D&D 5E (2024) The Black Road - Help me flesh out an Adventure idea.

I've been planning to run an D&D.24 Adventure at my FLGS. There will be a mix of new and old players, of varying ages and backgrounds. It will probably be multiple tables, as well.

At any rate, I was thinking to run stuff from the new Forgotten Realms books, with the idea that I'd call it "Grand Tour of the Realms" - but I hadn't thought any further than that. When I started doing some early prep, I wound up with an idea that is quickly blossoming into something that I think I will run, and maybe, if I like it, build it up into something I could put on DMsGuild, or just share here.

I've run many a "Learn to Play D&D" that started with the PCs as Caravan Guards, but I've never made it last past their arrival in the next town, (where they are paid out and need to seek new adventure). This idea, well... I'll jump right in:

The Black Road

The journey I have in mind is a Caravan that travels from Waterdeep to Hillsfar. It's just under 1500 miles. The quickest you could hike it is about 2 months. With the logistics of a caravan, I'd imagine it taking closer to 3. I'd expect them to go first to Goldenfields, then Womford, past Uluvin to Secomber then Zelbross, Loudwater, & Llorkh to Parnast. From there is where we get our Adventure's name, as they must travel along the Zhentarim trade route through Anauroch to Addas Babar, before they make it to the Dalelands at Dagger Falls. They will pass Teshwave and arrive at Zhentil Keep. Presumably there will be a lot of Zhents on the journey, both PC and NPC. Then to Yulash, and finally Hillsfar.

This, of course, sounds very railroady. And it is. However, I think one of the ways to solve that issue (it's only an issue if it infringes on player agency, as having a clear goal each session, or arc of sessions, is a good thing, IMO) is to have the PCs actually command the expedition, as whoever hires them to do it will either stay in Waterdeep, or if they're rich enough, "meet them in Hillsfar" by teleport. They need not follow the route exactly, and they can do "side-quests" of their own if they desire to.

Where I need help:

I will be posting ideas of my own as I come up with them (and I'll fill you all in on how it goes in this thread) but I could use a bit of help - mostly just bounce ideas with me, if you will. I'm not a Realmslore guy - until I do research, I don't know what most of the names I posted above actually are. I only vaguely remember Hillsfar and Zhentil Keep from video games in the late 80s (I have no actual recollection of them, just the names). So anyone with Realms-knowledge, feel free to chime in with details you find interesting about any of those places.

Also, anyone familiar with the history of things like the Lewis & Clark expedition, or the Oregon Trail, or any European or Asian trade routes and cool (or horrible) things that happened on them, I'd like to hear that stuff too. The TV miniseries "1883" is the kind of thing I'm thinking of for this game - though probably much worse, when it comes to dangerous beasts.

And! I've never been great at running the social or political pillar of the game, and I don't think that the current game's guidance helps in that regard. If anyone has any great suggestions for NPCs and internal struggles (and how to run them), I'd like that advice. I imagine that the caravan's number of wagons will both grow and shrink as the game goes on, and I'd like some good NPCs (drivers, hired guards, smugglers, whatever). I have no current description in my mind of the person who hires the PCs, either. Feel free to suggest!

In addition, I don't currently know what they are shipping. Obviously, I think there should be some secrets there. And some obvious things like picking up a Harvest of Grain from Goldenfields (which would place our Adventure as taking place from Autumn to Winter, which would make for a good "stuck in the snow" trouble when the pass through the Graypeak Mountains (Auril cultists caused the deep snow to come earlier than expected?)

Thanks for your feedback!

Ive been doing a deep lore dive into most of that. I'm doing Anauroch.

Alot of it has been done in 5E. Princes of the Apocalypse, Storm Kings Thunder and Parnest is in Rise of Tiamat.

Otherwise use the FR wiki.

Zhentarim would care about the Black Road part through Anauroch.

Surviving Shades might have something to say. Shadow weave is back.

Dead and wild magic zones as well. They're in the DMG. Shadow Weave magic works in dead magic zones.

Anauroch PDF is cheap. Has a nice map I got printed A2 sized and various locations not on the new one. Its $5.

Map of Anauroch



Surviving Phaerimm are in new books, one could refluff various adventures.

Zhents could cut a deal with whoever. Manshoons back, Citadel of the Raven is under the control of Shade/Netheril remnants.

Western parts your typical Goblins/Hobgoblins maybe do a few dungeon hacks preparing for the journey.

Ogres and a Stone Giants could be foes around Llorkh.

So level 1-5 or so starter set or whatever out west, clear the way around Llorkh vs Giants (or negotiate). There was a temple to Bane/Iyachtu Xvim near there as well.

Parnest could involve a side trek to Mine of Dekanter. Any dungeon or megadungeon would work there refluff.

Crossing Anauroch Phaerimm, Zhents, Shades, Bedine/Netherese. Side treks to Netherese ruins. Final stretch Zhents. Baneites, Zhents, Wizards etc.

FitzTheRuke said:

In addition, I don't currently know what they are shipping.

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I've been brainstorming for a Black Road-focused campaign, and this is an aspect that I think about a lot. What items 1) will survive the weeks or months on the road and 2) will be worth the effort? It's got to be non-perishable stuff that has a high value-to-weight ratio. Mostly I'm picturing wine/liquor, spices/coffee, high quality cloth, weapons (something the Zhentarim are really into), and low-end magic items (potions, spell components, common wondrous items).

If you're moving west to east, it could be stuff brought all the way from Chult or the Moonshaes. Hm-- transporting exotic live animals/monstrosities would be pretty neat. In addition to all the usual travel challenges, you have to keep the critters fed and happy. (Obligatory escape-and-recapture event?)

There could be straight up passengers, as well-- people looking to start over in the Dalelands, and traveling with the caravan for safety. And anybody with a history could be trying to hide among them (pursued by assassins from Calimshan...). And that's just the passengers you know of. Remember that Dracula basically mailed himself to England! The caravan could unknowingly be carting a vampire or mummy or brain-in-a-jar that isn't actively hostile; it just wants to get home, and will take extreme measures to ensure nobody causes delays.

Alas said:

I've been brainstorming for a Black Road-focused campaign, and this is an aspect that I think about a lot. What items 1) will survive the weeks or months on the road and 2) will be worth the effort? It's got to be non-perishable stuff that has a high value-to-weight ratio. Mostly I'm picturing wine/liquor, spices/coffee, high quality cloth, weapons (something the Zhentarim are really into), and low-end magic items (potions, spell components, common wondrous items).

If you're moving west to east, it could be stuff brought all the way from Chult or the Moonshaes. Hm-- transporting exotic live animals/monstrosities would be pretty neat. In addition to all the usual travel challenges, you have to keep the critters fed and happy. (Obligatory escape-and-recapture event?)

There could be straight up passengers, as well-- people looking to start over in the Dalelands, and traveling with the caravan for safety. And anybody with a history could be trying to hide among them (pursued by assassins from Calimshan...). And that's just the passengers you know of. Remember that Dracula basically mailed himself to England! The caravan could unknowingly be carting a vampire or mummy or brain-in-a-jar that isn't actively hostile; it just wants to get home, and will take extreme measures to ensure nobody causes delays.

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Spices from Waterdeep. Moonsea probably doesnt need to import weapons.

Furs as well. Moonseas cold.

As for social political angle, think of the most important thing in trade: "What is it that you have that I want?" At each location, if only the guards, they will want to know if they encountered anything on their way there, where they are from and what news do they have from the places they have visited. If they have encountered trouble, the guards or locals will want to know all the details. Merchants, local or traveling, will be interested in what they have and how much are they selling for. They could be merchants wanting to buy, they could be thieves casing the caravan, they could be both. Others might be wanting to sell goods to the merchants of the caravan. Merchants in the caravan might want extra guard duty they'd pay for when dealing with locals. Some merchants might want to join in the caravan to the next stop. PCs might be tasked with vetting such merchants for joining. The farther away from their start they get, the more people will be interested in the news they have of such far away places, as the caravan has probably traveled as faster than most so they have the most recent news. Local stopping points or their guards might have taxes, real or otherwise, to demand of the caravan. Probably just enough to get it without effort. Then there is purchasing of supplies, lodging, and other services at each stop.

On the road, there are always similar dealings (and risks) with passing caravans. Don't count out the interesting NPC on the road they may encounter. Said NPC may have other personal issues they may want help from the PCs with.

Make notes ahead of time and make sure the questions asked at each place are different enough to not become repetitive to the PCs.

For overland shipping, on a three month scale between two points, grain does not make as much sense as luxury goods.
Of course, it being a fantasy world, if you insist on grain...work in some magic.
If the PC's have one or more wagons, they could join the caravan for safety.
Other merchants/"shippers" within the caravan could provide plot hooks.

Having different goods or even people to transport between each leg of the journey will allow the opportunity for multiple different scenarios to naturally take shape. On one leg of the journey they could just be transporting food though a starving countryside, another could see them hauling needed medicine at a break neck pace without breaks, and yet another could have them smuggling some refugees looking to escape their homeland.

To piggyback on what Leatherhead said, resources cited on the FR wiki identify goods that are imported and exported at various locations in the Realms. Using that information, you can break the journey into legs, each of which ends with the PCs unloading imports and picking up exports. This turnover in inventory provides ample opportunities for PCs to interact with local NPCs traders.

What do the PCs do if the NPC importer they were supposed to meet in Secomber doesn't show? What do they do if they realize, three days after leaving Parnast, that an NPC there sold them counterfeit wares? What to they do if they arrive in Teshwave and discover there's a run on whatever cargo they were expecting to pick up? Those sorts of things can provide an opportunity to get involved in local intrigue.

That's all great stuff!

Yes, having only a few select items go the whole journey makes good sense - both logistically, and as inspiration for adventure!

The Goldenfields grain could be only going as far as Parnast. Also, much of it could be in the form of "Golden Gulp" (the local wheat ale).

I had already thought that the number of wagons would change, but it sounds like it might change by a LOT.

I'm not sure that I should present the Zhentarim as "bad guys" (at least not all of them, and not exactly) as I suspect that if I present the scenario, I am going to wind up with a lot of Zhent Faction Agents in the PCs.