HS1 - The Slaying Stone - my poor reviewing skills review

[Klaus]

It was originally one of the long-form adventures. I had the option to either adapt it or do something new, and I went with the latter. I think they found a way to re-use it. The art and maps were all done, so I sure hope they did!

Logan,

The adventure reads awesome (and I LOVE the initial scene, reminded me of The Howling Tower)!

Quick question:
- Keeping stats the same, what creatures would you use to replace orcs/goblins/kobolds?

 

[Logan_Bonner]

I'm not really sure who to replace them with (maybe gnolls for orcs?). Is there a particular setting you're playing in, or a reason you don't want to use those monster types?

 

[Klaus]

I'm not really sure who to replace them with (maybe gnolls for orcs?). Is there a particular setting you're playing in, or a reason you don't want to use those monster types?

The only adventure my group played before stopping due to real life issues was Keep On The Shadowfell, and halfway through it the players were already fed up with kobolds and gobbos.

Mind you, I wouldn't change the stats, just the appearance. And no specific setting. Guess you could say it's the Nentir Vale...

 

[Rechan]

Possible things to swap for other things:

Kobolds and Goblins
Xivarts
Bullywugs
Poisonscale Lizardfolk

Orcs
Kenku
Jackalwere
Dark Ones
Lizardfolk
Duergar

 

[vagabundo]

Read most of the adventure there yesterday - nice breakfast reading - and I was very pleased with it. Nice setting, lots of scope for a memorable adventure.

I think I'll be putting lots of comic relief encounter with the goblins, using some of the ideas from Paizo's Monsters Revisited or some of the goblyns from the film Labyrinth (hmmm who would be the sexy goblyn king though).

Anyway, Kudos....

 

[Kelvor Ravenstar]

My players are loving this adventure so far! Using the alternate plot suggestions in the module, I've implied that Treona may not be wanting to acquire the Slaying Stone for altruistic reasons, and that she and Dreus were contemporaries in some sort of wizard training. Also, rather than having Kiris Hoyt's problems be a family affliction, I tied his story to being punished by Dreus for some rude remarks and advances.
We're pretty far through the encounters, and I anticipate the PCs confronting Tyristys next session.
I think this is the best low-level module for 4e I've read or run, but it could use some more suggestions about how to handle the situation if the PCs choose to attack Tyristys rather than negotiate. Since I'm pretty sure at least one of my player's is planning on a fight, I'm going to set her level at or just above the maximum they should be able to handle at their level (say level 6 - 8) But I'm going to offer broad hints that they will be out of their depth should they choose the path of violence.

 

[Logan_Bonner]

Possible things to swap for other things:

Kobolds and Goblins
Xivarts
Bullywugs
Poisonscale Lizardfolk

Orcs
Kenku
Jackalwere
Dark Ones
Lizardfolk
Duergar

I think bullywugs would make good kobold replacements and duergar good orc swaps. For goblins... maybe just evil humans/halflings?

 

[Logan_Bonner]

I think this is the best low-level module for 4e I've read or run, but it could use some more suggestions about how to handle the situation if the PCs choose to attack Tyristys rather than negotiate.

You could drop in a brief vignette when the PCs approach her lair. Maybe they see some wandering goblins get too close. She pops out, flash fries like 10 of them, and goes back to bed.

 

[Logan_Bonner]

Since the adventure doesn't give failure results for a couple of the skill challenges, people were wondering what to do. I wrote a blog post about this recently: http://loganbonner.blogspot.com/2010/06/slaying-stone-skill-challenges.html

 

[Festivus]

Hey Logan, I don't know what kind of input you can provide to WoTC, but the downloadable player maps are still not up on the site (that I can find anyhow).