''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' is an adventure module anthology for the 5th edition of the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...

Summary

''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' is an anthology of updated modules and adventures from previous editions. The modules are modified to use the fifth edition rules, and adjusted to match differing levels of

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...

s, so that the adventures can be played in the order they are presented in the book, or dropped into a home campaign. The adventures included, in the order of presentation and including original publication year, are: *''

The Sunless Citadel ''The Sunless Citadel'' is an adventure module for the 3rd edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Plot summary This 32-page book begins with a two-page introduction. According to the adventure background provided, the p ...

'' (2000) *'' The Forge of Fury'' (2000) *''

The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan ''The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan'' is an adventure module for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, set in the ''World of Greyhawk'' campaign setting for use with the 1st edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' rules. It ...

'' (1980) *''

White Plume Mountain ''White Plume Mountain'' is an adventure module for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, written by Lawrence Schick and published by TSR in 1979. The 16-page adventure bears the code "S2" ("S" for "special"). The adv ...

'' (1979) *'' Dead in Thay'' (2014) *''

Against the Giants ''Against the Giants'' is an adventure module written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR in 1981 for the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It combines the G series of modules previously published in 1978: ''Steading of the H ...

'' (1981) *''

Tomb of Horrors ''Tomb of Horrors'' is an adventure module written by Gary Gygax for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. It was originally written for and used at the 1975 Origins 1 convention. Gygax designed the adventure both to chal ...

'' (1978)

Publication history

''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' was released on March 24, 2017, in local game stores and was later released through other retailers on April 4, 2017.

Reception

In ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

's'' "Best-selling Books Week Ending April 17, 2017", ''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' was #6 in "Hardcover Nonfiction" and sold 10,348 units.

Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. History ...

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, and

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all highlighted the module nature of this book unlike the more linear structure of ''

Storm King's Thunder ''Storm King’s Thunder'' is an adventure module for the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Plot summary Storm King Hekaton is "mysteriously absent from the Forgotten Realms, leaving the Giant races he usua ...

''. In Paste Magazine's review, Cameron Kunzelman wrote that "''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' rides the line between nostalgia and ease of access for new players" and that it "has a little something for every kind of ''D&D'' player or DM". In

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two ...

's review of the updated ''Tomb of Horrors'', Charlie Hall wrote that "the Tomb of Horrors as published in this new edition is excellently annotated. You should have no trouble moving players along from room to room. What may trip you up, however, are descriptions of the rooms themselves. This new version is conspicuously light on art, and Gygax’s descriptions can feel a bit dated to modern ears". ''Tales from the Yawning Portal'' was one of the Judges' Spotlight Winners at the 2017

ENnie Awards The ENNIE Awards (previously stylized as ENnie Awards) are awards for role-playing game (RPG) products (including game-related accessories, publications, and art) and their creators. The awards were created in 2001 by Russ Morrissey of EN World i ...

References

{{D&D topics Dungeons & Dragons modules ENnies winners Role-playing game supplements introduced in 2017