I just got my copy of
Dungeon #140 in the mail today. Since there's already a thread on it, I'll do the breakdown here.
Editorial: Writing Campaigns, by James Jacobs - James discusses writing his very first campaign, and compares it to writing the Adventure Paths.
Prison Mail - This rather short Prison Mail features only two letters; one in praise for "Home Under the Range" from #134, and another criticizing Erik for saying in his #137 editorial that DMs should kill a few extra PCs in the Age of Worms.
The Bullywug Gambit, by Nicholas Logue - The Savage Tide continues! Sasserine is preparing for The Wormfall Festival. A year ago, the Wormgod Kyuss was destroyed by powerful heroes in the far-off city of Alhaster. However, his brief ascendance resulted in many of his monsters in the nearby jungle rampaging into Sasserine; luckily, they were destroyed by high-level heroes from the nearby city of Cauldron. The PCs, however, will have no time to celebrate as they follow the trail of Vanthus Vanderboren. Tracking his movements to Kraken's Cove, they'll get to see the first effects of the Savage Tide, unleashed upon pirates of the Crimson Fleet. If they survive, they'll need to race back to Sasserine and dodge assassins at the festival in order to stop the pirates' revenge on the Vanderboren family! Sidebars cover the sailing vessel The Sea Wyvern, fighting on stilts, The Jade Ravens adventuring group, and using this adventure with "Affiliation Awards" from the "Savage Tidings" article in
Dragon #348. Appendices cover
the shadow pearl minor artifact, and the new Savage Creature template.
The Fall of Graymalkin Academy, by Mark A. Hart - In this adventure for 9th-level characters, Graymalkin Academy is being besieged by no less than three different evil forces at once! All seek a powerful magic item in the Academy's vaults, and the PCs are the only hope for protecting it and driving off the invaders! A sidebar covers the new magic item
the tapestry of midnight.
Heart of Hellfire Mountain, by Dave Olson - A fire giant king calls for the PCs' aid in this adventure for 20th-level characters! Although evil, King Snurreson is willing to coexist with other races, but even he recognizes that a growing threat in nearby Hellfire Mountain must be stopped. He tasks the PCs with destroying the growing cult of the God of Hellfire before they lay waste to the surrounding regions, even if it means killing his daughter, now a high-ranking cultist! But can even the PCs' stop the forces of Mephistopheles? Sidebars cover using divinations, what the fire giants know, two vile feats (Disciple of Darkness and Evil Brand) from the BoVD, hellfire itself, and the artifact
The Heart of Mephistopheles. An appendix reprints the BoVD spells
hellfire and
hellfire storm.
Dungeoncraft: Running A Game Is Hard To Do, by Monte Cook - In part three of an ongoing series, Monte covers tracking modifiers, as well as NPCs, and what to do if you screw up.
The City: Ordeals of Mettle, by Tim Hitchcock - In the old days, they checked to see if a witch could float. This article presents seven similar tests that can be used to determine guilt or innocence.
The Dungeon: 100 Wizardly Knick-Knacks, by Lawrence Kapture - A table is presented of one hundred odd items that you'd find in a wizard's place.
Comics - The Portent, by Peter Bergting; Mt. Zogon, by Tony Moseley; Downer, by Kyle Stanley Hunter.
Map of Mystery: Hall of the Celestial Eye, by Christopher West - The label on the map actually says "elestial eye," but I'm assuming they meant "celestial."
NEXT MONTH IN DUNGEON
THE SEA WYVERN'S BANE
by Richard Pett
It's time to bid farewell to the city of Sasserine as the PCs board the Sea Wyvern for a 3,000 mile voyage into the uncharted waters of the Vohoun Ocean. Their destination: the Isle of Dread. A Savage Tide Adventure Path scenario for 5th-level characters.
SWORDS OF DRAGONSLAKE
by Nicholas Logue
Scandal has struck the theater circuit of the cty of Talantier! Ancient betrayal, murderous plots, and a plethora of suspects plague the PCs as they race to unravel the mystery before its bloody conclusion plays out on the stage. A D&D adventure for 12th-level characters.
VLINDARIAN'S VAULT
by Johnathan M. Richards
A missing dragon and a stolen artifact lead the PCs to a treasure vault hidden deep in the Elemental Plane of Fire - a vault operated by an insane beholder serviced by a cult of fanatics. A D&D adventure for 18th-level characters.