EN5ider Magazine for D&D

Enchanted Trinkets: Haunted Keepsakes

An object is often what bars the way when a living creature dies but is denied its eternal rest. These 12 enchanted trinkets represent some unfinished business the creature had in life, such as a work of art left incomplete or an arrow that never found its mark. When a new owner acquires the keepsake, the spirit that haunts the item urges them to complete the task it left unfinished. Should the owner do so, they may receive a supernatural boon as a reward for helping the spirit find peace. Dr...

Mini-Adventure: Lucky Copper Inn

The day of adventuring has been long and arduous, but the party have proven victorious and enjoy a night of reverie in the Lucky Copper Inn. Following a good night's rest they set out again, this time upon a new quest, making it within 10 miles of the next town and bedding down in the wilderness to prepare for another trek tomorrow—only to awaken at the Lucky Copper Inn. No matter where they go every morning their surroundings are the same no matter where they sleep! This supplemental adven...

Villain Spotlight: Illusive Fool

Fascinated with a traveling illusionist in his youth, after mastering rudimentary lessons Adrano pursued magic with a fervor and perseverance that made him an excellent student at the Illusionist Guild—until he came upon the books. These tomes quickly became the prodigy's new obsession, driving him to abandon his studies and abscond with the curious volumes. Since then Adrano has continued to read through the strange books, gradually drawing a massive ritual across the countryside that when...

To Smite A Fiend: Part Two

The experiments of the reclusive mage Kalle Sirkesalo have started to bleed out of his tower, making fiends appear throughout Holdenshire to briefly terrorize the populace and spread fear throughout the countryside. Several townsfolk seek out the party's help, ultimately leading them to the anomalous Murray's Folly. As they investigate however tragedy strikes—a powerful creature invades Hengistbury Keep. Soon after when the PCs go to confront the reckless wizard they are met by a curious me...

Return to ZEITGEIST In DEATH OF THE AUTHOR!

Death of the Author is a gorgeous 65-page softcover standalone adventure for 3rd level D&D 5th Edition characters, set on a remote island full of murder and mystery. This kickstarter for a brand new 5E adventure is here for 2 weeks only!

A clandestine sale of military secrets draws your party to a gathering at a remote manor in the Malic...

Intriguing Organizations: Mephit Network

Bring an elemental flair to the next metropolis the adventurers visit with mephit networks! Within this article are a quartet of mephit variants and the new spark mephit (CR 1/2), all with their own unique tasks and roles to play in city life. Doing some investigating at the graveyard? Call upon the grave mephits! Trying to trade local secrets? Bend the ear of a soot mephit or two. Disquiet designs by William Fischer, illustrated by Junior's Digital Designs.

2 Days Left: Spells of the Ages: Archmagic For D&D 5th Edition

Hi folks!

It’s the last 2 DAYS for Spells of the Ages: Archmagic For D&D 5th Edition!

This 27-page book contains 38 new spells, a new school of ecomancy for wizards, plus rules for upcasting 19 spells from the 5E core rules.

2021-07-11 10:15:40 +0000 UTC View Post

Enchanted Trinkets: Found in the Sands

With the summer sun overhead EN5ider is turning to the scorched sands of the desert with magic items perfect for fighting amongst the dunes or exploring ancient ruins! Break down the doors to long abandoned temples with the help of a goat tooth pendant, use a lumeture crystal to create a void of darkness amidst the brilliance of the day's light, get more out of your long rests thanks to a prayer disc, or otherwise enhance your desert adventures with any one...

[Free] On Second Thought Nevermind, It's Very Silly

Today marks a special occasion on EN5ider—our 400th article! We are thrilled to reach this milestone and thank you for helping make it possible!

With that in mind to celebrate we are proud to present an extra-sized issue free for all patrons and non-patrons alike. Inside you’ll find a coterie of creatures: Denise the Anarcho-Syndicalist, a Commoner Swarm, a host of knights (including the Numbed Knight, Mantiknight, and ev...

Three Puzzles of the Feywild

Around the next corner of the dungeon or amidst a curious grove the adventurers encounter something they can't just fight or sneak their way past: a puzzle. Perhaps they have to answer riddles to pass Through the Looking Glass, outwit the Lily Pad Blinking instead of swimming through acid, or play between darkness and light with The Bright Flower—in any case they are in for a good session! Deviously designed by Will Gawned, illustrated by Jori Hollander.

Mini-Adventure: Mr. Kite's Flying Circus

As the party recovers from their latest adventure they are treated to a surprise when the circus literally flies into town. Mr. Kite’s Flying Circus proves to be a series of mechanical marvels and spectacles powered by enslaved elementals, all open to the public for a mere few coins admittance. Skydive endlessly while held aloft by wind elementals, enjoy fireworks produced by fire elementals, and beat the heat with treats kept arctic cold by ice elementals. The adventurers may balk at the i...

To Smite A Fiend: Part One

The macabre horrors of the Dark Winter have passed with the changing of the seasons and now Holdenshire County is preparing for an idyllic summer—a respite that will be denied.  For a long time the reclusive Kalle Sirkesalo has been studying in earnest, delving into the nuances of magic as his servant Roland acquires secretive packages from afar each filled with rare and exotic reagents for arcane experiments. Now his research is nearly complete and the most critical phase has begun: t...

Dangerous Scenarios: Wyvern's Apprentice

While traveling across the desert you hear a cry from above, instantly spotting a winged shape soaring through the air. The next moments are a blur as kobolds suddenly appear all around you and magic starts assailing you from above, a blast of lightning turning the sands just a few feet away into glass! This Dangerous Scenario in the desert was deviously designed by William Fischer, illustrated by Ellis Goodson, and features the cartography of 2021-06-14 16:09:07 +0000 UTC View Post

Tabi's Automata

Tabi is a gnomish inventor and tinkerer who specializes in clockwork devices, particularly small automata designed to help adventurers and laborers with annoying but necessary tasks. These items are available for rent or lease, but she is quite reluctant to sell them as each is a labor of love—so all of them are time sensitive and if a client tries to abscond with the device it might stop working, becoming a nonfunctional assembly of gears, pistons and pulleys, or even be rigged to self-des...

Spells: Witch's Grimoire

The practice of witchcraft is more intricate than a few scorching rays or a casting of eyebite—it is a magical tradition all its own. With that in mind this article provides 10 spells perfect for witches in 5E that range from the seemingly innocent bake familiar to the potent Perdita's insidious storybook (an innovative new means for trapping one's enemies) and even a dance with the devil. Diabolically designed by Andrew Engelbrite, illustrated b...

Villain Spotlight: Egeria, Botanic Necro-Alchemist

Forced from an idyllic life of potion making into one of conflict, the alchemist Egeria found her talents for magic are far greater than crafting a potion of healing or other such small tricks. Violently forced from her home and infuriated with the death of her loved ones, she took it upon herself to use her grisly newly discovered talents to strike back—and she hasn't stopped after achieving her vengeance. Now with an army of phytoalchemical zombies at her beck and call, Egeria's ...

To Stake A Vampire: Part 3

The hunt for the ancient evil threatening to overwhelm Holdenshire reaches its end! With the Order of Light's weaponry in hand the adventurers finally come into confrontation with Lord Pemberton and learn his dark secret, then travel beneath Brockendale Castle where they once more butt heads with their adventuring competition—though this time Old Jovan and his crew are quite different than in their last encounter! Afterwards the party must avoid or best victims of the primordial vampire and...

Dangerous Scenarios: Alchemist's Lodge

Whether sent to the recent ruins or stumbling upon it on their way to their next adventure, the party will quickly learn that the former site of the alchemist Torrin's lodge is a very dangerous place. The gnome's leftover experiments and discard chemicals have been wantonly consumed by the ogres Agon, Katyazog, and Zurg, as well as their pet death dog Chomp-and-Gnaw—each of them permanently transformed by the elemental essence they've so greedily drunk! Includes a new very rare pot...

Enchanted Trinkets: The Temple's Wares

There's a good chance your gaming world has at least a few churches, shrines, or temples, and when the adventurers visit these holy places after completing a quest of paramount importance or fulfilling a divine prophecy—or if they've got a bit of coin in their pockets—some less sacred relics might be waiting for them. Maybe the party's bard is keen to a book of forgotten songs, the thief eager to get their mitts on a hidden glove or luck ruled dice, or a fearful...

Spells: Arishat's Booklet of Mixed Elemental Spells

Why do mages and workers of holy spells restrict themselves to grasping upon the powers of just a single element when performing their magic? Why not two? The archmage Arishat took it as her mission to create hybrid elemental magic, spreading the knowledge of the spells she's created to the world at large. Shock and chill an enemy with a galvanice bomb, summon small geothunder turrets to assail your foes, suck opponents into a pyroclastic vacuum, and impress everyon...

To Stake A Vampire: Part 2

Continuing from the end of Act 1, the adventurers go about Holdenshire seeking the tombs and relics of the Order of Light in this crunchy 35 pages of dungeon delving! Adding to the potent amulet of the spectral grove, the PCs find the swift silver quickbow, hard hitting Noltsledge, deft kylian knives, and the miraculous leilan artifice—after overcoming...

Intriguing Organizations: Vagabond's Kitchen

As adventurers go about slaying dragons or even upending the machinations of deific beings, so too is the bar of excellence raised for epicureans and gourmands—and that's where the Vagabond's Kitchen shines. Its halfling head chef (the famous Argo Moray) travels the world seeking new and exciting ingredients, preparing new meals every day that defy expectations both in their succulence and rarity. Empresses, kings, and even gods seek out this traveling caravan for the unique offerings prepa...

Dangerous Scenario: Tricksy Riddles Three

On an ancient bridge that stands far above a raging river, a troll named Bumbus and a cyclops named Hooble stand collecting tolls from travelers unfortunate enough to run into them. Instead of demanding currency the duo ask a series of complicated riddles and smash to bits anyone who answers wrongly or refuses to play their game. Only a select few have been allowed to pass unharmed—when it's the adventurers turn, should they fail as well the combat becomes far more dire as the deadly brawl ...

Enchanted Trinkets: Spoils of War

Raiding monsters are nothing new but their loot doesn't always have to be what they've taken from their most recent victims. Sometimes monstrous creatures have treasures all their own! Spice up that sahuagin encounter with a magic item destroying maw of the shark god, put the drop on an enemy with a portable kobold pit, make it easier to charm a creature by giving it your pristine harpy feather—each of these 11 enchanted trinkets are perfect for adding a little de...

To Stake A Vampire: Part 1

The Holdenshire Chronicles continue in To Slay A Dragon's sanguine sequel! Knighted following their triumph over the dread red dragon Cirothe, the adventurers enjoy a short reprieve before a dismal winter grips the countryside and the people around them become more despondent and angrier with every passing day. The region begins to suffer the effects of dreadful and ancient curses ...

Masterclass Archetypes: Tradecraft

There's a suite of fantastic character classes here on EN5ider and today's issue brings greater depth to three of them with new class archetypes for sneaky savant field agents, subtle noble spymasters, and observ...

Intriguing Organizations: Arcane Investigation Unit

In fantasy cities, crimes involving magic or the supernatural can baffle ordinary authorities. The dedicated city watch members who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Arcane Investigation Unit. These are their stories…well, not quite, but this article has everything needed to include them in a campaign! Whether the party are recruited into the AIU or simply work close with one of their investigators—like Sergeant Aelith Silverstreet, a CR 6 officer—this ...

Dangerous Scenarios: Mutant Metal eater

The more experienced a group of adventurers gets the less concerned they are with the threat posed by monsters they've already bested once. The mutant metal eater is no such monster—the creature the PCs are expecting to find is far deadlier! Includes a mutant rust monster (CR 8) and supermutant rust monster (CR 12). This Dangerous Scenario for parties of 5th–6th level or 8th–9th level was deviously designed by Chris Davies, illustrated by Indi Martin, with interior art by Guilh...

Enchanted Trinkets: Magic in the Stacks

Dive deep enough into your local arcane library and you're bound to find more than dusty books and old scrolls—mages enchant all kinds of things to assist their studies. Peruse the volumes of any atheneum more efficiently with the help of an archivist's candle, protect your favorite tome with a bookwyrm, never let your pen run dry by using an endless inkwell, and avail yourself of the 8 other magic items listed in this studious issue in the Enchanted Trinkets<...