Tipping the Scales is a four hour, DDAL-legal adventure for level 5-10 characters set in Avernus. It is the third in a series of side quests where the characters try to gain allies for their expedition. It works quite well as a stand-alone adventure. The main goal of the scenario is to rescue a silver dragon from an ice devil. The basic plot is as … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: Tipping the Scales
When I started playing Dungeons & Dragons in the early 1980s, the game didn’t have much of a skill system. The only skills were possessed by thieves – their abilities to pick pockets, open locks, find and remove traps, and the like. A character might have had a previous profession, which allowed the possibility of knowing a few things related to that profession, but for … Continue reading How Do Your Players Know What Monsters Can Do?
The Haunted Watchtower is an adventure for level 3 characters, in which the adventurers are asked to travel to a ruined watchtower and reclaim it from the undead that currently inhabit it. This is a relatively straight-forward adventure, with a nice twist that recasts it from an expedition to reclaim the watchtower to instead dealing with a nearby necromancer in his lair. Poor Aramil! Once … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: The Haunted Watchtower
Ruined Prospects is a Tier 2 adventure set in Avernus for the D&D Adventurers League. In it, the characters must rescue a dwarven Hellrider from a ruined fortress crawling with devils. The dwarf has been preserved in crystal by the blessing of Torm, one of the Forgotten Realms gods of good, and the adventure features several aspects of his faith, in both puzzles to solve … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: Ruined Prospects
In this episode of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, the characters started to investigate those behind the Cult of the Dead Three and engaged in some role-playing. I began the session with a recap of what had occurred last time. When you’re running a mystery, reminding the players of what is going on is necessary. It’s a good idea for any game you run, but … Continue reading Running Descent into Avernus, part 3
In the Garden of Evil is a Tier 2 adventure set in Avernus in which the characters are sent to save a Hellrider and her unicorn which are trapped in Bloodroot Grove, a remnant of the beauty that existed in Avernus before the Blood War. This is the fourth of the Tier 2 Avernus adventures for the D&D Adventurers League. In the first three, the … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: In the Garden of Evil
Love’s Fickle Arrow is an investigative, urban adventure for level 3 characters set during the events of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, although I see no issue with adapting it for use as a stand-alone adventure. In it, the characters are hired to protect a famous bard from an assassin, as he participates in performances of the play “Love’s Fickle Arrow”. This is an impressive adventure. I … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: Love’s Fickle Arrow
The Diabolical Dive is an adventure for level 5 to 10 characters set in Avernus. It is the third and final part of the Behind Infernal Lines trilogy. The characters must breach the infernal fortress of Plagueshield Point, which is at the bottom of the River Styx, and retrieve the plans that the Hellriders used when they attacked Avernus. I’m not sure why the characters … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: The Diabolical Dive
Our second session of Descent into Avernus saw the characters continue their attack on the sewer-based hideout of the cultists of the Dead Three. Ye gods! We’d ended the first session with them winning in a tough fight against two cultists: a fist of Bane and an iron consul. The first order of the day was taking a rest. The dungeon, as written, doesn’t have … Continue reading Running Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, part 2
Face the Music is a short encounter for use with third-level characters that you can use in a variety of situations. It features a set of animated magical instruments, which can form a combat encounter, as well as a few secrets for the party to uncover. I estimate it should take around thirty minutes to one hour to play. I think it’s a charming product, … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: Face the Music
