Hurtalak's Grave - survival adventure - Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 DarkSun module introduction

Oct 5, 2026

Hurtalak's Grave is a rules-light Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 survival adventure designed to introduce new players to the world of Athas (DarkSun). Set in a remote desert village far from major centers, the story follows villagers and PCs as they face a grave crisis while the DM can gradually reveal the setting’s wonders and dangers. It can be run as a one-shot introductory adventure or the starting point for a longer Athas campaign. Background recounts the founding of the settlement, the sorcerer-king’s pursuit, and a rebellion sparked by imminent execution.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time34 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Background

Hurtalak's Grave ii [www.byronthebard.com](www.byronthebard.com) This is a short module for Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 aimed at introducing the players to the setting of DarkSun. It has been designed for a group of 3 or 4 players new to the world of Athas. This is a ruleslight module focused on the story. For rules and statistics, please refer to the Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 rule books and to the DarkSun campaign setting conversion at [https://athas.org/products/](https://athas.org/products/)[ ](https://athas.org/products/)ds3 . The module could also be easily adapted to Dungeons & Dragons 5e. OVERVIEW Hurtalak's Grave is a survival adventure, designed to introduce new players to the world of Athas. The players will take the role of the inhabitants of a small village in a desertic region. As the action takes place in a remote area far from major centers, the characters have been left removed from the history and the main events taking place in the Tablelands. This will allow the DM to gradually introduce the players and the characters to the wonders and the dangers ofAthas. This adventure can work as a one-shot DarkSun introductory adventure or as the starting point for a longer campaign in Athas. It is a self-contained story in which the PCs are requested to deal with a grave crisis in their village, but it contains several hooks that may be exploited by the DM to set the players off in a longer DarkSun campaign. Some familiarity with the DarkSun setting on the side of the DM is desirable. Important aspects of the world are remarked upon in this module, but a knowledge of the mood, of noteworthy characters and locations may help making the adventure more immersive. Good sources are, of course, the original modules released for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons or for Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition. The website [https://athas.org/](https://athas.org/ provides a comprehensive)[ provides a comprehensive](https://athas.org/ provides a comprehensive)[ ](https://athas.org/ provides a comprehensive)repository of materials and rules adapted to the third edition. Finally, other excellent resources online, such as [https:](https:) //[www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G1vep6rcCI](www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G1vep6rcCI)[ ](www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G1vep6rcCI)can offer a quick and compelling intro to the world of Athas. BACKGROUND The story takes place in a remote desertic corner of Athas, to the very south-west of the Tablelands. Beyond Kalidnay and Celik, far from the last trees of the Forest Ridge in the north, lies a small village, counting approximately 35-50 inhabitants. The place is known by its inhabitant by different names such as Last Border , Hurtalak's Village, or Hurtalak's Grave; most commonly, though, the locals refer to it simply as the village. The settlement was founded about three generations ago by refugees coming from the southern periphery of the territory controlled by the city-state of Kalidnay. Around the Free Year 􀀀1331 Kalid-Ma, the sorcerer-king of Kalidnay, dispatched a small party in pursuit of Genaxak, a fugitive reputed to be a practitioner of magic, with the order to kill him and anyone who might be protecting or hiding him. The core of this group of executioners was composed by ﬁve templars led by Ib-Kner, a faithful lieutenant of the sorcerer-king. In support, the squad was also assigned ﬁve gladiators, expendable lives in case of a confrontation with Genaxak. The gladiators selected for this mission included Hurtalak, an old and ﬁerce mul; Daled, a veteran dwarf; Mysn, a thri-kreen; and two humans, Berdia and Ashornu. Rumors located Genaxak in the town of White Border, and Ib-Kner swiﬂty landed in the village. When Genaxak could not be found, an enraged Ib-Kner decided against the evidence that the townfolks were plotting with the sorcerer and ordered his minions to gather all the population of the small town in the city center, where, furious, he gave the order to slay them all. The templars starte

FAQs

What is Hurtalak's Grave meant to achieve for new players?

It introduces new players to Athas through a story-focused, rules-light adventure set in the DarkSun setting.

How is the adventure structured for use in a campaign?

It works as a self-contained one-shot introduction or as the starting point for a longer Athas campaign using narrative hooks.

Where and when does the story take place?

The story is set in a remote desert corner of Athas, in and around a small village founded by refugees generations earlier.

Oct 5, 2026

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