Please Help! Starting City of the Spider Queen!

[mattcolville]

Ok please bear with me.

The City of The Spider Queen starts with the PCs investigating mysterious deaths or kidnappings or something really mundane like that.

I'd like to start it with the Drow basically invading the surface world and being at war with those above.

Is there a way to do this that makes sense with the plot of CotSQ? Can any of you give me some advice on how to set this up, how to change the beginning of the adventure so it'd be about the Drow invasion rather than a revolution underground? Should I start at a later point in the adventure?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Swack-Iron]

Is there a way to do this that makes sense with the plot of CotSQ? Can any of you give me some advice on how to set this up, how to change the beginning of the adventure so it'd be about the Drow invasion rather than a revolution underground? Should I start at a later point in the adventure?

Any help would be appreciated.

*SPOILER WARNING*













*REALLY, I'M NOT KIDDING. SPOILERS!*










OK, still with me? I can think of two choices off-hand.

The first would be to pick things up much, much later in the adventure -- perhaps even after the forces of Kiaransalee have triumphed in their war with Kurgoth, and have now turned their armies outward in conquest. This would be a pretty epicly high adventure, since the Undying Temple will have spread its magic-influencing effects far and wide in the Underdark and on the surface. The PCs will have to battle large hordes of Revenants (including Kurgoth's fallen army) to put a stop to things.

A less world-shattering option would be to have Szith Morcane (sp?) be a more fortified outpost of the fleeing Llolth worshipers. Perhaps a few hundred escaped the burning of their city and have now taken up residence right under Daggerdale -- they'll need resources, and since they are so close to the surface they'll be competing for those resources with the Dalefolk. Essentially, this scales up the scope of the first chapter of the adventure, but probably won't effect any of the later parts.

 

[mattcolville]

Re: Re: Please Help! Starting City of the Spider Queen!

*SPOILER WARNING*













*REALLY, I'M NOT KIDDING. SPOILERS!*










OK, still with me? I can think of two choices off-hand.

The first would be to pick things up much, much later in the adventure -- perhaps even after the forces of Kiaransalee have triumphed in their war with Kurgoth, and have now turned their armies outward in conquest. This would be a pretty epicly high adventure, since the Undying Temple will have spread its magic-influencing effects far and wide in the Underdark and on the surface. The PCs will have to battle large hordes of Revenants (including Kurgoth's fallen army) to put a stop to things.

This sounds PERFECT!! God, how do I do this?? Apart from setting things up differently, how would this affect how the PCs move through the adventure? Could they still start at 'the beginning?' I imagine no. But of course I'd like to use as much of the module 'as is' while still beginning with the downfall, or apparent downfall, of the surface world's nations.

Is there a place further in the adventure that could be used as a starting point instead?

I'd really like the PCs to see the Drow basically conquer the earth, and they be the resistance movement that goes into the underdark and strikes at the heart of the Spider Queen's forces.

 

[darkbard]

i'm afraid that if you want to go this route it will necessitate making drastic changes to the adventure as written. that's not a bad thing per se but it is a daunting task. basically, you'll be writing your own adventure and "snipping" a few ideas, locations, and npc's from CotSQ.