Tutorial Adventure - The Dike is Breaking

It’s simple. Before you’re willing to drop hard cash for the Starter Set or Player’s Handbook, you need to know if you and your friends will enjoy playing D&D.

That’s what The Dike is Breaking is made for. It’s a 2-hour romp of an adventure that walks players through Mad Mel's private town and tomb, teaching them just enough of D&D’s basic rules to let them decide if they want to pick up an imaginary sword and become an adventurer.

Have one of your friends read the adventure manual and print the rest of the materials, then enjoy an evening laughing and bashing skeletons with as little prep as possible.

Played by 34 teenagers at the Orem, UT public library in March 2019!

While written for groups with no D&D experience, this adventure can be useful for players DMing for the first time or for introducing friends to D&D.

Hours: 2

Players: Up to 4, including the DM

Character Level: 1

Includes:

• Everything You Need for Your First Game: if it can't be downloaded, the manual says how to find it
• DM-friendly Narration: the adventure starts with almost everything written for the DM, then allows the DM to take charge when comfortable
• a double-sided player aid so the DM doesn't have to explain all the rules
• a black-and-white print-friendly map
• character cutouts to serve as miniatures
• simplified, pickup-and-play character sheets from the D&D Starter Set
• a segway into the D&D Starter Set, so if your group enjoys the game, pay $20 and play on

If you have friends interested in trying D&D, please share this with them. Beginners will never find this adventure manual unless we tell them.

Feedback and donations are both greatly appreciated. The more of both you give, the sooner I'll be able to release an updated version with more illustrations, Wizard and Cleric player characters, spellcasting rules, and a higher possible player count.

Update Oct. 2019:

Thank you so much to the many, many people who have donated. Having people I’ve never met think highly enough of my adventure to decide to give me money has been amazing.

As I’ve transitioned out of college and found work, I’ve had less time for creating. While I’ll happily answer questions and fix bugs, I no longer feel like expanding the game to include spellcasting is necessary. It serves its purpose best with its focus on the simpler martial classes.

My next project will be an adventure skeleton, aimed at more experienced groups. I’m brooding over a mini-campaign and a one-shot adventure, and hope to have one created before February 2020.

Thanks again.

Update February 2020:

We now have a gorgeous cover from the talented Megan Kerstetter! (@MeganDrawsaLot) It's beautiful!!

I'll be attending the East Coast Games Conference in 2 months to look for work in the industry, and getting my portfolio ready has been taking all my spare time. Sorry guys, I'll get to producing another adventure post-conference.
I aim to redo the PDF of The Dike is Breaking using HomeBrewery, though, so it can look just as gorgeous as its new cover. I'll be sure to keep an old format for printing.

And thanks to Ruth, Rex, Megan, Gina, Cort, David, Khiah, Tim, Jeff, Daniel, Austin, Jared, Anna, Joseph, Heather, Michelle, Rebekah, and Justin for their help in playtesting and making this a reality.

And thanks to Alec the DM, David/Tijiauah, and Alec/Gormeck for showing me what D&D can be.

Be heroes.