High tide is coming in in this week’s encounter: Sea Trolls in the Net, a tongue-in-cheek combat encounter about a troll troubling fishermen and getting tangled up in their net. This encounter works best when it can add flavor to a grim, seaside locale as a random encounter the adventurers stumble across while exploring. While exploring a blighted shoreline on some forsaken coast, the adventurers find a sea troll feasting upon fishing nets full of freshly caught fish while their fishermen flee from the shore.
Can the city of Redshore be saved from utter destruction? "The Razing of Redshore" is a D&D adventure that confronts the party with the destructive force of an awakened sperm whale druid and the sinister machinations of a secret cabal of powerful assassins. It is designed to provide such a group with an opportunity to continue their adventuring careers into the realms detailed in the "Epic Level Handbook". This book is not required to make full use of this adventure, though; any pertinent information from the supplement is reproduced here. Pgs. 72-106
The busy port city of Jute’s Landing is built into the white cliffs of a deep, protected harbor. It is an important trade stop for many ships and merchants, but this was not always so. Long ago this quiet harbor was home to a coven of hags. Jute Windbrow killed two of the three when he and his crew claimed the harbor for themselves. Evanore, the surviving hag, has lived for more than 100 years in disguise while the city grew up around her. The legend of the heroic Jute Windbrow defeating the wicked monsters has grown as great as her bitterness and desire for vengeance.
Founded by a famous dragonslayer, the small town of Belhaim has become a sleepy rural community just off the beaten path, a settlement where everyone knows everyone and strangers are the talk of the town. But when Belhaim’s peace and quiet is shattered by the sudden collapse of the last standing tower of its founder’s castle, things quickly bloom out of control. Why were there bodies of kobolds amid the rubble? What’s the sinister secret behind the strange sounds of flapping wings in the night? And what’s happened to local wizard Balthus Hunclay, who’s not answering knocks on his door? The collapsed tower had long been an eyesore to the cantankerous old man—could he have had something to do with its destruction? And what of the rumors of strange stirrings in nearby Dragonfen? Has Belhaim’s ancient draconic nemesis returned?
The Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you! Note for DMs: This adventure is not for the faint of hearted, to run or to play. The module starts with 10 NPCs traveling with the party through the grueling Underdark. This number can grow. The encounters within the book are often incredibly deadly for the characters that would be going through it. This is because the module expects them to run or talk their way through the events, or, in some cases, the module expects them to lose. If your players aren't the kind of party to run, talk, or surrender, do not get this adventure. The module almost requires that you use milestone leveling because the experience provided does not commonly get players to the levels they should be once they get to certain milestones in the story (7th when they leave the underdark, 15th when they face the demon lords.) Good luck and happy questing.
With royalty coming to town, the reopening of the new Rybalka Lodge couldn’t be timelier. Although the place is warm and inviting during the day, it becomes a different place at night. Locals refuse to approach Rybalka Lodge and the owner is fire-fighting rumors of it being haunted. The original lodge burned down just one year ago, possibly by Vikmordere arsonists, and killed the visiting Ambassador Valdritch with his entire retinue. Now with the imminent arrival of a Klavekian Prince on the anniversary of the tragedy has stirred up both memories of the fire and the spirits of those consumed in the flames. Can the party get to the bottom of what is going on before the prince sets foot in town? Will the spirits of those who suffered from the arsonists attack get their revenge? Will the Vikmordere try to instigate another assassination attempt? And who is the mysterious woman occasionally seen in the shadows around the new lodge? Also included in “Haunting at Rybalka Lodge”: The Incorporeal Inquisitor, a new class for your players! Loads of New Magic Items: Capture Crystals, Release Crystal Orbs, Circlet of Destinations, Ring of Light Effects, Illusory Glass New Location: Rybalka Lodge Todd Gamble’s Maps of Awesomeness
The invisible enemy. Rats, cats, and double-drats. Six months ago, the residents of Luskwald heard rumors from passing merchants of a possible goblin incursion into the region. News from the nearest city confirmed speculations that goblin tribes were massing in the distant hills. Worried about the future of his small community, the Laird of Luskwald commissioned a stonemason and several carpenters to rebuild a damaged keep two miles north of the village. The repair crew worked for weeks restoring the keep's fallen walls, while waiting nervously for the first goblin to show its ugly head. For the first several days the restoration proceeded according to schedule, but in the weeks that followed several 'accidents' led many to believe the keep was cursed or haunted. In the past week three of Luskwald's villagers have died, each the victim of a grisly assassin whose identity remains a mystery. Several citizens have heard or seen peculiar things over the last several days, leading them to believe that Luskwald has been cursed, or worse, ravaged by angry spirits--perhaps sent by a greater evil that dwells within the ruined keep! Pgs. 34-52
The Hyqueous Vaults is a site-based dungeon with water and necromancy themes, some tricky/puzzling situations, and plenty of opportunity for combat. A challenging and lucrative module for 6-8 characters, averaging 3rd level. A centuries-old map leads to a mysterious cliffside complex, rumored to be flooded, and supposedly holding a dead necromancer’s fortune. Sages believe the arm-length metal implement accompanying the map must be some sort of key. The complex stands ripe for exploration by a party sufficiently strong and sneaky to wrest any treasures from the depths within. Written in celebration of OSRIC’s 10th Birthday.
The Party that Split is a standalone adventure set in the peculiar village of Basht. This quiet town keeps having problems that only adventurers can solve. The village's children have gone missing from a birthday party, the only thing that was left behind was a note saying "Your move, Adventurers -- MS." Has the mysterious stranger struck again? Where did the children go, and will you be able to return them? A Four-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 characters, Optimized for APL 3. Seed used: Party Time! Content Warnings: Children in Peril, kidnapping The Party that Split originally debuted at U-Con on November 2021 (http://www.ucon-gaming.org/) The story continues where The Goat Mayor and Straw Bears leave off, a year later. Many of the things that adventurers in past adventurers have done in previous adventures have an affect on this adventure, and the events in this will affect adventures in the future. The village of Basht is a little Grimm's Fairy Tale village that was used for several CCCs and DungeonCrafts U-Con. I hope that your players enjoy the whimsy and dark undercurrents as much as mine have, and I would love it if you share your experiences in Basht with me! I've included VTT-friendly maps and handouts in separate files to help with running your games virtually because we can't let a simple thing like physical distance prevent us from sharing our stories. I also have a printer friendly version included for those that prefer their works to be printed on the flesh of dead trees. Please see other adventures written for U-Con: The Goat Mayor (by me, Daniel Chapman) is the first introduction to Basht and it's peculiar traditions The Straw Bears (by me, Daniel Chapman) takes place just a few tendays later, describing the strange annual tradition of the procession of Straw Bears Blood and Fog (by Alan Patrick) was the first CCC written for U-Con and the first mention of the Blood Lord. Rescue Down Under (by Alex Lown) continues the story of Basht and revisits the friendly tinkerer Yul Khahan. The story will continue in Have You No Heart? If you see any errors or have any suggestions, or just wish to retell the tale of how your group went through the story, feel free to contact the author at: http://hoshisabi.com
Through seven gates lie seven realms. In seven realms stand seven guardians. With seven guardians lie seven symbols. From seven symbols comes one key. Alpahaks the Dark desires that key, by which he plans to release death and chaos into the realms of man. Your party may be all that stands between life and death. Will you heed the lunatic ravings of a dying madman? Travel to the top of Guardian Mesa, and enter the Septahenge. Gather the mystic symbols, create they key, and defeat the Carnifex, before it's too late... TSR 9174
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
Unlike other Dungeon Crawl Classics, this volume does not present a completed adventure. Instead, it presents a set of DM tools that will make your job easier. This book of dungeon geomorphs gives you everything you need to map out exciting underground adventures. The geomorphs are modular map segments designed to be combined in a variety of ways. There are 124 map segments, encompassing mazes, dungeons, underdeep caverns, monstrous lairs, castles, ruins, halls, and many other intriguing places to explore. Together they combine to make thousands of possible maps!
Clues discovered in Diamond Lake lead to the Dark Cathedral, a forlorn chamber hidden below a local mine. There the PCs battle the machinations of the Ebon Triad, a cult dedicated to the three vile gods. What does the Ebon Triad know about the Age of Worms, and why are they so desperate to get it started? "The Three Faces of Evil" is the second 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 #334 of Dragon provides comprehensive lists of all the things you can find for sale in Diamond Lake's (often) dubious shops. Pgs. 16-47
God of Ore by Tom Knauss is a 3rd-level adventure that takes the PCs from the quiet, mountainside town of Miners’ Refuge into the heart of the Stoneheart Mountains in pursuit of a failed pilgrimage to discover a phony religious relic deep inside legendary Mithral Mountain. The dark, twisting tunnels that bore into the fabled mountain soon reveal that some mysteries are not what they first appear to be. Between a Rock and a Charred Place by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 7th level) The characters will be thrust into the middle of an epic confrontation between the dwarves of the Stoneheart Mountains and the hobgoblins just beyond their borders. Under their new leadership, the hobgoblin warmongers deploy an innovative grand strategy: to forge an alliance with one of the dwarves’ old enemies and a traitor in their foes’ midst. The dwarves’ dominance over the region and very survival hangs in the balance if the characters cannot thwart the monsters’ ambitious plans. The Covered Bridge by Kevin Wright (for 4 to 6 characters of 4th to 6th level) Are the characters up to the challenge of solving the centuries-old murder of a historic hero? Within the adventure, the characters are caught up in the haunted memories of the ghostly knight and help him to accomplish his heroic deeds. While doing so, the party becomes familiar with his world and the murder suspects, picking up clues to their motivations and actions along the way. At the end of the adventure, an enraged spirit confronts the characters and demands that they name his killer. If they can do it, they are richly rewarded; both in treasure and the knowledge that they let a good man finally find rest. If they fail, they must face the chilling wrath of the deathless phantom. The Hunter’s Game by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 4th level) This adventure will find the characters traveling into the foreboding Dyrgalas Fens, a temperate swamp in the Harwood Forest nestled between the Wolf Hills and Low Hills. Dyrgalas Fens is overrun by an eclectic collection of malevolent monsters, xenophobic humanoids, and foul beasts. When some of the region’s finest gentlemen and ladies never return from their excursions to the Answin Hunting Lodge, the characters must investigate their mysterious disappearances. The journey leads them into the figurative heart of darkness, taking them not only deeper into the dreadful Dyrgalas, but also plunging them into the harrowing abyss of hatred and greed. The Missing Pin by Alex Kammer is a 2nd-level adventure designed for 4 to 6 characters. In the Lost Lands setting it takes place in the Unclaimed Lands north of the Borderland Provinces at the point where the Great Amrin River meets the Glimmrill Run. At the confluence of the Great Amrin and Glimmrill Run rivers sits the small town of Gumspur, a small backwater town known only for its convenient location and its only real export, pottery. So, when an audacious theft victimizes one of the leading families of Gumspur, a group more capable than the local constabulary is needed. On its surface, what looks to be a simple theft conceals a much deeper and much more dangerous conspiracy. In the Time of Shardfall by Michael Curtis (for 4 to 6 characters of 5th to 6th level) In this open “seek and destroy” adventure, a relic from the prehistoric past — a mystical prison containing a powerful proto-dragon and other creatures from long ago — has been flung forward in time to arrive at the characters’ current era. The prison, an enchanted pane of obsidian called the Akaata, fractures upon arrival, breaking into several shards that fall to the land below. Soon, the prehistoric menaces trapped within wander out of their broken prison to threaten the realm. The characters must search for the five shards and destroy them and their former prisoners, then confront the now-free proto-dragon before it recovers its full strength. War of Shadows by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 8th level) This adventure can pick up where Between a Rock and a Charred Place left off or stand on its own. Erod Flan weathered the dark folk’s storm, yet the conspirators are not done. Their focus now turns to the critical outpost of Tyr Whin. The characters and the outnumbered defenders must somehow stop the hobgoblin warlord, Grugdour, and his army from overrunning the citadel and opening a beachhead for invasion into the Stoneheart Mountains. A Little Knowledge by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 5th level) This module takes the characters across the Stoneheart Mountains onto the forbidding Feirgotha Plateau to investigate the myths and tales surrounding the ancient and presumably deserted Library of Arcady. The PCs soon discover that the venerable building is not as abandoned as originally believed, and its unusual caretaker keeps more terrible secrets than any of its fabled lost writings. Awakenings by Steve Winter (for 3 to 5 characters from 1st to 3rd level) Strange things occur after a meteor streaks overhead in the night sky. Combining elements of a fairy tale with elements of cosmic horror, the characters will confront a community of these evolved animals with evil plans that involve finding the fallen star and confronting an unknown entity. Cave of Iron by Steve Winter (for 4 to 8 characters from 2nd and 4th level) When a wagon train fails to return from a supply run, the characters must investigate what happened to them and the riders that were dispatched to find them. The Desperation of Ivy by Lance Hawvermale (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 7th level) A once-imposing residence called Coltherstone Hold was abandoned years ago, and in the decades since, a fantastic amount of vegetation has grown up the walls and rooftops, covering the structure. Many of the plants are dangerous — deadly, even — and reclaiming the hold will require more than just a few machetes to chop down some weeds. Much worse, a few of the plant specimens possess intelligence as well as an undo degree of malevolence. They’ve infested a nearby village — all but burying it in overgrowth — and have absorbed a few villagers along the way. Fishers of Men by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 6th level) The Dragonmarsh Lowlands is a forsaken land blighted by the vile demon lord Tsathogga and countless foul denizens. When Quaywright Fishery inexplicably falls silent, it takes those of stout heart to determine what dire fate befell the former inhabitants and what monstrosity now lords in their place. The grisly carnage leaves even the most seasoned adventurers shaken to the core, as they witness firsthand and may personally experience what it feels like when the tables turn against humanity. Forgive and Regret by Tom Knauss (for 4 to 6 characters of 8th level) The sins that stained the blighted Wytch Bog more than two centuries ago still linger as the villain who perpetrated a genocidal act longs to free his tortured soul from his undead bonds. In his warped mind, only more violence can garner his freedom, placing the innocent descendants of his long-deceased conspirators — and an entire region — in his crosshairs. A Midnight Council of Quail by Lance Hawvermale (for 4 to 6 characters from 3rd and 5th level) The characters explore a village to locate the lair of a monstrous murderer — but the villagers don’t want the murderer to be discovered. The Archdruid Cadrryn is so old and mystical that his very presence often affects the natural world around him. Over the years, his close association with the region’s quail population has bestowed upon the birds a sentience uncommon to normal avians. With slightly advanced intelligence, the quail now act as local sentinels, reporting back to Cadrryn on all matters that transpire in his domain. But the druid has been away for more than a fortnight on business of the Druidic Order of Oescreheit, leaving the quail to decide on important events without his wise hand to guide them. When the birds learn that a sinister force has infiltrated the nearby village of Eorls Gedreas, where many of them roost upon the thatched rooftops, the quail convene to determine a way to fight back. Nightstone Keep by Ed Greenwood (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 6th level) This location-based adventure is centered on a ruined, long-disused stone keep in a temperate wild forest area (possibly not far off a caravan road or forest trail). The characters will be able to explore the ruins of the keep, which have become a plant colony, and attempt to wrest a powerful treasure from the clutches of the araunglyd, a gigantic sentient fungus. The araunglyd will attempt to thwart the players at every turn, using its drone-like minions to harass and hinder them as they go. Pictures at an Exhibition by Dr. Dennis Sustare (for 4 to 6 characters from 4th and 6th level) This adventure takes the characters on an exotic cruise in a parallel reality known as “the Real World”. During a stopover, they find themselves on a museum tour where the vivid paintings draw them into a world of fantasy. Also available for Pathfinder and Swords & Wizardry
This adventure is designed for the D&D Adventures League Season 5 - Storm King’s Thunder campaign, and is meant to enhance your party’s connection to important events and NPCs. It is intended for use during Chapter 3 and 4, where your party is roaming the Savage Frontier, and has material enough for 1-2 full sessions. It brings your party in contact with the mysterious Kraken Society, and introduce them to the Golden Goose coin, which will make your players more invested in the events of Chapter 11: Caught in the Tentacles.
Summoned by a coven of foul witches, the adventurers are bid through the Black Gate and across the multiverse, in pursuit of the crown of the fallen Horned King. There, in the icebound gloom of Thrice-Tenth Kingdom, they must pit their wits and brawn against his dread servants. His sullen citadel looms above the darksome woods and elfin ice caves, ruling over the mystic kingdom. Do you dare to ascend the throne of bones and declare yourself master of the Wild Hunt? Whatever your answer, the land beyond the Black Gate is sure to present a grim challenge for the even the hardiest of adventurers!
An old-school dungeon adventure! Explore (and possibly claim and re-open) an abandoned gem mine. 8 pages, 16 rooms, weird monsters, eerie situations, arcane technology and iridescent jewels! For use with old-school or OSR RPG systems.
This adventure takes place in the Moonsea of Faerûn. The players have been brought to Melvaunt to search for the missing scions of the city's great families. To the north, in Thar the orc tribes converge on the ruined fortress of Xul-Jarak, flocking to the banner of a charismatic warlord. There, he intends to sacrifice the scions of the great families of Melvaunt in a bloodritual to Gruumsh. The players will escape Melvaunt, search along the wilderness of Thar for the Fortress of Xul-Jarak, and then explore the dungeons of the ruined fortress and hopefully rescue the scions before they are sacrificed. There also is a Web Enhancement by Eric Cagle on the archives of wizards of the coast's website designed to scale the adventure to level 8. For example, it replaces the Owlbear with a Tyrannosaurus. This is an easy to scale adventure with much of the player's difficulty coming from intelligently avoiding problems, choosing how to approach each floor in the most tactical way, and quickly adjusting when something goes wrong. The adventure has sidebars including common orc battle cries (In Orc!), ready to use orc names, weather and random encounter table in Thar, a description of what happens if the party fails or partially succeeds, and suggested minis for each of the encounters. There is even an extended description of the bloodspear ritual, an event the party is not meant to encounter in a normal run. The appendix is detailed for all the humanoid characters including the scions and their equipment, the named villains, and variety of unnamed orcs the party will encounter. The fortress also offers an opportunity to introduce the players to the Underdark and the Zhentil Keep. There is a passage to the Underdark the players can accidentally explore, and return to later. Emissaries from Zhentil Keep have come to watch the ritual and have their own motivations. These npcs provide an opportunity for exposition and role playing at a point which otherwise might be combat heavy, acting as a valve for the first floor - helping or hurting the party with subtle magic should the difficulty be off.
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.
Player characters attacking the lair of monsters that have been menacing the local village is a common D&D trope. This adventure turns the trope on its head. In Goblin Defense, the players create goblin PCs, and have to fight off repeated attacks by adventurers who are stronger and better equipped than they are. Starting at level 1 and running until level 7, this module encompasses 16 battles against unique and typically themed groups of adventurers built using player character classes and rules. The module is designed for 3 players, each of whom takes on an individual role within the tribe, granting unique bonuses or options for actions outside of combat. Goblin Defense can also be played with 4 players, but is not recommended for 5 or more players without substantial revision. The players aren't alone. Each commands a squad of goblin minions who can help in combat... but goblins are fragile, and adventurers hit hard. Life as a goblin is often brief and violent. Many will die, but as long as some survive, the tribe will carry on. A simple ruleset is provided for managing actions during the downtime between each attack. During this time, players can work to train their minions to use better gear, hunt for food for their tribe, recruit replacement warriors, brew potions, and - most importantly - improve their lair and its defenses by adding walls, traps, tunnels, doors, alarms, and anything else their creative minds can come up with. As the exact layout and placement of defensive features is critical, this is designed to be played on a grid. A PDF is included with the map scaled to print on 24"x36" (Arch D) size paper, available at most print shops. DMs may enjoy the chance to briefly try out many different character class and subclass combinations as they attack and eventually fall to the goblin pests they're trying to eliminate. Page count: Information for the DM only 6 Information for the players 4 Adventurer statblocks 37