SG4 Saga of the Giants - Fire Giant Forge

[Solomoriah]

I'd really like to stay away from machines/technology of any sort. Otherwise, good ideas.

[Joe the Rat]

Going a dwarvier route, superb craftsmanship is key. These were the folks gods and heroes sought to craft their unstoppable weapons and unbeatable shields. Giving them a different bent to their style would be an interesting element. Their stuff isn't just superb, but it's strange.

You could go for a RuneTech flavor. All of their unnatural craftwork is covered in patterns and runes that glow when "powered up." Lots of Stone and Deep Iron.

What you really need is a story for why they're underground, and why they've been sealed away/hiding. Lots of rumors so the GM can pick and choose.

[SmootRK]

Another direction to take with this could be to swap the roles of Kuo-Toans and Drow. Instead make Fish-Man City the end setting (instead of the Drow City), but one can still encounter a region of Drow (just as when the Kuo-Toan temple complex is encountered in the source material).

This would mean that the agents of these Ichythians are encountered here and there as the build up. If I remember correctly, they were essentially Monks and Cleric and Assassin types.

[Solomoriah]

Actually, now that I think about it, perhaps we need birdmen of some sort... instead of descending deep into the ground, you end up ascending high above the plains.

[SmootRK]

Actually, now that I think about it, perhaps we need birdmen of some sort... instead of descending deep into the ground, you end up ascending high above the plains.

That might be interesting, but there was already a Cloud Giant Castle in this series already.
If something other than Drow is desired, and we are wanting something Underdark-ish, there is the possibility of using the Thulids, culminating in a visit to the Thulid Great Brain (something Library Lass made some time ago).
Smart, Dangerous, Plotters (especially with the great brain), Underdark, and can always allow for some of the other standard underdark type to make appearances here and there... players in the know about GDQ will make assumptions about Drow (or probably stand-ins like Duergar types) being the climax adventures, only to find out the culprits are more alien than they expect.

Another line of thought that is exclusively BFRPG, is to tie in some Nazgorian element. An immense wet-cavern full of Nazgorian baddies, frog-men everywhere, and perhaps some new alien intelligence leading some plot.

[Solomoriah]

I'm against going with the Nazgoreans; the whole point of them, to me, is their alienness. They don't think like men, or giants, or dragons, or anything else familiar.

Actually, the Cloud Giant adventure is later in the series... going up is just logical, looked at that way. The original adventures which these pay homage to end the "giant" involvement without including cloud or storm giants.

[SmootRK]

... Just throwing out as many ideas as I can to see which one sticks with everyone.

I do think a Nazgorian themed cavern/module could be a nice inclusion. It would/could be a mirror for the Kuo-toan temple of GDQ, which other than being found in the underdark is rather out of place thematically with the rest of the modules. A decent diversion in the sequence (a chance to earn some XP unrelated to the sequence otherwise)... basically keep it all from getting "meh... more giants, more dark elves".

[Solomoriah]

I'm not just looking to replace dark elves... I'd like to find a way to throw a red herring in for those players who are familiar with GDQ.

It's called "Saga of the GIANTS." Maybe we don't need no stinkin' dark elves (or expys thereof) at all...

I'm going to have to read them all, and try to absorb the narrative that J.D. is creating. I need to understand where he is going before I suggest any course changes.

[SmootRK]

I'm not just looking to replace dark elves... I'd like to find a way to throw a red herring in for those players who are familiar with GDQ.

It's called "Saga of the GIANTS." Maybe we don't need no stinkin' dark elves (or expys thereof) at all...

I'm going to have to read them all, and try to absorb the narrative that J.D. is creating. I need to understand where he is going before I suggest any course changes.

I agree. Homage is great, but otherwise as knock-offs is not so cool. Just getting the general vibe/tone is cool with me, otherwise I like to see some unexpected twists.

I was looking again through the Field Guide draft, and come again to the Vermen. Think Rat-men, living like the Rats of Nihm (but they are medium sized)... plotting to return to the surface. All very analogous to drow intentions. Perhaps a new monster is needed to make this happen (an advanced ratman).

Or perhaps we can go the standard humanoids route, led by a charismatic leader seeking to gather an army for a massive assault upon the surface (all very Lord of the Rings). In this version, we see advanced (classed) individuals from several of the goblinoid or orc related races, Ogre shock troops, Kobold assassins, and more.

Then, if somehow we want to depart altogether from the idea of following the influence of the giants, we can look to other modules for the appropriate homage thing (a thing I rather like overall, and a very big reason I really enjoy JDNeal's stuff). Perhaps look to Dwellers of the Forbidden City or even the Desert of Desolation series for inspiration?

[LibraryLass]

I sort of like the idea of a message from the underdark turning out to be a complete red herring. Maybe the head fire giant just has a thing for foreign languages.