurry after being frightened by the horrors they heard coming from deeper in the mountain. They escaped and found one of their team was missing - a goliath named Marek. You must climb the mountains and locate the ruin, make certain that it is safe for study by Koralia’s team, and if possible, find and rescue Marek, whose fate is uncertain. Made during the November 2020 RPG Writer's Workshop.
The Kierhammer clan of dwarves pride themselves as excellent excavators, but the respective families are not without friction. While clearing the entrance to the tomb of an ancient king, tensions rose following the death of one of the Kierhammers, who seemingly fell accidentally. It is your job to ensure the clan stays united, and when disease strikes, to make sure resources are managed properly, so that the mission is complete and you all return alive. A wicked force, however has other plans...
The activities of the party have caused enough chaos to warrant their arrest. With the Felicity Triskelion confiscated, the adventurers await trial at a remote Azorius Arrester Station 13 in Precinct Four. Unfortunately, they are not alone in the holding cells. When a prominent figure of a brutal Gruul clan is also incarcerated, the Gruul lay siege to the Arrester Station. Other parties, interested in the power of the Felicity Triskelion, join the fray in hopes of making off with the relic. When chaos rises in Precinct Four, will the party survive?
Who could know what is hidden within the secluded mansion of the crazed mage? Well, now, when nobody has seen him here for more than a year, it’s the best time to find out! A 4-hour adventure for two 1st–2nd level characters. Small Party Adventure: Though the party size of 3–5 characters is considered optimal in D&D, there are times when you can only gather one or two players at most. This adventure is designed exactly for such occasions.
An exceptionally smart ogre and its pet dire wolf have figured out the easy life. Why loot and pillage, when with a few words of common, you can threaten and intimidate your way to comforts?
DC-POA-PND-4 Eateat Go Home? (Part 3 of the Strange Case of Erland Forsk) A small girl confides in you that she found a secret friend, and that she needs your help in getting him home. Will you be able to keep him safe while mysterious agents search for him? A Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 2 Characters. Optimized for APL 8. Using the DungeonCraft seed The Littlest Squidling ``` You could be happy here; I could take care of you. I wouldn't let anybody hurt you. We could grow up together, E.T. —Elliott, Movie E.T. ```
An exiled queen threatens to kidnap her own daughter. A lonely king laments his lost heroic days. A troubled princess struggles with her awakening powers. The realm's most renowned heroes must find a way to fix the dysfunctional royal family in order to save reality. The Princess Predicament is a one-shot adventure for 20th-level characters. It includes: - adorable pink rooms and horrible shadow monsters - a battle for the fate of the world and a battle for a little girl's future - a doll castle - legendary statblocks - 20th-level pregens
The Temple of Tesh-Yatra is a setting-neutral dungeon delve for a party of 6th level adventurers, inspired by the classic funhouse dungeons of yesteryear. The dungeon takes 6-10 hours to fully explore. It features a high proportion of non-combat encounters: puzzles, exploration, and the occasional deadly centrifuge. The ungodly fusion of a mad scientist’s lab and a planar temple, the dungeon includes an encounter that can launch your players into the Nine Hells – for a price... The Temple of Tesh-Yatra includes two new constructs to use in your game: the sinister Maimers, and the enigmatic Skorverra; as well as a new magic item: the Amulet of Tesh-Yatra, an artisan’s dream! The Temple of Tesh-Yatra also comes with a VTT battlemap (transparent PNG format). The Temple of Tesh-Yatra was originally set in the Outlands, as an extraplanar dungeon. But given its self-contained nature and the Temple's age, it is well-suited to any wildnerness, and would work equally well seeding a hex crawl.
The ruins of Castle Hermitage are shrouded in mystery after the disappearance of Lord Soulis Hermitage some 50 years ago. In the time since, the thriving village of Bellshall has grown a reputation for its market and specifically for the gemstones that can be bought there. Unfortunately for the people of Bellshall that supply of gemstones is at risk. Something is watching the Deep Gnomes who live and work in the mine. Soon it will need to feed. Are there any heroes who can help defeat this horrible menace, save the Deep Gnomes, and the village’s prosperity? Contains: A 4 to 6-hour adventure for four 4th level characters. With scaling information for other levels. A new CR3 monster, the Ettercap Host. Print friendly version. Accessible version. Separate GM & player map images for VTT use (Gridded and Gridless).
Welcome to Pentapolis, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure is about to unfold. Our story begins with a terrible plague taking hold of the city. The streets are filled with death, the people in confusion, and nothing seems to be helping. Characters are called to aid the city but what starts as a simple mission becomes one that will entangle the characters in a bitter conflict between law, religion, the shady underworld, and ancient powers thought to have been destroyed. The Plague of Pentapolis is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure designed for four to five (though one or two more is ok) characters starting at 1st level. By the end of the story, the characters should be at least 17th level. Additional and earlier levels may be gained by those who are bold enough to seek them.
Zor von Finklestein has purchased an aging cargo vessel and filled it with food for suffering Mulmaster. Now you only need to make sure the vessel comes into port
Beyond the western mountains, the orcs generally kept to themselves. Over the years they built their civilization. They enriched themselves through magic and music, and followed a doctrine of peace and acceptance that was empowered by the dangerous mountain range on one side and the swirling seas on the other. Their quiet society was shattered when a djinni named Hasteth was summoned by their elder mages. Hasteth was a creature of pure evil and perverted the wishes that it granted. In time, the orcs were able to trap the djinni within an enchanted ceramic jar called the Annihilation Hold, but not before their entire way of life was torn asunder. Many centuries have gone by and the orcs are scattered to the wind, with few recalling their proud nation. The hidden complex containing the Annihilation Hold has been discovered. Tales of wealth and magic fill the rumors the adventurers overhear. Will your adventurers brave the hazards inside to claim the riches?
She ran. Where to or for how long, she really couldn't say. The little flame of her oil lamp sputtered and went out a few times. She'd snap her fingers and make the wick flare to life, but she may as well have ran blind. The hallways were pitch black with soot and choked with smoke, every turn was a guess and every corridor a gamble. Unnatural screams echoed from every direction. Left, right, left again, was this the south or north end of the labyrinth? She had no idea. The next turn brought her face to face with a doorway completely consumed in blue fire. The room beyond was so bright she had to look through her fingers at it. A shadow covered her, a shape in the doorway: a hulking creature with a wolf-shaped muzzle and enormous pincers for hands, wreathed in the same blue flames. The screams were getting closer behind her, too. They had her cornered, again. The demon slammed its shoulders through the narrow opening, splintering the wood and stone. She dropped the lantern and let the wand in her sleeve fall into her waiting hand. With a word of power and a gesture, she appeared in the familiar bedroom: stuffy and reeking of wood smoke. She'd have to try again tomorrow, if she could remember. During an exploration on the sixth level of Undermountain, a strange invisible creature leads to a series of collapsed chambers that hide a forgotten secret and one of the most devastating forces known to the multiverse. Marambra Nyghtsteel, the forgotten apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak, has been locked away for an age deep within Undermountain. What point and purpose her forced seclusion has, only Blackcloak may know. When a spell consuming blue fire, known as The Spellplague is trapped within the chambers, a series of events have left Marambra, lost in her madness, struggling to survive.
On the world’s first offshore rig Captain Seaslick and his crew are drilling for dragon essence - a rare and valuable substance often called Red Gold. They’re about to be filthy rich, but not everyone’s happy for them. Dragon cultists have infiltrated the rig and are trying to steal a stash of the precious essence for their rites. In their eagerness they’ve magically sped the drill up to a perilous rate. With the rig rattling and falling apart around them, will Seaslick and his enterprising ex-pirates team up with nature worshipping tribes folk to defeat their shared enemy? And will they escape with their liquid hoard, or will the sea have her revenge for their greed?
The story takes place in a village in Ravenloft. The party has been invited to accompany the young couple Burgomaster Alexandru and Mihaela Nichitovich [ni-KEE-toh-vich] of the hamlet of Nichitovia [ni-kee-TOH-vee-uh] to Rosenwald, a deeply religious community. Alexandru has asked the priests of Rosenwald to conduct a traditional ritual to gain him the favor of the Morninglord for his tenure as burgomaster. This is a ritual all burgomasters traditionally receive, including his late grandfather, who is entombed at Rosenwald. Father Petre and Sister Elena of the church of the Morninglord loosely run Rosenwald. They offered to throw Alexandru a banquet at the House of the Morninglord before the ritual, set to take place during the next full moon. However, all of the clergy have secretly become afflicted with the aswang curse. Father Petre is a halimaw and Sister Elena a kubot, both of whom gained their powers through dark pacts with demon lords of the Abyss. The other priests and acolytes are busos, survivors of encounters with roaming tigbanuas, who found sanctuary with Petre and Elena. The pair refer to these busos as their flock, and plan to feast on the guests after the banquet.
So you want to be a Mage of High Sorcery? To join the esteemed organization, you must travel to the Tower of Wayreth and undertake the most important event in your life—the harrowing Test of High Sorcery! If you can survive where so many aspiring mages have failed, you will forever bind your soul to the Gods of Magic and gain access to untold arcane secrets. The Test of High Sorcery is the perfect adventure for new and veteran players looking to experience Dungeons & Dragons in a new way! It is a solo adventure, where your choices have meaningful consequences, but it also provides balanced rules to play with a group or a Dungeon Master. This 154-page tome features: - A sprawling adventure that fits perfectly as an expansion to any Dragonlance campaign, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, or as a stand-alone replayable experience - A tale full of sorcerous intrigue, featuring many new characters alongside iconic favorites like Fistandantilus, Takhisis, Fizban the Fabulous, and the Gods of Magic - Innovative Destiny and Trait mechanics make your choices really matter—and ensure every mage’s Test of High Sorcery is a unique experience - Over 60 possible outcomes to determine which Order of High Sorcery you join and provide compelling new plot hooks for your character during future adventures - Dozens of unique locations with rich stories and sorcerous challenges that Dungeon Masters can use to create their own version of the Test of High Sorcery - New magic items and stat blocks, with mechanics that support clever use of enemies’ weaknesses and the environment against them - Four gorgeous sample characters, with interactive character sheets designed to be new-player friendly so that you can jump right into the story - A detailed primer on the history of Krynn and how it relates to the Mages of High Sorcery - A community survey when you finish to let you see how you compare to other mages taking their Tests of High Sorcery
Baldur's Gate Break-Ins collects three heist and infiltration adventures for characters of levels 3-5, for use as a continuation of Burial in Baldur's Gate or as standalone modules. This collection fleshes out several locations around Baldur's Gate, providing adventures in every quarter of the city: Crash the world's worst dinner party in Eomane House! Contend with a criminal operation, a murderous raid, and a Feywild crossing in Jopalin's! Break up a blood-drenched cultist lair in Hamhocks Slaughterhouse! This book includes adventure hooks for running each location separately or as part of a campaign, a guide to running heist and infiltration adventures, three possible group patrons for the party, maps and rosters for each location, more than a dozen creature and NPC stat blocks, and a map pack with player and DM maps by Dyson Logos.
A perfect side-quest adventure for a party based in Phandalin or after completion of Lost Mines of Phandelver. Unravel the malevolent mysteries of Knacker’s Knothole! A party of four to six 5th level characters meet Knacker, the ancient awakened grandfather oak, who was introduced in Volo’s Vetted Vendors. He has a request: one of his cherished death’s heads is missing and he implores the party to find out what happened to it. Although Knacker suspects the people of Phandalin, the party’s investigations ultimately reveal a much more sinister threat. The party must investigate the disappearance while an unseen foe attempts to thwart their efforts with ambushes and misdirection. It is not long before there are more disappearances, and the party must use its ingenuity to prevent open hostilities. This adventure is part of a new series based on Volo’s Vetted Vendors and Elminsters Excellent Establishments. It can be played as the final part in this series, and it is also ideally suited to a party that has just completed Lost Mines of Phandelver. This is a 5-7 hour adventure that will advance the party to 6th level. This full-color 60-page adventure includes: * 29 pages of adventure content. * 2 pages of convenient NPC summaries. * 8 beautiful maps suitable for use with any VTT (separate files are included for all maps, including both high- and low-resolution versions). * Many random tables including adventure hooks, customers at Knacker’s Knothole, rumors, random encounters, chase complications and battle events. These tables can provide inspiration for other adventures and campaigns as well! * 20 pages of monster and NPC stat blocks.