Module to Follow my Homemade adventure

[Brick Hardslab]

Hi,

I have been playing with two different groups (some overlap). I'm the CK for both groups. I have four things going on.

First, is the main group, lots of fun. It is set in a world without common iron so Bronze, Mithril, Orichalcum, etc are the main martial metals. Everything is going well with that and while I expect the players are going to wind up mostly dead, they are having a blast and that's going well.

Second, is the make up group for when we can't get the whole group together. That is my C&C version of the Tower of Zenopus. Yes, I know it's been done but the group is enjoying it and as they are not Holmes savvy, it's new to them. Once, we finished that I am wondering what the best module would be? I have the A, S, and C series but we haven't played any of them.

Third thing I got going is making the Middle-earth of The Hobbit fit C&C. Higher magic than the normal conception of Middle-earth, the lore is a bit different and magic using classes fit better. I have the races set and ready from Adventures in Middle-earth and since there are, 'older and fouler things than orcs under the earth', I have no problem using C&C monsters and treasures, I'm wondering about classes and backgrounds, do I include them or not? Has anyone else made this work? I want to make this work without remaking the wheel if somebody else has already done the work.

Fourth, I am working on the Dungeon a Day challenge. I was working on it for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, my players took one look at Dungeon Fantasy and said, 'Nope, back to C&C' so I have to redo all of what I had already done. Surprisingly, since I had leaned into unique and homemade critters, it has taken me more than a bit of time to rework them into C&C. Anyone else working on the Dungeon a Day deal? Anyone get bogged down or have to rework anything?

Nice to see all you guys,
Brick

[maximus]

Welcome to the boards! We've got a good group here so don't be shy.

As far as your #3 item, @Lurker has done extensive work on a modified Middle Earth, so he'll probably be able to give some suggestions.

I like the idea of having a back up for when everyone can't make it. Our Monday Night Ne'r Do Wells group has something similar.

Tell me more about the Dungeon a Day challenge. I haven't hear of it.

[JediOre]

Regarding which adventure module to spring on your Make Up Group, I wish I could tell you I'm familiar with many of Troll Lords' modules but I'm not (own a lot with hopes of kith or kin taking me through them). I suggest The Lost City of Gaxmoor. I've read it several times but have not ran it, but it looks fun.

[Brick Hardslab]

Tell me more about the Dungeon a Day challenge. I haven't hear of it.

Not sure where I first heard of it. The goal is to create a dungeon room a day. By the end of the year you'll have a nice sized dungeon. I think mine will be influenced by whatever I happen to be reading at the time. I am trying for a Lovecraftian feel with each area reflecting different elements that have accrued over the centuries as people, and not-people interact with the ruins left by the great old ones. So far it is going well but being that it is mostly Lovecraft/Old Ones themed I've been doing a lot of homebrewing the monster content.

[Brick Hardslab]

I own the Lost City of Gaxmoor, I can't remember if I have hard copy or just pdf. I really can only use the PDF anyway, it's hard for me to read hard copy of anything. I thought about that one. I am looking at the low level ones but I just don't think my crusaders are going to live through this adventure.

I am using the new (to me) James M Ward damage system from his siege engine game system to add a little spice to the mechanical numbers. The players like it so far even if I forget more than half the time and say, "That's five points damage" rather than 'The spear tears through a gap in your brigandine ripping a deep gash along your chest exposing your ribs in a horrific gout of gore and grue.'

[Persimmon]

I own the Lost City of Gaxmoor, I can't remember if I have hard copy or just pdf. I really can only use the PDF anyway, it's hard for me to read hard copy of anything. I thought about that one. I am looking at the low level ones but I just don't think my crusaders are going to live through this adventure.

Absolute heresy. I can't fathom preferring a pdf over a real book.

Anyhow, welcome to the boards

[Geroblue]

Welcome, a board !

[Lurker]

Welcome to the boards! We've got a good group here so don't be shy.

As far as your #3 item, @Lurker has done extensive work on a modified Middle Earth, so he'll probably be able to give some suggestions.

...

First, Brick, welcome to the boards !

Like Max said, I love Middle Earth and have done a lot on modifying it into C&C (or C&C into ME which ever way you want to look at it). I will say I am a habitual game rule fiddler and tinker. Because of that I've cut things from one game and slapped them into C&C. Honestly most of it isn't needed for C&C to be good for Middle Earth.

What did work was modifying C&C races into ME - I HRed 3 different elf races, .... I think 2 dwarf races (it has been a while so might be wrong on that), the 3 Hobbit races, then High Human, Horse men, Urban human, rural human, and one or 2 others. They were a mush up of The One Ring 5e, old MERP, Hero's Journey, and a pinch or 2 from other games.

With that, I used it in my daughters' face to face game (2 daughters, their best friend, and her dad) Except for the friend's dad none of them had ever gamed before, they came into it a complete novices. It did take a bit to make the characters - with all the options - but also it could have been that they were new to gaming too. However, once they got the characters created, it ran really smooth. Also, it did come in handy with the different distinct races and varied racial ability.

For the monsters, I reskinned standard low level monsters (Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, HobGoblin etc) as different types of ME goblins, and an ogre. Easy peasie no problem there. I also used some fey in a haunted woods, plus some bigger bad guy 'evil corrupt nature spirit thing' that the group wisely RAN from.

Oh yeah, Harpies, lots of harpies. Like Max above and the rest of the Monday Night ne'er-do-wells have learned to HATE Imps, my younger daughter HATES harpies.

I also pulled in some pre-history/stone age mega fauna - terror birds, mammoths, flat faced bears, dire wolf (real historic version not the 'D&D version) and a few other - including a giant pike but they got lucky and missed that the 2 times they crossed the ice flow rivers on the N shore ...

Unfortunately, in the summer real life got in the way of gaming, and we haven't gamed since then, so they didn't go any further. If they had, they would have ran into trolls (ME kind not skinny green D&D ones) hags and witches and the like.

Rgr on your "since there are, 'older and fouler things than orcs under the earth', " and with that it does open the net wider for monsters than orcs, orcs goblins and orcs ...

Classes and background specific stuff. I HRed C&C classes just because I like to fiddle with them. No reason to have to HR classes from C&C to fit ME. Backgrounds came more from the separate race modifications, plus some narrative elements to give them ME feal - again borrowed from One Ring 5e etc.

The one thing I did have to modify is magic. First i required a skill check to cast the spell (TN the level of the spell) . Then I limited the spells available to the group - again from the One Ring 5e book - with additions from 1e, 2e, C&C AA etc that fit.

I eventually tried a HR modification from Hero's Journey ... it was a mixed bag. It looks good on paper, and it has potential, but .... and it may have been the guy that played the caster using it in a one off I ran - he straight up min maxed it and purposely chose all flash bang powerful spell groups despite his narrative history and what we talked about before the game.

Like I said, it has been MONTHS since we played the ME HR C&C so I'll have to dig out what I made and make sure they are as good as I think they are. If they are, and you would like a copy, I can DM to you in a day or 2.

[serleran]

S1: Tomb of Horrors always fits as a beginner or sequel.

[JediOre]

S1: Tomb of Horrors always fits as a beginner or sequel.

It also often fits the bill as an ender!

[Brick Hardslab]

Welcome to the boards! We've got a good group here so don't be shy.

As far as your #3 item, @Lurker has done extensive work on a modified Middle Earth, so he'll probably be able to give some suggestions.

...

First, Brick, welcome to the boards !

Like Max said, I love Middle Earth and have done a lot on modifying it into C&C (or C&C into ME which ever way you want to look at it). I will say I am a habitual game rule fiddler and tinker. Because of that I've cut things from one game and slapped them into C&C. Honestly most of it isn't needed for C&C to be good for Middle Earth.

What did work was modifying C&C races into ME - I HRed 3 different elf races, .... I think 2 dwarf races (it has been a while so might be wrong on that), the 3 Hobbit races, then High Human, Horse men, Urban human, rural human, and one or 2 others. They were a mush up of The One Ring 5e, old MERP, Hero's Journey, and a pinch or 2 from other games.

With that, I used it in my daughters' face to face game (2 daughters, their best friend, and her dad) Except for the friend's dad none of them had ever gamed before, they came into it a complete novices. It did take a bit to make the characters - with all the options - but also it could have been that they were new to gaming too. However, once they got the characters created, it ran really smooth. Also, it did come in handy with the different distinct races and varied racial ability.

For the monsters, I reskinned standard low level monsters (Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, HobGoblin etc) as different types of ME goblins, and an ogre. Easy peasie no problem there. I also used some fey in a haunted woods, plus some bigger bad guy 'evil corrupt nature spirit thing' that the group wisely RAN from.

Oh yeah, Harpies, lots of harpies. Like Max above and the rest of the Monday Night ne'er-do-wells have learned to HATE Imps, my younger daughter HATES harpies.

I also pulled in some pre-history/stone age mega fauna - terror birds, mammoths, flat faced bears, dire wolf (real historic version not the 'D&D version) and a few other - including a giant pike but they got lucky and missed that the 2 times they crossed the ice flow rivers on the N shore ...

Unfortunately, in the summer real life got in the way of gaming, and we haven't gamed since then, so they didn't go any further. If they had, they would have ran into trolls (ME kind not skinny green D&D ones) hags and witches and the like.

Rgr on your "since there are, 'older and fouler things than orcs under the earth', " and with that it does open the net wider for monsters than orcs, orcs goblins and orcs ...

Classes and background specific stuff. I HRed C&C classes just because I like to fiddle with them. No reason to have to HR classes from C&C to fit ME. Backgrounds came more from the separate race modifications, plus some narrative elements to give them ME feal - again borrowed from One Ring 5e etc.

The one thing I did have to modify is magic. First i required a skill check to cast the spell (TN the level of the spell) . Then I limited the spells available to the group - again from the One Ring 5e book - with additions from 1e, 2e, C&C AA etc that fit.

I eventually tried a HR modification from Hero's Journey ... it was a mixed bag. It looks good on paper, and it has potential, but .... and it may have been the guy that played the caster using it in a one off I ran - he straight up min maxed it and purposely chose all flash bang powerful spell groups despite his narrative history and what we talked about before the game.

Like I said, it has been MONTHS since we played the ME HR C&C so I'll have to dig out what I made and make sure they are as good as I think they are. If they are, and you would like a copy, I can DM to you in a day or 2.

Thank you that would be appreciated. I'd like to get Middle-earth running with C&C.

[Brick Hardslab]

S1: Tomb of Horrors always fits as a beginner or sequel.

I think I have that one somewhere.

[Captain_K]

1 Sounds interesting.
2 Unsure what this is, but sound good.
3 Keep your quote and just play the game using whatever you want and your PCs want, why stress, if you think it fits, it does. JRRT's ghost will not haunt you.
4 I always prefer my own stuff, I remember it better and I love home made creatures or at least tweaked ones. I always try to think what is this thing living off, how is it here, why is it here, how does biology work in this thing and why would it bother fighting with or talking to my party?

Welcome, lots of folks here who do lots of things and most will help or at least give you their HO.
Cheers.

[Persimmon]

And honestly, having converted a slew of MERP adventures over to B/X, it would be equally easy to convert them to C&C if you have or can get the modules. In fact, most of the 80s stuff includes conversion notes for D&D though they don't explicitly use the name. The magic is the big thing. If you're doing MERP, it's pretty easy because its magic system is more robust than the books. But you do have dangers attached to spell casting and Shadow forces might track you down. So that can be used to keep things in check and you can create custom spell lists. With Adventurers Spellbook it would be easy to create long lists of less powerful spells that would better simulate Middle Earth magic. I've toyed with doing this, but we're currently doing other things and I've got a metric ton of DCC stuff on the way, so Middle Earth is shelved for now.

[Brick Hardslab]

And honestly, having converted a slew of MERP adventures over to B/X, it would be equally easy to convert them to C&C if you have or can get the modules. In fact, most of the 80s stuff includes conversion notes for D&D though they don't explicitly use the name. The magic is the big thing. If you're doing MERP, it's pretty easy because its magic system is more robust than the books. But you do have dangers attached to spell casting and Shadow forces might track you down. So that can be used to keep things in check and you can create custom spell lists. With Adventurers Spellbook it would be easy to create long lists of less powerful spells that would better simulate Middle Earth magic. I've toyed with doing this, but we're currently doing other things and I've got a metric ton of DCC stuff on the way, so Middle Earth is shelved for now.

I've got quite a few merps books. I kept them over the years now I'm glad!