| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jun 2008 : 05:36:29
As I was managing my FR PDFs from Paizo and trying to see if and what I need, something occurred to me. I've only played through a handful of these things in actual campaigns. Mad Monkey versus Dragon Claw, Halls of the High King, and a few othes, but most adventurers I used as sourcebooks.
So I thought I'd just ask in general, how many of you have played official FR adventures, and how have they worked out for you, and how many of you are like me, and just mainly used them for source material? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 08 Aug 2010 : 06:56:53
I've never actually played OR run any FR modules, though I've used a few FR adventure hooks in my own homebrew world. Really though, the only Module I've even tried to run more-or-less as-is was Red Hand of Doom, though even that was modified to fit my setting. |
| Laerrigan |
Posted - 08 Aug 2010 : 06:34:54
I DMed the original version of "House on Gryphon Hill" close to as-written; I know it's associated with Ravenloft, but it really doesn't need to be at all if someone wants to stick to the Prime (I seem to recall it was actually written before Ravenloft was its own setting, but was later revamped [no pun, honest  ]?). I had a lot of fun with fleshing out one particular "monster" who was nothing but a name and a one-or-two-word description, making him an actual evil NPC who joined up with us for multilayered and untrustworthy reasons of his own, and the climactic scene of chaos spiraling out of control proved awesome for both action and tense RP. That had to be my best-ever mod experience as player or DM. Not that I've experienced a whole lot of them, but still....
There have been a few others in Ravenloft that are easily usable for Faerun, such as the short adventures "Blood in Moondale," "Corrupted Innocents," and "The Cedar Chest" (from Book of Crypts) all with great elements of "not what you think!" going on  . I just had to flesh them out and fill them in for our purposes, as they're written a little too straightforwardly for me and we have some odd PCs.
Aside from those, I DMed partway through "The Harrowing," and through the temple of "Temple, Tower, Tomb," and one that I haven't been able to remember what it was called. We had more fun in the aranea caves leading to the portal to the DWP in "Harrowing" than in the DWP itself; lots of RP woven around the smattering of combats.
In all cases, I adapted at least a few elements considerably due to the aforementioned odd PCs and our desire for certain kinds of twists and interaction. Personally, I much prefer Ravenloft-type adventures over dungeon-crawls, so in the end I enjoyed them more than the FR-specific ones I've tried; not because of setting, but because of style and emphasis. I have to say HoGH is my favorite of all mentioned, whatever setting it's in. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 21 Dec 2009 : 17:38:04
I'm actually thinking of adapting a lot of the older 1Eand 2E stuff to 4E and DMing them. Just trying to get all of them in chronological order and I will adjust the level as needed (since I have to do the edition change already anyways). |
| Diffan |
Posted - 19 Dec 2009 : 23:18:55
I've only done 2 FR specific adventures and they were Cormyr: Tearing of the Weave and Shadowdale: Scourging of the Land and the latter, we didn't finish. Not that I didn't like it, but we changed DMs and I went with a 4E adventure.
I see all these old 2E adventures I can download for free so I'm really thinking about adapting them to 4E and updating it to the current time.
Oh, does the adventure in the 3E FRCS Colors of Ambition count? Cuz we did that too as an introduction for my "Avatar" campaign and it was really fun. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 19 Dec 2009 : 16:31:54
I've done most of City of the Spider Queen (my sister way playing a Drow priestess of Kiaransalee before I'd even heard of the module, wouldn't you know it) and Sons of Gruumsh bumped up for a level 16 party. Beyond that I've just done the usual bit of using modules as inspiration / cannibalism. |
| froglegg |
Posted - 19 Dec 2009 : 16:02:08
I have DMed N5 Under Illefarn, The Sword of the Dales and The Secret of Spiderhaunt.
John |
| Purple Dragon Knight |
Posted - 12 Sep 2008 : 02:47:50
2E:
Shadowdale
Tantras
Waterdeep
(the rest of our 2E gaming was in the Realms but I created all other plots/adventures)
3E:
Countless Raven's Bluff Living City Modules
City of the Spider Queen
Sons of Gruumsh
FR Adaptation of Age of Worms (Eric L. Boyd notes)
Cormyr
(I own all 3E FR adventures but the above are the only ones I have had the chance to run yet... Age of Worms took me 2 years to go through, and we game once a week...)
|
| Lord Lysander |
Posted - 12 Sep 2008 : 01:01:39
What I most like in D&D is creating things... You know I like it more than actually playing. The whole think of creating characters, worlds, histories, which will become legends etc.
These adventures, correct me if I am mistaken, are all about dungeon crwling. Rarely do you find one that is designed for role-playing.
Thus I have never playied an official adventure... |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 10 Sep 2008 : 12:33:59
I think if the particular group can get together more consistently, we will eventually get the 3.5 Undermountain adventure completed and move on to the Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch trio. |
| IngoDjan |
Posted - 10 Sep 2008 : 12:17:05
Avatar´s Series, all modules.
Shadowdale Scouring of the land. |
| StarBog |
Posted - 10 Sep 2008 : 12:04:24
Over the years I've overwhelmingly reffed FR instead of playing it.
I have played most of City of the Spider Queen, various Dungeon scenarios set in FR and one of my groups is starting Expedition To Undermountain shortly.
I generally don't ref from modules though I do use them a lot for inspiration. The very first module I used to run an FR game was Doom of Daggerdale. I've also used the Shadowdale adventure in the 2e Boxed Set, and I do recall running For Duty & Deity a while back. I'd love to run the Randal Morn trilogy at some point.
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| bitter thorn |
Posted - 07 Sep 2008 : 22:21:13
I DMed Into the Dragons Lair for my Cormyr group. I liked the story but the mechanical editing was poor. |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 14 Aug 2008 : 13:09:26
Yes. Freedale was a small village introduced in the AD&D starter set and is located about 15 miles east of Shadowdale. |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 14 Aug 2008 : 09:01:28
quote:
Originally posted by Tyranthraxus
I've been DM-ing seriously for just a few years but I borrowed most of the adventures from my older brother who's an AD&D veteran.
- Ruins of Advanture
I kinda screwed up this module. While we were playing in 1372 DR I found it in my brother's bookshelf and started to play it (please don't hit me!). Besides that it was fun to play, with a lot of roleplaying added to the constant dungeon crawling.
- Curse of the Azure Bonds
Same as above, I used it as a sequel and thus f*cked up the timeline (you guys really hate me now, don't you?). I completely changed the ending. I replaced the last chapter with Pool of Radiance.
- Pool of Radiance - Attack on Myth Drannor
The players actually destroyed the dracolich who was possessed by Tyranthraxus and destroyed the Pool of Radiance in Myth Drannor. The Cult of Dragons was involved in creating the bonds and so I added an extra tattoo.
We've just started the Cormyr, Shadowdale and Anouroch series.
Besides that it's mostly generic (A)D&D adventures and home brewn material with ideas plucked from other adventures and modules.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I started the campaign with the adventures of the AD&D starters set, revised to 3E. Wich brings me to the question, who of you acually uses Freedale in their campaign?
I must be getting old, but I have to ask. Freedale? |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 13 Aug 2008 : 06:23:16
I've been DM-ing seriously for just a few years but I borrowed most of the adventures from my older brother who's an AD&D veteran.
- Ruins of Advanture
I kinda screwed up this module. While we were playing in 1372 DR I found it in my brother's bookshelf and started to play it (please don't hit me!). Besides that it was fun to play, with a lot of roleplaying added to the constant dungeon crawling.
- Curse of the Azure Bonds
Same as above, I used it as a sequel and thus f*cked up the timeline (you guys really hate me now, don't you?). I completely changed the ending. I replaced the last chapter with Pool of Radiance.
- Pool of Radiance - Attack on Myth Drannor
The players actually destroyed the dracolich who was possessed by Tyranthraxus and destroyed the Pool of Radiance in Myth Drannor. The Cult of Dragons was involved in creating the bonds and so I added an extra tattoo.
We've just started the Cormyr, Shadowdale and Anouroch series.
Besides that it's mostly generic (A)D&D adventures and home brewn material with ideas plucked from other adventures and modules.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I started the campaign with the adventures of the AD&D starters set, revised to 3E. Wich brings me to the question, who of you acually uses Freedale in their campaign? |
| AlorinDawn |
Posted - 07 Aug 2008 : 23:11:23
Good question. Lesee...
Haunted halls of Eveningstar
Under Illefarn
A few adventures from Lords of Darkness (1E)
Ruins of Undermountain
The Shattered Statue
Numerous Dungeon magazine FR adventures
That's all I can think of atm.
|
| Shottglazz |
Posted - 07 Aug 2008 : 19:32:55
Ruins of Undermountain - extensively
Desert of Desolation - quite a few times
Haunted Halls of Eveningstar - used as a dungeon crawl a couple times
The Halls of the Beast-Tamers (1e campaign box set) - excellent dungeon crawl
Lords of Darkness (1e) - many of the adventures ended up dungeons or side-treks
Ruins of Adventure - once, start to finish |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 18 Jul 2008 : 11:46:46
I've used Green Bones (the level 13-sh adventure towards the end of the 3e FRCS) and I have started City of the Spider Queen twice, but never found the right group to finish it. |
| BlackAce |
Posted - 18 Jul 2008 : 09:24:23
Ruins of Undermountain,(though it was somewhat altered) and City of the Spider Queen. I'm also slightly reworking Sons of Gruumsh as it's going to fit into my regular campaign nicely, unless my players throw me a curveball. |
| Khaelieth |
Posted - 18 Jul 2008 : 08:57:09
quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
FRQ3 - Doom of Daggerdale, The Sword of the Dales, The Secret of Spiderhaunt, and The Return of Randal Morn - very useable, right out of the box. Again, changed some NPCs and encounters to set these up for future use.
What were you experiences with it? |
| Gwydion669 |
Posted - 30 Jun 2008 : 15:30:34
Heh ... I was about to say "none" before Castle Spulzeer. I have played almost all NWN (1&2) adaptations of FR modules.
PnP-wise, my group never played played any of the FR published adventures. The DM used them as source material. Actually he would borrow them from me (The Keeper of the Lore) and then use them. If they had been his, we might have used one or two.
We did run through a few Greyhawk adventures modified for the Realms, however. But, in general, he actually ran things off-the-cuff from one sheet of paper. And adventures were usually based off non-fantasy books or songs.
The quest for the Silver Hammer of Maxwell was my personal fave. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 30 Jun 2008 : 14:00:36
Castle Spulzeer, but only as a NWN-module. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 29 Jun 2008 : 23:09:06
Mysteries of the Moonsea, the latest trilogy (Cormyr, Shadowdale, and Anauroch), the Twilight Tomb, Ruins of Myth Drannor, and a couple out of Dungeon (the Firebringer I think, and the one with the fallen paladin in the Dales, sorry I can't remember the exact names right now). But by far and large have been just free form games set in the Realms. |
| Sanishiver |
Posted - 29 Jun 2008 : 07:18:58
I think I’ve run more of them as a DM than I’ve ever played in. I don’t use them as source material so much as building blocks to string together for my own campaign needs.
Top of the list for me (as a player) would be the Curse of Azure Bonds adventure, with Undermountain a close second.
I haven’t played a character in the 3E Realms. |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 23 Jun 2008 : 19:32:27
I don't think I have used any. The few times I have tried to run a published adventure, the results have left something to be desired. I have a hopeless memory for details and names, so I have more or less given up on the whole thing. I have used a few of the D&D B series though, but heavily modified.I have borrowed quite a few ideas from modules though. |
| Thauramarth |
Posted - 16 Jun 2008 : 20:00:38
I've actually played quite a few of the 1st and 2nd edition adventures, although never exactly as written - usually some changes to locations or to the module NPCS (swapping the "as-written" Red Wizard for an old "acquaintance" of the PCs, you catch my drift).
I have run various groups, at various times, through N5 - Under Illefarn as a beginner module. It works quite well, as the adventures are loosely structured, and leave a lot of possibilities for follow-ons. Plus, Daggerford is within a reasonable distance from Waterdeep, so... This module was the starting point for a long campaign, which eventually incorporated FRC2-Hordes of Dragonspear, amongst other modules. Ruins of Undermountain also saw use in this campaign, with a lot of "dungeons" from other sources attached to it. It worked fine, since Halaster does what Halaster feels like doing, so...
FRC1 - Ruins of Adventure: you can argue that this is not really an adventure to begin with, but just a loose framework of encounter areas, which can be developed much, much further. I used it as such, using most of the locations from the module, but adding all sorts of mini (or maxi) dungeons to populate uncivilized Phlan (and substituting Castle Greyhawk, as descibed in WGR1-Castle Greyhawk for Valjevo Castle. Also, for instance, the Haunted Halls from FRQ1-Haunted Halls of Eveningstar got used as a dungeon area.
FRA1-Storm Riders, FRA2-Black Courser, and FRA3-Blood Charge Since the series is set in a very remote area of the Realms, it was a tad difficult getting established PCs over there. This is the series I used without the least modifications, probably because the area it's in is relatively detached from the standard realms.
FRC2-Azure Bonds, FRE1-Shadowdale, FRE2-Tantras, FRE3-Waterdeep were run back to back. Sure, Azure Bonds is merely the adaptation of the computer game, but it was certainly easier to use out of the box then Ruins of Adventure. Also, the somewhat contrived beginning of Azure Bonds was a good opportunity for whisking the characters from their usual stomping grounds (Daggerford, etc.) to the Dalelands, as a lead-in to the Avatar trilogy. It worked quite well - again, some of the NPCs were changed to correspond to home-made NPCs. FA1-Halls of the High King followed the conclusion of the Avatar trilogy relatively soon - some encounters were adapted, to tie them to the aftermath of the Time of Troubles (mutated creatures, crazy landscapes, etc.).
FRQ3 - Doom of Daggerdale, The Sword of the Dales, The Secret of Spiderhaunt, and The Return of Randal Morn - very useable, right out of the box. Again, changed some NPCs and encounters to set these up for future use.
If you count it as an FR adventure, I'll add I3-5 Desert of Desolation. That one was adapted heavily (protagonists changed - the efreet became a demon imprisoned by the Imaskari, etc.), and a great number of side encounters and additional adventures were used (a lot of Dungeon adventures got drafted into this one).
Never even tried to play: Nightmare Keep. Other than the extremely high level requirements, I could never find a proper spot for this module to sit in. There are few required tie-ins to the Realms, in my opinion, it could just as well have been a generic module. |
| BENTISTOS |
Posted - 16 Jun 2008 : 12:19:33
I played and DM'd quite a lot of published adventures in the FR, nearly everything from 3E and 3.5, to start with. (Also the countless adventure-sites in the various FR accessories, tied in self-made campaigns)
We had a great time playing Mysteries of the Moonsea, a great collection of mini-adventures and hooks, where my players lived in Melvaunt and built their own tavern. When it came to the Hillsfar chapter we stopped, though.
The last three "super-adventures" Cormyr, Shadowdale and Anauroch started great but became lame quite soon. Too much dungeon-crawl - even if not in a dungeon - and the Zhent occupation was actually no match for my players. A problem with the 3.5 rules we experienced at high levels, btw, something I hope gets better in 4E. (And yes, I'm positive about 4E, feel free to hate me  )
From 2E we played the return of Randal Morn campaign, converted to 3.5, as well as the Marco Volo trilogy, but the latter soon became too hilarious, so we quit.
And finally, the first published FR Adventure I ever played was the desert of doom (or whatever it may be called, I just know the german title "Wüste der Verdammnis") in Raurin, also a great campaign, but I may be biased since it was my first 3E game with my current gaming group... |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 16 Jun 2008 : 10:49:34
I plan on eventually playing them all. So far though I have only run the Avatar trilogy (converted it to 3.5) and am currently running the 3E Undermountain Adventure. |
| QueenofShadows |
Posted - 16 Jun 2008 : 04:33:23
I have been in modules back and forth from the 2nd edition times, went through the Godswar Trilogy, and that was fun, the recent products, that I have been through was Sons of Grumish which went well, The Twilight Tomb, though the party had a little trouble with it. I am about to be going through the Tearing of the Weave. |
| Chosen of Moradin |
Posted - 16 Jun 2008 : 04:00:40
I´m basically a DM, so, the last FR adventure that I DMed was The Twilight Tomb. And I will play Keep on the Shadowfell adapted to the Realms. |
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