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Living Elsir Vale / Red Hand of Doom - Feedback Requested
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<blockquote data-quote="Antariuk" data-source="post: 6602512" data-attributes="member: 84699"><p>Hey aurin,</p><p></p><p>First, this sounds like a really fun idea. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what you're doing with it.</p><p></p><p>As a huge fan of RHoD (played it once, ran it once) I can tell you that expanding Elsir Vale is not only possible, but it also works really well thanks to the way it's structured. However, I think your list of modules to steal from is way too long. Even if you only grab a small idea from a module, compiling it all into a coherent pile of notes that you can actually refer to and use during a game seems like a daunting task at best, if not outright unrealistic. Even if you have lots of free time on your hands, start smaller - select three modules you really like and start integrating them into Elsir Vale. Once you've done that, take a long and hard look at the result. Are there any problems you need to adress? Plotholes that weren't there before thanks to a magic item, an NPC with an unsual ability, or anything like that? Can the result of one adventure create problems for other adventures? Once you're halfway sure nothing like that can happen, proceed with the next batch of three modules you like. Because if you do it all at once, chances are you will overlook something that'll bite you in the ass later. At least that's how I see it.</p><p></p><p>And, on a technical level, there are only so many adventures the PCs can have before RHoD kicks in, because delaying RHoD itself for a few levels might create all kinds of problems since the increases power threshold could render a lot of the RHoD's challenges obsolete (like, if the group can fly/teleport/get around really fast, the whole timeline is screwed).</p><p></p><p>As to your questions:</p><p></p><p>1) Probably, and maybe <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p>2) Sunless Citadel is a great addition to RHoD, since it's story is so easily connected to Azar Kul and his cronies: Ashardalon is easily re-written as a progenitor of Azar Kul (or you drop other hints and relics of him in Elsir Vale), the goblins in the dungeon could be scouting party send by the Red Hand to gather gold and magic items for the war, and the evil druid could be an ex-apprentice of the Ghostlord who was denied immortality by his master and therefore took the whole vampire route. Since Sunless Citadel is a 1st-level adventure you can foreshadow a lot of things that happen later on and have things come full circle, which is always very satisfying.</p><p>3) Couldn't really tell since I've never players Sons of Gruumsh (but I heard it makes a good add-on to Elsir Vale).</p><p>4) Depending on your much of Elsir Vale's original flavor you want to keep, there are references to the druidic folk that was the first to settle the vale after the dwarves where gone. If that doesn't sound like a great hook for some shenanigans involving (dark) fey and stone circles, what does? This can easily be used to plug Hollow's Last Hope into the campaign.</p><p>5) If you run a setting with two or more groups, let both parties find evidence of each other's activities. NPCs who share stories about "that other group coming through and doing XXX". This doesn't have to mean that it's always a question about who's first in any given settlement, because in the wake of a group's passing whole new adventures can emerge because the BEEG hasn'T actually been defeated, or because of some other ripples.</p><p>However, prepare for the event that both groups actually meet. Elsir Vale isn't really all that big and sooner or later they are bound to meet each other. Recruit a Co-GM and prepare an epic session where two groups have to work side-by-side to overcome an epic challenge (the end of RHoD comes to mind). If done properly, this will be something the players keep talking about for years.</p><p></p><p>Shameless self-plug: I've created <a href="http://fallschaden.blogspot.de/p/red-hand-of-doom.html" target="_blank">a bunch of maps for Red Hand of Doom</a> that you might find useful <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Antariuk, post: 6602512, member: 84699"] Hey aurin, First, this sounds like a really fun idea. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what you're doing with it. As a huge fan of RHoD (played it once, ran it once) I can tell you that expanding Elsir Vale is not only possible, but it also works really well thanks to the way it's structured. However, I think your list of modules to steal from is way too long. Even if you only grab a small idea from a module, compiling it all into a coherent pile of notes that you can actually refer to and use during a game seems like a daunting task at best, if not outright unrealistic. Even if you have lots of free time on your hands, start smaller - select three modules you really like and start integrating them into Elsir Vale. Once you've done that, take a long and hard look at the result. Are there any problems you need to adress? Plotholes that weren't there before thanks to a magic item, an NPC with an unsual ability, or anything like that? Can the result of one adventure create problems for other adventures? Once you're halfway sure nothing like that can happen, proceed with the next batch of three modules you like. Because if you do it all at once, chances are you will overlook something that'll bite you in the ass later. At least that's how I see it. And, on a technical level, there are only so many adventures the PCs can have before RHoD kicks in, because delaying RHoD itself for a few levels might create all kinds of problems since the increases power threshold could render a lot of the RHoD's challenges obsolete (like, if the group can fly/teleport/get around really fast, the whole timeline is screwed). As to your questions: 1) Probably, and maybe :) 2) Sunless Citadel is a great addition to RHoD, since it's story is so easily connected to Azar Kul and his cronies: Ashardalon is easily re-written as a progenitor of Azar Kul (or you drop other hints and relics of him in Elsir Vale), the goblins in the dungeon could be scouting party send by the Red Hand to gather gold and magic items for the war, and the evil druid could be an ex-apprentice of the Ghostlord who was denied immortality by his master and therefore took the whole vampire route. Since Sunless Citadel is a 1st-level adventure you can foreshadow a lot of things that happen later on and have things come full circle, which is always very satisfying. 3) Couldn't really tell since I've never players Sons of Gruumsh (but I heard it makes a good add-on to Elsir Vale). 4) Depending on your much of Elsir Vale's original flavor you want to keep, there are references to the druidic folk that was the first to settle the vale after the dwarves where gone. If that doesn't sound like a great hook for some shenanigans involving (dark) fey and stone circles, what does? This can easily be used to plug Hollow's Last Hope into the campaign. 5) If you run a setting with two or more groups, let both parties find evidence of each other's activities. NPCs who share stories about "that other group coming through and doing XXX". This doesn't have to mean that it's always a question about who's first in any given settlement, because in the wake of a group's passing whole new adventures can emerge because the BEEG hasn'T actually been defeated, or because of some other ripples. However, prepare for the event that both groups actually meet. Elsir Vale isn't really all that big and sooner or later they are bound to meet each other. Recruit a Co-GM and prepare an epic session where two groups have to work side-by-side to overcome an epic challenge (the end of RHoD comes to mind). If done properly, this will be something the players keep talking about for years. Shameless self-plug: I've created [URL="http://fallschaden.blogspot.de/p/red-hand-of-doom.html"]a bunch of maps for Red Hand of Doom[/URL] that you might find useful :) [/QUOTE]
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