Looking for some module recommendations

[der_kluge]

My current group is on our second DM, and some day, when this campaign finishes, I'm hoping to take over the reigns. So, with that in mind, I'm planning now, for something that may not happen for another year. But, I figure the more I plan, the better my campaign will be.

In a nutshell, I'm going to start the party off at about 11th level. The premise will be a land of exploration, and the first game will consist of them boarding a ship, in the service of a famous explorer to scout out new lands, and bring back untold riches. The ship will set sail in the fall, and sail through the hard winter, landing on a strange, forgotten continent in the springtime. The party, chosen by the explorer as his personal advisors, diplomats, and bodyguards, board a landing craft to go ashore while the ship remains anchored in coral-infested water. The explorer goes with them to investigate the shore. Shortly after the PCs go ashore, two dragons come out from nowhere and attack the unprepared boat in the water, feasting on the laborers and sailors aboard the vessel, while the PCs are all but powerless to stop them. Finally, the ship breaks in half and sinks, leaving the party and the explorer stranded on the shore.

From there, the PCs have little choice but to set forth and explore, going from one harrowing adventure to the next.

What I'm looking for, are some module recommendations. Obviously, campaigns set in the middle of the city won't work here. Publishers may feel free to plug any module that they think would work. I will even consider those that are for levels far lower than 11th.

 

[EricNoah]

Rana Mor, in Dungeon magazine, is set in a ruined tropical temple with evil native cultists, etc. Was aimed at 6th level characters, I think.

 

[der_kluge]

Ok, that sounds cool. Was it in a recent issue?

Is that it? Wow.

 

[johnsemlak]

You'd have to adapt it a bit, but the old Expert module the Isle of Dread sounds like something that might work. PCs land on an island, which has a bunch of primitave villages, and wierd temple in on a lake in a remote spot, and an ancient evil race called the Kopru. It was for characters 3-7, but could easily be upgraded.

The thing is, in that module,the PCs sail to the island, having heard a tale of a giant pearl somewhere on it.

 

[Davelozzi]

I'll second the suggestion for Isle of Dread.

Also, Necromoncer Games' Demons & Devils has a short dungeon set in an Isle of Dread-esque locale. The web enhancement for it includes some ideas for Wilderness encounters that you might be able to make use of.

There is an old Al-Qadim adventure box called
Ruined Kingdoms that might also work for you, it features several jungle ruins infested by ancient evils and would probably be a good source of ideas.

There's also FR Maztica adventure called City of Gold that's basically a search for El Dorado. I have it but I don't remember if it's any good.

Finally, the Red Steel setting (aka Mystara's Savage Coast) could be useful if you want to include an area that's been previously settled but still more or less a frontier. It's pretty much a fantasy blend of the medieval, colonial, and Wild West eras, and is pretty interesting.

For non-game sources, The Odyssey could be a great source of inspiration.

 

[Meds]

Ok, that sounds cool. Was it in a recent issue?

It was issue 86. One of the best dungeon issues I can remember.
http://www.wizards.com/dungeon/article.asp?x=86/toc

The entire (I think) Savage Coast line is available for free download here:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20020121x

Are you looking just for adventures set in unsettled lands? 'Demon God's Fane' is a great higher level adventure (14th-15th) that is set around a remote fishing village.
http://www.montecook.com/mpress_DGF.html

 

[der_kluge]

I'll have to dig up Isle of Dread and see how much of it is usable. The only problem I can see with it is that everyone and their dog has either played it, or read through it. It's a neat module, though, I have to admit.

 

[Joshua Randall]

People may have played Isle of Dread, but unless they have photographic memories you can still use it. Use the map, but change all the geographic names. Use the encounter tables for inspiration. Grab a bunch of other stuff mentioned in this thread and mix'n'match.

If you want to go with the Maztica angle, I highly recommend you seek out and read Bernal Diaz's True History of the Conquest of New Spain. A first-person account of the conquest of Mexico. Great stuff, and much of it is directly applicable to D&D.



Edit: typo, added link.

 

[Sir Edgar]

I believe C1 The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan has the PC's end up on a Central American-type setting by way of shipwreck. But I'd recommend the A1-4 Slavers series instead. That's if you want the PC's to start with no items, however.

 

[der_kluge]

I started going through a bunch of stuff last night, and found some ideas in the "Treasure Chest", and "Treasure map" products. I'm going to go through the Book of Lairs II, and I have that box of encounters that I just thought of, that I could go through as well.

I looked through Isle of Dread, and realized what a goofy module that really is, although it was always one of my favorites. It has locations that the party would probably never ever get to. Like, a coral reef 5 miles off the coast, where the PCs could get pearls and fight sea snakes. As if the party is going to go diving 5 miles off the coast. As if.

At any rate, parts of it *might* be salvagable, but if nothing else, it gave me an idea of how I can structure the continent - I'll need to map it out, and then number the points of interest on it. And then I'll let the PCs decide which direction they want to take.