D&D General [Name Change]Red Hand of Doom Conversions
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
the Jester
Legend
Hey, I'm just getting ready to do this myself!
No, I haven't looked at the document you reference. I'm doing it all myself.
No, I haven't looked at the document you reference. I'm doing it all myself.
Do you plan on converting on the fly or doing a conversion before sitting at the table?
The Firebird
Commoner
Quite probably you are aware, but there was a conversion guide and discussion on the giantitp forums a while back. I've not run it but I remember seeing the thread and it might help you.
That is actually where the DMsGuild conversion doc came from, I believe.
pukunui
Legend
I've been toying with doing a RHoD conversion. I ran it once in 3.5e. It was a tough but fun adventure.
One thing I'd been toying with was swapping out the goblinoid army and the dragonspawn and mixing in elements of both DragonLance and Tyranny of Dragons, so the main invading army would be dragon cultists and I'd use draconians in place of the dragonspawn.
My intention was also to run a selection of the low-level adventures from Rime of the Frostmaiden around Elsir Vale to build up the players' knowledge and care for the setting before it gets invaded, so they've got better motivation to help defend it.
One thing I'd been toying with was swapping out the goblinoid army and the dragonspawn and mixing in elements of both DragonLance and Tyranny of Dragons, so the main invading army would be dragon cultists and I'd use draconians in place of the dragonspawn.
My intention was also to run a selection of the low-level adventures from Rime of the Frostmaiden around Elsir Vale to build up the players' knowledge and care for the setting before it gets invaded, so they've got better motivation to help defend it.
I am definitely going to a Frame for DH shortly, along with profile ports! I think I can make the mid game much more open.
the Jester
Legend
A bit of both!
I've converted the monsters and npc appendices. The rest will largely be on the fly, probably with a few bits of advance work between each session.
One of my biggest changes is stripping a lot of magic items out. Man, 3e loaded you up just to have you keep up with the math!
Starting writing up an adjusted campaign flow as I noodle on the DH conversion. Leaning on some prior work I did planning a 5e game from LMoP -> RHoD (whee, acronyms) where we looked at the Elsircross situation as a low level tie in, and adding some ideas I've seen around the advice threads to bring in bits of Azar Kul early on and start hinting at the wider Tiamat picture so that act 5 doesnt show up as a "and just one more thing" with some random ass Big Evil suddenly:
Long thoughts below:
Long thoughts below:
5 Act Structure
Act 1. The Gathering.
Tiamat has given Azarr Kul visions of foci the kingdom of Rhest took when they razed the Fane deep in the mountains hundreds of years ago. Not yet ready to launch his full assault on the Vale, he has dispatched agents to bribe and despoil the lingering ruins of Rhest and obtain these foci. With them, he can summon forth demonic dragonkin & eventually a fragment of Tiamat’s destruction itself.
This arc should give the players the opportunity to connect to the people of the smaller towns of the Vale, discover agents of a powerful warlord rising in the west, and move from Tier 1 to Tier 2.
Loose thoughts: start in Elsircross with the inciting incident, move to the hills around Red Rocks and the Rhest era tower ruin. Pull down to Witchcross or elsewhere to meet the village.
Intent: Freeing Elsircross from the Baron creates friends, discovering the miners from Red Rocks and the druids in Witchcross adds some tie to the north road. The foci help start laying the groundwork for the Fane final act, and introduces the PCs to Azarr Kul and his larger plans. Otherwise he’s a fairly off-screen villain, and that’s tough.
Act 2. The Wood and Bridge.
Following leads to the town of Drellin’s Ferry, the party is ambushed by a strong hobgoblin force bearing the same mark they found on the agents further in the valley. With a clear threat infiltrating the region, they are beseeched to discover more.
This arc remains roughly the same as the core book. We start the invasion countdown, the party can discover the Impending Doom to the vale via exploring the forest, locating the Keep and its outriders, (we’ll adjust the current encounters to be more of a narrative Site to highlight problem solving and opportunities) and discovering the ancient but vulnerable bridge with its encampment beyond.
We change the Forest up to a countdown or similar, penalizing if there’s no competent guide (a Ranger or such, or finding Jorr). We frame the scenes to highlight the obstacles and opportunities: the Hydra encounter; Warklegnaw and the potential of allies there; and culminate at the bridge with its dragon encounter. This should be a perfect spot to level the PCs to 3.
The PCs are now presented with a dilemma. Scouting the army should be possible, but clearly an overwhelming force (they should know that not even Dennovar has enough people to stand against this). Potential to frame a scene with the army hailing their leader as he flies off on a blue dragon, yelling his name as in the opening to the book. We ask them what they do, convening councils or rear guards as necessary.
Act 3. Finding Allies and Removing Enemies
As the army grinds over the River and into the Vale, outriders strike out. The party has decisions to make, as they only have so much time before Brindol itself is under siege. Racing on steeds throughout the Vale, they should be able to pick from various options to rally defenders or stymie the Red Hand’s goals.
This arc should be expanded to give some genuine choice to players, with opportunity costs but also payoffs.
We can add an actual option to Hammerfist Holds, instead of just riding off with some gold to hire mercenaries, let's add a chance to make friends by solving a problem. Perhaps an intractable claim between two clans deep in lost mines? Some other internal squabble that needs to be resolved, all Bloware fashion?
Some players may want to rally the towns or help them evacuate while fighting off raiding parties. This won’t be a permanent solution to the army, but there’s plenty of resources they could gather – the druids of Witchcross, the adventurers in Prosser, other militias. Lord Jarmaath may assure the players that he will pull in those with allegiance to him, but they may choose otherwise.
The Ruins of Rhest we can try to give better links to. If the players went through Witchcross, the druids there can send word of a force heading up that way. We could also add some rumors of an eccentric old wizard known for his mechanisms or something that draws the players up for allies. The Tiri Kitor can remain an elf tribe, or if a player has an ancestry that would better tie in (perhaps Kitari, Faun, etc), we can swap that around to give them a link once encountered.
Likewise, we should try and emphasize the “Ghostlord” links earlier. Consider having people who the map from Vraath keep shown to that have been around mention some tidbits or legends. Folk might muse at what could possibly draw such a powerful figure to the armies attention.
The Ruins of Rhest and the Ghostlord represent ways in which the PCs can directly cut down on the Horde’s resources on a significant scale. We can make the Ghostlord more of a reclusive or tragic figure, coopted by the threat of his un-life being ended. At the ruins, the dragonspawn hatchery can remain.
Over the course of their adventures here, the PCs should advance to level 5 or 6, allowing us to bring T3 adversaries in.
Act 4. The Army at the Gates
This brings the outcome of the PC’s efforts into focus. Whatever allies they’ve managed to find, and adversaries they’ve managed to reduce the power of play out. As a skilled and by this time trusted strike team, we can frame then into a series of chaotic environments and scenes as the battle plays out. Let them know how their decisions and actions affected the moment to moment outcomes, show gaps in the Hobgoblin hordes battle plans where they intended some other force to fit in – wyrmspawn flapping through the air to storm ramparts, the undead lions battering through defenses, etc.
We can advance to level 7 here. This lets us consider using a couple T4 adversaries at the end.
We address the aftermath as per the VP array in the book. If the players efforts are sufficient that it’s a hard fought stalemate, the army withdraws in decent order down back towards Drellin’s Ferry. The remaining leadership of Brindol knows that what they have isn’t enough to push hard into Dennovar and sends for aid.
We highlight the demonic / draconic forces. Something which has been growing this whole time. Perhaps we bring a foci in to Rhest, corrupting the clutches there with Tiamat’s strange energy. There is something more behind this, and until it’s taken care of the hobgoblins will simply regain strength, perhaps now with more adversaries from the realms beyond.
Act 5. The Fane
We can work this to be a couple of options, perhaps a sneakier approach past demon guards and the like, a decapitation strike. Or a pitched grinding invasion. We could present a small force of allies to go with them as a second strike group, depending on who they’ve recruited and who survived the battles – a Tiri Kitor ranger or two, a stout dwarf warrior, one of the retired adventurers in full magical item panoply, the militia sergeant toughened by months of fighting, one of the Witchcross druids, etc. Drive home that this needs to stay small, but the people who you meet matter.
Perhaps we make the final summoning a countdown – where the players get to have more of an impact. Either they halt the ritual and face Azar Kul, or he gives himself over to Tiamat and she manifests an avatar through him as a gate. All the relics used to summon turned over to a final transformation.
Act 1. The Gathering.
Tiamat has given Azarr Kul visions of foci the kingdom of Rhest took when they razed the Fane deep in the mountains hundreds of years ago. Not yet ready to launch his full assault on the Vale, he has dispatched agents to bribe and despoil the lingering ruins of Rhest and obtain these foci. With them, he can summon forth demonic dragonkin & eventually a fragment of Tiamat’s destruction itself.
This arc should give the players the opportunity to connect to the people of the smaller towns of the Vale, discover agents of a powerful warlord rising in the west, and move from Tier 1 to Tier 2.
Loose thoughts: start in Elsircross with the inciting incident, move to the hills around Red Rocks and the Rhest era tower ruin. Pull down to Witchcross or elsewhere to meet the village.
Intent: Freeing Elsircross from the Baron creates friends, discovering the miners from Red Rocks and the druids in Witchcross adds some tie to the north road. The foci help start laying the groundwork for the Fane final act, and introduces the PCs to Azarr Kul and his larger plans. Otherwise he’s a fairly off-screen villain, and that’s tough.
Act 2. The Wood and Bridge.
Following leads to the town of Drellin’s Ferry, the party is ambushed by a strong hobgoblin force bearing the same mark they found on the agents further in the valley. With a clear threat infiltrating the region, they are beseeched to discover more.
This arc remains roughly the same as the core book. We start the invasion countdown, the party can discover the Impending Doom to the vale via exploring the forest, locating the Keep and its outriders, (we’ll adjust the current encounters to be more of a narrative Site to highlight problem solving and opportunities) and discovering the ancient but vulnerable bridge with its encampment beyond.
We change the Forest up to a countdown or similar, penalizing if there’s no competent guide (a Ranger or such, or finding Jorr). We frame the scenes to highlight the obstacles and opportunities: the Hydra encounter; Warklegnaw and the potential of allies there; and culminate at the bridge with its dragon encounter. This should be a perfect spot to level the PCs to 3.
The PCs are now presented with a dilemma. Scouting the army should be possible, but clearly an overwhelming force (they should know that not even Dennovar has enough people to stand against this). Potential to frame a scene with the army hailing their leader as he flies off on a blue dragon, yelling his name as in the opening to the book. We ask them what they do, convening councils or rear guards as necessary.
Act 3. Finding Allies and Removing Enemies
As the army grinds over the River and into the Vale, outriders strike out. The party has decisions to make, as they only have so much time before Brindol itself is under siege. Racing on steeds throughout the Vale, they should be able to pick from various options to rally defenders or stymie the Red Hand’s goals.
This arc should be expanded to give some genuine choice to players, with opportunity costs but also payoffs.
We can add an actual option to Hammerfist Holds, instead of just riding off with some gold to hire mercenaries, let's add a chance to make friends by solving a problem. Perhaps an intractable claim between two clans deep in lost mines? Some other internal squabble that needs to be resolved, all Bloware fashion?
Some players may want to rally the towns or help them evacuate while fighting off raiding parties. This won’t be a permanent solution to the army, but there’s plenty of resources they could gather – the druids of Witchcross, the adventurers in Prosser, other militias. Lord Jarmaath may assure the players that he will pull in those with allegiance to him, but they may choose otherwise.
The Ruins of Rhest we can try to give better links to. If the players went through Witchcross, the druids there can send word of a force heading up that way. We could also add some rumors of an eccentric old wizard known for his mechanisms or something that draws the players up for allies. The Tiri Kitor can remain an elf tribe, or if a player has an ancestry that would better tie in (perhaps Kitari, Faun, etc), we can swap that around to give them a link once encountered.
Likewise, we should try and emphasize the “Ghostlord” links earlier. Consider having people who the map from Vraath keep shown to that have been around mention some tidbits or legends. Folk might muse at what could possibly draw such a powerful figure to the armies attention.
The Ruins of Rhest and the Ghostlord represent ways in which the PCs can directly cut down on the Horde’s resources on a significant scale. We can make the Ghostlord more of a reclusive or tragic figure, coopted by the threat of his un-life being ended. At the ruins, the dragonspawn hatchery can remain.
Over the course of their adventures here, the PCs should advance to level 5 or 6, allowing us to bring T3 adversaries in.
Act 4. The Army at the Gates
This brings the outcome of the PC’s efforts into focus. Whatever allies they’ve managed to find, and adversaries they’ve managed to reduce the power of play out. As a skilled and by this time trusted strike team, we can frame then into a series of chaotic environments and scenes as the battle plays out. Let them know how their decisions and actions affected the moment to moment outcomes, show gaps in the Hobgoblin hordes battle plans where they intended some other force to fit in – wyrmspawn flapping through the air to storm ramparts, the undead lions battering through defenses, etc.
We can advance to level 7 here. This lets us consider using a couple T4 adversaries at the end.
We address the aftermath as per the VP array in the book. If the players efforts are sufficient that it’s a hard fought stalemate, the army withdraws in decent order down back towards Drellin’s Ferry. The remaining leadership of Brindol knows that what they have isn’t enough to push hard into Dennovar and sends for aid.
We highlight the demonic / draconic forces. Something which has been growing this whole time. Perhaps we bring a foci in to Rhest, corrupting the clutches there with Tiamat’s strange energy. There is something more behind this, and until it’s taken care of the hobgoblins will simply regain strength, perhaps now with more adversaries from the realms beyond.
Act 5. The Fane
We can work this to be a couple of options, perhaps a sneakier approach past demon guards and the like, a decapitation strike. Or a pitched grinding invasion. We could present a small force of allies to go with them as a second strike group, depending on who they’ve recruited and who survived the battles – a Tiri Kitor ranger or two, a stout dwarf warrior, one of the retired adventurers in full magical item panoply, the militia sergeant toughened by months of fighting, one of the Witchcross druids, etc. Drive home that this needs to stay small, but the people who you meet matter.
Perhaps we make the final summoning a countdown – where the players get to have more of an impact. Either they halt the ritual and face Azar Kul, or he gives himself over to Tiamat and she manifests an avatar through him as a gate. All the relics used to summon turned over to a final transformation.
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