Converting Sunless Citadel to a 9th level eberron adventure. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Converting Sunless Citadel to a 9th level eberron adventure. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
beezly
10-02-06, 12:11 PM Hey,

I'm running through the pre-published eberron adventure path (Forgotten Forge through Grasp of the Emerald Claw). And I've got a few weeks until it's finished. (Read: 2 or 3, We went through FF and 1/2 of Shadows in a single 8 hour session, and we play once a week). I have sunless citadel, and, being in college, I don't have a great deal of time to write adventures/design dungeons. My players and I love the setting, so I want to showcase some more of its cooler aspects. The adventure path deals with a lot of cool aspects of the setting, but I want to show a little bit of the Daelkyr/Cultists of the Dragon Below. I own the Sunless Citadel, so I thought i'd cannabilize it to fit into the setting. So, my players are going to be 9th level by the time they reach the citadel, so, what should I do with it?
Anung_Un_Rama
10-02-06, 12:38 PM Make the druid at the very bottom of the dungeon (I forget his name, and my copy is in my dorm room, where I'm not) a member of the Emerald claw, I suppose. Maybe try and really play up the rivalry between the goblins and kobolds to extreme hights (and maybe make them all the same race, going for a sort of Conan; Red Nails story approach). That's all I can think up right now. And change the white dragon to something else, like a pseudonatural native of Xoriat or something. I can't think of much else, sorry.
DoveArrow
10-03-06, 09:04 PM Oye! You certainly have your work cut out for you. However, here are some ideas that you might want to consider. Note: Major spoilers for anyone who hasn't run or played in this module! I have therefore placed my ideas in an sblock for your protection. You have been warned.

Basically, you have two groups vying for power in the temple; the goblins and the kobolds, you have a tree that grew from a stake that was driven through a vampire's heart whose fruit is now growing into twig blights. Lastly, you have a druid that is (and I'm trying to remember this exactly) giving the fruit to the goblins to sell to the local villagers. Okay....

Well let's start with the goblins first. Since you're thinking about making this a daelkyr/Cult of the Dragon Below campaign, the first thing you might want to consider is switching out the goblins for some sort of aberration. Since you don't have a lot of time on your hands, I'm guessing you'll also want a monster that is around the CR level of your campaign. Now if memory serves, the yuan-ti are right around CR 9 (don't quote me on that, because I don't have my Monster Manual on hand, at the moment). They can also pass themselves off pretty easily as humans, so they make the perfect race for distributing the fruit that turns into twig blights.

Now as far as the kobolds are concerned, I would recommend that you consider using stone giants to replace them. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but hear me out. Stone giants are around the CR level that you want, they are neutral in alignment, so they can be used as both good guys and bad guys, and they're a monster that the PCs can potentially sympathize with. This last part is crucial because there is a classic scene in The Sunless Citadel where the PCs encounter a lovable kobold, named Meepo.

To give you some background: In the module, Meepo is a kobold who was the original caretaker of a white dragon that was controlled by the kobolds. The white dragon was stolen by the goblins and taken to a separate part of the dungeon. Meepo is distressed by this event and tells the PCs about the incident. If the PCs offer to get the dragon back for Meepo, then he is eternally grateful. If not, then oh well. In any case, this is why you need a race that the PCs can sympathize with.

Now for the white dragon... a young adult white dragon is around the right challenge rating for your campaign. However, at that level, they're fairly intelligent, so I don't think it's quite the monster you want. Therefore, I would consider using a nine-headed cryohydra. I say this because it's around the right challenge rating, it's not very intelligent, and it does a lot of the things that the white dragon does at early levels (such as having a cold breath weapon, causing mayhem, etc).

Now as far as the twig blights are concerned, I think this is a case where you're going to have to come up with your own monster. Either that, or you'll have to look for an appropriate plant type in some book other than the Monster Manual. Also, you'll probably want to put together your own stat block for the druid as well.

Now for the setting. If you're going to use these ideas, then I think Xen'drik is the perfect setting. It has ancient stone temples, it has stone giants, and it's a good place to put yuan-ti. You can have the yuan-ti coming into Stormreach and selling the fruit, or maybe it's even reached Sharn. Whatever you decide, I think Xen'drik is the perfect place to start.

Hopefully, these ideas will prove useful to you. Good luck with your game.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
beezly 10-02-06, 12:11 PM	Hey, I'm running through the pre-published eberron adventure path (Forgotten Forge through Grasp of the Emerald Claw). And I've got a few weeks until it's finished. (Read: 2 or 3, We went through FF and 1/2 of Shadows in a single 8 hour session, and we play once a week). I have sunless citadel, and, being in college, I don't have a great deal of time to write adventures/design dungeons. My players and I love the setting, so I want to showcase some more of its cooler aspects. The adventure path deals with a lot of cool aspects of the setting, but I want to show a little bit of the Daelkyr/Cultists of the Dragon Below. I own the Sunless Citadel, so I thought i'd cannabilize it to fit into the setting. So, my players are going to be 9th level by the time they reach the citadel, so, what should I do with it?
Anung_Un_Rama 10-02-06, 12:38 PM	Make the druid at the very bottom of the dungeon (I forget his name, and my copy is in my dorm room, where I'm not) a member of the Emerald claw, I suppose. Maybe try and really play up the rivalry between the goblins and kobolds to extreme hights (and maybe make them all the same race, going for a sort of Conan; Red Nails story approach). That's all I can think up right now. And change the white dragon to something else, like a pseudonatural native of Xoriat or something. I can't think of much else, sorry.
DoveArrow 10-03-06, 09:04 PM	Oye! You certainly have your work cut out for you. However, here are some ideas that you might want to consider. Note: Major spoilers for anyone who hasn't run or played in this module! I have therefore placed my ideas in an sblock for your protection. You have been warned. Basically, you have two groups vying for power in the temple; the goblins and the kobolds, you have a tree that grew from a stake that was driven through a vampire's heart whose fruit is now growing into twig blights. Lastly, you have a druid that is (and I'm trying to remember this exactly) giving the fruit to the goblins to sell to the local villagers. Okay.... Well let's start with the goblins first. Since you're thinking about making this a daelkyr/Cult of the Dragon Below campaign, the first thing you might want to consider is switching out the goblins for some sort of aberration. Since you don't have a lot of time on your hands, I'm guessing you'll also want a monster that is around the CR level of your campaign. Now if memory serves, the yuan-ti are right around CR 9 (don't quote me on that, because I don't have my Monster Manual on hand, at the moment). They can also pass themselves off pretty easily as humans, so they make the perfect race for distributing the fruit that turns into twig blights. Now as far as the kobolds are concerned, I would recommend that you consider using stone giants to replace them. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but hear me out. Stone giants are around the CR level that you want, they are neutral in alignment, so they can be used as both good guys and bad guys, and they're a monster that the PCs can potentially sympathize with. This last part is crucial because there is a classic scene in The Sunless Citadel where the PCs encounter a lovable kobold, named Meepo. To give you some background: In the module, Meepo is a kobold who was the original caretaker of a white dragon that was controlled by the kobolds. The white dragon was stolen by the goblins and taken to a separate part of the dungeon. Meepo is distressed by this event and tells the PCs about the incident. If the PCs offer to get the dragon back for Meepo, then he is eternally grateful. If not, then oh well. In any case, this is why you need a race that the PCs can sympathize with. Now for the white dragon... a young adult white dragon is around the right challenge rating for your campaign. However, at that level, they're fairly intelligent, so I don't think it's quite the monster you want. Therefore, I would consider using a nine-headed cryohydra. I say this because it's around the right challenge rating, it's not very intelligent, and it does a lot of the things that the white dragon does at early levels (such as having a cold breath weapon, causing mayhem, etc). Now as far as the twig blights are concerned, I think this is a case where you're going to have to come up with your own monster. Either that, or you'll have to look for an appropriate plant type in some book other than the Monster Manual. Also, you'll probably want to put together your own stat block for the druid as well. Now for the setting. If you're going to use these ideas, then I think Xen'drik is the perfect setting. It has ancient stone temples, it has stone giants, and it's a good place to put yuan-ti. You can have the yuan-ti coming into Stormreach and selling the fruit, or maybe it's even reached Sharn. Whatever you decide, I think Xen'drik is the perfect place to start. Hopefully, these ideas will prove useful to you. Good luck with your game.