Campaign help.

[Zesty Gordita]

Hey all, I've recently started a little campaign with three people. Two of them have been gaming for a while, but the third is brand new to both D&D and table-top gaming in general. So far I have an.... alright idea for the campaign progression, but I've gotten stuck. I'm trying to use adventure books and such so that I don't have to do everything from scratch. That and one of the players really wants to play one of the adventures I'll be running.

The basis of the plot and world revolves around bringing Tiamat (or perhaps her sister? I was thinking of using some alternate dragons I read in a Dragon Magazine for her heads. Yellow, Orange, and Purple I believe.) out of a long and deep slumber to either ravage the lands as revenge against the other races, or to be destroyed as revenge. Either way, the NPC orchestrating everything is the last of the Gnomes (great wielders of magic in this world). They were the only race to stand against the Deities who were waging war against each other on the Material Plane. All the other races retreated and hid. So he could either harbor hatred toward them, or just towards the Deity that started the war (Tiamat or her sister).

So far, I've started them out in "A Dark and Stormy Knight", I figured that would be an easy beginning adventure to transfer into others. They would end at 2nd level, and I wasn't sure what to take them into next, I was thinking possibly "Barrow of the Forgotten King", but I don't know if that would transfer well into the adventure this whole campaign is based around which is "Red Hand of Doom." And then after that, I have no idea where to take it. I thought about using "The Thunder Below" later on, with some modifying to help it fit.

Part of the ritual to release whatever beast/Deity is at the end of all this, will start at Hightower in "A Dark and Stormy Knight" which will be unknowingly activated by the heroes. That is also where they meet the main villain, under the guise as an NPC to help them, traveling with them through their adventures making sure they activate various parts of the ritual that he otherwise would not have access to.

So in conclusion, I need advice on what adventure to go into after "A Dark and Stormy Knight" which, even with some modifying, will lead well into "Red Hand of Doom." Also what adventure(s) I should use after "Red Hand of Doom" and either in between or instead of "The Thunder Below." Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dwimmerlied]

With some extensive tweaking, the first level of Sunless Citadel would be a fun module to play, and possibly thematically appropriate, as the setting is an ancient temple to a powerful dragon. The kobolds have taken up residence in the temple because of its draconic heritage.

In the campaign I am designing, I increased the CR by adding more goblins (including Belig and Krig from "Within the Circle") and some wargs, and I changed Calcryx, the white dragon to a fiendish red wyrmling from "Dungeon of the Fire Opal", making him a dimunitive scion of Ashardalon (the dragon to whom the temple was dedicated).

I think Scourge of the Howling Horde and perhaps some elements of Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde are worth at least a look if you are keen to do some modding to make them better; IMC, I plan to use the goblinoids as factions that haven't yet entirely been annexed into the Red Hand fold for some interesting possibilities.