Published Adventures [Archive] - Wizards Community

Published Adventures [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dielzen
07-11-07, 03:13 PM I'm currently getting ready to run a slew of the published adventures for FR in my home campaign, as it's my turn at the helm.

I've currently got:
Undermountain
Mysteries of the Moonsea
Cormyr/Anauroch (well, An is on order)
Into the Dragon's Lair
The Twilight Tomb

I can get others if necessary, but since they all seem to be low-level for the most part, it seems redundant.

Now, ignoring the canon year these events happen in (I'm the only one in my group that's hardcore FR and would know it's out of order) I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on how best to order this stuff or what to skip.

I'm currently leaning to skipping MoM, starting with UM Chapter 1, then going to Twilight Tomb, then Dragon's Lair, then back to UM2-3, then Cormyr, then back to finish UM.

I may skip Twilight, as it doesn't mesh well with the other aspects, imo, and Dragon's Lair is only there to serve as an intro to Cormyr for the super-adventure.

So, anyone who's run these before, how would you mesh these adventures together, order-wise, and are there any others you would add? (Sons of Gruumsh might be doable, since it's not too far from Waterdeep, but CotSQ would require too much work to update to 3.5 I'm thinking -- I don't have lots of free time to tweak, except on the fly)

Also, I would like to include some Rage of the Dragon stuff into it -- is there any adventures for this time period, maybe in Dungeon?
Faraer
07-11-07, 07:13 PM I'd pick a region, set up plot threads and projected set-piece adventures based there, and see what the PCs are interested in doing when they get to higher levels. Planning the whole campaign in advance is liable to seem artificial.

Undermountain is best used for mid and high levels, and as part of a larger Waterdeep-based campaign. The new Cormyr and especially the Shadowdale adventure will work best with PCs who live in and care about Cormyr and Shadowdale via lower-level adventuring there. Mysteries of the Moonsea similarly is its own mini-campaign, easily expanded with Sons of Gruumsh, the Zhentil Keep and Mulmaster adventure outlines in Ruins of Zhentil Keep and Polyhedron, etc. There are lots of Realms and non-Realms adventures that could be used to fill out any of these concepts. I haven't read The Twilight Tomb and don't know how geographically adaptable it is, but you'd need a heck of a reason to trek from Waterdeep to Aglarond, and you risk making the Realms seem small by moving around so much. The problem with City of the Spider Queen isn't rules adaptation, which can be done on the fly, but that it's session after session of violent Underdark conflict which could get boring unless the PCs are emotionally worked into the adventure.
Dielzen
07-11-07, 08:46 PM Actually, UM starts at level 1, in terms of recommended daily allowance.
Faraer
07-11-07, 10:28 PM Expedition does, but only because of project edict. As I said, its nature and reputation make it poorly suited to low-level play. The largest known mass grave in Faerūn isn't a dungeon for novices.
Mr_Miscellany
07-11-07, 10:44 PM The problem with City of the Spider Queen isn't rules adaptation, which can be done on the fly... That’s quite the understatement, Farear. ;)

Hello Dielzen,

I started my campaign in Cormyr during the War against Nalavara. As time progressed I found that using Portals (Gates, for you old-school types) was a great way to move characters around the Realms, even at low levels of play.

What took me longer to learn (and this is something Farear touched on) is that it takes good plot points to keep PCs interested in places 'far away' from where their characters are from.

So, I'd recommend Undermountain (Waterdeep) to start, with a plot point (or random encounter) to lead your PCs to Aglarond. I'd tie in another plot point to make finding a means of returning (say another portal keyed to Undermountain) part of the adventure.

Similarly portals can get your characters to Waterdeep and/or Shadowdale as needed, though depending on their character level (and level of interest) they may find their own means to get to Shadowdale after you get the ball rolling in Cormyr.

Into the Dragon's Lair is a great 'in between' adventure that will let you fill your players in on what Cormyr is like.

Having run City of the Spider Queen, I would advise you to look a this forum's conversion thread (City of the Spider Queen Revisited: Creatures and NPCs Revised to 3.5 Standards (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=255217)) and pay attention to how it went for DMs, not just the stats, when you look it over. Note that you can easily make this adventure a means of keeping your players even more interested in the Dalelands.

Last I would recommend getting a back issue copy of Dragon #88 for the adventure, "The Door from Everywhere". This is a really cool adventure loaded with portals and mysteries about Netheril and its ancient influence on the land that would become Cormyr. I highly recommend this last one because it touches on Netheril/Anorach and can even give you a chance to introduce Shade/The Shadovar if you like.

Good luck and please reply/PM me if you have any specific campaign questions!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dielzen 07-11-07, 03:13 PM	I'm currently getting ready to run a slew of the published adventures for FR in my home campaign, as it's my turn at the helm. I've currently got: Undermountain Mysteries of the Moonsea Cormyr/Anauroch (well, An is on order) Into the Dragon's Lair The Twilight Tomb I can get others if necessary, but since they all seem to be low-level for the most part, it seems redundant. Now, ignoring the canon year these events happen in (I'm the only one in my group that's hardcore FR and would know it's out of order) I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on how best to order this stuff or what to skip. I'm currently leaning to skipping MoM, starting with UM Chapter 1, then going to Twilight Tomb, then Dragon's Lair, then back to UM2-3, then Cormyr, then back to finish UM. I may skip Twilight, as it doesn't mesh well with the other aspects, imo, and Dragon's Lair is only there to serve as an intro to Cormyr for the super-adventure. So, anyone who's run these before, how would you mesh these adventures together, order-wise, and are there any others you would add? (Sons of Gruumsh might be doable, since it's not too far from Waterdeep, but CotSQ would require too much work to update to 3.5 I'm thinking -- I don't have lots of free time to tweak, except on the fly) Also, I would like to include some Rage of the Dragon stuff into it -- is there any adventures for this time period, maybe in Dungeon?
Faraer 07-11-07, 07:13 PM	I'd pick a region, set up plot threads and projected set-piece adventures based there, and see what the PCs are interested in doing when they get to higher levels. Planning the whole campaign in advance is liable to seem artificial. Undermountain is best used for mid and high levels, and as part of a larger Waterdeep-based campaign. The new Cormyr and especially the Shadowdale adventure will work best with PCs who live in and care about Cormyr and Shadowdale via lower-level adventuring there. Mysteries of the Moonsea similarly is its own mini-campaign, easily expanded with Sons of Gruumsh, the Zhentil Keep and Mulmaster adventure outlines in Ruins of Zhentil Keep and Polyhedron, etc. There are lots of Realms and non-Realms adventures that could be used to fill out any of these concepts. I haven't read The Twilight Tomb and don't know how geographically adaptable it is, but you'd need a heck of a reason to trek from Waterdeep to Aglarond, and you risk making the Realms seem small by moving around so much. The problem with City of the Spider Queen isn't rules adaptation, which can be done on the fly, but that it's session after session of violent Underdark conflict which could get boring unless the PCs are emotionally worked into the adventure.
Dielzen 07-11-07, 08:46 PM	Actually, UM starts at level 1, in terms of recommended daily allowance.
Faraer 07-11-07, 10:28 PM	Expedition does, but only because of project edict. As I said, its nature and reputation make it poorly suited to low-level play. The largest known mass grave in Faerūn isn't a dungeon for novices.
Mr_Miscellany 07-11-07, 10:44 PM	The problem with City of the Spider Queen isn't rules adaptation, which can be done on the fly... That’s quite the understatement, Farear. ;) Hello Dielzen, I started my campaign in Cormyr during the War against Nalavara. As time progressed I found that using Portals (Gates, for you old-school types) was a great way to move characters around the Realms, even at low levels of play. What took me longer to learn (and this is something Farear touched on) is that it takes good plot points to keep PCs interested in places 'far away' from where their characters are from. So, I'd recommend Undermountain (Waterdeep) to start, with a plot point (or random encounter) to lead your PCs to Aglarond. I'd tie in another plot point to make finding a means of returning (say another portal keyed to Undermountain) part of the adventure. Similarly portals can get your characters to Waterdeep and/or Shadowdale as needed, though depending on their character level (and level of interest) they may find their own means to get to Shadowdale after you get the ball rolling in Cormyr. Into the Dragon's Lair is a great 'in between' adventure that will let you fill your players in on what Cormyr is like. Having run City of the Spider Queen, I would advise you to look a this forum's conversion thread (City of the Spider Queen Revisited: Creatures and NPCs Revised to 3.5 Standards (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=255217)) and pay attention to how it went for DMs, not just the stats, when you look it over. Note that you can easily make this adventure a means of keeping your players even more interested in the Dalelands. Last I would recommend getting a back issue copy of Dragon #88 for the adventure, "The Door from Everywhere". This is a really cool adventure loaded with portals and mysteries about Netheril and its ancient influence on the land that would become Cormyr. I highly recommend this last one because it touches on Netheril/Anorach and can even give you a chance to introduce Shade/The Shadovar if you like. Good luck and please reply/PM me if you have any specific campaign questions!