I'm planning to start running 'Keep on the Shadowfell' tomorrow evening, and I want to tweak the plot a little so that it will make more sense for the players. Obviously, don't read this if you're going to be playing in any version of KotS. I don't have the adventure in front of me at the moment, so there's going to be lots of 'that guy' because I don't have names memorized. Let me know if this makes sense to you.
(space for mouse-over)
Okay, it seems to me that we have several different groups of humanoids involved in things. We've got the kobolds, the goblins, the hobgoblins, and the PC-race cultists. I am also going to be using the missing mentor plothook and the 'dragon burial site'. Here is my conception of what's going on.
Back when the breach to the Shadowfell was originally sealed, a lot of the records of what was going on were deliberately obscured. To seal off Orcus, both a god of light and a god of Shadowfell (Bahumat and Raven Queen generically, but I am using a different setting) had to be invoked. Their power was anchored in an artifact sword and a magical mirror, respectively. The sword is the same one belonging to the lord of the Keep who eventually went crazy. The mirror is the one buried in the 'dragon burial site', which is no such thing. The 'burial site' story was deliberate misinformation put out to conceal hiding the mirror somewhere close to the Keep. It was figured folks would go there, look around to see there was no huge dragon hoard, then go away again.
Some years ago, a bunch of dragon-worshipping kobolds heard about the 'burial site'. Their shaman led them to settle over the 'holy site' as its guardians. They were content to live there quietly, so the folks of Winterhaven didn't worry about driving them off.
Recently, the priest of Orcus-dude found out about the portal and the significance of the mirror (but not the sword). He figures he can break the seal without the talismans if necessary, but it sure would be easier if he had that mirror. So he takes control of the kobold tribe with his goblin lacky Irontooth, then lures mentor-dude out to the site as an expert in excavation. (Orcus priest dude doesn't have time for it himself, and his gnome lackey is far too unstable.) None of the kobolds cares about Orcus at all, but Irontooth has them all scared to cross him. They know about the gnome and his troops over at the burial site, and indeed the gnome has been crafting the ammo for the slingers.
Irontooth is going a little off the reservation with the frequency and intensity of his raids with the kobolds. He's all about sacrifices to Orcus and is a little crazy, so he's making the mistake of attracting far too much attention. Meanwhile, mentor-dude found the mirror weeks ago but has been stalling on revealing that. He knows what will happen when his usefulness is over.
The goblins are divided. Some of them have become true believers of Orcus, but some (including Fat Goblins dude leader) are just in it for promise of treasure and could be convinced to leave. Fat Goblin dude also knows the identity of the traitor in town, which he could be convinced to trade for his life. The kobolds and goblins know their is a traitor, but not the identity. The goblins also know there is a powerful uncontrolled undead in the catacombs who is not Orcus priest's friend. The hobgoblins are mercenaries, but they hold their contract sacred and cannot be convinced to abandon it.
How I would like things to play out:
Kobolds ambush on the way in. One of them has a possession of mentor-dude on him. In town, the traitor and the Lord push the PCs to go after the kobolds. PCs get ambushed again on the way out. They go to the kobold lair and kill Irontooth.
Hopefully PCs go to the burial site after that and rescue mentor. He tells them the creepy Orcus cultists were after the mirror. They go back to town and get more of the truth about the Keep, including the nature of the sword (but not that its guardian is undead). Bringing both the sword and the mirror directly to the site of the rift will help repair the damage and keep it closed. They also know the town has a traitor, but not who.
They go to the keep and take down the goblins/get the sword, depending on order they do things in. Fat Goblin (or a surviving second in command) trades the ID of the traitor for goblin lives. Hopefully they rush back to town for the graveyard battle.
Then it's back to the Keep to complete the lower level and finish the adventure. Naturally, I don't expect they'll get that far in a few hours of play, but that's the general direction I'm leaning towards.
Does that seem to tie things together pretty well? Any loose plot ends?
(space for mouse-over)
Okay, it seems to me that we have several different groups of humanoids involved in things. We've got the kobolds, the goblins, the hobgoblins, and the PC-race cultists. I am also going to be using the missing mentor plothook and the 'dragon burial site'. Here is my conception of what's going on.
Back when the breach to the Shadowfell was originally sealed, a lot of the records of what was going on were deliberately obscured. To seal off Orcus, both a god of light and a god of Shadowfell (Bahumat and Raven Queen generically, but I am using a different setting) had to be invoked. Their power was anchored in an artifact sword and a magical mirror, respectively. The sword is the same one belonging to the lord of the Keep who eventually went crazy. The mirror is the one buried in the 'dragon burial site', which is no such thing. The 'burial site' story was deliberate misinformation put out to conceal hiding the mirror somewhere close to the Keep. It was figured folks would go there, look around to see there was no huge dragon hoard, then go away again.
Some years ago, a bunch of dragon-worshipping kobolds heard about the 'burial site'. Their shaman led them to settle over the 'holy site' as its guardians. They were content to live there quietly, so the folks of Winterhaven didn't worry about driving them off.
Recently, the priest of Orcus-dude found out about the portal and the significance of the mirror (but not the sword). He figures he can break the seal without the talismans if necessary, but it sure would be easier if he had that mirror. So he takes control of the kobold tribe with his goblin lacky Irontooth, then lures mentor-dude out to the site as an expert in excavation. (Orcus priest dude doesn't have time for it himself, and his gnome lackey is far too unstable.) None of the kobolds cares about Orcus at all, but Irontooth has them all scared to cross him. They know about the gnome and his troops over at the burial site, and indeed the gnome has been crafting the ammo for the slingers.
Irontooth is going a little off the reservation with the frequency and intensity of his raids with the kobolds. He's all about sacrifices to Orcus and is a little crazy, so he's making the mistake of attracting far too much attention. Meanwhile, mentor-dude found the mirror weeks ago but has been stalling on revealing that. He knows what will happen when his usefulness is over.
The goblins are divided. Some of them have become true believers of Orcus, but some (including Fat Goblins dude leader) are just in it for promise of treasure and could be convinced to leave. Fat Goblin dude also knows the identity of the traitor in town, which he could be convinced to trade for his life. The kobolds and goblins know their is a traitor, but not the identity. The goblins also know there is a powerful uncontrolled undead in the catacombs who is not Orcus priest's friend. The hobgoblins are mercenaries, but they hold their contract sacred and cannot be convinced to abandon it.
How I would like things to play out:
Kobolds ambush on the way in. One of them has a possession of mentor-dude on him. In town, the traitor and the Lord push the PCs to go after the kobolds. PCs get ambushed again on the way out. They go to the kobold lair and kill Irontooth.
Hopefully PCs go to the burial site after that and rescue mentor. He tells them the creepy Orcus cultists were after the mirror. They go back to town and get more of the truth about the Keep, including the nature of the sword (but not that its guardian is undead). Bringing both the sword and the mirror directly to the site of the rift will help repair the damage and keep it closed. They also know the town has a traitor, but not who.
They go to the keep and take down the goblins/get the sword, depending on order they do things in. Fat Goblin (or a surviving second in command) trades the ID of the traitor for goblin lives. Hopefully they rush back to town for the graveyard battle.
Then it's back to the Keep to complete the lower level and finish the adventure. Naturally, I don't expect they'll get that far in a few hours of play, but that's the general direction I'm leaning towards.
Does that seem to tie things together pretty well? Any loose plot ends?
