Dice Design: The Dragon

 

 

Come on, it’s Dungeons and Dragons, and often it is very lacking in dragons. Therefore I found it fitting to make the first adventure about that elusive, all-popular monster, the Dragon.  

This adventure is designed using my Dice Design method, which I explain here. It is as system and setting agnostic as possible. 

It can be used as a one-shot, an introductory adventure for a new campaign, or just fitted into any running game. This adventure is a part of a set of adventures I designed for games I run in my own setting. The adventure can also be used with a modular hex crawl I am working on. 

 

A Few notes

The hex map below is purely a suggestion. Feel free to change it according to your liking. I do not necessarily stick to the standard x-mile hex in these adventures. The hex represents an abstraction, a unit of travel that can be fitted accordingly to your desires. 

You can use the party background if you run this as a one-shot or starter adventure.

 

Setting

The adventure takes part in a remote mountain valley. The valley has one mountain creek running from the top of it all the way down. The bottom of the valley is home to the only village around – Borinovo. The lands up the valley from the village are mainly mixed pine and birch forests. In higher altitudes, they transform into dwarf pines until there are just the rocky mountain tops and the flowers which call it home. 

The adventure starts in the village of Borinovo. It is a small mountain village consisting of a main square with a well, local blacksmith, general goods store, a shrine or small temple and a small tavern. Feel free to use any village in your inventory.

 

Suggested map

 

 

 

Party background 

You are highlanders from these mountains. Ne’er-do-wells or folk heroes. Depending on who you ask. Sometimes you rob the wealthy gentry and give to the poor, or just rob the rich. You might have protected villages from danger, collected taxes or even punished the unruly. Who really knows?...  

 

The Theme

Dragon Hunt – find and eliminate the threat of the dragon, which has been threatening the village. You can use any Dragon you like. Drakes or other Wyrms can work as well. 

Hooks – Roll a d4 and select one

1. Sitting in a village tavern a few valleys over, you heard a rumor about a dragon sitting on its horde up here in the mountains. 
2. The Reeve of Borinovo asked you to hunt down the winged monster terrorizing the village. He promised rich rewards from the dragon's horde.
   
3. Travelling across the land, you heard folks talk about a dragon troubling Borinovo. You decided to come and help.
4. You were summoned to Borinovo by a letter stamped with a dragon wing and the promise of treasure.

Encounters – roll d10 and prepare as many as you want or use them all as random encounters.

1. Travelling through the forest, several massive trees fall right ahead of you and are rolling at you. Try and not get crushed.
   
2. Stand and deliver! You are beset by 1d8+1 bandits.
3. A strong, pungent smell up ahead… a rotting corpse. Next to it is a quality-looking weapon. Watch out for infections.
4. A travelling troupe of musicians. They will feast and drink with the party but might be looking to rob them blind. Also, expect an intense hangover the next day. 
5. A merchant with his donkey cart on the mountain path. The cart is stuck or broken on the rocky road. If helped, he might provide a discount and carries some unusual items.
6. Charred forest. The aftermath of the forest fire attracted 1d6+1 necrophages.
7. A small waterfall where the stream cascades down the rocks. Seems like a great place to rest. The waterfall is also home to a swarm of local insects. They will protect their home, sting the intruders and get into any food or perishable supplies they might have.
8. A tall pine tree with little pouches hanging from the top branches. Full of various coins, a small fortune can be found here. Taking coins unbeknown bestows a curse on the perpetrators while adding their own pouch grants a small boon or wish.
9. A ravine wide, maybe 10 – 15 steps but very deep. An old rickety plank and rope bridge hangs nearby. Though it doesn’t look too stable but is repairable.
10. Careful up ahead, you hear a screeching call. A griffin is feasting upon its freshly caught prey. Stay low or expect it to protect its catch.

 

Borinovo

 

Characters – roll a d4 and select up to two

1. The wise old woman, living in her forest hut. She has salves and even advice for those who are kind-hearted or who catch her eye.
2. The druid living in these lands. Has a scroll of protection and advice for those who can help him with the necrophages. 
3. Vílas (forest fairies) will give their blessing and advice to those who resist their lure. 
4. The Raven comes to the foot of the mountains. Speaks through images your mind. If given meat from a prized game, he will inform the party where to find a long burried axe of a folk here on this hex and give advice on the Dragon. 

Twists – roll d4, use one, and adjust the scenario accordingly

1. The Dragon lives in their lair but has no treasure hoard. None whatsoever… 
2. The Dragon is, in fact, a maiden who the Village reeve brought here to sacrifice to the spirits of the mountain.
3. The Dragon is an aeons-old protector of the valley who has just recently awoken after centuries of slumber. It doesn’t take kindly to the fact the villagers want to eliminate him.
4. It was the Dragon who summoned the Party to the valley in the first place and will ask their aid in defeating a demon which is threatening them.

 

The Dragon's lair – optional

You can use any Dragon lair you desire for this adventure. Be it a complex cave or just something simple like from the Black Wyrm of Brandonsford. If you do not have a lair at the ready, you can use my standard one below.

 

 

 

1. Entrance Hall

Tall and wide with stalagmites in the hall’s centre, ledges on either side and generally dust everywhere. You can smell the dampness and, from up ahead, ash. There’s a 2 in 6 chance a random wilderness animal has made its home here. 

2. Room of Forgetfulness

This room is filled with thick grey–purple mist that won’t disappear. It’s nearly impossible to navigate and see. At it's center is a stalagmite inscribed with three symbols – see room 3. Each turn a PC spends  in the mist requires a save vs magic (We assume that getting through the room requires atleast one turn).  On a fail roll 1d6:

1-2 – The character forgets why they are there. Completely.

3-4 – The character forgets one thing from their past – a memory, past relationship, a quest or something personal

5 – The character forgets one of their attributes randomly - lose 1d4 of that attribute. Can be cured by remove curse.

6 – The character forgets how to use one of their weapons -3 to hit with that weapon. Won’t know until in combat.

 3. The puzzle statues

This room has a side entry filled with rubble and can be entered from outside the dungeon, providing a strength check that clears the rubble. The way forward is blocked by two thick stone doors. The room includes five statues of different shapes: A cross, a box, a soldier, a shield and a bird. Each has a small vessel at the pedestal. A drop of water in the correct vessels opens the doors ahead. The correct shapes are inscribed on the stalagmite in the room of Forgetfulness - as the GM choose any three of the symbols at your will.

 4.  Tunnels

Tall but narrow. Smells of ash and burnt coal. Drops of charred wood, clothing or bone can be found on the ground. The middle of the passage has a pressure plate trap. It sets the tunnel alight dealing 2d6 fire damage.

 5. Staircase.

The far side of the room has a staircase leading to the top lair. It’s an ordinary room with an enormous stalagmite in the middle. When the first character steps on the third stair, a copy of the party appears. They are all illusions but have the same equipment and same skills as the party; however, they only have 1HP (or 1HD). The party will be startled by this bizarre sight, with the enemies having almost certainly a surprise advantage.

 

 

1. The Lair

A vast, spacious cavern is revealed. High ceilings, a few rocks crumbled on the side and some boulders near the stairs. On the left side is a glittering pool of water. Opposite it shines the dragon’s hoard – providing it has one – with coins of all shapes and sizes, gems, and jewels all shining bright.

The room is divided by a small line of pebbles into an antechamber and the main lair. It doesn’t need to serve any purpose, or you can use it as a protective ward. The dragon is in its lair under normal circumstances. It will first seek to parlay with the party, but don’t be fooled. It’s very powerful.

2. Perch.

The perch hangs above a steep cliff which falls hundreds of feet into the valley below. It offers a fantastic view and can be used as an entry by a very dexterous party.