Edge of Anarchy Compiled Adventure Conversion

At long last, here it is: the complete, compiled PDF of my 4th Edition Edge of Anarchy conversion. As always, please let me know if you find any errors (there will undoubtedly be some).

I'm hoping to have the Seven Days to the Grave conversion done pretty shortly, too. I'm finished with the adventure, so I just need to put it all together.

Edge of Anarchy Conversion v0.1

The End of Edge of Anarchy

There remains little left in the adventure to dwell on regarding conversion. Be sure to award the party properly when they return to the Field Marshal.

The final encounter, as explained in the original adventure, should be played loosely. There's no need to interpose any sort of rules to muddy up the scene taking place. The outcome should end up very similar whether or not the PCs decide to provide Blackjack any aid. If things go smoothly, the curtain should set on the first act of the campaign amid an atmosphere of confusion and unsettling mistrust of those in charge of Korvosa. The next adventure, Seven Days to the Grave, can begin nearly immediately.

D12 & D13 (Vreeg's Chamber)

In the original adventure, Vreeg wore a Robe of Bones that allowed him to create a handful of undead to harry the party during this encounter. I've included four zombies in this fight to supplement his own necromantic powers. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• Vreeg
• 2 Zombies
• 2 Skulk Zombies (see Open Grave)
  

Total: 1,050 xp (Level 5 Encounter)

Vreeg gives preference to the skulk zombies when using his call of the grave power, preferring to have them take the fight to the PCs while the less agile zombies act as bodyguards.

Treasure parcel 1 from level 3, and treasure parcel 2 from level 4 are both found here, either on Vreeg himself or simply in the room.

Stat block:

D10 & D11 (Library & Stitchery)

The decision of whether or not to sell the materials found here is ultimately left to the PCs. If they choose to do so, they are able to net 300 gold pieces for the collection of books - this reward is not tied to any treasure parcel, and thus is essentially "free". However, if they choose to hold onto the books until the next adventure, they can receive a +2 bonus to any checks made regarding diseases if they are able to consult the library.

The stitchery contains nothing that requires conversion.

D9 (Prisoner Pits)

The ogrekin template was originally created for the third adventure in the Rise of the Runelords adventure path, The Hook Mountain Massacre. I updated it to 4th Edition when I converted that adventure, and have reapplied it to Cabbagehead here. He also has a handful of derro at his disposal. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• Cabbagehead
• 2 Kobold Slingers
• 2 Kobold Skirmishers

Total: 750 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

Should the PCs rescue Tiora, she presents them with treasure parcel 2 from level 3 as a reward once she is able to return to her home.

Stat block:

D8 (Store Room)

The carrion golem has run out of things to break in this room, but sees the PCs as a new opportunity. Drawn out by the disruption the PCs' presence causes, swarms of undead rats join the fight as well. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 1 Carrion Golem
• 2 Corpse Rat Swarms (see Open Grave)

Total: 850 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

D7 (Alchemy Lab)

This encounter features a particularly special derro, "improved" by Rolth to include a terrifying surprise should it ever perish in battle. The Wyrmwarped Atrocity attacks with insane fervor, and, when reduced to 0 hit points, screams before exploding in a gout of acid. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 1 Kobold Slyblade
• 3 Kobold Hurlers (see Dungeon #155)
• 1 Wyrmwarped Atrocity (see Draconomicon)
  

Total: 725 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

D6 (Skull Corridor)

The lesser necrophidius monster featured here needed to be replaced. The bonewretch skeleton from Open Grave works just as well. Not only can they just as easily represent the skeleton of a small monster (like a derro, perhaps) as they can a child, but their Rattling Shift power is a perfect analog for the necrophidius' ability to dissemble its bones to slither across the ground. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 3 Bonewretch Skeletons
• 1 Acid Spraying Skulls

Total: 825 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

Position the acid skull trap sprayers far enough apart that the entire room is covered by their
burst areas.

Stat block:

D5 (Exsanguination Chamber)

In the original adventure most of the stirges gorge themselves on the corpse prepared for them instead of harrying the PCs. In this converted encounter, have the derro shoo them off the corpse and towards the party. Five stirges are better than two. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 2 Kobold Vermin Handlers (see Dragon Magazine Annual 2009)
• 5 Stirges

Total: 800 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

D4 (Corpse Dump)

The otyugh present here is the real deal - stronger and wilder than those found dwelling in Korvosa's sewers. It has a number of lurking filth-feeding allies, too: a jelly and a couple of oozes. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 1 Otyugh
• 1 Ochre Jelly
• 2 Gray Oozes

Total: 850 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

If the otyugh finds itself dealing with too many enemies at once, it positions itself near the filth pit and drags one of the PCs into it with its tentacles. Don't forget to have the jelly split when it reaches bloodied.

The necklace at the bottom of the pit is worth 140 gold pieces (treasure parcel 9 from level 4). Also present here is treasure parcel 3 from level 3. Consider dividing that parcel up into potions, elixirs, or alchemical items.

D3 (Derro Cave)

The derro in this room are startled by the PCs' presence, but take a break from their own twisted version of rat-torture D&D to deal with the party. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 1 Kobold Rat Master (see Dragon Magazine Annual 2009)
  
• 1 Kobold Vermin Handler (see Dragon Magazine Annual 2009)
• 2 Kobold Pikers (see Dragon Magazine Annual 2009)
• 1 Kobold Slyblade
  

Total: 925 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

Describe the derro's actions as maddeningly erratic (including their Shifty power). Flavor their combat style well and unless the party has had run-ins with kobolds in the past they'll never realize they're fighting a completely different base monster.

D1 (Ossuary)

All of the monsters present here begin the encounter hidden. Characters with a passive Perception of 14 or greater are able to avoid being surprised.

The owlbear skeleton has been replaced with an offalian, but its general purpose and place in the warrens remains the same. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 3 Skeletons
• 3 Skeleton Archers (see Dungeon #166)
  
• 1 Offalian (see Open Grave)
  

Total: 1,050 xp (Level 5 Encounter)

The Dead Warrens

Locating the wheelbarrow trail is a DC 15 Perception check, as is finding the secret trap door within the mausoleum. Identifying the derro footprints is a DC 25 Nature check.

Derro do not exist in 4th Edition at present. This isn't a big deal at all, since they can be easily and effectively represented by reskinning kobold stat blocks. If you'd really like to customize them to contain more derro flavor, consider adding some powers from the Those Who Hear monster theme from the Dungeon Master's Guide 2 (page 120).

Be sure to increase the physical size of a number of the rooms in the Warrens. A few of the areas (especially D4, D6 and D8) are far too cramped to allow for the sort of dynamic combat the game is suited for. Discovering any of the crawlspace secret doors in the Warrens requires a DC 18 Perception check.

A Missing Body

If the PCs successfully return Trinia to the guard, they are rewarded with 380 gold pieces (treasure parcel 5 from level 3) and treasure parcel 4 from level 3.

At this point you should have run all of the encounters from A City in Turmoil. If you have not done so, make that your priority. The city has calmed, and vengeful mobs and raving madmen will be that much more out-of-place after Eel's End.

Provide the party with a major quest to return Gaekhen's remains, and the promise of 700 gold pieces (treasure parcels 6 and 7 from level 4) for doing so.

Otyugh Uprising

A number of dire rats join the otyughs in this fight, drawn up from the sewers below. The otyughs here are less powerful than their normally wilder kin, having grown complacent from the constant supply of food the sewers bring them. Because of this, and to make the PCs' lives easier, they have been reduced to level 4. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 2 Korvosan Sewer Otyughs
• 4 Dire Rats

Total: 750 xp (Level 3 Encounter)

Stat block:

Meet the Mob

The PCs can disperse the mob with a skill challenge, if they'd like. Of course, they can always simply leave the noble to his fate, or intervene more forcefully right from the start, depending on how they feel about the situation.

Should a fight break out, I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 1 Angry Mob (see Dragon Magazine Annual 2009)
  
• 1 Human Noble
• 2 Human Bandits
• 6 Human Rabble

Total: 836 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

The Human Noble stat block here actually represents the leader of the mob, not Amin. Amin is treated as in the background during this encounter.

Amin rewards the party with 75 gold pieces (treasure parcel 10 from level 3) for his rescue before departing.

Skill Challenge: Meet the Mob

Setup: This skill challenge is straightforward. If the PCs choose the proper words, a fight can be avoided. If they manage to offend or upset the mob, violence is the result.

Mad Prophet

This encounter is pretty straightforward. Unless the PCs actively flee from the madman, he makes a +5 vs. Fortitude attack against a random PC. If successful, the target is exposed to filth fever (see Monster Manual page 219). Any other PC who tries to physically pry the old man off or push him away has a similar chance of being exposed.

Imps and Dragons

Use this encounter to liven up the city a bit - the constant feud between imps and pseudodragons has no connection to the riots, and thus helps Korvosa feel less one-dimensional by making it clear that there's more to the city than a monarchy in turmoil and a populace up in arms.

I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 5 Imps
• 5 Pseudodragons

Total: 750 xp (Level 3 Encounter; experience adjusted for three-way combat)

The imps attack first, ambushing the PCs from invisibility. It isn't until round four that the pseudodragons arrive and roll initiative. Their sole concern is attacking the imps, but if the party catches one of them in an attack (deliberately or inadvertently), they make targets out of both the party and the imps.

Drunken Guard

A DC 14 Streetwise check is enough to recognize Grau as the former Watch Sergeant. No skill checks are necessary to rescue Grau from his life of constant inebriation. If the PCs decide to sober him up, or escort him back to the guard, Grau isn't in much of a position to do anything about it. Deciding to ignore him is the only real way they can "fail" this encounter.

The Queen's Scapegoat

This is, essentially, one very large skill challenge. Give the party a minor quest to bring Trinia in safely. While finding Trinia's apartment is no heroic task, the Shingle chase certainly is. The original adventure even lays it out in a manner similar to how skill challenges are structured now.

Skill Challenge: The Shingle Chase

Setup: I've designed this skill challenge to mirror the original encounter design fairly closely. Below is a modified list of possible obstacles, expanded from the original adventure to include a handful of new skills in order to provide more opportunities for the whole party to participate:

Cluttered Rooftop - Acrobatics DC 10
Crumbling Rooftop - Acrobatics DC 20
Gap in Wall - Acrobatics DC 15
Hidden Shortcut - Perception DC 15
Narrow Hole in Wall - Acrobatics DC 20
Narrow Rooftop Leap - Athletics DC 15
Narrow Walkway - Acrobatics DC 15
Tightrope Shortcut - Acrobatics DC 20
Very Hidden Shortcut - Perception DC 20
Very Steep Roof - Athletics DC 10
Wall - Athletics DC 20
Wide Rooftop Leap - Athletics DC 20
Inclined Roof - Endurance DC 15
Split Path - Streetwise DC 15
Dead End - Streetwise DC 20
Rooftop Thugs - Diplomacy or Intimidate DC 10
Sympathetic Tenants - Diplomacy or Bluff DC 15
Choker Nest - Stealth DC 15
Scheming Thieves - Bluff or Intimidate DC 20
Concealed Passage - Streetwise or Perception DC 15

Create 15 cards, with two of the above obstacles on each. Place Trinia on card 4, and begin the event.