One of the free 3.5 adventures that wizards had released was a 1st level for 4-6 players called Burning Plague. This is my first time DMing and I wanted to convert this to 4e, and also lower the difficulty since I will only have 3 Players on my tabletop instead of 4 or 5.
The first step was re-stating the traps, there are only 2 traps to worry about, but the Thunderstone was tough. Tell me what you think.
Thunderstone trap
Perception
DC 27: The character notices the tripwire trigger
DC 29: The character notices the thunderstone on the cieling
Trigger
When a creature disturbs the cart to move the body, the thunderstone falls to the ground and goes off.
Attack
Opportunity Action Close Burst 2
Targets: Creatures in burst
Attack: +4 vs Fort
Hit: Deafened for 1 hour. Dazed (save ends)
Miss: Deafened for 2 rounds.
Effect: The thunderstone falls and the trap is no longer in place. Kobolds in areas 3 and 5 will hear the trap and make appropriate preparations described.
Countermeasures:
An adjacent character can disable the tripwire with a DC 25 Thievery check.
The other trap would just be a simple False-Floor Pit Trap from the DMG.
Mess Hall Battle (XP 375)
Kobold Slinger x2
Kobold Skirmisher
Kobold Minion x3
Main Mining Area (XP 525)
Kobold Wyrmpriest
Kobold Slinger x3
Kobold Minon x3
They also have an advantage at being a higher elevation, and the players would have to climb up to fight them in melee. Only a DC 5 Athletics check, but still something to consider.
For 4e, I couldn't find a dire weasel so I turned this encounter into a standard rat fight.
Dire Rat x3
Giant Rat x6
450XP
The Burning Plague
Attack +4 vs Fort (Highly Infectious, Make an attack roll once per three turns)
Progression Endurance improve DC 24 maintain DC 19, worsed DC 18 or lower
Target is Cured !
Infected and becomes contagious !"
Lose 1d4 Con damage per day "
Lose 1d4 Con and Weakened
As well, the room also contains Zombies used to guard the main boss.
Zombie x3
Zombie Rotter x3
XP450
The orc cleric has used the spring as a way to infect the townsfolk. The magic wellspring which speads into the well water is the cause of the plague, and the god Gruumsh is aiding the cleric.
I'm worried about this fight cause I think the one monster might be too strong, but he and his followers do have some con damage from the plague. I was thinking -6 Con, maybe more.
One Eye of Gruumsh
Orc Drudgex4
(XP 400) *maybe bump up to 600?*
That's all I got guys, tell me what you think.
Also, if this adventure has already been updated, can someone point me into the right direction to find it.
Later
Carson
Main mining area I might drop 1 slinger and add in the equivalent xp worth of minions.
For the direweasel, just fluff the dire rat as a weasel and and reword the bite attack to something like:
Weasel Bite and Drain (standard; at-will)
+4 vs AC; 1d6+2 damage and the target is grabbed (until escape) and takes ongoing 5 damage (blood drain) until it escapes. A dire weasel doesn't make attack rolls while grabbing a target and gains +5 to its AC and Reflex defenses.
Fluff the regular rats as 'weasels' and change their Bite to:
Weasel Bite (standard; at-will)
+4 vs AC; 3 damage and target is grabbed (until escape). An attached weasel doesn't make attack rolls while grabbing a target and gains a +5 bonus to its AC and Reflex defenses.
While the last fight XP wise is fine, you're pushing the maximum there in terms of level differences. Just look at any of the threads about KotS and Irontooth. Since it sounds like you need an orc, perhaps leave in the Eye and one orc minion as a 'task master' but round out the others as kobold minions.
One of the final rooms is a pit full of bodies used to incubate the disease. The disease is very powerful in this room and the players have a strong chance to be infected. This is what I got for this room's disease trap.
The Burning Plague
Attack +4 vs Fort (Highly Infectious, Make an attack roll once per three turns)
Progression Endurance improve DC 24 maintain DC 19, worsed DC 18 or lower
Target is Cured !
Infected and becomes contagious !"
Lose 1d4 Con damage per day "
Lose 1d4 Con and Weakened
For the disease itself, I'd lose the Con damage and head for a different effect. Ability damage/drain seems to be completely out in 4e. It's been a while since I've read the adventure, so I don't really remember any of the fluff on the disease, so I don't know exactly what effects to give it. I'd say take a look at the example diseases in the DMG and extrapolate something from those guidelines.