I've been inspired by the discussions here, as well as the great work from McGovern (which can be found at the DM's Guild). I haven't read through the entire adventure, but so far I know that I want to.
I'll be adding more to this, but in general I really love this adventure, in the sense that it allows you ample opportunity to alter and enhance it, while keeping the overall arch the same, and providing a plethora of interesting locales and NPC's.
- Make Hekaton's disappearance the source of the giants' unrest. I think I'll leave the throne vacated, or only under the stewardship of Serissa, until Hekaton either returns or is confirmed dead.
- Give more vague clues, but stronger motivation for which city the party should travel towards after Nightstone. I don't like the 'travel 800 miles north to tell someone that someone else died, without promise of reward or real sense of urgency'. I have a really hard time seeing my players going for that. Instead I want to leave subtle clues for the party, about which city to travel towards: a) Morak Ur'gray tells the party, when rescued, that he's received letters from his cousin, Augrek Brighthelm, in Bryn Shander far to the north, about frost giants roaming the frigid north, apparently looking for something, but he never thought they'd have giant problems this far south. Perhaps the northerners, more accustomed to giants, would know more? b) Use Felgolos - see below - and have him throw an off-hand remark about Goldenfields, a town less than a 100 miles away being attacked by hill giants. c) have Daphne Featherstone, Lady Nandar's lady-in-waiting say that Naxene Drathkala, a studious woman with the Lord's Alliance, visited Lady Nandar not that long ago, and had impressed the lady with her vast knowledge of giants and dragons. If the party wants to know more, visiting her in Triboar might be a good bet.
- Use Felgolos as a recurring ally, starting already in Chapter 1 (stolen from McGovern). I loved the idea of him crashing into the temple steeple during the battle with the Seven Snakes, warning the party of Zhentarim in Daggerford and hill giants attacking Goldenfields a short while ago (see above), before flying off again, looking for more Zhentarim to slaughter. I'll make him a young dragon too, instead of adult.
- Foreshadow Klauth. When the party is being flown towards Bryn Shander, or otherwise travelling in the area of the Klauthen Vale, I'll have Zephyros (or just a random NPC) go 'We'll have to make a detour here, this is the Klauthen vale, home to the red dragon Klauth. 'Old Snarl' is not one you want to anger, bla bla bla'. A few omens and warnings make him more significant when his skyship gift shows up in chapter 4.
I'll be adding more to this, but in general I really love this adventure, in the sense that it allows you ample opportunity to alter and enhance it, while keeping the overall arch the same, and providing a plethora of interesting locales and NPC's.