Dungeon 155-Keep on the Shadowfell: Forgotten Realms, Eberron, and Side Treks - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gamer_zer0 Jun 06, 2008 16:09:11	H1: Keep on the Shadowfell is a great place to start any new campaign, no matter what world you play in. We have the tools to help you step off on the fight foot. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dufe/20080606a Keep on the Shadowfell: Forgotten Realms Conversion By Greg Bilsland Art by John Stanko Cartography by Mike Schley Don't wait until July to start your first Forgotten Realms campaign! With this conversion article, we tell you where in the Realms Shadowfell Keep exists and provide you with detailed information on integrating the mythology of the keep into your Realms campaign. The article also features bonus encounters usable in any game, Realms-based or not. Keep on the Shadowfell: Eberron Conversion By Stephen Radney-MacFarland Art by Francis Tsai If you're itching to kick off your first Eberron campaign and you've already picked up H1: Keep on the Shadowfell, then you're ready to go. This article gives you all the information you need to situate Shadowfell Keep in your Eberron campaign and get your first adventure started. You'll find updates to existing H1 encounters and details on how to adapt the plot to integrate more of the mystery of Eberron into the adventure. Keep on the Shadowfell: Side Treks By Peter Schaefer Art by Steve Argyle Cartography by Mike Schley Many plots swirled around Shadowfell Keep, and not all of them were fully resolved. Some of you have likely already finished H1: Keep on the Shadowfell, but if you're a DM looking for more, check out this short series of bonus encounters based on the adventure. Even if you're not running H1, you can use these encounters individually or as a group to spice up any D&D adventure for 1st- to 3rd-level characters. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dufe/20080606a
#2 Erebus1 Jun 07, 2008 17:25:19	I love the changes this article makes and with it, I wil be kicking off my 4e FR campagin. The only thing I wish it did have was suggestions for replacing the default pre-gen Cleric of Bahumat with a Cleric of . I suspect the reason that wasn't done is that we don't yet have the culled list of FR dieties.
#3 arvo Jun 09, 2008 4:47:21	Just before I nip to amazon to buy it ... I'm right in thinking that H1 contains enough pre-rolled characters and new rule information to be able to just pick up and play before buying the core rules. Is that right? Then it just slots in to the old 3.5e version (or previous) of FR? Looking forward to surprising my players with the new game and getting some feedback. Cheers Arvo
#4 jwt Jun 09, 2008 8:47:26	Any chance of the maps of the dungeon beneath the keep appearing online in to scale printable form? It would make my life as a DM SO much easier.
#5 anaro Jun 09, 2008 18:59:22	Just before I nip to amazon to buy it ... I'm right in thinking that H1 contains enough pre-rolled characters and new rule information to be able to just pick up and play before buying the core rules. Is that right? Then it just slots in to the old 3.5e version (or previous) of FR? Looking forward to surprising my players with the new game and getting some feedback. Cheers Arvo H1 is indeed designed to be played standalone, with a cut down set of 4e rules for players and dm. We ran a couple sessions before the books came out, and only ran into a couple rules questions we couldn't answer. They actually have a handy FAQ on the site which answers some of these, if you need it. I'm not sure I understand your other question. There's no specific mention of a campaign world in H1, but there is the FR conversion article, which does skirt around the deities issue for the most part.
#6 fletch137 Jun 10, 2008 6:36:19	Dang, I'm Greg Bilsland's new biggest fan. The stuff he added to the adventure in this conversion rocketed KotS from a bare-bones, follow the numbers adventure into a truly engaging piece. Simple things like showing what the townsfolk think of each other went miles to add depth to the town. I wish I'd had these pages before I'd actually started the adventure but I'm sure my PCs will survive the shock of discovering that they've been in the Forgotten Realms this whole time.
#7 aberzanzorax Jun 10, 2008 11:24:28	Any word on the last two parts of "Touch of Madness" or "Cross City Race"? We were kinda supposed to get those in 3.5 form....
#8 kinkosslw Jun 11, 2008 21:01:07	In "Shadow of Kalarel", p. 81, the adventure instructs you "Allow the players to place their miniatures on the north edge of the tactical map." Since the road crosses the south and east edges of the map, should I assume this is meant to be the south edge?
#9 jwt Jun 12, 2008 8:43:35	I really enjoyed all these articles - good stuff. But, and I don't want to beat a dead horse here, this is the kind of article that used to be in web enhancements. Ie it was for free, now it isn't (free) Unfortunately, it looks like the web enhancements are gone the way of the Dodo. And to make it worse, there is stuff that typically would be part of the free web enhancements that are no longer around. Ie it was for free, now it isn't (even in existence) Things like maps-a-week, free mini adventures, the map gallery (I am very miffed about this one going away), and of course the actual web enhancement articles themselves. Obviously, these articles had value to me. But then again so did the magazines. So I am not unwilling to pay for these web enhancements, but I am also a little miffed by now having to pay for formerly free content that is crowding out other unique supplements of the caliber that appeared in Dungeon and Dragon. Succinctly put: I now get less of what I once paid for, I get next to no free content at all, I pay for what I once got for free, that formerly free content displaces other content, free or not I can't even get most of the stuff that was useful to me, and I am asked to pay more for the whole package. I like 4th ed, but this just grates. As to why this one particularly irks me. I used to print out these maps to mini scale and use these print outs in the game. I REALLY valued that resource, but I can't even pay WOTC to use those maps right now. Now I could scan them etc., etc. But I honestly thought 4th ed was about (in part) relieving the DM of their work.
#10 dicemauler Jun 12, 2008 9:33:20	i think i have to chime in and agree with JWT. while they did include a side trek in the article, was this other stuff really an article that you would see when dungeon was a print article. it feels like a poorly disguised advert for keep on the shadowfell. i would normally turn to dungeon for adventures that are not available elsewhere. i hope this is not setting a precedent for crowding out new writers in favor of shilling away for their own products. dungeon had a lot more value than that and i think that the people currently behind the wheel lost sight of that. a shame since a lot of their names appeared in earlier issues.
#11 Destrin Jun 13, 2008 5:20:38	Does anyone know if we are likelt to see Eberron and FR conversions for H2/H3 etc.? I'm quite keen to start of a new campaign in Eberron but I don't really want to do that if I'm left high and dry from H2 onwards with no conversion material, given that we probably have to wait until next year for the Eberron 4E campaign book
#12 dicemauler Jun 13, 2008 8:27:38	Does anyone know if we are likelt to see Eberron and FR conversions for H2/H3 etc.? I'm quite keen to start of a new campaign in Eberron but I don't really want to do that if I'm left high and dry from H2 onwards with no conversion material, given that we probably have to wait until next year for the Eberron 4E campaign book if this article is any indication, we most likely will see conversions printed in dungeon.
#13 sobelius Jun 16, 2008 18:43:37	In "Shadow of Kalarel", p. 81, the adventure instructs you "Allow the players to place their miniatures on the north edge of the tactical map." Since the road crosses the south and east edges of the map, should I assume this is meant to be the south edge? I suggest the following errata/updates: SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wagon Ambush 1. Flip the compass rose on the map 180 degrees and the map description and initial setup makes sense. 2. Under "Features of the Area", repeat the last sentence from the Perception Check paragraph so that the effect of the Wagons is more easily found when looking for terrain effects. 3. Under "Clues", in the first sentence, remove the word "others" after "half-dozen", and the sentence will makes sense. Slaver Encounter 1. Flip the compass rose 90 degrees to the right (such that N is the right edge of the map). Now the setup description is correct. 2. In the "Setup" section, second paragraph, swap the phrases "in the Wagon Ambush encounter" and "at the nearby kobold camp" and the the suggestion made by this paragraph will make more sense. 3. Under "Perception Check", ignore the last sentence and instead just use the "Trees" description under "Features of the Area". 4. There is a one-square stone between the road and the woods, but no description is given for it. Make up its features, or just assume it is a 3 foot high rock that is difficult terrain to move through and only provides cover or blocks line of sight to adjacent creatures that are prone or crawling. 5. No description is given for the "stone promonitory" on which the archer is located. Make up its features, or assume it is 20 feet high with a DC 15 to climb up. The top surface of the rock is difficult terrain to move across. For line of sight purposes, treat the rock's edge as a wall to creatures on the ground. When creatures on the ground and atop the rock are attacking each other with ranged attacks, the line of sight is possible only when the number of rock terrain squares in the line of sight is equal to or less than the number of non-rock terrain squares in the line of sight. (For example, A cannot target C because the line of sight passes through 3.5 rock squares but only 2.5 non-rock squares.) This means the Archer will have to move to the rock's edge to target any PCs that move close to the rock. 6. The Hobgoblin Subcommander should have the Potion of Healing on him and use it if he drops to 1/4 HP. If the PCs can take him down in 2 or 3 rounds, he may not have time to use it. Graveyard Exterior. No changes needed -- even the compass rose matches the description! Hidden Victims 1. Remove "Undead Tenacity" from the Zombie Rotters (they are a victim of copy-and-pasting from the previous encounter).
#14 Griogre Jun 17, 2008 1:36:43	There's no thread for this adventure so I'll just post it here. On the Title page of Dungeon it says Heathen is for 4th level characters. The adventure says it is for 5th level characters. I haven't had a chance to read it yet and tell which one is right, but either the adventure or the Dungeon Title page is wrong. Kinda sad for the first released 4th Ed module I think. I also think it kind of strange they didn't release a 1st level module for the first Dungeon Module for 4th ed. You think they would try to release something people could use day one or at least a follow on the adventure in the DMG. I remember Piazo releasing several modules at 1st level in the first Dungeon after 3.0 ed released.
#15 dicemauler Jun 17, 2008 8:52:58	There's no thread for this adventure so I'll just post it here. On the Title page of Dungeon it says Heathen is for 4th level characters. The adventure says it is for 5th level characters. I haven't had a chance to read it yet and tell which one is right, but either the adventure or the Dungeon Title page is wrong. Kinda sad for the first released 4th Ed module I think. I also think it kind of strange they didn't release a 1st level module for the first Dungeon Module for 4th ed. You think they would try to release something people could use day one or at least a follow on the adventure in the DMG. I remember Piazo releasing several modules at 1st level in the first Dungeon after 3.0 ed released. paizo didn't, but wotc did. wotc still had the magazines when 3.0 was released. as for releasing a 1st level dungeon adventure, i think that they don't want competition with their own 1st - 3rd level adventure in any form, even one that they produce. my opinion is that their thought process followed this line "why pay for something when you can find it for free."
#16 Griogre Jun 17, 2008 14:23:29	Good point on the Paizo not owning the mag then. I believe you may be right on them not wanting to release another first level adventure but that is just silly. Dungeon adventures are traditionally smaller than a full length module, often with just enough experience for about a level (unless they were an adventure path module). H1 takes you up to just short of 4th. However, by that logic Heathen cannibalizes their H2 sales. When a new edition comes out people want more than one 1st level module hopefully by guys who have been play testing the new edition for a while. IMHO, people want to try different character types and the new combat rules with the lowest possible characters to get a feel for how the new rules work with the least amount of complications brought on by level and also to decide which character class(es) they like. After they have done this - then they want to play an adventure path like series like the H series to run a character up. I would have thought Dungeon would be the perfect avenue to release a number of small contrasting 1st level modules. shrug
#17 Myrhdraak Jun 17, 2008 16:07:25	I went through the work turning the pregenerated halfling rougue, into a human rougue. I was following the new PHB and noticed that the pregenerated HP seems to be wrong. According to PHB the thief should have 13 HP (12+1 in Con) rather than 25 as the pregenerated character says. Have I missed something? Is the 13 hp actually the bloodied hp and the maximum hp should be twice that, i.e. 26 hp. Which does not match the 25 hp either. Anybody who has read the new PHB more thouroghly and can explain it to me?
#18 sobelius Jun 17, 2008 16:31:45	I went through the work turning the pregenerated halfling rougue, into a human rougue. I was following the new PHB and noticed that the pregenerated HP seems to be wrong. According to PHB the thief should have 13 HP (12+1 in Con) rather than 25 as the pregenerated character says. Have I missed something? Is the 13 hp actually the bloodied hp and the maximum hp should be twice that, i.e. 26 hp. Which does not match the 25 hp either. Anybody who has read the new PHB more thouroghly and can explain it to me? Starting Max Hit Points are: starting class base + Con SCORE (not Con modifier). So 12 + 13 = 25. Our group had to read and re-read that like 5 times before we finally really believed they really meant Con score. Because you add Con SCORE, any time your Con Score increases by 1 point, you increase your Max HP by 1 point.
#19 Griogre Jun 18, 2008 2:15:35	It's actually an interesting mechanic, IMHO because it front loads con adds to HP at the low levels (increasing low level survival) while not having a huge impact on later levels. It also does make Con a stat where you do get a benefit every time you raise it instead of just on even amounts, though you do get the extra healing surge on the evens.
#20 ezurus Jul 01, 2008 11:33:01	Any chance of the maps of the dungeon beneath the keep appearing online in to scale printable form? It would make my life as a DM SO much easier. You are not alone, there's a whole thread devoted to asking for these maps. I'm linking to it here in case this thread is more closely monitored since it was started by Gamer0. Here: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=1053801
#21 Myrhdraak Jul 03, 2008 3:16:33	Now we have played our first two sessions in Keep on the Shadowfell and had our first battle using the 4th Edition rules. I think the experience was very positive. Here are my reflections: - First of it was very fun! - A battle with 1st level characters was very much more thrilling than in the old editions. I would say it felt more like playing a 5th level character in the old editions. You had HP to last you through a battle. You had multiple strategic options to make, etc. - As a DM you could do more strategic moves with your monsters. Trying to put them in positions that would increase their strength. Quite fun - A lot of effects to keep in you head as DM. Maybe it was due to inexperience and not really knowing the players powers so well, but it felt like you had to keep lot of things in your head or delegate it to the players to be successful - A lot of the rules were really simplified, on the border of reducing the realism a bit. But all made to make the gaming experience much more fun. If you are old school gamer, you might dislike some as it may feel more like a computer game than a game trying to mimic the real world (which was some of the effort in the earlier versions) But to summarize - lot of fun to play, and I really look forward to see how the more challenging encounters will work out for my players.
#22 Myrhdraak Jul 21, 2008 11:16:14	I have always like to read about how other people have played adventures I have played or DMed myself. In an effort to share our game play, we have built a site were we will publish all our game chronicles from the Keep on the Shadowfell adventure. The address to the site is: http://web.comhem.se/mwester/Shadowfell/index.htm Here is a short preview from the game introduction: Salkazar stopped and squinted into the setting sun. The road in front of them winded over a stony landscape filled with bushes, which at times was replaced by small pockets of windblown trees in the hollows and crevices where their roots could find moisture and water to live. The landscape was so different from the stone and desert terrain which was his home down in the south, beyond the Dragon Mountains. "Dawn will soon be upon us. Should we not already have reached the inn? The inn keeper said it would only be three days of travel from his inn", said the towering dragonborn warrior, with a booming voice that he apparently found difficult to adapt to the human language. He turned to his companion who was at least a head shorter than he, if not two. Wilgeon did not respond immediately, but instead looked towards the setting sun without squinting. His half-elf eyes were untroubled by the sun's last rays. "Have faith brother. Bahamut rewards the true believers. Over there", he said, pointing towards the horizon, right into the setting sun. "I see a building. It is probably the inn they refered to. We will have a roof over our heads this night Salkazar, do not worry", said the half-elf with a big smile towards the large scaleclad warrior ... There is more to come as we are translating from our native swedish. We really appreciate people that can help us correct bad English wording or phrases we might have used. All comments is greatly appreciated.
#23 marsinah Jul 28, 2008 13:40:22	My question on the conversion was answered in another thread - ignore post.
#24 Myrhdraak Aug 01, 2008 18:23:08	Finally got the time to translate the first game episode from the 29th of June to English. In this episode the party falls into the kobold ambush that start the Keep of the Shadowfell adventure, and Ovur gets good use of his maul. Ovur was walking and singing along the old Kings Road together with Illamad. Illamad had deliberately chosen to walk several steps behind the loud dwarf to avoid hearing his coarse drinking songs about mead and bearded women. They had travelled most of the day along the uneven and overgrown road. The terrain had changed during the day, but the landscape of open fields with occasional patches of forest had gradually been replaced by deeper woods with occasional clearings and flower filled grasslands. They had not met any other travelers along the old road. They hade come upon a few isolated farms, but most appeared to have been abandoned a long time, as the fields were overgrown with saplings and young birch trees. The Kings Road’s old cobblestones also testified that this road must have been a major transit in the old Nareth Empire before it fell apart and the old roads were forgotten. Patches of grass and moss made it difficult at times to see the old road in the forest canopy. However, it still seemed to be used, as individual wind felled trees had been cut and put aside. But it was quite obvious that the old road that once upon a time had been a major transit between different parts of the great empire, now laid in decay and ruin.... You can find the full episode at: http://web.comhem.se/mwester/Shadowfell/index.htm Any comments and suggestions appreciated
#25 Myrhdraak Aug 02, 2008 3:02:41	My question on the conversion was answered in another thread - ignore post. I was planning to use that encounter but could not find the thread you are refering to. What was the answer in that thread?
#26 Myrhdraak Sep 04, 2008 16:54:28	Ok, now I have bought and read through the whole series H1-H3, ending with the Pyramid of Shadow. What strikes me is the "total" lack of connection between these adventures. I had been hoping to see a build up around the growing threat of Orcus and his efforts to breaking through from the Shadowfell, with the Pyramid of Shadow being the climax where the players are forced to enter this "new" plane of the Shadowfell and meet the undead threat from Orcus. I was greatly disappointed. These three adventures are very free standing with very little in the plot that ties them together or give them some connection. Comparing to the Paizo adventure lines, these three was very lame. Is there anybody who has spent some time thinking on how these adventures could be built together and really create an atmosphere of Shadowfell and Orcus somehow? What in the backgrounds and encounters should be changed in order to really tie these adventures together?
#27 thekurt Sep 13, 2011 17:04:37	Ok, now I have bought and read through the whole series H1-H3, ending with the Pyramid of Shadow. What strikes me is the "total" lack of connection between these adventures. I had been hoping to see a build up around the growing threat of Orcus and his efforts to breaking through from the Shadowfell, with the Pyramid of Shadow being the climax where the players are forced to enter this "new" plane of the Shadowfell and meet the undead threat from Orcus. I was greatly disappointed. These three adventures are very free standing with very little in the plot that ties them together or give them some connection. Comparing to the Paizo adventure lines, these three was very lame. Is there anybody who has spent some time thinking on how these adventures could be built together and really create an atmosphere of Shadowfell and Orcus somehow? What in the backgrounds and encounters should be changed in order to really tie these adventures together? I remember seeing an "Orcus Conversion" for H1 that also had some added tweaks and comments to help tie in with H2 and H3.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

gamer_zer0

Jun 06, 2008 16:09:11

H1: Keep on the Shadowfell is a great place to start any new campaign, no matter what world you play in. We have the tools to help you step off on the fight foot.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dufe/20080606a

Keep on the Shadowfell: Forgotten Realms Conversion
By Greg Bilsland
Art by John Stanko
Cartography by Mike Schley

Don't wait until July to start your first Forgotten Realms campaign! With this conversion article, we tell you where in the Realms Shadowfell Keep exists and provide you with detailed information on integrating the mythology of the keep into your Realms campaign. The article also features bonus encounters usable in any game, Realms-based or not.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Eberron Conversion
By Stephen Radney-MacFarland
Art by Francis Tsai

If you're itching to kick off your first Eberron campaign and you've already picked up H1: Keep on the Shadowfell, then you're ready to go. This article gives you all the information you need to situate Shadowfell Keep in your Eberron campaign and get your first adventure started. You'll find updates to existing H1 encounters and details on how to adapt the plot to integrate more of the mystery of Eberron into the adventure.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Side Treks
By Peter Schaefer
Art by Steve Argyle
Cartography by Mike Schley

Many plots swirled around Shadowfell Keep, and not all of them were fully resolved. Some of you have likely already finished H1: Keep on the Shadowfell, but if you're a DM looking for more, check out this short series of bonus encounters based on the adventure. Even if you're not running H1, you can use these encounters individually or as a group to spice up any D&D adventure for 1st- to 3rd-level characters.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dufe/20080606a

Erebus1

Jun 07, 2008 17:25:19

I love the changes this article makes and with it, I wil be kicking off my 4e FR campagin.

The only thing I wish it did have was suggestions for replacing the default pre-gen Cleric of Bahumat with a Cleric of .

I suspect the reason that wasn't done is that we don't yet have the culled list of FR dieties.

arvo

Jun 09, 2008 4:47:21

Just before I nip to amazon to buy it ...

I'm right in thinking that H1 contains enough pre-rolled characters and new rule information to be able to just pick up and play before buying the core rules. Is that right?

Then it just slots in to the old 3.5e version (or previous) of FR?

Looking forward to surprising my players with the new game and getting some feedback.

Cheers

Arvo

jwt

Jun 09, 2008 8:47:26

Any chance of the maps of the dungeon beneath the keep appearing online in to scale printable form?

It would make my life as a DM SO much easier.

anaro

Jun 09, 2008 18:59:22

Just before I nip to amazon to buy it ...

I'm right in thinking that H1 contains enough pre-rolled characters and new rule information to be able to just pick up and play before buying the core rules. Is that right?

Then it just slots in to the old 3.5e version (or previous) of FR?

Looking forward to surprising my players with the new game and getting some feedback.

Cheers

Arvo

H1 is indeed designed to be played standalone, with a cut down set of 4e rules for players and dm. We ran a couple sessions before the books came out, and only ran into a couple rules questions we couldn't answer. They actually have a handy FAQ on the site which answers some of these, if you need it. I'm not sure I understand your other question. There's no specific mention of a campaign world in H1, but there is the FR conversion article, which does skirt around the deities issue for the most part.

fletch137

Jun 10, 2008 6:36:19

Dang, I'm Greg Bilsland's new biggest fan. The stuff he added to the adventure in this conversion rocketed KotS from a bare-bones, follow the numbers adventure into a truly engaging piece.

Simple things like showing what the townsfolk think of each other went miles to add depth to the town. I wish I'd had these pages before I'd actually started the adventure but I'm sure my PCs will survive the shock of discovering that they've been in the Forgotten Realms this whole time.

aberzanzorax

Jun 10, 2008 11:24:28

Any word on the last two parts of "Touch of Madness"

or

"Cross City Race"?

We were kinda supposed to get those in 3.5 form....

kinkosslw

Jun 11, 2008 21:01:07

In "Shadow of Kalarel", p. 81, the adventure instructs you "Allow the players to place their miniatures on the north edge of the tactical map."

Since the road crosses the south and east edges of the map, should I assume this is meant to be the south edge?

jwt

Jun 12, 2008 8:43:35

I really enjoyed all these articles - good stuff.

But, and I don't want to beat a dead horse here, this is the kind of article that used to be in web enhancements.

Ie it was for free, now it isn't (free)

Unfortunately, it looks like the web enhancements are gone the way of the Dodo.

And to make it worse, there is stuff that typically would be part of the free web enhancements that are no longer around.

Ie it was for free, now it isn't (even in existence)

Things like maps-a-week, free mini adventures, the map gallery (I am very miffed about this one going away*), and of course the actual web enhancement articles themselves.

Obviously, these articles had value to me. But then again so did the magazines. So I am not unwilling to pay for these web enhancements, but I am also a little miffed by now having to pay for formerly free content that is crowding out other unique supplements of the caliber that appeared in Dungeon and Dragon.

Succinctly put: I now get less of what I once paid for, I get next to no free content at all, I pay for what I once got for free, that formerly free content displaces other content, free or not I can't even get most of the stuff that was useful to me, and I am asked to pay more for the whole package.

I like 4th ed, but this just grates.

As to why this one particularly irks me. I used to print out these maps to mini scale and use these print outs in the game. I REALLY valued that resource, but I can't even pay WOTC to use those maps right now. Now I could scan them etc., etc. But I honestly thought 4th ed was about (in part) relieving the DM of their work.

#10

dicemauler

Jun 12, 2008 9:33:20

i think i have to chime in and agree with JWT. while they did include a side trek in the article, was this other stuff really an article that you would see when dungeon was a print article. it feels like a poorly disguised advert for keep on the shadowfell. i would normally turn to dungeon for adventures that are not available elsewhere.

i hope this is not setting a precedent for crowding out new writers in favor of shilling away for their own products. dungeon had a lot more value than that and i think that the people currently behind the wheel lost sight of that. a shame since a lot of their names appeared in earlier issues.

#11

Destrin

Jun 13, 2008 5:20:38

Does anyone know if we are likelt to see Eberron and FR conversions for H2/H3 etc.? I'm quite keen to start of a new campaign in Eberron but I don't really want to do that if I'm left high and dry from H2 onwards with no conversion material, given that we probably have to wait until next year for the Eberron 4E campaign book

#12

dicemauler

Jun 13, 2008 8:27:38

Does anyone know if we are likelt to see Eberron and FR conversions for H2/H3 etc.? I'm quite keen to start of a new campaign in Eberron but I don't really want to do that if I'm left high and dry from H2 onwards with no conversion material, given that we probably have to wait until next year for the Eberron 4E campaign book

if this article is any indication, we most likely will see conversions printed in dungeon.

#13

sobelius

Jun 16, 2008 18:43:37

In "Shadow of Kalarel", p. 81, the adventure instructs you "Allow the players to place their miniatures on the north edge of the tactical map."

Since the road crosses the south and east edges of the map, should I assume this is meant to be the south edge?

I suggest the following errata/updates:

SPOILERS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Wagon Ambush
1. Flip the compass rose on the map 180 degrees and the map description and initial setup makes sense.
2. Under "Features of the Area", repeat the last sentence from the Perception Check paragraph so that the effect of the Wagons is more easily found when looking for terrain effects.
3. Under "Clues", in the first sentence, remove the word "others" after "half-dozen", and the sentence will makes sense.

Slaver Encounter
1. Flip the compass rose 90 degrees to the right (such that N is the right edge of the map). Now the setup description is correct.
2. In the "Setup" section, second paragraph, swap the phrases "in the Wagon Ambush encounter" and "at the nearby kobold camp" and the the suggestion made by this paragraph will make more sense.
3. Under "Perception Check", ignore the last sentence and instead just use the "Trees" description under "Features of the Area".
4. There is a one-square stone between the road and the woods, but no description is given for it. Make up its features, or just assume it is a 3 foot high rock that is difficult terrain to move through and only provides cover or blocks line of sight to adjacent creatures that are prone or crawling.
5. No description is given for the "stone promonitory" on which the archer is located. Make up its features, or assume it is 20 feet high with a DC 15 to climb up. The top surface of the rock is difficult terrain to move across. For line of sight purposes, treat the rock's edge as a wall to creatures on the ground. When creatures on the ground and atop the rock are attacking each other with ranged attacks, the line of sight is possible only when the number of rock terrain squares in the line of sight is equal to or less than the number of non-rock terrain squares in the line of sight. (For example, A cannot target C because the line of sight passes through 3.5 rock squares but only 2.5 non-rock squares.) This means the Archer will have to move to the rock's edge to target any PCs that move close to the rock.
6. The Hobgoblin Subcommander should have the Potion of Healing on him and use it if he drops to 1/4 HP. If the PCs can take him down in 2 or 3 rounds, he may not have time to use it.

Graveyard Exterior.
No changes needed -- even the compass rose matches the description!

Hidden Victims
1. Remove "Undead Tenacity" from the Zombie Rotters (they are a victim of copy-and-pasting from the previous encounter).

#14

Griogre

Jun 17, 2008 1:36:43

There's no thread for this adventure so I'll just post it here. On the Title page of Dungeon it says Heathen is for 4th level characters. The adventure says it is for 5th level characters. I haven't had a chance to read it yet and tell which one is right, but either the adventure or the Dungeon Title page is wrong. Kinda sad for the first released 4th Ed module I think.

I also think it kind of strange they didn't release a 1st level module for the first Dungeon Module for 4th ed. You think they would try to release something people could use day one or at least a follow on the adventure in the DMG.

I remember Piazo releasing several modules at 1st level in the first Dungeon after 3.0 ed released.

#15

dicemauler

Jun 17, 2008 8:52:58

There's no thread for this adventure so I'll just post it here. On the Title page of Dungeon it says Heathen is for 4th level characters. The adventure says it is for 5th level characters. I haven't had a chance to read it yet and tell which one is right, but either the adventure or the Dungeon Title page is wrong. Kinda sad for the first released 4th Ed module I think.

I also think it kind of strange they didn't release a 1st level module for the first Dungeon Module for 4th ed. You think they would try to release something people could use day one or at least a follow on the adventure in the DMG.

I remember Piazo releasing several modules at 1st level in the first Dungeon after 3.0 ed released.

paizo didn't, but wotc did. wotc still had the magazines when 3.0 was released.

as for releasing a 1st level dungeon adventure, i think that they don't want competition with their own 1st - 3rd level adventure in any form, even one that they produce. my opinion is that their thought process followed this line "why pay for something when you can find it for free."

#16

Griogre

Jun 17, 2008 14:23:29

Good point on the Paizo not owning the mag then. I believe you may be right on them not wanting to release another first level adventure but that is just silly. Dungeon adventures are traditionally smaller than a full length module, often with just enough experience for about a level (unless they were an adventure path module). H1 takes you up to just short of 4th. However, by that logic Heathen cannibalizes their H2 sales.

When a new edition comes out people want more than one 1st level module hopefully by guys who have been play testing the new edition for a while. IMHO, people want to try different character types and the new combat rules with the lowest possible characters to get a feel for how the new rules work with the least amount of complications brought on by level and also to decide which character class(es) they like. After they have done this - *then* they want to play an adventure path like series like the H series to run a character up. I would have thought Dungeon would be the perfect avenue to release a number of small contrasting 1st level modules. *shrug*

#17

Myrhdraak

Jun 17, 2008 16:07:25

I went through the work turning the pregenerated halfling rougue, into a human rougue. I was following the new PHB and noticed that the pregenerated HP seems to be wrong. According to PHB the thief should have 13 HP (12+1 in Con) rather than 25 as the pregenerated character says.

Have I missed something? Is the 13 hp actually the bloodied hp and the maximum hp should be twice that, i.e. 26 hp. Which does not match the 25 hp either.

Anybody who has read the new PHB more thouroghly and can explain it to me?

#18

sobelius

Jun 17, 2008 16:31:45

I went through the work turning the pregenerated halfling rougue, into a human rougue. I was following the new PHB and noticed that the pregenerated HP seems to be wrong. According to PHB the thief should have 13 HP (12+1 in Con) rather than 25 as the pregenerated character says.

Have I missed something? Is the 13 hp actually the bloodied hp and the maximum hp should be twice that, i.e. 26 hp. Which does not match the 25 hp either.

Anybody who has read the new PHB more thouroghly and can explain it to me?

Starting Max Hit Points are: starting class base + Con SCORE (not Con modifier).

So 12 + 13 = 25.

Our group had to read and re-read that like 5 times before we finally really believed they really meant Con score.

Because you add Con SCORE, any time your Con Score increases by 1 point, you increase your Max HP by 1 point.

#19

Griogre

Jun 18, 2008 2:15:35

It's actually an interesting mechanic, IMHO because it front loads con adds to HP at the low levels (increasing low level survival) while not having a huge impact on later levels. It also does make Con a stat where you do get a benefit every time you raise it instead of just on even amounts, though you do get the extra healing surge on the evens.

#20

ezurus

Jul 01, 2008 11:33:01

Any chance of the maps of the dungeon beneath the keep appearing online in to scale printable form?

It would make my life as a DM SO much easier.

You are not alone, there's a whole thread devoted to asking for these maps. I'm linking to it here in case this thread is more closely monitored since it was started by Gamer0.

Here: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=1053801

#21

Myrhdraak

Jul 03, 2008 3:16:33

Now we have played our first two sessions in Keep on the Shadowfell and had our first battle using the 4th Edition rules. I think the experience was very positive. Here are my reflections:

- First of it was very fun!

- A battle with 1st level characters was very much more thrilling than in the old editions. I would say it felt more like playing a 5th level character in the old editions. You had HP to last you through a battle. You had multiple strategic options to make, etc.

- As a DM you could do more strategic moves with your monsters. Trying to put them in positions that would increase their strength. Quite fun

- A lot of effects to keep in you head as DM. Maybe it was due to inexperience and not really knowing the players powers so well, but it felt like you had to keep lot of things in your head or delegate it to the players to be successful

- A lot of the rules were really simplified, on the border of reducing the realism a bit. But all made to make the gaming experience much more fun. If you are old school gamer, you might dislike some as it may feel more like a computer game than a game trying to mimic the real world (which was some of the effort in the earlier versions)

But to summarize - lot of fun to play, and I really look forward to see how the more challenging encounters will work out for my players.

#22

Myrhdraak

Jul 21, 2008 11:16:14

I have always like to read about how other people have played adventures I have played or DMed myself. In an effort to share our game play, we have built a site were we will publish all our game chronicles from the Keep on the Shadowfell adventure.

The address to the site is:
http://web.comhem.se/mwester/Shadowfell/index.htm

Here is a short preview from the game introduction:

Salkazar stopped and squinted into the setting sun. The road in front of them winded over a stony landscape filled with bushes, which at times was replaced by small pockets of windblown trees in the hollows and crevices where their roots could find moisture and water to live. The landscape was so different from the stone and desert terrain which was his home down in the south, beyond the Dragon Mountains.
"Dawn will soon be upon us. Should we not already have reached the inn? The inn keeper said it would only be three days of travel from his inn", said the towering dragonborn warrior, with a booming voice that he apparently found difficult to adapt to the human language. He turned to his companion who was at least a head shorter than he, if not two.
Wilgeon did not respond immediately, but instead looked towards the setting sun without squinting. His half-elf eyes were untroubled by the sun's last rays.
"Have faith brother. Bahamut rewards the true believers. Over there", he said, pointing towards the horizon, right into the setting sun. "I see a building. It is probably the inn they refered to. We will have a roof over our heads this night Salkazar, do not worry", said the half-elf with a big smile towards the large scaleclad warrior ...

There is more to come as we are translating from our native swedish. We really appreciate people that can help us correct bad English wording or phrases we might have used.

All comments is greatly appreciated.

#23

marsinah

Jul 28, 2008 13:40:22

My question on the conversion was answered in another thread - ignore post.

#24

Myrhdraak

Aug 01, 2008 18:23:08

Finally got the time to translate the first game episode from the 29th of June to English. In this episode the party falls into the kobold ambush that start the Keep of the Shadowfell adventure, and Ovur gets good use of his maul.

Ovur was walking and singing along the old Kings Road together with Illamad. Illamad had deliberately chosen to walk several steps behind the loud dwarf to avoid hearing his coarse drinking songs about mead and bearded women.
They had travelled most of the day along the uneven and overgrown road. The terrain had changed during the day, but the landscape of open fields with occasional patches of forest had gradually been replaced by deeper woods with occasional clearings and flower filled grasslands. They had not met any other travelers along the old road. They hade come upon a few isolated farms, but most appeared to have been abandoned a long time, as the fields were overgrown with saplings and young birch trees. The Kings Road’s old cobblestones also testified that this road must have been a major transit in the old Nareth Empire before it fell apart and the old roads were forgotten. Patches of grass and moss made it difficult at times to see the old road in the forest canopy. However, it still seemed to be used, as individual wind felled trees had been cut and put aside. But it was quite obvious that the old road that once upon a time had been a major transit between different parts of the great empire, now laid in decay and ruin....

You can find the full episode at:
http://web.comhem.se/mwester/Shadowfell/index.htm

Any comments and suggestions appreciated

#25

Myrhdraak

Aug 02, 2008 3:02:41

My question on the conversion was answered in another thread - ignore post.

I was planning to use that encounter but could not find the thread you are refering to. What was the answer in that thread?

#26

Myrhdraak

Sep 04, 2008 16:54:28

Ok, now I have bought and read through the whole series H1-H3, ending with the Pyramid of Shadow. What strikes me is the "total" lack of connection between these adventures.

I had been hoping to see a build up around the growing threat of Orcus and his efforts to breaking through from the Shadowfell, with the Pyramid of Shadow being the climax where the players are forced to enter this "new" plane of the Shadowfell and meet the undead threat from Orcus. I was greatly disappointed. These three adventures are very free standing with very little in the plot that ties them together or give them some connection. Comparing to the Paizo adventure lines, these three was very lame.

Is there anybody who has spent some time thinking on how these adventures could be built together and really create an atmosphere of Shadowfell and Orcus somehow? What in the backgrounds and encounters should be changed in order to really tie these adventures together?

#27

thekurt

Sep 13, 2011 17:04:37

Ok, now I have bought and read through the whole series H1-H3, ending with the Pyramid of Shadow. What strikes me is the "total" lack of connection between these adventures.

I had been hoping to see a build up around the growing threat of Orcus and his efforts to breaking through from the Shadowfell, with the Pyramid of Shadow being the climax where the players are forced to enter this "new" plane of the Shadowfell and meet the undead threat from Orcus. I was greatly disappointed. These three adventures are very free standing with very little in the plot that ties them together or give them some connection. Comparing to the Paizo adventure lines, these three was very lame.

Is there anybody who has spent some time thinking on how these adventures could be built together and really create an atmosphere of Shadowfell and Orcus somehow? What in the backgrounds and encounters should be changed in order to really tie these adventures together?

I remember seeing an "Orcus Conversion" for H1 that also had some added tweaks and comments to help tie in with H2 and H3.