KotS in 5 simple encounters

[Thasmodious]

My PCs are considering their options right now, and one hook their mulling would lead them to Winterhaven and the Keep. They are currently 3rd level. Beefing the encounters is a breeze, but I don't want to lock them into a long dungeon crawl. If you were condensing KotS to just a few encounters that would still complete the adventure, how would you go about it? What's essential to the story or just too fun to pass up? What's completely superfluous - Irongut, Splug?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Personally I'd say the out of dungeon encounters are the most interesting and would make a great plot to string together ending with a confrontation at the crypt.

That said.

For the Dungeon itself I think you should do:

1.) The Breaking in Encounter. Probably go at it with two stages.

2.) Taking out the Goblin Sub-Chief - Finding Clues about the Blood Reavers

3.) Traps and the Knight's Ghost - Picking up the blessing of Bahamut

4.) Pre-Major Battle Undead Slog - Something is increasingly not right.

5.) The Big Boss Battle Two-Parter - Try to Let Kalarel do something nasty to them - possibly by proxy - in the first part so they can get some catharsis out of pounding him in the second part.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think the Irontooth encounter is a must.

1.) Unusual Kobold Activities are reported. Characters investigate, find the Kobold lair and fight Irontooth and his Kobold underlings.
They find evidence of something going on in the Keep.

2.) The PCs locate the Keep and have to fight a mix of Goblin and Hobgoblin guards at the entrance.

3.) The PCs stumble upon some undeads that protect the passage to the second floor.

4.) The PCs might find the water monster and the dead slavers, and maybe some Kruthik. (I would put this in because the monster is unusual and interesting, but it alone is probably not enough against the PCs.)

5.) The PCs encounter Kalarel.

If you want to avoid most of the dungeon crawl, you might want a different approach. Cut down the encounters in the dungeon to only two encounters.

1.) Overland Encounter. Ambush by Kobolds.
2.) Kobolds lead to Irontooth.
3.) Irontooth leads to Dragon Graveyard. Some ruckus at the Dragon Graveyard. Goblins and Hobgoblins here probably, maybe with a few Skeleton Minions. They try to dig out something important for Kalarel. This might mean that Kalarel cannot finish his task - but maybe it doesn't, it's best to take him out.
4.) Undead protecting the Keep Dungeon entrance.
5.) Kalarel.

 

[wedgeski]

The kobold and Irontooth mini-plot can completely go. They operate on the periphery of Kalarel's plans only.

The Bloodreavers are actually quite a rich hook into adventures beyond the Keep, so I'd try and get those in somewhere, perhaps inhabiting the upper level instead of the somewhat anonymous hobgoblin subordinates that currently infest it. The adventure makes reference to Bloodreavers who had an audience with Kalarel in the interests of buying slaves from him.

In terms of the important beats I think Dr. Strangemonkey has it pretty much covered, although if you're stripping the adventure down I think the first half of the climactic encounter can probably be removed in favour of just getting to the confrontation with Kalarel.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The kobold and Irontooth mini-plot can completely go. They operate on the periphery of Kalarel's plans only.

But Irontooth is the killer encounter branded into the 4E community memories.

Okay, if you want to let it go, an alternate take might be:

1) The Digging Site / Dragon Graveyard.
The hook is finding the missing mentor. I would probably change the monster composition there to add more hooks to Kalarel and his Goblinoid allies.

2) At the Road
The PCs need to find the Keep. Presuming they don't know where it is, they need information - Kalarels Spy in Winterhaven might pretend to provide it to them and lure them into an ambush. This might be a good time to use the Blood Reavers, or reuse the Kobold ambush, except with adding the Elf as an enemy. Alternative, make this is a skill challenge. (Key Skills: History and Streetwise. History opens up Nature to find your way through the area, Streetwise opens up Insight and Diplomacy. With diplomacy, they can convince the sage to look for them, with a succesful Insight they see through the Elfs treachery. A total failure suggests they run into an ambush, a success means they can see the threat and avoid it. (but avoiding still grants them XP - unless you rule that failing a challenge means no XP. In that case, ensure that failing doesn't net them more XP then succeeding. )
Regardless how it works out, they will eventually find the Keep.

3) Keep Entrance
Hobgoblin and Goblins defend the entrance.

4) Undead in the Keep
Pick your favorite set of undead from the Keep.

5) The Gate to the Shadowfell
Here we'll finally meet Kalarel.

 

[wedgeski]

But Irontooth is the killer encounter branded into the 4E community memories.

Okay okay, there is that. If the OP really *must* have the TPK that he's probably read so much about, have Irontooth be the leader of the Bloodreavers instead of Balgron, and have all of his mates show up from all of the surrounding rooms as soon as he's attacked.

 

[Klaus]

Balgron is not the leader of the Bloodreavers.

KotS in 5 steps?

1 - Kobold lair w/ Irontooth -> leads to the Keep and hints at Orcus cult
2 - Goblin Barracks -> takes care of the upper level resistance
3 - Shrine of Bahamut/Sir Keegan's Tomb -> Offers a chance to redeem the past
4 - Hobgoblin Barracks -> takes care of lower level resistance
5 - Cult of Orcus -> 3-part battle with the zombies, the Underpriest and Kalarel.

You might want to skip the Underpriest battle and go straight for Kalarel.

 

[wedgeski]

Balgron is not the leader of the Bloodreavers.

Ah but he would have been had one of my ideas in the earlier post been instituted.

 

[Thasmodious]

Thanks for all the advice, guys, good stuff. I think I will end up doing a combination of the suggestions here, as some of you put up some things that tie in well with other elements of my ongoing campaign. I think what I am going to do will look something like this:

-PCs arrive in Winterhaven, meet locals, investigate caravan problems (the hook that brings them there from Fallcrest) and learn of Irongut and the kobolds, who are working for the Night Fist, an enemy mercenary company of the PCs, and of course, have the links to Kalarel.

1. Irongut and the kobolds

This leads the PCs to the Dragon Graveyard, as the Archchancellor suggests, where they attempt to stop Kalarels agents from digging something up. Whether or not they succeed, they learn that Kalarel is up to some heavy nasty in the Keep.

2. Dragon Graveyard

So they investigate some more in town, likely, and are possibly led astray by Kalarels spy. I am thinking of presenting two approaches to the Keep. One path is the tougher one and its the one the PCs are led to if they listen to Ninaran. This path leads to the graveyard, an ambush by undead forces, and a tough skill challenge to figure out how to open the secret passage inside the masoleum that leads up to the lower level of the Keep.

3a. Ambush
3b. Skill Challenge
3c. Passage guardian (likely the gelatinuous cube, I love cubes, slimes, and jellies)

The somewhat easier path would be to apprach the Keep directly, which isn't as well guarded, as they know the villagers won't go anywhere near it. Still, with warning from Ninaran, the guards are ready. But the PCs have a chance to be ready, as well, and to take tactical advantage.

3. Fight at the entrance against select members of Kalarels people

Either path leads to:

4. Sir Keegan
5. Kalarel

I like keeping most of the adventure out of the dungeon, as when they finally get there, it's the dramatic setting of the Cathedral and the Shadowrift. I think that will be fun.

Thanks again all.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

3a. Ambush
3b. Skill Challenge
3c. Passage guardian (likely the gelatinuous cube, I love cubes, slimes, and jellies)

Hey, that's cheating!