Mercurius
Legend
I've started a couple related threads over the last month or two but I think I've better narrowed down what I want and what I don't want.
In short, I'm starting a new Next campaign in about a week. We're going to convert to the rules when they come out, but until then we'll use the playtest rules. I see the first few levels as getting used to the rules, and getting back into playing as a group (we've been on hiatus for a year), and then developing into a larger campaign arc at 5th level and beyond. But until then, I'd like to sandbox the local region, the PCs to get to know the world, very basic stuff - some combats, exploring some sites, and opportunities for a bit of exposition and dropping of plot hooks.
As I wrote here, I'm considering using Village of Hommlet. But after reading the intro last night, and giving the contents a cursory browse, while I like it, I'm kind of wondering, what's the deal? How many barns can a party explore? Its note like its an abandoned ghost town they'd be in, but an inhabited one - to be honest, I'm a bit confused! I know there's the underlying presence of the Temple, and I could modify that to my world, but I'm not sure what the adventure actually is, unless its just walking around the village and getting to know the local color, other than the moat-house. Of course I didn't read too far into it.
I might end up using Hommlet and tweaking it to not only fit my world, but include an orc attack, that sort of thing. But for now I want to open it up again: What are your favorite, "the best," sandboxy site-based adventures for low level D&D?
A couple that I'm looking at:
The Lost City of Barakus - I've heard rave reviews for this, and its been on my shelf for a couple years, but I've never really dived into it.
Rise of the Runelords - some of the campaign threads are somewhat similar to Runelords - in particular an ancient mage-king returning to wreak havoc on the world - so this book is a wealth of ideas, at the least.
What else? It could simply be a great resource for low level sites that I can drop into the area.
Thanks!
In short, I'm starting a new Next campaign in about a week. We're going to convert to the rules when they come out, but until then we'll use the playtest rules. I see the first few levels as getting used to the rules, and getting back into playing as a group (we've been on hiatus for a year), and then developing into a larger campaign arc at 5th level and beyond. But until then, I'd like to sandbox the local region, the PCs to get to know the world, very basic stuff - some combats, exploring some sites, and opportunities for a bit of exposition and dropping of plot hooks.
As I wrote here, I'm considering using Village of Hommlet. But after reading the intro last night, and giving the contents a cursory browse, while I like it, I'm kind of wondering, what's the deal? How many barns can a party explore? Its note like its an abandoned ghost town they'd be in, but an inhabited one - to be honest, I'm a bit confused! I know there's the underlying presence of the Temple, and I could modify that to my world, but I'm not sure what the adventure actually is, unless its just walking around the village and getting to know the local color, other than the moat-house. Of course I didn't read too far into it.
I might end up using Hommlet and tweaking it to not only fit my world, but include an orc attack, that sort of thing. But for now I want to open it up again: What are your favorite, "the best," sandboxy site-based adventures for low level D&D?
A couple that I'm looking at:
The Lost City of Barakus - I've heard rave reviews for this, and its been on my shelf for a couple years, but I've never really dived into it.
Rise of the Runelords - some of the campaign threads are somewhat similar to Runelords - in particular an ancient mage-king returning to wreak havoc on the world - so this book is a wealth of ideas, at the least.
What else? It could simply be a great resource for low level sites that I can drop into the area.
Thanks!
