Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild

The Trove Lord’s Tribute

A One-Shot of Greed, Sacrifice, and Forgotten Dwarven Secrets

Designed for 1st-level characters, but scalable for higher-level play

A stolen map. A buried temple. A prospector marked for sacrifice.

When down-on-his-luck prospector Talon Thornwild follows an ancient surveyor’s map into the foothills of the Sword Mountains, he stumbles straight into the clutches of a secretive cult devoted to Abbathor (the dwarven god of greed). Now, bound to a blood-stained altar and moments from ritual execution, Talon’s only hope lies with a band of adventurers brave enough to face what lurks beneath the earth.

The Trove Lord’s Tribute transforms the Dwarven Excavation quest from Dragon of Icespire Peak into a rich, story-driven one-shot filled with danger, atmosphere, and dwarven-themed intrigue. Delve into a long-forgotten temple, uncover its tragic past, confront the zealots attempting to reconsecrate it, and discover what happens when greed becomes divine.

Whether you run it as a standalone adventure or slot it seamlessly into your Phandalin-area campaign, this module offers a tense, memorable session for new and veteran players alike.

⭐ Adventure Highlights

A Classic Rescue Mission with a Dark Twist

Track down a missing prospector, only to find him at the center of a deadly sacrificial rite.

A Fully Realized Temple Crawl

Explore dusty halls, collapsed chambers, secret tunnels, and sacrificial altars in a long-buried dwarven shrine.

Villains with Motivation

Dazlyn Grayshard and Norbus Ironrune aren’t just stat blocks. They’re zealous brothers in greed, driven to win Abbathor’s favor at any cost.

Scalable for Tier I Play

Includes clear encounter-scaling guidance for stronger parties, from adding cultists to empowering the ritual itself.

Treasure Worth Coveting

Recover bloodstones, gemstones, dwarven relics such as the dangerous, lore-rich magic item Abbathor’s Covetstone.

Seamless Phandalin Integration

Strong social hooks and rumor tables tie the adventure naturally into a Dragon of Icespire Peak or Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign.

📦 What’s Inside

✔ A Full One-Session Adventure

Designed for 1st-level characters, adaptable for higher levels and easy to drop into ongoing campaigns.

✔ A Cinematic Opening Hook

Halia Thornton of the Miner's Exchange hires the characters to retrieve a stolen map and rescue the foolish young prospector who took it.

✔ Detailed Area Descriptions

Each location, from canyon approach to hidden sanctum, is written with sensory detail, encounter notes, and atmospheric cues.

✔ Cultist Intrigue and Deception

Noncombat interactions can uncover lies, expose the cult’s plot, or trigger early conflict based on player choices.

✔ New Magic Item: Abbathor’s Covetstone

A glowing gem of immense utility…and a curse that may summon Abbathor’s relentless avatar.

✔ Additional Lore & Appendices

Includes lore on the Miner's Exchange, Halia Thornton, Zhentarim operations, flying snake rookery, and flavorful local rumors to enrich your Sword Coast campaign.

⚔️ Why You’ll Want This Adventure

If you’ve ever wished the Dwarven Excavation site had more story, more danger, and more emotional stakes, this is the version you wanted.

The Trove Lord’s Tribute adds:

• A clear rescue objective

• A moral dilemma about greed

• A fully formed villainous faction

• A magic item with ongoing campaign consequences

• Hooks for future employment with the Zhentarim

• Rich roleplaying opportunities both in Phandalin and at the temple

Perfect for new DMs, one-shot nights, or groups wanting a dramatic, tightly paced mission full of cultish tension and dwarven atmosphere.

: $0.50