The leader of all the Shadow Guilds, the Ceta Consortium is gone, wiped out in a single night, without warning or witnesses. Their empire of control, secrecy, and soft-handed rule has vanished, leaving behind only rumors and blood. Now, the city of Lumina stands on the edge of something new... and something dangerous. Shadow Guilds is a system-agnostic tabletop campaign setting built for fantasy games that blur the line between ambition and morality. Set in a bustling metropolis of vice, corruption, and uneasy power, it invites players to step into the roles of underworld mafiosos, trying to make their mark—or just survive the fallout. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to run a campaign focused on gang politics, black-market enterprise, and the slow scramble toward power in a world that rewards the bold and punishes the careless. You’ll build a crew, carve out territory, and navigate a world where magic is outlawed, alliances are temporary, and opportunity lurks behind every closed door. This is not a story of chosen heroes or grand prophecies. It’s a story of clever rogues, ruthless enforcers, and ambitious criminals rising into the vacuum left by the old guard. The game leans into roleplay, style, and smart decision-making—but it doesn’t shy away from trouble when it finds you. Start small. Lie often. Watch your back. Shadow Guilds is a system-neutral campaign setting designed to drop into any fantasy world where criminal syndicates thrive in the shadows of power. Whether you're running a long-form campaign, a gritty one-shot, or threading a criminal conspiracy into your existing world, this guide provides the building blocks for a dangerous, decadent underworld full of secrets, turf wars, and moral gray areas. This setting assumes a single sprawling metropolis, where various criminal guilds operate openly or in secret. It leans into noir fantasy, urban intrigue, prohibition, and the uncomfortable alliances forged when justice fails.
"I said right from the very beginning: this is going to end badly. But I never imagined it would be this horrible..." — Mydith Ryc, survivor of the High Walls Massacre A wandering prophet comes to a High Walls refugee camp on the outskirts of Sharn. He carries a message that brings people hope but also deepens the rift between communities. His sermons blame the district’s growing troubles on a new type of outsiders: peoples of Droaam. As tensions grow, a sudden ritualistic murder brings the entire community on the edge of collapse. Dive into a dangerous power struggle between Old Man Garin and the hardened captain of the guard, Elara Talsen. Echoes of Salvation is a gripping mini-campaign designed for four to six 5th-level characters, where it is almost impossible to save everyone and the time is always ticking. Features: - Over 25 beautifully grim pages - 10-15 hours of gameplay - Optional rules to keep your players on their toes - Intricate Influence system to weave power currents in the camp. Comes with a convenient tracking sheet — tyranny was never so easy to track - 9 unique monsters with custom rules for crowd fights - Custom maps of High Walls Refugee camp for both exploration and battle CONTENT WARNING Murder, gore and mutilation, manipulation (gaslighting), substance abuse, xenophobia, political violence, police brutality, child endangerment. No AI was harmed (or used) in the process
CORE 1-2 With the identity of a murderer confirmed, heroes are needed to track it down to its home. As it turns out, it might be a longer journey than first imagined. Part Two of The Chaos in Melvaunt. The characters enter Mechanus via a portal in Melvaunt with the aim to infiltrate a modron army encampment. They must then flee the camp in a chase scene.
Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell is the long-awaited sequel to Stonehell Dungeon: Down Night-Haunted Halls. This book contains the final levels of the megadungeon, revealing its most terrifying secrets. It contains almost 600 dungeon rooms for the players to explore, more than 70 unique monsters to challenge them, and 13 new magical items to mystify them. Stonehell Dungeon is a classic-style megadungeon intended for use with the Labyrinth Lord™ role-playing game, but adaptable to early versions of the original fantasy role-playing game and its retro-clones. It gives the game master the necessary information to run the dungeon, while offering enormous opportunities to customize the site. Published by Three-Headed Monster Games.
The Ghost Tribe of Orcs were driven from their home under Wyvern Tor by some terrible evil. They marched to Phandalin and attacked only to be defeated. Then, the heroes journeyed to the orc’s former settlement beneath Wyvern Tor and found the source of the orc’s sardonyx and the umber hulk that drove the orcs out. Now, the party has to go deeper to deal with the terror from the Underdark that caused all of this excitement.
DC-POA-PND-5 What Stalks the Night? (Fourth and Final Part of the Strange Case of Erland Forsk) Many residents of Easthaven were woken in the early morning by an explosion. One of the houses near the Wet Trout tavern exploded, and a trail of large, webbed footprints were left in the snow leading off into the wilderness. Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 2 Characters. Optimized for APL 8 Using the DungeonCraft seed My, What Big Feet You Have Don’t Go Outside! The Strange Case of Erland Forsk is a four part series of DungeonCraft adventures, each 2-hours long. DC-POA-PND-2 What Skitters Beneath? (tier 1) DC-POA-PND-3 The Watcher in the Attic (tier 1) DC-POA-PND-4 Eateat Go Home? (tier 2) DC-POA-PND-5 What Stalks the Night? (tier 2) ``` Now is not the time to go outside Crawl back into bed and close your eyes Now is not the time to go outside Lock the doors and find a place to hide — Poppy - Don't Go Outside ```
The followers of the many gods of Kara-Tur have always fought, to prove the superiority of their martial discipline and the greater wisdom of their deities. The strict hierarchy of the gods is now threatened by the sudden prominence of the followers of the Dragon Claw, a new and deadly school of martial arts that threatens to destroy all other schools. The players, recruited by a mysterious old monk with a bizarre fighting style, must find out what's behind the emergence of the Dragon Claw and put a stop to it. Mad Money vs. The Dragon Claw will take players across the entire country of T'u Lung, from the mouth of the great river Fenghsintzu to its headquarters, where they must deal with the legendary Cult of the Black Leopard - all in the name of the Mad Monkey. Mad Monkey vs. The Dragon Claw is a scenario for the ORIENTAL ADVENTURES supplement to the AD&D game. It is set in KARA-TUR, the oriental world in the Forgotten Realms. Mad Monkey vs. The Dragon Claw is designed for five to eight characters of Levels 6-9. TSR 9242
Ever feel like you just want to snatch all the blankets and pillows you can find and hide in your own warm little nest? Goblin Heist is a chaotic Tier 1 adventure where 1-6 players take control of goblin characters on a mission to steal as many cozy things as they can from the sleepy winter village of Little Humbleton. But be wary... the town has hired an adventurer to stop you! Can you and your goblin gang survive the cold, sneak into houses, steal the cozies, and escape before daybreak all without being caught? Goblin Heist is highly replayable, and features: - A choice of four adventurers protecting the town, each adding their own difficulty and flavour to the game - Variable weather conditions - Pursuit mechanics - Randomly generated challenges - Cozies - Stuffing sweets in your face
Though small, Seawell is a prosperous trading town with a good location on the coast. Next to it is a long peninsula that features mostly swamplike terrain. The inhabitants of this peninsula include tribes of lizardfolk, plus several kinds of reptiles and amphibians. Most of these creatures don't bother the town, and Seawell's militia is experienced at repulsing raids by the more aggressive lizardfolk. A large reef extends the entire length of the peninsula on the side away from Seawell. This great wall of coral is a favorite site for fishermen, but it has always presented a serious hazard to ships approaching from that direction. Thus, about 45 years ago, the people of Seawell built a lighthouse on a small promontory near the reef, about 200 yards from the shoreline. Operated by a family that lived inside it, this lighthouse ensured that ships could easily steer clear of the reef. A few weeks ago, ships stopped arriving from that direction. Three ships are now overdue, and the people of Seawell have begun to suspect foul play. Thus far, however, they have not been able to investigate because of increased raiding by the lizardfolk. Something has stirred them up, and the town militia has been too busy repulsing raids to mount an expedition to the reef. Wreck Ashore is a short D&D adventure for four 1st level player characters (PCs). The scenario takes place on and around a swampy peninsula that juts out from a longer stretch of coastline. Along one side of this peninsula stretches a dangerous reef. Just offshore on the reef side stands a lighthouse built to warn ships of the danger. At the base of the peninsula on the side away from the reef is a small port town called Seawell.
The village of Longbarrow faces a dire threat. Dozens of devils besiege the village to relieve the inhabitants of their souls. It is up to the heroes to put an end to the machinations of Igach, a sly devil in services of Azaketh. Seek out the source of the devil incursion, and deliver the helpless villagers! Igach's Reign of Terror is an adventure designed for 3-7 2nd to 4th level characters and is optimized for five characters with an average party level (APL) of 3. The adventure is the first of two chapters about the events surrounding Logrimm's Tower. The, yet to be released, second chapter deals with Logrimm's Tower itself and the characters' struggle to reach the top. With only minor adjustments, Igach's Reign of Terror can also serve as a 4 to 8 hour long one-shot adventure independent from Chapter 2.
The Road to Broadhurst written by Carlos Cisco is available for free. Internally, MCDM called this “the Conventure.” It’s designed for experienced Directors who already know the rules, and want to run Draw Steel for new players at their local convention or game store. It doesn’t explain how to play, that’s what the director is for! Because RPG events at a convention can last anywhere from 45 minutes to 4 hours, The Road to Broadhurst has advice on how to skip sections you don’t have time for without affecting the flow of play. Road to Broadhurst is a short, modular adventure for Draw Steel. It’s written for three to six 1st-level heroes and a Director. This free adventure comes with pregenerated heroes and is meant to give experienced directors an easy way to introduce new players to the game, especially in environments such as game stores and conventions where time is limited. The Director should be familiar with the Draw Steel core rules found in Draw Steel: Heroes and Draw Steel: Monsters. This adventure can be run online on a virtual tabletop or in person at conventions, game stores, libraries, community centers, homes, and anywhere else roleplaying games are played. It can also serve as a lead-in to The Delain Tomb adventure for Draw Steel. The combat encounters in this adventure are optimized for a group of five heroes. Adjustments are included for groups as large as six or as small as three.
Vampire Church is a Fifth Edition plug-in adventure for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 5, 8, 11, or 14. This document offers details for each level and makes adjustments accordingly. A small church hides a dark secret: all of its priests are vampires. As a plug-in adventure, the adventure content serves as drop-in material for game masters who wish to add a dungeon to a preexisting campaign or need a side quest. If you need a hook for this adventure or already have a similar hook, the Vampire Church Hooks table offers details for introducing this adventure to your players.
Many years ago a brutal bugbear chieftain united the goblinoid tribes of the Meirlara Forest and nearly wiped out all traces of the elves there within. A stroke of chance fate turned the tide and the dreaded bugbear warlord Spragnokk was defeated. His loyal kin hid his body away in a sealed chamber and then the world forgot about Spragnokk... until now. Now his bloodline continues, and they have plans to resurrect their fallen "great chieftain," to bring ruin and revenge upon the elves that handed them defeat decades past. The goblinoid tribes have once more been gathered, and their bloody revenge is imminent, except fate has yet once more placed new champions to stand in their way. They just don't realize it yet.
Sewers of the Underguild is an adventure designed for characters of at least 11th level, and characters up to 15th level will find plenty of challenges. Hidden within these narrow passages and filth-filled channels is a guild of vampiric rogues, led by their master Sangre and his aide, a nycaloth called Ankoz. Deadly traps abound, so a skillful rogue will be a lifesaver. Because of the high likelihood of desperate combat with numerous vampiric and monstrous opponents, it is suggested that a cleric and at least two fighters be prepared to beat back the many watchdog monsters the guild employs. You can hide the locales in Sewers of the Underguild in any ruin or location that fits your campaign purposes. A thriving metropolis that just happens to have a large crime and vampire problem would fit the bill nicely. In the Lost Lands campaign setting of Frog God Games, the Underguild is located in the sewers beneath the ruins of Curgantium, the ancient imperial capital of lost Hyperboria. Located at the edge of the modern Kingdom of Foere, the Underguild still finds itself located centrally enough to pull the strings of its weblike network running throughout the former lands of the Hyperborian Empire.
Greger’s Grotto is a community of pirates and other criminals, hidden away on a desolate coastline. The players are slaves sold to the Grotto’s owning family and used for manual labour and bloodsport in the arena. In this adventure, the players will need to: * survive harsh prison conditions, including the rivalry between prisoner factions: human, orc, goblin and hobgoblin * fight in arena battles against prisoners and beasts, often with strange twists to entertain the crowd * explore small mini-dungeons attached to the prisoners’ caverns * ultimately escape; whether by force, alliance with fellow prisoners, stealth, cunning or any combination of these Features of this adventure: * Pay-what-you-want (even nothing). * Illustrated with art by Setvasai. * Designed to fit into most campaign worlds. * Simulationist or story-driven: includes information for both. Use random rolls to determine what happens when, or take inspiration from various story hooks. (Or do both.) * 11 unique NPCs, including members of the Grotto’s owning family and leader of the prisoner factions. * Full maps of the Grotto, its arena and prisoner caverns, totalling over 40 rooms.
A flock of kenku bandits have discovered the ruined remains of a temple site, and have used it as their hideout while they raid unsuspecting travelers on nearby roads. It's up to the PCs to clear their nest, recover stolen goods, and rescue their hostages. Will the players be bested by these dirty birds? Or will they have the bandits eating crow?
"For the past sixty-seven years Wheatwinter Farm, a small farm outside the village of Longbranch, has produced an essential survival tool for the town — a unique strain of wheat that can survive the harsh winters of the region. However, for the past few weeks something has been terrorizing the livestock at Wheatwinter and the surrounding farms. Markus Wheatwinter has defended his farm from goblins time and time again, but this time something is different and he has put out a call for aid." When ankhegs assault Wheatwinter farm, the party is called upon to exterminate them and rescue the farmer in this adventure loosely inspired by Starship Troopers. Published by Green Feather Games
Your PCs are reaching the upper end of the heroic tier. New worlds are opening up to them—they might have already ventured to the Feywild, for example, and made contacts with inhabitants of that magical plane. Now they are ready to take their first steps into the darkness. The Shadowfell awaits... Vandariel, a shadar-kai witch who calls herself the Voice of Pain, is a fanatic devotee of the Raven Queen. She has founded and become the self-proclaimed high priest of a bizarre cult, the Lords of Pain, whose purpose is to bring more fey into the shadow pact with that goddess of death. Although the original shadar-kai entered this pact voluntarily, and the race breeds true, Vandariel is consumed by what she sees as a divine mission to reveal the mystery to all fey—whether they wish it or not. Those who do not come voluntarily to the truth are brought against their will. Dark stalkers move like the night, seeking out and abducting suitable subjects. This Side Trek can serve as an introduction to the dangers of the shadow realm. It works well for PCs who are approaching the paragon tier, since it presents a reasonable challenge for characters of 10th level. It is suitable as a climactic encounter for lowerlevel adventurers, as well. It consists of only two encounters.
Rennie and Linde are in search of their father, Petring, who they saw disappear into the crypts beneath town. The crypt is thick with supernatural shadow. Torches can be lit from a brazier of green faerie fire in the entrance that cuts through magical darkness. The torches burn rapidly, and the PCs must travel quickly to preserve their light until they reach the funeral pyre in the heart of the crypt. There they can learn the way to the Carrion Shrine of Qorgeth.
In this Adventure, the heroes explore the lair of an adult green dragon who has become a dracolich. She is served by living and undead minions and slaves. Pages 302-307