With a new group, that is. I've run them through a blend of Lost Mine of Phandelver with the Dragon of Icespire Peak from the start (both were pretty cheap on Roll20). I mostly like the adventures and combining the adventures gives you a lot of choices and allows you to toss the mediocre bits.
Foreshadowing
Since the adventure ends with the players at 5th level you then have a few options for the players to choose from. I'd like to better setup the options ahead of time. The three likely options:
- Option 1 is to go into Phandelver and Below: the Shattered Obelix. Shattered Obelix contains the Lost Mines of Phandelver so it's an easy transfer.
- Option 2 is to continue into Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak extra Adventures. The extra adventures were designed to continue on from Dragon of Icespire Peak so it should be an easy transition as well.
- Option 3 is to continue into Storm King's Thunder. The module has lots of notes on how to continue on from Lost Mines of Phandelver including skipping the first chapter.
Backstory - I'd give the players more of a backstory. When set up from the Starter Set you don't get much backstory. I noticed a lot more going into Storm King's Thunder so I'd use that to help link the two (if things go that way). Backstory that links one or two players with the Harpers (the chosen faction because they appear in the movie and so have some recognizability right away) or the Lord's Alliance or have a player that grew up on Butterskull ranch or in that area.
Initiating Mission - Caravan guards is to bland. The PCs are doing that, but actually the Harpers in the party are going to Phandelin to figure out why the Harper representative isn't reporting back (Sister Garaele is missing from Lost Mines, why?). Any Lord's Alliance members are sent to look for what happened to Iarno Albrek.
Re-arranging, combining, and dumping Missions - I hate fetch-quests and both adventures are filled with them which has them journeying here and there and back again. It feels very video-gamey and I'd try to get away from that by bundling them into a few mini-campaigns. This means I don't need rationals for 30 mini-adventures but only for 3 or so which makes them feel more important. Also the order of adventures is odd as the mission to save their friend gets put aside for a bunch of level-up fetch-quests. There should be a ticking clock to save their buddy, then after that there is time. The re-arranged sequences follow:
Goblin Troubles
So we start with Gwyn, the Rockseeker brothers scholar friend that appears in Phandelver and Below traveling with the party. I want her introduced early in case they segway into that adventure. She's also a useful resource as a scholar to give the PCs info. The order goes:
1. Goblin Arrows
2. Cragmaw Hideout
3. Cragmaw Castle
So the first two run as normal. Gwyn starts with the group, she can take the wagon to town and get reinforcements. If the party is beat up dealing with the Cragmaw Hideout she could have returned with help, and perhaps a healing potion or two, otherwise they are free to continue to Cragmaw Castle uninterupted.
Changes The only real changes to the first two adventures would be the addition of dead Goblins hung near the entrance of Cragmaw Hideout. These Goblins have strange tattoos (the mark I'm giving to all the Sawplee Goblins from Phandelver and Below). Helping to set them up a bit, early on. The elongated heads are silly.
I'd also include a captive Sawplee Goblin (if it survives the onslought through the Hideout, which is no sure thing) that can provide guidance to Cragmaw Castle and basically answer any questions the party has about Goblins or Orcs. At this point problems between Sawplee and Cragma Goblins should look mostly like tribal conflict. This Goblin would be a bit like Golum, not really trustworthy but in the end he doesn't try to deceive them. He will not help in a fight, but won't double-cross or anything either.
I'm not one for a lot of funny voices but this guy gives the opportunity for lots of that. He's not a big fan of the Sawplee Goblins (he was drafted) and hates the Cragmaw Goblins. He also really hate the Orcs. If set free he'll head to Butterskull Ranch where he might be met later. If he's brought to town it's likely he'll be hung as a bandit and marauder.
More Changes Spider is a weak villian so he's gonna be a minion of Glasstaff.
Phandelin
The time pressure is off. The party are heroes of the town.
4. Phandelin & Redbrand Hideout
This part should play out mostly as written. There are a few changes to the town.
New Faction Dwarven Ultra Patriots: The Miners Exchange is filled with Dwarf miners and they have a mine directly below the exchange. That mine is the economic heart of the town. The non-Dwarfs in town like the Dwarf coin but the Dwarves don't spend much which is a problem. Human miners mine the streams and rivers and sell their gold at the Exchange but don't think the Dwarves give a very good rate of exchange. So there is a bit of tension there. The Dwarves think the whole area is there as they once had a great kingdom here and they want it back. The Rockseeker brothers are sympathetic with the Dwarves but not as Zealous about their long-term plans. The races of the Forgotten Realms is to friendly.
Changed Faction The Redbrand Ruffians. They don't just beat people up. They are a proto-Thieves Guild that has set up gambling in the Sleeping Giant Tap House. A lot of the human miners have gambling debts and are occasionally beaten to get them to pay. Pretty standard stuff but the locals are hoping the heroes in town will deal with the problem for them so they are mostly mum. One might let it slip once Redbrands are gone, otherwise the paperwork in Glastaff's office might give it away. It may not matter. Glasstaff's paperwork will also show he is looking for Wave Echo cave without luck. He has a whole Grail Diary of info on the Wave Echo Cave and if given to Gwyn she can sort through it and provide hints and info to the party as they go. Also Glasstaff.
Other Changes Obsidion. There is a giant shard of obsidian at the Shrine of Luck. There are also shards of Obsidion flecked with color at different spots throughout town (Cornerstorne of Miner's Exchange, and embedded in the counter of the Sleeping Giant Traproom. These bits set up things alter, foreshadowing of sorts for Phandelver and Below.
If the party hasn't decided to remove the Red Brand Ruffians on their own, Sister Garaele will return and any Harpers in the group will be requested to do so. Any Lord's Alliance members will be told Iarno Albrek is Glasstaff.
Changes to Redbrand Hideout Glasstaff should survive if at all possible so he can replace Nilron Darlost in Storm King's Thunder and links things to Frost Giants. If he doesn't survive then Nilron Darlost can be himself. Otherwise the hidout plays out the same.
Dwarves & Wave Echo
So now the rest of Lost Mines is silly fetch-quests and Wave Echo Cave. The party has still not found it. If you want to cut things short the location could be found in Glasstaff's notes and the party could go right there. Otherwise they go to Dwarven Excavation to see if they've found anything that might indicate the location of Wave Echo Cave.
5. Dwarven Excavation
6. Axeholm/Wyvern Tor
7. Wave Echo Cave
Now we are jumping to Dragons of Icespire Peak for a bit. No changes to Dwarven Excavation and the Dwarves there haven't learned anything. They suggest Axeholm which has a map room of old Dwarven Kingdom but warn it's been owned by Orcs for generations. They may just be being difficult as Dwarves wouldn't want others to find the Cave, and sending the party to Axeholm may be a sort of suicide suggestion depending upon the DMs mood and how the Dwarves were treated.
Changes To Axeholm Axeholm's Ghouls will be replaced with Orcs and Ogres from the Wyvern Tor adventure (which had no map anyway). The Banshee can stay, and maybe be talkative if the GM likes and the players are reasonable. Perhaps Sister Garaele gave her silver comb and asked her question, except now it's in Axeholm and not Agatha's Lair.
Changes To Wave Echo Cave The only real change is the location. I'd place it beneath the Ruined manor, at the bottom of the ravine in the Redbrand Hideout. Maybe Glasstaff knew it was there and has been trying to open some Dwarven doors to allow access, while keeping the site secure, maybe the Dwarfs at the Miner's Exchange know and are actually tunneling to get around Glasstaff. Either way putting it there removes an additional journey.
Morglum's Marauders!
So now the Lost Mines main adventure is over. If the DM wants to continue it a bit further Sister Garaele can have them go to Triboar with the art and other stuff they've accumulated. And to tell the Harpers there that Wave Echo was found and its a bust, and all that.
8. Ruins of Thundertree/Conberry
9. Butterskull Ranch (part 1)
On the journey the party pass through Conyberry a ruined town sacked by barbarians long ago. I'd use the Thundertree map and adventure. The players can get involved or not depending upon their whims.
Changes To Thundertree/Conberry The dragon is Cryovain the White Dragon. If the players manage to kill him here, that of course would change or eliminate the need for killing it later.
Changes To Butterskull Ranch (part 1) The cowboy hat is gone! It's embarrassing and stupid. The first time through the area the ranch is peaceful. The players meet Alfonse Kalazorn, he's a pleasure and puts them up for the night.
Alfonse also has a Cow named Butterspout. The Cow was given limited intelligence and the ability to talk by a passing Elf Wizard. The Elf also gave the cow amazing tasting milk (which is used to make the Butter that Butterskull ranch is famous for). The Cow replaces the intelligent Crab from Tower of Storms. It can be used for comic relief (it proudly pushes milk and butter products and is very proud). The cow might even fall in love with an Elf if any are available, or a horse if none are.
Eventually the party makes it to Triboar, meets with the Harpers representatives. I now own Storm King's Thunder which has maps and details of Triboar. The PCs can exchange things of value and perhaps buy up a magic item if they'll need help when they eventually fight the dragon. They will learn about the white dragon that has been driving Orcs out of the mountains, and about the Dragon Barrow where the great dragonslayer and her sword were buried with suggestions the sword might be helpful and tokens to keep the spirits of the dead tranquil as long as the dead are not actually disturbed.
On the return trip they go to Butterskull Ranch again only to be overwhelmed by Orcs.
10. Butterskull Ranch (Part 2)
11. Shrine of Savras
12. Circle of Thunder (optional)
Morglum and his Orcs comes from issue #110 of White Dwarf. His maurders are Warhammer Greenskins full of malingering and screwing around. This was long before Pathfinder did their Gremlins take on Goblins and I like it a lot better. Also I'd have them wearing Talos symbols and chanting Talos a lot to help set up Talos cultists if the adventurers go into the Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak extra Adventures.
Changes To Butterskull Ranch (part 2) The party is dining with Alfonse when the Orcs attack. It should be a battle with the players able to select defensive positions and make a go of it. Possibly escaping to snipe at the Orcs. It's twilight and during the dark the Orcs can see nicely. In the end Butterspout the cow has been taken, along with a ranch-hand. The trail will be easy to follow in the morning, they were taken to the Shrine of Savras.
Changes To Shrine of Savras The main difference is the party is there (if they decide to get involved) to rescue the talking cow Butterspout. Otherwise the adventure should play out the same except some Orcs will escape at the end, leading to the Circle of Thunder where there will find re-enforcements.
Changes To Circle of Thunder (optional) The location is moved to a mile away from the Shrine of Savras. Circle of Thunder is optional because the players may not chase the fleeing Orcs. If they do, they can catch the orcs long before they arrive at the Circle of Thunder but will notice Orc footprints leading them clearly to the Circle of Thunder. Otherwise the adventure is the same.
13. Dragon Barrow
14. Icespire Hold
Dragon Barrow and Icespire Hold should play out mostly as written. I'd give the Sword a personality. Make it annoying and full of elitist "I will not allow that!" talk but basically it's all talk.
Segway to the next Tier of Adventure
So now you need to figure out where you are going with the adventure. Are the characters sick and tired of Phandelin, or are they protective of the place. Either way the 5th level portion of both Phandelver and Below and the Storm King's Thunder start with an attack.
15. Goldenfield (Storm King's Thunder) / Paths of Peril (Phandelver and Below)
Changes To Goldenfield The attacked city is Phandelin. I think Goldenfields is a lame location and nothing about the attack is really specific to the location. Hillgiants are my favorite Giants, and the lowest level giants, so they're gonna attack Phandelin instead, from their the Harper Sister Garaele can send the party to Triboar to inform them the giants are acting up. While there the PCs can be in the middle of the Triboar attack and are well into the Storm King's Thunder storyline.
Changes to the Paths of peril storyline. None, we've set up things nicely for Phandelver and Below.
If they go for Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak, nothing happens and they head to the coast.
GM Mischief The GM can drop hints, or let the players figure things out for themselves. If going forward with Phandelver and Below then the Spider was working to stop the Mind Flayers, but he was stopped/killed by the party before he could. If going forward into the Storm King's Thunder it can be stated that Dragons and Giant are enemies, and hinted that a single white dragon near Phandelin would have stopped the Giant attack on the city that occurred prior to the goblin attack. A bit of guilt can help motivate PCs to push forward and do the right thing.
You Missed a Few Adventures?
There are a handful of mini-adventures in the Lost Mines of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak that haven't been used yet.
Umbrage Hill, Logger's Camp, and old Owl Well can be repurposed for adventures along the road. Random encounters are dull, better to have something a bit more planned out from time to time.
x. Umbrage Hill (Manticore)
x. Logger's Camp (Ankheg)
x. Old Owl Well (Necromancer and zombies)
Changes To Old Owl Well The Necromancer will sense/notice Glasstaff's staff if the players have it. He doesn't like Glasstaff so that could go either way depending upon how the players handle it.
The rest of the adventures I don't like. If you want wererats have them attack as a faction in Phandelin, otherwise get them out of there.
x. Agatha's Lair (Banshie)
x. Falcon's Hunting Lodge
x. Mountain's Toe Gold Mine (wererats)
x. Gnomengarde (Mimic)
x. Tower of Storms (Talking Crab)
x. Woodland Manse
Conclusions
This whole post is about how I would blend and inter-connect a module with other modules. In general I like Lost Mines of Phandelvin and Dragon of Icespire Peak. I think they made a mistake when they made Phandelin & Below instead of officially combining the two modules into a big low level sandbox with foreshadowing of The Shattered Obelisk. Then have shattered Obelisk as its own thing for levels 6-10.
