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I've been mulling over AGoW for a while now, and I'm seriously considering redoing most of the encounters. I don't like the implausibility of Allustan just waltzing his way through the tomb, only to be caught in a stasis field trap.
I'd like to make the encounters a little more interesting and I want to use kobolds. I figure they are a competing expedition that have recently mined their way into the upper levels of the tomb and have had a couple of days to prepare their basecamp. Kind of a Tucker's Kobolds approach, only without the purpose-built dungeon.
Creatures that I'd like to include in the upper level:
Kobold adventuring party of 6 (foils to my PC's)
Mobs of Kobolds
The Kobold overseer and his retinue
Some sort of mechanical terror that they brought along
Any thoughts, suggestions or doomsaying?
I'm about to have my players step through the portal, and I'm wrestling with reworking aGoW as well. I don't think that the material is bad, mind you, but it will be a pretty difficult stretch having my PCs negotiate with two seriously evil beings. Yes, I know that it's fine for PCs to just whack Flycatcher and Moreto, but with that the adventure feels pretty hollow.
For mine, I'm reworking a portion of the World's Largest Dungeon that has a covey of hags and some sunken ruins.
Good luck with yours! Are you going to use normal kobolds or more of the altered ones like Ilthane used in Blackwall?
A Gathering of Winds may be one of the most customizable of the adventures, primarily because it has little direct involvement with the AP as a whole.
Personally, I liked having the chance to throw in the elemental-heavy denizens of the Whispering Cairn's portal-accessible Tomb of Icosiol. (My players thought I was running them through the temple of elemental evil, or something, and started calling it that.) However, my players did question their real reason for being there, noting that it seemed that Allustan was just pushing them into it, ironically. Though I absolutely love the dungeon itself, and the monster array, I'd recommend some encounters which further cement its role in the AP.
For instance, consider making your kobolds dragonwraught (Races of the Dragon?), and claiming that they are tomb raiders of Ilthane, seeking out both Allustan and treasure within. Consider adding the feature to the stasis trap that it can only be deactivate if its power source is cut, perhaps, and that source is located within Icosiol's Tomb. (A bit weird, yes, but you see where I'm going.)
Since elementals are fairly underused in the AP, you may want to find other elementals, or variants of the elementals, to replace them with. Consider reducing some of the numbers, and adding the corrupted (Book of Vile Darkness?) or fiendish template to some of them, like the xorns.
Ultimately, you might be able to swap out many of the creatures, but it will alter this dungeon significantly in terms of its appeal. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly Moreto could be swapped out with a potent kobold sorcerer (if that's what you're looking for), and the elder black pudding could even be swapped with an advanced half-black dragon ettin (for instance) working for the kobolds, named "Bruiserrakk", or something.
Altogether, have fun swapping in this adventure! The next one is one I wouldn't change for anything (except buffing SoLS' BBEG, maybe), so enjoy!
Edit: Beat by ruined about the kobolds! I sense a theme.
I gave Moreto different undead companions.. Two Voidwraiths and two Air Necromentals. It gave more of an elemental sort of flair than the Mohrgs would have, made it easier for his help to stay hidden, and added more movement to the fight than running it with the Mohrgs did. I made the entire flight down to Icosiol's tomb subject to a breathing effect, where the entire passage would be subjected to Windstorm force winds, which the Wind Warriors were immune to. Having to save every other round and pushing around PCs added a lot of movement to the fight.
I gave Moreto different undead companions.. Two Voidwraiths and two Air Necromentals. It gave more of an elemental sort of flair than the Mohrgs would have, made it easier for his help to stay hidden, and added more movement to the fight than running it with the Mohrgs did. I made the entire flight down to Icosiol's tomb subject to a breathing effect, where the entire passage would be subjected to Windstorm force winds, which the Wind Warriors were immune to. Having to save every other round and pushing around PCs added a lot of movement to the fight.
Nice substitutions. I swapped the mohrgs for an eye of fear and flame and a vilewight, but your swaps keep the overall feel of the adventure more in tune. Wish I had thought of that, myself.
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Are you going to use normal kobolds or more of the altered ones like Ilthane used in Blackwall?
Naw, regular kobolds. I actually subbed out the draconic kobold rogues for 2 blackspawn raiders and a young black dragon (with the evasive target tactical feat -oh my!). I was worried about so much sneak attack damage from so many sources doing bad things to my fragile and not very tactically savvy PCs. I'm not so concerend about that now. They'll have gotten through 2 of the tougher adventures in the AP, and should have a better grip on what's going on.
My basic idea is to include a mine tunnel on the first level and populate the dungeon with kobold tomb raiders. Their mission is to get the fragment of the Rod of 7 Parts for Dragotha. They've just cleared out the first area and established a basecamp. The expediton leader has brought a lot of disposable goons (mobs) as well as a few highly trained adventurer-types (lots of racial class options for flavour) and some contruct guardians/diggers.
My thoughts for what to include:
stumble across sentries/patrols -1 or 2 easy encounters
digging 'bots -medium challenge
"mad scientist" kobold artificer & his construct bodyguard(s) -tough challenge with RP solution
kobold expedition leader and mobs of goons (actual mob template and a neat class for leader) -medium encounter with RP solutions
Kobold adventuring party (a mirror to the PC party) -tough encounter with RP solution
traps! traps! traps! -new ones from the kobolds and existing ones
There will be makeshift barricades and defensive modifications made to give the kobolds more of a Tucker's Kobolds feel, but not much since they've just arrived.
The lower levels will remain basically unchanged, although I like the idea of changing Moreto's bodyguards. Should be an interesting encounter for the LN cleric of Wee Jas.
Does this sound like too much? Too little? Any suggestions? Nasty tricks?