Prelude to Red Hand of Doom

[Captain Tagon]

It looks like I'm going to be running Red Hand of Doom for some friends of mine in the near future. However, it being an adventure for 6th level characters, I was wondering if there were any published adventures out there you guys would suggest to get the characters to a high enough level for the adventure. Or would it just be better to have them create 6th level heroes?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd say Idylls of the Rat King, The Dragonfiend Pact and Revenge of the Rat King for an old school adventure that will have them battleready without being burned out on the whole humanoids thing.

 

[Dav]

It looks like I'm going to be running Red Hand of Doom for some friends of mine in the near future. However, it being an adventure for 6th level characters, I was wondering if there were any published adventures out there you guys would suggest to get the characters to a high enough level for the adventure. Or would it just be better to have them create 6th level heroes?

I have no suggestions for a prelude, but Red Hand of Doom begins at 5th-level, despite what it says on the cover (and goes until 10th). The interior of the adventure assumes a level 5 to 10 adventure, not the 6 to 12 on the cover.

 

[Captain Tagon]

Good to know. What's funny is when I wrote the first post, each time I'd try to type 6th, I'd type 5th instead and have to change it. Guess my fingers knew the secret already.

 

[DarkSoldier]

The party's aware of the hobgoblin unrest to the south, but with another country between them, the ruling class of this nation isn't too worried.

I plan on running them through The Obsidian Eye (Dungeon 120), which I've been dropping hints to as per the Adventure Hooks section. At the end, I'll fire the opening shots of the Great Divine War, which also entails the march of a massive hobgoblin army.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Sons of Gruumsh

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Sons of Gruumsh

I don't know that I'd follow humanoid invasion plot #1 with humanoid invasion plot #2. I'd get burned out on it, if I was a player, unless it was fit together as a single unified threat or something.

 

[Festivus]

Playing in the FR, I put things around Derlusk.

I have thus far gone:

0. A Dark and Stormy Knight - Character intro session
1. Siege of the Spider Eaters (From a recent dungeon)
2. Salvage Operation (Dungeon 123 -- party finds a map)
3. Unfamiliar Ground (again Dungeon, can't recall the issue off top of head, fairly recent) that will tie up the Derlusk area adventuring.

That will get them to 4th level. I am still trying to decide where for the next adventure, but it will most likely be something overland taking them to the region. After that it's RHoD.

If I were to do it again, I think I would just not try to make it a campaign and start off at the recommended level and give the players gold and purchase starting gear appropriate for their levels.

While it has been fun, it's a bit more work than this daddy of 2 can deal with.