Expedition to Undermountain? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Expedition to Undermountain? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
drasticale
06-21-07, 08:01 PM Where would it fit, and what would the necessary changes be? Anyone had any thoughts on this'n yet?

I wanna run something from Eberron, and this'll be nice enough for me, I suppose. I don't think I'm too adverse to just running a generic, but I like Eberron a bit more.
Kensan_Oni
06-22-07, 03:24 AM Part of me is considering placing it in the Mror Holds, or out in Aundair. There is also the temptation to stick it out in Aerenal.
Rechan
06-22-07, 03:26 AM Part of me is considering placing it in the Mror Holds, or out in Aundair. There is also the temptation to stick it out in Aerenal.

You know, on that topic, there really isn't all that done with Aerenal. I mean, it's like there is just absolutely no reason to go there unless you want to hold court with the Deathless.
wizardguy2003
06-22-07, 03:27 AM Since Undermountain is almost intrinsically tied to the city of Waterdeep, I would expect that you should pick a city in Eberron that is of equal significance and age. Sharn is an obvious choice since it is built on the foundation of an underground city to begin with, but any city of appropriate size should do. I think you could pretty much use it almost as an impromptu Khyber, the Dragon Below, area fill in, with never before seen access to the whole world of Eberron, with portals and such to Xendrix, Sarlona, and anywhere else, not just Khorvaire.
gensuke626
06-22-07, 08:32 PM I don't have the book and I'm not sure what's in it....but if there's alot of Hobgoblins...Darguun...could make it the lair of the modern Dhakanni tribe.

hmm...could also be the Sewers of Korranberg... /shrug
Nived
06-22-07, 09:05 PM I was never big on Forgotten Realms, and what I know about Undermountain comes from Neverwinter Nights: Hoards of the Underdark....

For my two cents though.... massive dungeon under vibrant city? Put it under Stormreach: The City of Dungeons.

Either increase the size of everything and say some mad Giant arcanist made it or... I don't know. I really don't know enough to suggest more than that.
Sarlax
06-22-07, 11:49 PM Stormreach sounds about right to me. Sharn just doesn't have the population of really tough adventurers who would regularly venture in their to kill, but Stormreach seems like that kind of place.
Lord_Madrigan
06-23-07, 01:01 AM Stormreach sounds about right to me. Sharn just doesn't have the population of really tough adventurers who would regularly venture in their to kill, but Stormreach seems like that kind of place.

I'd have to concur stormreach has the Adventurer population
and if I remember correctly it was mentioned that the city is
Built on top of some underground Ruins.
Antioch
06-23-07, 01:19 AM My idea was to place Undermountain beneath Sharn as an old goblinoid ruin from long ago, and change some of the encounters to make them more goblinish.

Stormreach might not be a bad idea either.
Kalanth
06-23-07, 01:08 PM Since Undermountain is almost intrinsically tied to the city of Waterdeep, I would expect that you should pick a city in Eberron that is of equal significance and age. Sharn is an obvious choice since it is built on the foundation of an underground city to begin with, but any city of appropriate size should do. I think you could pretty much use it almost as an impromptu Khyber, the Dragon Below, area fill in, with never before seen access to the whole world of Eberron, with portals and such to Xendrix, Sarlona, and anywhere else, not just Khorvaire.

Ohhh... To bad the size is a bit off, cause this kind of quest might not be to bad if placed in the Black Pit. A crack in the earth that supposedly leads to the realms of Khyber itself? Just a very small, seedy town instead of a metropolis like Waterdeep.
Tiberien
06-23-07, 01:08 PM I would probably go with Sharn because it's a more historically humanoid city than Stormreach (not that Stormreach is a bad choice, just not my preference).

Of course, depending where your party is or wants to go you could stick it about anyplace.

I don't think population of the area is too much of an issue... as word spreads of the mammoth complex more adventurers and the merchants that supply them will show up. Maybe put it in a small town the characters are familiar with and you could add plots involving them keeping the growing city safe for the common citizen on behalf of authorities between their own delves. Or, depending on the party, trying to subvert same authorities and take over the town to keep the dungeon for their own plundering desires.
Fabius Maximus
06-23-07, 08:59 PM I'd say locate it at the Black Pit, under the village. There are all kind of 'nasties' coming out of the pit. Should work as part of Halaster's menagerie.
Kaodi
06-23-07, 11:34 PM Ohr Kaluun, on the western coast of Riedra, is the only natural place to put Undermountain in Eberron. Before the Sundering, the wizards and clerics of Ohr Kaluun were like a whole people of Halaster wannabes. Impregnable deathtraps were their pride and joy, more or less.
Kensan_Oni
06-25-07, 02:58 AM You know, on that topic, there really isn't all that done with Aerenal. I mean, it's like there is just absolutely no reason to go there unless you want to hold court with the Deathless.

Well... I don't know. If you have a heavy elven group, then there is a lot of potential there or mid-level adventures (8-12th).

You have a general deep jungle that no one has explored in years in the backwoods of the nation. We have the Stillborn, which if you are doing a lot of Blood of Vol storylines, are a connection that you have to look at. (OMG, a cult that centers around becoming vampires and liches? YIPES!) You have The Undying Court that could always pop up and declare that they want vengance for the destruction of an important precestor. (Yeah.. it's hard to be undying when you're body has been burnt to a crisp, or worse yet, you RAISED them).

Oh... and if the Undying Court is your sponser, you have a chance to do Covert Ops against the Council and Argonnesson. So that has potential right there.

There is just plenty that you could be doing. It's just... ya gotta have the right set up to have it be useful.
Nevarre
06-25-07, 06:08 PM I have real 'issues' with Expedition to Undermountain. All of the 'expedition' series are supposed to be generic and usable for any D&D game. In Exp to Ravenloft for example there are some clear guidelines on how to place the campaign into Eberron.
There is nothing like that in Undermountain. It says it's generic, but is full of 'Realmslore' and nothing is mentioned of Eberron.
Additionally the maps are pathetic - I still have the original boxset and for a 'mega-dungeon' those where definitely useful. The ones in the new book are prettier but far less useful if you want to extend the campaign beyond the missions therein.

Can't say I'm that impressed.. :mad:

/rant

To answer the question, the most obvious is under Sharn, but it's almost too obvious. I would either go with somewhere in the Mror Holds, or (more likely) somewhere beneath the Mournland - perhaps beneath Whitehearth for instance.

In any even you would need to consider:
Who was Halaster?
Are you going to use the Cult of the Dragon below somewhere in it?
Any Daelkyr imprisoned within? (perhaps that was it's main purpose)

Just some thoughts.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
drasticale 06-21-07, 08:01 PM	Where would it fit, and what would the necessary changes be? Anyone had any thoughts on this'n yet? I wanna run something from Eberron, and this'll be nice enough for me, I suppose. I don't think I'm too adverse to just running a generic, but I like Eberron a bit more.
Kensan_Oni 06-22-07, 03:24 AM	Part of me is considering placing it in the Mror Holds, or out in Aundair. There is also the temptation to stick it out in Aerenal.
Rechan 06-22-07, 03:26 AM	Part of me is considering placing it in the Mror Holds, or out in Aundair. There is also the temptation to stick it out in Aerenal. You know, on that topic, there really isn't all that done with Aerenal. I mean, it's like there is just absolutely no reason to go there unless you want to hold court with the Deathless.
wizardguy2003 06-22-07, 03:27 AM	Since Undermountain is almost intrinsically tied to the city of Waterdeep, I would expect that you should pick a city in Eberron that is of equal significance and age. Sharn is an obvious choice since it is built on the foundation of an underground city to begin with, but any city of appropriate size should do. I think you could pretty much use it almost as an impromptu Khyber, the Dragon Below, area fill in, with never before seen access to the whole world of Eberron, with portals and such to Xendrix, Sarlona, and anywhere else, not just Khorvaire.
gensuke626 06-22-07, 08:32 PM	I don't have the book and I'm not sure what's in it....but if there's alot of Hobgoblins...Darguun...could make it the lair of the modern Dhakanni tribe. hmm...could also be the Sewers of Korranberg... /shrug
Nived 06-22-07, 09:05 PM	I was never big on Forgotten Realms, and what I know about Undermountain comes from Neverwinter Nights: Hoards of the Underdark.... For my two cents though.... massive dungeon under vibrant city? Put it under Stormreach: The City of Dungeons. Either increase the size of everything and say some mad Giant arcanist made it or... I don't know. I really don't know enough to suggest more than that.
Sarlax 06-22-07, 11:49 PM	Stormreach sounds about right to me. Sharn just doesn't have the population of really tough adventurers who would regularly venture in their to kill, but Stormreach seems like that kind of place.
Lord_Madrigan 06-23-07, 01:01 AM	Stormreach sounds about right to me. Sharn just doesn't have the population of really tough adventurers who would regularly venture in their to kill, but Stormreach seems like that kind of place. I'd have to concur stormreach has the Adventurer population and if I remember correctly it was mentioned that the city is Built on top of some underground Ruins.
Antioch 06-23-07, 01:19 AM	My idea was to place Undermountain beneath Sharn as an old goblinoid ruin from long ago, and change some of the encounters to make them more goblinish. Stormreach might not be a bad idea either.
Kalanth 06-23-07, 01:08 PM	Since Undermountain is almost intrinsically tied to the city of Waterdeep, I would expect that you should pick a city in Eberron that is of equal significance and age. Sharn is an obvious choice since it is built on the foundation of an underground city to begin with, but any city of appropriate size should do. I think you could pretty much use it almost as an impromptu Khyber, the Dragon Below, area fill in, with never before seen access to the whole world of Eberron, with portals and such to Xendrix, Sarlona, and anywhere else, not just Khorvaire. Ohhh... To bad the size is a bit off, cause this kind of quest might not be to bad if placed in the Black Pit. A crack in the earth that supposedly leads to the realms of Khyber itself? Just a very small, seedy town instead of a metropolis like Waterdeep.
Tiberien 06-23-07, 01:08 PM	I would probably go with Sharn because it's a more historically humanoid city than Stormreach (not that Stormreach is a bad choice, just not my preference). Of course, depending where your party is or wants to go you could stick it about anyplace. I don't think population of the area is too much of an issue... as word spreads of the mammoth complex more adventurers and the merchants that supply them will show up. Maybe put it in a small town the characters are familiar with and you could add plots involving them keeping the growing city safe for the common citizen on behalf of authorities between their own delves. Or, depending on the party, trying to subvert same authorities and take over the town to keep the dungeon for their own plundering desires.
Fabius Maximus 06-23-07, 08:59 PM	I'd say locate it at the Black Pit, under the village. There are all kind of 'nasties' coming out of the pit. Should work as part of Halaster's menagerie.
Kaodi 06-23-07, 11:34 PM	Ohr Kaluun, on the western coast of Riedra, is the only natural place to put Undermountain in Eberron. Before the Sundering, the wizards and clerics of Ohr Kaluun were like a whole people of Halaster wannabes. Impregnable deathtraps were their pride and joy, more or less.
Kensan_Oni 06-25-07, 02:58 AM	You know, on that topic, there really isn't all that done with Aerenal. I mean, it's like there is just absolutely no reason to go there unless you want to hold court with the Deathless. Well... I don't know. If you have a heavy elven group, then there is a lot of potential there or mid-level adventures (8-12th). You have a general deep jungle that no one has explored in years in the backwoods of the nation. We have the Stillborn, which if you are doing a lot of Blood of Vol storylines, are a connection that you have to look at. (OMG, a cult that centers around becoming vampires and liches? YIPES!) You have The Undying Court that could always pop up and declare that they want vengance for the destruction of an important precestor. (Yeah.. it's hard to be undying when you're body has been burnt to a crisp, or worse yet, you RAISED them). Oh... and if the Undying Court is your sponser, you have a chance to do Covert Ops against the Council and Argonnesson. So that has potential right there. There is just plenty that you could be doing. It's just... ya gotta have the right set up to have it be useful.
Nevarre 06-25-07, 06:08 PM	I have real 'issues' with Expedition to Undermountain. All of the 'expedition' series are supposed to be generic and usable for any D&D game. In Exp to Ravenloft for example there are some clear guidelines on how to place the campaign into Eberron. There is nothing like that in Undermountain. It says it's generic, but is full of 'Realmslore' and nothing is mentioned of Eberron. Additionally the maps are pathetic - I still have the original boxset and for a 'mega-dungeon' those where definitely useful. The ones in the new book are prettier but far less useful if you want to extend the campaign beyond the missions therein. Can't say I'm that impressed.. :mad: /rant To answer the question, the most obvious is under Sharn, but it's almost too obvious. I would either go with somewhere in the Mror Holds, or (more likely) somewhere beneath the Mournland - perhaps beneath Whitehearth for instance. In any even you would need to consider: Who was Halaster? Are you going to use the Cult of the Dragon below somewhere in it? Any Daelkyr imprisoned within? (perhaps that was it's main purpose) Just some thoughts.