At the birth of Dungeons and Dragons, adventurers were basically groups of people looking to loot ancient burial grounds or rob from less civilised monsters.
At some point, though, D&D became about vanquishing villains and stopping their wicked plots. While that obviously makes for better storytelling, every so often I appreciate a good dungeon raid.
Whispering Cairn is one of my all-time favorite adventures. It presents a history-rich environment with clever traps and dangerous foes which all make sense and it's presented as nothing more than a "I think there's some treasure in there" concept. The fact that most of the treasure was historical artifacts rather than just boring old cash and gems made it even better (the PC's risked their lives to get rich...and they didn't find a cent...hehee).
I understand Entombed with the Pharoahs is much the same, a bunch of adventurers risking their very souls for nothing more altruistic than getting rich.
Any more adventures like those floating around out there?
Cruicible of Chaos does have three thematically linked undead princes, but they're not doing anything especially villainous at the moment. Just hanging out, being dead and crazy, trying to wrangle the shoggoth (more out of curiosity and self-preservation than "and then I will rule the world!).
At the birth of Dungeons and Dragons, adventurers were basically groups of people looking to loot ancient burial grounds or rob from less civilised monsters.
At some point, though, D&D became about vanquishing villains and stopping their wicked plots... every so often I appreciate a good dungeon raid.
...
Any more adventures like those floating around out there?
As I read the Paizo blog, it looks as though Pathfinder Society Scenario #11: The Third Riddle may fit your criteria. The Dec. 18th blog describes Scenario #11 as a race to find the sphinx, rescue Colm Safan, and solve an ancient riddle. No villain--though your group is being chased by "a band of cloaked riders."
It's will be available as soon as the Frost gets moved and thawed out. Come on Seattle thaw; I wanna' order "The Third Riddle."