the jade hare
This adventure, titled “The Jade Hare,” is a classic Dungeons & Dragons quest designed for a group of 4-6 first-level characters. The story revolves around the theft of a precious and ancient jade idol, the Jade Hare, from the village of Dar el-Tamyya. The idol, believed to have protective powers, was stolen by goblins working for Abu-Ghabar, a mad warlock residing in a dungeon in the nearby hills.
The adventure kicks off when the village leader, Qadi Ibn Ali, calls upon the players to recover the stolen idol to restore the village’s honor and prevent the warlock from using it for his sinister plans. The dungeon crawl includes various encounters with goblins, traps, and a showdown with Abu-Ghabar himself. The dungeon is divided into natural caves and areas modified by the warlock for his nefarious activities.
The players will navigate through different chambers, each with its own set of challenges and enemies, ranging from fire beetles and giant spiders to more formidable foes like bugbears and a trained gargoyle. Key locations include a bat cavern, a storage room, a kitchen, goblin barracks, a spring, and several traps laid by the warlock.
The climax of the adventure is the confrontation with Abu-Ghabar in his chamber, where he will use his spells and magical items to defend himself. If the players succeed, they can recover the Jade Hare from the treasure room guarded by the gargoyle. The adventure concludes with the villagers celebrating the heroes’ success, although the warlock might seek revenge if he manages to escape.
In summary, “The Jade Hare” is a short but exciting dungeon adventure filled with combat, exploration, and the chance to thwart an evil warlock’s plans.
“The Jade Hare” is designed to be a short adventure that can typically be completed in a single game session. The estimated runtime for the game session is around 3-4 hours, depending on various factors such as the pace of the players, their familiarity with the game rules, and the complexity of their decision-making.
Here’s a breakdown of how the time might be spent:
- Introduction and Setup (30 minutes):
- Introducing the players to the adventure’s background.
- Creating or reviewing characters if needed.
- Explaining any house rules or clarifications.
- Exploring the Dungeon (2-3 hours):
- Navigating through different rooms and encountering various monsters and traps.
- Role-playing interactions and decision-making moments.
- Combat encounters, which can vary in length depending on the number of enemies and the strategies used by players.
- Climactic Battle (30 minutes – 1 hour):
- The final confrontation with Abu-Ghabar and any remaining minions.
- Searching the treasure room and resolving the immediate aftermath of the battle.
- Conclusion (30 minutes):
- Returning the Jade Hare to the village and role-playing the celebration.
- Discussing any loose ends or potential future adventures.
- Wrapping up the session with any final character development or leveling up.
Overall, the session length can vary, but aiming for a 3-4 hour window should provide ample time to experience the full adventure without feeling rushed.
