Published adventure suggestions?

[Snapdragyn]

OK, I'm a new DM who has realized that I'd do a lot better running published adventures for a while before trying to come up with my own. I do already have a fairly fleshed-out homebrew world & planned story arc, so I'd like recommendations on adventures that I could plop in fairly easily (which I think would really be most -- I don't mind changing names of countries & deities to match my homebrew, or adding one or two NPCs to tie things in to my storyline). The one MAJOR issue is that there is NO night in most of the world; darkness-dependant creatures either stay underground or live in one fairly small area.

The party is currently 2nd level, might be 3rd when we finish the current adventure.

I am looking to have them move around the gameworld a LOT -- icy cold regions, tropical forests, swamps, seafaring, Underdark, everything. Planar travel (at basically any level) is also good -- but the more a planar module plays into the 'Great Wheel' alignment-based cosmology the more reworking it would require. Heck, if I had to do a 'wish list' of themes, it'd probably go (in no specific order):

'polar' adventure
'tropical forest' adventure
'seafaring' adventure (or two)
'dark forest' adventure -- creepy woods
'city' adventure with political intrigue (Victorian vampire flavor ++)
'Underdark' adventure (or two)
'desert' adventure
'swamp' adventure'
'planar' adventure (or few, but low on alignment issues)

favored foes (no order):

giants (could also be allies)
yuan-ti
vampire lord
necromancer-type
elementals
mind flayers
lycanthropes
dragons (duh)

Anyway, that's just the 'wish list' stuff; any _good_ adventure would work since I could probably tailor it to some degree.

What are your favorite modules for various levels? What do you like about them, & what are their weak points?

(Note that I can't really browse through Dungeon magazine as the other DM with whom I alternate uses it extensively; I'm sure it'd be fine if I knew a specific issue & module, but just buying it regularly would mess up my own experience as a player in modules he runs.)

 

[Ghostwind]

Pick up:
*Nature's Fury (Fiery Dragon)
*Forge of Fury (Wotc)
*Rappan Athuk 1-3 (Necromancer Games)
*To Stand on Hallowed Ground (Fiery Dragon)
*Song of Storms (MonkeyGod Enterprises)

 

[Meeki]

So... is your world flat? or is there two suns? Having no darkness will run havock with almost every species of.. well everything. Messing with that is baaad mojo

 

[jerichothebard]

The one MAJOR issue is that there is NO night in most of the world; darkness-dependant creatures either stay underground or live in one fairly small area.

favored foes (no order):

vampire lord

??? ummm... either sunscreen sells well in undead circles, or your vampires are of the Underdark... ???

 

[erian_7]

OK, I'm a new DM who has realized that I'd do a lot better running published adventures for a while before trying to come up with my own. I do already have a fairly fleshed-out homebrew world & planned story arc, so I'd like recommendations on adventures that I could plop in fairly easily (which I think would really be most -- I don't mind changing names of countries & deities to match my homebrew, or adding one or two NPCs to tie things in to my storyline). The one MAJOR issue is that there is NO night in most of the world; darkness-dependant creatures either stay underground or live in one fairly small area.

With that major issue, my first suggestion would be to look at the Hollow World material produced for the Mystara campaign setting (I'll dig up specific Dungeon mags featuring Hollow World when I get home). I never particularly liked the overall concept (a hollow planet used to preserve surface cultures from extinction--didn't work too well for me as my planet Mystara is a sentient being), but the material was good. As such, I simply take all the Hollow World stuff and plop it back into my Mystara setting as normal nations/cultures. And a great benefit for you, the setting has no night time at all, as the "sun" is a central point in the middle of the hollow planet. The setting features various cultures/environments that might work for you. I'll note a few below.

The big problem is these are all OD&D, so you'd have to basically use them for ideas and put in your own d20 stats. I'll think through d20 options in a later post. Unfortunately (well, for your purposes at least) I tend to favor taking old mods and pulling the ideas into d20..

The party is currently 2nd level, might be 3rd when we finish the current adventure.

I am looking to have them move around the gameworld a LOT -- icy cold regions, tropical forests, swamps, seafaring, Underdark, everything. Planar travel (at basically any level) is also good -- but the more a planar module plays into the 'Great Wheel' alignment-based cosmology the more reworking it would require. Heck, if I had to do a 'wish list' of themes, it'd probably go (in no specific order):

The Nightwail/Nightrage/Nightstorm trilogy of modules might particularly interest you, as they span various cultures/environments (including swamps, deserts, and tropical forests). The other ideas below are not necessarily modules, but rather elements of the Hollow World setting that might help flesh things out.

'polar' adventure

The Hollow World Icevale Elven culture might give you some ideas.

'tropical forest' adventure

Various, but the Azcan (Aztec-like), spring right to mind.

'seafaring' adventure (or two)

The Merry Pirates would fit well here.

'dark forest' adventure -- creepy woods

Hmm, can't think of any for this right off hand. There is, however, one section that is populated by kubits (little miniature humanoids created as a servant race that gained sentience). They could make the forest "haunted" to drive off larger predators. Just a thought

'city' adventure with political intrigue (Victorian vampire flavor ++)

The cultures in Hollow World never make it to Victorian, unfortunately. You can, however, find Greek, Egyptian, Aztec, etc. all with fairly large, developed cities.

'Underdark' adventure (or two)

Hmm, not too much here, as the Hollow World (and Mystara in general) didn't have the same Underdark concept as FR and GH. However, there is one non-Hollow World item that might help, featuring the Mystaran Shadow Elves (not Drow at all--pale skin, not spider freaks, etc.--so probably a huge surprise to players). They are at war with the Azcans in the Hollow World.

'desert' adventure

The Nithian (based on ancient Egypt) culture is one of my favorites in the Hollow World setting.

'swamp' adventure'

Hmm, the Malpheggi Swamps would be good. Filled with lizard folk and dinosaurs.

'planar' adventure (or few, but low on alignment issues)

Not much here. Plane hopping was never a popular part of Mystara...

favored foes (no order):

giants (could also be allies)
yuan-ti
vampire lord
necromancer-type
elementals
mind flayers
lycanthropes
dragons (duh)

Anyway, that's just the 'wish list' stuff; any _good_ adventure would work since I could probably tailor it to some degree.

What are your favorite modules for various levels? What do you like about them, & what are their weak points?

(Note that I can't really browse through Dungeon magazine as the other DM with whom I alternate uses it extensively; I'm sure it'd be fine if I knew a specific issue & module, but just buying it regularly would mess up my own experience as a player in modules he runs.)

Some product specifics:

GAZ13: Shadow Elves
Hollow World Campaign
HWR1: Sons of Azca
HWR2: Kingdom of Nithia
HWR3: The Milenian Empire
HWA1: Nightwail
HWA2: Nightrage
HWA3: Nightstorm
HWQ1: Milenian Sceptre

 

[enworldatemylogin]

I would suggest checking out www.rpgnow.com and looking at their Free and various pay sections for pdf's. They have both smaller encounters around 16 pages long and then pdf scans of products that first came out in print, such as those from Troll Lord Games. And they have more than adventures of course, they have magic items, spell books, monsters, terrain and city products, you name it, they probably have something you can use.