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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: May 11, 2007
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From: South Georgia
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Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:18 pm
If you had to pick a level 1 module to ......
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ok so since I have finally decided on Greyhawk as the campaign world we will play in for our epic D&D restart I have a question for you guys. I have not even started looking yet due to work but will get suggestions here first before I dive into it.
I plan to start a campaign up after the Greyhawk Wars only my campaign world is gonna be WRECKED haha. For the info on the general outline of how my world will be, you can do a quick read here - http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=5045 I am still looking for suggestions on interesting things I can do with my world post war and all.
I plan to start my group of 4 out at level 1 and have them undertake an EPIC campaign that will move them through Many Levels ... I cap levels of player characters out at 18 MAX. I want to do an epic campaign that plays out for many years real life time.
If you had to do something like that what module would you use to start them out with? Also Would you start one module and then branch it out into an epic adventure campaign just from that one adventure? I am just looking for suggestions before I even begin to look for myself. Some of you are very very into this world and know EVERYTHING about it so maybe you guys have better ideas than I can come up with. Remember this campaign will be a post war campaign and the link I left shows what I want to do with my campaign world.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
Posts: 2701
From: LG Dyvers
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Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:29 pm
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Years ago my friend had an idea for campaigning in Greyhawk after the Blood War spilled over into it. The idea was that the PCs would be constantly on the run and hiding from the demons and devils that walked, and battled, freely across the Flanaess. Humanity and it's kin would all be slaves or in hiding and it would be a horror-like scenario. We never got to play it, but your post Greyhawk Wars scenario sounds like it may be similar.
I've mentioned in other threads that I place the Keep on the Borderlands on the north bank of the Deepstil River in the northwestern Vesve forest and it works well for a post-wars adventure setting. The lord is off to the east battling Iuz's forces, but several groups of the demi-god's forces have infiltrated further west than the battle lines. These are the monsters currently inhabiting the Caves of Chaos and the clerical leaders are Iuz's priests. They are preparing to engage in guerilla tactics against the Keep and other goodly forces behind the lines. The PCs must rediscover the location of the Caves (they have a magical curse upon them that causes the location to be lost from memory and even fade from maps, etc. over the course of a month's time if the location is not repeatedly visited in person. The Keep lacks sufficient man-power to re-locate them and clean them out, so the PCs have an opportunity to shine.
As your PCs advance in level, Iuz's forces could become more and more interested in controling the area and send more powerful opponents for the PCs to confront.
SirXaris
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
Posts: 2470
From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:30 pm
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I try to not saddle myself with modules if none serves my needs. There are many good ones out there, but in the absence of a pre-made adventure, make up one from scratch, tailor made to your needs and PCs. Some of my favorite adventures, both as player and DM, have been created de novo.
-Lanthorn
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Paladin
Joined: Sep 07, 2011
Posts: 833
From: Houston Texas
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:44 am
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Lanthorn wrote: |
I try to not saddle myself with modules if none serves my needs. There are many good ones out there, but in the absence of a pre-made adventure, make up one from scratch, tailor made to your needs and PCs. Some of my favorite adventures, both as player and DM, have been created de novo.
-Lanthorn |
Agreed, while mods can be a good jumping off point or bridge to another area, the one that fits the need, character background and nemesis building are the ones best remembered... Just ALWAYS give the bad guy an "out" it will leave the PCs wanting more.
Also to the
<<<<<LEFT
is the Features section which contains a list of GH mods and there locations
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: May 11, 2007
Posts: 64
From: South Georgia
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:33 pm
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Well as I stated in some other thread, I pretty much own everything in print for this game in all editions hehe ..... I'm a collector I suppose. I'm currently working on my PDF collection which is also close to complete. As for the module thing, I like having a module as my hard copy guide line, I never stick to the module 100%, I always add, remove and adjust stuff to what I want and always expand on the module 99% of the time.
I'm just the type DM that likes to have a guide line in front of him. I feel comfortable with it sitting in front of me ya know? Like I said I take whats there and expand on it until its much bigger and better than it was originally.
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:34 pm
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Damaja, I can understand your preference for a module as a guide. That said, have you settled on a geographic region for your campaign? That may narrow the playing field for a good module. Furthermore, are you more interested in a realm plagued by the Scarlet Brotherhood, Iuz, various Animuses, giants...? That may also dictate the area and module of choice.
-Lanthorn
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: May 11, 2007
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From: South Georgia
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:22 pm
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Actually I have not had time to sit down and decide. Where did that guy say Keep on the Borderlands was located exactly? I agree on keeping the adventures located in a select area, maybe have the initial adventure located somewhere and let it lead into an epic dungeon crawl.
oh one thing what is Maure Castle? Is it controlled by someone good, evil? I read somewhere it had a huge dungeon beneath it. I guess I could look this up, but on my Droid atm and just don't feel like fighting with cell phone internet lol Seems like I saw information in one of the Greyhawk Journals, I went and grabbed all of those, I haven't had time to look them over though.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
Posts: 2701
From: LG Dyvers
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:50 pm
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Officially, Return to the Keep on the Borderlands located it in the Yeomanry in the WoG. I prefer to locate it in the northeastern Vesve and I've seen it located well in the Duchy of Tenh. Basically, it's an adventure you can put anywhere you like as it can fit nicely just about anywhere in the Flanaess.
Maure Castle is a ruin with extensive dungeons beneath. It is located between the City of Greyhawk and the Duchy of Urnst.
SirXaris
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: May 11, 2007
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From: South Georgia
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:54 pm
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Yea I know where it's located. My question is .... is there anyone in control of it, or maybe there is a write up, a module .... something on this? Seems fun to focus something around that and maybe plant Keep on the Borderlands nearby. Doesn't Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure have something to do with Maure Castle? Seems like I saw that somewhere.
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:24 pm
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The reference guides Iuz the Old and The Marklands seem like great tools for you to use as well, in addition to any copy you can appropriate of Ivid the Undying. Though these are not modules in the true sense of the word, I think you can use them to great effect.
-Lanthorn
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:06 pm
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The Greyhawk Wiki has lots of information on Maure Castle. Here is the link: http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Maure_Castle.
It would be quite easy to locate the Keep on the Borderlands in the lands near Maure Castle, in my opinion. Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure was the original module featuring Maure Castle and it is for levels 10+, so you'd need several adventures to fill the gap between the Keep and Maure Castle.
SirXaris
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Jul 09, 2003
Posts: 1361
From: Tennessee, between Ft. Campbell & APSU
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:47 pm
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SirXaris wrote: |
Officially, Return to the Keep on the Borderlands located it in the Yeomanry in the WoG. I prefer to locate it in the northeastern Vesve and I've seen it located well in the Duchy of Tenh. Basically, it's an adventure you can put anywhere you like as it can fit nicely just about anywhere in the Flanaess... |
-I put it where the Jewel River meets the Handmaiden (on the Welkwood/Suss Forest side by giving the map a turn). Someon else here did the same thing (I forget who), but put it on the other side.
Another consideration is when. The play could easily begin between CY 576 and 591, and even before or after.
[quote="Damaja"]...My question is .... is there anyone in control of it, or maybe there is a write up, a module ....
Damaja wrote: |
Yea I know where it's located. My question is .... is there anyone in control of it, or maybe there is a write up, a module .... something on this? Seems fun to focus something around that and maybe plant Keep on the Borderlands nearby... |
-If the keep is set in the Yeomanry, it would probably be part of the national establishment.
Damaja wrote: |
...Doesn't Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure have something to do with Maure Castle? Seems like I saw that somewhere. |
-It does. It takes place in CY 570, IIRC.
..or that...
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: May 11, 2007
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From: South Georgia
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:56 pm
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Lanthorn wrote: |
The reference guides Iuz the Old and The Marklands seem like great tools for you to use as well, in addition to any copy you can appropriate of Ivid the Undying. Though these are not modules in the true sense of the word, I think you can use them to great effect.
-Lanthorn |
I have all of these :)
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 3:23 pm
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Excellent! I think they all will provide you with a wealth of information and ideas from which you can develop a strong plotline for any campaign. The main question is...WHERE do you want to start and WHO/WHAT do you want your main foe(s) to be???
A few fiends, undead minions, humanoids, and priests devoted to a cambion? Pit your PCs against Iuz and station them in Furyondy, Veluna, reclaimed Shield Lands, or the Highvale (or even in the West as freedom fighters).
You want them to battle the remnants of the Aerdian Kingdom now splintered but ruled by petty, but very powerful and sadistic rulers? They now face off against the fragmented remnants of the Great Kingdom. Maybe they are some of the last people who survived the annihilation of Almor.
These are just two sample ideas from a whole host available to you...
-Lanthorn
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Apprentice Greytalker
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From: South Georgia
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:20 pm
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Lanthorn wrote: |
The main question is...WHERE do you want to start and WHO/WHAT do you want your main foe(s) to be??? |
Well, see? This is the problem, since I am still pretty new to my return to Greyhawk I am still in the dark about a lot of things actually. Where my starting point should be .... I think I should look at it in terms of where is a solid place to start off fresh level one's played by 70% of the group not knowing a lot about Greyhawk (3 players) and the 4th player being very comfortable in Greyhawk knowing the world really well.
City of Greyhawk could be a solid starting point and allowing the group to adventure around the city itself but I am thinking Keep on the Borderlands is going to be better. The Cairn Hills could be a fun area. The Kron Hills could also be fun. I cannot do the Temple of Elemental Evil because Wendell, the one who knows Greyhawk is planning to run that adventure at a later date.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:46 pm
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You mentioned that you want your campaign to be an apocalyptic post Greyhawk Wars scenario where the Big Bad Evil Guys (Iuz, the Great Kingdom, and the Scarlet Brotherhood) come out the victors. That being the case, you will need to determine the Points of Light (those locations in the Flanaess that have not yet fallen to the forces of Evil).
Greyhawk City is the most obvious good choice for such a location. In addition to its fame, the City of Greyhawk is centrally located so that the conquests of the three great evils mentioned above are likely to converge on that spot in the Flanaess. Thus, the PCs will have the opportunity to confront the minions and forces of each of the three as you choose without having to travel too far from their place of origin.
You will, of course, need to decide which goodly nations have managed to hold out against the forces of evil and to what degree they have succeeded. As further Points of Light, I suggest you consider the major forests (Vesve, Celadon, Grandwood, Adri, etc.) and other less desireable geographical locations like mountains, swamps, and deserts. However, the Bright Desert is nominally ruled by Rary the Traitor, so you have a fourth major BBEG right there near the City of Greyhawk. Perhaps Celene has managed to hold out, but the Pomarj will be encroaching upon Greyhawk from the southwest, so we have a fifth major BBEG available to pester the PCs in such a campaign.
If you do not already have them, the City of Greyhawk boxed, the Greyhawk Wars boxed set, From the Ashes boxed set, and the Living Greyhawk Gazateer will prove extremely useful in centering a campaign around that city despite the fact that you will need to change much because of advancing the timeline and altering the results of the Wars.
SirXaris
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Apprentice Greytalker
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From: South Georgia
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:40 pm
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As I stated earlier, I pretty much have everything that is D&D based that has ever been printed /shrug it's what I do haha.
ok my ideas so far, and this will be a rough layout because I need to go buy groceries soon.
My Points of light for Good
- City of Greyhawk - thinking of turning it into more than a city, maybe a city state where it takes over lands surrounding the city to handle the HUGE influx of refugees coming from conquered good nations. Greyhawk would need to strengthen its armed forces and would be struggling daily to maintain order simply because of the over population of there controled areas.
- Furyondy - They would be barely holding it together while fighting Iuz on 2-3 fronts.
- Nyrond - Same as Furyondy only I would have The Great Kingdon as a major power instead of fractioning off into little areas controlled by a lord.
The major evils .....
Iuz of course and The Great Kingdom.
The elves and dwarves would close there borders
Several major independent cities would still be intact but would be harshly affected by the war. Not sure on all this yet.
Thats what I have so far. A lot of the kingdoms in this world are gonna go bye bye, I want to open the world up. I want to unclutter it and make things simple.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:30 pm
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One major area I haven't seen you address yet is the Sheldomar Valley (ie. Keoland and its satelite states). The most obvious choice is to have Giants along with all kinds of humanoids from the mountains completely overrun the valley. Of course, that would allow the Pomarj to expand much farther into the valley, through the Principality of Ulek, as well. How far do you want Ket to advance into the valley? How will you alter the Scarlet Brotherhood's gains in your version of the Greyhawk Wars?
SirXaris
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Apprentice Greytalker
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From: South Georgia
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:15 pm
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SirXaris wrote: |
One major area I haven't seen you address yet is the Sheldomar Valley (ie. Keoland and its satelite states). The most obvious choice is to have Giants along with all kinds of humanoids from the mountains completely overrun the valley. Of course, that would allow the Pomarj to expand much farther into the valley, through the Principality of Ulek, as well. How far do you want Ket to advance into the valley? How will you alter the Scarlet Brotherhood's gains in your version of the Greyhawk Wars?
SirXaris |
Those are questions I have yet to answer. The Sheldomar Valley is an area I need to read up on as well as keoland, both areas Im not well aquainted with as of right now.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:49 pm
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Damaja wrote: |
Those are questions I have yet to answer. The Sheldomar Valley is an area I need to read up on as well as keoland, both areas Im not well aquainted with as of right now. |
Lol! Obviously.
SirXaris
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Novice
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Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:03 pm
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The Scar (Dungeon #80) makes a great intro if you are willing to see your PCs captured by Iuz' s forces right off and forced to escape from behind enemy lines. I did this with a Furyondy military campaign and again with a band of junior knights-both times with memorable results. The introduction of a Death Knight villain makes a good way to set up a long-term conflict or enmity, and the entire adventure can be upgraded to 3rd edition without much work. If successful, the survivors can be given an easy task of rear-echelon caravan duty and segue right into 'Border Watch' or other Marklands/Iuz area assignments.
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