# Red Hand of Doom 4.0



## Templar3378 (Jun 7, 2008)

So I was bouncing around on the wizards forum with this, and with the arrival a bit early of my 4.0 books, I've started to, slowly, convert RHOD to a 4th Edition adventure. 

To keep things simple, I'll be referencing the book a LOT (that and to keep myself with in the whole copy right law thing)

So. Here it goes.  AND a disclaimer, this is going to dicuss monsters and other aspects of the adventure that could be spoilers. Keep that in mind if you keep reading and are going to be playing in it. 










*Part 1 - The Witchwood*
_(pg. 15) Marauder Attack
(2nd Level Party, 5 members)_
Encounter Level –4th  Budget -  850XP


*Creatures:*
_First Wave - Hobgoblin Regulars _---> 1st Level Minions (25xp per)
_Hellhouds _---> Straight Conversion - Hellhound 2nd level (125xp per)
_Zarr - Hobgobling Cleric _---> 3rd Level Hobgoblin Cleric (150xp)
_Uth-Lar - Hobgoblin Bladebearer_ ---> 3rd level, Hobgoblin Commander (150xp)
_Second Wave - Hobgoblin Regulars_ ---> 1st Level Minons (25xp per)

Experiance Total -  850xp

Notes - Use the same tactics as the book describes the encounter. Being that this is the only fight the PC's are likely to get in, a higher level shouldn't be a problem. The staggered nature of the monsters arriving should also help but dropping a couple of the minions from the 2nd wave would be an option if the PC's are having some real trouble.

Another Option is to drop the level one of the hellhounds from the encounter


Don't forget, for larger or smaller parties to make the appropriate adjustments. I've made the a note of what size the party is that I made these for.

*
Encounter Elements:*
*Hobgoblin Regulars* – 1st Level Minions. - I would probably use the Hobgoblin Grunts on page 138 of the Monster Manual, dropped one level to get them to the appropriate difficulty.  Add some shortbows and go from there.

*Hellhounds* – drop these to level 2.


*Zarr, Hobgoblin Cleric* - This is the one that I am kind of stuck on right now. You could go and use the Warcaster on Page 140, but if you do, you might want to consider either adding or swapping one of his powers for Incite Faith (Kobold Wyrmpriest) to give him the Clerical Feel he's supposed to have.  If you don’t want to do that though, you could leave him as a rather nasty controller surprise for the pc’s.

*Uth-lar - Bladebearer *- This one takes a bit a conversion too, but not too much. I would say use the Hobgoblin Commander on page 140, and either a) swap that Spear of his for a sword of some kind: maybe a two-handed. That or go the route of Dualwielding, but personally I'm more for keeping the Two-Handed route this one. The Commander would need leveled down to 3rd as well.


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## keterys (Jun 7, 2008)

I've been poking at my own conversion, but was going to make it lower level. All of those hobgoblins are level 3 in the MM, the young dragons are level 5-7, etc. The only one that really struck me as higher level was the hydra and the worgs. To be honest, I actually thought it was really odd that all goblins are 1-4 but worg is 9. 

Anyhow, I figured I'd do lower level nothing else to give folks time to learn the game.

Oh, and for Zarr I'd consider just adding the "Cleric" template onto another hobgoblin.


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## Imperialus (Jun 7, 2008)

I think that RHoD would make a good heroic tier adventure.  It's designed for 6-12 in 3.X but I expect you could change that to 4-10 in 4E.  Especially since it ends with the ability to start putzing around other planes and stuff like that which would make a really nice bridge into the Paragon tier.


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## Blackbrrd (Jun 8, 2008)

I have DM'd the Red hand of Doom in 3.5, and I think it would work quite well if you start out at level 2. Remember that level 4 3.5 character function quite a bit like level 1 4e characters....

It would also give your players a nice easy start to 4e. If you start at higher levels there will be more powers/rules to learn.

[sblock]
It will be interesting to see what ideas your players will have for destroying the bridge guarded by the dragon. 

My players went the expensive way: 2xfly scroll, 2xinvisibility scroll, flying cleric and druid casting stone shape to make the bridge crumble. This might be a tad difficult to do in 4e. 

Then the tried to run away from the dragon, which caught up with some players, so the cleric casts sound burst. The dragon rolls a 2 on its save and falls to the ground. 
The players: "Its small!"
Me: "No, its medium"
The players "Its a tiny dragon"
Me: "mumbles"
The players: "we smack it while its down and kill it"
Me: "grumbles"

Oh, did I mention I made the black dragon a CR9 large dragon, since they were so unimpressed by medium sized dragons? Was it a bit overkill? Yes? Very much so? Did it have waaaay to much hp? Yes? Did I have to fudge it? Yes... Next time, don't mess with my medium sized dragon.
[/sblock]


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## keterys (Jun 8, 2008)

Blanket disclaimer: Don't read this thread if this module can be spoilered for you. We're discussing the actual monsters and such 

So, as a player I was _exceedingly_ disappointed in that first dragon and I'm quite glad it'll be Large when my group encounters it.

I'm starting my group at 3rd level, ending somewhere between 10th and 12th in theory. So, faster levelling pace than 3E, but it should work out.

I'm not sure if I'll just reduce the level of certain creatures, or do a trick like reducing level by 4 and upgrading to Elite (for example, for Hellhounds or Worgs). Leaves them same XP and I can un-Elite them later if it comes up again, but makes the attack and defense work out a bit more nicely.

Not sure what I'm doing for the Hydra, since the lowerst level Hydra is a level 12 solo... and kinda boring, frankly.


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## Templar3378 (Jun 8, 2008)

That was actually a question I had posted else where, was what roughly, would the level adjustment for this become. stretching things to 30 from level 20 was a bit of a throw for me.

I'll repost/edit my post of the new level (sounds like level 2-3 would be good) and see how it looks   Thanks!


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## Blackbrrd (Jun 8, 2008)

I would just replace the hydra with another monster. As somebody said, hydras aren't that interesting... I think they got more boring in 4e than they were before, as opposed to every other monster I have seen.


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## keterys (Jun 8, 2008)

Hmm, could make it a black dragon and change the later black one to a white dragon (needless symmetry aside, it feels silly to have only 4 of the 5 types  - make it more like a purposeful ambush than a random encounter.

Hmmhmm. Or just like a horde of kruthik or some other 'cool' 4e critter.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 8, 2008)

Blackbrrd said:
			
		

> I would just replace the hydra with another monster. As somebody said, hydras aren't that interesting... I think they got more boring in 4e than they were before, as opposed to every other monster I have seen.




My only real problem with that is that the hydra is very emblematic of Tiamat.  I'm more inclined to try to stat up a lower-level version of a hydra and try to give it some unique abilities to keep the "foreshadowing" aspect of the encounter.


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## Benimoto (Jun 9, 2008)

I just started my own conversion before I found this thread.  I'll be sure to post my work, once I get a few things figured out.  Lemme use some spoiler tags, since I'm discussing specific monsters in the module.

[sblock]
One of the main difficulties seems to be in adapting fights that have very few monsters in 3.5, yet don't seem worthy of a solo monster.  The 4e DMG explicitly steers you away from using overleveled standard or elite monsters as a single-monster fight.

The examples in part 1, are obviously the hydra as mentioned.  Old Wracklegnaw is another possible problem, though it's unlikely that the PCs will fight him.  Vrath keep has two monsters ostensibly encountered on their own, namely the manticore and Wyrmlord Koth.  The manticore might not be a problem.  A level 10 elite skirmisher isn't too far out of the level range, and being elite means it takes up the full XP of a level 5 encounter.  As long as it plays coy and doesn't devote itself to annihilating the PCs when they're busy with another fight, I don't see a hige problem.   For Wrymlord Koth, I was either going to have him with up to 4 imps, or have him join one of the other fights.

The chimera at the end of part 1 might be a slight problem, but I figure it can be replaced by another suitable threat.  For instance, if I want to integrate more dragonborn into the red hand forces (perhaps instead of the blackspawn), a dragonborn raiding force on griffon mounts might work well here.
[/sblock]

Again, thanks for all the great ideas and discussion, and I'll be sure to post whatever I come up with.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

Here's what I've got so far.  I've tooled my conversion to a 4th level party, so it's going to be a touch weaker than what others may have come up with.  This covers until the bridge encounter.

[sblock]
PART ONE: The Witchwood

Adventure Start: Marauder Attack (1,206 XP, Encounter Level 5)
	* Zarr (Doom Hand Cleric)
	* Uth-lor (Hobgoblin Bladebearer)
	* 2 RHoD Hellhound
	* Wave 1: 6 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)
	* Wave 2: 6 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)

Doom Hand Cleric Level 4 Soldier (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 175
Initiative +2 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 55; Bloodied 27
AC 20 (22 with phalanx soldier); Fortitude 16, Refl ex 16, Will 18
Speed 5
 Heavy Mace (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 4 damage
 Grip of Doom (standard; Recharge 6) ✦ Necrotic
+9 vs. Ref; 3d6+4 necrotic damage, and the target is stunned (save ends).
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the Doom Hand Cleric suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter)
The hobgoblin soldier rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Phalanx Soldier
The Doom Hand Cleric gains a +2 bonus to AC while at least one hobgoblin ally is adjacent to it.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Skills Religion +11
Str 13 (+3) Dex 10 (+2) Wis 18 (+6)
Con 15 (+4) Int 15 (+4) Cha 12 (+3)
Equipment scale armor, light shield, heavy mace

Hobgoblin Bladebearer Medium Natural Humanoid
Level 4 skirmisher XP 175
Initiative: +7 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision
HP 55; Bloodied 27
AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reflex 16, Will 14
Speed 6
 Hookblade (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d8+3 damage.
 Double Attack (standard; at-will) * Weapon
The Hobgoblin Bladebearer may make two basic melee attacks.
 Running Attack (standard; when hobgoblin bladebearer doesn't move on its turn; at-will) * Weapon
The Hobgoblin Bladebearer moves up to 6 squares and makes a Double Attack at any point during that movement. The Hobgoblin Bladebearer doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack.
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the hobgoblin bladebearer suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter)
The hobgoblin bladebearer rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Alignment: Evil Languages: Common, Goblin
Skills Athletics +10
Str 16 (+5) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 12 (+3)
Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1)
Equipment leather armor, two hookblades

RHoD Hell Hound Level 5 Brute
Medium elemental beast (fire) XP 200
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +10
Fire Shield (Fire) aura 1; any creature that enters or begins its turn
in the aura takes 1d6 fire damage.
HP 76; Bloodied 38
AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reflex 15, Will 16
Resist 20 fire
Speed 7
 Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Fire
+8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 plus 1d8 fire damage.
 Fiery Breath (standard; recharge 4 5 6 ) ✦ Fire
Close blast 3; +7 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 2 fire damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Str 14 (+4) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 17 (+5)
Con 16 (+5) Int 2 (–2) Cha 10 (+2)


The Witchwood: Area C: Jorr’s Cabin (X,XXX XP, Encounter Level X)
	* 3 riding dogs 
* Jorr Natherson (human ranger 3/rogue 2)

The Witchwood: Area D: Blackwater Causeway (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
	* Five-headed hydra

RHoD Hydra Level 5 Solo Brute
Large natural beast (reptile) XP 1,000
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +9; all-around vision
HP 272; Bloodied 136
AC 19; Fortitude 19, Reflex 18, Will 17
Saving Throws +5
Speed 5, swim 10
Action Points 2
 Bite (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +8 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage.
 Hydra Fury (standard; at-will)
The hydra makes five bite attacks.
Many-Headed
Each time the hydra becomes dazed or stunned, it loses one attack on its next turn instead. Multiple such effects stack.
Threatening Reach
The hydra can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (2 squares).
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Skills Stealth +10
Str 20 (+7) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4)
Con 20 (+7) Int 2 (-2) Cha 8 (+1)

Vraath Keep: Area 6: Worg Stables (800 XP, Encounter Level 3)
	* 2 goblin wolf riders
* 2 dire wolves (MM p. 264)

Goblin Wolf Rider Level 5 Artillery
Small natural humanoid XP 200
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision
HP 49; Bloodied 24
AC 19; Fortitude 15, Reflex 17, Will 14
Speed 6; see also goblin tactics
 Short Sword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage.
 Short bow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +12 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage.
Combat Advantage
The goblin wolf rider deals an extra 1d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
Mounted Combat
When the goblin wolf rider rides a creature, it gains access to any special mount abilities it confers to its rider.  While riding a creature, the creature can make any Athletics, Acrobatics, Endurance or Stealth checks using the rider’s skill check bonus rather than its own.
Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will)
The goblin shifts 1 square.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Skills Nature +8, Stealth +13
Str 14 (+4) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 13 (+3)
Con 13 (+3) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1)
Equipment leather armor, short sword, shortbow

Vraath Keep: Area 7: Spike-Littered Nest (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
	*Manticore

RHoD Manticore Level 5 Solo Skirmisher
Large natural magical beast 	XP 1,000
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +10
HP 244; Bloodied 122
AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 17
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, fly 8, overland flight 10
Action Points 2
 Claw (standard; at-will)
+10 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage.
 Spike (standard; at-will)
Ranged 10; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.
Hit or Miss: The manticore shifts 3 squares after making the attack.
  Manticore’s Fury (standard; at-will)
The manticore makes a claw attack and a spike attack (in any order) and shift 1 square between the two attacks.
 Spike Volley (standard; recharge 3 4 5 6 )
Area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common
Skills Stealth +12
Str 21 (+7) Dex 20 (+7) Wis 17 (+5)
Con 17 (+5) Int 4 (-1) Cha 12 (+3)

Vraath Keep: Area 8: Barracks (1,000 XP, Encounter Level 5)
	*Karkilan, Minotaur
	* 4 Hobgoblin Soldiers (MM p.139)

Karkilan Level 9 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 400
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +13
HP 96; Bloodied 48; see also ferocity
AC 25; Fortitude 26, Reflex 20, Will 22
Speed 5
 Battleaxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+15 vs. AC; 1d10 + 6 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Karkilan’s next turn.
 Goring Charge (standard; at-will)
Karkilan makes a charge attack: +16 vs. AC; 1d6 + 6 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Ferocity (when reduced to 0 hit points)
Karkilan makes a melee basic attack.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills Dungeoneering +11, Intimidate +10, Nature +8
Str 23 (+10) Dex 10 (+4) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 18 (+8) Int 9 (+3) Cha 13 (+5)
Equipment scale armor, heavy shield, battleaxe

Vraath Keep: Area 10: Wyrmlord Koth’s Quarters (600 XP, Encounter Level 2)
	*Wyrmlord Koth

Wyrmlord Koth Level 6 elite Controller (warlock)
Medium natural humanoid XP 600
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
HP 136; Bloodied 68
AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflex 18, Will 20
Saving Throws: +2
Speed 6
Action Points: 1
 Morningstar (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage.
 Eldritch Blast (standard; at-will) * Arcane, Implement
+10 vs. Reflex; 1d10+5 damage.
 Ray of Frost (standard, recharge 5 6) * Arcane
+10 vs. Fortitude, 1d6 + 3 cold damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Wyrmlord Koth’s next turn.
 Fiery Bolt (Standard; encounter) * Arcane, Fire
Ranged 10; +10 vs. Reflex; 3d6+4 fire damage and creatures adjacent to the target take 1d6+4 fire damage
 Avernian Eruption (Standard; daily) * Arcane, Fire
Area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs. Reflex; 2d10+5 fire damage, plus ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Spider Climb (move; encounter) * Arcane
On this move action, Wyrmlord Koth moves with a climb speed equal to his speed.
Warlock’s Curse (minor; at-will)
Wyrmlord Koth places a Curse on the enemy nearest to him that he can see.  A cursed enemy takes 1d6 extra damage from Wyrmlord Koth’s attacks once per round.  A Warlock’s Curse remains in effect until the end of the encounter or until the cursed enemy drops to 0 hit points or fewer.
Predatory Eye (minor; encounter)
Wyrmlord Koth deals an extra 1d6 damage on the next attack it makes with combat advantage. It must apply this bonus before the end of its next turn.
Pact Boon
When an enemy under Wyrmlord Koth’s Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, he immediately gains 6 temporary hit points.
Prime shot
If none of Wyrmlord Koth’s allies are nearer to his target than he is, he receives a +1 onus to ranged attack rolls against that target.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin
Skills Arcana +7, Bluff +12, Intimidate +12, Stealth +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 16 (+6) Int 8 (+2) Cha 18 (+7)
Equipment leather armor, Morningstar

The Witchwood: Area H: Old Warklegnaw (X,XXX XP, Encounter Level X)
	* Old Warklegnaw (forest giant)

The Witchwood: Area I: Skull Gorge Bridge (1,904 XP, Encounter Level 8)
	* Ozyrrandion (young green dragon, MM p. 80)
	* 2 Hell Hounds (above)
	* Hobgoblin Commander (MM p. 140)
	* 8 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM p. 138)
[/sblock]


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

Boarstorm said:
			
		

> Here's what I've got so far.  I've tooled my conversion to a 4th level party, so it's going to be a touch weaker than what others may have come up with.  This covers until the bridge encounter.



That looks really terrific.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

Benimoto said:
			
		

> That looks really terrific.




Thank you.   I hope my players are as appreciative.  Anyway, I should get a few more encounters done tomorrow.  I'll keep a-posting.

Edit: Typo.  Too anal to leave it once I noticed it.


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

So, I haven't begun the laser-focus on each encounter that others have so far.  Instead, I did a sort of conversion roadmap, where I mapped out the roles/levels in each encounter, so I could get a handle on how much XP in in the whole adventure, and what levels the PCs will be when.  As it turns out, a lot of it converts pretty smoothly.  My roadmap takes 5 PCs from the beginning of level 6 all the way to halfway through level 12.

It looks like I have to sneak in a little more XP in each part to hit my goals.  I hope to do this with a few random encounter, and adding a few additional skill challenges, or maybe some quest XP. I've converted most of the obvious skill challenges in the adventure, but as it turns out, they're exclusively negotiation.  I'll have to see where I can sneak some in that emphasize different skills.

Anyhoo, here's my conversion roadmap.  It's a first draft and still very rough, but comments are welcomed.

PART ONE:
[sblock]
Marauder Attack: level 9, 2058 xp
1 hobgoblin priest (level 5 controller)
1 hobgoblin bladebearer (level 5 soldier)
12 hobgoblin warrior (level 8 minion)
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute)
Notes: Do I make custom monsters for the priest and bladebearer, or do I use the commander and the warcaster?

Riding Into Town: 200 xp
Minor skill challenge
Notes: Convince the guards to trust you.

Jorr's Cabin: 200 xp
Minor skill challenge
Notes: Minor XP award here?

*Causeway: level 6, 1250 xp
1 bad fen hydra (level 6 solo brute) 1250
Notes: What to do here?  Probably make a custom low-level hydra.

Gardner's Shack: level 6, 200 xp
Decrepit Shack trap!
Notes: Hazard!

Wolf Stables: level 6, 1200 xp
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) or 3 rage drakes (level 5 brute) 600
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 600
Notes: Dire wolves are large and lack the association with goblins, but they fit well otherwise.  Alternately, the goblins could ride rage drakes.  That would be more dragonny, and foreshadow the stormlizards in part 4.  On the minus side it might ramp up the fantasy quotient too fast.  The smooth transition from low-fantasy humanoids to high fantasy dragons and demons is a great feature of this adventure otherwise. Added one more pair of mount+rider.  Need custom rider stats.

Spike-littered nest: level 5, 1000 xp
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher)?
Notes: Is a single elite a good encounter?  Probably, since he'll join other encounters anyways.

Barracks: level 6, 1350 xp
Karlilan, minotaur fighter (level 7 elite brute) 600
5 hobgoblin soldiers (level 3 soldier) 750
Notes: Need custom stats for Karkilan.  Probably keep him large.

Wyrmlord Koth's Quarters: level 6, 1200 xp
Wyrmlord Koth, bugbear wizard (level 7 elite controller) 600
4 imps (level 3 lurker) 600
Notes: Added imps, which may be unnecessary if Koth just hears fighting downstairs and joins that combat.

*Old Wracklegnaw: level 7, 1500 xp
Major skill challenge or fight!
Notes: Use severly de-leveled fomorian?  Cyclops?

Skull Gorge Bridge: level 10, 2504 xp
Ozyrrandion, young green dragon (level 5 solo skirmisher) 1000
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute) 600 
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 soldier) 200
8 hobgoblin warriors w/longbows (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Hobgoblin veterans downgraded to warriors in this encounter?  Should I use “real” archers, even though that pushes it up to a 3000 xp level 11 encounter?

Goblin Raid: level 7, 1500 xp
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) 600
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 600
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) 300
Second Wave: level 8, 1704 xp
2 hobgoblin war adept (level 10 artillery) 1000
8 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Again, the goblins could ride rage drakes instead.  Need war adept stats.  War adepts need to last until part 4, so level 10?  Or should they be lower-level elites?  How will I keep them different from mindbenders?  Probably have them as artillery, and mindbenders as controllers.

*Chimera Attack: level 7, 1500 xp
good question!
Notes:  I need an encounter here since the Chimera is a level 15 elite.  Maybe a pair of blackscale dragonspawn on griffons?  What to do about blackscale dragonspawn?  Probably make them more brutal dragonborn.

Desperate Council: level 5, 1000 xp
major skill challenge
Notes:  

Total XP for Part 1: 18336
Notes: This part should take the party from level 6 to midway through level 7.
[/sblock]

PART TWO:
[sblock]
Easy Skirmish: level 6, 1204 xp
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 soldier) 200
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) 300 
8 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 704
Notes: Easy conversion.

Dirty Rotten Looters: level 7, 1500 xp

Notes: What to put here?  Probably a small mob of minions, with some tougher leaders, inciting them to looting.

Mercenary Gold: level 8, 1750 xp
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) 1000
5 goblin skullcleaver (level 3 brute) 750
Notes: One less ettin, one more goblin.  Hopefully the level disparity won't be a huge problem here.

The Not-So-Sick Spy: level 8, 1750 xp
1 bog hag (level 10 skirmisher) 500
2 human berserkers (level 4 brute) 350
12 human lackeys (level 7 minion) 900
Notes: Poor Miha turns into a hag, making the awesome art useless.  She also managed to claim some lackeys  who defend her when she is exposed.

Barghest Reavers: level 8, 1728 xp
3 worgs (level 9 brute) 1200
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: Are worgs good instead of barghests?  Are we sick of hobgoblin warriors yet?  Boy howdy!

Marked For Death: level 10, 2590 xp
1 ogre savage (level 8 brute) 350
5 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 440
3 blackscale raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) 1500
1 howling hag (level 7 controller) 300
Notes: Like in the Living Greyhawk conversion, saving this for a dull point in part 3 might be a good idea.

Total XP: 9022 for these optional encounters.


A Roadblock: level 7, 1628  xp
2 ogre savages (level 8 brute) 700
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) 400
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: This converts suspiciously well.

Spawn of Tiamat: level 5, 1000  xp
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 1000
Notes: What to do about the single-monster encounter here.  Add some guard drakes, perhaps, maybe call them hatchling greenspawn?  Maybe some lizardfolk could be out hunting elves with the ol' harrowblade.

Starsong Hill: level 7, 1500  xp
skill challenge!
Notes: Yet another diplomatic skill challenge.  I need some other types of skill challenges.

Lizardfolk Huts: level 6, 1300  xp
1 greenscale marsh mystic (level 6 controller)
2 blackscale bruisers (level 6 brute)
1 greenscale darter (level 5 lurker)
2 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher)
Notes: Just using Monster Manual lizardfolk encounter.  Maybe switch between the two suggested for variety if the party goes on a lizardfolk extermination rampage?

Bell Tower: level 5, 1100  xp
6 hogboblin soldier (level 3 soldier) 900
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 solider) 200
Notes:

Roof: level 7, 1400  xp
4 ogre skirmishers (level 8 skirmisher) 1400
Notes: This should work okay.

Boardwalk: level 5, 1050  xp
3 ogre savages (level 8 brute) 1050
Notes: Added an ogre.  Even so, 3 monsters is kind of on the low side of challenging, tactically.

Razorfiend Hatchery: level 5, 1000  xp
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 1000
Notes: This mod has a lot of elite monsters encountered alone.

Ettin Guardpost: level 5, 1000  xp
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) 1000
Notes:  Again with the elite monster encountered alone.  Then again, this should join in with other encounters unless the party is exceptionally stealthy.

Interrogation Room: level 5, 1000  xp
Nurklenak, hobgoblin mindbender (level 10 elite controller) 1000
Notes:  Elite.  Alone.  Again.

Sarvith's HQ: level 3, 800  xp
Wyrmlord Sarvith, goblin ranger (level 9 elite artillery) 800
Notes:  Sarvith is a chump encountered alone.  I really want him to be mounted on the dragon.  I'm eliminating his eagle.   I need a way for Sarvith, an archer, to work with Regiatrix.  The cloud of darkness is a problem.

Regiatrix's Lair: level 10, 2500  xp
Regiatrix, young adult black dragon (level 10 solo lurker) 2500
Notes:  Young and adult Black dragons have the same abilities, so I just need to interpolate the stats to make Regi level 10.  His tactics have to change heavily, since black dragons are close-in fighters now.  Regi is going to be fighting close up and then fading away into the darkness, and Sarvith should compliment this.

Total XP for Part 2: 15278 plus 9022 additional
Notes: The party should be level 8 by the time they hit the ruins of Rhest.  They should be level 9 by the time they finish here.
[/sblock]

PART THREE:
[sblock]
Varinthian's Lair: level 10, 2500  xp
Varinthian (level 10 solo monster) 2500
Notes: Will have to make a custom monster here.  How was this EL 8 in the original mod?

The Lion's Path: level 8, 1750 xp
1 ghost dire lion (level 8 elite controller) 700
3 ghost brute lions (level 8 lurker) 1050
Notes: Man, those ghost brutes were the worst (as in ineffective, bad) monsters in the original mod.  We'll have to see what we can do for a conversion.

Guardroom: level 5, 1050 xp
3 doom fist monks (level 8 skirmisher) 1050
Notes: Do we need more monks here?

Ooze Pit: level 7, 1500 xp
1 grey ooze (level 7 solo brute) 1500
Notes: Let's just throw away the Monster Manual for this part.  All custom monsters, all the time!  

Guest Quarters: level 11, 2950 xp
3 doom fist monks (level 8 skirmisher) 1050
2 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 700
Ulwai Stormcaller (level 11 elite artillery) 1200
Notes: Since I'll again be designing this from the ground up, this is all pretty theoretical.

The Pool of Rebirth: level 9, 2100 xp
6 lesser bonedrinkers (level 8 soldier) 
Notes: Level up some ghouls?

Chamber of the Betrayed: level 13, 4000 xp
The Ghostlord (level 13 solo controller) 
Notes: Yay for liches.  It will be hard to make him intentionally over-CRed, like the Ghostlord was, but I'll try.  Hopefully that won't just make him boring.

Shrine of Blight: level 7, 1400 xp
2 ghost dire lions (level 8 elite controller) 1400
Notes: Two lions here?  Need something to make this interesting.

Total XP for Part 3: 17250
Notes: Not a single monster in this part from the Monster Manual, argh.  The party should be level 10 by the time they finish this part.
[/sblock]

PART FOUR:
[sblock]
Audience With the Lords: level 10, 2000 xp
major skill challenge
Notes: Divide this up into 3 parts?

Save the Walls: level 11, 3200 xp
4 hill giants (level 13 brute) 3200
Notes: Is 4 giants too many?  Is 3 better?

Abithrax's Rampage: level 13, 4000 xp
Abithrax, young adult red dragon (level 13 solo soldier)
Notes: Need to de-level Abithrax a little to fit.

Streets of Blood
Notes: Up to 5 waves.  Maybe not-quite short rests between waves?  Perhaps recover encounter powers, but only 1-2 healing surges allowed?  Come up with effect for elf strafing run if the party is friends with the elves and needs help.  The party has some help here.

Streets of Blood, First Wave: level 9, 1928 xp
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher) 1000
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) 400
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) 528
Notes: Is this okay with only 1 manticore?  

Streets of Blood, Second Wave: level 10, 2400 xp
8 blood ghost berserkers (level 7 brute) 2400
Notes: Should be easy to make these.

Streets of Blood, Third Wave: level 11, 3000 xp
5 bluespawn stormlizards (level 9 brute?) 2000
5 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) 1000
Notes: Woo, stormlizards.

Streets of Blood, Fourth Wave: level 12, 3500 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 3000
1 kulkor zuul mindbenders (level 10 controller) 500
Notes: Only one controller, who is like Nurklenak, but not elite.  Probably run this regardless of whether the PCs clear the hatchery.

Streets of Blood, Fifth Wave: level 13, 3850 xp
2 ghost dire lions (level 8 elite controller) 1400
3 ghost brute lions (level 8 lurker) 1050
4 lesser bonedrinkers (level 8 soldier) 1400
Notes: Slightly reduced numbers, since nobody needs to fight 11 things at once.  Hopefully, it won't come to this.

Sniper Attack: level 11, 3000 xp
2 hobgoblin war adepts (level 10 artillery) 1000
Skather, blackspawn ninja (level 14 elite or level 9 solo) 2000
Notes: What to do with Skather?  I find it unlikely that the PCs will fight this whole fight at once, so maybe break it into two parts, with the war adepts as elites and Skather as a solo.  This would make it easier to keep Skather's level reasonably close to the PCs.

Final Battle: level 12+, 3600+ xp
4 ogre thugs (level 11 minion) 600
2 hill giants (level 13 brute) 1600
Wyrmlord Kharn (level 12 elite soldier) 1200
Notes: Hopefully, the sudden reappearance of minions won't be too jarring here.  Otherwise, we could use “real” ogres and make Kharn level 10 or so.

Total XP for Part 4: 30478, or 26628 without Streets of Blood fifth wave.
Notes: This part all takes place in one day, so the party might be extremely stretched for healing surges.  Perhaps allow the party the effects of an extended rest after the Streets of Blood without actually taking 6 hours?  The party should be very close to 11th level by the time they finish here.
[/sblock]

PART FIVE:
[sblock]
The Mark of Tiamat: level 13, 4000 xp
Tyragun, adult blue dragon (level 13 solo artillery)
Notes: Tyragun is almost perfectly suited for this scenario.  He has his lightning burst ability to make up for the wand of fireballs he's missing.

The Mark of Tiamat: level 9, 2000 xp
Tiamat Trap!
Notes: It's a trap!

Foyer: level 9, 1900 xp
2 blue abshai (level 11 skirmisher) 1200
2 zombie hulks (level 8 brute) 700
Notes: What to do with the abshai?  They should probably lose their summoning abilities and get something to let them take better advantage of their flight.


Guard Barracks: level 10, 2500 xp
5 blackscale raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) 2500
Notes: One less blackspawn.  Do I need to make the blackspawn more skirmishers than soldiers?

Torture Chamber: level 10, 2600 xp
3 chain devils (level 11 skirmisher) 1800 xp
4 legion devil hellguards (level 11 minon)
Notes: Chain devils are better torturers anyways.  Should I just do 4 chain devils, or stick some legion devils in there for variety?

Priest Cells: level 11, 2800 xp
2  red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 8 elite soldier) 1400 xp
4 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 1400
Notes: Maybe those clerics need to be minions, and the warpriests need to be level 11.

Laryssa's Kitchen: level 10, 2600 xp
Laryssa, night hag (level 14 lurker) 1000
2 bearded devils (level 13 soldier) 1600
Notes: Bearded Devils are a little tougher now.  Hopefully these high-level enemies won't be an overpowering challenge.

Great Temple of Tiamat: level 10, 2500 xp
5 wyverns (level 10 skirmisher) 2500
Notes: Easy conversion.

Cavern of the Guardian Spawn: level 11, 3000 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) 3000
Notes: Seems like lurkers might be more appropriate here.  Still, the razorfiends were great, dangerous fun in my 3rd edition playthrough.

Outer Sanctum: level 13, 3800 xp
2  red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 8 elite soldier) 1400 xp
4 hobgoblin clerics (level 8 controller) 1400
4 mad wraiths (level 6 controller) 1000
Notes: This is a lot of monsters.  Are the mad wraiths going to be effective at all?  Maybe I should level the regular lurker wraiths up to level 10 and have 2 of them.

High Wyrmlord's Chambers: level 10, 2000 xp
2 succubus (level 9 controller) 800
Notes: Aaaannnd what else?  This is a very small room.

Treasury: level 13, 4000 xp

Wall of Tiamat's Wrath
Dragonchest Traps!
Notes: This is another difficult conversion.  The dragonchest traps shouldn't count towards the main encounter XP, and the wall of wrath should be more interesting and involved.  The actual monster(s) should be more like controllers, with some capability to lure or move the PCs into the wall of wrath trap.

Inner Sanctum: level 14, 5000 xp
5 blue abshai (level 11 skirmisher) 3000
High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul (level 14 elite soldier) 2000
Notes: I found that Azarr Kul was somewhat of a misstep in the original mod.  The suggested tactics included a 10-round buffing spree, but he still went down in the first few rounds.  Hopefully the magic of 4dventure will change that.  Let's make him awesome.  On a side note, two things to ponder: how does the party get up here without the easy availability of flight in 4e, and should any other effect replace the silence effect?

Tiamat's Wrath: level 15, 6000 xp
Aspect of Tiamat (level 15 solo brute)
Notes: Breathe + 4 bites + sting?  That may be way too many attacks for the 4e philosophy.  Maybe breathe + 1 bite as a standard action, and the sting as a triggered immediate.

Total XP for Part 5: 44700
Notes: The party should be around level 12 by the time they hit the Inner Fane.  Any of the level 10 encounters in the Outer Fane could benefit from a gang of guards busting in halfway through the fight. I don't think there's enough XP to make them level 13 by the time they face the Aspect, but they should be well into 12th level.
[/sblock]


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

That looks very well thought out, Benimoto.

I think I need to steal some of your ideas, particularly the manner in which you outlined the adventure, with notes toward where the PCs should be (level-wise) at any given point so you can adapt the encounters accordingly.

... actually, I'm tempted to just let you finish up and find something short to run my PCs through to get them to 6th and then steal your conversion wholesale. 

In the end, though, I think I'm simply going to do this -- propose a truce.  Care to combine efforts?


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

Boarstorm said:
			
		

> In the end, though, I think I'm simply going to do this -- propose a truce.  Care to combine efforts?



Thanks!  I absolutely would like to do some combined efforts.  I'll probably be busy tomorrow, but when I get a chance, I'll go through and revise my outline, and add some treasure notes.

You already have stats made out for some of the monsters I had planned, at close to the level I was thinking of.  I'll give you some feedback when I get a chance to look closely and maybe try a test combat or two.


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## keterys (Jun 10, 2008)

You guys definitely convinced me to be lazy on this one, that's for sure


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## s0rn (Jun 10, 2008)

Really!  Your work is looking awesome, and although I am just about done running it in 3.5 (halfway through the Fane), I eagerly await stealing this.  I'm sure I can find more people to run through it in 4E.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

In the interest of working where the most work is needed, I've begun statting up critters from Part III of the adventure... yeah, the part where NOT A SINGLE MONSTER has an equivalent in the MM?  That part.  I'm following Benimoto's outline for encounter and individual monster level/encounter level.

Here's a teaser of what I've gotten done so far:

Varanthian, the Half-Fiend Behir
[sblock]
*Varanthian* Level 10 Solo Brute
Huge natural magical beast XP 2,500
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +12; darkvision
HP 432; Bloodied 216; see also bloodied breath
AC 24; Fortitude 27, Reflex 24, Will 20
Resist 20 fire
Saving Throws +5
Speed 8, fly 8, climb 3
Action Points 2
 Bite (standard; at-will) 
Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d6+2 damage.
 Claw (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d6+2 damage.
 Behir Fury (standard; at-will)
Varathian makes two claw attacks.  If Varathian hits a single target with both claw attacks, it makes a bite attack against the same target.
 Rake (immediate reaction, when an enemy moves to a position where it flanks Varathian; at-will)
Varathian attacks the enemy with one of her back legs: reach 2; +13 vs. Reflex; 1d10+5 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
 Behir Rend (standard; sustain standard; recharge 4 5 6)
Varathian grabs one foe and pulls it in close while rending with its many clawed appendages.  Requires combat advantage; +11 vs. Reflex; 3d6+5 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). A target trying to escape the grab takes a –4 penalty to the check. Varanthian can sustain the power as a standard action, dealing 3d6+5 damage and maintaining the grab.
 Breath Weapon (standard; recharge 5 6) * Lightning
Varanthian targets up to three creatures with its lightning breath; the first target must be within 10 squares of the dragon, the second target within 10 squares of the first, and the third target within 10 squares of the second; +11 vs. Reflex; 2d12 + 12 lightning damage. Miss: Half damage. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks.
 Bloodied Breath (free when first bloodied; encounter) * Lightning
Varanthian’s breath weapon recharges, and the she uses it immediately.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Athletics +17
Str 24 (+12) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 14 (+7)
Con 20 (+10) Int 11 (+4) Cha 14 (+7)
[/sblock]

A couple notes about this particular conversion.  It was quite challenging to my newbie skillz.

1) I ended up having to ditch most of the half-fiend aspects.  Spell-like abilities, piddling resistances, damage reduction, smite good... Still, I tried to keep what nods to the original template that I could. 

2) Swallow Whole got dumped for gamist reasons.  Besides, if even the tarrasque doesn't have it anymore, I'm not going to worry about it.  Constrict and Rake got folded into a single power (Behir Rend, in the stat block).  I used the blue dragon's breath weapon to model Varanthian's lightning breath.

3) The damage values are very much approximations at this point.  I'm no mathematician, so determining the most common outcome of Behir Fury is stumping me at the moment.  I want it to be enough to give level 9 players pause, but not enough to make a smear of the defender in two rounds.  When I get the time to do a sample combat or two, hopefully we'll see how it stacks up.  I'm also concerned that the Rend power is a potentially suboptimal choice for the gal to make.

4) As difficult as this conversion was, my preliminary work on the ghost lions tells me that I'm going to have an even more frustrating morning. 

As always, suggestions are always welcome.


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## keterys (Jun 10, 2008)

This is... different enough... that I'm a little iffy on the balance, but it was fun to throw together as another option for folks:

[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/sblock]


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

That's quite interesting, Keterys.  

I really like how you made it a race against destroying the heads versus being patient and chipping away at the bag of HP.

It really makes me want to know what they cut from the hydra at the last minute.  This kind of thing should have been in the core writeup, in my opinion.

A couple questions and comments, if you'll indulge me:

1) So essentially all daze/dominate/stun do is prevent it from spitting poison?  Could the hydra swap its move action for a minor action, if it so desired while under the effect of one of those conditions?  I would think so, but the way that ability is worded is a little confusing ("loses its minor action" as opposed to "loses a minor action").

2) Applying fire/acid to the stumps is a pretty tried-and-true fantasy trope when dealing with hydras, while crits are not.  What made you decide to go that route for ensuring the heads stay chopped?

2a) How do you feel about crits chopping off heads instead of a set HP value?  It could potentially make a critical hit feel more rewarding for the players.  Downside: it could lead to some wonky results ("My arrow cut a head off?").  Not that the same exact argument couldn't be made for HP-depletion either, of course.

3) Hydra Fury as the sole source of "multi-headed goodness" -- I would consider adding a minimum number of heads that you can use this power with.  A single head making a close burst attack makes me picture the business end of a weed wacker.   The gain in complexity may not be worth the effort, however.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 10, 2008)

Couldn't sleep.

Here are some dead kittens.

[sblock]
*Ghost Lion Brute* Level 8 Lurker
Large shadow beast (undead) XP 350
Initiative +13 Senses Perception +10; darkvision
HP 70; Bloodied 35
AC 22; Fortitude 21, Reflex 23, Will 19
Immune disease, poison; Resist insubstantial
Speed fly 7 (hover); phasing
 Claws (standard; at-will) * Necrotic
+13 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 necrotic damage.
 Bloodcurling Roar (standard; encounter) * Fear
Close burst 5; targets enemies; +11 vs. Will; the target is dazed (save ends).
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Skills Stealth +19
Str 15 (+6) Dex 21 (+9) Wis 13 (+5)
Con 16 (+7) Int 2 (+0) Cha 12 (+5)

*Dire Ghost Lion* Level 8 Elite Brute
Large shadow beast (undead) XP 700
Initiative +13 Senses Perception +10; darkvision
HP 212; Bloodied 106; see also _bloodied gaze_ 
AC 22; Fortitude 24, Reflex 25, Will 19
Immune disease, poison; Resist insubstantial
Saving Throws: +2
Speed fly 7 (hover); phasing
Action Points: 1
 Shadow Claws (standard; at-will) * Necrotic
+11 vs. AC; 2d8 + 4 necrotic damage and the Dire Ghost Lion gains 5 temporary hit points. 
 Corrupting Gaze (standard; recharge 5 6) * Necrotic
1 target within Close burst 5; +8 vs. Will; 4d6+5 necrotic damage and the target is stunned until the end of the dire ghost lion’s next turn (save ends).
 Bloodied Gaze (free when first bloodied; encounter) * Necrotic
Dire ghost lion’s corrupting gaze recharges, and dire ghost lion uses it immediately.
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Skills Stealth +19
Str 19 (+8) Dex 19 (+8) Wis 13 (+5)
Con 16 (+7) Int 2 (+0) Cha 12 (+5)
[/sblock]

I had a heck of a time trying to come up with some controller-y abilities for the Dire Ghost Lion.  In the end, I gave up and dubbed it a brute instead.  Not ideal in regards to the "game plan" above, but maybe it'll work.


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## keterys (Jun 10, 2008)

Boarstorm said:
			
		

> That's quite interesting, Keterys.
> 
> I really like how you made it a race against destroying the heads versus being patient and chipping away at the bag of HP.
> 
> ...




1) Yeah, I mean just that it loses its minor action from its standard, move, and minor per turn. I'll modify appropriately to just say it gets a standard and move, say. It gives it one less action, whether that's moving, spitting, or growing new heads (though it should do that right away if it can)

2) Two reasons - First, the tactic is _really_ known and would be a little too easy to do now. For a monster that's supposed to last for 10ish rounds of combat, I don't want it to be so easy to not use its signature ability. Suppose I could change it to anyone who hits with that type gets to make a secondary attack against Fortitude or somesuch... the option I had considered was an attack of the right type that did at least X damage.
Second - I wanted to make critical hits more special against it and I wanted everyone able to contribute to killing heads. I remember fighting hydras in 3.x and going 'So... we could kill the heads... but why would we _ever_ do so??'

2a) I thought about it, but figured it would make things a little too streaky - basically you might have an entire fight without it happening, and what's the fun in that  And yeah, I added 'or destroyed' to the beheading line for a reason. An arrow blasting through a neck I could buy, or the lingering flames from a fireball eventually burning through. The DM can even set things up in advance as it gets close. 'Your greatsword almost beheads the creature and it staggers back, the head snapping at the air in pain as its green blood sprays over the area.' followed by 'Your arrow pierces its side and it screams in pain, its head flopping to the floor where it continues to bite ineffectively around it'

3) No, you're right. Minimum number of heads sounds good.


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

Okay, here's my first attempt at a monster conversion.  Here's my personal favorite monster in the mod, the greenspawn razorfiend:

[sblock]
*Greenspawn Razorfiend* Level 10 Elite Skirmisher
Large natural beast (reptile) XP 1000
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
HP 208; Bloodied 104
AC 26; Fortitude 24, Reflex 26, Will 22
Resist 10 poison
Saving Throws +2
Speed 8, swim 8
Action Points: 1
 Wingblade (standard; at-will)
  +15 vs. AC; 1d12+5 (crit 2d12 + 17); this attack scores a critical hit
 on a roll of 19 or 20 (a roll of 19 is not an automatic hit, however).
 Leap Attack (standard; at-will)
  The greenspawn razorfiend leaps at the target, shifting 6 squares and making two wingblade attacks.
 Breath Weapon (minor; recharges when first bloodied) * Poison
  Close blast 3; +11 vs. Reflex; 1d8+5 plus 5 ongoing poison damage.
Defensive Hop (immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will)
  The greenspawn razorfiend shifts 3 squares.
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic
Skills Athletics +16
Str 22 (+11) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 16 (+8)
Con 16 (+8) Int 8 (+4) Cha 10 (+5)

Greenspawn Razorfiend Tactics: The greenspawn razorfiend springs into combat using its leap attack.  It then spends an action point to leap towards an unprotected group of enemies, targeting one with leap attack and unleashing its breath weapon on the highest concentration of foes.  When possible, it uses its defensive hop to move towards the margins of the combat, targeting weak or unprotected foes with further attacks.
[/sblock]

This is part deathjump spider, part green dragon, built on the rough chassis of the manticore.  Hopefully I didn't go overboard in making these things too lethal.  I considered an even larger critical threat range, but that seems a little unprecedented in 4e.  I ditched the bite in favor of a minor action breath weapon, like the dragonborn have.


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

Aaaand, here's my take on the bluespawn stormlizard.  Hopefully, this should make their single appearance in the mod memorable.

[sblock]
*Bluespawn Stormlizard* Level 9 Brute
Large natural beast (reptile) XP 400
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 120; Bloodied 60
AC 20; Fortitude 20, Reflex 15, Will 18
Resist 10 lightning, 10 thunder
Speed 7
 Gore (standard; at-will) * Thunder
  +12 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 thunder damage or 4d8 + 5 thunder damage on a charge.
 Lightning Link (minor; recharge 4 5 6) * Lightning
  Close burst 5; targets up to two creatures who are also within 5 of another stormlizard; +10 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 4 lightning damage.  Miss: Half damage.
Ride the Stormlizard (while mounted by a friendly rider of 5th level or higher; at-will) * Mount
  The rider gains resist 10 lightning and resist 10 thunder.
Alignment Unaligned Languages --
Str 21 (+9) Dex 9 (+3) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 20 (+9) Int 5 (+1) Cha 8 (+3)

Bluespawn Stormlizard Tactics: Bluespawn stormlizards charge the enemy in pairs or as a pack.  They try to stay close enough to other stormlizards that they can use their lightning link whenever possible.
[/sblock]
I ditched the lightning arc to focus on their brutishness, but kept the lightning link, since that ability is seriously evocative.  Also, their gore does thunder damage now, since that sounded awesome.

EDIT: Here is also the blood ghost berzerkers, for the same encounter.

[sblock]
*Blood Ghost Berserker* Level 7 Brute
Medium natural humanoid XP 300
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 96; Bloodied 48
AC 19; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 15
Speed 6
 Greataxe (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +10 vs. AC; 1d12 + 7 damage.
 Unnerving Howl (minor; encounter) * Fear
  +8 vs. Will; All attackers gain combat advantage against the target until the end of the blood ghost berzerker's next turn.
Predatory Eye (minor; encounter)
  The  blood ghost berserker deals an extra 1d6 damage on the next attack it makes with combat advantage. It must apply this bonus before the end of its next turn.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Str 21 (+9) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 16 (+9) Int 10 (+1) Cha 10 (+3)

Blood Ghost Berserker Tactics: Blood ghost berserkers charge fearlessly into melee with their greataxes.  As the melee is joined, the blood ghosts begin to howl like ferocious spirits, using their unnerving howl attack.
[/sblock]


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## keterys (Jun 10, 2008)

Hmm, shouldn't it do some normal damage in addition to thunder on the gore?

Two of them charging then starting to lightning link should scare the players some, certainly


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

keterys said:
			
		

> Hmm, shouldn't it do some normal damage in addition to thunder on the gore?



Hmm maybe.  I suppose it could do 2d8+5 normally, and 2d8+5 plus 2d8 thunder on a charge, and still be stormy enough.


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## Benimoto (Jun 10, 2008)

Boarstorm said:
			
		

> Here's what I've got so far.  I've tooled my conversion to a 4th level party, so it's going to be a touch weaker than what others may have come up with.  This covers until the bridge encounter.



Okay, some specific feedback about the monsters you've got here.  First, I have a slight preference for using the Monster Manual version of the hell hounds and manticore.  As you can see, I think they fit reasonably well into the combats as they are, and it gives the players maybe a better sense of immersion if they can fight the same creature in this module as they do in others.

The Doom Hand cleric looks good, although my outline calls for him to be one level higher.  I also feel as though he could use a definitive "leader" feature, even if it's just copying the _lead from the front_ from the hobgoblin leader in the monster manual.

The bladebearer looks great, although again, my own plans call for him to be a level higher.

I like the hydra, though I also like keterys' version later in the thread.

I really like the wolf riders.  Since the DMG clarifies that mounted NPCs and their mounts both get full actions in combat, perhaps it could be added that the goblin can use his move action to get the mount to shift, and that goblin tactics applies when either the goblin or the mount is missed by an attack and causes the mount to shift while mounted.

Karkilan is pretty simple, but that's fine.  My own outline calls for him to be a level 7 elite, under the "all named monsters are elite" clause.  Maybe he could have the Battle Champion or Savage Brute template from the DMg.

Wyrmlord Koth, I worry is a little too much like the PC warlocks.  I feel as though maybe he should have some abilities that say "Red Hand of Doom", but I'm not sure what that would be.  I'll think about it.

Varinthian looks great!  My only concern is that since she's a solo, she might never have combat advantage to use her behir rend attack, unless she gets a rake off on an enemy unable to stand back up.  Maybe her bite attack could have a secondary daze effect or something?  That might be going over the top.

The ghost kittens look good.  I don't have any good ideas for making the one more of a controller.  Any sort of area attack, especially if it dazes or immobilizes would seem to qualify.  But then again, it looks fine as a brute.  I just thought a controller might be nice tactically, and I'm sure the PCs would appreciate the lower hit points on an insubstantial monster.  Oh right, and "stunned until the end of the dire ghost lion’s next turn (save ends)" doesn't quite work.


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## keterys (Jun 10, 2008)

For wymrlord Koth, could cheat and use like an oni mage (forgets if there's an ogre mage later on). 

I'm still tempted to take some of the higher level mobs and just Elite-ize or Solo-ize them, reducing their level the according amount. It's very frustrating for players to need 18s and 19s to hit, and all that.


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## Templar3378 (Jun 11, 2008)

Wow, I go away for a couple of days and come back and my intial thread has grown legs and walked in a direction i didn't anticipate.

Though I heartily approve. 

Also, props to Boarstorm for pointing out the whole lack of monsters in the MM for part 3...I'll see what I can come up with to help with the general effort here as well.  

For now, Props people and keep up the good work. I'll see what i can come up with to help tomorrow


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## Boarstorm (Jun 11, 2008)

Benimoto said:
			
		

> Okay, some specific feedback about the monsters you've got here.  [...]




Been slammed lately.  Will get around to fixing those guys as soon as I have some time to sit down and tinker.

Regarding Koth -- Be careful applying the class templates, apparently.   They increase the complexity of monsters significantly.

I think it's definitely something to do sparingly.


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## Benimoto (Jun 14, 2008)

Ah, a lazy Saturday afternoon spent designing monsters.  I worked backwards from the end, so here's the last few enemies the PCs face.

[sblock]
*Aspect of Tiamat* Level 15 Solo Brute
Large elemental beast (dragon) XP 6000
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +10; darkvision
HP 750; Bloodied 375
AC 30; Fortitude 35, Reflex 28, Will 31
Resist 15 acid, 15 cold, 15 fire, 15 lightning, 15 poison
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, fly 8, overland flight 12
Action Points: 2
 Bite (standard; at-will) * Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison
  Reach 3; +18 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 plus 5 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage.
 Breath Weapon (standard; at-will) * Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison
  Close blast 5; +16 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 6 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage.  The aspect of Tiamat varies its breath weapon damage types and does not use the same type of damage on two subsequent turns.
 Tiamat's Fury (standard; when the aspect of Tiamat does not move more than 1 square on its turn; at will) * Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison
  The aspect of Tiamat makes one breath weapon attack and four bite attacks.  All five attacks deal different types of energy damage.
 Tail Sting (opportunity attacks; at will) * Poison
  Range 3; +20 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage and the target is weakened (save ends).  The aspect of Tiamat uses this attack for opportunity attacks exclusively.
Many Headed
  Each time the aspect of Tiamat becomes dazed or stunned, it loses one attack on its next turn instead.  It loses the breath weapon attack first.  Multiple such effects stack.
Threatening Reach
  The aspect of Tiamat can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (3 squares).  See tail sting.
Skills Intimidate +19
Alignment Evil Languages Draconic
Str 22 (+13) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 16 (+10)
Con 22 (+13) Int 13 (+8) Cha 14 (+9)

Aspect of Tiamat Tactics: The aspect of Tiamat moves quickly into range of its targets and blasts them with its breath weapon.  It then uses an action point to launch into its Tiamat's fury attack immediately.  If given room to maneuver, the aspect of Tiamat prefers to move into a position 2-3 squares away from its main threats, so that those enemies provoke an opportunity attack to either close or flee.  The aspect is convinced of its divine superiority over all creatures and fights to the death in all circumstances.

Notes: The aspect of Tiamat combines all the worst parts of fighting an adult red dragon and a hydra.  Its brutish nature trades AC and accuracy for a truly punishing amount of offensive power.  I'm not sure if the breath weapon needs to deal damage on a miss.  Thematically, it should, but the aspect sure doesn't need the extra damage.  I decided on a weakening effect instead of poison damage on the tail sting for since the aspect already does poison damage with its normal attacks and I thought it needed at least one status-inflicting attack.


*High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul* Level 14 Elite Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 2000
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +11
HP 284; Bloodied 147
AC 32; Fortitude 32, Reflex 28, Will 31
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points: 1
 Dragonfang Heavy Pick (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +21 vs. AC; 2d8 + 6 damage (crit 2d8 + 22) and the target is marked until the end of Azarr Kul's next turn.
 Dragoncraft Shield (standard; at-will)
  +21 vs. AC; 2d8 + 6, the target is marked until the end of Azarr Kul's next turn and Azarr Kul makes a secondary attack against the same target.  _Secondary attack_: +19 vs. Fortitude; the target is pushed 1 square or knocked prone.
Tiamat's Wrath (minor; recharges when first bloodied) * Lightning
  The next basic melee attack Azarr Kul makes is a critical hit and deals an extra 3d6 lightning damage.
 Antilife Shell (minor; until bloodied; at-will) * Necrotic
  Close burst 3; +17 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 6 necrotic damage and the target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone.  Miss: the target is pushed 1 square and not knocked prone.
 High Wyrmlord's Challenge (immediate reaction; when a marked enemy within 5 shifts or ends their turn without making an attack targeting Azarr Kull; at will) * Lightning
  Azarr Kul breathes lightning upon the target: Ranged 10; +19 vs. Reflex; 2d10 + 4 lightning damage.  This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin, Supernal
Skills Athletics +18, Insight +16, Intimidate +15, Religion +14
Str 22 (+13) Dex 16 (+10) Wis 18 (+11)
Con 14 (+11) Int 12 (+9) Cha 16 (+10)
Equipment blue dragonfang heavy pick, red dragoncraft heavy shield, black dragoncraft scale armor, holy symbol of Tiamat

Azarr Kul's Tactics: Upon entering melee, Azarr Kul moves adjacent to his target and spends an action point to invoke Tiamat's wrath, make a melee attack, and then activate his antilife shell.  Until he is bloodied, Azarr Kul focuses on a single target, using his antilife shell to repel other enemies.  Once he is bloodied, Azarr Kul becomes desperate, using any technique or tactic possible to inflict maximum damage upon his enemies.

Notes: I don't know if this properly conveys the threat of the High Wyrmlord, but it's a stab at it.  He loses all his clerical casting, his breath weapon, and really anything to distinguish him as a half-dragon aside from his extremely high strength.  Azarr Kul should shock the party with his initial fury, but becomes weaker as the fight progresses.


*Blue Abishai* Level 11 Skirmisher
Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 600
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +6; darkvision
HP 114; Bloodied 47
AC 25; Fortitude 22, Reflex 24, Will 19
Resist 10 fire
Speed 7, fly 9 (hover); See also _flyby attack_
 Tail Lash (standard; at-will) * Lightning
  +16 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 plus 5 ongoing lightning damage (save ends).
 Claws (standard; at-will)
  +16 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage.
 Flyby Attack (standard;at-will)
  The asbshai flies up to 9 squares and makes one basic melee attack at any point during the movement.  The blue abishai does not provoke opportunity attacks while moving away from the target.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 16 (+8) Dex 21 (+10) Wis 13 (+6)
Con 18 (+9) Int 11 (+5) Cha 15 (+7)

Blue Abishai Tactics: Blue abishai prefer to lash their enemies with their shocking tails, but will use their claws against an enemy already suffering from ongoing lightning damage.  They use flyby attack to close with an enemy, strike, and then fly away without putting themselves at unnecessary risk.

Notes: Without their spell-like abilities, blue abishai are fairly simple flying skirmishers.  They are resistant to fire like all devils seem to be.
[/sblock]


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## keterys (Jun 14, 2008)

Is there any reason it wouldn't move up, and tiamat's fury twice in a row (and possibly twice in the next round, too). Might be reasonable to say it can't use the same type of breath weapon two rounds in a row, even if that's almost purely a flavor thing. The tail sting seems like a really very high attack bonus - also, I think there is a way to mark an attack as opportunity attack only (ie, instead of 'standard')

Isn't it spelled Abishai? 

For the high wyrmlord's challenge, I'd be tempted to make it a ranged lightning attack instead of having him shift all around. The shield attack as a basic is pretty nasty, btw


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## Benimoto (Jun 14, 2008)

keterys said:
			
		

> Is there any reason it wouldn't move up, and tiamat's fury twice in a row (and possibly twice in the next round, too). Might be reasonable to say it can't use the same type of breath weapon two rounds in a row, even if that's almost purely a flavor thing. The tail sting seems like a really very high attack bonus - also, I think there is a way to mark an attack as opportunity attack only (ie, instead of 'standard')
> 
> Isn't it spelled Abishai?
> 
> For the high wyrmlord's challenge, I'd be tempted to make it a ranged lightning attack instead of having him shift all around. The shield attack as a basic is pretty nasty, btw



Great feedback, keterys.

Okay, I've changed the aspect so that it can only use multiple attacks if it doesn't move much.  Its melee reach covers basically the entire ground floor of the fane anyways.  So maybe I just should say that it uses its fury attack as much as possible.  I corrected a few details (abishai spelling, forgot Azarr Kul and the aspect's defensive bonuses).  I lowered the aspect's bonus on opportunity attacks to +2.  Azarr Kul's shield attack doesn't have to be a basic, but it's similar to the fighter's at-will.  I just thought I'd give him something to do if he's disarmed or is just getting bored with his pick.  

And I think Azarr Kul's challenge taking the form of his breath weapon is brilliant.  I can just imagine him roaring "I thought I told you to fight me!" before blasting a target like that.


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## Benimoto (Jun 16, 2008)

Okay, I've been working on some more conversions in my spare time.

First, here's what we need to finish off the conversions for part 5:
[sblock]
*Advanced Wraith* Level 10 Lurker
Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 500
Initiative +14 Senses Perception +6; darkvision
HP 82; Bloodied 41
Regeneration 10 (in the wraith takes radiant damage, regeneration is negated until the end of the wraith's next turn)
AC 21; Fortitude 18, Reflex 21, Will 19
Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerable 5 radiant (see also _regeneration_ above)
Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing; See also _shadow glide_
 Shadow Touch (standard; at-will) * Necrotic
  +13 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).
Combat Advantage * Necrotic
  The advanced wraith deals an extra 1d8 necrotic damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
Shadow Glide (move; encounter)
  The advanced wraith shifts 6 squares.
Spawn Wraith
  Any humanoid killed by an advanced wraith rises as a free-willed advanced wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or the nearest unoccupied space).  Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages Common
Skills Stealth +15
Str 6 (+3) Dex 21 (+10) Wis 12 (+6)
Con 16 (+8) Int 8 (+4) Cha 18 (+9)

Wraith Tactics: Same as in the monster manual, page 266.

Notes: Plain monster manual wraiths leveled up to level 10.


*Doom Hand Warpriest* Level 11 Elite Soldier (leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 1200
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
Red Hand Standardbearer: Aura 10; allies in the aura gain a +2 power bonus to one attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw on their turn.
HP 232; Bloodied 116
AC 29; Fortitude 27, Reflex 25, Will 26
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points 1
 Flail of Doom (standard; at-will) * Weapon, Fear
  +18 vs. AC; 1d10 + 7 damage, the target is marked until the end of the doom hand warpriest's next turn and the warpriest makes a secondary attack against the same target.  _Secondary Attack_: +16 vs. Will; the target takes a -4 to attack rolls (save ends).
 Doom Hand Command (standard; recharge  ) * Charm
  Ranged 10; +16 vs. Will; 2d10 + 7 damage and the target is dominated until the end of the warpriest's next turn.
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the doom hand warpriest suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter) 
  The doom hand warpriest rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Skills Athletics +16, History +12, Intimidate +15, Religion +12
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Str 22 (+11) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 18 (+8)
Con 20 (+10) Int 14 (+7) Cha 21 (+10)

Doom Hand Warpriest Tactics:  The warpriest eagerly wades into battle swinging its flail.  It uses the doom hand command as often as possible to turn a weak-willed or highly damaging enemy against its own forces.

Notes: Should I have made this guy more like a PC warpriest?  He's really just a leveled-up hobgoblin hand of Bane with some power changes.
[/sblock]

Next, a few monsters for part 4.  With the bluespawn, greenspawn and blood ghost conversions, this should be enough monsters for part 4, aside from any bonedrinkers following from part 3.
[sblock]
*Wyrmlord Hravek Kharn* Level 12 Elite Soldier (leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 2000
Initiative +12 Senses Perception +9; low-light vision
Rage of the Horde aura 10; allies in the aura take -2 to their AC and gain +4 to their damage.
HP 260; Bloodied 130; see also _this isn't finished_
AC 30 (28 when bloodied); Fortitude 32, Reflex 26, Will 27
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points 1
 Greatsword (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +19 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage and the target is marked until the end of General Kharn's next turn.
 Wounding War Pick (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +19 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 (crit 1d8+14) plus 3 ongoing damage and the target is marked until the end of General Kharn's next turn.
 Dazing Assault (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  General Kharn makes two basic melee attacks.  If both attacks hit the same target, Kharn makes a secondary attack against that target.  _Secondary Attack_: +17 vs. Fortitude; the target is dazed (save ends).
General's Challenge (immediate reaction; when an adjacent opponent shifts or makes an attack that does not target General Kharn; at-will)
  General Kharn gains 1 action point (max 1).
Warlord's Rage (when first bloodied; encounter)
  General Kharn gains -2 to AC and +4 damage for the rest of the encounter.
This Isn't Finished! (the first General Kharn drops to 0 hit points) * Healing
  Make a new initiative check for General Kharn.  On his turn, he rises to his feet again (as a move action) with 130 hit points.  He takes a -2 to attacks for the rest of the encounter.
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when General Kharn suffers an effect that a save can end; recharge  ) 
  General Kharn rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin
Skills Athletics +16, Insight +14, Intimidate +18
Str 21 (+11) Dex 18 (+10) Wis 16 (+9)
Con 26 (+14) Int 14 (+8) Cha 24 (+13)
Equipment greatsword, war pick, plate armor

General Kharn's Tactics: Kharn charges into battle with his greatsword, reserving his pick as a backup weapon.  On the first round of combat, and any other time he has action points available, he strikes twice with his dazing assault.  He tries to mark weak opponents in order to use his general's challenge more often.

Notes: Kharn starts the battle as a solider and gradually becomes more of a brute.  I need to run a test combat to see if his ability to regain action points is a little too much. Try to surprise the party with his “this isn't finished!” ability.

*Kulkor Zuul War Adept* Level 10 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid XP 500
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision
HP 80; Bloodied 40
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflex 24, Will 22
Speed 6
 Staff (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +17 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage.
 Lightning Bolt (standard; recharge    ) * Lightning
  Range 10; +15 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 8 lightning damage and the war adept makes a secondary attack against two targets within 10 squares of the primary target. _Secondary Attack_: +15 vs. Reflex, 1d6+8 lightning damage.
 Mind Twist (standard; at-will) * Psychic
  Range 20; +15 vs. Will; 1d8 + 5 psychic damage and the target is dazed (save ends).
Tactical Teleport (move; recharges when bloodied) * Teleport
  The war adept teleports 6 squares.
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the war adept suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter) 
  The war adept rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Str 9 (+4) Dex 13 (+6) Wis 8 (+4)
Con 14 (+7) Int 26 (+13) Cha 15 (+7)

Kulkor Zuul War Adept Tactics:  War adepts fight with their psychic and lightning attacks.  If threatened in melee, they use their tactical teleport to escape.

Notes: Pretty simple.  No more invisibility or summoning, but those seemed out of place on a war adept anyways.

*Skather, Blackspawn Ninja* Level 9 Solo Lurker
Medium natural humanoid XP 2000
Initiative +14 Senses Perception +11; low-light vision
HP 384; Bloodied 192; See also swift invisibility
AC 25; Fortitude 22, Reflex 24, Will 21
Saving Throws +5
Speed 7
Action Points 2
 Poisoned Short Sword (standard; at-will) * Weapon, Poison
  +14 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage plus 5 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
 Double Attack (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  Skather makes two poisoned short sword attacks.
 Poisoned Shortbow (standard; at-will) * Poison, Weapon
  Range 20/40; +14 vs. Reflex; 1d8 damage and Skather makes a secondary attack against the same target.  _Secondary Attack_:  +12 vs. Fortitude; the target takes10 ongoing poison damage (save ends).
 Assassin's Arrow (standard, recharge  ) * Poison, Weapon
  Requires combat advantage.  Range 30/60; +16 vs. Reflex; 1d8 damage and Skather makes a secondary attack against the same target.  _Secondary Attack_: +14 vs. Fortitude; the target takes10 ongoing poison damage (save ends).  _First Failed Save_: the damage increases to 15 ongoing poison damage.  _Second Failed Save_: the damage increases to 20 ongoing poison damage.  
 Vicious Riposte (immediate interrupt; when an opponent makes an opportunity attack against Skather; at-will) * Weapon
  Skather makes a basic melee attack against that opponent.
Combat Advantage
  Skather deals an extra 2d6 damage on melee or ranged attacks against any targets he has combat advantage against.
Swift Invisibility (minor, recharge   ) * Illusion
  Skather becomes invisible until the beginning of his next turn or until he takes damage.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +12, Endurance +11, Perception +11, Stealth +18
Str 17 (+7) Dex 22 (+10) Wis 16 (+7)
Con 16 (+6) Int 14 (+6) Cha 12 (+5)
Equipment short sword, short bow

Skather's Tactics: Skather is used to fighting alone and engages multiple targets with reckless impunity.  On the first round of combat, he uses his swift invisibility power to vanish from sight and then uses an action point to make two double attacks.  He prefers to spread out his attacks among multiple targets to get full value from the poison.  If given the opportunity to hide, he will do so in order to use his assassin's arrow against a high-value target.

Notes: Skather has unusual accuracy and range with his shortbow.  The module indicates that he works alone, so I made him a solo, despite the ungodly amount of hit points that gives him.  Does his invisibility make him too elusive and deadly?

*Kulkor Zuul Mindbender* Level 10 Controller (leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 500
Telepathic Superiority aura 10; allies in the aura cannot be flanked and gain +2 to one attack on their turns.
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision
HP 101; Bloodied 50
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflex 21, Will 26
Speed 6
 Dagger (standard; at-will) * Weapon
  +15 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage.
 Enslave Mind (standard; recharge   ) * Charm
  Range 10; +13 vs. Will;  The target is dominated (save ends).  The mindbender can enslave only one creature at a time.
 Psychic Whip (standard; at-will) * Psychic
  Burst 2 within 10; targets enemies;  +13 vs. Will;  1d6+7 damage and the target is slowed and takes -2 to attacks (save ends both).
Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the mindbender suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter) 
  The mindbender rolls a saving throw against the effect.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Str 11 (+5) Dex 11 (+5) Wis 10 (+5)
Con 13 (+6) Int 17 (+8) Cha 25 (+12)

Kulkor Zuul Mindbender Tactics:  The mindbender immediately works to dominate a target using its enslave mind power.  During a combat, it avoids melee, attacking with its psychic whip.  When a target breaks its domination, the mindbender attempts to enslave another as soon as possible.

Notes: There is now only one of these monsters in the whole module, although Nurklenak should be an elite one of these.
[/sblock]

I've been working on my conversion document, figuring out where treasure goes and coming up with 4e conversion for other encounter elements, such as skill checks, terrain and traps.  I'll post the updated version soon.


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## keterys (Jun 16, 2008)

That's an interesting poison - or any kind of ongoing amage - idea - _Failed Save_: Increase the amount of ongoing damage by 5.


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## Benimoto (Jun 19, 2008)

Okay, I've been working hard on my conversion document.  I have parts 1, 4 & 5 considerably more fleshed out and am working on parts 2 and 3.  I need to make one more pass through the parts I have to assign specific treasure and flesh out some of the traps and skill challenges a little more, but I thought I'd post what I have.

Introduction and Part 1:
[sblock]RED HAND OF DOOM
General Notes on this Conversion: The purpose of this conversion document is to allow running the Red Hand of Doom adventure with D&D 4e rules.  This document only supplements the adventure—it is assumed that you have a physical copy of the module.  Due to the size of the adventure, some on-the-fly conversion will still be necessary.  This module only covers major, experience-bearing encounters and skill checks.  In many cases, you will have to covert some skill checks concerning background detail into their 4e skill equivalents.  Additionally, you may have to improvise some details during skill challenges.

  Preference is given to using monsters out of the Monster Manual when possible.  This may mean that PCs are frequently fighting monsters up to 4 levels higher or lower than their own level.  If your PCs are having trouble with these monsters, consider using the guideline for increasing or decreasing level given in the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG 174).

  The beast-like spawn of Tiamat are easy to convert, but the blackspawn raiders are trickier.  Since they are essentially dragon-men, I just used dragonborn from the Monster Manual.  You can describe them as normal dragonborn with a black dragon heritage, or as something more bestial, resembling normal dragonborn as orcs or gnolls resemble humans.  Either way, they deal acid instead of fire damage with their breath weapons in all instances.

  Where I give statistics for destroying an object, such as Skull Gorge bridge, I use level-appropriate ACs as used in Keep on the Shadowfell instead of the insignificant ones given in the DMG.  It is my opinion that damaging an object is not just a matter of making contact, but of hitting the right spot, similar to dparcamaging a creature.

  This conversion is intended for a group of 5 6th level characters, using standard XP rules, and will take them to midway level 12 if they do well in the adventure.  Each part mentions at the beginning what level group it is intended for.  If your group is lower-level, misses critical events or quests, or otherwise falls behind consider using random encounters to supplement their XP totals.

PART 1
Notes on Part 1: This part is intended for characters just starting 6th level and will take them to midway through 7th level.  

Quest: Vault of Vraath Keep: This conversion assumes you are using the Vault of Vraath Keep hook from page 5.  You can inform the players that finding the vault is a level 7 major quest, worth 1,500 XP.  You can give them more hooks and more quests, especially if they could use the extra XP, but this conversion assumes just the quest hook.

Marauder Attack: level 9, 2,058 XP
Zarr, Doom Hand cleric (level 5 soldier) (custom)*
Uth-lar, hobgoblin bladebearer (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)*
12 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute) (MM 160)
Setup: Characters are assumed to be using their passive Perception skill when traveling.  Those not making a DC 15 check are considered surprised at the beginning of the combat.  
Tactics: The only major change in tactics is that Zarr no longer has the same abilities.  Note that the hell hound has a damaging aura, and the hobgoblins should avoid being damaged.
Treasure: 1 parcel
Notes: As the module mentions, this is a difficult encounter, but it is within the range the DMG suggests for “hard” encounters.  Be sure to adjust it for your own party.  The DC to identify Zarr's holy symbol of Tiamat is the same, DC 15.  Some minor information on Tiamat can be found in the DMG, page 163.

Riding Into Town: 200 XP
Minor skill challenge or
1 town guard (level 3 soldier) (MM 163)
3 human rabble (level 2 minion) (MM 163)
Interaction: You could treat interacting with the guards as a minor skill challenge, complexity 1 (4 successes before 2 failures) with easy (13) and moderate DCs (17) depending on the PCs' general tone.  Alternately, feel free to resolve the whole encounter with roleplaying.  If the PCs fail, they may have to sneak into town and risk being chased out of town by guards until they can gain the support of a prominent town citizen.

Jorr's Cabin: 200 XP
Minor skill challenge or
1 human berzerker (level 4 brute) (MM163)
Notes: Treat this encounter similarly to the encounter with the town guards, but PCs mentioning their intention to deal with the goblins automatically win the encounter.

The Witchwood: level 4-9, variable XP
Notes: No random encounters are necessary by these conversion guidelines, but if your party is underleveled or you just want to fight something, a few random encounters couldn't hurt.  Make your own encounters, modify, or use these suggested ones:
shambling mound encounter (level 9, XP 1,900) (MM 232)
vine horror encounter (level 8, XP 1,900) (MM 260)
owlbear encounter (level 7, XP 1,650) (MM 212)
stirge encounter (level 7, XP 1,500) (MM 248)
bear encounter (level 6, XP 1,250) (MM 29)
harpy encounter (level 6, XP 1,250) (MM 154)
goblin outriders (same as in Vraath Keep stables)
boar encounter (level 5, XP 1,150) (MM 39)
ettercap encounter (level 4, XP 900) (MM 107)

Causeway: level 6, 1,250 XP
1 young hydra (level 6 solo brute) (custom)
Combat:  The hydra hides in a similar fashion.  It has improved cover, and a +5 Stealth modifier.  Roll the hydra's stealth check.  If the PCs beat its stealth check by less than 10, they see only a reptilian head in the water in the wagon.  If they beat it by 10 or more, they notice the whole hydra.
Tactics: The hydra fights with the benefit of cover from the water, if possible.  It climbs out onto the causeway only if it cannot reach its opponents any other way.  It flees if reduced below 50 hit points.
Treasure: 1 parcel
Notes: Several hydras have boon posted in the thread which should do nicely here.

Vraath Keep
Most of the details about Vraath Keep and the goblin activity within should work well.  See the notes on the stables for the change in what kind of mounts the goblins have and what tracks they might leave.
  In the story of the keep, it mentions the Twistusks, a clan of forest giants.  One possibility in the 4e conversion is that the Twistusks are a clan of fomorians or cyclopes, stranded from the feywild by a planar accident.  This change is also noted in the conversion for Old Wracklegnaw below.

Gardner's Shack: level 6, 200 XP
Decrepit Shack trap!
Notes: I'm not going to bother with a full trap writeup here.  It takes a Perception check, DC 20 to notice the hazard.  At the end of each round in which a character stands in the shack, make a saving throw for the shack with a -2 modifier for each creature beyond the first.  Failure means it collapses, attacking all within it at +9 vs Reflex for 1d10+4 damage.

Wolf Stables: level 6, 1,200 XP
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) (MM 264) or 3 rage drakes (level 5 brute) (MM 92)
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)
Creatures: There is one more pair of rider and mount here.  The mounts are now large.  See the notes below 
Tactics: The goblins prefer to fight from wolfback (or drakeback) and do what they can to get mounted.  The hobgoblins in the barracks need to make an effective Perception check of DC 22 (or 12 if the fight reaches into the courtyard), counting their distance and the walls between them.  
Notes: Dire wolves are large and lack the association with goblins, but they fit well otherwise.  Alternately, the goblins could ride rage drakes.  That would be more dragonny, and foreshadow the stormlizards in part 4.  On the minus side it might ramp up the fantasy quotient too fast.  The transition from low-fantasy humanoids to high fantasy dragons and demons is a great feature of this adventure otherwise.

Spike-littered nest: level 5, 1,000 XP
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher) (MM 184)
Tactics: The manticore just watches the fight unless attacked or unless Koth orders it onto battle.  It prefers to stay on the roof, bombarding the party with spikes and spike volleys indefinitely.  If the adventurers put up a decent ranged fight and it is alone, it alerts any hobgoblins it can.
Notes: A single level 10 elite is a workable but not optimal fight for a 6th level party.  Its defenses and attacks may be very high compared to the party capabilities.  If it is spoiling this fight, remember that it is not particularly committed to the fight.  It may return to simply watching if the party is having difficulty hitting it, or it may just fly off, particularly if it is bloodied.

Barracks: level 6, 1,350 XP
Karkilan, minotaur fighter (level 7 elite brute) (custom)*
5 hobgoblin soldiers (level 3 soldier) (MM 139)
Creatures: There are 5 soldiers now.  Karkilan is medium-sized.
Tactics: Hobgoblins without their armor and shields have a 14 AC and lose their phalanx fighting ability.  Otherwise, tactics work as outlined in the module.
Treasure: 1 parcel

Wyrmlord Koth's Quarters: level 6, 1,200 XP
Wyrmlord Koth, bugbear wizard (level 7 elite controller) (custom)*
4 imps (level 3 lurker) (MM 63)
Creatures: Koth now has a small flock of imps accompanying him.
Tactics:  Koth has no need for buffing spells or wands.  If he decides fleeing is a better idea, he has no potions of fly, but is fast as an elf through the woods.  He flees to Skull Gorge Bridge as mentioned in the module.
Treasure: 1 parcel
Notes: It is a Perception check, DC 25 to notice the secret door here.

Vraath Vault
Quest: Finding the vault finishes the Vault of Vraath Keep, which may be used as an adventure hook.  If the PCs are on this quest, they earn the reward: 1,500 XP.
Treasure: 6 parcels
Notes: The iron bars have 30 hit points, AC 18, Defenses 6 resist all 10 and Break DC 23.

Old Wracklegnaw: level 7, 1,500 XP
Skill challenge or
Old Wracklegnaw, venerable fomorian warrior (MM 110, see notes)
Creatures: One possibility for Old Wracklegnaw is that he is an ancient Fomorian, one of a small clan that found their way onto the prime material plane almost two centuries ago.  Modify the read-aloud text to reflect his pale, twisted, deformed body.  In this case, his combat statistics would be similar to the fomorian warrior (MM 110), but with a -10 to all defenses, -5 to attacks and damage, and 252 hit points.  His long years have mellowed him out some and his alignment is now best specified as unaligned. He would be roughly a level 7 challenge by himself.
  If the adventurers take the better route of negotiation, this becomes a skill challenge.
Setup: To convince Old Wrackgnaw to eat the Red Hand horde instead of the PCs, you must remind him of his former glory and the thrill of the hunt.
Level: 7.
Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 4 failures).
Primary Skills: Diplomacy, History, Insight.
Bluff (hard DCs):  You try to convince Wracklegnaw using false pretenses, but he is skeptical and stoic in response.
Diplomacy (moderate DCs):  You flatter Wracklegnaw and ask forthrightly for his aid.  He is intrigued that he someone might actually want his help.
History (moderate DCs): You recall the might of the Twistusks' old hunting parties.  Perhaps there is about to be an abundance of “game”.
Insight (easy DCs): You empathize with the old giant.  Old Wracklegnaw is an easy read.  He longs for one last hunt and one last opportunity to be feared.  The first use of this skill reveals the special use of the gauntlet from the keep.
Intimidate (hard DCs): You attempt to influence Wracklegnaw through threats.  At the end of his life, it takes more than callow threats of violence to sway him and there is a good chance that failing at an intimidation attempts will simply cause Old Wracklegnaw to attack.
Special: Characters sharing his meal gain a +2 to their checks.  Offering Old Wracklegnaw the spiked gauntlet from Vraath Keep instantly earns 3 successes.
Success: Wracklegnaw will do what he can against the Red Hand horde.  This includes rounding up his surviving allies and kin from the Wyrmsmoke foothills.
Failure: If the PCs have at least 4 successes and they have not tried to intimidate Wracklegnaw, he simply sends them away, and they earn 1,000 XP for avoiding a fight.  Otherwise, he attacks with the intent of driving them out of his campsite and possibly obtaining more meat for his larder.

Skull Gorge Bridge: level 10, 2,504 + 1,500 XP
Quest: Destroy the Bridge: When the PCs see Skull Gorge bridge, or figure out its significance from the map, give them a quest to destroy it.  This is a major, level 8 quest, worth 1,500 XP.
Ozyrrandion, young green dragon (level 5 solo skirmisher) (MM 80)
2 hell hounds (level 7 brute) (MM 160) 
1 hobgoblin commander (level 5 soldier) (MM 140)
8 hobgoblin warriors w/longbows (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Creatures: The hobgoblin archers are minions with the same stats as the hobgoblin warriors the PCs encountered in the marauder attack.  They are equipped with longbows with essentially the same stats as their longswords: Ranged 20/40 +10 vs. AC; 6 damage.  Wyrmlord Koth may also be here if he has fled from Vraath Keep, making the fight even more difficult.  Ozyrrandion is large, of course.
  If you want to use “real” archers, use the stats for hobgoblin archers (MM 139), but be aware that this makes the encounter a 3000 xp level 11 encounter.  That's probably only barely suitable for a fully-rested level 7 party by the DMG guidelines, but this is supposed to be a very difficult fight.
Tactics: The hell hounds and hobgoblins use essentially the tactics the module recommends.  Ozyrrandion uses flyby attacks and his breath weapon to weaken the party before engaging in melee.  Using his luring glare to send PCs over the bridge railings is a very dangerous tactic, but one he will use if the PCs are making progress on destroying the bridge.  Characters next to the gorge when the bridge is destroyed can make a saving throw to land prone in a safe area along the side.  Those on the bridge when it collapses, fall.  See the section below about being falling off the bridge.
Taking Out the Bridge:  This is no easier a task in 4e.  See specific details below.  If the necessary damage is dealt (destroying the weak spot, 2 adjacent bridge sections, or both towers on one end), the bridge comes down one round later.  A Perception check, DC 10 is needed to notice the imminent collapse.
Bridge Walkway (5-foot section): Each section has 300 hit points, AC 20, Defenses 18, resist all 5 and Break DC 43.  The weak spot can be found with a DC 25 Perception check, and has 40 hit points.
Guard Tower (5-foot section): Each section has 150 hit points, AC 20, Defenses 18, resist all 5 and Break DC 35.
Falling Off the Bridge:  Creatures falling or being pushed the bridge are allowed a saving throw to remain prone on the last intact square of bridge they previously occupied.  In sections with an intact railing, characters receive a +5 on this saving throw.  A fall deals damage depending on where on the bridge the falling character was.  A character above one of the sloping sides of the gorge takes 7d10 damage.  A falling character above the water can make a saving throw.  Success allows the character to choose whether he lands in the water or on the rocks.  Otherwise, determine it randomly.  Falling into the water deals 5d10 + 25 damage and the character is now in the water, being washed downstream.  Falling onto the rocks deals 5d10 + 50 damage.  This is well above the survivable amounts of damage for PCs of the appropriate level so ummm... don't fall.
Treasure: 1 parcel.
Quest XP: As mentioned above, destroying the bridge is worth 1,500 XP as a major quest reward.

Goblin Raid: level 7, 1,500 XP
3 dire wolves (level 5 skirmisher) (MM 264) or 3 rage drakes (level 5 brute) (MM 92)
3 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) (MM 160)
Second Wave: level 8, 1,704 XP
2 Kulkor Zuul war adepts (level 10 artillery) (custom)
8 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Tactics: The war adepts are much simpler now, but the overall tactics of the raiders remain the same.
Notes: Again, the goblins could ride rage drakes instead.  As the module mentions, you could re-use this encounter several times with modifications for bloodthirsty groups of players.

Chimera Attack: level 7, 1,600 XP
2 blackspawn raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) (MM 86)
2 griffons (level 7 brute) (MM 147)
Creatures:  A chimera is a level 15 elite monster in 4e, clearly inappropriate for this stage of the adventure.  You could customize the chimera to make it it a lower-level solo, or just follow these recommendations and have the attack be from blackspawn raiders mounted on griffons.  Alternately, you could re-run the goblin raid encounter with some changes.  (A worg instead of a hell hound, blood ghost berserkers or kulkor zuul mindbenders instead of the war adepts, etc.)
Tactics: The dragonborn are thirsty for combat, and they dismount and fight from the ground as the griffons charge from the air.

Desperate Council: level 7, up to 1,500 XP
This can play out as a complicated skill challenge.  The initial setup assumes that the PCs are trying to convince the council to flee, but they will have to take this position on their own.  There are several courses of action the PCs could argue for.
Setup: To convince the townsfolk to take your preferred course of action, you will have to first convince several hard-headed members of the town council.
Level: 7 (easy DC 15, moderate DC 19, hard DC 23)
Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 6 failures).  There are 5 NPCs present, as described in the module.  Some of the NPCs may already support the PCs' position and not need to be convinced.  The PCs could address 2-3 of their attempts towards each reluctant NPC, and 2-3 towards the group in general.
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Streetwise.
Bluff (moderate DCs):  You try to encourage the NPC to support your position using false pretenses.
Diplomacy (moderate DCs):  You argue your position with reason and emotional appeal.
History (hard DCs): You remind the council of similar historical events which support your position.  Most will just believe that their particular circumstance is different unless you think of a particularly pertinent example.
Insight (hard DCs): You empathize with the NPC and try to gain their support.  This will generally have the effect of reinforcing their existing position but can occasionally sway an opinion.
Intimidate (hard DCs): You threaten the NPC either directly or indirectly.  It is counterproductive to intimidate Delora or Soranna, and intimidating these two counts as a failure.
Streetwise (moderate DCs): You attempt to convince your target using information you've gained in the community.
Special: Certain circumstances may count as automatic successes.  PCs using Koth's map and notes in support of their position is an automatic success.  If Jorr saw the horde's might at Cinder Hill, his testimony counts as two successes.  If the PCs fought off the goblin raid or raider attack, each victory counts as a success.
Success: The council decides to back your course of action.  See the module for the following events depending on if the PCs advocated fighting, evacuation or talking with the horde.  Award 1,000 XP for success and 500 extra XP if the PCs advocated evacuation.
Failure: If the PCs fail to convince the council of anything, the council sends out a delegation to negotiate with the horde.  The delegation is ignored and the horde attacks.

Massacre at Drellin's Ferry
If the PCs try to stand up to the horde, run this event.  Basically, send increasing waves of hobgoblins at the adventurers until they either get the idea or die.
First Wave: level 9, 2,000 XP
2 manticores (level 10 elite skirmisher) (MM 184)
Second Wave: level 11, 2,900 XP
3 griffons (level 7 brute) (MM 147)
2 wyverns (level 10 skirmisher) (MM 268)
2  Kulkor Zuul war adepts (level 10 artillery) (custom)
Third Wave: level 14, 4,550 XP
Abithrax, young adult red dragon (level 12 solo soldier) (custom, though similar to MM 82-83)
3 doom fist monks (level 8 skirmisher) 
Assault Barge: level 14, 5,360 XP
3 Blood Ghost berserkers (level 7 brute) (custom)
Kulkor Zuul war adept (level 10 artillery) (custom)
2 Doom Hand clerics (level 5 soldier) (custom)*
4 hell hounds (level 7 brute) (MM 160)
3 hobgoblin bladebearers (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)*
20 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)

Total XP for Part 1: 20,466 XP without random encounters or Massacre at Drellin's Ferry
Notes: The party should be midway through level 7 if they've done well in this part.
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Part 2: see below...

Part 3: coming soon

Whoops, getting a little long.  Continued in next post.


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## Benimoto (Jun 19, 2008)

Part 4:
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PART 4
Notes on Part 4: This part is intended for early level 10 PCs, who will reach level 11 by the end of this part.  The main action of this part all takes place during one day, which may be problematic from a healing and recovery perspective.  Suggestions are given below for some unusual healing circumstances.  

Audience With the Lords: level 10, 2500 xp
major skill challenge
Notes: Divide this up into 3 parts?

Battlefield Resources
Reinforcements: *** 
Magic Items: 7 parcels
Healing: Tredora Goldenbow has prayed for and received a special ritual from Pelor for the battle ahead.  The ritual takes 10 minues and will fully heal and refresh the PCs as if they had taken an extended rest.  The components are rare, but she has enough to cast the ritual twice.  (Note that if she is not at the cathedral, she will only be available able to cast it once.)
Notes: The “ritual of healing” is cheesy, but it's my best idea to allow the whole battle to be run in one night.

Save the Walls: level 11, 3200 xp
4 hill giants (level 13 brute) (MM 121)
Creatures: Note that there is errata for the hill giants, bring their club damage to ***
Tactics: The setup where the hill giants are throwing rocks 500 feet to the walls doesn't work in 4e.  Consider putting the hill giant a mere 80 feet from the walls and describing the archers on the walls as too cowed by the boulders to lay down any significant fire or too inaccurate to hit their AC.
  When the PCs reach the giants, the walls have 700 hit points left, AC 3 (and concealment), Defenses 15 and Resist all 5.  They will last the same 25 rounds the module mentions if the giants are left to their attacks.
  There is no bonus for higher ground.  The giants will fight the PCs if engaged in melee or bloodied by ranged attacks.  They will flee if reduced below 30 hit points.
Treasure: 2 parcels

Abithrax's Rampage: level 12, 3500 xp
Abithrax, young adult red dragon (level 12 solo soldier) (custom, though similar to MM 82-83)
Tactics: As mentioned in the module, Abithrax casually terrorizes the city without any significant opposition until the PCs arrive.  When the PCs draw his attention, he attacks them using the general red dragons tactics from the Monster Manual (MM 82).  As mentioned in the module, he favors those displaying holy symbols of good gods as targets.  He only has his breath weapon to fight with from the air, so unless the party is entirely unable to affect an aerial target, he stays in melee, fighting to the death.
Brindol in Flames: This is a good place for a skill challenge.
Development: If Tredora is stationed at the cathedral, she will be available to perform the ritual of healing on the PCs.  If she is stationed elsewhere in the city, she is unable to be found before moving to the next part of the battle.
Notes: What level for Abithrax?  11?  12? 13?  Does it make a big difference?

Streets of Blood
Setup: The PCs get 1 Lion of Brindol (custom) and 10 town guards (use human lackeys, MM 162, but describe the club as a spear).  If they have an alliance with the elves, they can call upon an elven strafing run twice during the battle.
  The barricade is physically set up as described in the module.  Medium and small creatures can move through the barricade using a squeeze action (PHB 292).  Note that squeezing is a separate move action and not part of a normal move.  Jumping the barricade requires a DC 40 Athletics check, or DC 20 with a running start.  Each square of the barricade can be destroyed by a DC 24 Strength check, or it can be damaged by attacks.  Each square has 40 hit points, AC 4, and Defenses 12.  A destroyed square becomes difficult terrain, and can be rebuilt in 4 rounds, or fixed by restoring 10 hit points per round of work.
Healing: Allow the PCs to recover as if they had taken a short rest between each wave, even though only 1d4+2 rounds pass.

Streets of Blood, First Wave: level 9, 1928 xp
1 manticore (level 10 elite skirmisher) (MM 184)
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) (MM 140)
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Creatures: There is only one manticore, since it is elite.  The hobgoblin warriors are equipped with longbows with essentially the same stats as their longswords: Ranged 20/40 +10 vs. AC; 6 damage.

Streets of Blood, Second Wave: level 10, 2400 xp
8 Blood Ghost berserkers (level 7 brute) (custom)

Streets of Blood, Third Wave: level 11, 3000 xp
5 bluespawn stormlizards (level 9 brute) (custom)
5 goblin riders (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)

Streets of Blood, Fourth Wave: level 12, 3500 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher) (custom)
1 Kulkor Zuul mindbender (level 10 controller) (custom)
Creatures: There is only one mindbender.
Notes: If the PCs aren't completely exhausted, consider running this wave regardless of whether the PCs cleared the hatchery in part 2.

Streets of Blood, Fifth Wave: level 13, 3850 xp
2 ghost dire lions (level 8 elite brute) (custom)
3 ghost brute lions (level 8 lurker) (custom)
4 lesser bonedrinkers (level 8 soldier) (custom)
Notes: Hopefully there's no need to run this.

Streets of Blood Development
Streets of blood is a grueling encounter and the PCs are likely depleted of resources at this point.  Allow them to find Tredora Goldenbow, where she will perform the ritual of healing to refresh the PCs as if they had taken an extended rest.  If she is in the cathedral, then the PCs will exit the cathedral to witness the aftermath of Skather's sniper attack.  Otherwise, the PCs receive Jarmaath's telepathic summons to the cathedral square to begin the next phase of the battle.

Sniper Attack: level 11, 3000 xp
2 Kulkor Zuul war adepts (level 10 artillery) (custom)
Skather, blackspawn ninja (level 14 elite or level 9 solo) (custom)
Setup: Skather lurks in the coffin shop, firing his bow at the unwitting targets below.  He has used his assassin's arrow power to kill several soldiers.  He has no particular way to knock Lord Jarmaath unconscious, aside from reducing him to 0 hit point, but if you'd like to say that he has used a strange and unusual poison on Jarmaath, go ahead.  The mechanics for Skather's superior cover have changed (see PHB 188) but the result is similar.  PCs beating Skather's stealth check by less than 10 (he has +18) only learn the rough direction and distance of his attacks, but cannot pinpoint his location.  If pinpointed, he will hide again on his next turn.
Tactics: As the PCs draw near, the combat plays out similarly to the description in the module.  PCs targetting Skather from the street take -5 to their attacks if they can spot him at all.  You may consider rolling for initiative as soon as the PCs draw close to the building and having the war adepts take readying actions.  Nobody has any potions to drink or scrolls to use.  When the war adepts are bloodied, they will try to flee upstairs, using their tactical teleport ability to avoid the caltrops.  The caltrops attack at +15 vs. AC and deal 3 ongoing damage and the target is slowed (save ends both).  Skather fights until reduced below 60 hit points, at which point he will try to flee to the fane of Tiamat, as described in the module.
Treasure: 1 parcel

Final Battle: level 12+, 3600+ xp
4 ogre thugs (level 11 minion) (MM 198)
2 hill giants (level 13 brute) (MM 121)
Wyrmlord Kharn (level 12 elite soldier) (custom)
Creatures: The ogres are minions now.  Hopefully that won't be too jarring of a shift.  As mentioned, any wyrmlords who have fled, or even the Ghostlord are also present for this battle.
Notes: The module's description works great for this battle.  Kharn and the hill giants are tanks, but they should eventually go down.

Victory Points:
If the PCs have over 40 victory points, they earn XP for an 11th level major quest (3,000 XP for 5 PCs).
Notes:  If the PCs started at level 6, and have done well in the module, then they should make level 11 by this point.  This is a very appropriate point for their entry into the paragon tier, so if they didn't make 11 and have been doing well, consider fudging the quest XP to make them level 11.

Total XP for Part 4: 29,628 (33,478 with streets of blood fifth wave).
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Part 5:
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PART 5
Notes on Part 5: This part is intended for level 11 characters, who will reach level 12 partway through.  If the PCs are not level 11 yet, some random encounters in the Wyrmsmoke mountains may be useful.
  Suggestions for random encounters:
6 blackspawn raiders (see guard barracks)
8 blood ghost berserkers (see part 4)
either ogre encounter group (MM 199)
ettin encounter group (MM 108)
either manticore encounter group (MM 184)
galeb duhr encounter group (MM 114)
level 12 cyclops encounter (MM 112)
  The features of the fane are as suggested in the module, with reinforced masonry walls, iron doors, and stone secret doors.  The Percetion DC to notice a secret door is 25.
  Security is as mentioned in the module.  There are a few lower-level encounters where it is specifically recommended that 3 of the blackspawn raiders interrupt the combat, but otherwise it isn't necessary to have too many pointless confrontations with the guards.

The Mark of Tiamat: level 13, 4000 xp
Tyragun, adult blue dragon (level 13 solo artillery) (MM 78)
Creature: Taking his role as guardian of the fane seriously, Tyragun has taken both skill training and skill focus in perception, giving him a +21 modifier instead of the +23 mentioned in the module.  (Passive Perception is thus 31).  His stats are otherwise the same as the adult blue dragon in the Monster Manual.  He no longer has the sound imitation ability, so he is simply making an untrained Bluff check (at +8) to play his little game at the beginning of the encounter.  He no longer has any buff spells to cast before combat.
Tactics: Tyragun's simple tactics are essentially the same as in the module.  He flies down to a point level with the ledge and uses his breath weapon to bombard the PCs to death.  Instead of a wand of fireballs, he now has the lightning burst ability to supplement his breath weapon.  If forced into melee, he uses his fury ability, spending an action point to use frightful presence or attack again, when available.  He avoids landing if at all possible.  Tyragun normally flies level with the cliff ledge, so any stalls will cause a 150-foot fall that deals 75 damage.  If he is being repeatedly dropped into the chasm, he will switch to flying 10 squares above the ledge with the PCs, where he can safely land if knocked out of the air.

The Mark of Tiamat: level 9, 2000 xp
Tiamat Trap!
Notes: ***

Dragon's Lair
Treasure: 7 parcels?
Notes:

Foyer: level 10, 2500 xp
3 blue abishai (level 11 skirmisher) (custom)
2 zombie hulks (level 8 brute) (MM 275)
Tactics: The abishai no longer have any of their summoning or spell-like abilities.  They will simply harass the PCs with their flyby attacks, preferring to land back on their ledges or otherwise end their turn out of the PCs' reach when possible.
Notes:  One more abishai than in the module, but it should fit.

Guard Barracks: level 11, 3000 xp
6 blackscale raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier) (MM 86)
Creatures: Use the stats for dragonborn gladiators, but change their description and the damage type of their breath weapon to reflect their black dragon heritage.
Tactics: No potions, no oils.  The gladiators follow their Monster Manual tactics in combat.
Notes: Should I use 4 dragonborn raiders instead of 6 gladiators?  Should they have a more varied group?

Torture Chamber: level 11, 3000 xp
4 chain devils (level 11 skirmisher) (MM 62)
4 legion devil hellguards (level 11 minon) (MM 64)
Tactics: Disregard the module tactics and use the chain devil tactics from the Monster Manual.  
Notes: Bone devils are much to high level now and chain devils are better torturers anyways.  This is a small room for 8 enemies.

Priest Cells: level 11, 2928 xp
2  red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 11 elite soldier) (custom)
6 hobgoblin zealots (hobgoblin warriors) (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Tactics: The clerics still react to intrusion with the same amount of shock and rage, but their tactics are much more straightforward.
Notes: Same old hobgoblin minions they've been fighting the whole adventure, just dressed in cleric's clothing now.  Should I bother leveling up the minions to level 10 just for the two encounters they'll be in?

Laryssa's Kitchen: level 10, 2600 xp
Laryssa, night hag (level 14 lurker) (MM 151)
2 bearded devils (level 13 soldier) (MM 60)
Tactics: Laryssa uses essentially the same tactics outside of combat.  Her Passive Insight DC is 20, if the party tries to bluff her.  If she gets the drop on the party, consider giving her the shapeshifting powers of a bog hag instead her own powers, allowing her to appear as an elf (or eladrin) maiden.  She has a +13 Bluff skill to maintain this ruse.  During a fight, she uses her wave of sleep instead of magic missile.  If she renders a PC unconscious, she can use her dream haunting in combat.
Treasure: 1 parcel
Notes: This encounter translated fairly smoothly, but the PCs may be slightly higher level by the time they reach this point.  If the confrontation raises a lot of noise, perhaps a guard patrol could interrupt.

Great Temple of Tiamat: level 10, 2500 xp
5 wyverns (level 10 skirmisher) (MM 268)
Tactics: The wyverns use their suggested tactics from the Monster Manual.
Notes: There is no exact conversion for the unhallow or invisibility purge effects in this room.  Due the reduced effect of invisibility spells, they may not be necessary, but it is easy to simply add their effects back in to this without a known ritual to create the effects.  Again, since the party may be higher than level 10 at this point, perhaps a guard could interrupt and join the battle.

Cavern of the Guardian Spawn: level 11, 3000 xp
3 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher?) (custom)
Tactics: The greenspawn use essentially the same tactics, though they do not attempt to sunder weapons.
Notes: Seems like lurkers might be more appropriate here.  Still, the razorfiends were great, dangerous fun in my 3rd edition playthrough.

Outer Sanctum: level 13, 3928 xp
2  red hand warpriests (hobgoblin hand of bane) (level 11 elite soldier) (custom)
6 hobgoblin zealots (hobgoblin warriors) (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
2 advanced wraiths (level 10 lurker) (custom)
Tactics: The priests are distracted, and so their Passive Perception DC is only 8.  As in the priest cells, the warpriests are more straightforward melee combatants, though they retain a limited ability to dominate foes.
Notes: There are only two wraiths.  If you wish to replicate the effects of the aid spell, consider giving all combatants 5 temporary HP and +1 to attack rolls.  Non-worshippers of Tiamat using the altar face an attack at +20 vs. Will.  If the attack hits, the target is reduced to 0 hp.  If the attack misses, the target is stunned (save ends). Aftereffect: the target is dazed (save ends).
  The shaft to the inner sanctum will likely be inaccessible to PCs at the suggested levels for this adventure.  To solve this, consider the following suggestion: the shaft is enchanted to grant a limited form of flight to those using it.  A creature standing in, or on the edge of the shaft feels swirling winds picking up around them. At the end of 3 round, a non-flying creature can fly in the shaft at a speed of 6, as a clumsy flier (see DMG 48).  Exiting the shaft or landing ends the effect.  Also, as there is the possibility that a PC may be pushed or jump down the shaft in the final confrontation in the inner sanctum, consider reducing the height, since the DMG categorizes a 100 foot fall as “deadly” obstacle.  A 50-70 foot fall may be more reasonable.

High Wyrmlord's Chambers: level 11, 3100 xp
2 succubus (level 9 controller) (MM 67)
2 bearded devils (level 13 solider) (MM 60)
2 rot scarab swarms (level 8 solider) (MM 30)
Creatures: In addition to Azarr Kul's two charming consorts, two rot scarab swarms are hiding under the bed in dragon-headed canopic jars.  The sound of combat brings them out to attack.  They recognize Lucia and Francesca's perfume and will not attack them.  Additionally, two bearded devils “coincidentally” appear in the summoning circle if it is still intact at this point.
Tactics: The two succubi use their charming kiss ability to procure unwilling bodyguards, and their domination ability to cause general havoc.  They attempt to escape if they are bloodied.  The rot scarabs swarm and bite with minimal intelligence.  If present, the devils fight as well as they can with their glaives in the cramped quarters.
Treasure: 2 parcels
Notes: This is a very small room, so there may be problems even fitting all these creatures in.

Summoning Room
Notes: This circle counts as a permanent teleportation circle for the purposes of the linked portal and planar portal rituals.  The PCs may memorize and use the sigils surrounding this circle for their own use, or they may destroy the circle.  The circle has 200 hp, AC 26, Defenses 24 and resist all 10.  If the PCs choose to destroy the circle loudly, the succubi in the room across the hall may notice (effective Passive Perception 13, counting the door as a penalty on their check.)  If the portal “coincidentally” opens when the PCs are present to release the bearded devils, then it stays open for a round, linked to Tiamat's court in the Nine Hells.  PCs entering the portal are in way above their heads.

Treasury: level 13, 4000 xp

Wall of Tiamat's Wrath
Dragonchest Traps!
Treasure: 3 parcels 
Notes: This is another difficult conversion.  The dragonchest traps shouldn't count towards the main encounter XP, and the wall of wrath should be more interesting and involved.  The actual monster(s) should be more like controllers, with some capability to lure or move the PCs into the wall of wrath trap.

Inner Sanctum: level 14, 5000 xp
5 blue abshai (level 11 skirmisher) (custom)
High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul (level 14 elite soldier) (custom)
Tactics: Azarr Kul is now more of a straightforward melee combatant.  He engages the PCs in melee straightaway using the tactics noted in his creature entry.  The abishai have no summoning ability to use, so they fight by using their flyby attacks.  They are aware of the High Wyrmlord's antilife shell ability, and try not to land close to him if he is engaged in melee.  If they have managed to escape to this location, Lucia and Francesca cause as much trouble as they can with their abilities.  They start the combat fully healed by Tiamat's divine energy.  Azarr Kul does not have a particularly good escape plan anymore.  Perhaps I should devise one.
Notes: The rushing winds in the chamber cause only a -5 penalty to perception checks.  There is no straight equivalent to the unhallow and silence spells, but none are probably necessary.  See the notes entry for the outer sanctum for special rules regarding the shaft.

Tiamat's Wrath: level 15, 6000 xp
Aspect of Tiamat (level 15 solo brute) (custom)
Tactics: After manifesting (see notes, below) the apect fights using the tactics outlined in her creature entry.  If the PCs flee, the aspect is happy to rampage around in the local countryside, as outlined in the module.
Notes: The sequence of events following the death of Azarr Kul should play out in roughly the same way.  Creatures hearing the roar of Timat are attacked at +20 vs. Fortitude and are deafened (save ends) if hit.  Any unlucky creatures standing on the pedestal as the aspect manifests are attacked 5 times at +20 vs. Reflex for 3d8+5  acid, cold, fire, lightning, then poison damage in turn, half damage on a miss and then pushed off the pedestal and knocked prone.

Conclusion:
Treasure: 5 treasure parcels

Total XP for Part 5: 44700
Notes: 
[/sblock]

When I'm done, I'll probably post a PDF, complete with better-formatted monster stat blocks.


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## Zaukrie (Jun 19, 2008)

A PDF would be great. Not as great as some tile maker thing someone did one day, but great nonetheless


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## ff6shadow (Jun 19, 2008)

First I want to say I love this idea. Red Hand was my groups favorite adventure ever.

Second, I just wanted to combat on the Blood Ghost Berserker stats you worked up. They seem like simple warriors, but they don't have anything that simulate the barbarian rage they had before. Maybe just something like and immediate action attack that does a little more damage than normal when they first become bloodied, and then some bonus damage to their attacks while their bloodied.

Thats all I can think of right now. Pretty tired. Maybe tommorrow, I'll find my copy and try and help out some.


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## Benimoto (Jun 20, 2008)

ff6shadow said:
			
		

> First I want to say I love this idea. Red Hand was my groups favorite adventure ever.
> 
> Second, I just wanted to combat on the Blood Ghost Berserker stats you worked up. They seem like simple warriors, but they don't have anything that simulate the barbarian rage they had before. Maybe just something like and immediate action attack that does a little more damage than normal when they first become bloodied, and then some bonus damage to their attacks while their bloodied.
> 
> Thats all I can think of right now. Pretty tired. Maybe tommorrow, I'll find my copy and try and help out some.



Thanks!  I wanted to keep the Blood Ghosts pretty simple, since in their main appearance, there's 8 of them in a single encounter.  Still, an extra damaging attack when they're bloodied is a good idea, and would make them similar to the human berserkers in the MM.


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## Benimoto (Jun 20, 2008)

Okay, I updated part 1 with any changes I had. I'm done with my first longer draft of Part 2, but it was too long to insert in the post above, so here it is.  Again, I plan to make at least one more editing check through this and I plan to assign specific treasures before running it.

I start this on Tuesday with my group, so hence the rush of activity.

PART 2:
[sblock]
PART 2
Notes on Part 2:  PCs who started part 1 at level 6 should be midway through level 7 when they start this part.  They should be level 9 (or close to it) by the end of this part.

The Elsir War
This conversion document assumes that you run all of the Elsir War events except Captured! and Into the Horde.  The PCs are probably eager to strike at the Red Hand forces after the events of part 1, so feel free to save most of the events until after the main action of this part.  If you want specific advice, run Easy Skirmish as the PCs head towards one of the roadblocks on the way to Rhest.  Run Dirty Rotten Looters, Mercenary Gold, the Not-So-Sick Spy and Barghest Reavers after they return from the ruins of Rhest at the end of this part.  Run Marked For Death after they return from the Ghostlord's lair in part 3, but before they reach Brindol for part 4.
  If your PCs are above the recommended levels for each part, you may not need to run these.  If they are below the recommended level, feel free to add some more random encounters to earn them more XP.

Easy Skirmish: level 6, 1,204 XP
1 hobgoblin bladebearer (level 5 skirmisher) (custom)
1 hell hound (level 7 brute) (MM  160)
8 hobgoblin warriors  (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Tactics: The hobgoblin warriors are equipped with longbows with essentially the same stats as their longswords: Ranged 20/40 +10 vs. AC; 6 damage.  Their tactics play out as described the module.

Dirty Rotten Looters: level 7, 1,350 XP
4 halfling prowlers (level 6 skirmisher) (MM 153)
1 eladrin twilight incanter (level 8 controller) (MM 102)
Creatures: The Crimson Tiger thugs are halflings now, and they are led by an eladrin.
Tactics: The halflings attempt to flee when bloodied.  Once at least two flee, the whole group tries to escape.

Mercenary Gold: level 8, 1,750 XP
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) (MM 108)
5 goblin skullcleavers (level 3 brute) (MM 137)
Creatures: There is one less ettin and one more goblin.
Tactics: The goblins have no javelins, so they will reluctantly engage in melee when the ettin does.
Treasure: 6,000 gold, a princely sum as described in the module.
Notes: But, the right thing to do is to return that gold and earn valuable victory points!

The Not-So-Sick Spy: level 8, 1,750 XP
1 bog hag (level 10 skirmisher) (MM 150)
2 human berserkers (level 4 brute) (MM163)
12 human lackeys (level 7 minion) (MM 162)
Creatures:  Poor Miha is a hag now, making the awesome art useless.  Give her skill training and skill focus in Bluff, making her modifier +15.  If a fight breaks out, a small mob rises to defend Miha.  The PCs may be able to calm the mob as a skill challenge even as they fight Miha.
Tactics: Miha uses the tactics suggested for a bog hag in the Monster Manual.

Barghest Reavers: level 8, 1,728 XP
3 worgs (level 9 brute) (MM 265)
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Creatures: Due to the lack of barghests in the Monster Manual, we've substituted worgs, which are about at the right level range.  The hobgoblin warriors are equipped with longbows with essentially the same stats as their longswords: Ranged 20/40 +10 vs. AC; 6 damage.
Tactics: Lay the encounter out in the same fashion, but since the worgs are much simpler melee combatants than 3e barghests, they will simply engage the adventurers without using any spell-like abilities.
Notes: Instead of 3 worgs, you could use 5 spined devils (MM 66) for a more supernatural encounter.

Marked For Death: level 12, 3,390 XP
2 howling hags (level 7 controller) (MM 150)
4 blackspawn raiders (dragonborn gladiators) (level 10 soldier)  (MM 86)
1 ogre skirmisher (level 8 brute) (MM 199)
5 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Creatures: The greater barghests have been replaced by howling hags.
Tactics: The setup for this encounter should work as written.  While there is no time spent buffing, the hags and blackspawn will hide in an attempt to ambush the adventurers.  The hags move just close enough to the PCs to use their shriek of pain and howl attacks, while trying to stay out of melee.
Notes: Saving this for a dull point in part 3 might be a good idea.  Perhaps spring this on the PCs at the end of part 3 as the reach civilization after dealing with the Ghostlord.  Since this comes later in the adventure, when the PCs will likely be level 9 or 10, it has been increased to a level 12 encounter.

Total XP: 11,172 XP for these optional encounters.

Road Blockade: level 7, 1,628 XP
2 ogre skirmisher (level 8 brute) (MM 199)
2 hobgoblin commanders (level 5 soldier) (MM 140)
6 hobgoblin warriors (level 8 minion) (MM 138)
Combat: As the PCs approach, if they roll under a 10 on their Stealth checks, the blockade lookouts will notice them.
Tactics: There is a reduced opportunity for goblin slapstick, since the minions here will never take enough damage to panic but not kill them.  The ladder is DC 0 and there are no rules for accelerated climbing, meaning it is impossible to fall off the ladder.

Spawn of Tiamat: level 7, 1,600 XP
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher) (custom)
1 greenscale marsh mystic (level 6 controller) (MM 179)
2 greenscale hunter (level 4 skirmisher) (MM 178)
Creatures: Several lizardfolk are hunting nearby and do not hesitate to join the battle, hoping to take down PCs weakened by the greenspawn.  The razorfiend is indifferent to the lizardfolk's presence in the battle and is much more likely to attack the PCs, who are more interesting, wealthier and tastier than lizardfolk.
Tactics: The razorfiend uses its leap attack to reach weaker PCs in the back ranks.  The lizardfolk stay on the edges of the combat, hoping to pick off weakened PCs.
Treasure: 2 parcels.
Notes: If the lizardfolk are caught and interrogated, they can tell the PCs of the Red Hand's presence in Rhest, and of their black dragon god, Regiarix.

Starsong Hill
Starsong Hill is an opportunity to interact with the Tiri Kitor.  Feel free to roleplay and improvise but be aware that it is important to determine how the 4 elves mentioned under the “important people” heading think of the party.
Quest: The Elf Alliance: When the PCs reach this point, you may make them aware that gaining the alliance of the Tiri Kitor against the Red Hand horde is a level 7 major quest, worth 1,500 XP.
Important People:  The adventurers can impress some of the elves either with their deeds, or through skill challenges.  All the skill challenges should be complexity 1 or 2, and run at the level of the party (7 or 8).  The XP for these challenges is folded into the elf alliance quest.
  Key skills for Killiar Arrowswift could be Insight, Athletics and Nature.  Sellyria Starsinger could respond well to Arcana, Nature and Religion.  Trellara Nightshadow is easy to impress, but if you want to make it a check, consider Bluff, Insight and Perception.  Illian Snowmantle appears after the funeral and might respond well to Diplomacy, Religion, and History.
Lanikar's Funeral: As there is no more performance skill, Bluff, History, Insight or a raw Charisma check could determine the PCs reception at the funeral.  Easy DCs are considered routine and Hard DCs are considered great.  Keep a note of how many of each type of success each party member gets.

Random Encounters in the Blackfens: level 6-10, XP variable
At least one random encounter or clash with the lizardfolk may be necessary to have the party reach level 8 by the time they strike at the Rhest town hall.  Suggested random encounters for the Blackfens include:
chuul encounter (level 10, XP 2,500) (MM 43)
shambling mound encounter (level 9, XP 1,900) (MM 232)
grick encounter (level 8, XP 1,900) (MM 145)
vine horror encounter (level 8, XP 1,900) (MM 260)
greenspawn razorfiend(s) (see Spawn of Tiamat encounter, above) (level 7)
carrion crawler encounter (level 7, XP 1,500) (MM 40)
otyugh encounter (level 7, XP 1,450) (MM 211)
stirge encounter (level 7, XP 1,500) (MM 248)
harpy encounter (level 6, XP 1,250) (MM 154)

Lizardfolk Huts: level 6, 1,300 XP
1 greenscale marsh mystic (level 6 controller) (MM 179)
2 blackspawn bruisers (level 6 brute) (MM 179)
1 greenscale darter (level 5 lurker) (MM 178)
2 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher) (MM 178)
Notes: Just using the Monster Manual lizardfolk encounter here.  Feel free to switch around some of the monsters or replace some with visejaw crocodiles (MM 45) for variety if the party goes on a lizardfolk extermination rampage.

Bell Tower: level 7, 1,400 XP
4 hogboblin archers (level 3 soldier) (MM 139)
4 more hogboblin archers (level 3 soldier) (MM 139)
Korkulan, hobgoblin bladebearer (level 5 solider) (custom)
Creatures: Each wave has one more hobgoblin now.
Treasure: 2 parcels.

The Town Hall
Notes:  The town hall can be a challenge to DM.  There are a dozen separate creatures here, and combat with any one will alert several others.  In 4e, there is almost no concept of a spell or attack that can take out a group of creatures before they have the opportunity to make noise and alert others.  Thus, it is almost inevitable that the entire area will be on alert quickly and raring for battle.  As a DM, you don't want to (nor is it even physically possible to) have every monster in the area attacking the PCs at once.  Instead, throw the encounters at your party in small groups.  2 or even 3 encounters can be grouped into one larger encounter, and the notes sections in each encounter even mention which encounters go well together.  Specifically, my advice is to merge the boardwalk and hatchery encounters, have Nurklenak and the ettin fight together, and to have Saarvith mounted on Regiarix.  
  Remember to allow the party the chance to rest occasionally.  Even when the alarm is raised, the Red Hand troops may well occasionally wait 5 minutes to prepare or set up an ambush instead of all streaming out to attack.
  The PCs should be 8th level by the time they reach here.  If they are not, some random or lizardfolk encounters could be needed.

Roof: level 7, 1,400 XP
4 ogre skirmishers (level 8 skirmisher) (MM 199)
Tactics: As the module states, these ogres should quickly alert the other denizens of the town hall.

Boardwalk: level 5, 1,050 XP
3 ogre savages (level 8 brute) (MM 199)
Creatures: Added one more ogre.
Notes: Even so, 3 monsters is kind of on the low side of challenging, tactically.  Unless the PCs are being total ninjas here, the ogres here get the razorfiend from the hatchery to join the fight, pronto.

Razorfiend Hatchery: level 5, 1,000 XP
1 greenspawn razorfiend (level 10 elite skirmisher) (custom)
Tactics: Any noise here will immediately draw the three ogres from the boardwalk into the fight, and eventually alert everything in the whole area. 

Ettin Guardpost: level 5, 1,000 XP
1 ettin marauder (level 10 elite soldier) (MM 108)
Tactics:  As soon as the mindbender Nurklenak is aware of combat in the area, he will open his door to this room.  When the PCs engage the ettin, he will join the combat immediately.  Even if he is not forewarned, Nurkelnak will join the fight as soon as he is aware of it (probably on the first round the ettin acts).  Any noise will alert Saarvith as well, who will mount up and join the combat in a few minutes.

Interrogation Room: level 5, 1,000 XP
Nurklenak, hobgoblin mindbender (level 10 elite controller) (custom)*
Tactics:  Nurklenak should fight with his ettin rather than alone here.  If cornered alone here, he will try to find any other allies to fight with rather than facing the party alone.
Treasure: 1 parcel.

Saarvith's HQ: level 3, 800 XP
Wyrmlord Saarvith, goblin ranger (level 9 elite artillery) (custom)*
Creatures: Sarvith's eagle is no longer a threat in combat, but could still be present as background detail.
Tactics: If the PCs have somehow killed everyone else but Saarvith, he surrenders.  But, unless the PCs have been superhumanly fast or stealthy, Saarvith will not even be here.  Instead, he will be readying his gear and mounting Regiarix in preparation for battle.  See the section below for Saarvith's specific tactics when mounted.
Treasure: 2 parcels and a letter.
Notes: Opening the chest in Saarvith's room is a Thievery DC 30. 

Regiarix's Lair: level 10, 2,500 XP
Regiarix, young adult black dragon (level 10 solo lurker) (custom, but similar to MM 75)
Creatures: Regiarix is a large dragon now.  Assuming the alarm is raised, which it almost surely should be, Saarvith is here on dragonback, lurking in ambush.
Tactics: If the alarm is raised, Regiarix and Saarvith will be lurking underwater, waiting to ambush the PCs.  Since he has total concealment in the murky water, PCs beating his Stealth check (typically around 31) with their Perception checks only know that something is lurking in the water.  They need to beat Regiarix's check by 10 or more to actually pinpoint him.
  It doesn't matter much though since as soon as a reasonable concentration of PCs is in the room, Regiarix bursts from the water, surprising those failing their Perception checks.  On the surprise round he breathes on the assembled PCs, spends an action point to use his cloud of darkness, and then uses his move action to fly up and out of the building, an action that those in the cloud of darkness will be entirely unaware of.
  Outside, he begins circling the building, either flying low in the air or entirely underwater.  If Saarvith is not with him, or falls off during the combat, Regiarix lands near him to pick him up.  He prefers to stay in the air, using his breath weapon and Saarvith's arrows to pick off the PCs one by one.  Only if the PCs have a clear ranged advantage, or if he has taken half their group out of the battle, does he land to engage in melee.  His first round in melee, he uses another action point (if he has any left) to use his frightful presence, and then tears into the party with a double attack.  He prefers to keep 1 square between him and the PCs so that Saarvith can fire without drawing opportunity attacks.  If reduced below 100 hit points, he withdraws from combat and flies off, taking his rider with him if possible.  This makes Regiarix the dragon voted “most likely to return in part 5.”
Treasure: 3 parcels, including the Ghostlord's phylactery.
Notes:  The party should be level 8 by the time they attack the town hall, but even so, Regiarix and Saarvith together are a high level 11 fight, a hard fight for that level.  If you think they will overwhelm your party, feel free to decrease their levels, have them spend rounds lurking underwater, or suggest that your party withdraw and come back later.

Concluding Part 2
The PCs should have learned of the role of the Ghostlord and realized they have a powerful bargaining chip against him.  It is a good time to use most of the “Elsir War” encounters as the PCs travel across the vale towards the Thornwaste.  As the module mentions, this is a hook too good to miss.  If the PCs somehow fail to find the phylactery, or fail to grasp its significance, perhaps some of the Tiri Kitor could clue them in.
  As the PCs return to Starsong Hill, total up their alliance points, as described in the module.  If they have 9 or more alliance points, they succeed in the Elf Alliance quest, earning 1,500 XP as mentioned in the description above.  They may also earn the use of the giant owl mounts.

Total XP for Part 2: 16,178 XP from the main part, plus11,172 XP from the Elsir War encounters.
Notes: As mentioned, the party should be level 8 by the time they hit the ruins of Rhest.  They should be level 9 by the time they finish here (including the Elsir War encounters on the way to the Thornwaste).
[/sblock]


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## the8bitdeity (Jun 24, 2008)

Hello folks, 
    I too am interested in porting Red Hand of Doom to 4ed, though I've got a few different design considerations. Thoughts are appreciated

- I'm thinking of envisioning the entire story as a heroic campaign. This would take the characters from level 1 to 10. 

- As a means of bulking up the material, I was planning incorporating "The scourge of the howling horde" mini-adventure (highly modified). 

- I also plan on adding some more elements to bulk the characters up before they hit the Drellis Ferry encounter. Numerous smaller encounters that aren't necessarily serial, that provide hints that something is amiss in the land. All these smaller events / encounters will eventually lead the party to Drellis Ferry to start the main module. 

- I'm on the fence if I should allow the prologue section(pre-part 1 of the module) to have "time" elements to it, or be event driven. Meaning, do I allow the characters to do the prologue at their own pace. I'm leaning in that direction, and have the countdown start at the DF encounter.


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## keterys (Jun 24, 2008)

I'd suggest having the timer start at DF, still. I'm guessing your arc would look somewhat similar to mine (I'm doing 3-12, fudging xp a little)

So, 
Prologue (Howling Horde) 1-2
Drellin's Ferry / Witchwood 3-4
Rhest and Advancing Army 5-6
Thornwaste 7
Brindol 8-9
Fane of Tiamat 10

Say. 

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do about the hydra. It's too early in the adventure (and 4e familiarity) for me to throw a solo higher level than the party at them, I think. Hrmm.


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## the8bitdeity (Jun 24, 2008)

Why not simply make a lower level hydra, and I don't mean level decrement the existing hydra. Just make a level 4 solo brute. Take the "taste" of the hydra attacks from the existing hydra entries, and try to scale them towards the capabilities of a level 4 solo brute. Perhaps use the Adult Kruthik as a starting point, then add the solo template. Re-flavour the powers to be a hydra. 

That'd be my K-I-S-S idea. Though I don't have too much experience yet in porting.


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## keterys (Jun 24, 2008)

Yeah, my primary consideration is a low level version of a hydra I made (check the last page of this pdf, or the first draft I made earlier in this thread)... or a different encounter entirely.

Where, amusingly, my first pick for a different encounter was a batch of Kruthik. I also considered it as a slight spin on 'Take five deathrattle vipers. Act like their tails are all tied together.'


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## Benimoto (Jun 25, 2008)

Okay, I'm leaving for Origins later tonight so I'll be away from the boards for about a week.  I'm almost done with my conversion, so I thought I'd upload what I have.  I've uploaded in two parts: one file with the module notes and another with the monster conversions.

I need to do at least one more editing pass, flesh out a few more skill challenges and assign specific treasures, but it should be playable already.  Any comments or other feedback is welcome.

I'll be back next week and try to bang out a final version then.


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## the8bitdeity (Jun 25, 2008)

I wasn't sure if separating the Vraath Keep into multiple encounters was a good or bad idea. I wanted to have a challenge at the Keep, but was afraid that if I overly populated the individual encounters, and the PCs triggered them all, we'd see a TPK (see the Irontooth encounter in KotS).


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## keterys (Jun 25, 2008)

I'm keeping them separate and don't intend for them to combine unless the players choose to*... but fair thing to worry about.

My current plan is for my group of ~6 level 4s to encounter:
1. Goblins and Worgs - 2 Worgs (Level 9 Brutes, 800 XP), 2 Goblin Skullcleavers
2. Manticore (Level 5 Solo, -3 defenses, -5 attack, 2 AP, +3 saves, 260 hp)
3. Minotaur Warrior (Level 6 Elite, 500 XP, -2 defenses, -4 attack, 1 AP, +2 saves, 144 hp) with 1 hobgoblin archer, 1 hobgoblin warcaster, and 2 hobgoblin soldiers
4. Wyrmlord Koth (Bugbear Warlock 6, 500), Bugbear Strangler (250), and 2 x Bugbear Warrior (400)

* I also have no problems having Irontooth delay entering the fight as described in the module, other DMs apparently did.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 26, 2008)

Dangit, Beni, I finally get back into town and get my hands on my books again, and you go and all but finish without me. 

Good work.


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## Boarstorm (Jun 27, 2008)

So, Benimoto, did you get to run the first session the day you planned?

How'd it go?


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## Benimoto (Jul 1, 2008)

Boarstorm said:


> So, Benimoto, did you get to run the first session the day you planned?
> 
> How'd it go?




I didn't play it yet.  One of the players couldn't make it, so we played Ravenloft instead.  I'm now scheduled for this Tuesday.


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## Underdark_Tourist (Jul 8, 2008)

I just wanted to say thanks for all the work you guys have put into this.  I plan on running this in the new Forgotten Realms and was dreading the conversion until I found this thread.  The monster conversions are top notch and the PDFs are a real help too.  Keep up the good work and I tip my hat to your love for D&D and gaming.


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## firesnakearies (Jul 13, 2008)

Any update on this project?


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## keterys (Jul 13, 2008)

I ended up using a level 3 Hydra and adding a twist for my group, if someone needed a lower level one.

[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/sblock]


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## firesnakearies (Jul 13, 2008)

Ah, cool idea!


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## timbannock (Jul 23, 2008)

I also salute you guys on this.  I'm about to run it for my 3.5 group, but this is making me seriously consider converting!

You guys are cooler than pants!


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## keterys (Jul 23, 2008)

In the forest leading up to Vraath, I put a random encounter with a solo owlbear chasing a goblin hexer and 8 goblin cutters, with the party popping up in the middle of the chase. That was a fun fight.

[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]


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## firesnakearies (Jul 24, 2008)

So, did we ever get a finished version of this up anywhere?


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## Merlin the Tuna (Jul 25, 2008)

You guys did a fantastic job of getting this together; the PDFs look great.  I have to imagine RHoD will play much better as a 4e adventure in general (thanks largely to the minion rules), so I really appreciate the work you did to get it here.

That said, somehow in the 20 seconds I spent looking at the Monsters PDF, I caught a stat block error. Azarr Kul has 284 HP; his bloodied threshold should be 142, not 147.

Again, great work, and thanks for putting this together.


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## Paraelemental (Jul 26, 2008)

*Any play update?*

I'm a fairly new DM and am thinking of running this in 4E myself, but like an earlier poster think the campaign would nicely cover the Heroic tier, starting out at L1 with a bit of foreshadowing to give the PCs and players ties to NPCs and locations, so they have an actual reason to stand in front of an invasion.
The main storywould probably start at 3rd or 4th level, winning the campaign would take you up to Paragon tier.  It just seems the sort of epic story arc endpoint the Tiers are set up for.  Thoughts?

So, that said, I like the PDFs so far, and hoping for some post-play revisions perhaps?

Good work.
Ian


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## Vrecknidj (Aug 4, 2008)

Brilliant work Ben (and everyone else), thanks!

Dave


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## Paraelemental (Aug 16, 2008)

*Just a bump...*

A quick bump, as I'm wondering how the play sessions went?
Cheers,
Ian


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## keterys (Aug 20, 2008)

Vraath Keep can be a lot trickier in 4e than in 3e - combats take more rounds and your resources are more encounter-based so pulling down multiple encounters is easy and more dangerous in that situation.

If I ran it again, I think I'd spread things out a bit and add an effective second floor to divide things up.


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## Paraelemental (Aug 24, 2008)

Hmm, that's a good point.  The Manticore doesn't join unless provoked- did your PCs attack it?  It could be off hunting, comes back with a bloody bullock in its claws (and drops it on the PCs...)  Koth could show more of an inclination to save his own hide?  Stick the Worg stables in another building?


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## Benimoto (Sep 24, 2008)

Hey guys, just an update on my play so far.

My party is now in the Lower Fane of Tiamat, and should be finishing the module next week.

Some notes on how things went:

My party had 6-7 players for most sessions during this part.  They had fun during the initial hobgoblin ambush, although it was perhaps too similar to the kobold ambushes in Keep on the Shadowfell, which we had played recently.  The woods and Vraath Keep weren't too much of a problem.  The manticore never joined the combat, but just the threat of it enhanced the situation.  The party failed to negotiate anything with Old Wracklegnaw, and then stormed the bridge at Skull Gorge.  That was a tough fight, but they made it.  They scouted the size of the army and really seemed to be enjoying the idea of fighting against an army.

Part 2 went fairly well.  The party meta-gamed their assault on the Ruins of Rhest, insisting on fighting lizardmen until they had hit level 8.  When they got to the ruins, some things went well and some things... went poorly.  The individual encounters went well enough, but the party triggered too many of them at once.  Then they took a short rest and triggered too many again.  They fled back to Starsong Hill before they could finish off Wyrmlord Saarvith or Regiatrix.  That night, the Dragon terrorized the village.  When they were returning to confront him, I had Saarvith and Regiatrix confront them in the middle of the swamp, as the party was on skiffs.  The PCs killed off Saarvith, but the encounter ended in essentially a TPK.  To keep the adventure going, I had to say that Killiar Arrowswift pulled them out of the swamp, and that the elves performed a Raise Dead ritual on them.

In part 3, I was down to 4 players, as two had gone back to college.  The players defeated Varinthian, and then mostly avoided Stormcaller and her crew, sneaking through the Ghostlord's lair and confronting him directly.  Despite some argument, the party capitulated and gave over the phylactery.  In return, the Ghostlord wiped out most of the hobgoblins and handed over Stormcaller.  The party tried to interrogate her, and she lied her little head off.  They decided to turn her over to the lord in Brindol.

In part 4, cautious of further TPKs on my 4-player party, I scaled some of the encounters back a touch.  The party really enjoyed themselves, negotiating the battle plans, taking out the red dragon, and defending the Dawn Way.  The confronted Scather, and fought for a little bit until he tried to escape, which they foiled in a chase sequence skill challenge.  For the climactic battle against General Kharn, I had Stormcaller join in, escaped from jail.  Despite the difficultly, the battle was extremely fun, and probably a high point for the module.

For part 4, I used a few of the maps from the "City of Peril" map pack, which I think the players enjoyed.

So far, part 5 has been a bit patchy.  It's been hard to top the end of part 4, and the players are feeling their motivations lagging as it becomes clear that they're just in a large dungeon crawl.  Tyragun at the beginning was extremely tough, so I didn't dare toss in the escaped Regiatrix.  The fight against Laryssa, the hag became overly grueling, as she first locked two of the PCs into the pantry and summoned some guards.  Then, later, as the guards went down, she landed her Wave of Sleep and Dream Haunting powers against the rogue.  I see this is being debated in the rules forum, but that combination basically looks like a slow death with no chance of reprieve.  That struck me as a little harsh, so I allowed one of the other characters to wake the rogue up with a Heal check.

I'm eager to see how the fight against the High Wyrmlord and Aspect of Tiamat turns out.  I'll update the PDF with some errors I've noticed and a few tweak soon.

Overall, my enthusiasm for the module has waxed and waned.  Some parts of it have an extremely 3e feel and I wish I had done more to break it out of that mold.  I still feel that the Ruins of Rhest, and to a lesser degree, Vraath Keep are problematic in the 4e paradigm, as joining two battles together with no rest in between seems to raise the difficultly much higher in 4e than 3e.

I also feel that some of the battles, particularly in part 3 and 5, the most "dungeon"-y parts, are a little lacking in focus.  There's not much of an objective, other than "fight these guys because they're here".  If I was committing a lot more time into a conversion, I would work to make more of the battles have other objective than just killing your enemies.  I would also try to make sure that in the battles that do explicitly have such objectives, like Skull Gorge Bridge or the Streets of Blood, that the objectives are more prominent and clearly worth devoting time in battle to.

Anyhow, thanks for the complements and feedback, and like I said, I'll post a revised PDF sometime next week.


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## timbannock (Sep 24, 2008)

That sounds awesome.  I'm running Lost City of Barakus and then Red Hand of Doom for my 3.5 group, and they are right at the tail end of LCoB.  I'm going back to school, so my prep time is down, but I've loved 4E, so I'm going back and forth on whether or not to go to 4E.  This thread makes it so I only have to worry about the story changes ;-)

I read one of the designer sites where they flopped Part 5 with Part 4 but having the Tiamat aspect escape and join up with the destruction at the end of Part 4, and your playtest report shows (even more) evidence to do so.  Working out the little story kinks that you mentioned could give other parts the focus it needs to be awesome.

Thanks very much, and I look forward to the update, hopefully for when I convince my players to switch to 4e!


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## keterys (Sep 24, 2008)

Ooh, swapping part 4 and 5 sounds interesting.

My group hasn't played much - they're about to hit the bridge. I've been pretty free with mixing things up. I hit a bit of a snag at Vraath Keep because they were really pulling encounters down on themselves and I'd set them up to not fight everything at once.

So with that in mind I've been splitting fights up a little more easily.


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## mykelsss (Sep 24, 2008)

Swapping 4 and 5 sounds like a wicked good idea.


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## ff6shadow (Sep 25, 2008)

Yeah, that would be awesome. Although there would be a few kinks to work out.


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## Matrix Sorcica (Sep 26, 2008)

I have swapped part 4 & 5. Next session, my players will encounter Azaar Kul, I'm sure.

It has worked like a charm and I'm extremely happy about switching the order. The only thing I'm overly concerned about s that the party might defeat the Aspect before the climatic showdown in Brindol.

You know, there's a couple of old threads on RHoD where people are discussing switching part 4 & 5. Morrus did so, with great succes.

If there's any interest, I dig it up. Also, If there's interest, I can tell a bit about how I have done things.


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## mykelsss (Sep 26, 2008)

i have large amounts of interest, in addition to the fact that this is an amazing thread and deserves to stay alive.

EDIT: And I wouldn't really let the PCs really have a say in the matter tbh. I mean its the end of the campaign, I wouldn't ever want to make something so cinematic and memorable become a cakewalk. I know some people would say the game is based around the PCs and they oughta to be able to do anything, but throwing a tiny deus ex machina in the near-climax wouldn't hurt. Just attack them for the first two rounds with both action points, completely nuking them, and then have the aspect realize what it needs to do and fly off :v

Then they'll be sufficiently scared when the time comes.


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## Medriev (Sep 27, 2008)

*Great Stuff*

Was looking at converting this mod but this looks excellent. Being a stickler for continuity I am insistent on running this before Scales of War comes along to thanks to the OP for doing all this great work.


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## mykelsss (Sep 28, 2008)

In commemoration of how awesome this thread is, I decided to share the RHoD campaign maps I've recently started on. So far I've only completed Skull Gorge, but I did just start on Friday.  Next up I'm going to do a two-story Vraath Keep since people seem to want to split up the encounters there for 4E. Eventually I'll also make counters for all the creatures/characters outlined in Beni's pdf, along with a lot of the battle maps for RHoD. Maybe then we'll have a complete super campaign anyone can drag and drop into their own game with little required effort.

*EDIT:* Tokens for this encounter are now attached at the bottom. And yes I did change Ozyrrendion into a wyvern because I made destroying the bridge into a combat skill challenge.


Anyway, here's Skull Gorge, made in dundjinni with some postwork & stylizing done in photoshop.


*Full size Version on Megaupload*

*Preview* (About half-size):


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## timbannock (Sep 29, 2008)

Index of RHoD Threads and Resource Links - Wizards Community


You can find the recaps there for a lot of RHoD stories.  Eric Noah's site (w/ recap where he switched Parts 4 and 5 to great effect) isn't working for me, but maybe someone else can use this info to find it...?:

http://webpages.charter.net/ericnoah/noahrpg/redhandofdoom/log.htm


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## Matrix Sorcica (Sep 29, 2008)

This is the thread where Eric Noah talks about switching part 4 & 5. It a great read.

The Adventure Log by Eric Noah isn't working for me either.

I will get back with a recap of my own campaign, where I've switched 4 & 5. It's working really well.


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## keterys (Sep 29, 2008)

Thank you very much for the link!


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## the Jester (Sep 29, 2008)

I'm in the middle of a RHoD campaign, but it's kind of disintegrating due to one player moving and another suddenly having a baby on the way. I was considering converting it over myself, but the party had contained a gnome illusionist, a druid and a monk... about the worst possible combination for conversion to 4e...


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## firesnakearies (Dec 12, 2008)

Is there any final version of this?


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## timbannock (Dec 12, 2008)

BUMP

Yeah, any updates?


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## Keefe the Thief (Dec 12, 2008)

I have the same question - my RHoD 4e is still looming on the horizon, but i´d really make it possible, if i can. Updates would be much appreciated. 

And mykelsss - that map is 10 kinds of awesome.


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## corwyn77 (Dec 15, 2008)

Preparing my first actual 4e campaign, having run H1 and currently playing H2 and another original game, I struck on RHoD after perusing Scales of War and then discovered this thread. Great work, everybody. While I find a lot of the general work helpful, especially breaking down a lot of the encounters, it's less directly useful to me.

I'll be running this as a sequel to an old Realms game that originally used BESM. We eventually came to a consensus that the reasonable level to stat the characters at would be 11. So I'm adapting the adventure a bit higher. On the upside, many of the humanoids from previous editions have been upscaled quite a bit so using hobgoblins doesn't require too much extra work. A healthy mix of giant-kin and ogres added in and I'm off and running.

Are there any obvious speed bumps I should be aware of?


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## mykelsss (Dec 16, 2008)

Hah, now that someone actually took notice of it I might start up mapping again. My campaign has been delayed until next week so soon I'll have to start work on it again. I believe I've got Vaath Keep about 1/2 done.


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## The Madhatter (Jan 28, 2009)

corwyn77 said:


> Preparing my first actual 4e campaign, having run H1 and currently playing H2 and another original game, I struck on RHoD after perusing Scales of War and then discovered this thread. Great work, everybody. While I find a lot of the general work helpful, especially breaking down a lot of the encounters, it's less directly useful to me.
> 
> I'll be running this as a sequel to an old Realms game that originally used BESM. We eventually came to a consensus that the reasonable level to stat the characters at would be 11. So I'm adapting the adventure a bit higher. On the upside, many of the humanoids from previous editions have been upscaled quite a bit so using hobgoblins doesn't require too much extra work. A healthy mix of giant-kin and ogres added in and I'm off and running.
> 
> Are there any obvious speed bumps I should be aware of?



    I'm doing something very similar. I'm running through the current H-series (currently midway through H2) and I plan using RHOD as my paragon module. Ideally, it'd take the PCs from around 11 to 20. I'm going to use the awesome stuff posted here and level it up a bit.


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## CarlosDosBrickos (May 5, 2009)

Thanks to all those who put work into this. I'll certainly be using a lot of the prepared monsters, with some minor tweaks. I'll ditch the hydra for example, and throw a shambling mound encounter at the party (not least because I have a shambling mound mini )

One thing that might interest prospective DMs of a 4E Red Hand of Doom campaign. With just a little tweaking the recently published Dungeon adventure, Remains of the Empire, serves as a lovely introductory module ahead of the campaign proper. 

En route to Fort Vraath the party pass through the village of Elkridge, and come across the warwing drakes (Greenspawn Razorfiend), found and farmed by Bejik. Interrogation of the ghostly dragonborn Vrak reveals that Bejik has had dealings with a certain eagle-mounted goblin ranger and his black dragon companion, who have been transporting many of the uncovered eggs away to the west. The black dragon has also been taught the Mindshape ritual, creating a second hatchery at some undisclosed location.

(DM knowledge only: Wyrmlord Saarvith has convinced Bejik that he shares the dragonborn's mad dreams of the restoration of Arkhosia, and has therefore gained a powerful addition to the Red Hand's forces.)

So the adventure creates some nice foreshadowing of the Wyrmlord Saarvith chapter, and introduces the party to the history of the dragonborn. That history should resonate nicely when we reach the later final chapter of the RhoD (which I will be running as the penultimate chapter, as suggested elsewhere in this thread), and may even serve as a suitable springboard to a post-RhoD campain arc at Paragon tier: an investigation into the secrets behind the conclusion to the Arkhosia/ Bael Turath war based on secrets uncovered in the Chapter 5 dungeoncrawl, for example.


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## Klaus (Jul 6, 2009)

Here's a bump, now that the PH2 and MM2 have come out with much needed stuff, like behirs, bards, etc.


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## ff6shadow (Aug 10, 2009)

Indeed. Any plans to update this with sdome of the new stuff?


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## Turtlejay (Aug 12, 2009)

Such awesome work.  We never got to finish our 3.5 Red Hand of Doom.  It might be fun to give it a whirl with 4e.  Maybe if this current group falls apart.

Jay


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## Falstyr (Aug 23, 2009)

I'm going to run RHOD 4e soon and been reading the original module as well as the conversion pdf's provided from this thread. It looks great, but some things are indeed ready to be updated for a 1.0 full version with all the errata's and monsters/skills.

Hags can now be replaced by their proper monsters. Summoning for the Abishai's can be added. Heck I'd even like to see some usage of the war standards and banners from the Adventurer's Vault. Imagine the RHoD army gaining some bonus from their banners and the Brindol forces gaining bonuses from the Lion's of Brindol war standards that the PC's can place strategically. Perhaps even add a skill challenge to motivate the troops in the upcoming battle against the horde invasion.

These adjustments can be made by myself, but would be great adjustments for everyone I'm sure.

As for XP distribution and leveling up. I don't see a good reason with RHoD to do this. Wouldn't it be wiser to only use the XP's to gauge encounters and to have an estimate what level the PC's must be at key points? That way you can auto-level them at a set time and make sure they are strong enough. It would also reduce the need to fight every battle for the XP and just play the module to its fullest. Retreat and working around an encounter becomes a viable option without the risk of getting behind on XP. In an adventure like this...it feels better to get more out of the story and overall experience.



mykelsss said:


> Hah, now that someone actually took notice of it I might start up mapping again. My campaign has been delayed until next week so soon I'll have to start work on it again. I believe I've got Vaath Keep about 1/2 done.



I know it has been many months, but how did the maps and tokens come along? Any link perhaps?


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## Misalo (Aug 25, 2009)

mykelsss said:


> Hah, now that someone actually took notice of it I might start up mapping again. My campaign has been delayed until next week so soon I'll have to start work on it again. I believe I've got Vaath Keep about 1/2 done.



Maps, Maps, Maps.... Yea Maps.....


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## Mercutio01 (Aug 26, 2009)

I made some maps for my 3E PBP of Red Hand of Doom.  We're right now at the Rhest Town Hall fight, so that's the most recent map I have.

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/883600/Red Hand of Doom/rhest town hall large.jpg

The top floor is on the right, the bottom on the left.


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## Connorsrpg (Feb 8, 2010)

*another bump*

Ok, I was following this a long time ago...thinking of beginning with this or Rise of the Runelords as my 1st 4e campaign.

As it turns out I did neither. I have created (well I stole one) 3 different 4e campaigns and we are now looking for our 4th...and this is when I dredged up this thread.

Again I am deciding b/w Red Hand of Doom and Rise of the Runelords. I would go with the latter, but I am worried of the mature nature of the adventures (given my 7 year old son sits in and 'plays' a character).

So, I have come back to RHoD, as it features a lot of draconic themes (something our group loved in our short Dragon Sea campaign).

So is anyone still following this? Did a full PDF get updated? Has someone compiled this in a wiki/blog/website etc?

Has someone done a conversion since the release of all the '2' books?

If I choose to do this I will be doing it myself (with help from the above...if I find the time to sift through it all).

C


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## DragoonLance (Feb 9, 2010)

I had been working on a conversion until I decided to run War of the Burning Sky instead.  I did manage to update the members of the Horde (Appendix 1) to 4e, if it's any help.  I'll post it if you want it.


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## Connorsrpg (Feb 11, 2010)

Any more conversions would be welcome - especially some that make use of the actual books, especially the #2 books.

I have the PDF conversion from earlier in the thread, but it relies on very early 4e material.

Of course, I love convering myself, and will be happy to do so, but I do so much more randomly than most. (I don't try to make sure every encounter is at the level of the party for eg).

I am just wondering what else is out there now that 4e has been around a while (and this thread began before its release.


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## Connorsrpg (Feb 17, 2010)

*RHoD for Golarion*

Just wondering whether anyone has set the Red hand of Doom in Paizo's Golarion setting.

(Just rolling some random setting stuff and Golarion appeared).

So any thoughts on the placement of Elsir Vale in there?

Cheers, C


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## Connorsrpg (Jan 5, 2011)

OK - trying to revive this thread again 

I am about 1/2 way through a 4E Red Hand of Doom campaign. We are having a blast. Thanks heaps to those that contributed to the PDF. It is a very good guide to use, though I have written up several creatures myself and made a lot more use of variant goblinoids etc - esp now that MM3 is out and there are a LOT of choices.

I have used a lot of the PDF creatures (though found their defenses high), though not always as intended. I have redone Wracklegnaw and Varanthian for eg after more fomorians became available and the behirs.

Anyone else actually get a 4E version of this underway? (We are in the Ghostlord's lair).


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## Shazman (Jan 5, 2011)

I really don't think that 4E mechanics can do justice to this excellent adventure.


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## Merlin the Tuna (Jan 6, 2011)

Shazman said:


> I really don't think that 4E mechanics can do justice to this excellent adventure.



Having run a portion of the adventure in 3.5E, I can say that the 4E minion mechanics alone are making my current run _much_ better than the 3.5E attempt.  Now does anyone have any fire or acid handy for our friend here?

Anywho, I am indeed in the midst of a 4E run through RHoD, and despite a couple weaknesses in the adventure itself (mainly in providing hooks in Act 1 to steer the party towards Act 2 -- the adventure seems to assume that the PCs make some very specific conclusions when they see Koth's map), it's been going really well; we just wrapped up Act 1.

Unfortunately, since my party is pretty different (3 PCs starting at level 2), I haven't used much of the content from this thread and have had to homebrew all of the monsters.  That isn't a huge loss though, since it's been pretty easy to slap together most enemies, and I'm not a tremendous fan of certain encounter compositions in the adventure to begin with.  I will say that I used a lot of the hydra ideas that were posted here though, so thanks to everyone involved in that.


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## the Jester (Jan 6, 2011)

Shazman said:


> I really don't think that 4E mechanics can do justice to this excellent adventure.




Maybe you just need a better dm. 1e, 2e, 3e, 4e, 0e or CustomE, any set of rules can handle any adventure if the person behind the screen is a skilled gamemaster.

I was running RHoD towards the end of 3e, and the group broke up (everyone moved or had kids), but I've glanced at it with 4e in mind and I don't see any real issues.


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## Shazman (Jan 7, 2011)

I do know that I played through Red Hand of Doom in 3.5, and it was one of the best adventures I had ever played through.  4E has a very different feel from earlier editions, and I'm not sure 4E can capture the essence of Red Hand of Doom.  I could be wrong, but that's my general impression.


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## the Jester (Jan 7, 2011)

Shazman said:


> I do know that I played through Red Hand of Doom in 3.5, and it was one of the best adventures I had ever played through.  4E has a very different feel from earlier editions, and I'm not sure 4E can capture the essence of Red Hand of Doom.  I could be wrong, but that's my general impression.




Fair enough. I definitely agree that RHoD is exceptional- it's one of the best adventures that D&D has ever seen, certainly in my personal top 5.


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## mikebr99 (Jul 7, 2011)

I just gotta bump this... Any news on an updated pdf not that we have all these MMs?

thank you,


Mike


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## Entice (May 2, 2012)

Just thought I would bump this with the Ghostlord maps.  I've photoshopped out all of the secret doors and numbers for if you're using Maptools or something.

I've used all of your maps, they've been great.


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