grinningdwarf
Commoner
Posts: 20 
Favorite D&D Class: Fighter
Favorite D&D Race: Dwarf
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Post by grinningdwarf on Aug 27, 2016 4:40:30 GMT
I have finished the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign with my group. This is the campaign that came with the starter set, and IMHO, it's one of the best D&D campaigns I've ever seen. Most of the group wants to continue the campaign with the same characters. The character originally from Thundertree wants to try to reestablish the town. A character wants to try to 'run' the town of Phandolin, and both of those players look to cooperate in growing the area.
Complications...
I planted a few seeds for continuing the campaign. One treasure item they found on the Wave Echo Cave was a silver crown studded with sapphires. One of the players remembered that silver and blue are the city of Neverwinter's colors, and that the Crown of Neverwinter, indicating the rightful heir, is missing. Could this be the Crown of Neverwinter? The real crown was supposed to be lost somewhere in the city, but this is pretty far away from Neverwinter. What gives?!
Also in the Wave Echo Cave, they came across a map that appears to be Neverwinter Wood, with a location marked on it. They also found a book written in an unknown language. With magic, the deciphered enough to know that it is written in the ancient language of Netheril, and it speaks of the Fallen City of Xinlenal. The map appears to be related to the book. Could this map mark the location of Xinlenal?
The Necromancer they encountered at Old Owl Well was a Thayan. They never discovered this, but he was investigating leads in hopes of discovering Xinlenal for Thay.
I've been catching up with this time period of Faerun with the Forgotten Realms novels. The Phandelver campaign is set about 30 years after the eruption of Mt. Hotenow, which helps locate it in the established Forgotten Realms chronology. Bruenor Battlehammer has not yet discovered Gauntlegrym.
I would really like to explore the Netherese presence in the area, but I wasn't really impressed with Herzgo Alegni and the tieflings. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to include one in the story line without the other. I know that will be quite a departure from Forgotten Realms canon, but, hey...it's my world here!
Any thoughts on this plan?
Thanks.
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Post by blakeryan on Sept 12, 2016 8:32:09 GMT
i've listened to five podcasts of 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' and every group did it differently.
the key thing in DMing is plots that involve the characters goals/backgrounds, and interest the players.
you can link any published plot or your own, just replace the nouns - eg link drow adventures by replacing the drow with thayians or netherese, with either group your party will still have nasty people throwing spells at them and trying to take over.
WotC produce some great stuff, but you don't work for them so have no obligation to stick to their plot lines, go with what is fun for your group.
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Post by sparkusclark on Sept 12, 2016 17:17:01 GMT
I agree with Blakeryan in that it is really easy to reskin a prepublished adventure. It makes it alot easier to customize the adventure to your own world with a large part of the work already finished for you. and with that out of the way, you can focus on things like cool maps, plot hooks, or even character-centric items.
We just did 'The Death House' from Curse of Strahd as a one-shot,* but I placed it in the campaign setting instead or Borovia. All it took was to change the family crest to that of the one that hired the LG Paladin in the regular campaign; have the letter the body has reference current issues; and turn the cultist shades into worshipers of Kiaransalee (my big bad cult that the Black Spider is working for).
Reskinning can also be done on the fly. Party heads deeper into the caves instead of heading out to the orc camp? Change the Orc camp to a Dueregar(sp?) fortress!
Also, I'm iin the middle of Lost Mines and soooo looking forword to segwaying into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but with Cult of Kiaransalee instead of Cult of the Dragon.
As always, have fun!!
*They made it to the top floor and have almost lost two party members, burned their short rest, and have no long rest on the horizon.
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Post by joatmoniac on Sept 14, 2016 14:41:01 GMT
I have finished the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign with my group. This is the campaign that came with the starter set, and IMHO, it's one of the best D&D campaigns I've ever seen. Most of the group wants to continue the campaign with the same characters. The character originally from Thundertree wants to try to reestablish the town. A character wants to try to 'run' the town of Phandolin, and both of those players look to cooperate in growing the area. Complications... I planted a few seeds for continuing the campaign. One treasure item they found on the Wave Echo Cave was a silver crown studded with sapphires. One of the players remembered that silver and blue are the city of Neverwinter's colors, and that the Crown of Neverwinter, indicating the rightful heir, is missing. Could this be the Crown of Neverwinter? The real crown was supposed to be lost somewhere in the city, but this is pretty far away from Neverwinter. What gives?! Also in the Wave Echo Cave, they came across a map that appears to be Neverwinter Wood, with a location marked on it. They also found a book written in an unknown language. With magic, the deciphered enough to know that it is written in the ancient language of Netheril, and it speaks of the Fallen City of Xinlenal. The map appears to be related to the book. Could this map mark the location of Xinlenal? The Necromancer they encountered at Old Owl Well was a Thayan. They never discovered this, but he was investigating leads in hopes of discovering Xinlenal for Thay. I've been catching up with this time period of Faerun with the Forgotten Realms novels. The Phandelver campaign is set about 30 years after the eruption of Mt. Hotenow, which helps locate it in the established Forgotten Realms chronology. Bruenor Battlehammer has not yet discovered Gauntlegrym. I would really like to explore the Netherese presence in the area, but I wasn't really impressed with Herzgo Alegni and the tieflings. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to include one in the story line without the other. I know that will be quite a departure from Forgotten Realms canon, but, hey...it's my world here! Any thoughts on this plan? Thanks. There are several great seeds you already planted within the story. Is there one that your players have been drawn to? I think they are all great seeds that could lead to different types of games. If there is a specific one i would love to delve into it, but if it is just general ideas for the one you have presented let us know. Excited to hear how you spin out into your own world from, what i will agree as, one of the best modules ever written. |
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grinningdwarf
Commoner
Posts: 20
Favorite D&D Class: Fighter
Favorite D&D Race: Dwarf
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Post by grinningdwarf on Sept 16, 2016 6:01:31 GMT
I have finished the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign with my group. This is the campaign that came with the starter set, and IMHO, it's one of the best D&D campaigns I've ever seen. Most of the group wants to continue the campaign with the same characters. The character originally from Thundertree wants to try to reestablish the town. A character wants to try to 'run' the town of Phandolin, and both of those players look to cooperate in growing the area. Complications... I planted a few seeds for continuing the campaign. One treasure item they found on the Wave Echo Cave was a silver crown studded with sapphires. One of the players remembered that silver and blue are the city of Neverwinter's colors, and that the Crown of Neverwinter, indicating the rightful heir, is missing. Could this be the Crown of Neverwinter? The real crown was supposed to be lost somewhere in the city, but this is pretty far away from Neverwinter. What gives?! Also in the Wave Echo Cave, they came across a map that appears to be Neverwinter Wood, with a location marked on it. They also found a book written in an unknown language. With magic, the deciphered enough to know that it is written in the ancient language of Netheril, and it speaks of the Fallen City of Xinlenal. The map appears to be related to the book. Could this map mark the location of Xinlenal? The Necromancer they encountered at Old Owl Well was a Thayan. They never discovered this, but he was investigating leads in hopes of discovering Xinlenal for Thay. I've been catching up with this time period of Faerun with the Forgotten Realms novels. The Phandelver campaign is set about 30 years after the eruption of Mt. Hotenow, which helps locate it in the established Forgotten Realms chronology. Bruenor Battlehammer has not yet discovered Gauntlegrym. I would really like to explore the Netherese presence in the area, but I wasn't really impressed with Herzgo Alegni and the tieflings. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to include one in the story line without the other. I know that will be quite a departure from Forgotten Realms canon, but, hey...it's my world here! Any thoughts on this plan? Thanks. There are several great seeds you already planted within the story. Is there one that your players have been drawn to? I think they are all great seeds that could lead to different types of games. If there is a specific one i would love to delve into it, but if it is just general ideas for the one you have presented let us know. Excited to hear how you spin out into your own world from, what i will agree as, one of the best modules ever written. Thank you! The most passion is from the two players who want to build up the towns of Thundertree and Phandolin. I think that's where the adventure will pick up. And...they did clean out Iarno and the Redbrands, but Halia is still 'under cover' in Phandolin. There are some possibilities there. I think that as they build up the two towns, we can start running into increasing Netherese problems, drawing the players into Neverwinter Wood and Xinlenal. |
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grinningdwarf
Commoner
Posts: 20
Favorite D&D Class: Fighter
Favorite D&D Race: Dwarf
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Post by grinningdwarf on Sept 16, 2016 6:13:26 GMT
... you can link any published plot or your own, just replace the nouns - eg link drow adventures by replacing the drow with thayians or netherese, with either group your party will still have nasty people throwing spells at them and trying to take over. WotC produce some great stuff, but you don't work for them so have no obligation to stick to their plot lines, go with what is fun for your group. Great point! And I do have some AD&D drow stuff laying around! And away we go! |
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grinningdwarf
Commoner
Posts: 20
Favorite D&D Class: Fighter
Favorite D&D Race: Dwarf
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Post by grinningdwarf on Sept 16, 2016 6:19:14 GMT
I agree with Blakeryan in that it is really easy to reskin a prepublished adventure. It makes it alot easier to customize the adventure to your own world with a large part of the work already finished for you. and with that out of the way, you can focus on things like cool maps, plot hooks, or even character-centric items. We just did 'The Death House' from Curse of Strahd as a one-shot,* but I placed it in the campaign setting instead or Borovia. All it took was to change the family crest to that of the one that hired the LG Paladin in the regular campaign; have the letter the body has reference current issues; and turn the cultist shades into worshipers of Kiaransalee (my big bad cult that the Black Spider is working for). Reskinning can also be done on the fly. Party heads deeper into the caves instead of heading out to the orc camp? Change the Orc camp to a Dueregar(sp?) fortress! Also, I'm iin the middle of Lost Mines and soooo looking forword to segwaying into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but with Cult of Kiaransalee instead of Cult of the Dragon. As always, have fun!! *They made it to the top floor and have almost lost two party members, burned their short rest, and have no long rest on the horizon. Sounds great! To fun!! Curse of Strahd is actually what we're playing next, starting next week. One of the players from the Phandelver campaign is going to DM. He's experienced, so this should be pretty good. I'm excited about my character: a ranger that I based upon Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead. |
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Post by joatmoniac on Sept 16, 2016 16:51:11 GMT
I like the idea of them building up the two towns, and then needing to go do things on occasion to get the additional resources needed to keep building up the towns. Or others trying to stop them from being able to get too strong, or simply wanting to take away what they have. Random invasions, a continuing responsibility to the surrounding area with ever increasing threats on the land they call home. So on and so forth!
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Post by donosaur on Sept 27, 2016 16:37:24 GMT
Did they mess with the Cragmaws at all? Depending on what state you left them in, they could become an interesting faction, possibly an uneasy ally, in Neverwinter Wood. A bunch of creeps sniffing around for ruins would probably rile up a tribe of bugbears and hobgoblins.
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