Ring of the Dragon 

ver. [1.0] — by [Jim McIntyre] 

This is a short adventure for the Quest role-playing game. This 

adventure is designed to last for one session, but there is opportunity to 
use it as a starting hook for a longer adventure. I’ll suggest how you 
could do that towards the end. This is a good adventure for beginners, 
but can be used for groups of any level of experience. 

content warning 
There is violence, and violent themes contained within this adventure. 
The level of the violence depicted is up to the Guide, and should be 
established with consent by the party.  

spoiler warning 
This manual is meant to be used by The Guide to help narrate the 
story. If you are playing as one of the story’s main characters, don’t 
read further—you may spoil the game for yourself and your friends. 

setup 
The ​Quest Game Book​ is required to play this adventure. You can use 
the standard character creation process to help players create their 
characters. If your group decides to create characters during the play 
session, you should expect to add up to an hour to the session for 
setup. You can reduce this setup time by having the players create their 
characters before you meet. 
As The Guide, you should read this manual before meeting to play. 
Reading it in advance will help you run the adventure more smoothly. 
 

 
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introduction 
premise 
The village of Gaulburg has a dragon problem, or at least that is what 
the adventurers have been led to believe. A magical ring turns the 
wearer into a powerful dragon, and leaves them trapped in that form 
until someone removes the ring. Rumours of the ring, and the dragon 
have been around for centuries, but recently a group of miners from 
Gaulburg unearthed a chamber that led to a dragon with a gold band 
around one of it’s talon’s. Several people have set out to reclaim the 
ring, and all have come back to Gaulburg nursing wounds. 
The individual currently wearing the ring of the dragon is named Fiora, 
and wants to be freed from wearing the ring, but one of the powers of a 
dragon is mind reading, and Fiora does not want the power of being a 
dragon to go to someone who will do evil with that power. Each time 
someone comes to acquire the ring Fiora asks them what they intend 
to do with the ring, and tells them that if their intentions are pure she 
will let them take it. She then reads their mind, and senses their intent, 
if they intend to do evil with the ring, or use it for their own gain she 
chases them off.  
A brother and sister merchant duo, Lacey and Thompson have heard 
about the ring, and want it for their own purposes. Thompson wants to 
sell the ring, and make a large fortune in doing so. Lacey wants the 
power of being a dragon. The duo have heard about the question the 
dragon asks, and have decided to hire good-hearted adventurers telling 
them that they need to save the village by retrieving the ring of the 
dragon. 
For a more serious adventure the Guide can have Fiora the dragon 
having killed those who went to retrieve the ring, rather than simply 
injuring them.  
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summary 
Adventurers will begin in the village of Gaulburg in the general store 
where they will meet their employers, Lacey and Thompson. After 
being briefed they will head into the mines, and work their way 
through various challenges to confront the dragon. Either through 
combat, or through conversation the players will obtain the ring, and 
be faced with the choice of what to do with the ring, and then deal with 
the consequences of that choice.   

adventure hooks 
The players have been hired by a merchant duo to deal with a dragon 
that is troubling the village of Gaulburg. Invite the players to describe 
how they received the job offer. Potential ideas are a town notice board, 
a traveling minstrel, or a letter addressed to the adventurers. 

music 
The team at Roll for Friendship Podcast, have created music to add to 
the atmosphere of the adventure. You can find the full playlist on 
soundcloud here​. At the start of each section that the music has been 
designed for, there is a link to that particular track. 
   
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part 1: A Small Huge Dragon Problem 

15–20 minutes 

In this scene players will meet the merchants who have hired them, 
and prepare to deal with the dragon. 

Optional music track to accompany the scene.​ (Track title: 

Anticipation.) 

For the Guide to read aloud: 

For decades there have been rumours of a magic artifact 

that would turn whoever wore it into a fearsome and 
beautiful red dragon. The Ring of the Dragon, thought to be 
myth by most, has recently been discovered. 

A hush lingers over the town of Gaulburg. Despite the 

bright sunny morning, the streets of the small town are 
mostly empty. On the rare occasion where you glimpse a 
figure moving through the streets, they move like someone 
trying to escape the rain. 

The air feels heavy with the tension, and the bell that hangs 
above the door of Gaulburg’s general store is startlingly 
loud as you enter. Goods of all kinds line the walls, and 
cabinets of the store. A large glass display cabinet stands in 
the centre of the store and behind it are two figures who 
wave and smile warmly as you approach. 
 5 
Lacey: “​Hello, I’m going to be presumptuous and take a 
guess that you might be adventurers here to take up our job 
offer.” 

Thompson: “​And to save our town in doing so.​” 

Lacey looks annoyed at Thompson’s interruption, but 

continues “​Yes, as you may have heard a dragon has been 
found in our mines. The miners recently unearthed a couple 
of new tunnels, both of which headed in the same direction. 
They discovered that one was dangerous, and trap filled, and 
the other much shorter tunnel led into a cavern with a 
massive dragon.  
 
The dragon challenged them and asked what they would do 
with her ring if she allowed them to take it. Of course they 
were so terrified they didn’t answer, but the dragon seemed 
to read their mind, and heard their thoughts of the riches 
they could accrue, the vengeance they could deal out were 
they to obtain the ring, and so the dragon attacked them.  
 
They sealed the short tunnel, but left the longer tunnel 
thinking only fools would venture through the dangerous 
tunnel, to the even more dangerous cavern. And many fools 
have, and from what we’ve heard each has been asked that 
same question, and each has met an unfortunate fate.​” 
 6 
Thompson:“​We need you to put an end to this. Our miners 
are terrified to head back into the mine, the town is terrified 
we are going to be attacked by this dragon, and we are even 
hearing rumours of goblins emerging from the tunnel. We 
want you to go and get the ring with the express purpose of 
freeing our town from this threat.​”  

If the party asks questions of Lacey and Thompson, they do not know 
much more than what they have told the adventurers. The merchants 
will be willing to equip the party, and give each party member one 
uncommon item to help them on their adventure. They will also 
promise the party one rare item each for fulfilling the quest, but insist 
that the item can not be the group’s motivation, or they will be doomed 
to fail. The guide should decide ahead of time what equipment the 
merchants might have stocked.  

If they want to talk to someone in town who ventured into the tunnels, 
or to one of the miners the guide should have that individual tell them 
about the first trap that they will face.  
   
 7 

part 2: The Entrance 

5-15 minutes 

Players will begin making their way into the mine, and one way or 
another will need to deal with a pack of goblins. 
 
For the Guide to read aloud: 

The path out of the village leads you up a winding track up 
the mountain. At first the path is steep, though well worn, 
but as you near the entrance the path flattens out. A large 
flat expanse of well trodden dirt and rocks is outside the 
cavernous entrance to the Gaulburg mine. Tools, 
lunchboxes, and even the odd piece of clothing lay 
abandoned marking the hasty exit of the miners. Voices 
echo out from inside of the mine, and you can hear at least 
three high-pitched and raspy voices arguing with each 
other. They have not noticed you yet. 

The goblins belong to a gang of goblins who are after the horde of gold 
that they believe the dragon is protecting. There is no gold, but the 
goblins do not know this. These three goblins have been posted at the 
entrance to deter anyone else from entering the mine and interfering 
with their attempts to steal the dragon’s gold.  
 
Combat is not essential, but the goblins will try and prevent the 
adventurers from entering unless they agree to deal with the dragon, 
and let the goblins have the treasure. The goblins are too greedy, and 
focussed on the gold to suggest this themselves, but if the players 
 8 
suggest it they will leap at this option. They also will not communicate 
this alliance to the other goblins in the mine, unless they are convinced 
to accompany the players. If players convince the goblins to join them, 
make the goblins roll to navigate the traps as well, and don’t be afraid 
to dispatch them especially if you are playing with a darker setting.  

Goblin 
4 hp — 2 atk 
Regeneration   
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part 3: Following the Rail 

15-30 minutes 

Adventurers will move through the mountain, either by minecart, or on 

foot. 
 
Optional music track to accompany the scene.​ (Into the Cave.) 

For the Guide to read aloud: 

Inside the mine you can see several tunnels leading off in 
different directions, and a set of two minecart tracks leading 
deeper into the mine. Both tracks have rickety looking 
minecarts parked upon them. Down the tunnel that the cart 
tracks lead you catch glimpses of more hastily abandoned 
gear marking the direction the miners fled from.  

The mine carts have a brake and a T-bar type lever at the rear and front 
that can be pumped up and down to either help the cart move up or 
down the track. The cart will also move down the track without using 
the pump if the brake is lifted, but speed can be added with the pump. 

Trial 

Use the rules for Trials to run this scene. The players will be 
challenged to travel through this section of tunnels, either 
via the minecart, or walking. 
 10 
Remember that in a Trial, the players can do almost 
anything to deal with the challenge as long as it makes 
sense. Use what the players decide to do to help build on the 
scene. For example, if a player fails a roll and snaps off the 
brake of the minecart, another player can use their turn to 
roll to see if they can fashion another way to slow the cart’s 
progress. 

In a Trial, the players must roll the die during their turn no 
matter what they decide to do. If they decide to use an 
ability, you can ignore the typical outcomes for that ability 
and instead think about how it applies to what the player is 
trying to do in the Trial. 

Suggested challenges 

The second minecart catches up with you, and contains 

several goblins with crossbows. 

A flock of angry bats swirls around the party, blocking their 

vision. 

Part of the tunnel has flooded, and the minecart plunges 

into the water. 

A fog fills the tunnel making it difficult to see. 

There is a gap coming up in the cart-track. 

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Outcomes 

If the players pass the Trial, they make it safely to the end of 
this tunnel, and reach the long and trap filled passage that 
leads to the dragon’s cavern. If they fail the trial, have each 
player roll the die. The player who rolls the lowest number 
loses a random treasure in the journey. 

   
 12 

part 4: Traps and Tunnels 

30-45 minutes 

The adventurers will be faced with the two passages, one blocked, and 
one open, but trap-filled. Navigating through the traps the adventurers 
will find themselves near the cavern with the dragon. 
 
For the Guide to read aloud: 

At the end of the cart track is a large open section of the 

mine. Several bedrolls, and abandoned and upturned seats 
surround what was once a campfire. Two passages branch 
off from the cavern, one appears to have been hastily 
collapsed, and is filled with rocks. The second stands vacant, 
and stretches off out of sight. You know this is the 
trap-filled passageway you were told about. Unlike the rest 
of the mine passageways, this one is paved with dark blue 
bricks, and is somehow free of dirt, and dust. 

If the players have lost a substantial amount of health from the 

combat, or Trial this might be a good place to suggest they Regroup, 
but there will also be a space on the other-side of this tunnel before 
they encounter the dragon. 
If players know of the first trap it may be worth reminding them of 
what they know.  
 
Also if you are running a darker version of this one-shot you may want 
to describe the remains of adventurers who did not successfully 
navigate their way through traps, and try and do so in a way that does 
not give away the trap. 
 13 
Trap #1 
For the Guide to read aloud: 

Venturing down the passageway you come to a place where 

the blue-bricks of the floor are replaced by a large metal 
floor panel that stretches 7 feet forward. The dark blue 
bricks continue on the other-side of the metal panel, but on 
either side of the wall above the panel are long thin and 
dark holes in the wall. 

If players step on the panel they will trigger the trap, and axes will 
swing down from the gaps in the walls, and players will have to avoid 
them. If players trigger the trap, have them roll to navigate past the 
axes. The axes will continue to swing back and forth for several 
minutes.  
Trap #2 
 
Optional music track to accompany the scene.​ (In the Shadow of the 
Tower.) 
For the Guide to read aloud: 

Having made it past the first trap, you travel for a while 
uninterrupted, before once again finding an end to the dark 
blue bricks. This time they are replaced by a 5 by 10 grid of 
large red paving stones. Each paving stone is just big 
enough for one person to stand on with both feet.  

This trap will trigger if players step on the wrong square. When the 
trap triggers the square stepped on will drop away into a pit, and a 
horizontal bar will sweep down from the roof moving at waist height 
 14 
across the length of the trap, before returning to the roof ready to 
sweep again. Upon triggering the trap players will need to respond to 
both the dropping square, and the swinging beam.  
In order to successfully navigate the trap players will need to start at 
the leftmost square, and move diagonally forward 5 squares until they 
reach the wall, and then move diagonally back the remaining 5 
squares. If players look around for any clues they spot a crude drawing 
scratched on a wall that marks the first 5 safe squares. 

Trap #3 
For the Guide to read aloud: 

Having made it past the second trap, you continue travelling 

down the passageway. Ahead of you you can see a series of 
gaps in the floor that stretch nearly all the way across the 
width of the cavern, except for a narrow ledge on each wall 
that continues on the whole way over the gaps. Behind you, 
you hear a loud rumbling, and then a smashing noise, as a 
giant boulder drops from the roof, and begins rumbling 
towards you quickly gaining speed.  

This trap triggers no matter what the players do. You can either have 
players simply navigate through this section, or run it as another Trial. 
If a player successfully navigates part of the cavern you can have the 
rest of the players succeed in following in their footsteps, rather than 
requiring everyone to roll for the same section. 
 15 

Trial 

Use the rules for Trials to run this scene. The players will be 
challenged to travel through this section of tunnel with a 
giant boulder chasing them.  
 
Remember that in a Trial, the players can do almost 
anything to deal with the challenge as long as it makes 
sense.  

In a Trial, the players must roll the die during their turn no 
matter what they decide to do. If they decide to use an 
ability, you can ignore the typical outcomes for that ability 
and instead think about how it applies to what the player is 
trying to do in the Trial. 

Suggested challenges 

A series of gaps need to be jumped over to continue running 

away from the boulder. 

A gap too large to jump hangs before you, and the boulder is 
quickly catching up. 

A fog fills the tunnel making it difficult to see. 

The cavern slopes downward drastically, the weight of the 

boulder will make it catch you on the slide if you don’t do 
something about it. 
 16 
A large stone slab covers the rest of the passageway, with 
only a narrow door frame standing empty which you will 
need to get through before the boulder slams against it. 

Outcomes 

If the players pass the Trial, they make it safely to the end of 
this tunnel, and reach an empty doorway built into a large 
stone slab which the boulder will crash into, and be stopped 
by. If they fail the trial, have each player roll the die. The 
player who rolls the lowest number loses a random treasure 
in the journey. 

For the Guide to read aloud: 

The boulder slams into the wall behind you, causing the 
whole passage to shake. Dirt and dust falls around you. You 
are in a large clearing. A blocked passageway shows where 
the short tunnel would have led you. Strewn about the 
clearing are bedrolls, discarded food items, and make shift 
chairs. This was likely a place miners rested before moving 
on and discovering the dragon. Two ornate and massive 
steel doors mark the entrance to the dragon’s cavern.  

If the adventurers are not doing well health-wise this is a good place to 
suggest they rest before moving on to confront the dragon. 
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part 5: The Dragon 

5-40 minutes 

The adventurers will find themselves confronting the dragon Fiora. If 
they have pure motives she will gift them with the ring, but if their 
motives are not pure she will attack them.  

For the Guide to read aloud: 

Walking through the steel doors you find yourselves in a 

massive chamber. You don’t see any gold, but every surface 
including the large pillars interspersed through the room is 
covered with shiny grey metal. In the middle of the chamber 
is a hulking, beautiful, fearsome, and horrifying red dragon. 
You can just make out a small wooden door in the wall 
behind the dragon. Smoke gently wafts from her nostrils, 
and she turns and stares at you with one giant yellow eye. A 
gold band encircles one of her talons. Her voice booms out 
“​Hello. What is your purpose in coming here?​”  

Fiora has been a dragon for several centuries now, and is eager to give 
up the ring, but only wants to entrust the ring to someone who will not 
use the ring for ill intent. Fiora has a wry wit, a booming voice, and is 
quite friendly.  
 
An option for playing this scene is to instruct the players to not only 
communicate what their characters are saying, but also what their 
character is thinking, because Fiora can read their minds.  
 
If at least one player’s motives are pure Fiora will take off the ring and 
you can go to Part 5B, if all players have questionable motives, or attack 
 18 
Fiora use the stat block below to have them fight her, and towards the 
end of the fight Lacey, Thompson, and two bodyguards will join, and 
assist in fighting the dragon, but try to take the ring as soon as she is 
slain. 

Red Dragon 
50 hp — 4 atk (Claws/Bite) - 6atk (Fire 
Breathing) 
Colossal, extra attack 

   
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part 5b: Be the Dragon 

30-45 minutes 

Fiora determining the motives of the characters are pure will remove 
the ring, and hand it over to the party, at this point she will vanish, and 
the players will find themselves faced with Lacey, Thompson, some 
body-guards, and potentially goblins. 
 
Optional music track to accompany the scene.​ (Confrontation.) 

For the Guide to read aloud: 

Walking through the steel doors you find yourselves in a 

The dragon raises one giant paw, and uses a talon to scrape 
the ring off it’s other talon. The golden ring clatters to the 
floor and shrinks to the size of a normal ring. At the same 
time the dragon begins to shrink. Suddenly a short elderly 
woman, with long grey hair stands in front of you with a 
broad smile on her kind face. “​I’m entrusting you with this. 
Please use it for good.​” With that she is encased in a glowing 
golden light, the light increases until you are forced to close 
your eyes against the glow. As you blink clear your vision 
the woman has vanished.  
 
“​Thank you for dealing with the dragon, now we’ll be taking 
that ring off your hands.​” Turning you spot Lacey, 
Thompson, and two bodyguards entering the chamber.  

 
If an adventurer puts on the ring have them flip a coin at the beginning 
of each turn. If they call the coin flip correctly they are in control of 
 20 
themselves, but if they do not call it correctly they are overwhelmed by 
the power of the ring, and the guide will get to determine their actions 
for that turn.  
If it doesn’t look like players want to use the ring, and you are pushing 
them towards it, you could have a group of goblins join the fight, or 
increase Thompson, or Lacey’s health.  
The roof and pillars are metal, so if fire starts getting thrown around in 
this fight molten metal might begin to drip down towards the 
combatants.  

Thompson 
10 hp — 4 atk 
Fireball, Freeze 

Lacey 
10 hp — 4 atk 
Lifetap 

Bodyguard 
4 hp — 2 atk 

When the fight is complete adventurers can exit through the wooden 
door at the back of the chamber, and it will take them through a short 
hidden passage that leads out near the village of Gaulburg.  
This can be used as a starting hook for an adventure in a few ways. If 
players have ended up with the ring, word may get out, and there may 
 21 
be many people trying to take it from them. Alternatively if Lacey or 
Thompson wound up with the ring, they may cause havoc and the 
players will be forced to go and clean up their mess, and try to take 
down the dragon. 

   
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credits 
quest 
This work uses material from the Quest Creators Resource. The Quest 
Creators Resource by The Adventure Guild, LLC is licensed under ​CC 
BY 4.0​. For more information about Quest, please visit 
www.adventure.game​. Additionally, please read ​Quest’s Community 
Guidelines​ to help create experiences that are positive and fun. 

quest adventure template 

This work is based on the Quest Adventure Template, an independent 
resource created by Nirav Sanghani and licensed under ​CC BY 4.0​. It’s 
available at ​nirav.io/questadventuretemplate​. 

ttrpg safety toolkit 

The TTRPG Safety Toolkit is a resource created by Kienna Shaw and 
Lauren Bryant-Monk. The TTRPG Safety Toolkit is a compilation of 
safety tools that have been designed by members of the tabletop 
roleplaying games community for use by players and GMs at the table. 
You can find it at ​bit.ly/ttrpgsafetytoolkit​. 

acknowledgements 
editor:​ Jon Pass 
playtesters:​ Roll for Friendship (Jesse Pass, Jon Pass, Dan Bickham) 

author 
Jim McIntyre is a counsellor, coach, podcaster, and voracious reader. 
You can find him on Twitter at ​@jimmcintyre​, or on ​The Suggestive 
Podcast​ or ​Roll for Friendship​.