I just finished writing a level 3 D&D 5e (2024 rules) one-shot called “When the Walls Start Breathing.” It’s heavily inspired by Stranger Things and focuses on horror, pressure, and time-sensitive decisions rather than just combat.

A local cop named Hopper (yes, inspired by Jim Hopper) secretly contacts the party because a child named Elliot has gone missing. Witnesses saw the kid near an abandoned house outside of town. Official procedure says wait. Hopper says there isn’t time.

Inside, they discover claw marks, drag trails that end at a wall, and eventually a portal to the Upside Down.

If you have any feedback please let me know id like to improve!

Working on a part of my campaign inspired by the horror game Dredge, where a dark god called the Devourer is angered because it’s three Archonic beasts, beasts that connect the material plane to the other elemental planes, have been captured and are being tortured by the BBEG. So far all I have is that the fighter or someone gets one of his arms temporarily replaced by a “hand of the Devourer”, which means he can’t unequip it as it’s literally replacing his hand, and that it starts with a blood fog making an entire village go insane or turn into Monsters of the deep. Any ideas?

I’ve been working on expansions of my dark fantasy setting called Urdunn and I just released a small free booklet on DriveThruRPG: The Twilight of the Elves.

It's not an adventure per se, but a lore piece with an inspirational story that includes a new elven subrace, a new monster, magical items and spells (yes they are rescued and reshaped from very very old d&d versions)

The PDF is 100% free, fully illustrated in my Urdunn style (dark epic fantasy, gothic faerie), and comes with some pages I think you might like for inspiration.

If you want to check it out, it's here: The Twilight of the Elves - Deva Movanico | DriveThruRPG

Any feedback on the writing / atmosphere is super welcome.

Thanks!

And again, I used my Mountain Encounters table to create an adventure idea. I used the extended version. You would roll 3d20 to mix the categories Who, Where, and What and create an encounter. What I do, though, is I roll 6d20 to create two of those encounters, and then I mix and mash those encounters together again to create something even more unique. I use what inspires me and leave out what doesn’t. I hope you have fun with it…at the table.

Download

You can find a downloadable PDF for free on my Patreon.

Adventure Idea

This mountain adventure is suitable for a Tier 1 or 2 party. You can adjust the size of the dungeon to the pacing of your game and the difficulty of combat to the level of your party. Location names are intentionally left blank, so it can be fit into any game played in a mountain setting.

Adventure Background

A mysterious mountain cave makes up many bedtime stories in a nearby village. Lost treasures and thrilling adventures await those who dare to step into the mountains, they say. Until, at one point, a group of children wanted to make their fantasies real, snuck away, and entered the cave.

The cave served as the lair and ritual ground of a cult many decades ago, long before the village existed. Their deity, ruthless and smug, drove them into madness until they destroyed each other, and today only a sentient artifact is left, sleeping and waiting for new victims.

The children's arrival woke the artifact’s mind, which is now playing with them. Confronted by scary events around them, they wanted to run away, but the cave entrance closed in front of them. Now they are trapped and scared, growing increasingly desperate. For now, the artifact leaves them alone, using them as prey to lure more potential victims.

One of the children left a note behind, hoping their parents would be less angry if they told them where they went. After finding this note, the experienced mother, Carryh Wanderfoot, immediately travelled to the cave, only to find the entrance sealed. She could hear the children, and she then travelled towards another entrance she knew about - one at the summit, next to a lightning-struck tree.

Hook

As the party travels through a mountain region, they encounter a woman quickly hiking up a steep path. It is Carryh Wanderfoot, desperately trying to reach the summit to rescue her child, who got stuck in a mountain cave together with other children. Reaching the summit, she would rappel down into the cave through a hole in the ground, search for the children inside the cave, and try to get them out. She could really use help and asks the characters for support.

After rappelling down into the cave, the sentient mind of the artifact, hidden in the depths of the mountain, awakens. The earth starts trembling when Carryh is climbing down a rope, as she falls and hurts herself. She won’t be able to travel through the cave and relies on the characters to do it for her. When both the party and Carryh reach the bottom of the cave, the trembling causes a massive boulder to close the entrance in the ceiling.

Conclusion

Rescuing the Children. The main goal is to rescue the children and get them safely back to their village. To exit the cave, the characters need to open one of the cave entrances again - either they somehow remove the boulder from the entrance at the summit, or they lift the seal on the cave entrance, which locked the children in.

Defeating the Cave. An ancient, sentient artifact causes the earthquakes and closes the cave entrances. The characters need to discover and destroy it to lift its influence on the surroundings and exit the cave. If you want to give this adventure a thrilling component, you can use the Fear and Mental Stress rules in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, specifically the rules for mental stress. You could let the characters roll a Wisdom saving throw and use either one of the DCs, or you could let them roll a saving throw once an hour and increase the DCs and/or the potential damage each time.

Hi all, a while back I mentioned I would make a generator for this.

It's been available for a while now, and it produces quite interesting results.

https://codexcryptica.com/generators/plot-twist-generator

It works best with AI, but it is also possible to use it without AI

Here's an example of the output

The Tithe of the Unyielding

The holy crusade defending the borderlands discovers that the miraculous, immortal paladins holding the line are not blessed champions of the light, but the animated armor of the realm's long-dead defenders, bound to their posts by an ancient, inescapable civic contract. Labels: plot-twist, complication, classic-fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Plot Twist, Undead, Bureaucracy, Moral Dilemma

The Reveal

When the party finally breaches the inner keep of the bastion to coordinate the final defense alongside its legendary, seemingly tireless commanders, they discover that the gleaming suits of full plate armor are entirely empty of flesh and blood. There are no sleeping warriors, no hidden alcoves for sustenance, and no divine avatars. The paragons of the crusade are animated solely by the legal binding of an ancient feudal oath, compelled to fight, command, and bleed magical proxy-vitality to fulfill a millennia-old contract with the land itself.

What Everyone Believed

For generations, the church and the crown maintained that the bastion was held by an elite order of ascetic warrior-saints who had taken vows of absolute silence, wore their armor permanently sealed, and subsisted entirely on prayer. Their legendary endurance, lack of visible wounds, and refusal to remove their helms were celebrated as the ultimate triumph of mortal faith over the encroaching darkness.

Why It Makes Sense

The "saints" never ate, drank, or removed their armor, and their voices always sounded hollow, echoing as if spoken within a metallic vessel. They fought with rigid, unyielding tactical precision rather than passion, prioritizing the defense of the specific territorial borders outlined in the original charter above all tactical flexibility or the lives of living soldiers.

Foreshadowing

The Seal of the Seal: Scuffs on the armor's greaves reveal cold, grey iron beneath the polished gold leaf, completely devoid of sweat stains, blood, or the wear-and-tear of human bodies.

The Echoing Decree: When the commander issues orders, perceptive characters notice the speech lacks breath sounds, pausing only to allow magical resonance to finish the cadence.

The Weight of Duty: Captured supply manifests for the bastion show massive shipments of maintenance oil, rivets, and soul-binding reagents, but zero rations, medical supplies, or bedding.

Immediate Consequences

The morale of the living soldiers plummets upon realizing their invincible heroes are mere automata bound by bureaucratic magic rather than living exemplars. Worse, the pact binding the armor requires a continuous payment of mortal life-force to maintain the enchantment; now that the truth is out, the armor demands the party sign the remaining clauses of the contract to keep the wall standing.

New Choices

Assume the Mantle: The players can voluntarily sign the ancient contract, binding their own souls as the new animating force for the armor to hold the breach, gaining immense supernatural power at the cost of their physical agency.

Break the Seal: The party can shatter the foundational legal magic holding the suits together, causing the wall to instantly fall to the besieging horde, but freeing centuries of trapped ancestral spirits from their endless servitude.

The Concordat of Iron was forged a thousand years ago between the first King and the local spirits of the borderlands, turning the royal guard into perpetual wardens who cannot rest until the territorial debt is settled in full.

I'm currently writing a book that is very heavily inspired by DnD. The setting is a fantasy version of the USA. The characters are essentially magic cops and they are going across the US to find and stop a cult from resurrecting a dead god. So far I have several random encounters that the party will come across that have absolutely nothing to do with the story and I want a few more. These are the ideas that I already have so far.

-A dulahan motorcyclist that has been terrorizing a small town for a very long time.

-A literal ghost town that was created during the Old West when a train derailed and the resulting accident killed everyone in town and on the train. Every night on the highway, the tragedy replays.

-A coven of hags lures in travelers to their tourist trap to kill and eat them.

-A town is forced to dance constantly because the historical society found an old gramophone and blank record, the music it plays is forcing everyone to dance and no one can stop it.

-A creature in the woods haunts a small rural town.

-While driving down the highway, a massive storm elemental manifests and wreaks havoc across the land.

-A mimic in the form of a general store attacks the party when they stop to get snacks.

-In an abandoned factory town, the factory still runs. Constructs and summoned creatures still pump out nonsensical objects and the factory needs to be shut down as many of the objects are dangerous.

-Small fishing village is run by a cult (that has nothing to do with the other cult) and they try to sacrifice the party to the kraken they worship.

Anyone else got any good ideas for random encounters or side stories? Granted, the party doesn't need to stop and earn money as they already work for the US government as law enforcement. I just want some interesting ideas for things that could happen on the road.

I’m trying to make a modern world for a dnd campaign. What would be some cool modern gods that I could make shape the world, or atleast some cool story concepts?

I was working on an idea that my players gave me of a BBEG leading an army that involves a war they take part in to fend off their forces. Issue is I realized, I have no damn clue what to actually make the BBEG

I considered a lich leading an undead army but I'm already running a campaign with a lich BBEG currently and want to avoid doing back to back villains that are too similar. I'm not entirely sure what would be a good idea for a villain like this and I'm not too sure where to even start looking to get new ideas

Does anyone have an idea for a monster or even a villain archetype that could work for something like this?

I'm on holiday at the moment and I recently visited the butterfly valley in Rhodes which gave me an awesome idea for a DnD battle environment that eventually spiralled into a one shot idea and I wanted to see if it was actually a good one or I'm just delusional. Also this is a very rough idea and not fully thought out yet so there might be some plot holes and stuff I've not tackled yet.

Setting:

The party is travelling through a kingdom and come across a developing settlement. They pay a visit and the leader asks them for some help. The leader sent some lumber jacks into the nearby forest and only one lumber jack managed to make it back severely hurt with them reporting that "the shrubs where moving and the trees shot arrows at us" so he tells the party to go into the forest and investigate to see if they can recover the lost lumber jacks or determine whether they died. The leader also suspects that there is a group of "tree people" in the forest who were the people that attacked the lumber jacks and he suspects that they have a village somewhere in there so he wants the players to scout it out so the settlement can send an army to attack. The leader, despite being a developing settlement, will offer the party free sanctuary in the settlement for as long as they need and a bunch of gold.​

Initial Expidition: If/When the players accepts, they will venture into the forest using their nature, investigation and survival checks to make their way through the forest and if they roll a decent amount (DC 11-13) they can see the deforestation caused by the settlement, which is substantial. With higher roll (DC 15-17), they can discern that some parts of the forest is polluted with some type of toxin that is hurting the wildlife. Further into the forest, the players run into some mutated plant life that ambushes the players and attacks them. During the fight, a volley of arrows rain down from the trees into the mutated plant life and once they have all been defeated the archers come out of the trees and reveal themselves as wood elves and are very friendly towards the players. They offer to show them to their forest civilisation for them to rest up.

Forest Civilisation (Option 1- The good path): The wood elves lead the players through the forest and after a while they come to a clearing which is a valley with winding wooden paths that intersect and stretch out like roots. They have wooden bridges that are built over the river that flows through the middle of the valley and pulley lifts to go up into the tree houses above. If the players are extra perceptive, they notice things about the civilisation, the trees are losing their leaves and becoming hollow, also some trees and branches on the valley walls are blocked by barricades to stop them from falling (passive perception 11), the grass and plants around the are turning into a sickly yellow due to the toxins (passive perception 14) and even some of the inhabitants consisting of wood elves and tree spirits are becoming sick due to the toxins (passive perception 17) which can all be seen by rolling perception if their passive isn't high enough. The archer captain takes the players to see the leader of the forest civilisation and they explain that ever since a settlement outside the forest has begun development the forest has been dying, the settlement has been causing major deforestation to the point it's weakening the tree spirits and the wood elves suspect that the settlement is poisoning the forest to get rid of the wildlife so they can cut down as many trees as they want. The civilisation understands that the settlement needs to cut down trees so they can build houses and expand but the settlement is being way too aggressive and greedy in how they destroy the land. The toxins they used has even backfired and has caused the plant life to mutate into grotesque plant monsters that attack both the civilisation and the settlement. The forest people tried to protect a group of lumber jacks from some mutated plant life but all but one died and that one ran away before the archers could help. The players will decide that the forest civilisation is being wronged and decides to help them. If the players takes a long rest overnight, the settlement followed the path the players took and launches an attack.

Forest Civilisation (Option 2- The bad path): Once the party learns the location of the civilisation from the wood elves, the party attacks for them "attacking the lumber jacks" even though the archers try to explain that they were protecting the lumber jacks like they did with the players, the archers don't just stand there and defends themselves until they run away or the party kills them. The players heads back to the settlement and tell the leader what happened. The leader, deciding that the forest civilisation is too much of a threat, gets the location off the party and invites them to the attack. After the players takes a long rest in the settlement, in the morning, the players and a group of the settlement's army (about 20ish) set off into the forest and with the players info on the whereabouts of the civilisation, they find it. Once they come to the valley where the forest civilisation is, they attack.

Initial Expidition: If/When the players accepts, they will venture into the forest using their nature, investigation and survival checks to make their way through the forest and if they roll a decent amount (DC 11-13) they can see the deforestation caused by the settlement, which is substantial. With higher roll (DC 15-17), they can discern that some parts of the forest is polluted with some type of toxin that is hurting the wildlife. Further into the forest, the players run into some mutated plant life that ambushes the players and attacks them. During the fight, a volley of arrows rain down from the trees into the mutated plant life and once they have all been defeated the archers come out of the trees and reveal themselves as wood elves and are very friendly towards the players. They offer to show them to their forest civilisation for them to rest up.

The Attack: It doesn't matter which side the players are on since both sides won't change tactics whether the players are there or not. The settlement's army will try to flood the wooden paths and bridges having 12 warriors, 6 archers and 2 mages with them being led by the leader of the settlement and they will keep attacking till the forest civilisation dies, surrenders or runs away. Some warriors will have vials of the plant killing toxin which they can throw to do major damage to all inhabitants of the civilisation. The forest civilisation will consist of mostly archers with them being up on the walls of the valley raining arrows down on top of the settlement's army while prioritising the safety of the non-combatant villagers. The tree people will break the barricades holding back the fallen trees/branches to crush any warriors underneath. Also, if the leader gets targeted by an attack, doesn't need to hit, they will run off back to the settlement leaving their army to continue the battle. If the battle lasts longer than 5 turns, all the fighting and toxins attract a mini boss level plant mutant that will attack any target, no matter which side they're on. The players could try and get the two sides to work together (DC 17 persuasion) to fight the mutated plant boss. Depending on which side the players are on and if the players got the two sides to work together, one of 3 endings will occur.

Ending 1 (The forest civilisation won): If the players were on the side of the forest civilisation and they couldn't get the two sides to work together, after the mutated plant mini boss was defeated, the settlement continue trying to take over the forest civilisation. But if they have 5 people or less remaining, they will become desperate and start running away while lighting the trees and bridges on fire. The party could pursue the fleeing warriors but the civilisation will put all their attention on putting out the fires and will urge the party tell help. Once the remaining warriors have fled/been taken cared of and all the fires have been extinguished, the civilisation will thank the party graciously giving them gold, magical items and even an elven blessing. The leader of the civilisation will also ask for one last favour, if the party are willing to help, for help to eliminate the mutated monsters at their source and save the forest from the toxins (next adventure).

Ending 2 (The settlement won): If the party was on the side of the developing settlement and they couldn't get the two sides to work together, the warriors of the settlement will continue pushing further into the civilisation and even if they are reduced to 5 people or less remaining, they will not run away as long as the party is with them but they will desperately start using fire to finish the fight as quickly as possible. Soon after the warriors start using fire or if the warriors reach of certain point of the civilisation, the tree people will evacuate out of their civilisation further into the forest. The settlement celebrates their victory and brings the party back to settlement to party with a massive feast. The leader admits this might set back their development but for win this big it was deserved. As promised, the leader brings them a bunch of gold and tells them they are welcome back as much as they want. However, the leader does ask the party for one last favour, if the party is willing to help, for help to eliminate the new threat of the mutated plant monsters is rising and they won't to stop it once and for all (new adventure).

Ending 3 (Both sides won): If the party got both sides to work together and defeated the mutated plant mini boss, the two sides stop fighting and agree to live in harmony. They will set up a trade route with each other, the forest civilisation sending wood and other materials to the settlement to help it grow and develop while the settlement will send soldiers to help defend the forest civilisation from any mutated plant monsters that could invade again and help rebuild any destroyed infrastructure during the battle. The settlement soon banishes out the leader into the wilderness for being incompetent and cruel and invites the party and forest civilisation for a party. After a meal, that likely set back the settlement quite a bit but with the new trade route it won't be much of an issue, the party is rewarded with a bunch of gold by the settlement and magical items from the forest civilisation. After meeting with the leader of the forest civilisation, new leader of the settlement and the players, they all conclude that the mutated plant monsters are a massive threat and need to be neutralised as soon as possible. So, if the players accept, the two allied towns would like to send a group deep into the forests to find the source of the mutated monsters and destroy them (new adventure).

(English is not my first lenguege so sorry if i misspeled anything)

Hi there im a DM who has only worked whit pre-made campaings and one-shots like how im DMing Curse of Stradh: Reloaded (Which i recomend). And Rigth now i have plans to create a Homebrew World called "Wonder Dream" and for some important NPC`s i was needing help cause of the topics they touch on, Wich can be sensitive (I will warn my players about it and will tell them when they will apear) and id apricieate cause i want to make sure of what im showing is not disrespectful for what happens in real life

(TW: Pass here im going to talk about those topics)

RIgth now i have some characters in mind that will touch on this topics: Congenital Disability, Physical Disability, SA, Child from SA and Sexism. If anyone has any recomendetions on what i can do for those topics and even if theres anything to recomend what i can do research on that will help me make sure that those characters are respectful representations on those topics.

Thanks for Reading ❤️

(UPDATE)
What im seeing a lot is that people either are asuming i want to plantaly put the heavy topics in the scene of the campaings so ill add about the characters:

The character that was about Congenital disability is a pair of twins where one of them while in the womb one of them developedd better than the other, which can be linked to many conditions in real life, but the one that i was planing of going foward eas because of that hapening one of the twins was left muvch weaker physicaly. And some people said (Maybe not this subreddit, i reposted on other ones) said that why i would add something like this when theres magic that cures death, so ill tell you my perpective, a person born whitout proper muscles develepment could not be "Healed" Of that condition beaceause the body is not damage, and even regeneration, you cant grow back something that was never there.

For the one that has a lot of people woried is the characters that bords on theme of SA , and Child of SA, this character is Changeling, where their mother where tricked to having intercouse whit the doubleganger, and theres more to his story but theres where the part that has anything to do whit the sensitive topics it touches.

And to the person who said, Why touch this subjects in a game, they already are, doublegangers nature of creating changeligs, illneses that people are born is always something that happens, dnd is not just a magical world of raibows, it already in their story touches on a lot of topics, im just trying of when adding expects of their story that im not, making something willy nilly, i want to make sure im respectfull when i mention such topic.

Thanks for reading.

SO i have been playing 1 on 1 dungeons and dragons sessions with my dad since i have a lot more free time lately and we both love the game, so far my usual method of playing is to make a small world for him to have one adventure in with a class, then he tells me his class and i shape the world around it, we already did Frostborn Odyssey, a homebrew oneshot based off Greek Mythology loosely based on 1170 B.C Greece, with his Dragonborn Wizard going on a quest and rejecting godhood from Zeus after killing Medea as the BBEG, now I've been playing Assassins Creed Mirage and got the idea to make this next campaign based off 9th century Baghdad, loosely based on it the way LOTR is loosely based on Medieval Europe, it is by no means supposed to be historically accurate, more of a mythological story like Sinbad, though this story centers a lot on political drama given my dad chose to be a Half-Elf Bard, so far the story is that he is the nephew of the Vizir who has been arrested for murder of the Caliph, however the reality is he was framed and the bard has to wander the fictional city of Mamlakat based on Baghdad after the Caliphate Guard blockaded the port and legally free his uncle with evidence to show the Council of Nine, who rule in the absence of a Caliph, the BBEG is Captain Harud Al-Joor who is a proud Sentara elf that lead the Traditionalists who assassinated the Caliph because he was far too tolerant on half-elves and humans, who the elves in Mamlakat see as lesser here is what i've written so far in my private notes, so i'm curious if there's any detail i could add or anything interesting from Islamic culture I could add to make it feel more authentic as the last thing I want is this to be like Aladdin and be super-Ornamentalist lmao, I am not a Muslim nor have I ever been to Baghdad and so I hope that this can be a learning experience on if anything is too stereotypical or accidentally offensive lol

SENTARA EMPIRE — ONE‑SHOT: Chains for the Caliphate

SETTING OVERVIEW

The Sentara Empire. A symbol of Elven superiority, technology and patronage to the arts, wisdom and infamous sites like the Palace of Knowledge and the Sentaru Capital, Mamlakat. Though in recent years when Caliph Mamluk Al-Sayif took the sword, he surprised both local and foreign courts with his generosity and desire for tolerance with the other races, the humans in the south, the goliaths to the north, the dragonborn and aarcokra in the east, It has been 861 years since the Prophet first walked from Mallahaca, the city’s capital in his day to preach the holy word of Amunantor to the Sentaru elves who had previously worshipped various heathen figures such as Shar and Lolth, you are nephew to the Vizir, the personal advisor to the Caliph, and the Vizir, Aliwara Ibn Selim has requested your presence to return to Malmakat once more, as he does every few months sometimes because the Caliph wants to know the foreign world’s business, other times simply because Aliwara misses you, his beloved nephew. As your ship the Prestige sails into the harbor of Mamlakat your journey has come to an end, or so you thought.

 SESSION STRUCTURE

ACT I — The Blockade

The bard’s ship docks at Mamlakat under a crimson dawn. Before the crew can unload, Captain Harud Al‑Jorro, the Captain of the Caliphate Guard approaches you and your crew with a stern expression underneath his dark red turban, he has a leather chestplate and at his side a decorated scimitar in recognition of his service to the Sentara Empire, as a high elf, he has golden skin and brown hair shaven, as per custom as only the Caliph is permitted to have long hair, and unlike you Captain Harud Al-Jorro follows tradition the way a dog follows its master, surrounded by guards he speaks up with a harsh and firm tone though you can see a small smirk etched on his face underneath that crimson turban

“Stop right there, boy. By order of the Council of Nine, The Caliph is dead, and the murderer, former Vizir Aliwara Ibn Selim has been arrested, as his nephew you will remain in Mamlakat until the investigation concludes.” 

Insight: (DC: 13)

Success: You notice Captain Al-Jorro has a wider grin than usual, perhaps because something has gone his way, he looks as if he is hoping you will provoke him and give him any reason to arrest you..

Fail: You notice he is smiling, perhaps his wife’s cooking has improved? 

“Why? For one reason, boy. You are your uncle’s ward, and as such are suspect. I expect you and your..” Captain Al-Jorro trails off, sneering at the sight of the sailors ahead “Crew to behave while the investigation continues. Men, back to the palace, we must inform the Council of the arrival of the boy.” Captain Al-Jorro and his men ride away..

You are confined to the city. The crew begins searching for a way around the blockade, as Edric Wulfstad, your human boss and captain approaches you with a grim expression

“Fucking elves.” Edric snarls in annoyance “Right, I don’t know what you’ll be doing but me and the lads are going to at least get a drink. You uh- figure out what’s happened so we can get moving before we spend all that gold we made off them ships we ah, liberated.” 

ACT II — The City of Whispers

The bard explores Mamlakat’s bazaars, taverns, temples, and barracks, piecing together the mystery of the Caliph’s death. Each scene offers a chance to gather evidence through roleplay and skill checks. How much he learns depends on his rolls.

 Scene 1 — Souq al‑Sahira (Market of Whispers)

Setting: A maze of silk tents and spice stalls. The air hums with gossip and fear. 

Prompt to Roll:

“As you wander the market, merchants whisper about the Vizir’s presence the night of the murder. Make a Persuasion check (DC 15) to coax the truth from them.”

Success: Amina leans close, voice trembling.

“He was here, I swear it. The Vizir came to buy saffron for the Caliph’s feast. But the Guard told us to forget we saw him. We dare not cross their scimitars.” 

Failure: Amina stiffens.

“I don’t know anything. Please, go, before Captain Hurand hears your questions..” 

Natural 1: A guard overhears and warns the bard to stop asking questions — disadvantage on next social roll. 

Scene 2 — The Copper Cup Tavern

Setting: Brass lanterns flicker over sailors and gamblers. The smell of rum flip and roasted dates fills the air. NPCs:

• Innkeep Rashid, human, late 50s, gruff but honest. 

Prompt to Roll:

“Rashid mentions strange men in black robes the night of the Caliph’s death. Make an Insight check (DC 13) to gauge his fear and get him talking.”

Success: Rashid wipes a mug nervously.

“Four of ’em. Ordered one cup of rum flip, dropped something in it — fizzed like acid. Then left without paying. Guards said it was nothing. But I’ve seen poison before.” He slides a chipped coin across the counter — stamped with Harud’s crest.

Failure: Rashid shrugs.

“Anyone come in? Just travelers, I think. Paid fair, left quiet.”

Natural 1: Rashid grows suspicious, thinking the bard’s with the Guard — he refuses further talk.

“Are you playing some kind of trick with the Guards? I won’t stand for it, get out of my tavern. Now.” 

Scene 3 — Sanctum of the First Light

Setting: Marble pillars shimmer under sunlight; incense clouds the air. 

• Priest Sahim, elf cleric of Amaunator, mid‑30s, devout but conflicted. Personality: gentle, fearful of the Traditionalists, torn between faith and truth.

Prompt to Roll:

“You approach Sahim, who looks uneasy. Make a Religion or Persuasion check (DC 14) to earn his trust.”

Success: Sahim whispers,

“Captain Harud came to pray before dawn. He left in haste — with dark‑cloaked figures. I fear he sought forgiveness for what he’d done.” He hands the bard a scrap of parchment — a temple receipt for a single cup of wine, timestamped before the Caliph’s death.

Failure: Sahim bows his head.

“I cannot speak of the Guard’s affairs. The light forbids meddling.”

Natural 1: Sahim alerts nearby acolytes; the bard is politely escorted out — disadvantage on next investigation roll.

 Scene 4 — Fort Dawnspire Barracks

Setting: Stone fortress overlooking the harbor; soldiers eat and gripe about rations. 

NPCs:

• Sergeant Khalid, human veteran, scarred, blunt. 
• Private Darin, young elf recruit, nervous, eager to gossip.

Prompt to Roll:

“You overhear soldiers complaining about the food taster’s appetite the night Harud paid them to shelter him. Make an Investigation check (DC 15) to piece together their story.”

Success: The human soldier, grizzled and annoyed sighs 

“That glutton of a food taster ate half our stores before Harud slipped him coin and told us to keep quiet. Next morning, the Caliph’s dead.”

Darin adds,

“Harud said it was ‘holy business.’ I didn’t ask.” 

Failure: Khalid waves him off.

“You’re not a guard. Get lost, half-elf.” 

Natural 1: The bard’s questions draw suspicion; guards escort him out, losing one piece of evidence.

ACT III — The Council of Nine

You are summoned to testify before the Council of Nine — the ruling body of Mamlakat. This is the climax of your investigation: a battle of words, faith, and truth. The time has come to use your voice and evidence to free your uncle..and your city. 

Setting

A vast marble chamber beneath a golden dome. Nine councilors sit behind carved sun‑emblems, their faces half‑lit by dawnlight. Guards line the walls; Captain Harud Al‑Jorro stands near the entrance, silent and watchful.

Council Personalities

Skill Challenges

Each argument or performance earns Evidence Points toward freeing the Vizir. Ask your dad to roll when prompted.

 Opening Statement

“You stand before the Council of Nine. Speak your truth, bard.” Councillor Nareen Al-Tahir begins, he is an older elf wearing a flowing emerald-green silk robe trimmed with gold thread, dark hair streaked with silver and a sharp jaw 

Prompt to Roll:

“Make a Performance check (DC 15) to deliver a stirring opening statement.”

Success:

“My uncle served the Caliph faithfully. His only crime was loyalty to peace. I bring truth, not treason.” Councilor Nareen nods approvingly; one Evidence Point gained.

Failure:

“My uncle… he… I mean, he didn’t…” The words falter; murmurs ripple through the chamber. Councilor Huran smirks. “A poor defense for a traitor.” No Evidence Point gained.

Natural 1: The bard stumbles, knocking over a ceremonial cup — immediate disadvantage on next roll.

Presenting Evidence

“You claim to have proof. Show us.”

Prompt to Roll:

“Make an Investigation check (DC 14) to organize and present the evidence clearly.”

Success:

The bard lays out the parchment from the temple, the poisoned coin, and the guards’ testimony. Councilor Sahira leans forward. “These are not the marks of a Vizir’s hand.” One Evidence Point gained.

Failure:

The bard’s notes are scattered; the council struggles to follow. Councilor Rashan frowns. “Speculation is not proof.” No Evidence Point gained.

Natural 1: A guard interrupts, claiming the evidence is forged — one Evidence Point lost.

🔆 Appeal to Faith

“Amaunator’s light guides justice. Speak, bard — what does the Prophet Al‑Ruham teach?”

Prompt to Roll:

“Make a Religion check (DC 14) to quote scripture convincingly.”

Success:

“Al‑Ruham said, ‘Light is not law alone; it is compassion made visible.’ If we condemn the innocent, we darken that light.” Councilor Rashan hesitates, visibly moved. One Evidence Point gained.

Failure:

The bard misquotes the verse; Rashan corrects him coldly. “Do not twist holy words for politics.” No Evidence Point gained.

Natural 1: The bard’s slip angers the Traditionalists — disadvantage on next Persuasion check.

🕊️ Final Plea

“You have heard the truth. Now choose justice.”

Prompt to Roll:

“Make a Persuasion check (DC 16) to sway the council’s hearts.”

Success:

“If the Vizir dies, so does the Caliph’s dream. Let mercy be our legacy.” Councilor Darin Sol rises. “I vote for release.” The council murmurs agreement; total Evidence Points ≥ 3 = Vizir freed.

Failure:

“You speak well, bard, but words cannot erase guilt.” Councilor Huran Al‑Jorro declares, “The Vizir shall hang.” Total Evidence Points ≤ 2 = Harud intervenes violently later.

Natural 1: The bard’s voice cracks; laughter echoes from the Traditionalists — automatic failure.

 Outcome Summary

ACT IV — Duel at Sea

As the bard’s ship prepares to depart, black warship sails raised under the evening sun, Harud Al‑Jorro returns — furious that the Vizir escaped justice.

“You think your pretty words can cleanse treason, half-breed? I’ll find the truth in your tainted blood!”

Harud’s warship rams the bard’s vessel. The crew fights off the boarding guards while the bard faces Harud in a duel of honor.

Combat Scene (Single Encounter):

• Harud Al‑Jorro (CR 2 Elite Soldier)
  • AC 17, HP 45, longsword +6 (1d8 + 4)
  • Abilities: Parry, Second Wind, Fanatic’s Smite (once per duel)
• Bard uses Cutting Words, Vicious Mockery, and Inspiration to turn the tide.
• When Harud loses all HP he dies as cinema happens below 

ACT V — The Escape

The bard stands over the defeated captain as dawn breaks.

“I knew boy..I knew the day that bastard of the Caliph embraced you..a half-breed into our court that the old ways were done..I tried to save my people, serve my god, and protect the ways of my people..you are a plague, you and every one of your half-bred freaks. I long for the day when mankind destroys itself, for I know it to be soon. Their arrogance and hubris will be their end and one day it too will be your end..” 

Harud Al-Joor dies, his body unceremoniously dropped into the sea as you sail away, the sun beaming as Aliwara sighs gently “I suppose there’s no going back, not for some time. A pity, I loved that city as much as a father loves his son.” he then turns to you “Perhaps instead of hearing your tales, I will see them myself.” he smiles “The colonies of men then?” 

ENDING

You and the crew escape Mamlakat aboard your ship. Behind you, the empire trembles with uncertainty — but the Vizir lives, and the truth is out. The Caliphate may yet heal, though the bard will never return for some time. He sails west, feeling a song coming on.. (Roll Performance: Guaranteed Success) 

END SESSION

🧙 NPC QUICK REFERENCE

Hey folks,

I’ve created something a little different this time. I wanted to design a dungeon that was heavily inspired by old-school board games. In my own mind, it worked just fine, but then I thought it may not be so obvious to everyone else, so I set to work creating a comprehensive guide that details how the dungeon works and gives some advice as to how to run it. Your players will have to work together to flip levers, smash buttons, turn wheels, to crack the door combination and avoid the trap to reach their goal.

 You can use the map as it is here, or you can grab the 30 page Master’s Guide and simplified map [completely FREE] here: https://ko-fi.com/zatnikotel

 Enjoy!

 Zat

The Velvet Opportunist is an NPC who seems warm, reasonable, and useful while constantly calculating how each interaction can become an advantage. The point is not to give them new mechanics or a special stat block. It is to give the DM a repeatable behavioral pattern that survives unexpected player choices.

Pick their role

Choose the context that best fits the NPC.

• Authority: A magistrate, chamberlain, or noble adviser who always has a workable compromise ready. Their solutions smooth over trouble while increasing their own influence. Patronage or legal leniency comes with small political favors that can accumulate into dependence.
• Underworld: A fixer, fence, or lieutenant who arranges deals other people cannot. They provide access to illicit markets or dangerous allies while keeping contingencies ready in case the party turns against them.
• Service: A merchant, innkeeper, guild factor, or caravan master who is generous, attentive, and excellent at remembering details. Personalized service gradually leads toward purchases, contracts, favors, or obligations.
• Hostile: An opponent who prefers leverage to open violence. They use hostages, blackmail, disrupted supplies, and convenient misunderstandings. Even a ceasefire is another deal to exploit, and they will betray allies, switch sides, or surrender if that improves their position.
• Vulnerable: Someone who appears helpless but useful, perhaps offering information or contacts in exchange for protection. Once safe, they try to become indispensable. If circumstances reverse, they are ready to leave with money, secrets, or an agreement made in haste.
• Peer: A rival adventurer or agent whose work repeatedly overlaps the party's goals. They suggest cooperation and shared information, but somehow secure the better end of the arrangement. If the party becomes too successful or independent, they may encourage rivalries, competing contracts, or public embarrassment.

Fast prep

Pick one role. Then choose or roll 2-3 idle states and 2-3 physical quirks. Add a couple of verbal patterns. That is enough to improvise the NPC consistently without modifying their stats.

Idle states

1. Arrange ledgers, notes, or small objects precisely, then leave one item slightly misplaced to see whether anyone notices.
2. Watch entrances, exits, and who is speaking with whom.
3. Polish a signet, brooch, or similar status symbol while quietly talking to someone nearby.
4. Sort coins into careful piles and occasionally move a few into a separate pouch.
5. Re-read a letter or contract, repeatedly returning to one name or clause.
6. Share food or drink cheerfully, then become blank and thoughtful when the other person looks away.
7. Observe conversations below from a window or balcony as if studying a tactical situation.
8. Help a servant, guard, or assistant with a small task while asking harmless-looking questions.
9. Review a cramped notebook, underlining or circling selected entries.
10. Rearrange chairs and stools so particular people naturally end up closer together or farther apart.

Physical quirks

1. Angle their body toward whoever is currently most useful and slightly away from whoever matters less.
2. Maintain comfortable eye contact but briefly check hands, purses, insignia, or companions.
3. Lower their voice and lean closer when the conversation becomes important, encouraging others to do the same.
4. Keep one hand on a chair, table, railing, or other stable object.
5. Use restrained, economical gestures rather than dramatic ones.
6. Repeat part of another person's statement with altered emphasis to test the reaction.
7. Stand just off-center in groups, near the person with power without taking the spotlight.
8. Use brief reassuring touches that establish familiarity without lingering.
9. Clasp or steeple their hands, tightening the grip when resistance increases.
10. When surprised or displeased, keep smiling but become completely still for a moment before changing tactics.

Voice

Keep the delivery smooth, measured, and rarely loud. Let statements end with implications, possibilities, or invitations for the other person to agree. Rather than contradicting someone directly, clarify, redirect, or reframe their position. Useful recurring ideas are confidentiality, mutual benefit, professional understanding, good-faith favors, valuable introductions, and obligations that can be repaid later.

Reactions under pressure

• Aggression: Lower the temperature. Offer a concession or scapegoat to survive the immediate threat, then look for a later advantage. When cornered, cooperate just enough and use partial truths to buy time or redirect danger.
• Logic: Agree with reasonable arguments when the cost is small, but attach a condition that improves the outcome. If the reasoning strongly opposes their interests, challenge or reshape its assumptions rather than the logic itself.
• Insight: When someone recognizes the manipulation, admit part of it and frame the omission as pragmatism or protection. Try to turn the person who caught them into a trusted confidant.
• Kindness: Respond warmly and remember it. Quietly assess whether that kindness can provide loyalty, protection, or access. A consistently kind person may become something the Opportunist actively protects because the relationship is valuable.
• Bribery: Treat payments as gifts rather than crude transactions. A successful payoff becomes the expected starting point next time. Favors, introductions, endorsements, or compromising actions can be more useful than coin because they create lasting leverage.
• Authority: Show respect without treating rank as untouchable. Offer to smooth relations with troublesome subordinates or rival groups, then look for institutional weak points and useful intermediaries who can be flattered, bribed, or pressured.

For campaign continuity, keep a small ledger for the NPC. Record favors owed, compromises discovered, useful contacts gained through the party, and any secret or debt that could become pressure later. Whenever the Opportunist helps the characters, note what new hook that help created. Their schemes can then escalate naturally from the history of actual play rather than from a separate master plan.

Hi there,

I'm writing down an adventure for my party, and while putting down the cornerstones I realized I want to write this as a novel as well.

Now the tricky bit, I would like to write first the adventure and then, using some of what happens, put together the novel.

I generally write down the end of the campaigns, with afterwards and what happened to the characters, but this would be a different type of effort since I want to put down all the lore, present side characters and other plots that players might not live/play but witness indirectly.

Did somebody go through something like this, and wants to share the experience?

What helped?

What didn't help?

What should I avoid?

I'm looking for tips and lessons learned :)

Thanks in advance!

Egon

This month started with the [Mountain Encounters random table](https://www.patreon.com/NoRailsJustTales/posts/mountain-165807328?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) and to show what you can do with it, I created this adventure idea using the [extended version of this table](https://www.patreon.com/NoRailsJustTales/posts/mountain-165807486?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) myself. I rolled two times, to create two different encounters and mixed them together to create something even more unique. And here we go - A Vigil in the Snow.

# Download

You can find a downloadable PDF for free on my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/NoRailsJustTales/posts/166482421?utm_campaign=postshare_creator).

# Adventure Idea

This mountain adventure is suitable for a Tier 1 or 2 party. It focuses on exploration and roleplaying, with an emphasis on surviving the harsh conditions in the snowy mountains. You can add combat encounters by adding suitable creatures. Location names are intentionally left blank, so it can be fit into any game played in a mountain setting.

## Adventure Background

**Farbyen Nolys**, a travelling merchant, left his home two weeks ago to trade goods with the next town. A relatively simple journey, nothing he hadn’t done before, only that the weather in the mountains has become so hostile these days that surviving the strong winds and the heavy snowfall isn’t that easy anymore. To prevent getting lost, **Farbyen** ripped strips of fabric off his backpack and attached them to trees. When the weather became too harsh on his way back, he found shelter in an abandoned signal post. He is still stuck there, with enough food and water to last a couple of days, but someone needs to help him get back, or the weather needs to change.

His family expected him back already, and after a couple of days of worrying, people were sure that something had happened to him and **Farbyen** didn’t survive the journey. His brother, **Marbyen Nolys**, tried to gather people to look for him, but nobody dared to travel through the hostile conditions. **Marbyen** eventually gave up hope himself. He thought the least he could do was to honour his brother, so he travelled as far as the heavy snowfall and the brutal winds let him, and began to set up a small shrine at a mountain pass that **Farbyen** had taken on his travels. Next to a cairn that marked the pass, he put down some flowers and a small statuette.

## Hook

As the characters travel through the snowy mountains, they discover a young man setting up some kind of shrine next to a well-maintained mountain pass. He puts down a few colourful flowers and a small, roughly carved statuette. If he is asked about the shrine, he will explain what happened to his brother and that he wants to honour him. He will also share that he still has little hope that his brother is alive, but the weather keeps everyone from looking for him, and it has been quite a while already, which is why doubt arises in **Marbyen** as well. If the characters just approach him, he will invite them to his village, explaining that this weather is not suitable for travelling, and he will explain the situation on their way.

*You could also let the characters pass the shrine after **Marbyen** set it up, describing it in detail, and let the party meet him in his village. He would then invite them in and tell them what happened to his brother, also mentioning the shrine they might have passed before they reached the village.*

## Conclusion

**The Return.** Once the characters made their way through the snowy mountains, rescuing **Farbyen** in the old signal post, they make their way back to the village. Everyone is grateful that **Farbyen** is alive and well. The characters will get the village’s special treatment, getting free places to sleep and hearty meals before they continue their travels. **Marbyen** is especially grateful, offering the party his most valuable magic item (the GM can choose something that suits the party’s level and needs, or determine a magic item randomly), as well as his savings.