There is a lot of content out there for Dungeon & Dragons, from sourcebooks for new player character customization to adventures and campaigns for DMs to run. Tales From The Yawning Portal is a collection of adventures. Unlike Candlekeep Mysteries, which includes all original adventures, Tales From The Yawning Portal brings older adventures from previous editions of D&D back to life.
From dangerous tombs to battles against giants, there is a lot of variety in this book. There are experiences for different level players, and each adventure comes with suggestions on how to slip the story into any setting. This makes it easy to run these adventures as one-off quests or incorporate them fully into an ongoing campaign. Some of the adventures are better than others, so here are all seven ranked.
7 Tomb Of Horrors
Tomb Of Horrors is designed for very high-level players and is seen as quite a challenge to survive. The adventure was originally published in 1978 and isn't very narrative-focused at all. Your players will hear the legend of the tomb: A Demilich rules over the labyrinthine crypt that holds vast treasures and magical items. There is no real threat to the world outside of this tomb. There would be no consequences if the players decided to ignore this crypt. Just a vague reference to a potential reward is the only hook provided.
There are relentless traps in every room of this adventure. It can be fun to see how many characters the party gets through trying to reach the end of this dungeon. But a lot of the adventure mostly depends on how well your players can roll their perception checks. There are limited monsters within the Tomb for combat nor many role-playing opportunities. The Tomb Of Horrors can be a little bit of a grueling slog to get through.
6 The Forge Of Fury
The Forge Of Fury was initially published in 2000 and is designed for third-level players, who will end the adventure at around the fifth level. Khundrukar is a dwarven stronghold that was brutally overtaken by orcs. The original dwarven clan that owned the stronghold was renowned for their extraordinary blades, forged in anger. Since the orcs defeated them, the fortress has been the home of various dangerous creatures and civilizations.
The adventure isn't the most exciting but follows a classic linear narrative. The book provides a few different plot hooks to inspire the party to find this stronghold, the most substantial lead perhaps being to defeat the Orc raiders terrorizing a nearby mining town. The party will venture deeper and deeper into the stronghold, fighting Orcs and Duergar, before eventually reaching the Black Lake beneath the stronghold. This adventure is a classic dungeon crawl, even ending with a dragon fight.
5 The Sunless Citadel
As with all the adventures in this book, you could place the Sunless Citadel in any setting. It could even be slotted into a Domain Of Dread if you wanted to. The original adventure was published in 2000 and is suited for first to third-level players. This adventure has a simple story that perhaps works best for new players. The party will hear tales of a mysterious fruit that grants vigor and health being sold by goblins nearby. The book also provides additional plot hooks to get the party to investigate. They will eventually stumble upon the Sunless Citadel, a once-proud fortress that has long since fallen apart.
The adventure is a classic dungeon crawl, just like the Forge Of Fury. What makes Sunless Citadel better is that it provides some more agency for the players in how they approach the adventure. They will encounter both a Kobold Den and a Goblin Lair, giving plenty of opportunities for them to role-play their way through the game or simply fight it out. There is also quite an exciting, unique final battle that works well for low-level players.
4 The Hidden Shrine Of Tamoachan
The Hidden Shrine Of Tamoachan is fit for fifth-level players and was first published in 1980. This adventure is all about venturing into an ancient ruined city to find a hidden shrine said to be dedicated to a vampire god of the underworld. It is an intriguing setup for an adventure, although there isn't much of a storyline to follow beyond this.
This adventure has plenty of unique monsters to encounter along the way, such as a mummified centaur and a gibbering mouther. Alongside this, there are many unique puzzles and traps for the party to navigate along the journey. This makes for quite a thrilling adventure, even if the reward isn't the most exciting. It is a unique setting and full of surprises for the party to enjoy.
3 White Plume Mountain
White Plume Mountain was initially published in 1979 and is designed for eight-level players. There is more of a story with this adventure than in some of the previous ones. Three powerful weapons have been stolen around the realm, and a challenge has been set for those that wish to find them again. A mighty wizard hidden within the White Plume Mountain has set up elaborate puzzles and challenges for your party to face. From obstacle courses to an elaborate aquarium, there are a lot of unique set pieces throughout.
The adventure is only let down by its finale, as the mysterious wizard behind everything doesn't even show up to congratulate or confront the heroes. So, you will likely want to rewrite that final part to add more of a pivotal last moment to this fantastic quest.
2 Dead In Thay
Dead In Thay is suitable for players between the ninth and eleventh levels. It was initially written back in 2014 and is designed to be a tribute to sprawling dungeon crawls. A rebellious Red Wizard has tasked your party to enter the Doomvault and attempt to destroy the Phylacteries (storage of life forces) of several evil, dangerous Lyches. There is a lot at stake with this mission, and the players must act fast but tactically. The Doomvault itself is really diverse, with different zones pulled from other worlds. These include forests, predator pools, laboratories, and more. This keeps the players on their toes throughout.
There are also opportunities for social encounters, as your players will get some chances to sway NPCs onto their side of the fight. This is great for giving more agency to your players as they figure out the best way to navigate this massive vault. With alert systems and increased security appearing depending on the players' actions, you can play out this adventure like a heist movie at times.
1 Against The Giants
Against The Giants is actually three classic adventures combined into one epic campaign. The separate adventures were released in 1978 and then combined in 1981. The adventures are suited for 11th level adventurers, and they will still be in for quite a challenge. Your players are first tasked with taking down a group of giants that have begun to work together. The party must first take on a Hill Giant, followed by a Frost Giant and a Fire Giant.
The giants provide very deadly encounters for your players, especially if they fight too many of them at once. This adventure requires a more tactical approach from the party, and they are given plenty of ways to navigate each mini-adventure. Against The Giants makes for an outstanding campaign that increases the difficulty more and more with each stage. It is a classic adventure that still holds up well today. Against The Giants is a must-play for your next epic quest.