D&D Next: Keep on the Shadowfell Update 3

I have updated my Keep on the Shadowfell conversion for use with D&D Next for the third time. Most of the changes involve adjusting custom monster stats, and removing custom monsters because they have been “officially” added to the Bestiary document.

I would also like to take this time to mention that I am working on Thunderspire Labyrinth (almost halfway done, now). After working on some demons, a beholder, and additional class features for the sorcerer and warlock (only to see them go), I figured that I would wait and see what would get added, changed, and removed before pressing foward.

D&D Next: Updated Keep on the Shadowfell

In light of the most recent playtest packet, I have updated the adventure file with the new XP values and stat blocks of the monsters (as well as the magic items).

D&D Next: Keep on the Shadowfell Complete

After a few weeks, Victor and I were able to finish converting H1: Keep on the Shadowfell. If you read my notes on it when I redid it for 4th Edition, this one goes into more depth with actual maps, new monsters, and a couple of magic items. Let me know what you think, as well as any errors (for some reason spacing would occasionally go awry).

D&D Next: Keep on the Shadowfell Catacombs Map

Aaand here is the last map that Victor and I made for Keep on the Shadowfell.

D&D Next: Keep on the Shadowfell Map Update

Here is the rough of the Shadowfell Keep Catacombs:

If you played the original Keep on the Shadowfell, you probably remember the maps of the levels underneath Shadowfell Keep: apparently everyone lived in giant square rooms, underground, without furnishings, linked by 10-foot wide hallways about 50 or so feet apart. I also do not recall many doors. There were also goblins, then hobgoblins, a room full of mushrooms I think, and some other bizarre elements.

When I revamped it, I did not make maps of the castle grounds or the catacombs, relegating it to a skill challenge. This time I am taking a more traditional dungeon route, though as with my update am going to stick to cultists, undead, hauntings, etc.

Oh, here is an updated map of the kobold lair from part 1, courtesy of Victor:

I expect to have part 2 done over the weekend. Lemme know what you think, and if you want to see H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth get the same D&D Next treatment.

D&D Next: Shadowfell Keep Map Complete

Here is the polished version of the map, courtesy of Victor (aka, The Planewalker).

Awesome.

D&D Next: Shadowfell Keep Map

Here is the map of Shadowfell Keep I drew up for part two of my D&D Next conversion. I like the idea of the characters being able to explore the keep in some detail before going dungeon crawling. As with my 4th Edition update I kept Sir Keegan is in the chapel, which is hallowed ground (giving them a place to rest).

D&D Next: Keep on the Shadowfell, Part 1

Here is part one of my D&D Next conversion of Keep on the Shadowfell. It goes all the way up to the kobold lair, which has a new map to go with an expanded plot. The second part will wrap things up in Shadowfell Keep, and after that it is off to Thunderspire Labyrinth (and, uh, beyond).

Wrapping up Keep on the Shadowfell..

…for like, the third or fourth time.

Here is the map before the characters went inside. The green pillars contained souls of previously sacrificed victims, and could be used to charge up Necrotic powers, and the moat of blood concealed zombie minions.

The characters managed to sneak in before the paladin botched a Stealth check, causing Kalarel to open up with a blast of grave dust that dealt necrotic damage–which he resisted most of–and left a zone of damaging terrain. Shen (tiefling hexblade) leapt on top of the portal, surprising Kalarel but still missing with an eldritch bolt.

The zombies are up after a turn of failed ranged attacks. I held back due to all the bad rolls so as not to immediately overwhelm them all.

 The dead body on the alter turned out to be a ghoul playing possum. After Shen leapt off the portal and knocked Kalarel over, it charged her, somehow missing despite charging and her being prone.

After luring the zombies up, Kamon fey stepped off the high ground into melee with Kalarel to help out Shen. Unfortunately, the defender and other striker were stuck with a trio of zombies.

This was quite a few turns later. They managed to kill Kalarel and stopped him from opening the portal any further (though he got it far enough to deal necrotic damage to adjacent living creatures). At this point they were just playing mop up with the ghoul and zombies.

Almost done. The ghoul decided to leg it, and eventually was killed off with a well-placed vampire slam and blood drinker.

Keep on the Shadowfell Notes

So I’m running this thrice-damned adventure module again, and I recall sometime last year someone read my session reports and actually wanted some compiled notes on the changes I made. Well I did just that, and you can get them–along with some custom monsters for Adventure Tools–here. Just a warning, this is not a completely independent adventure. It does not even have maps. It is really a bunch of notes that I formatted so that it is easier to read and hopefully help you make the adventure better…assuming anyone actually still tries to run it. On that note, hopefully this group actually finishes it and sticks around long enough to venture into Thunderspire Labyrinth, which I also fully intend to convert into something more structured and, well, fun.