So I have always loved the S Series of modules, particularly S-3 & S-4. I am currently framing out the ideas of a doing a Campaign set in Greyhawk CY 620 for 5e rules.
PREMISE:
At the end of S-4, the heroes that reduced Drelzna to vapor could not lift the 6000 lb coffin, the took the Prison and the Lanthorn and came back to finish the job, but the coffin and Drelzna were gone.
START:
50 years later, contact with the Gnomes in the Vale have been lost, the party is sent to investigate
Overall story arc.
Drelzna is out for revenge, but she wants to get ahold of dear old mom and dad. So Lerrek and Iggwilv will make an appearance. I borrow heavily from Oerth Journal 13. We also will get to see Jarran and Basilev.
Jarran would be a lich trying to be the Demi-Urge. Basilev would be like a guiding spirit as he was the last Demi-Urge, but cannot come back to this plane in material form.
Final battle would take place in some lower cavern layers under the waterfall that had to be crossed on the upper caverns. Their was a slight reference to an even lower level. This is where I would have the happy family trying to break the seal over the Planar Nexus that Tsojcanth sealed up with his soul.
I would really like to get it all written up and then publish, but Wotc would have the IP, so I guess I could run it private as the DM on FG or in my local game.
Questions:
I am concerned about porting a lot of the element to 5e. I am particularly worried about the undead. How are lichs and vampires handled differently?
If Iggwilv gets fully reconstituted, she would be the most powerful mage in Oerth. Should I make her a Warlock instead, with Graz'zt as patron?
What specific canon issue will i run into setting a greyhawk in 620.
First, let me warn you that you may be making an error of assumption that I made for a long time when first reading through S4, The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth: that is, it takes place within the Yatil Mountains, not within the Valley of the Mage.
The inclusion of Valley Elves is what confuses everything. Apparently, Valley Elves live in the Yatils, too. Note that the three nations whose forces patrol the region include Ket, Veluna, and Perrenland. That makes no sense if it takes place in the Valley of the Mage.
You are, of course, welcome to place the module within the Valley or the Barrier Peaks/Crystal Mists in your own campaign, but I mention it because you asked about canonical issues you might run into.
Another issue is that Pluffet Smedger is recorded as saying that by CY 900 all magic has left Oerth. If you take that as canon, you may need to consider that there has been some small weakening of the power and influence of magic within the Flanaess by CY 620.
I read something about Mordenkainen in some source that explained that the rivalry/dislike between him and the Black one of the Vale is because Mordenkainen also desires a powerful magical position that Jarran Crimea covets. I forget the exact nature of the position, but it was being the focus of all Oerth magic, or some such.
I though about that Valley of the Mage vs Southern Yatils.
So what I did is I looked back at some of the timelines. What I saw was that Tsojcanth defeated Tharizdun. Then Basilev defeated some people who wanted to brind THD back.
So I made Tsojcanth and Basilev both earlier incarnations of "The Mage of the Vale". The valley elves are sworn to protect and serve the MV. I put forth that the lost caverns of tsojcanth were Tsojcanth's private lab. He then brought both gnomes and valley elves from the Valley of the Mage to guard the passes and entrance to the caverns. When Basilev defeated THD followers, he more or less retired from m the position of MV and began his planar exploration. Then Jaran took up residence in the Valley, assuming the position of MV.
Now, Tso & Bas also held the position of Demi-Urge. There is a link to between the MV and Demi-Urge, but simply holding the title MV only binds the valley elves to you. You have to be a 20th lvl mage, and, most important, the previous Demi-Urge has to pass on a Tome that details the process of taking the Demi-Urge title.
It is that power that Mordenkainen wanted. Jaran will never get it. In my campaign, Jaran is a Lich now and a Lich cannot perform the ceremony to become the Demi-Urge.
As for the slow dissipation of the magical energies. I address this by putting forward the fact that Oerth has no Demi-Urge at this time, that is the proximate cause of the decline of magical power. I more or less put it to either Iggwilv will take the power or Mordenkainen will.
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