hello everyone,
i'm starting the RotRL AP, set in the World of Greyhawk. i'm willing to share my conversion notes and ideas about the campaign in general.
i'm still at the planning phase, haven't gathered all the data from all the 6 books of rotrl, so it is a great possibility that i'm missing elements about the later phases of the adventure. i'd love to have some pointers. also, i'd like everyone to share their ideas and criticisms about greyhawk lore, the rotrl ap and in general.
here are the ideas, with SPOILERS ahead:
the campaign will be set in Keoland. Sandpoint will be a town on the bank of Javan River (the longest and one of the largest rivers in Flanaess), about 50 miles south of the city of Cryllor - which wil substitute for Magnimar.
i believe the western Keoland area will mesh very well with one of the AP's major themes: giants. i've decided to put Sandpoint close to the western border of Keoland, instead of Azure Coast for it to be close enough to Joten Mountains, thus making it easier to go for mountain adventures. this way, Sandpoint being attacked by giants (which happens later in the adventure) will make more sense, too. it is known that seagoing ships can sail as far north to Cryllor, so the volume of the great river should substitute well enough for a sea coast. maybe Valdemars are river boat builders instead of seagoing vessels?
also, the Keoland area gives me two great potential Thassalion Empire substitutes:
one is the Empire of Vecna. the subject is less developed in greyhawk canon (afaik of course) so it makes it easier to substitute. the kingdom was established around Sheldomar Valley and it is natural to encounter ruins from that great empire around Keoland. in this alternative, Karzoug is a great mage in Vecna's empire.
the second alternative is to have Karzoug and the runelords as a cabal of Suel mages from the great Suel Empire. the existence of the ruins on this side of the hellfurnaces is a bit problematic though. maybe the runelords were a dissident sect that travelled around sheldomar and built their own holdings?..
--Sandpoint Families--
the original settlers of Sandpoint are Flan (instead of Varisian) and the Mercantile League families are Oeridian and Suel. the conflict at the founding of Sandpoint may be analogous to foundation of Keoland, where Oeridian and Suel families fought with/dislocated native Flan.
exception is the Kaijitsu family. i've found their origin too much oriental influenced for greyhawk tastes so in my campaign they are called the Kahraldin Family, immigrants from the foreign and exotic lands of the Bakluni (middle eastern flavor), instead of Minkai (far eastern flavor).
here are the converted races and religion of the four families to Greyhawk ones, according to flavor and the race/religion combinations natural to Keoland:
Deverin:
Occupation: Farmer and brewer
Race: Suel
Faith: Lydia (music, knowledge and daylight)
Important members: Kendra Deverin (town mayor)
About: Traditional leader/negotiator, liked by almost everyone.
Kahraldin:
Occupation: Glassmaker and jeweller
Race: Baklunish
Faith: Istus (fate, destiny, divination, future and honesty)
Important members: Lubeyd Kahraldin (father, owner of the glassworks), Aymira Kahraldin (daughter, proprietor of the Rusty Dragon Inn), Sair Kahraldin (disgraced, self exiled son)
About: Immigrants from Baklunish lands, richest family with internal problems.
Scarnetti:
Occupation: Logger
Race: Oeridian
Faith: Zilchus (power, prestige, money, business and influence)
Important members: Titus Scarnetti (controls lumber trade)
About: Most conservative of the families. Has a notorious reputation.
Valdemar:
Occupation: Shipbuilder
Race: Suel
Faith: Xerbo (sea, sailing, money and business)
Important members: Ethram Valdemar (father, oldest noble in town), Belven Valdemar (eldest son, runs the business)
About: Dedicated and hardworking. Elder Valdemar is old and sick.
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dominant races in keoland:
oeridian, suel and flan (lesser)
major religions in keoland:
suel: kord, phaulkon, lydia, osprem, xerbo, norebo
oeridian: fharlanghn, heironeous, zilchus
general: ehlonna, olidammara, st cuthbert, trithereon
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Love this thread. Greyhawk remains my all time favorite campaign setting.
Everything works if you are okay with changing the RotR maps. Keolands location would have me change the frosty mountain areas of the AP to something else. Instead of a white dragon, go Blue or Red. Xin Shalast cold flavor based on its location north might be west instead in the Crystalmist Mountains, etc. Perrenland is geographically a closer match flavor wise with Barbarians up north (possibly put the Storval Plateau there), colder climate, etc. but it's a further march to cold mountain terrains.
I think a splinter sect Council of Suel mages works better for the Runelords. Vecna could be behind Carrion Crown instead as a substitute for Tar Baphon. YMMV