I am planning on converting “Keep on the Boarderlands” to 4E D&D. Here is my basic outline for my update. Yes I have changed a good bit and this is only a working outline. If you are interested in working with me please contact me. Let me know what you think!
Background
The pc's are a young group of friends from the Keep. The players will create there own backstories based on a brief history of the Keep that I will provide. They will not be allowed to be related to any of the major NPC's but will be able to be from families with some prominence.
Brief History of the Keep
The Keep was build about 150 years ago as a small outpost to provide some additional security for the city state of (insert whatever fits...). Over the years the Keep has gained much independence, but still has continued trade their parent state. Most of the inhabitance have lived their entire lives within the high walls of the keep as the pc's have.
There have always been raids on the Keep but nothing that their standing guard has been too troubled by. However, the raids have been dramatically increasing over the last year and are beginning to worry the leadership. There have been rumors of the areas monstrous hominoids gathering in a ravine about a days journey to the northeast.
The Keep will serve as the base of operations and the pc's. I am going to add a community around the Keep by adding an additional outer wall and increase the size of the motte to accommodate the larger community. Other than that change the Keep should remain the same.
The Region
The original module has 4 additional encounter areas, Mound of the Lizard Men, Spiders' Lair, Bandit Camp, and The Mad Hermit besides the Caves of Chaos. I plan to take each one of these and expand them into individual one session 4 hr. adventures with independent plot hooks.
1. Mound of the Lizard Men
“The streams and pools of the fens* are the home of a tribe of exceptionally evil Lizard men” (Gygax 12) These Lizard men will be updated to have a community of them living in that area. The plot hook will be determined based on the new version of Lizard men.
2. Spider's Lair
I think the original module was inspired by a similar seen in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. However, I am going to modify the seen so that it will not be quite so reminiscent of the for mentioned book. Not sure at this point exactly how I plan on modifying it yet. But I am leaning toward a small cult devoted to the spiders. I know that sounds a bit Loth'is but it will not be when I get finished with it, unless I drop this into the FR's.
3. Bandit Camp
I plan on tyeing the bandits to the Shrine of Evil Chaos (Caves of Chaos K). The bandits will actually be freelancers that periodically kidnap folks from the keep and sell them to the Evil Priest for sacrificing and turning them into his undead minions.
4. The Mad Hermit
The Mad Hermit will be changed to a kind of orical.
The Caves of Chaos
The Caves will go through a dramatic rewrite. They will be the base of operations for the evil power that is trying to take over the region.
The Evil Powers
There will be two primary powers first will be the Evil Priest, the theological power behind the military power. There will also be a military power that officially holds the power over the all the minions. However, he is beholden to the priest.
Unknown Cave
Not yet developed...
Works Cited
Gygax, Gary. Dungeon Module B2 “Keep on the Borderlands Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Games, 1980.
Tags: D&D 4E Conversions
