Sorge1989
2018-07-27, 01:24 AM
Hello there folks!
I am very new to both D&D (been playing about 6 months) and to DMing (only DM'd two one-shots so far, both homebrewed). My gaming group (3 players + DM) is running through Curse of Strahd at the moment, and I have volunteered to run the next campaign when we finish. Everyone seemed onboard so I have decided to run Storm King's Thunder, with Lost Mine of Phandelver replacing the first section (Lvl 1-5). I have done lots of research and have figured out some of the changes I want to make. I am wondering if I could get some comments and critiques on the biggest of them: the characters of Venomfang the young green dragon and Harshnag the frost giant.
1. One of the changes I am going to make is that the green dragon in Lost Mine, Venomfang, will become a recurring villain in Storm King, and I will have the frost giant ally from Storm King, Harshnag show up in Lost Mine.
The idea is that Harshnag and Venomfang are nemesis, and Harshnag has tracked Venomfang to Phandalin. Venomfang will be holding the druid Reidoth hostage, and will use him as leverage to try to get the players to attack the giant that has "so unfairly pursued him". The players will either talk to Harshnag and join forces with him to beat Venomfang, or Venomfang will show up gloating when the players attack the giant. Either way, Venomfang is driven off, and either Harshnag becomes an ally or also leaves in pursuit (with a grudge towards the players). This will not only introduce the frost giant early to let the players know him, but I can also do some minor name dropping/foreshadowing (Harshnag is an agent of King Hekaton, there are rumblings and omens, etc). This is immediately pre-Ordning break. I will also try to have Venomfang incapacitate or hurt at least one player in some way as to form a grudge, or maybe while flying away he attacks the players' home town.
Later, Venomfang will attack the group in the wilderness, and be driven off again (he is a young green dragon (CR 8) and the players should be levels 6 - 7 by then), and then after Harshnag joins the players, attacks again with a group of cultists or mercenaries in tow. I will have Harshnag and the dragon face off while the players fight the mercs, and at one point a sorcerer will open up a portal to some dark dimension. Venomfang will end up being pushed through it by accident (maybe he tries to push Harshnag but the players intervene and turn the tables). Turns out the portal is to the Shadowfell, and Venomfang is trapped for years there before he escapes, returning as a young green shadow dragon (now CR 13). He will take the place of Imryth in the All-Father's Oracle scene, having tracked the players, and then Harshnag will sacrifice himself to save the players.
Finally, Venomfang will show up either in the final battle with Imryth as an ally of hers, or maybe after the entire thing is done I can have the players track down his lair and slay him once and for all.
What do people think? Does that work to set up a recurring villain? Does it steal too much of Imryth's thunder and not give the players a reason to want to see her defeated? Is there another way for me to introduce Imryth in a way that sets her up as the big bad guy and not have her feel phoned in? Maybe she could destroy the city the players are most familiar with after they've beaten a giant lord or two (she's trying to stop the mortals from interfering with the giants)?
I am very new to both D&D (been playing about 6 months) and to DMing (only DM'd two one-shots so far, both homebrewed). My gaming group (3 players + DM) is running through Curse of Strahd at the moment, and I have volunteered to run the next campaign when we finish. Everyone seemed onboard so I have decided to run Storm King's Thunder, with Lost Mine of Phandelver replacing the first section (Lvl 1-5). I have done lots of research and have figured out some of the changes I want to make. I am wondering if I could get some comments and critiques on the biggest of them: the characters of Venomfang the young green dragon and Harshnag the frost giant.
1. One of the changes I am going to make is that the green dragon in Lost Mine, Venomfang, will become a recurring villain in Storm King, and I will have the frost giant ally from Storm King, Harshnag show up in Lost Mine.
The idea is that Harshnag and Venomfang are nemesis, and Harshnag has tracked Venomfang to Phandalin. Venomfang will be holding the druid Reidoth hostage, and will use him as leverage to try to get the players to attack the giant that has "so unfairly pursued him". The players will either talk to Harshnag and join forces with him to beat Venomfang, or Venomfang will show up gloating when the players attack the giant. Either way, Venomfang is driven off, and either Harshnag becomes an ally or also leaves in pursuit (with a grudge towards the players). This will not only introduce the frost giant early to let the players know him, but I can also do some minor name dropping/foreshadowing (Harshnag is an agent of King Hekaton, there are rumblings and omens, etc). This is immediately pre-Ordning break. I will also try to have Venomfang incapacitate or hurt at least one player in some way as to form a grudge, or maybe while flying away he attacks the players' home town.
Later, Venomfang will attack the group in the wilderness, and be driven off again (he is a young green dragon (CR 8) and the players should be levels 6 - 7 by then), and then after Harshnag joins the players, attacks again with a group of cultists or mercenaries in tow. I will have Harshnag and the dragon face off while the players fight the mercs, and at one point a sorcerer will open up a portal to some dark dimension. Venomfang will end up being pushed through it by accident (maybe he tries to push Harshnag but the players intervene and turn the tables). Turns out the portal is to the Shadowfell, and Venomfang is trapped for years there before he escapes, returning as a young green shadow dragon (now CR 13). He will take the place of Imryth in the All-Father's Oracle scene, having tracked the players, and then Harshnag will sacrifice himself to save the players.
Finally, Venomfang will show up either in the final battle with Imryth as an ally of hers, or maybe after the entire thing is done I can have the players track down his lair and slay him once and for all.
What do people think? Does that work to set up a recurring villain? Does it steal too much of Imryth's thunder and not give the players a reason to want to see her defeated? Is there another way for me to introduce Imryth in a way that sets her up as the big bad guy and not have her feel phoned in? Maybe she could destroy the city the players are most familiar with after they've beaten a giant lord or two (she's trying to stop the mortals from interfering with the giants)?