Altered Out of The Abyss: Is this idea viable?

[Ancalagon]

Hello

Basic idea: Level 6 characters get stuck underground - they aren't enslaved or captured, they just can't go back the way they came from. They encounter a group of NPCs - a ragged gang of refugees (maybe they are the escaped slaves?). So this wouldn't be a new campaign, but an existing one changing direction - the characters already exist and have been played for a while.

(in a few months the characters will complete a large adventure and I am exploring future directions, this is one of them).

The key difference of course would be the level of the party. Also, there are no drow in my campaign, so I would have to replace them with another race (I received an excellent idea from [MENTION=19675]Dannyalcatraz[/MENTION] who suggested using Seshayans from Alternity/Star*Drive and converting them to 5e). this mean that I would have to increase the difficulty of a part of the adventure, and perhaps slow down level advancement somewhat.

cheers,

 

[fobia]

Tbh, it sounds easier to just take some ideas from OoTA and write the campaign yourself than to try and fit the campaign to your needs. Especially with Drows not existing etc.
Also the whole "You are being chased by your captors."-thing will be missing, which to me as a player was one of the factors that contributed the most to the tension of the first part of the story.
The adventure has two parts, and level 6 is quite close to the recommended level 8 for the second part. But even then. I think with the Drow and their impact on the Underdark (Faerzress etc.) missing, it wouldn't have the same atmosphere.

 

[Charles Rampant]

I'd just use the book as a setting inspiration manual, and ignore the plot threads that tie the locations together. There is plenty of excellent inspiration (and legwork done for you) with the descriptions of Gracklestugh, Darklake, Blingdenstone and whatnot. Put your own plot on top and you're good to go.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

As I read it, the drow aren’t merely absent, they’re being replaced by reskinned Seshayans.

 

[Ancalagon]

As I read it, the drow aren’t merely absent, they’re being replaced by reskinned Seshayans.

Yes - they would be chasing the party either because they are after the NPCs refugees, or an early battle - something the party thinks is merely a random encounter - triggers a quest for revenge, triggering the pursuit.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I think it would be perfectly do-able, with a bit of work. The three things that come to mind are:

1 – No party of drow chasing the escaped slaves. That cuts out certain events at the midway point.

2 – Without drow, Menzoberranzan has to be significantly re-done. Not only that, but another deity will probably be needed to instigate the demonic incursion in place of Lolth. Sure, you could just chalk it up to a wizard’s hubris and mistake, but I think the manipulation of Lolth makes it all the more sinister.

3 – I think you’ll be fine with the advanced level start, once you get past the early encounters. I found I needed to add more content to the module to get my group to the levels required to finish it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Since Seshayans have the ability to see in darkness AND fly, I’m thinking that’s a nasty combo to be chasing anyone in the Underdark. As flyers, they’re used to thinking of the battlefield in 3 dimensions...always. Imagine 10lb rocks raining out of the inky blackness of a large cave. Or javelins thrown at PCs as the try to scale a cliff.

Their “version” of Menzoberranzan could be built vertically, like American cliff dwellings in the Southwest.





Or perhaps they have occupied giant crystal-filled caverns.




Alternatively, such caves could be used as their sacred spaces. Since some of those real-life caves are very hot and noxious- that picture with the little people in hazmat suits is NOT photoshopped- they provide a nice screen for a brutal (demonic?) nature god.* Think “volcano cult” type stuff, “Nature, red in tooth and claw". That would make their clergy a mix of nature priests and Druids.





* or a demon lord posing as a nature god.