Tales from the Yawning Maw: Table of Contents
Preface
Welcome to Tales from the Yawning Maw, a Star Wars 5th Edition conversion of the Tales from the Yawning Portal adventure anthology. Within this book, you will find seven of the deadliest dungeons from the history of D&D, converted to the SW5e system for use with its unique mechanics. Some are classics that have hosted an untold number of adventurers, while others are newer creations boldly staking their place in the pantheon of notable D&D adventures.
Just as these dungeons have made an impression on D&D players, so too have tales of their infamous counterparts spread across the Star Wars galaxy. When the busiest hours end on Hallast Station, and the lights in the taproom of the Yawning Maw dim to a deep crimson, adventurers from across the galaxy - and even some visiting from beyond the Outer Rim - spin tales and rumors of lost treasures.
- A wanderer from the distant Chiss Ascendancy speaks of strange, leering devil faces carved in dungeon walls that can devour an explorer in an instant, leaving behind not a single trace of the poor soul's passing.
- A bald, stern umbaran clad in dark-grey robes and speaking with a strange accent tells of a resurfaced crime lord who claimed three powerful weapons from across the galaxy, then spirited them away to a trap-filled lair and dared adventurers to enter his lair and recover them.
- A two-eyed gran spins tales of a temple that fell into the earth, and whose ruins stand above a subterranean grove dominated by a tree that spawns evil.
These are only a few of the tales that have spread across the galaxy from the furthest reaches of the Outer Rim and beyond. The minor details change with the telling. The expedition into the dread tomb of Darth Phylax shifts its coinciding era from the war-torn galaxy of the Old Republic, to the authoritarian days of the Galactic Empire, to some other grand era in each telling. The key elements remain the same in each version of the tales, lending a thread of truth to the tale.
The seeds of those stories now rest in your hand. D&D's deadliest dungeons are now part of your arsenal of adventures, re-contextualized into a Star Wars format. Enjoy, and remember to keep a few spare character sheets handy.
Using This Book
Tales from the Yawning Maw contains seven adventures taken from across D&D's history and converted both mechanically and lore-wise to match Star Wars 5th Edition.
The introduction of each adventure provides ideas on adapting it to a variety of Star Wars eras. Use that information to place it in your campaign or to give you an idea of how to adapt it.
These adventures provide the perfect side quest away from your current campaign. If you run published SW5e adventure conversions, such as the Lost Mine of Kessel/Valnor, the higher level adventures presented here are an ideal way to extend the campaign beyond.
About the Adventures
To access each of the following adventures, select the title for each to be guided to the appropriate GM Binder document. Each document also contains links back to this primary document and links to the preceding and following adventures in this collection.
The Sunless Temple
1st-3rd Level
The Sunless Temple is a SW5e conversion of The Sunless Citadel. The Sunless Citadel, written by Bruce R. Cordell, was the first published adventure for the third edition of the D&D game. It is designed for a party of four or five 1st level player characters.
Ever since its publication in 2000, The Sunless Citadel has been widely regarded as an excellent way to introduce new players to the game. It's also a great starting experience for someone looking to be a Dungeon Master for the first time.
In this SW5e conversion, the ancient citadel has been reimagined as a temple of ancient Dathomirian Nightsisters, containing warring tribes of jawas and dathomirians above the grove of a malicious tree served by its thralls and an exiled witch.
Forge of the Nightscales
3rd-5th Level
Forge of the Nightscales is a SW5e conversion of The Forge of Fury. The Forge of Fury, written by Richard Baker, was published in 2000 shortly after The Sunless Citadel. Characters who succeeded in that mission and advanced to 3rd level were now ready to take on the challenges of a ruined dwarven fortress.
Like its predecessor, The Forge of Fury is tailored to provide increasingly tougher threats as the characters make their way through the fortress. Those who survive the experience can expect to advance to 5th level-seasoned adventurers ready to strive for greater glory and renown.
In this SW5e conversion, the dwarves are reimagined as Mandalorians who fought and perished against the combined forces of Outer Rim pirates, leaving their redoubt to be overtaken years later by trandoshan raiders, sith-spawn and a clandestine collective of ugnaught engineers.
White Plume Installation
8th-9th Level
White Plume Installation is a SW5e conversion of White Plume Mountain. Lawrence Schick, the author of White Plume Mountain, related in the 2013 compilation Dungeons of Dread that he wrote the adventure as a way of persuading Gary Gygax to hire him as a game designer. Not only did he get the job, but White Plume became an instant favorite when it was first published in 1979.
The version of the adventure in this book is tailored to a group of characters of 8th level.
In this SW5e conversion, the titular mountain is reimagined as an asteroid mining facility that has been refurbished by a mad kaminoan scientist, whose indoctrinated servants and genetic abominations now roam the halls.
Lost In Hypervault
9th-11th Level
Darkness on Thyos is a SW5e conversion of Dead in Thay. Dead in Thay, written by Scott Fitzgerald Gray, was created when the fifth edition D&D game was in the testing stages. In its original form, it was used as the story of the D&D Encounters season in the spring of 2014. Featuring an immense and lethal dungeon known as the Doomvault, the adventure serves as a tribute to Tomb of Horrors, Ruins of Undermountain, and other "killer dungeons" throughout the history of the game.
The version of Dead in Thay presented here is modified for use in home campaigns. It is designed for characters of 9th to 11th level.
(Work In Progress - Planned to be set in a secret base of the Grysk Hegemony, a powerful force in the Unknown Regions who face constant conflict with the Chiss Ascendency.)
Against the Titans
11th-14th Level
Against the Titans is a SW5e conversion of Against the Giants. The three linked adventures that make up Against the Giants were created and originally released in 1978, during the time when Gary Gygax was still writing the Player's Handbook for the original AD&D game. Despite being (in a sense) older than the game itself, these adventures continue to hold a special place in the hearts and memories of D&D players of all ages.
The compilation of Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, and Hall of the Fire Giant King was published in 1981 as Against the Giants. The version presented here is designed to be undertaken by characters of 11th level.
(Work In Progress - Planned to be set across a series of worlds inhabited by giant sentients evolved from iconic Star Wars beasts, such as the rancor and wampa.)
Tomb of Dark Forces
11th Level and Above
Tomb of Dark Forces is a SW5e conversion of Tomb of Horrors. Before there was much of anything else in the world of the D&D game, there was the Tomb of Horrors.
The first version of the adventure was crafted for Gary Gygax's personal campaign in the early 1970s and went on to be featured as the official Dungeons & Dragons event at the original Origins gaming convention in 1975. The first publication of Tomb of Horrors, as a part of the Advanced D&D game, came in 1978.
As a proving ground for characters and players alike, fabricated by the devious mind of the game's cocreator, Tomb of Horrors has no equal in the annals of D&D's greatest adventures. Only high-level characters stand a chance of coming back alive, but every player who braves the Tomb will have the experience of a lifetime.
Unlike the other adventures presented here, the difficulty does not directly correspond to PC level. As such, groups of 11th level and above are equally suited to tackling the challenges within, though higher level players will have more options at their disposal and may be able to bypass certain challenges altogether.
(Work In Progress - Planned to be set in the devious and trap-filled tomb of a Sith Lord named Darth Phylax on the Unknown Regions planet of Exegol.)
Running the Adventures
To run each of these adventures, you need a digital or physical copy of the rules for SW5e - a mixture of content from the Player's Handbook, Wretched Hives and Expanded Content will be used. Before you sit down with your players, read the text of the adventure all the way through and familiarize yourself with the maps as well, perhaps making notes about complex areas or places where the characters are certain to go, so you're well prepared before the action starts.
Text that appears in a box like this with no title is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text.
Title
If the box contains a title like above, it is not meant to be read aloud unless the text advises it - this functions as a 'sidebar' box that contains important information to assist the GM in running the adventure.
Although many creatures used in these adventures may have similar names to creatures found in the Scum and Villainy codex or the expanded Hypercodex, only use the ones provided with this document to run the adventure as intended - any creatures you need for the adventure itself will be provided in appendices for each adventure, but you are free to include other creatures or alter existing ones as you see fit.
Most force and tech powers, as well as unenhanced objects or equipment mentioned in this compendium are described in the Player's Handbook; items written for this adventure or taken from unofficial sources will be outlined in the adventure text or its appendices. All enhanced items used in these adventures, even those that are outlined in Wretched Hives or Expanded Content, will be outlined in the appendices for each adventure.
Creating a Campaign
While the original 5e adventures were never meant to be combined into a full campaign - over 30 years separates the newest from the oldest - they were been selected to provide play across a broad range of levels. With a little work, you can run a complete campaign using only this book of the SW5e conversions.
Starting with The Sunless Temple, guide your players through the adventures in the order that they are presented in this book. Each one provides enough XP that, upon completing the adventure, the characters should be high enough level to advance to the next one. If you instead use milestone leveling, instructions are given on where to cap your adventurers in order to keep them at an appropriate level for the next adventure.
The Yawning Maw, or some other cantina of your own invention or drawn from other Star Wars media, provides the perfect framing device for the campaign. The characters hear rumors of each dungeon, with just enough information available to lead them to the next adventure. Perhaps a friendly NPC drawn from the upcoming adventure visits the cantina in search of help, or some element of a character's background pushes the group down the proper hyperlane. In any case, these dungeons are designed to be easily portable to any campaign setting.
In turn, the Yawning Maw can be used as an intermediary for players to pick new characters between adventures if their previous character has left or perished, or if they simply believe a different skillset is required. In any of these cases, the broad clientele that the Yawning Maw attracts and its relative neutrality amongst the galaxy's many conflicts makes it perfect as a stop between adventures.
The Yawning Maw
Amid the bustle of the Inner Core, only a few systems away from Coruscant where barristers, senators, and emissaries battle with word and contract, stands a cantina not quite like any other. Before there was Coruscant or even what could be recognized as an ancestor of the Galactic Republic, there was a station, and within that station begins the tale of the Yawning Maw.
A long, long time ago during the days of the Infinite Empire, the prolific rakatan force-wielder Hallast built a space station in the Inner Core as his base and delved deep into a vast and mysterious nebula in search of ever greater access to the Dark Side of the Force. Hallast and his associates began building a stronghold within the nebula's few safe sectors, constructing new lairs within the vast cloud for reasons of their own. In time, their structures grew into the vast labyrinth known today as the Infinite Passage, one of the largest and most dangerous ruins in the galaxy, and the nebula it was built within became known as the Hallast Nebula. Hallast eventually disappeared, as did the empire he once served, but the massive complex he built remains to this day, accessible only through an ancient rakatan teleporter within the decrepit Hallast Station.
For untold years, the secrets of the Infinite Passage remained hidden from the wider galaxy - only the rakatan station, dubbed Hallast Station, remained as a reminder of its existence. Everyone who entered the Infinite Passage failed to return. Its reputation as a death trap grew to the point that criminals on Coruscant who were facetiously sentenced to exile were forcibly sent into the Passage and left to fend for themselves.
All of that changed with the arrival of two beings; a kiffar warrior named Durnan and a devaronian ne'er-do-well named Mirk. The duo were the first adventurers to return from the Infinite Passage, laden with riches and ancient treasures. While Mirk used his wealth to buy an estate on a lavish planet, Durnan had different plans. Durnan retired from adventuring and used his wealth to purchase Hallast Station from the sector's authorities. Within this station, he built a cantina that caters to adventurers and those who seek their services, and he called it the Yawning Maw.
Some of the treasure Durnan looted on his successful foray into the Infinite Passage granted him a life span that exceeds even that of a wookiee. And for centuries, Durnan left delving into the Hallast Nebula to younger folk. Yet one day, something drew him back. Days of waiting for his triumphant return from the dungeon turned to months and then years. For nearly a century, citizens of the galaxy thought him dead. But one cycle, the teleporter unexpectedly activated and Durnan himself manifested before the shocked patrons.
Few at first believed it could be Durnan, but holo-record and DNA sample comparisons confirmed his reappearance. The Yawning Maw had passed into the hands of his ancestors, but Durnan returned with enough riches for them to quietly retire. Durnan took his customary place behind the bar, raised a toast to his own safe return, and then began serving customers as if he'd never left.
Adventurers from across the galaxy, and even from beyond the known regions, visit the Yawning Maw to exchange knowledge about the Infinite Passage and other dungeons. Most visitors are content to swap stories by the heating unit, but sometimes a group driven by greed, ambition, or desperation pays the toll for entry and enters the Passage. Most don't survive to make the return trip, but enough come back with riches and tales of adventure to tempt other groups into trying their luck.
Other Cantinas
Though the Yawning Maw is oft considered a 'see it before you die' location, many cantinas and similar establishments across the galaxy are equally reputable places to swap stories and embark on adventures.
- Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, or simply the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine is a regular source of tales about bounty hunters and legendary warriors, as well as the starting point for one of the galaxy's most influential fellowships in the form of the Millenium Falcon's crew. Attended by human bartenders Wuher (a gruff, yet highly skilled male) by day and Ackmena (a sympathetic, no-nonsense female) by night during the days of the Empire, the cantina serves a variety of beverages catering to species from across the galaxy, though it disallowed droids on Wuher's authority. The discerning customer was even able to access a secret drinks menu, within which lay a further secret menu of black market weaponry.
- Jekk'Jekk Tarr is an 'aliens-only' cantina on Nar Shaddaa, maintaining its selective clientele by cycling gases and pollutants through its atmosphere that are lethal to humans and nikto. Boasting four distinct sections that suit the natural environments of exotic species, the cantina also houses a private lounge which acted as an office for Quarren Exchange gangster Visquis during the days of the Old Republic. Though it is possible for humans and nikto to enter with the use of a gas filter, they still have to cover themselves head-to-toe in concealing gear to avoid being run out by its patrons.
- Oga's Cantina on the planet Batuu is a common pit stop for travellers visiting Black Spire Outpost, attracting droids and organics alike with a vast and varied selection of themed food and drinks, both non- and alcholic in nature. The cantina is owned and operated by the blutopian Oga, a near-mythic figure within Black Spire Outpost who installed a former pilot droid as the cantina's DJ, dubbed 'R-3X'. Though the cantina is independent and relatively secure for beings of a dubious nature, it occasionally saw inspections by troopers of the occupying First Order passing through the outpost during the most fraught years of the New Republic.
Features of the Yawning Maw
The Yawning Maw's taproom fills the first floor of the cantina, which is located on Hallast Station bordering the eponymous nebula. The 40-foot-diameter dias built during the time of the Infinite Empire dominates the space. The "Well" (as the dias is referred to by many patrons) is a Rakatan transporter of ancient design, and now, taken under the care and operation of Durnan, near-instantly transports creatures into and out of the Hallast Nebula via mysterious teleportation technology. Small beasts, crazed survivors, and worse have been known to invade the Yawning Maw from the teleporter pad.
Balconies on the cantina's second and third floors overlook the "Well", with those floors accessed by way of plasteel stairs that rise up from the taproom. Guests sitting at the tables on the balconies have an excellent view of the dias and the action below.
Entering the "Well"
Those who wish to enter the Infinite Passage for adventure (or the daring tourists who just want to "ride the Force") must pay 10 credits to be transported. The return trip also costs 10 credits, sent through a terminal in advance. Once the initial payment is made, a few steps takes one to the raised platform. The teleporter's ancient rods are charged by Durnan, and when those who have paid are ready and positioned, the transporter is activated and its residents are shot through space to a waiting platform on the other side.
Oddities on Display
A staggering variety of curios and oddities adorn the taproom. Traditionally, adventurers who recover a strange relic from the Infinite Passage present it to Durnan as a trophy of their success. Other adventurers leave such curios to mark their visits to the cantina, or relinquish them after losing a bet with Durnan, who likes to wager on the fate of adventuring bands that enter the nebula.
Occasionally, something that strikes Durnan's fancy can be used to pay a bar tab; the psychometry granted to members of his species allows him to see the history associated with the item through the Force, making such curios even more valuable to him than most.
Yawning Maw Taproom Curios
| d20 | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | A key carved from Wroshyr wood |
| 2 | A small box with no apparent way to open it |
| 3 | A mummified Sith's hand |
| 4 | Half of a beskar symbol of Mandalore the Crusader |
| 5 | A small synth-hide pouch filled with various teeth |
| 6 | Burnt fragments of a scroll |
| 7 | A kloo horn missing its mouthpiece |
| 8 | A bloodstained datapad |
| 9 | A durasteel gauntlet that is hot to the touch |
| 10 | A aurodium coin stamped with a worn, hawk-wing helmet crest |
| 11 | A gen'dai tentacle, still wriggling |
| 12 | A silver coin that makes no noise when dropped |
| 13 | An empty bacta tank |
| 14 | A gearwork morai |
| 15 | A blue, glowing Kyber crystal shard |
| 16 | A statuette of a Shrii-ka-rai, wooden and painted black |
| 17 | A tome listing fourteen Force nexuses and their effects when touched |
| 18 | A vial filled with a dark, fizzy liquid that is sealed and cannot be opened |
| 19 | A tentacle taken from a slain dianoga |
| 20 | An electric smoking pipe stamped with Maz Kanata's seal |
A Typical Evening
On quiet cycles, guests in the Yawning Maw gather around a large heating unit in the taproom and swap tales of distant places, strange creatures, and valuable treasures. On busier nights, the place is loud and crowded. The balconies overflow with merchants and senators, while the tables on the ground floor are filled with adventurers and their associates. Invariably, the combination of a few drinks and the crowd's encouragement induces some folk to pay for a brief trip across to the Passage. Most folk pay in advance for a ride down and immediately back up, though a few ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the complex. Few such ill-prepared parties ever return.
Groups seeking to enter the Infinite Passage for a specific reason generally come to the cantina during its quiet hours. Even at such times, there are still a few prying eyes in the taproom, lurkers who carry news of the comings and goings from the Infinite Passage to the Hutt Clans, dark cults, criminal gangs, and other interested parties.
Starting the Story
Kicking off a dungeon adventure can be as simple as having a mysterious stranger offer the characters a quest while they are at the Yawning Maw (or some other cantina). This approach is a cliché, but it is an effective one. Use the following two tables to generate a couple of details, then tailor the particulars of the quest and the quest giver to suit the adventure you plan to run.
Mysterious Stranger Quest
| d8 | Objective |
|---|---|
| 1 | Recover a particular item |
| 2 | Find and return with an NPC or monster |
| 3 | Slay a terrible monster or NPC |
| 4 | Guard a person while they perform an analysis |
| 5 | Create an accurate map of part of the dungeon |
| 6 | Discover secret lore hidden in the dungeon |
| 7 | Destroy an object |
| 8 | Purify part of the dungeon of the Dark Side of the Force |
Mysterious Stranger Secret
| d8 | Objective |
|---|---|
| 1 | Intends to betray the party |
| 2 | Unwittingly provides false information |
| 3 | Has a secret agenda (roll another quest) |
| 4 | Is a Sith Lord in disguise |
| 5 | Has led other parties to their doom |
| 6 | Is the brainwashed thrall of a clandestine spy network |
| 7 | Is possessed by a Force spirit |
| 8 | Is a Jedi Master in disguise |
Durnan
The proprietor of the Yawning Maw is something of an enigma. Blessed with a seemingly limitless life span by treasures he brought back from his expedition nearly two centuries ago, he is as much a fixture in the tap room as the transporter.
Durnan is a man of few words. He expects to be paid for his time, and will offer insight and rumors only in return for hard credits. "We know the odds and take our chances," he says, whether he is breaking up a Pazaak game that has turned violent or refusing the pleas of adventurers trapped in the nebula who are unable to pay for a return trip.
Despite his stony heart, he is an excellent source of information about the Infinite Passage and other dungeons, provided one can pay his price.
Durnan's Qualities
Personality Trait: Isolation. It's a cruel galaxy. All people have to fend for themselves. Self-sufficiency is the only path to success.
Ideal: Independence. Someone who can stand alone can stand against anything.
Bond: The Yawning Maw. This place is my only home. My friends and family are long gone. I love this place, but I try not to get attached to the people here. I'll outlive them all. Lucky me.
Flaw: Heartless. If you want sympathy, the nearest monastery is in the next system. No matter how bad things are, you'll be gone in a blink of an eye.
Other Denizens
The Yawning Maw is host to a variety of regular visitors, most of whom offer services to adventurers. Chapter 4 of the D&D5e Dungeon Master's Guide provides plenty of resources for generating nonplayer characters, though they will have to be adapted to a Star Wars setting. The following table provides some possibilities for why an individual is visiting the Yawning Maw.
Denizens
| d10 | Denizen |
|---|---|
| 1 | Devotee of a monastic order, encourages adventures to seek out quests, can cast the valor force power |
| 2 | Bored, retired adventurer, claims to have explored dungeon of note and can describe first few areas (20 percent chance of an accurate description) |
| 3 | Heckler, mocks cowards and makes bets that adventurers won't return from an expedition |
| 4 | Con artist, selling fake treasure maps (but a 10 percent chance that a map is genuine) |
| 5 | Researcher's assistant, carefully making exact sketches of various curios at her superior's command |
| 6 | Spouse of a slain adventurer, who pays the toll for anyone wanting to exit the Infinite Passage and plots against Durnan |
| 7 | Hutt agent, seeks rumors of treasure, tails any folk who return from the Infinite Passage and notes their home base for future robbery |
| 8 | Agent of the Exchange, ordered to "steal the helmet worn by the eighth person to enter the taproom this cycle" |
| 9 | Carbonite-preserved body in a frame leaning against the bar; if asked about it, Durnan says, "He's waiting for someone," and nothing more |
| 10 | Maz Kanata, visiting from Takodana; 10 percent chance she is on an errand of galactic importance; otherwise, she's pressing Durnan for gossip |
Credits
Content
Tales from the Yawning Portal Preface - Tales from the Yawning Portal, Wizards of the Coast, 2017.
Official SW5e Content - Steev and all other contributors
Images
Cantina Band Art (Cover/pg 1) - https://w0.peakpx.com/wallpaper/791/444/HD-wallpaper-cantina-band-jawas-mos-eisley-new-hope-star-wars-tat-tatooine.jpg (original by Mike Mayhew at https://www.instagram.com/p/CreyX4jp4kB/?ref=blog)