A community for lazy dungeon masters
1570 adventures found
Cover of Owlbear Run
Owlbear Run
4th Edition
Levels 4–6
26 pages
0  0

From The Magazine: "Every summer, Duke Hightower holds a competition quite different from the traditional jousting and archery tournaments held by similar lords of his station. The rules of his tournament change from year to year, and, to oversee the games, the duke has appointed two wizard brothers who help choose the setting and create the rules and challenges of the competition. This year the competition is called the “Owlbear Run,” an overland race that requires each participating team to escort a live owlbear from the town of Telvorn to the town of Milvorn. The teams will face a variety of challenges; some are devised by the wizards, others by the competing teams or their sponsors, and some occur entirely at random. All of these tests are in addition to the challenges inherent in motivating a temperamental owlbear. Fortune and fame await the first team to cross the finish line, and the local lords sponsoring the race are eager to enlist skilled champions for their causes." Pgs. 2-27

Cover of The Whale
The Whale
AD&D
Levels 1–3
3 pages
0  0

What would Greenpeace say about this problem? Last night the Vikings were your hosts. Now, you're in the middle of their feud. A beached whale is claimed by two Viking houses, and is necessary to the survival of both. Player characters are caught in the middle. Roleplaying, politics, negotiation. Set in generic Viking fantasy setting. Pgs. 36-38

Cover of Fortress of the Yuan-Ti
Fortress of the Yuan-Ti
3.5 Edition
Levels 6–7
63 pages
0  0

The Fortress of the Yuan-Ti describes a fortress build into a cliff side and the slave village outside. The Adventure is the third of three but can easily be played by its self. The adventure revolves around the players discovering the dark plot to revive the demon Sertrous and then stopping it. The adventure describes the outside, inside, and hanging towers of the fortress. The adventure concludes in a forth extra-planer tower were you fight the boss. It also includes 4 sidetracks from portals that explain how they get the materials for the ritual. Final part of the Barrow of the Forgotten King series.

Cover of True Level Adventure 2 Gate of Web and War
True Level Adventure 2 Gate of Web and War
AD&D
Level 2
6 pages
0  0

There is no particular overarching story here, just a prospect gate keep dungeon you can drop into your own sandbox and run as you see fit. This adventure is formatted to both 1E & 5E gaming rules.

Cover of The Vault of Iptiz
The Vault of Iptiz
5th Edition
Level 5
9 pages
0  0

There is the well-known regional legend of Iptiz, a spirit naga whose greed was remarkable even among its own kind. Murderous raids and relentless pillaging yielded a hoard so valuable that the creature needed some place to store and protect it. Thus was the Vault conceived: an underground complex custom built to destroy anyone who is not its creator. Years ago, Iptiz's campaign of terror suddenly ended without precursor or cause. The location of the Vault was never discovered. Until now. The ring-city of Sulindal, built upon the shores of a mile-wide desert oasis, has come under martial law by an invading army of yuan-ti. They intend to exploit the resources in this renowned city of knowledge to locate the third and final Beacon of Selune. ...but for what purpose? A four to six hour adventure for four 5th level players.

Cover of Dungeon Crawl Classics #15: Lost Tomb of the Sphinx Queen
Dungeon Crawl Classics #15: Lost Tomb of the Sphinx Queen
3rd Edition
Levels 14–15
48 pages
0  0

Legend tells of a long-dead empire of sphinxes, ruled over for millennia by a great queen named Ankharet. She fell into darkness and her empire was shattered, as her subjects rebelled and cast her down. Unable to kill her, it is said that they bound her with great magic and buried her in a tomb, to wait for the foretold heroes who would be able to slay her and end her evil forever. Their empire in ashes, the sphinxes scattered to roam the world in bitter freedom, save a single great androsphinx. On the edge of the mysterious Barren Hills, between the mountains and the Great Desert, there is a gigantic statue of a crowned gynosphinx, ancient beyond reckoning. At its feet, a great androsphinx known as Khubsheth the Prophet has dispensed counsel and prophecy to all who come to him for longer than mortal records can tell. The heroes have come to visit Khubsheth, whether for counsel, prophecy or out of curiosity, but as soon as he lays eyes on them, he attacks! Upon his defeat, he tells them that they are the heroes foretold by the legend of Ankharet. Ankharet ruled over a long-dead empire of sphinxes, but she fell into darkness. Her subjects rebelled and cast her down, but were unable to kill her. It is said that they bound her with great magic and buried her in a tomb, to wait for the foretold heroes who would be able to slay her and end her evil forever. Kubsheth the Prophet tells the heroes that they must enter the tomb of the long-dead sphinx queen, kill her, and destroy her cursed crown, an artifact of tremendously evil power. As his blood seeps into the sands, a doorway opens at the base of the statue, leading down into darkness…

Cover of To Save A Forest
To Save A Forest
AD&D
Levels 4–6
16 pages
0  0

Only You can prevent forest curses! The population of a small town have been disappearing and its up to the party to save them and the town from a looming disaster.

Cover of FT - Walled City of Vandosia
FT - Walled City of Vandosia
5th Edition
Any Level
14 pages
0  0

Welcome to the seat of power in the Duchy of Starryshade! This large city is where the Archduke Meldor Gantrius IV rules his land. A walled city on the bay, Vandosia is bustling with activity. A busy seaport sits down the road from the fortified city with regional farmers coming into town every day. Many former adventurers call the city home and training guilds are available for those levelling up. While “mostly” safe this city is not without adventure, especially with the massive sewer system below the streets.

Cover of Where There's Smoke
Where There's Smoke
5th Edition
Levels 1–2
26 pages
0  0

The trade coster Commus is up to something big, and its rivals want to know what it is. The PCs must investigate the situation before things get too hot to handle. Where There's Smoke is a single session adventure for four to five 1st level characters. It is an urban adventure, taking place in a large town or small city. The adventure also includes 5th edition write-ups of two creatures from the 3rd edition Monster Manual II - the Ash Rat and the Grimalkin.

Cover of Beneath the Keep
Beneath the Keep
5th Edition
Levels 1–3
16 pages
0  0

During a brief stop-over at a wilderness stronghold, a simple trip to a local provisioner reveals foul play! The shop has been broken in, and the shopkeeper is missing. But the place has not been burglarized. The heroes are thrust into an investigation. Clues discovered by the heroes’ hint at larger corruption that festers among the border lands surounding the stronghold. What sinister forces lurk beneath the keep?

Cover of Torrents of Dread
Torrents of Dread
3.5 Edition
Levels 4–8
16 pages
0  0

A supernaturally powerful storm, mudslides, and agitated dinosaurs are the least of the worries in the tropical village of Mora. The village's spiritual leader, the Zombie Master, has gone missing, and now undead rise from sodden graves and the village matriarch lies dead, murdered by her own son. What dire menace awaits in the flooded catacombs below? Set on the infamous Isle of Dread.

Cover of Heart of Stone - One Page Adventure
Heart of Stone - One Page Adventure
OSR
Levels 3–8
2 pages
0  0

One page adventure, one page map. On the edge of a lake/ocean’s windswept field/forest, outside of his small stone home, a very old, callous human magic user, Cyfrin the Wrathful, summoned an invisible stalker in a magical binding circle. First he began to taunt the stalker, proclaiming his dominance over it, describing its powerlessness to do anything but carry out the old spell caster’s will. Next, Cyfrin dispelled its invisibility, ordering it to execute his plan. In Cyfrin’s excitement, he gazed upon the stalker’s now visible, horrifically impossible face - and abruptly suffered a stroke, dying on the spot. Still imprisoned, the stalker wants freedom. Will the PCs help it? Adventure hooks provided. Published by Wicked Cool Games

Cover of Desert Angel Fiasco (OSR)
Desert Angel Fiasco (OSR)
OSR
Levels 1–3
25 pages
0  0

INTRODUCTION Some say the world is dying. Others say the desert is growing. In either case, merchants and princes always desire new ways to cross the Great Sand Sea. Today, someone has found a way to fly over it. Who will tempt fate and join the maiden voyage of the Desert Angel? No one knows what dangers or treasure have lain hidden in the heart of the desert for all these eons. If you survive, you will be the first. ONE-SHOT This adventure is intended as a one-shot, but it can easily be inserted into a campaign. Any time your players wish to travel to a distant city, you can simply say there is a large desert in their way, but luckily there is a new flying ship they can travel on. Good luck with that! DESIGN NOTES This adventure is intended for low-level characters (1-3). It is primarily geared for social encounters and combat. It runs 2 to 5 hours. Players ride a flying ship across the desert. Monsters attack. Passengers plot treachery. Mysterious locations appear. You can keep the tone serious or play up this ridiculous sequence of disasters for laughs.

Cover of Cryptic Entry
Cryptic Entry
5th Edition
Levels 1–2
23 pages
0  0

Intrepid explorer Reslin Kine garnered a modest reputation and fortune for himself throughout his years adventuring. When he learned he'd die of an incurable illness before his first child would be born, Reslin hired the best workers and wizards he could find to create a vault to protect his son's inheritance. Reslin kept a journal of his efforts, logging the information necessary for his heir to find the vault and claim its treasures. Whatever came of Reslin Kine, his family, or his treasure is now the stuff of stories. Through whatever circumstance, the party has managed to get their hands on a few tattered pages of Reslin’s journal. The cryptic entries noted there contain clues to finding his vault, and the treasure which awaits inside!

Cover of Seekers of the Silver Forge
Seekers of the Silver Forge
3.5 Edition
Level 15
23 pages
0  0

Strange catches have long plagued fishermen's nets -- but none so strange as rotting fish that twitch and gasp for days after they are taken from the water, or a gilled githyanki's severed head found in a shark's belly. Do these briny omens lend credence to rumors of a sunken githyanki city caught in a necromantic civil war? This is a sequel to "The Death of Lashimire" (Dungeon Magazine #116). This adventure makes use of rules and options from "Stormwrack" and the "Expanded Psionics Handbook". Pgs. 60-82

Cover of The Roadway of Wrath
The Roadway of Wrath
5th Edition
Levels 3–10
12 pages
0  0

This one-shot takes place in a post-apocalyptic, steam-punk style of world. Steam powered vehicles of bronze, iron, and steel are used by most civilizations and competition over areas containing water is heated and frequent in the middle of this expansive desert. In this adventure, the party finds themselves involved in the plot of a woman named Therra to kill off the oppressive overlord of one of these desert villages. The party must steal a group of these vehicles - choosing to split themselves between the massive fourteen-wheeled Ravager, the flamethrowing Firestarter, the spike-covered Skewer, and the two-wheeled vehicle known as the Sidewinder, as they flee across the wastelands. They will fight off goblin, kobold, and orc vehicles as the overlord gives chase and eventually faces off against them in a final battle of steel and steam. There will likely be a great deal of chaos - people leaping onto vehicles, being rolled under them, or performing risky but entertaining maneuvers . . . make sure to embrace these and turn them amazing scenes. It is more about having a great time than it is about following the rules, especially in this particular one shot.

Cover of The Isle of Endless Fog
The Isle of Endless Fog
5th Edition
Levels 1–2
80 pages
0  0

"This is a beautifully bleak hex crawl around an island smothered in oppressive darkness and fermenting wickedness. The Sluagh and their foul fog and maddening miasma are inscrutable and unknowable, but you must investigate the Island; discover the secrets buried within and without. Collect the scraps of information and open your heart and help these people tearing each other apart and worse, or become dark and hard as flint; indulge the mercurial machinations of men lost to madness of the mists and consent to cruelty. Worse still, lose yourself completely in the blanketing fog of yore; stumble blankly into the eternal night of truly annihilating nihilism... There is still faint hope that your investigation can illuminate the mist’s mysteries, lifting Man to the light, but it’s not for the fainthearted." - Curse of Sebs The Isle of Endless Fog is a 5e adventure for characters starting at 1st-level and ending at 4th-level. It's a sandbox adventure with a small setting for The Isle of Man, a location from Fallen Camelot setting. It features all three pillars of a 5e game: exploration, social interaction and combat. CONTENT WARNING: Mental Health Issues, Depression, Disassociation, Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, Human Experimentation, Drugging and Abduction, Cannibalism, Murder of Civilians and Children, Clerical Abuse of Power through Tyranny. Background The Isle of Man was by no means a safe place, with sporadic assaults from the troll, Buggane, trickster fey, and conflicts of resources with the local giants, but it is still a place where local folk can live their lives in relative peace. All that changed when the sluagh came. They flew free from an ancient tower, a storm of wailing ghosts that swept across the land, carrying a blanketing fog across their backs that choked the land, the sea and the sky. The Death Mist warps all that it touches, inviting death into the homes of all things, whereupon the sluagh swoop out of the skies, snatching up souls on the verge of death, carrying them away from their bodies and into a new horrid existence as a fellow sluagh. In packs they fly, swooping through villages on the westerly winds, carrying away the souls of half its denizens, leaving the rest to starve, whereupon another wave will come to claim the rest. Over time, the mists drained the life from the earth. Fields turned barren, forests petrified, infants were born malnourished and shriveled. Yet, its hunger only grew. The sluagh called beyond, drawing travelers to Man. Sailors will see the fog first, rolling in from the horizon, before the wailing of the sluagh deafens their ears, and the mist blind their eyes. After what feels like hours, the sailors open their eyes and see Man on the horizon. The explorers will quickly find that they cannot leave this place. They must either banish the mist from this place…or destroy it. Published by Realmwarp Media

Cover of The Forgotten Hive
The Forgotten Hive
5th Edition
Levels 1–3
24 pages
0  0

Beneath the crumbling walls of a keep lies an unexplored warren of caverns stretching into unknown darkness. Within the depths, an ancient evil stirs and grows hungry. Forgotten horrors, once relegated to legend, are on the move – with only your band of heroes between them and their goal. What begins as simple exploration rapidly becomes a struggle against denizens of the underworld, and the very environs of underworld itself. Through crumbling caverns and against long-trapped foes, the party is confronted with a threat that places the future of the surface world in jeopardy. Your heroes must act quickly to secure the world, or face the consequences of their failure to halt the advance of the denizens of The Forgotten Hive.

Cover of Gifts for Him
Gifts for Him
5th Edition
Levels 1–3
25 pages
0  0

Gifts for Him is a short, challenging, open-ended, gothic-horror, 5E-compatible Christmas adventure for tier 1 characters to be run in about three sessions, but it can be easily adapted as a one-shot. It contains over 25 pages with original artwork, three original battle maps, three unique monsters, stat blocks for five NPCs, three magic items, and a partridge in a pear tree. ----- The village of Bargrave has a secret. Every year, on Christmas Eve, the villagers cower in their homes while a savage beast prowls the streets, wreaking bloody doom on whomever has not left it a suitable gift on their doorstep. But Elias Buhl has had enough. This year, the old farmer won’t be buying the beast a gift, hoping instead to bait it into attacking him at his homestead, where he will trap and kill it once and for all. But he can’t do it alone. Buhl has hired a band of adventures to help him fortify his home, set traps, and slay the creature. They have three days to prepare, gather allies and equipment, and plan their defense. Or… They can dig a little deeper and uncover what Bargrave has been hiding all these years. Will they slay the beast, as agreed? Might they capture it to use it for their own ends? Can it be redeemed? Or will they die — their blood melting the snow — just the latest victims of the creature’s reign of terror? --- Gifts for Him is a complete, playtested, illustrated adventure that is currently pay what you want.

Cover of FS10 - Utopian Tower
FS10 - Utopian Tower
AD&D
Levels 1–3
15 pages
0  0

Utopian Tower is a solo adventure which brings a new PC/player to the small Halfling village of Phebus on their way to a job opportunity. While the PC has time to spare they learn of a haunted tower that has the villagers on edge and is asked to investigate for a reward! While in town the PC meets a bard also headed to a job opportunity leading to a potential fellowship…if they survive! An excellent setting to teach a player new to the game on the basic mechanics. The adventure ties in roleplaying in a town environment, overland and dungeon movement, as well as combat encounters!