Red Hand of Doom 4.0

[Boarstorm]

Here's what I've got so far. I've tooled my conversion to a 4th level party, so it's going to be a touch weaker than what others may have come up with. This covers until the bridge encounter.

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PART ONE: The Witchwood

Adventure Start: Marauder Attack (1,206 XP, Encounter Level 5)
* Zarr (Doom Hand Cleric)
* Uth-lor (Hobgoblin Bladebearer)
* 2 RHoD Hellhound
* Wave 1: 6 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)
* Wave 2: 6 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)

Doom Hand Cleric Level 4 Soldier (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 175
Initiative +2 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 55; Bloodied 27
AC 20 (22 with phalanx soldier); Fortitude 16, Refl ex 16, Will 18
Speed 5
Heavy Mace (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 4 damage
Grip of Doom (standard; Recharge 6) ✦ Necrotic
+9 vs. Ref; 3d6+4 necrotic damage, and the target is stunned (save ends).
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the Doom Hand Cleric suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter)
The hobgoblin soldier rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Phalanx Soldier
The Doom Hand Cleric gains a +2 bonus to AC while at least one hobgoblin ally is adjacent to it.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Skills Religion +11
Str 13 (+3) Dex 10 (+2) Wis 18 (+6)
Con 15 (+4) Int 15 (+4) Cha 12 (+3)
Equipment scale armor, light shield, heavy mace

Hobgoblin Bladebearer Medium Natural Humanoid
Level 4 skirmisher XP 175
Initiative: +7 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision
HP 55; Bloodied 27
AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reflex 16, Will 14
Speed 6
Hookblade (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d8+3 damage.
Double Attack (standard; at-will) * Weapon
The Hobgoblin Bladebearer may make two basic melee attacks.
Running Attack (standard; when hobgoblin bladebearer doesn't move on its turn; at-will) * Weapon
The Hobgoblin Bladebearer moves up to 6 squares and makes a Double Attack at any point during that movement. The Hobgoblin Bladebearer doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack.
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the hobgoblin bladebearer suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter)
The hobgoblin bladebearer rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Alignment: Evil Languages: Common, Goblin
Skills Athletics +10
Str 16 (+5) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 12 (+3)
Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1)
Equipment leather armor, two hookblades

RHoD Hell Hound Level 5 Brute
Medium elemental beast (fire) XP 200
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +10
Fire Shield (Fire) aura 1; any creature that enters or begins its turn
in the aura takes 1d6 fire damage.
HP 76; Bloodied 38
AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reflex 15, Will 16
Resist 20 fire
Speed 7
Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Fire
+8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 plus 1d8 fire damage.
Fiery Breath (standard; recharge 4 5 6 ) ✦ Fire
Close blast 3; +7 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 2 fire damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Str 14 (+4) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 17 (+5)
Con 16 (+5) Int 2 (–2) Cha 10 (+2)


The Witchwood: Area C: Jorr’s Cabin (X,XXX XP, Encounter Level X)
* 3 riding dogs
* Jorr Natherson (human ranger 3/rogue 2)

The Witchwood: Area D: Blackwater Causeway (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
* Five-headed hydra

RHoD Hydra Level 5 Solo Brute
Large natural beast (reptile) XP 1,000
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +9; all-around vision
HP 272; Bloodied 136
AC 19; Fortitude 19, Reflex 18, Will 17
Saving Throws +5
Speed 5, swim 10
Action Points 2
Bite (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +8 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage.
Hydra Fury (standard; at-will)
The hydra makes five bite attacks.
Many-Headed
Each time the hydra becomes dazed or stunned, it loses one attack on its next turn instead. Multiple such effects stack.
Threatening Reach
The hydra can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (2 squares).
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Skills Stealth +10
Str 20 (+7) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4)
Con 20 (+7) Int 2 (-2) Cha 8 (+1)

Vraath Keep: Area 6: Worg Stables (800 XP, Encounter Level 3)
* 2 goblin wolf riders
* 2 dire wolves (MM p. 264)

Goblin Wolf Rider Level 5 Artillery
Small natural humanoid XP 200
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision
HP 49; Bloodied 24
AC 19; Fortitude 15, Reflex 17, Will 14
Speed 6; see also goblin tactics
Short Sword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage.
Short bow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +12 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage.
Combat Advantage
The goblin wolf rider deals an extra 1d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
Mounted Combat
When the goblin wolf rider rides a creature, it gains access to any special mount abilities it confers to its rider. While riding a creature, the creature can make any Athletics, Acrobatics, Endurance or Stealth checks using the rider’s skill check bonus rather than its own.
Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will)
The goblin shifts 1 square.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Skills Nature +8, Stealth +13
Str 14 (+4) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 13 (+3)
Con 13 (+3) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1)
Equipment leather armor, short sword, shortbow

Vraath Keep: Area 7: Spike-Littered Nest (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
*Manticore

RHoD Manticore Level 5 Solo Skirmisher
Large natural magical beast XP 1,000
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +10
HP 244; Bloodied 122
AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 17
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, fly 8, overland flight 10
Action Points 2
Claw (standard; at-will)
+10 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage.
Spike (standard; at-will)
Ranged 10; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.
Hit or Miss: The manticore shifts 3 squares after making the attack.
Manticore’s Fury (standard; at-will)
The manticore makes a claw attack and a spike attack (in any order) and shift 1 square between the two attacks.
Spike Volley (standard; recharge 3 4 5 6 )
Area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common
Skills Stealth +12
Str 21 (+7) Dex 20 (+7) Wis 17 (+5)
Con 17 (+5) Int 4 (-1) Cha 12 (+3)

Vraath Keep: Area 8: Barracks (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
*Karkilan, Minotaur
* 4 Hobgoblin Soldiers (MM p.139)

Karkilan Level 9 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 400
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +13
HP 96; Bloodied 48; see also ferocity
AC 25; Fortitude 26, Reflex 20, Will 22
Speed 5
Battleaxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+15 vs. AC; 1d10 + 6 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Karkilan’s next turn.
Goring Charge (standard; at-will)
Karkilan makes a charge attack: +16 vs. AC; 1d6 + 6 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Ferocity (when reduced to 0 hit points)
Karkilan makes a melee basic attack.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills Dungeoneering +11, Intimidate +10, Nature +8
Str 23 (+10) Dex 10 (+4) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 18 (+8) Int 9 (+3) Cha 13 (+5)
Equipment scale armor, heavy shield, battleaxe

Vraath Keep: Area 10: Wyrmlord Koth’s Quarters (600 XP, Encounter Level 2)
*Wyrmlord Koth

Wyrmlord Koth Level 6 elite Controller (warlock)
Medium natural humanoid XP 600
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
HP 136; Bloodied 68
AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflex 18, Will 20
Saving Throws: +2
Speed 6
Action Points: 1
Morningstar (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage.
Eldritch Blast (standard; at-will) * Arcane, Implement
+10 vs. Reflex; 1d10+5 damage.
Ray of Frost (standard, recharge 5 6) * Arcane
+10 vs. Fortitude, 1d6 + 3 cold damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Wyrmlord Koth’s next turn.
Fiery Bolt (Standard; encounter) * Arcane, Fire
Ranged 10; +10 vs. Reflex; 3d6+4 fire damage and creatures adjacent to the target take 1d6+4 fire damage
Avernian Eruption (Standard; daily) * Arcane, Fire
Area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs. Reflex; 2d10+5 fire damage, plus ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Spider Climb (move; encounter) * Arcane
On this move action, Wyrmlord Koth moves with a climb speed equal to his speed.
Warlock’s Curse (minor; at-will)
Wyrmlord Koth places a Curse on the enemy nearest to him that he can see. A cursed enemy takes 1d6 extra damage from Wyrmlord Koth’s attacks once per round. A Warlock’s Curse remains in effect until the end of the encounter or until the cursed enemy drops to 0 hit points or fewer.
Predatory Eye (minor; encounter)
Wyrmlord Koth deals an extra 1d6 damage on the next attack it makes with combat advantage. It must apply this bonus before the end of its next turn.
Pact Boon
When an enemy under Wyrmlord Koth’s Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, he immediately gains 6 temporary hit points.
Prime shot
If none of Wyrmlord Koth’s allies are nearer to his target than he is, he receives a +1 onus to ranged attack rolls against that target.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin
Skills Arcana +7, Bluff +12, Intimidate +12, Stealth +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 16 (+6) Int 8 (+2) Cha 18 (+7)
Equipment leather armor, Morningstar

The Witchwood: Area H: Old Warklegnaw (X,XXX XP, Encounter Level X)
* Old Warklegnaw (forest giant)

The Witchwood: Area I: Skull Gorge Bridge (1,904 XP, Encounter Level 8)
* Ozyrrandion (young green dragon, MM p. 80)
* 2 Hell Hounds (above)
* Hobgoblin Commander (MM p. 140)
* 8 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)
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[Benimoto]

Here's what I've got so far. I've tooled my conversion to a 4th level party, so it's going to be a touch weaker than what others may have come up with. This covers until the bridge encounter.

That looks really terrific.

 

[Boarstorm]

That looks really terrific.

Thank you. I hope my players are as appreciative. Anyway, I should get a few more encounters done tomorrow. I'll keep a-posting.

Edit: Typo. Too anal to leave it once I noticed it.

 

[Benimoto]

So, I haven't begun the laser-focus on each encounter that others have so far. Instead, I did a sort of conversion roadmap, where I mapped out the roles/levels in each encounter, so I could get a handle on how much XP in in the whole adventure, and what levels the PCs will be when. As it turns out, a lot of it converts pretty smoothly. My roadmap takes 5 PCs from the beginning of level 6 all the way to halfway through level 12.

It looks like I have to sneak in a little more XP in each part to hit my goals. I hope to do this with a few random encounter, and adding a few additional skill challenges, or maybe some quest XP. I've converted most of the obvious skill challenges in the adventure, but as it turns out, they're exclusively negotiation. I'll have to see where I can sneak some in that emphasize different skills.

Anyhoo, here's my conversion roadmap. It's a first draft and still very rough, but comments are welcomed.

PART ONE:
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Marauder Attack: level 9, 2058 xp
1 hobgoblin priest (level 5 controller)
1 hobgoblin bladebearer (level 5 soldier)
12 hobgoblin warrior (level 8 minion)
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute)
Notes: Do I make custom monsters for the priest and bladebearer, or do I use the commander and the warcaster?

Riding Into Town: 200 xp
Minor skill challenge
Notes: Convince the guards to trust you.

Jorr's Cabin: 200 xp
Minor skill challenge
Notes: Minor XP award here?

*Causeway: level 6, 1250 xp
1 bad fen hydra (level 6 solo brute) 1250
Notes: What to do here? Probably make a custom low-level hydra.

Gardner's Shack: level 6, 200 xp
Decrepit Shack trap!
Notes: Hazard!

Wolf Stables: level 6, 1200 xp
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) or 3 rage drakes (level 5 brute) 600
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 600
Notes: Dire wolves are large and lack the association with goblins, but they fit well otherwise. Alternately, the goblins could ride rage drakes. That would be more dragonny, and foreshadow the stormlizards in part 4. On the minus side it might ramp up the fantasy quotient too fast. The smooth transition from low-fantasy humanoids to high fantasy dragons and demons is a great feature of this adventure otherwise. Added one more pair of mount+rider. Need custom rider stats.

Spike-littered nest: level 5, 1000 xp
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher)?
Notes: Is a single elite a good encounter? Probably, since he'll join other encounters anyways.

Barracks: level 6, 1350 xp
Karlilan, minotaur fighter (level 7 elite brute) 600
5 hobgoblin soldiers (level 3 soldier) 750
Notes: Need custom stats for Karkilan. Probably keep him large.

Wyrmlord Koth's Quarters: level 6, 1200 xp
Wyrmlord Koth, bugbear wizard (level 7 elite controller) 600
4 imps (level 3 lurker) 600
Notes: Added imps, which may be unnecessary if Koth just hears fighting downstairs and joins that combat.

*Old Wracklegnaw: level 7, 1500 xp
Major skill challenge or fight!
Notes: Use severly de-leveled fomorian? Cyclops?

Skull Gorge Bridge: level 10, 2504 xp
Ozyrrandion, young green dragon (level 5 solo skirmisher) 1000
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute) 600
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 soldier) 200
8 hobgoblin warriors w/longbows (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Hobgoblin veterans downgraded to warriors in this encounter? Should I use “real” archers, even though that pushes it up to a 3000 xp level 11 encounter?

Goblin Raid: level 7, 1500 xp
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) 600
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 600
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) 300
Second Wave: level 8, 1704 xp
2 hobgoblin war adept (level 10 artillery) 1000
8 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Again, the goblins could ride rage drakes instead. Need war adept stats. War adepts need to last until part 4, so level 10? Or should they be lower-level elites? How will I keep them different from mindbenders? Probably have them as artillery, and mindbenders as controllers.

*Chimera Attack: level 7, 1500 xp
good question!
Notes: I need an encounter here since the Chimera is a level 15 elite. Maybe a pair of blackscale dragonspawn on griffons? What to do about blackscale dragonspawn? Probably make them more brutal dragonborn.

Desperate Council: level 5, 1000 xp
major skill challenge
Notes:

Total XP for Part 1: 18336
Notes: This part should take the party from level 6 to midway through level 7.
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PART TWO:
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Easy Skirmish: level 6, 1204 xp
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 soldier) 200
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) 300
8 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Easy conversion.

Dirty Rotten Looters: level 7, 1500 xp

Notes: What to put here? Probably a small mob of minions, with some tougher leaders, inciting them to looting.

Mercenary Gold: level 8, 1750 xp
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) 1000
5 goblin skullcleaver (level 3 brute) 750
Notes: One less ettin, one more goblin. Hopefully the level disparity won't be a huge problem here.

The Not-So-Sick Spy: level 8, 1750 xp
1 bog hag (level 10 skirmisher) 500
2 human berserkers (level 4 brute) 350
12 human lackeys (level 7 minion) 900
Notes: Poor Miha turns into a hag, making the awesome art useless. She also managed to claim some lackeys who defend her when she is exposed.

Barghest Reavers: level 8, 1728 xp
3 worgs (level 9 brute) 1200
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: Are worgs good instead of barghests? Are we sick of hobgoblin warriors yet? Boy howdy!

Marked For Death: level 10, 2590 xp
1 ogre savage (level 8 brute) 350
5 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 440
3 blackscale raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) 1500
1 howling hag (level 7 controller) 300
Notes: Like in the Living Greyhawk conversion, saving this for a dull point in part 3 might be a good idea.

Total XP: 9022 for these optional encounters.


A Roadblock: level 7, 1628 xp
2 ogre savages (level 8 brute) 700
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) 400
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: This converts suspiciously well.

Spawn of Tiamat: level 5, 1000 xp
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 1000
Notes: What to do about the single-monster encounter here. Add some guard drakes, perhaps, maybe call them hatchling greenspawn? Maybe some lizardfolk could be out hunting elves with the ol' harrowblade.

Starsong Hill: level 7, 1500 xp
skill challenge!
Notes: Yet another diplomatic skill challenge. I need some other types of skill challenges.

Lizardfolk Huts: level 6, 1300 xp
1 greenscale marsh mystic (level 6 controller)
2 blackscale bruisers (level 6 brute)
1 greenscale darter (level 5 lurker)
2 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher)
Notes: Just using Monster Manual lizardfolk encounter. Maybe switch between the two suggested for variety if the party goes on a lizardfolk extermination rampage?

Bell Tower: level 5, 1100 xp
6 hogboblin soldier (level 3 soldier) 900
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 solider) 200
Notes:

Roof: level 7, 1400 xp
4 ogre skirmishers (level 8 skirmisher) 1400
Notes: This should work okay.

Boardwalk: level 5, 1050 xp
3 ogre savages (level 8 brute) 1050
Notes: Added an ogre. Even so, 3 monsters is kind of on the low side of challenging, tactically.

Razorfiend Hatchery: level 5, 1000 xp
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 1000
Notes: This mod has a lot of elite monsters encountered alone.

Ettin Guardpost: level 5, 1000 xp
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) 1000
Notes: Again with the elite monster encountered alone. Then again, this should join in with other encounters unless the party is exceptionally stealthy.

Interrogation Room: level 5, 1000 xp
Nurklenak, hobgoblin mindbender (level 10 elite controller) 1000
Notes: Elite. Alone. Again.

Sarvith's HQ: level 3, 800 xp
Wyrmlord Sarvith, goblin ranger (level 9 elite artillery) 800
Notes: Sarvith is a chump encountered alone. I really want him to be mounted on the dragon. I'm eliminating his eagle. I need a way for Sarvith, an archer, to work with Regiatrix. The cloud of darkness is a problem.

Regiatrix's Lair: level 10, 2500 xp
Regiatrix, young adult black dragon (level 10 solo lurker) 2500
Notes: Young and adult Black dragons have the same abilities, so I just need to interpolate the stats to make Regi level 10. His tactics have to change heavily, since black dragons are close-in fighters now. Regi is going to be fighting close up and then fading away into the darkness, and Sarvith should compliment this.

Total XP for Part 2: 15278 plus 9022 additional
Notes: The party should be level 8 by the time they hit the ruins of Rhest. They should be level 9 by the time they finish here.
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PART THREE:
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Varinthian's Lair: level 10, 2500 xp
Varinthian (level 10 solo monster) 2500
Notes: Will have to make a custom monster here. How was this EL 8 in the original mod?

The Lion's Path: level 8, 1750 xp
1 ghost dire lion (level 8 elite controller) 700
3 ghost brute lions (level 8 lurker) 1050
Notes: Man, those ghost brutes were the worst (as in ineffective, bad) monsters in the original mod. We'll have to see what we can do for a conversion.

Guardroom: level 5, 1050 xp
3 doom fist monks (level 8 skirmisher) 1050
Notes: Do we need more monks here?

Ooze Pit: level 7, 1500 xp
1 grey ooze (level 7 solo brute) 1500
Notes: Let's just throw away the Monster Manual for this part. All custom monsters, all the time!

Guest Quarters: level 11, 2950 xp
3 doom fist monks (level 8 skirmisher) 1050
2 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 700
Ulwai Stormcaller (level 11 elite artillery) 1200
Notes: Since I'll again be designing this from the ground up, this is all pretty theoretical.

The Pool of Rebirth: level 9, 2100 xp
6 lesser bonedrinkers (level 8 soldier)
Notes: Level up some ghouls?

Chamber of the Betrayed: level 13, 4000 xp
The Ghostlord (level 13 solo controller)
Notes: Yay for liches. It will be hard to make him intentionally over-CRed, like the Ghostlord was, but I'll try. Hopefully that won't just make him boring.

Shrine of Blight: level 7, 1400 xp
2 ghost dire lions (level 8 elite controller) 1400
Notes: Two lions here? Need something to make this interesting.

Total XP for Part 3: 17250
Notes: Not a single monster in this part from the Monster Manual, argh. The party should be level 10 by the time they finish this part.
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PART FOUR:
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Audience With the Lords: level 10, 2000 xp
major skill challenge
Notes: Divide this up into 3 parts?

Save the Walls: level 11, 3200 xp
4 hill giants (level 13 brute) 3200
Notes: Is 4 giants too many? Is 3 better?

Abithrax's Rampage: level 13, 4000 xp
Abithrax, young adult red dragon (level 13 solo soldier)
Notes: Need to de-level Abithrax a little to fit.

Streets of Blood
Notes: Up to 5 waves. Maybe not-quite short rests between waves? Perhaps recover encounter powers, but only 1-2 healing surges allowed? Come up with effect for elf strafing run if the party is friends with the elves and needs help. The party has some help here.

Streets of Blood, First Wave: level 9, 1928 xp
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher) 1000
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) 400
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: Is this okay with only 1 manticore?

Streets of Blood, Second Wave: level 10, 2400 xp
8 blood ghost berserkers (level 7 brute) 2400
Notes: Should be easy to make these.

Streets of Blood, Third Wave: level 11, 3000 xp
5 bluespawn stormlizards (level 9 brute?) 2000
5 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 1000
Notes: Woo, stormlizards.

Streets of Blood, Fourth Wave: level 12, 3500 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 3000
1 kulkor zuul mindbenders (level 10 controller) 500
Notes: Only one controller, who is like Nurklenak, but not elite. Probably run this regardless of whether the PCs clear the hatchery.

Streets of Blood, Fifth Wave: level 13, 3850 xp
2 ghost dire lions (level 8 elite controller) 1400
3 ghost brute lions (level 8 lurker) 1050
4 lesser bonedrinkers (level 8 soldier) 1400
Notes: Slightly reduced numbers, since nobody needs to fight 11 things at once. Hopefully, it won't come to this.

Sniper Attack: level 11, 3000 xp
2 hobgoblin war adepts (level 10 artillery) 1000
Skather, blackspawn ninja (level 14 elite or level 9 solo) 2000
Notes: What to do with Skather? I find it unlikely that the PCs will fight this whole fight at once, so maybe break it into two parts, with the war adepts as elites and Skather as a solo. This would make it easier to keep Skather's level reasonably close to the PCs.

Final Battle: level 12+, 3600+ xp
4 ogre thugs (level 11 minion) 600
2 hill giants (level 13 brute) 1600
Wyrmlord Kharn (level 12 elite soldier) 1200
Notes: Hopefully, the sudden reappearance of minions won't be too jarring here. Otherwise, we could use “real” ogres and make Kharn level 10 or so.

Total XP for Part 4: 30478, or 26628 without Streets of Blood fifth wave.
Notes: This part all takes place in one day, so the party might be extremely stretched for healing surges. Perhaps allow the party the effects of an extended rest after the Streets of Blood without actually taking 6 hours? The party should be very close to 11th level by the time they finish here.
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PART FIVE:
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The Mark of Tiamat: level 13, 4000 xp
Tyragun, adult blue dragon (level 13 solo artillery)
Notes: Tyragun is almost perfectly suited for this scenario. He has his lightning burst ability to make up for the wand of fireballs he's missing.

The Mark of Tiamat: level 9, 2000 xp
Tiamat Trap!
Notes: It's a trap!

Foyer: level 9, 1900 xp
2 blue abshai (level 11 skirmisher) 1200
2 zombie hulks (level 8 brute) 700
Notes: What to do with the abshai? They should probably lose their summoning abilities and get something to let them take better advantage of their flight.


Guard Barracks: level 10, 2500 xp
5 blackscale raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) 2500
Notes: One less blackspawn. Do I need to make the blackspawn more skirmishers than soldiers?

Torture Chamber: level 10, 2600 xp
3 chain devils (level 11 skirmisher) 1800 xp
4 legion devil hellguards (level 11 minon)
Notes: Chain devils are better torturers anyways. Should I just do 4 chain devils, or stick some legion devils in there for variety?

Priest Cells: level 11, 2800 xp
2 red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 8 elite soldier) 1400 xp
4 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 1400
Notes: Maybe those clerics need to be minions, and the warpriests need to be level 11.

Laryssa's Kitchen: level 10, 2600 xp
Laryssa, night hag (level 14 lurker) 1000
2 bearded devils (level 13 soldier) 1600
Notes: Bearded Devils are a little tougher now. Hopefully these high-level enemies won't be an overpowering challenge.

Great Temple of Tiamat: level 10, 2500 xp
5 wyverns (level 10 skirmisher) 2500
Notes: Easy conversion.

Cavern of the Guardian Spawn: level 11, 3000 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 3000
Notes: Seems like lurkers might be more appropriate here. Still, the razorfiends were great, dangerous fun in my 3rd edition playthrough.

Outer Sanctum: level 13, 3800 xp
2 red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 8 elite soldier) 1400 xp
4 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 1400
4 mad wraiths (level 6 controller) 1000
Notes: This is a lot of monsters. Are the mad wraiths going to be effective at all? Maybe I should level the regular lurker wraiths up to level 10 and have 2 of them.

High Wyrmlord's Chambers: level 10, 2000 xp
2 succubus (level 9 controller) 800
Notes: Aaaannnd what else? This is a very small room.

Treasury: level 13, 4000 xp

Wall of Tiamat's Wrath
Dragonchest Traps!
Notes: This is another difficult conversion. The dragonchest traps shouldn't count towards the main encounter XP, and the wall of wrath should be more interesting and involved. The actual monster(s) should be more like controllers, with some capability to lure or move the PCs into the wall of wrath trap.

Inner Sanctum: level 14, 5000 xp
5 blue abshai (level 11 skirmisher) 3000
High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul (level 14 elite soldier) 2000
Notes: I found that Azarr Kul was somewhat of a misstep in the original mod. The suggested tactics included a 10-round buffing spree, but he still went down in the first few rounds. Hopefully the magic of 4dventure will change that. Let's make him awesome. On a side note, two things to ponder: how does the party get up here without the easy availability of flight in 4e, and should any other effect replace the silence effect?

Tiamat's Wrath: level 15, 6000 xp
Aspect of Tiamat (level 15 solo brute)
Notes: Breathe + 4 bites + sting? That may be way too many attacks for the 4e philosophy. Maybe breathe + 1 bite as a standard action, and the sting as a triggered immediate.

Total XP for Part 5: 44700
Notes: The party should be around level 12 by the time they hit the Inner Fane. Any of the level 10 encounters in the Outer Fane could benefit from a gang of guards busting in halfway through the fight. I don't think there's enough XP to make them level 13 by the time they face the Aspect, but they should be well into 12th level.
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[Boarstorm]

That looks very well thought out, Benimoto.

I think I need to steal some of your ideas, particularly the manner in which you outlined the adventure, with notes toward where the PCs should be (level-wise) at any given point so you can adapt the encounters accordingly.

... actually, I'm tempted to just let you finish up and find something short to run my PCs through to get them to 6th and then steal your conversion wholesale.

In the end, though, I think I'm simply going to do this -- propose a truce. Care to combine efforts?

 

[Benimoto]

In the end, though, I think I'm simply going to do this -- propose a truce. Care to combine efforts?

Thanks! I absolutely would like to do some combined efforts. I'll probably be busy tomorrow, but when I get a chance, I'll go through and revise my outline, and add some treasure notes.

You already have stats made out for some of the monsters I had planned, at close to the level I was thinking of. I'll give you some feedback when I get a chance to look closely and maybe try a test combat or two.

 

[keterys]

You guys definitely convinced me to be lazy on this one, that's for sure

 

[s0rn]

Really! Your work is looking awesome, and although I am just about done running it in 3.5 (halfway through the Fane), I eagerly await stealing this. I'm sure I can find more people to run through it in 4E.

 

[Boarstorm]

In the interest of working where the most work is needed, I've begun statting up critters from Part III of the adventure... yeah, the part where NOT A SINGLE MONSTER has an equivalent in the MM? That part. I'm following Benimoto's outline for encounter and individual monster level/encounter level.

Here's a teaser of what I've gotten done so far:

Varanthian, the Half-Fiend Behir
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Varanthian Level 10 Solo Brute
Huge natural magical beast XP 2,500
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +12; darkvision
HP 432; Bloodied 216; see also bloodied breath
AC 24; Fortitude 27, Reflex 24, Will 20
Resist 20 fire
Saving Throws +5
Speed 8, fly 8, climb 3
Action Points 2
Bite (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d6+2 damage.
Claw (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d6+2 damage.
Behir Fury (standard; at-will)
Varathian makes two claw attacks. If Varathian hits a single target with both claw attacks, it makes a bite attack against the same target.
Rake (immediate reaction, when an enemy moves to a position where it flanks Varathian; at-will)
Varathian attacks the enemy with one of her back legs: reach 2; +13 vs. Reflex; 1d10+5 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Behir Rend (standard; sustain standard; recharge 4 5 6)
Varathian grabs one foe and pulls it in close while rending with its many clawed appendages. Requires combat advantage; +11 vs. Reflex; 3d6+5 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). A target trying to escape the grab takes a –4 penalty to the check. Varanthian can sustain the power as a standard action, dealing 3d6+5 damage and maintaining the grab.
Breath Weapon (standard; recharge 5 6) * Lightning
Varanthian targets up to three creatures with its lightning breath; the first target must be within 10 squares of the dragon, the second target within 10 squares of the first, and the third target within 10 squares of the second; +11 vs. Reflex; 2d12 + 12 lightning damage. Miss: Half damage. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Bloodied Breath (free when first bloodied; encounter) * Lightning
Varanthian’s breath weapon recharges, and the she uses it immediately.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Athletics +17
Str 24 (+12) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 14 (+7)
Con 20 (+10) Int 11 (+4) Cha 14 (+7)
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A couple notes about this particular conversion. It was quite challenging to my newbie skillz.

1) I ended up having to ditch most of the half-fiend aspects. Spell-like abilities, piddling resistances, damage reduction, smite good... Still, I tried to keep what nods to the original template that I could.

2) Swallow Whole got dumped for gamist reasons. Besides, if even the tarrasque doesn't have it anymore, I'm not going to worry about it. Constrict and Rake got folded into a single power (Behir Rend, in the stat block). I used the blue dragon's breath weapon to model Varanthian's lightning breath.

3) The damage values are very much approximations at this point. I'm no mathematician, so determining the most common outcome of Behir Fury is stumping me at the moment. I want it to be enough to give level 9 players pause, but not enough to make a smear of the defender in two rounds. When I get the time to do a sample combat or two, hopefully we'll see how it stacks up. I'm also concerned that the Rend power is a potentially suboptimal choice for the gal to make.

4) As difficult as this conversion was, my preliminary work on the ghost lions tells me that I'm going to have an even more frustrating morning.

As always, suggestions are always welcome.

 

[keterys]

This is... different enough... that I'm a little iffy on the balance, but it was fun to throw together as another option for folks:

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