Running Modules

[maddman75]

Hey all.

I've been DMing this game for a long time, but my group has never really done modules. (maybe because we came up in the 2e era, when module design was, to say the least, not at its best) Recently, we had half the group not able to play, but we still had enough people for a game.

I picked up the Sunless Citadel, and we had a blast. Its one of those campaigns that are almost magical, everyone in love with their characters. We want to keep the magic rolling, so we decided to continue modules with this group for a good while.

I thought about doing the adventure path, but instead decided that if I was going to do a module, might as well make it the biggest baddest on the block. I picked up Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

So, I wanted to know any tips that ENWorlders had for running modules in general and this one in paticular. Two things about my group. First, they despise railroading. This is probably what turned us off modules in the first place. Second, they tend to jump straight at the problem.

Thanks for all input, and remember to mark spoilers as such. Oh, and I know a couple of my players read these boards, so kindly go away if you stumble across this .

 

[Crothian]

I haven't run this module, so this advice in general only.

When I run a module I redo it. I want the module to fit perfectly into the campiagn and with the players. I also want to keep the theme of the module together. So, I alter the backstory to fit into the campaign and allow for adventure hooks that the players will respond to.

The modules themselves I keep the map as that's hard to do. I try to keep the encouinters but make sure they make sense in the campaign and in relationship to each other. I also make sure I place in encounters that specvific PCs will shine in as well as some things that fit with earlier adventures and later adventures.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

In a similar thread yesterday someone comments on the "railroad factor in "Return":

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31129

 

[2WS-Steve]

You might also try looking at the story hours here on the message boards and see if you can find one based around the module you want to run. <contact>'s ToEE storyhour is pretty inspiring and a great example of how to turn a module into a really fun campaign (it's not for RttToEE though...).

 

[darkbard]

if you're serious about running RttToEE, i'd advise checking out the appropriate forum on monte cook's website www.montecook.com (you know ... monte cook ... the writer of the module). tons of advice, campaign logs, problems, etc.

 

[arwink]

I've only just started running through RttToEE, but one of the first decisions I came to was the introduction of as many side adventures as possible. Ten levels on one adventure is more than my players or myself are willing to go through.

 

[Dinkeldog]

In a similar thread yesterday someone comments on the "railroad factor in "Return":

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31129

It's nothing compared to the One-Way Trip known as Necropolis.

 

[jasper]

take a pencil on your first read thru.
Take your dm sheet listing your players magic.
mark off a third of the magic items unless they are needed later in the module.
Now depending on the module you may what to repeat the above step.
Make copies of maps and other interesting things.

make notes of allies etc if they are seperated by two or more pages.

 

[Voadam]

general advice:

read the module and figure out its plot, hooks and forced railroading points.

for the railroading spots think of how they can be run differently so that the characters have options.

Think of how the overall plot fits into your game world with gods politics and existing plots.

Look for how you can tie in past events/npcs etc. from your campaign into the module.

Figure out what does not fit with your existing game world and how you can change it.

Figure out what points you really dislike in the adventure and how you can eliminate or change them.

Figure out what campaign themes you want to insert for consistency or fun (maybe Grazz't keeps an eye out for the party who foiled his cultists and tries to get involved and harass the party wherever they go, or perhaps you just want to use nifty puzzles from Traps and Treachery).

 

[Voadam]

RttTEE advice

minor flavor spoilers



The temple has lots of killer dungeon hackfest and some nasty instant death encounters. Be aware of that. There is some neat investigation and plot but there is a ton of hard combat dungeon crawling. There is also a huge dark fantasy metaplot running behind it with big Cthulhuesque evil going on.