Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Band2 Aug 02, 2007 13:47:20	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/sh I am not sure how many people on this forum are familiar with these articles on the D7D main page. I recently stumbled across them myself. Called "Steal This Hook" the articles offer adventure ideas for a D&D campaign. Besides offering the hook, each article also offers suggestions on how to use the adventure in either Eberron/ Forgotten Realms/ or Greyhawk. Occasionally they also include one of the "dead worlds" such as Ravenloft. I do not see why we cannot also make suggestions on how to use the suggested hooks in Dark Sun. So I am going to start posting my ideas on adapting the hooks for Athas. Hopefully someone may find them useful. Since this is just the Dark Sun conversion refer to the full articles in the archive. Ravaging Monsters 7/13/2007 "Keep Your Roots Away from Me" Use the bulettes as suggested unless it is decided that the burrow roots exist on Athas in your campaign. The only other change to make would be for the second complication. Instead of Iuz you could use a rival sorcerer-king.
#2 Band2 Aug 03, 2007 12:31:38	Here is an adaption of the second hook. Ravaging Monsters 7/13/2007 Bring Back That Shepherd! Replace the mind flayers with another psionic creature such as a chanth or psurlon, looking for slaves/ servants. The adventure could be set in the area around Tyr, with the wyverns preying on shepherds in the valley and taking them back to their nest high in the Ringing Mountains. The adventure could also work in the fertile lands in the Ivory Triangle.
#3 Band2 Aug 06, 2007 9:30:11	Here is the last hook from July's article. I'll start going back to previous articles and posting Athas versions as well. Ravaging Monsters 7/13/2007 That's a Big Bug Athas: You could start this adventure in Cromlin or another village near the Ivory Triangle. Zeradu is an agent of House Shom and he hires the party to investigate after two of the house’s caravans and a client village were destroyed in an area just outside of the Ivory Triangle. Replace the siege beetles with rezhatta beetles (an undead version is in Terrors of the Deadlands) or watroaches (Terrors of Athas). The beetles, native to the salt flats of the Ivory Triangle have moved to the area of attacks to search for food. If using the second complication, change the beetles to undead war beetles that a defiler lead raiding tribe are using in their raids. For the third complication instead of a demon prince, use another sorcerer-king who seeks to exact revenge on Nibenay using the beetles. Dregoth would be a good choice, and perhaps Lalali-Puy depending on when in the timeline the adventure is used.
#4 Band2 Aug 07, 2007 11:49:07	Going back one month to the June article. Here is the first hook from that month. Paladin Quests 6/15/2007 Imprisoned The hook causes some problems on Athas as there are no paladins or werewolves. Sojer was a powerful psion instead of a paladin. He defended the town against a group of thrax. Claristel is either a good-aligned psion or a templar assigned to protect the village. Instead of an artifact holy sword, Sojer had a powerful psionic object that he used to defeat the thrax.
#5 Band2 Aug 08, 2007 9:32:04	Paladin Quests 6/15/2007 Atonement Instead of a paladin make Saita a templar of Urik. She sold some slaves that were the personal property of Hamanu. The sorcerer-king is enraged that his slaves were stolen and wants the head of the person responsible. Now Saita needs to get them back before it is discovered she is the one responsible. Instead of trolls, she sold the slaves to a tribe of yuan-ti in the Ringing Mountains. For the first complication replace the black dragon with a mountain stalker or other giant. In place of the mind flayers in the second complication you could use dark spiders. For the third complication the yuan-ti could be planning on warring on the Urikite village of Makla. For the fourth complication the yuan-ti could have retreated into the Forest Ridge. Perhaps halflings have begun to pick them off.
#6 Band2 Aug 09, 2007 11:11:37	Here is the last conversions of the paladin quests. Paladin Quests 6/15/2007 Resting in Peace Again no paladin. Turn Orlson in a member of a noble family. Patricians from Balic would work well. Instead of business competitors the rivals of the Caraway family are nobles that support a different tradelord than the Caraway family. For the second complication you could make the attackers actually from the rival tradelord. For the third complication instead of a vampire the enemy could have become a powerful psion. For the fourth complication, using silt pirates would work or a raiding tribe.
#7 elonarc Aug 09, 2007 13:31:49	As you are thus far being the only one to post in this thread, I want to tell you that I appreciate your efforts and award you two (2) Poké-Points for it. Thanks!
#8 angelopampalone Aug 10, 2007 3:27:30	Me too. You are doing a veri good job!
#9 Band2 Aug 10, 2007 8:42:59	As you are thus far being the only one to post in this thread, I want to tell you that I appreciate your efforts and award you two (2) Poké-Points for it. Thanks! Woh-who two poke-points! Cha-ching! Going back another month to the article entiteled "Please Help Me." These may be a little harder to adapt to Athas since most people will be more worried about surivival than helping others, but I'll offer some suggestions anyway. "Please Help Me" 5/21/2007 Sob Sorry Chankar becomes a human bard, as there are few people on Athas who would stop to help a cannibalistic halfling that was dying in the desert. He claims he was part of a caravan that was captured by the genie. The rest of the caravan, including rich merchants are still being held in the genie’s fortress, and would offer rich rewards if they were rescued. The fortress could be located in the foothills of the Ringing Mountains. For the second complications, try using earth drakes and rampagers in place of the ice worms and remorhazes.
#10 Band2 Aug 13, 2007 11:07:27	"Please Help Me" 5/21/2007 "Fight My Battle" This adventure works well in Athas with little modification. It could be placed in many of the cities-states, Urik, Draj, Nibenay, and Gulg. Replace the two trolls guarding the half-elf with templars. For monstrous gladiators, suggested races could include: baazrag, belgoi, gith, lask, nikaal, scrab, slig, tarek, tari, tul’k, thrax.
#11 Band2 Aug 14, 2007 10:06:25	"Please Help Me" 5/21/2007 Rustlers The giants would be raiding erdlu or carru herders. For motivations, in place of Iuz you could use one of the sorcerer-kings. For the first complication, in place of the white dragon used a sun drake. The dangerous predator of the second complication could be a silk wyrm.
#12 Band2 Aug 15, 2007 15:32:19	Evil Hooks for Evil Characters 4/20/2007 "That Darn Familiar" I cannot think of anything for this hook. It just does not seem to fit Athas very well at all. Does anyone else have a suggestion for it? "I Want One of Those" This adventure hook would work well by making Blaseus and Chayosa rival templars in Urik. The golems should be Dark Sun versions, perhaps wood golems.
#13 Band2 Aug 16, 2007 13:13:30	Evil Hooks for Evil Characters 4/20/2007 "I had that around here somewhere..." Set this hook in Tyr. The citizens are spooked by the sudden magical display and fear the free wizards are to blame. One of the free wizards is really a defiler in disguise and hires the party to steal the rod of wonder from Rasamiri, a free wizard preserver.
#14 squidfur- Aug 24, 2007 19:35:02	I almost don't want to reply and mess up the flow of this thread, but I don't want you thinkin' that your efforts go unnoticed OR unappreciated. Thanks, Band2, for everything you do.....hmmm that rhymes......that's lame....but hay. Keep up the good work.
#15 Band2 Aug 27, 2007 14:07:29	I almost don't want to reply and mess up the flow of this thread, but I don't want you thinkin' that your efforts go unnoticed OR unappreciated. Thanks, Band2, for everything you do.....hmmm that rhymes......that's lame....but hay. Keep up the good work. Thanks squidfur-. I stopped posting to the thread when the steal the hook articles disappeared from Wizards website, but it looks like they are back online, so I will continue. I am trying to at least go back as far as the beginning of 2007, and if they continue to series forward, I'll do those as well. Evil Hooks for Evil Characters 4/20/2007 "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." Set the adventure in Tyr. Zalah is a former gladiator and now a captain of the guard. He was a well known and well liked hero of Tyr. Recently he has begun killing thieves instead of arresting them. For the second complication, instead of the Night Masks, use a noble who is also a psion. For the third complication, Zalah’s lair would be in underTyr near the lair of a pair of crystal spiders.
#16 Band2 Aug 28, 2007 11:57:04	Back to the march article "Let's Make a Deal" 3/30/2007 "Dragon Turtle, for Barter Only" Place the hook in the Sea of Silt. Replace the dragon turtles with ruktoi and the lizardfolk with silt runners. This ship owner becomes an agent for the merchant house that owns the silt skimmer the PCs were riding in. For the second modivation, the rival faction would be another merchant-house. For the third modivation, the silt runners are looking to overrun one of the merchant forts or villages near the silt sea. Or instead of at sea, place this adventure on land along a caravan route. Instead of the dragon turtles use driks riden by ssurran raiders.
#17 Band2 Aug 29, 2007 11:37:55	"Let's Make a Deal" 3/30/2007 Barge Hags Set this adventure hook on the silt skimmer route between South Ledopolus and Balic. The pirates are blockaging the only silt path through a deep patch of silt and demanding a toll. Sultai Orero works for one of the tradelords of Balic. Replace the hags with a genie, perhaps a djinn. For the second complication, instead of fey use t’chowbs.
#18 Band2 Aug 30, 2007 12:14:30	"Let's Make a Deal" 3/30/2007 My Bugbear, My Friend Since there are no gnomes left alive on Athas, replace them with the slave tribe the Free. The Free have always raided caravans from Urik but never killed the slaves that they found in them. In recent raids by the Free they have killed everyone including the slaves. The Free members shared the raid with belgoi in place of bugbears. Captain Osamonish becomes a templar of Urik. For the third motivation use a different slave tribe that brings the PCs back instead of rival bugbears. For the third complication dune freaks attack the next caravan instead of owlbears.
#19 Band2 Sep 04, 2007 15:38:57	Dungeon Dangers 2/20/2007 The adventure hooks in this article are very vague so little adjustment is needed to use them in Athas "We're Lost, Aren't We?" For the third motivation, replace the diety with an elemantal lord, spirit of the land, or sorcerer-king. For the second complication replace the blue dragon with an earth drake. For the third complication, use hej-kin instead of mind flayers.
#20 Band2 Sep 05, 2007 13:23:39	I just noticed the August article the other day. Let me finish the February one and then I'll post some ideas for the August article. Dungeon Dangers 2/20/2007 A Little Illicit Delving Same as the last one, there is not much to change. For complication number 2, the tomb has a magical map that shows the locations of all oases in the Tablelands. An oasis disappears if it dries up.
#21 Band2 Sep 06, 2007 12:10:53	Dungeon Dangers 2/20/2007 The Mysterious Madam Set the adventure in Raam and change the back-story. Bessiyra was a famous templar of Raam who died a hundred years ago under mysterious circumstances. Her rumored tomb is located 30 miles east of the city, but no one has every found her treasury that was buried with her. The adventures who found their way into the center of the tomb are agents of house M’ke. House M’ke is the original patron that hires the PCs to investigate the tomb. For the third complication, Bessiyra could have become a morg, or t’liz, instead of a lich.
#22 Band2 Sep 10, 2007 11:51:38	Now to catch up for last month's article. Under Siege 8/24/2007 Goblin Raiders Set the adventure near the foothills of the Ringing Mountains near Tyr. Replace the goblins with tari. Instead of spider eaters, the tari ride ber-etherns (breeze sprites) from the Life-Shaping Handbook, resently released for Beta testing by Athas.org. The tari discovered the life-shaped creatures in a cave in the Ringing Mountains and have learned how to control them. For the first complication, the tari were forced from their homelands by halfling. For the third complication, inplace of the village of Yararmol use a client village or merchant fort.
#23 Band2 Sep 12, 2007 11:44:15	Under Siege 8/24/2007 Return of the Slave Lords? Set the adventure in Tyr and use a merchant house that wants to capture slaves for sale in other city-states.
#24 Band2 Sep 13, 2007 12:17:53	Under Siege 8/24/2007 Terrors at Night Set the adventure in the chaos of Raam, where no one will hire the PCs to investigate the disappearances. In the first complication suggested sewer monsters for Athas could be gaj, wall walkers, antloids, scorpions, or mastyrials. For the second complication, use dray capturing people for transformation in place of drow. In place of sahuagin or kuo-toa try using gith or dune freaks for the third complication. For the last complication, a t’liz would be a suitable replacement for the vampire necromancer.
#25 Band2 Sep 18, 2007 14:13:50	Ok back to January's article, which will be the last one I plan on going back to. From now one I only plan to post Dark Sun adaptions for any new articles. Stealing the Crown Jewels 1/24/2007 Bring Me Pretties, My Minions Set the adventure in Tyr. For the first complication and all others that use the bard, the mastermind should be a psion as bards on Athas do not cast spells. For the third complication the friend could be controlled by an Athasian Wraith. For the third complication since doppelgangers do not exist on Athas, use a genie or defiler. For the last complication, replace the pleasure devil with a krag of the element directly apposed to the PC cleric.
#26 Band2 Sep 19, 2007 12:20:08	Stealing the Crown Jewels 1/24/2007 Quick, Duck in Here Set this adventure in Tyr and replace the Morgrave University with the School of Thought. For the last motivation, have the demon be sent by the Order. The Order has sent the demon to recover the artifact for them to prevent it being used, as the Order believes it is too powerful for others to use.
#27 Band2 Sep 21, 2007 12:13:25	Here is the last hook from the January article. The new article for Septebmer is out, and I will start soon on a coversion for them soon. Stealing the Crown Jewels 1/24/2007 Hands in the Cookie Jar Set the adventure in Tyr, with the theft of the late king Tithian’s Crown Jewels. Instead of a royal family, use the Council of Advisors. For the third modivation perhaps senior templar Timor is the one behind the theft. Or for the fourth modivation he could be the one who tries to use the incident to destablize the Council. For the fourth complication, use a master thief employeed by one of the sorcerer-kings, perhaps Taibela of Gulg, the Oba’s chief of thieves.
#28 Band2 Sep 25, 2007 14:11:44	The last two months' articles are at this link: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4arch/hook The Plots of Wizards 9/14/2007 Whispers of War Set the adventure as war rumors between Gulg and Nibenay. For the second modivation and the first complication, Mavalrith would be in league with the dray and Dregoth. Dregoth could also replace the black dragon, Valraxaxath in the final complication.
#29 Band2 Sep 26, 2007 13:48:08	The Plots of Wizards 9/14/2007 Time's Master I cannot think of any good ideas to adapt this adventure hook to Athas. The article does say, "The Time Clock may not fit into your campaign world, in which case you might want to skip this hook. " Does anyone else has an ideas on this one?
#30 Band2 Sep 27, 2007 11:20:08	The Plots of Wizards 9/14/2007 Terrors at Night Use this adventure with the characters being part of the Veiled Alliance. Raned Arnado is the party’s contact with the Veiled Alliance, and Rochus Thul is also a member who has gone missing. Thul had been experimenting with traveling through the Black when he disappeared. The Veiled Alliances wants to know if he was successful. For the second motivation, Raned Arnado is a defiler posing as a member of the Veiled Alliance. For the third motivation, Arnado would be the slave of powerful psions, perhaps a sorcerer-king or the Order. For the first complication, Thul is trapped in the Black. Ignore the second complication. For the third complication, use one of the sorcerer-kings, Nibenay, in place of a dragon.
#31 Band2 Oct 25, 2007 10:53:50	Menance from the Undead 10/12/2007 Buried Dead Set this hook in Nibenay, where the dead are buried in catacombs under the city. Replace the grave diggers with slaves and use a low level templar in charge of burials to hire the party to explore the catacombs. You can use ghouls for the adventure or replace them with something more Athasian, such as fael or custom undead over your own design. For the second story element replace the rhenee with slaves. Taking a page from the Dark Sun computer game Shattered Lands, replace the cult of Orcus with a crazed templar trying to make a cult of Nibenay.
#32 Band2 Oct 26, 2007 10:06:10	Menance from the Undead 10/12/2007 A Glass of Your Finest Blood, Please. Place the adventure hook in a village along one of the trade roads. Replace the vampires with thrax or thinking salt zombies. For the final Story Element replace the barghests with faels.
#33 Band2 Oct 29, 2007 12:38:46	Menance from the Undead 10/12/2007 A Favorable Ethereal Wind Set the adventure hook in Balic. To make the encounter seem other-worldly, have the pirate ghosts look like pirates from Athas’s Green Age, dressed in typical “fantasy pirate” costume and using a ghostly ship built for watery seas, not the silt skimmers used on the silt sea of Athas. For the first employer use House Rees. For the third employer use House Wavir. Disregard the first Story Element and use pirates from the Green Age. For the second story element, the pirates have fallen under the power of the templars of Andropinis.
#34 Band2 Nov 15, 2007 11:17:16	There is a new article out called Danger in the Wilderness. Danger in the Wilderness Wolf at the Door Instead of having the characters travel to Two Stars send them to Altaruk to meet a caravan coming from Urik. From there they are asked to take the package to the village of Cromlin to meet the captain of the Spry Jewel of the Sea. Replace the winter wolves with Sand Howlers. For the first Story Element, in place of winter storms, Tyr-storms have driven the sand howlers from their normal range. For the second story element, cerulean wizards could be behind the storms. For the third story element instead of remorhazes, cold worms, frost giants, use gaj, silk wyrms, and Athasian giants. In place of the white dragons for the last story element use 3 sun drakes.
#35 Band2 Nov 19, 2007 11:36:06	Danger in the Wilderness Besieged Set Oressny’s grove in the foothills of the Ringing Mountains. For the first story element, replace the goblins with halflings from the Forest Ridge, some of which support Oressny and some that plan on attacking her. For the second story element, in place of goblins use scrabs lead by a defiler scrab who wishes to use Oressny’s grove as a source of power for his spells. For the third story element, replace the goblin druid with a tarek earth shaman, who leads a tribe of tareks against Oressny.
#36 Band2 Nov 20, 2007 11:28:26	Danger in the Wilderness Bats and Snakes Set the yuan-ti attacks around the village of Makla. Lord Dhelt is the Urik noble in charge of the village. For the first story element, replace the stirges with xerichous. For the third story element, the vampire yuan-ti becomes a yuan-ti defiler t’liz. Ignore the fourth story element.
#37 Band2 Feb 08, 2008 16:53:39	January's article is a little difficult, since it involves some high arcane magic (flying fortresses), not as obvious as typically seen on Athas, but the ideas could still be used. Flying Fortress 1/25/08 A Blustery Day Make the storm at the center of the adventure an unusually Tyr-Storm that does not die out but instead travels the Tablelands reeking havoc. Make the wizard a cerulean wizard. For the fourth story element replace the green dragons with air drakes.
#38 Band2 Feb 14, 2008 12:24:00	Flying Fortress 1/25/08 More than Meets the Eye For Athas, replace the village of lizardfolk with a nomadic elven tribe that set up camp on the shores of the Silt Sea. Upon returning, the characters could be attacked by silt pirates or giants. If the adventure is set in the north, the party could be attacked by a ship from the Eldaarich navy. (See FFN). Have the shaft lead to an ancient fortress buried under the island (it does not have to have once been a flying fortress). For the second story element use silt creatures like silt runners, razorwings, silk wyrms, silt horrors, or even silt drakes. For the fourth story element use creatures from the underground of Athas such as dark spiders, gith, and hej-kin.
#39 Band2 Feb 20, 2008 12:18:59	Flying Fortress 1/25/2008 Monastery of Evil Not much on this hook. Instead of a monastery, use a psionic academy that is located in the wilderness and ignore the last story element.
#40 Band2 Aug 14, 2008 12:07:22	It has been a while since they put out an article that could be adapted easily to Dark Sun without all the apocalyptic scenarios. Dangers of the Nentir Vale 7/31/2008 Slaves of the Drow Set the hook in Tyr and have Winterhaven be one of the city's client villages. You would need to remove the poster, since no one would be able to read it. Replace it with a town crier, or a messenger sent to ask the PCs for help. Instead of drow, use dark spiders. For the second story element the dark spiders could be trading with belgoi tribes in the Ringing Mountains. For the third story element use wyverns or drakes as the creatures hunting the people.
#41 Band2 Aug 18, 2008 12:37:23	Dangers of the Nentir Vale 7/31/2008 What Happened in Hammer’s Deep? This hook could be based around one of the limited mining communities in the Tablelands. The village of Salt View, the iron mines of Tyr, or the gold mines of Walis. Depending on where it is set, replace the dwarf with a person appropriate for the location. If using Salt View, one of the ex-slaves who was away when the problem struck. For Walis, a merchant who arrived on a caravan at the village to find it deserted. The rest of the caravan died before they could reach the next community. For the second story element, in place of the gods warning of the lava flow, a magma cleric arrived in the village and gave the warning. For the last story element, a magma drake or earth drake could replace the deep dragon.
#42 Band2 Aug 21, 2008 11:59:41	Dangers of the Nentir Vale 7/30/2008 The Haunted Winterbole Begin the hook in Nibenay. The woman is a templar who needs someone to look into the problem in a client village near the Crescent Forest. For the first story element, the cult is lead by a mad templar of Gulg, who is sacrificing animals to the Oba. Ignore the second story element. For the third story element the man was killed by a sloth. For the forth story element, use gith from the Black Spine Mountains, and replace the green dragon with a watroach. For the last story element, replace the trolls with braxats.
#43 Band2 Oct 10, 2008 10:58:14	Another Steal this Hook article was posted Further Exploring the Nentir Vale. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20080916a So here are some ideas for converting them to Dark Sun. Further Exploring the Nentir Vale 9/16/08 Hired Muscle Have the female merchant belong to a small merchant house. She is worried about a caravan sent ot another city that has not arrived. Replace the bugbears with b’rohgs, and ignore any mention of the monsters needing to hide in human lands and set the adventure in the desert wastes.
#44 Band2 Oct 15, 2008 15:50:11	Further Exploring the Nentir Vale 9/16/08 A Surge in Wagon Repairs Niroon Skelan and his brothers are agents for one of the merchant houses. They have not traveled out into the desert alone and have a number of guards with them, but have of the guards are helping the brothers capture the run away kanks, while the others trying to repair the damaged wagon. A raiding tribe or ex-slaves or gith (in place of orcs) attacks the wagon.
#45 Band2 Oct 16, 2008 14:06:14	Further Exploring the Nentir Vale 9/16/08 I Want My Ancestral Land Set the adventure in Tyr. Vencat Kalton is a nobleman driven from his estate in the aftermath of the Great Earthquake. Much of the family’s fortune was left behind in a vault, leaving Kalton on the verge of being destitute. For the first story element, his lands have been overrun by monsters fleeing the aftershocks in the Ringing Mountains. For the sixth story element, replace the goblins with tareks.
#46 Band2 Dec 11, 2008 12:01:18	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20081015a Wildfire Dangers 10/15/2008 Fiery Witchlights The wagons are from a small House Inika caravan. The PCs stumble upon the body near the Crescent Forest. The tracks lead into the forest. The tracks appear to be those of pterrans, but if the second story element is used it could be members of Salt View disguising a raid. Because of the dry conditions in that part of the forest a forest fire could easily start.
#47 Band2 Dec 16, 2008 12:22:37	Wildfire Dangers 10/15/2008 The Burning Past I cannot think of anything for this one. Suggestions? Firestarters Set the adventure in the vertile plain near Nibenay. For the first story element replace the orcs with gith. For the third story element, fire clerics are trying to burn out the gith. In place of the red dragon in the fourth story element use a fire drake.
#48 harsh Dec 16, 2008 17:18:41	The Burning Past Set the location just west of Nibenay in the Crescent Forest. The PCs have gotten word of an ancient ruin, possibly a temple from a prior age, set in the cliff face of a large rocky hill. Reaching the location is an adventure in itself. Use Lightning Zombies with the Elemental (Fire) Incarnation template for the creatures. Story Elements: 1. The 'dark magic' is a T'liz who has recently claimed the territory for his own. The wraiths were previously trapped in the temple, but the T'liz found a way to release and control them. 2. The wraiths are being created underground by dray clerics and defilers who are part of an effort by the Dray Nation to take over the Ivory Triangle en mass. 3. The evil Fire Cleric is a powerful underling of a much more powerful client. He is simply doing his day's wage in order to collect money for a personal project. 4. The wraiths are actually being created by agents from Gulg (or a trade house from Gulg) in an effort to finally corner the logging market and overcome Nibenay competition. History Check: DC15: The wraiths are some sort of backlash effect created from the combination of the Shadow King's Naggaramakam and the Zwuun. Exactly how or why is uncertain. DC20: The wraiths are created from random deaths under the right circumstances, but this mass of undead seem to have been imprisoned in the ancient ruin by officials from Nibenay long ago. DC25: Given time and resources, all available within the ancient temple, one could learn how to create the wraiths at will. DC30: The ancient temple was once a dedicated temple of the life-giving waters of Athas. Imprisoning the undead there was no accident. Ongoing Threat: Obviously allowing a forest to burn on Athas is a travesty, but it will eventually end itself upon the outskirts and walls of Nibenay. It will not spread further south thanks to Gulgan agents dispatched to safeguard their interests.
#49 Band2 Dec 18, 2008 12:31:59	Thanks Harsh The December article is out. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20081210 Threads That Connect The Smoking Cave This adventure hook could be in the Ringing Mountains. For the first story element, a defiler or even one of the sorcerer-kings could have set up the lair. For the second story element, replace the green dragon with a chanth. For the third story element, the lair could be of a powerful t’liz. For the last story element the ruins would be from the Green Age and could be guarded by raaigs or meotries or other undead.
#50 Band2 Jan 16, 2009 11:55:04	Threads That Connect How'd They Get So Good? For this adventure hook the Gargengrim clan becomes a merchant house, and the monastery an isolated desert village. The merchants are not worried about ogres but magera raiders. For the second modivation, Thurr heard of the prophecy from wandering earth cleric. For the first story element, instead of a hag, use a renegade halfling psion who has taken over the tribe. Replace the orcs in the second story element with elves.
#51 Band2 Jan 21, 2009 12:18:21	Threads That Connect A Little Digging Set the adventure around the village of Walis, instead of the monastery. The traveler tells them tales of an artifact buried in the Walis gold mine. The PC’s would have to sneak into the village as strangers are not welcome and it is heavily guarded to protect the gold taken from the mine. In the end there is no artifact, however, there is a lot of gold in the mine which the PC’s could try to smuggle out.
#52 zenrak Jan 28, 2009 16:23:05	You are amazing.. and a credit to the DS community. I've subscribed to this thread so I won't miss another exciting episode!
#53 Band2 Jan 29, 2009 13:43:58	You are amazing.. and a credit to the DS community. I've subscribed to this thread so I won't miss another exciting episode! Thanks Zenrak. I have fallen behind. It seems the author keeps trying to stump me with his themes lately. Like the latest one Winter in the Forest. Winter - on Athas? Fortunately the first one is easy. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20090114 Winter in the Forest War of the Flyers This hook could be set near the Ringing Mountains. Replace the raptorans with aarakocra and the green dragon with a wind drake.
#54 Band2 Feb 03, 2009 12:36:52	Winter in the Forest War of the Upright Walkers Start off by changing the opening of the hook. Since a band of refugees in the middle of the wilderness probably would not engender much sympathy on Athas, change the beginning. The characters’ patron, a templar or noble, assigns them to find out what happen when refugees show up in town from one of his villages with the story about behind attacked by animals, including athasian bears, crodlu, and lirr. Their patron is worried by the loss of revenue from the village and needs them back to work quickly. The rumors of an attack on an elven settlement should be replaced with an elven encampment, since elves are nomadic. The ranger’s payment offer should probably be changed to a psionic item. For story element one, the druids are protecting an oasis used by the villagers. For story element 2 the monsters could be megapede or sand bride. For story element 4, replace the drow with a rival elven tribe. They were using the monsters to attack the other elf tribe, but the animals also attacked the village. For story element 5 instead of lycanthrope druids with pakubrazi-tainted druids. For story element 6, the henchmen include tembo, sligs, daggoran, braxat, and gaj instead of dryads, hags, satyrs, and the others. For story element 7 the spirit of the forest would be the local spirit of the land.
#55 Band2 Mar 04, 2009 9:09:53	Winter in the Forest War of the Diggers Replace the gnome settlement with herders who have driven their kank herd into the area recently. The hook beginning when the party discover the kank herd with no shepherds watching it. For the fifth hook, instead of one of the herders being responsible, instead a rival elf tribe that uses the same area to graze its herd is in league with the burrowing creatures.
#56 Band2 Mar 20, 2009 11:15:29	I am really fallling behind. Just starting last month's article. It seems the Steal the hook articles have become a part of Dragon, so I am not sure how much longer these articles will appear in the free section of Wizard's website, but I will keep going until they change it. Love for the Undead 2/16/09 http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20090216 Who Put That Pile of Bodies There? Replace the river blockage with a large number of carrion birds attracting the PCs to the pile of bodies. For Number 4 a t’litz could be used. For number 6, the elf necormancer could be a hermit instead of living in a nearby settlement.
#57 Band2 Mar 23, 2009 13:31:12	Love for the Undead 2/16/09 Damn You Halflings, Anyway! I have got nothing for this hook. Not sure how to fit it to Athas. Infestation This hook could be set in the Ringing Mountains out of Tyr or the Mekillot Mountains out of Gulg or Nibenay. For the second story element , replace the vampires with thrax or pakubrazi. Or use Krag or salt zombie to stick with the undead theme of the hook. For the third story element the defiler Altoor could be transformed into a morg, or kaisharga.
#58 harsh Mar 26, 2009 13:41:13	Hope you don't mind me helping out again, Band... I don't see any way this could work realistically in a Darksun Setting without changing Piotorr to a rogue defiler of some sort. He could still be halfling, but I would make him a human or half-elf for an easier fit into a small village. Placement of the village should be somewhere in the wastes or outskirts of 'civilization'. Damn You Halflings, Anyway! The man shambled into the tavern and up to the bar, and even tried to order a drink. However, the flesh dropping off his body scared everyone out of the place (except perhaps the PCs) as most people ran screaming for the front door. “Been a long time, Tomersaid,” said the bartender to the corpse as it struggled to make its wishes known. “What happened to you? Now, don’t get worked up,” he said as he put a beer down on the counter then backed away quickly. His disappearance through the back door leaves only the PCs and one cowering waitress in the room with the zombie beer drinker. If the PCs ask around, they'll learn of only one known necromancer in the whole region, a halfling wizard named Piotorr. Piotorr’s family try to keep his activities under control, and as a result he does not have a reputation for robbing graves and animating the relatives of townsfolk. So what is happening here? Story Elements Select or generate story elements from this table. 1. The corpse in the bar, Tomersaid, was a relative of the Glowynn family. He died recently, and was buried in the local cemetery. His family is very superstitious; they blame Piotorr, the only suspected sorcerer in the area. So far, Piotorr has managed to dodge any true evidence of his arcane magic use. They swear vengeance as soon as the reports of Tomersaid’s unliving state reach them. 2. Is Piotorr the only arcane magic user in the area? Maybe not. Perhaps there is another who is trying out his or her talents. Or maybe this unknown necromancer is trying to incite violence against Piotorr and his family. By doing what only Piotorr is suspected to be able to do, this secret necromancer could then lead rallies in the streets and incite violence. 3. In a strange twist, Piotorr did not animate Tomersaid, but knows who did. Piotorr (could be a psion, cleric, or preserver) is trying to protect this other person from discovery and persecution, and thus does things to throw off the hunt for the real perpetrator without incriminating himself. The resultant situation becomes very confusing for the PCs (and the law) to sort out, and could likely result in Piotorr’s death. (One possible twist on this is that the guilty party is a fallen preserver that Piotorr is trying to save from himself.) 4. Tomersaid is actually still dead. His body is possessed by some spirit to feed on others in town. (See Terrors of the Deadlands for choices of spirits.) 5. Tomersaid is only one of many bodies that have been unearthed and stolen from the cemetery. Soon more townsfolk will return from the dead, sort of, to claim even more victims. 6. Tomersaid is a Fael and has risen of his own twisted will. Piotorr is still blamed.
#59 Pennarin Mar 28, 2009 10:23:09	Hey Harsh! A halfling wizard would be an unlikely proposal (2e did have a few chieftains that were psionicist/ranger/preserver, though, and Nok we think was one of them), and a necromancer a big no-no. Halflings respect nature and its order, so manipulating the dead would be an affront to their cultural beliefs Could be possible...but the guy would be psychotic and on the most wanted list of all the halfling tribes.
#60 harsh Apr 03, 2009 13:34:09	Fair enough. Maybe he got possessed? lol.
#61 Band2 Apr 08, 2009 14:19:11	Hey Harsh! A halfling wizard would be an unlikely proposal (2e did have a few chieftains that were psionicist/ranger/preserver, though, and Nok we think was one of them), and a necromancer a big no-no. Halflings respect nature and its order, so manipulating the dead would be an affront to their cultural beliefs Could be possible...but the guy would be psychotic and on the most wanted list of all the halfling tribes. Yeah, it would be better if Piotorr was human, at least not a halfling. I also would get rid of the line "If the PCs ask around, they'll learn of only one known necromancer in the whole region, a halfling wizard named Piotorr." If they ask around? If everyone knows who the necromancer is why hasn't a mob formed and killed/ driven him off? In any case, thanks again Harsh.
#62 Band2 Apr 08, 2009 14:21:20	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20090311 On to the next article: New Stuff Stopping the Goblin Hordes The hook could be set near Nibenay with the goblins replaced as gith from the Black Spire Mountains. Or place the hook neary Urik using the thor-kreen invasion instead of the goblins. Either way the hook begins with templars stopping the PCs. For the story element 3, Zaria could be a Sand Mother instead of fey. For the fifth story element, the gith horde could include brohgs, belgoi, anakore, and braxats. Or the thro-kreen invasion could include a varity of thor-kreen.
#63 Band2 Apr 28, 2009 16:15:51	New Stuff Is He Lying? First since Nibenay killed off all the Gnomes, Pock would have to be a different race, Human maybe, but if he were Elven it would make him even more untrustworthy. For the second story element replace the lich with a powerful psionic meorty. For the six’s story element instead of vampires the tomb could be the lair of krag and its kraglings, that feast on hej-kin instead of goblins and dwarves.
#64 Band2 Apr 29, 2009 14:16:07	New Stuff Wrecking Crew Replace the goliaths with half-giants, thus making the footprints appear to be from creatures at least 10 feet tall. For the first story element, Ella did just stumble upon the wreckage, but she is only looking out of curiosity. She does not care who did it, other than to be on the look out in case the raiders come after her. Nor does she want to go after the raiders. For the third story element, tareks are using the half-giants as scapegoats instead of bugbears. For the fifth story element, there is no dragon that the half-giants are stealing for. Instead the alignment of the previously peaceful half-giants shifted and they decided to try raiding caravans for their survival.
#65 Band2 May 20, 2009 14:07:43	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20090422 Arcane Threats The Buried "Brother" Most of this scenario can be used as is. For story element number 5: A devil could still be used but in place of a dragon use a sink worm. For number 6 and the scenario described in Use This Book Tonight, replace the kobolds and drakes with tareks and jhakar. Instead of a dragon’s lair they have found an ancient treasure trove from the Green Age.
#66 Band2 Jun 05, 2009 11:45:12	Arcane Threats When Halflings Balk Instead of a halfling caravan, make the Jinzlinni a small merchant house that brings needed trade goods to the local village. In place of the nearby woods, are ancient crumbling ruins. For the second story element the halflings fear demons, mastyrials, or a defiler and her undead minions in the ruins. For the third story element, instead of a powerful wizard, use a powerful templar or king’s defiler who is searching the ruins for a powerful preserver he has hunted down. In place of the spirit vampire use a t’liz for the fourth story element. For the last story element, tareks, thri-kreen or gith could be used as the warring humanoids.
#67 Band2 Jun 17, 2009 9:54:31	Arcane Threats Spirits Released Set the adventure in Draj. The tower belongs to a king’s defiler. Replace the shaman with a psion from the House of Mind. In the second story element, the defiler has been locked in the tower since his sorcerer-king’s death. For the ninth story element, instead of a primordial or deity the spirits served a powerful undead creature. The defiler made an agreement with the creature for the use of the spirits.
#68 Band2 Jun 19, 2009 12:04:35	I am skipping the first hook in this article for now. I will try to come back to it later with an idea. Ankhegs and Kenkus and Golems, Oh My! The Raven People This hook could be used with little change in any of the city-states. Perhaps it takes place in Old Kurn. The kenkus are trying to take advantage of the decreased population of the city. For the 4th story element, replace the wererats with tari.
#69 Band2 Jun 23, 2009 15:50:01	Ankhegs Galore You could use this adventure hook set near Tyr. The caravan is from the iron mines looking for a faster way to Tyr. Or set the adventure around the gold mines of Walis. House Tomblador or Adrian is trying to find a different route from the mines around the Wavir fort of Thetis. The new route leads through the anhkeg territory. You could replace the anhkegs with thri-kreen or antloids. For the 4th story element a t’liz could be breeding and controlling the anhkegs instead of a vampire.
#70 Band2 Jun 30, 2009 11:24:18	Intrigue in the Summertime Save the Duke Since reading is illegal in most cities, change the beginning of the hook. Instead of a sign, the characters are contacted by the family of a nobleman who has been poisoned. In the third story element the brother would be trying to become head of the family instead of siezing a throne.
#71 Band2 Jul 21, 2009 12:07:07	Intrigue in the Summertime Crime of Convenience This hook is easily adapted to Dark Sun. Make Fordio a minor templar instead of a courtier, whose rival is a more powerful templar. In the last hook, Frodio is not trying to take over the city but is plotting to take down his rival.
#72 Band2 Jul 30, 2009 14:16:00	Threats of a Divine Nature http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20090708 Skipping the first hook for now, and going on to the second one. The Dread God For this hook, the cult is trying to summon a being from one of the elemental planes instead of an evil god. For the first story elemental, the cult members would be elemental priests of the same elemental as the creature they wish to summon. For the fourth story element the cult is lead by a t’liz, and has turned the cult leaders into thinking zombies.
#73 Band2 Aug 14, 2009 12:15:17	Threats of a Divine Nature Sudden Retirement For a change instead of the high priest, set the adventure in Draj and have Atzetuk be the one who has announced his retirement. For the first story element, he is leaving to find out what happen to his “mother.” For the second story element, Ixtabai the Blind, is the one who organized the imposter. And plans to replace the king with a more suitable student. For the third story element, the rival is a templar, seeking to regain power from the House of the Mind. Though there is no election for the job, the PC’s may try to create support for one of them to fill the vacancy.