altering the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil

[Raduin_Nimblegrund]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as how to alter RttToEE to fit a norse-style cosmology. These are the major changes

(anyone in my group, Dont read this thread, or I'll have your head!)

1) Tharizdun is replaced by Loki (both mad gods, both imprisoned, if both are released, it could mean the end of the world)

2) The four elemental nodes are going to be replaced with two elemental nodes for Niflheim (air and water?) and Muspellheim (fire and earth?) Though I wonder if I should reduce the four elemental temples to two to reflect that... though that could alter the course of the campaign a bit

3) Loki is imprisoned in the Ginnungagap rather than the Abyss

4) I am also wondering about the consequences of replacing Imix with Surt... who would I make the prince of Niflheim?

 

[The Green Man]

Not necessarily Prince of Niffelheim, how about Princess? After all, it's Hela who rules Niffelheim IIRC. Although an appearance by Niddhogg the dragon would be nice, too.

 

[Raduin_Nimblegrund]

Hadn't thought about nidhogg... but Hel is pretty much busy in Hel. I don't see her getting out much.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Actually, I'd leave Tharizdun as he is. Loki is really more of a trickster deity with a nasty streak than an insane, all-annihilating force of darkness and destruction. Call Big T a force from beyond creation, an intruder from the Outer Dark, whatever. Loki is overly anthropomorphic, charismatic, and historically linked with the Aesir to be as "out there" as Big T.

If you did this, it actually would make quite a bit of sense for Surtur to be linked in some way with Big T; as the sole surviving primal entity of the Nine Worlds, Surtur might remember Big T from the days before creation, and seek to summon him in an attempt to bring about Ragnarok and the cleansing of the world by fire, never knowing that everything, even the fires of the world, will be rent to nothingness by T.

I might limit the Nodes to Fire (Muspelheim) and Earth (Niflheim); the module as written doesn't require all four. Air, arguably, could be Jotunheim and the realm of the frost giants ("airy" creatures of a sort), and Water could be the deep-sea realms girding the earth, home of Aegir and Ran, whales, sea monsters, and Jormungandr.

This sounds like a great campaign idea, actually; hope to hear more about your eventual adventures!

P.S. Hel/Hela IS Queen of Niflheim: Niflheim/Hel are roughly the same thing.

 

[Raduin_Nimblegrund]

Eh, wouldn't feel right just dropping Tharizdun into norse mythology. If any diety would make sense taking the place of a god of madness, it would probably be Loki... since his release is supposed to be one of the events that mythologically sets off the ragnarok. (of course, its hard to say anything about mythology since it is so open to interpretation and has a tendency to have important details turned around from person to person.)

My logic in having Niflheim represent Water and Air was because Niflheim was filled with mist which is composed of both water and air. =] Fire would logically be in Muspellheim, and Earth with it by default. That way I wouldnt have to turn around and knock out two of the elemental temples... Traditionally norse mythology revolves around only two elements, fire and ice, so if I wanted to be really faithful, i would change the adventure to mirror this.