Caravans don't just disappear.
The Wailing Desert is known for two things: being a vast wasteland, and the unearthly sound the wind makes as it moves through the dunes. Only one caravan company is foolhardy enough to cross this barren sea – but now its wagons are going missing. You have been hired to protect the next caravan and discover the fate of the missing wagons, but beware: the Wailing Desert has its secrets, and you may not make it out alive.
The Absent Caravan's Mysterious End is a 5e-compatible one-shot adventure designed for 3-4 players at level 8. The adventure is primarily an investigation with multiple combat opportunities as players explore mysterious disappearances along a desert caravan route.
It includes:
- Stuff. A 27-page PDF and two full-size color map files.
- Nostalgia. Legally distinct references to beloved childhood characters!
- Capitalism. And some ecologically questionable business practices.
- Read-aloud text. Area descriptions, minor catastrophes, and key NPC dialogue included in call-out boxes for the DM to read aloud or paraphrase.
- Danger. The chance for your players to die alone and forgotten in a desert. (It's easy and it's free!)
- Quick-access appendices. Key DM info in one place – maps, stat blocks, and more.
- Plus a free copy of The Brethren of the Black Door: Quick Start Guide!
The Absent Caravan's Mysterious End is setting-agnostic, though it does involve advanced construct technology. It can be run as a standalone session, added to an existing campaign, or played as a Black Door mission.