Cross-posted everywhere because I'm desperate--am likely going to run a game for ye olde high school gang over the Xmas break.
So: What the subject line says.
Edition doesn't matter. Preferably Levels 3 to 7, definitely not 10+. Shouldn't be a 100% dungeoncrawl (not even 80%, come to think of it), and shouldn't require intimate knowledge of a published setting--should be pluggable.
Should be original in some way. A great plot twist, a great villain, an interesting mystery... a challenge based on atmosphere or intrigue rather than puzzles or CR.
Think Saltmarsh, Cult of the Reptile God or Assassin's Knot.
Not repeat NOT Goodman DCCs and the like.
Should be obtainable on ebay or as PDF.
Any ideas?
PS: Doesn't have to be a D&D adventure either. Any old fantasy system will do.
I'm thinking: The Dead of Winter for Harnmaster. But that seems to require a lot of setting knowledge on the players' part. The set-up is ideal though (Name of the Rose rip-off).
Night's Dark Terror is my all time favorite adventure--dungeon crawls, wilderness and city adventures, you name it. It's set in Mystara which is a bit high on the fantasy, but you can easily make it grittier by taking out some of the camp. It also doubles as a self-contained setting book.
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=17119&it=1
When a Star Falls comes a close second for many of the same reasons listed above.
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=17075&it=1
There's also an adventure by some guy.
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=27622&it=1
Barring those, I would get my hands on half a dozen older DUNGEON Adventures magazines and string together a few short adventures.
Good luck!
Pete
I like your thinking, Pete...
When a Star Falls was my first thought... but then I GMed it for the gang 20 years ago. And they'll remember, because they screwed up royally.
Night's Dark Terror, isn't that more of a mini-campaign? Also, counters. This being a PDF, am I supposed to cut them out? 120 of them? Enh.
But I bookmarked that guy's adventure. Funnily enough, I own Iron Gauntlets.
Quote from: Pierce InverarityI like your thinking, Pete...
When a Star Falls was my first thought... but then I GMed it for the gang 20 years ago. And they'll remember, because they screwed up royally.
:) Dare I ask how?
Quote from: Pierce InverarityNight's Dark Terror, isn't that more of a mini-campaign?
It can be, but there are plenty of cut-off points throughout, so it can also be run as something shorter. It's very open. You can also revise or completely strip out the "plot" and just run some of the separate encounters individually--save a family from marauding orcs, rescue captives from a band of slavers, help gnomish miners who are being stalked by a monster they unearthed from its prison, explore the sewers beneath a city, tackle several different orc tribes in their lairs (including a group of wolf-riders who live in a magically petrified forest), or explore an isolated lost city and get involved in a slave revolt that has lasted for centuries while dodging the Cthulu-esque horror prowling around the ruins. There are a lot of other detailed encounters in between these. This really one is one of my favorites.
The Lost Island of Castanamir the Mad is another good one. It's sort of an upper class dungeon crawl through a wizard's lair--think Tomb of Horrors Lite for levels 1-4--so it might not be what you're interested in.
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=17033&it=1
Seems like everyone's played it at least once, but the original Ravenloft also bears mentioning:
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=17527&it=1
Quote from: Pierce InverarityAlso, counters. This being a PDF, am I supposed to cut them out? 120 of them? Enh.
The counters are all for one battle that happens at the start of the adventure. The fight can be run just as easily without them, though (I've had to do this because I've lost the counters over time).
Quote from: Pierce InverarityBut I bookmarked that guy's adventure. Funnily enough, I own Iron Gauntlets.
Heh. Well, if you have the IG Expanded Edition, it's included.
That same guy also wrote Orange and Black, a wilderness and dungeon adventure about a polymorphed tiger and a ruined temple, and No Stone Unturned, a city and dungeon adventure (the dungeon being part of the city that fell beneath the city during an ancient quake), but $12 a pop seems rather steep for a magazine.
http://paizo.com/dungeon/products/issues/1998/66&source=search
http://paizo.com/dungeon/products/issues/1999/72&source=search
Pete
Quote from: pspahn:) Dare I ask how?
Of course you may.
:haw:
I'm not telling because I'm not proud of young PI's DMing skillz on that particular occasion.
We played Ravenloft twice, else that would have been another candidate.
Thanks very much for the info on Night's Dark Terror. I didn't realize it's that customizable. I'll DL the PDF and will look into your other suggestions as well.
QuoteHeh. Well, if you have the IG Expanded Edition, it's included.
As a matter of fact, I do. Never read it, but I will now!
BTW, this one, by StanExclamationMark, looked pretty good at first glance:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030830a
If you wanted almost all role-playing, I'd recommend The Duke's Dress Ball. And if you wanted just a good dungeon, there are a lot of choices.
The only one I could think of with some of both is Shadows over Bogenhafen, for WFRP 1st. That can be pulled out of the rest of the Enemy Within series and it's got a very satisfying ending when the PCs screw up. And of course if they don't they've got the satisfaction of victory.
The first one is for Thieves Guild, yes? I would long since have bought it, if only Mr. Takeshi of Gamelords would ever check his email. Or listen to Alan Grohe who asked him personally on my behalf. Sigh.
Shadows, I've been thinking about that... the vibe would work, and if it's indeed self-contained it'd be perfect.
On second thought, Shadows wouldn't work because of all the hokey German names in WFRPG. It's a comedy goldmine.
Crucible of Freya is another one that might work, it's designed to be several sessions for firsties, but if you had third level characters that might be a good sweet spot for doing it as a more RP-in-town-followed-by-bash-the-fortress type thing.
Yeah, those German names. It's still a great adventure though.
The Duke's Dress Ball and The Radisha Must Die are two really fine Thieves Guild adventures. I think the second's probably too long/tense for a one-shot. One thing you COULD do is take one of the robbery adventures (the Tower of Trysticonicus (I know I spelled that wrong), the steal-the-magic-sword one, or that robbing-the-jeweler's shop one) situate it in the right district of the Free City of Haven complete with cool NPCs, and then you get the kind of one-shot you want. Oh, except you don't have those products, never mind.
(Haven's full of stupid puns too though, you get things like a dwarf named "Gori Greataxe"....)
Oh, I can deal with hokeyness in foreign languages. But "Blasen im Wind" as the title of a ballad will bring the house down, in a bad way.
Too bad I don't have that Dragon CD. I remember they had lots of little adventure gems back in the day.
If not an old Dragon adventure, how about this, the Beacon at Enon Tor (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16823&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=beacon+enon+tor)?
If you have the orcs actually attempt to defend the Lighthouse, it offers some tactical decisions; and the ending of the adventure offers a great moral choice... though the outcome of that might not be very interesting in just a one-shot.
Oh, that's an old White Dwarf adventure... many of those were quite good. Thanks, I'll check it out!
You simply must track down, and run, a Terrible Trouble at Tragidor. It comes with the AD&D 2e DM's Screen.
Best. Adventure. Evar!
what?
:D
Quote from: Pierce InverarityThanks very much for the info on Night's Dark Terror. I didn't realize it's that customizable. I'll DL the PDF and will look into your other suggestions as well.
No problem. Like I said, it's Mystara/D&D so you might have to strip out some of the high fantasy campiness, in that every encounter nets you at least one magic item, but it's a gold mine of ideas.
Otherwise, sounds like you've got the gaming end covered--good luck, and let us know how it goes.
Pete