Allison - Ajax DM

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel is a unique gem among the many D&D adventures. The Citadel is a unique hub which is home to people from multiple civilizations, each with their own interesting culture. I’ve run this as an adventure for 3 groups, and they have all loved it. You get pulled into festivals, strange circumstances, a job which reveals painful truths in a society. It was written authentically, by people who come from our worldly cultures, and infused them into these stories. Accompanying gazetteers dive into aspects of each culture to give the DM a detailed look inside. It was nominated for a Nebula for best game writing and won a Silver ENNIE award for Best Adventure. Definitely give this one a try!

Keys from the Golden Vault is a series of not-the-usual heists, which I weave into one overall adventure, but can be enjoyed as individual mini-campaigns. It’s a fun romp around the Multiverse. These heists take you to museums, the icy north, casinos, and even speeding trains! With these heists, you are the good guys, trying to right a wrong, or return something stolen. Though you could choose another path…

Strixhaven is a magic school where the students are older, and your group of friends become targeted for meddling, at, or in between school activities over the years. There are new monsters and spells. A heads up for Dungeon Masters that this can take some prep and fleshing out to make it a full school experience and not just lead to an endless set of mindless encounters.

Princes of the Apocalypse is a large, sprawling adventure that has a central spoke, or home, that the group can venture out from. There are four cults operating at various levels, some cooperating, while trying to achieve dominance. Strange things are happening in town, and in the surrounding area as a result: disappearances, odd weather, murders. You need to unravel who is behind these things and foil their plans! This adventure is set up as a “sandbox,” players can go in multiple directions as they explore the area and learn what’s going on.

Vaesen are mythical creatures which only some people can see (maybe you?), though most people in this fantasy Northern Europe of the nineteenth century seem to believe it’s best to ensure one do the things that appease them - in case things should get…uncomfortable. You play a group of people interested in digging deeper into the strange occurrences you’ve learned about. The art (by Johan Egerkrans) is rich and evocative. Vaesen presents a dark Gothic setting steeped in Nordic folklore and old myths of Scandinavia which pulls you right in. It makes me think of drawing rooms, creaky wood floors, black, well-tailored clothing, and things hiding in the shadows. The game mechanics use an adapted version of the award-winning Year Zero Engine. My D&D players were able to adapt and had scares and fun.