|
I'm about to start a campaign that's planned to include W1, U1, Expedition to Greyhawk, and finally Maure Castle. We'd like to set it in Greyhawk, but although I'm the one who knows the setting best, I'm stuck on the player's side of the screen. I was hoping someone here who knows the module and Greyhawk could provide some suggestions without giving away any of the fun of the modules.
If it helps, the party looks like it will be:
1/2 orc fighter
human duskblade
dwarf cleric [Hanseath (sp?)]
whisper gnome spellthief/illusionist
grey elf abjurer/war weaver
I wanted to try out some of the Heroes of Battle stuff, so I was envisioning the group as a military unit on leave/detached duty. There aren't many places where such a racially diverse group would fit well together -- my ideas so far were Sunndi or Highfolk. Any suggestions for a good starting location, mountain range for W1, and a city for U1?
Thanks for your help. If I get motivated, I'll post a journal to let you know how the modules went.
If it was me I would plunk U1 down in Greyhawk city. The Garden Quarter makes a natural fit and you can use The Adventure Begins map to replace the generic street names with names of streets from that area. The Cairn Hills or Abbor-Alz mountain range aren't too far away for W1 if you need some mountains or "mountainy" terrain. I don't know that module at all, so I can't give you better advice. But, to be honest, Gallery of Evil is pretty easy to port to any city or large town you want. You just need to make a few cosmetic changes is all, which is not much work. Read the adventure and you'll see what I mean.
I would suggest Hardby and environs -- that gives you mountains/frontier and an urban environment that is still in keeping with "core" sense of Greyhawk. Plus it puts you on the water, in case you want to branch out in another type of adventuring.
Hi Troy!
I second the notion of U1 in the High/Garden Quarters of Greyhawk. Overall that shouldn't be a hard fit, the adventure doesn't really rely on descriptions of places outside of the manors visited. Also the Greyhawk guard are frequently over-tasked and has frequently used adventurers before (in other published adventures), so that plot hook works well.
The hard part of putting W1 in Greyhawk is justifying why the trail hasn't been built/maintained.
Depending on how far from Greyhawk you want to put the adventure, there are multiple options:
Nearest - Gnarley forest west of Greyhawk, over towards the hills. I'd place this as a move to build a road on the edge of the Celene border. This may need some modification to the adventure as written. Rotate map 90-degrees for a north/south trail from Dryvers to Narwell in the Wild Coast. This route would take the path just East of Nelb/ToEE, so that would have a natural flow in to use that adventure (RttToEE), even if just a location resource. Most indications are that this area is pretty untame and has humanoid/other hazards that have made travel difficult (especially moving into the forested hills, which matches the adventure well). Some fudging is needed as this is only really at best "in the hills" rather than a vale in mountains (which does get images of being "very hard to travel off the given paths"). Your group's racial diversity should be fine, as most races have an inlet nearby (Wild Coast, Celene, Kron Hills, and of course, the cosmopolitan settings of Greyhawk and Dyvers).
Logical fit #1 - Mountains west/south-west of Ratik. Those mountains have forests nearby, so putting a vale in the mountains makes sense. Ratik is a logical sponsor for the adventure, as they really would like a way to get supplies from other good nations (this would require to take a mirror image of the map - alternately put this as an initiative from the Pale to expand their influence towards Ratik). This would be working to address a long standing problem that Ratik is acknowledged to have - no easy overland route for trade. This has a problem for racial diversity, although as "enlightened" members of the Theocracy may send this loyal group into the wilds to get them out of town.
Logical fit #2 - Yatil Mountains between Ekbir and Perrenland. Seeking to establish a trade route between the nations that doesn't involve getting taxed by Ket. The mountain range there is HUGE, so little problem incorporating a vale there. Almost could be run as written. Racial diversity shouldn't be too bad if you are coming from the Perrenlands.
Logical fit #3 - Mountains between Sterich/Yeomanry or Sterich/Geoff. If you are set in the most recent Greyhawk Gazetteer, then Sterich needs supplies form Yeomanry or desires to equip rebels in Geoff. In either case, the mountains have been very hazardous since the giants came down after the wars. Despite driving the giants back, it is easy to see that other hazards have come up to prevent trade or trail maintenance. In either case, rotate the map 90 degrees. This one is probably the best fit for a climate reason (I seem to think of W1 further south than the mountain ranges in the above two logical fit options). Racial diversity should work here, if you view the 1/2 orc as an ex mercenary from the wars.
Odd Fit - Place the trail going from Ull to Geoff. Creative adaption of the motives for the trail, given that it is coming from Ull, is left up to the DM.
|
-- my ideas so far were Sunndi or Highfolk. Any suggestions for a good starting location, mountain range for W1, and a city for U1?
Actually, I think you have the two best locations right there.
For Highfolk, set W1 in a pass between Highfolk and Perrenland. Some of the background will need to be modified, but it is a reasonable fit. For a city, use Chendl or Mitrik.
For Sunndi, set W1 between Ahlissa and Sunndi. If you can deal with changing the mountains to hills, near the Hollow Highlands near the Menowood would be excellent. Otherwise use a pass through the Glorioles. I would use Rel Deven as the city in that case.
If you need to be close to the city of Greyhawk, Highfolk is likely the best choice. Otherwise I think Sunndi is a somewhat better fit for all of the background.
Hi Troy!
Hi Steve!
I really like what I've read so far about the module ... especially how the dinner guests behave at the unveiling party ...
I've been thinking how the overall theme of the U1 adventure would fit in nicely with the Age of Worms, especially the Midnight Muddle backdrop, which mentions a disturbed master painter with a secret.
Very creepy, and a good way to incorporate it into Greyhawk.
It's also the right level to fit neatly between "Hall of Harsh Reflection" and the "Champions Belt."
|
|
Thanks for all the advice, folks. I think we're going to go with Sunndi, with W1 set in the Glorioles.
The Wild Coast is always a good starting spot, but I'm still burned out on it after starting every single one of my 1e adventures there. I set the initial Wizards AP in Ratik/Knurl/Bone March, so I don't want to do that again, and I'm thinking of saving Perrenland for the Sehan arc.
A trade route to Ull is a very intriguing idea, but it leaves us pretty far from Greyhawk, and I'm not sure how to set up a reasonable party background.
Rel Deven is a great idea -- it hadn't even crossed my mind. Thanks.