The module recommends making the town of Oredeep Havenhill (spelled "Haverhill", p. 187). Additionally, Oredeep is described as a medium-sized walled city (p.22), which seems reasonable for Havenhill, if a little low, but also an "independent city", and "hardly on good terms with its neighbors" (p. 22) seems a little off. Maybe Oredeep is the dwarven section of Havenhill? That would explain the somewhat low population figure.
The module recommends placing Radruundar in the northwestern Yatils, northwest of Exag (p. 187), but it also "lies at least 100 miles from Oredeep as the crow flies" (p. 47). The Yatils would certainly be "at least 100 miles away from Oredeep. Problem: Before the PCs know anything about Radruundar, they come upon the raided Thodsonn family stronghold. At that time, the Goblin army (from the Pomarj, 30,000 strong) is supposed to be 420 miles to the northwest, and they have "already obliterated several dwarven communities and human towns (pp. 42-43, 187), but are still somehow undetected (p. 23). If the goblin army is 420 miles to the northwest of Havenhill, that would put them close to Veluna. This doesn't make any sense for the post-invasion late 580s, when this AD&D2 module is presumably set. Also, how would the Dwarfcutters from Radruundar (supposedly in the Yatils) consistently bolster a goblin army from the Pomarj which is currently in the Lortmils, without any good guys noticing this?
Ugh.
How to reconcile: Either "Oredeep" is the dwarven section of Havenhill and Radruundar is in the Lortmils, or Radruundar is in the Yatils, and Oredeep is an independent town in the Yatils. I'm going with the former. I assume that during the Hateful Wars, the goblins fled Radruundar (even though they probably wouldn't have been found), then, "30 years ago" (p. 58), Urguul Longtooth led some goblin clans back, forming the Roaring Water tribe. I'm assuming that the background statements about Oredeep being "independent" and "hardly on good terms with its neighbors" are relative statements.
In addition, I'm a long way from the mid to late-580s (more like 579), and a longer way from seeing any PC get to anywhere near 13th level, let alone seven of them. So, I can have the story start ca. 580, a few years before the arrival of Tairdo and Qamhuul/Akhil, who arrived at Radruundar about 5 years before the module is set (pp. 47, 59), probably sometime between 585 and 590.
Changes to bring the module to an earlier period:
-Urguul Longtooth is still alive, (p. 61). Since Urguul resettled Radruundar about 30 years before the module begins, he'd be fairly old, but presumably tough, at least 2 HD (War2), but modify his stats to be older than middle-aged? At least one, and maybe several goblins who opposed Qamhuul, would also be alive (see the poltergeist at H14, p. 145). This also implies that the Yelloweye clan is still on top, probably inhabiting the throne area in lieu of the upstart Busthed clan;
-The Dwarfcutter tribe (levels A & B) won't be there, since Tairdo wasn't there to recruit them; one of the Roaringwater clans presumably replaces them on levels A and B. Ditto the all the invisible stalkers Tairdo conjured, the ogre mage Tiikag Yikahiro and his ogre bodyguards (see p. 93, E13), the derro (see p. 97, level D), Saghyar the fire giant (level F, p. 119), Tairdo's friend, Myrle (F30, p. 126);
-The Lake Radruundar Monster, the dwarfcrushers (A3 and H20), and a variety of monsters on the throne level (level F) were the results of Taido's experiments, so won't exist;
-There might not be any winged owlbears at all (level C), if their wings were the result of Tairdo's experimentation. Even if they did (as I assume), Tairdo and Qamhull (at least) expanded the numbers the goblins have (p. 89). Perhaps cut their numbers in half?
-The high number of spellcasters in the Busthed clan are the result of Tairdo's efforts, so there will be fewer of them (see p. 61). Cut their numbers in half, and replace with typical Busthed goblins;
-The Redclaw clan built most of the pits and mechanical traps (p. 61), but most of the more complex traps are the fruits of Tairdo or the Dwarfcutter clan (p. 60), so won't be there;
-Tairdo and Qamhuul wouldn't have been around to kill the mother red dragon (E13, p. 107);
-Level I was populated by a nymph and myconids at one time, but that was when the dwarves were still there (p. 169), but maybe thy endured, and were wiped out recently? YMMV;
-The Illithids only arrived "weeks ago" (G10, p. 137), so they're not there yet;
-Tairod and Qamhuul wouldn't have breached the temple and tomb, and, of course, the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords would be in its rightful place.
That leaves most of the Roaringwater tribe, the bugbears, and the dire wolves as is, and maybe the mongrelmen (F26 p. 124). The galeb duhr (E12, p. 105-107) is still there to irritate that Redclaw clan, and the alaghi and night hags are still at level I (but without Tairdo, did they cut a deal with the goblins?).
Ideas for adventure before the Greyhawk Wars:
-A dwarven PC, descendant of the inhabitants of Radruundar, finds out where it is and decides to go exploring;
-A sage, and expert on dwarven history, deduces Radruundr's location, and sends adventurers to go prove his theory?
-A goblin PC of the Roaringwater tribe (not necessarily evil) decides to go back home and take over?
Errata:
-Shouldn't "elite" warriors have higher strength scores than regular warriors? Or at least the same scores? (p. 7)
-Busthed warriors are described as archers in rooms F1 and F1A, but are listed as regular with spears on p. 110.
-Are there 170 goblin children at F12H (p. 116), or 160 (p. 115)?
Most of the locations and distances are simply not compatible with the geography of the Flanaess. It even seems to contradict itself. (The army is 420 miles away, Radruundaar is 100 miles away. Why is the army further away than its commander?)
An army of 30,000 marching 420 miles - 14 hexes - from anywhere to anywhere is not going to fit anywhere on the map. Maybe, kinda, sorta, if you reverse those and the army is 100 miles while the fortress is 420 miles away it can fit, except of course for getting to the fortress before the army arrives.
And then we contemplate that said army of 30,000 would be one of the largest in the Flanaess.
So, yeah. There is no way to massage any of that to fit. Cramming it in with a crowbar is going to take one heck of a Strength check.
As for other elements, if you just delete the army, lots of things resolve a lot easier, other than level dependent elements.
As for those, bear in mind that the adventure shares a bit of the fetishization element of Tucker's Kobolds, including glossing over some rules and expecting that dumping tons of equipment on mooks is not subverting their effective power and threat level. As such, dropping the number of goblins should achieve a significant level reduction effect by itself.
From there, you can adjust various boss monsters as needed. Dropping Tairdo several levels allows you to use it closer to as written. Whether he can still make all the magic items he equips the goblins with gets into rules details, but ultimately why worry about it at that point.
This sort of extends into date. Just because the adventure is presumably written for post-Wars in no way obligates using it post-Wars. Nothing says Tairdo has to show up in 580 rather than 570 or even 560 if needed.
Regarding elite warriors, archers, and children, I would also note that the whole thing shows elements of being rushed to meet deadline at the line, like other TSR products. I expect those were lost in the editing rush. Resolve them however works best for your game and do not worry about the details.
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Problem: Before the PCs know anything about Radruundar, they come upon the raided Thodsonn family stronghold. At that time, the Goblin army (from the Pomarj, 30,000 strong) is supposed to be 420 miles to the northwest, and they have "already obliterated several dwarven communities and human towns (pp. 42-43, 187), but are still somehow undetected (p. 23). If the goblin army is 420 miles to the northwest of Havenhill, that would put them close to Veluna. This doesn't make any sense for the post-invasion late 580s, when this AD&D2 module is presumably set. Also, how would the Dwarfcutters from Radruundar (supposedly in the Yatils) consistently bolster a goblin army from the Pomarj which is currently in the Lortmils, without any good guys noticing this?
