The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford: The Perfect Starter Adventure

This adventure is an example of how to do it right. You don’t notice how good it is until you start paying attention.

Why This Adventure Works

The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford by Chance Dudinack is a small town adventure with a dragon problem. But what makes it special is the layers. There are so many subplots and threads that if your players like to dig, they’ll find gold everywhere.

Written for B/X but converts to anything in minutes. The format is designed for actual play, not just reading.

Writing That Respects Your Time

Look at this NPC description:

“Owner of the Clumsy Fox Tavern. Halfling. Glasses. Bald head with gray sides. Jovial and talkative.”

That’s enough to run an NPC. Less than a line. No paragraphs of backstory you’ll never use.

Or this one:

“Drop Dead Ned. Greasy hair, rotten teeth. Calls everyone friend, pal, or buddy. Doesn’t like taking risks unless payment is involved. Likes to kill slowly. Keeps a killer wasp in a tiny jar around his neck for tight situations.”

You’re going to use that character whether you run this adventure or not.

The Dragon Itself

“The beast moves like a fat alligator, dragging its bloated belly along the ground with each lumbering step, but with the potential to strike in an instant. Strings of spittle hang from its teeth in a thick foul poison. It lives only to eat and protect its gold.”

Not a dragon as you know it. A fat bloated alligator dragging its belly. Your players have never faced anything like it.

Random Encounters That Are Actually Scenes

These aren’t “d6 goblins” entries. These are situations:

“D6 goblins and a giant beaver. The goblins are attempting to annex the beaver’s lodge. They’re losing. Now the beaver is very angry.”

That’s a 15-20 minute encounter with real choices. Who do you side with?

Or the Fey hunting party chasing a golden fox through the forest. Players can interact or ignore it. Either way, it’s memorable.

Everything Connects

The more players dig, the more they uncover. There’s a mystery with the town smith being left gifts by a secret admirer. Two taverns with a rivalry and something darker underneath. A witch in the forest who’s not evil, just too old to care about being polite.

Each discovery gives players tools for the main quest. Smart players who explore and ask questions will find shortcuts and advantages. That’s good adventure design.

The backstory is elegant: dwarven brothers mining for treasure, one went mad with greed and committed a heinous act that transformed him into the beast. Players can piece this together if they look, and knowing it opens up options for resolution.

The Goblin King’s Challenge

If goblins capture the party, they’re brought to the Goblin King who offers a challenge. Complete it and you get a goblin squire. One of the best rewards players can have. It’s weird, memorable, and players will talk about it for years.

Dungeon Design

The room descriptions are perfect for running at the table:

“Chapel. Stone pews. Moldy statue. Mold and dripping water.”

You read that and immediately describe: “As you enter this room, there are stone pews looking fairly old, a statue in the corner with something growing on it, and the sound of dripping water.”

Then wherever the player looks, you just read the next relevant line. No searching through paragraphs. No information overload.

Bottom Line

If you haven’t run games before, start here. If you want to see how to write adventures, study this.

The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford does all the heavy lifting and makes it easy for you to turn up and have fun. It pairs brilliantly with Hole in the Oak and Tomb of the Serpent Kings for a starter campaign.

Get it. The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford