D&D Next: Plan B

So I have the A-series adventures (have for a long time), I have the Next files that have the monster conversions for them, and I have the 2E era "Slavers" adventure (really a mini-campaign) if I want to flesh it out. I can see some fun to be had there.

So why isn't it "case closed"? I'm not sure, but I have roughly worked out a second campaign outline that could use Isle of Dread, Dwellers of the Forbidden City, and White Plume Mountain. This would also be in Greyhawk and would also lead into the G-D-Q adventures, possible with Barrier Peaks worked in as well, maybe between G2 and G3, though this does open up the possibility of King Snurre being laser-bolted to death in his hall and the finale looking more like GH40K than Classic D&D. Regardless, I don't think it will be coming up for a while.

I think the main attraction here is that these adventures are much more sandbox, have a wider variety of creatures to face, and are less commando-raid. Breaking down the Slavelords into its basic components, I could run it in Star Wars or Traveller and maybe Top Secret and it would fit as well as it does in D&D. That's probably a compliment but I'm not sure it's fitting into the groove I want. Also: 100% more dinosaurs in X1 than in the A-series.

I did realize that the Next packets contain all the stats for the S-series as well, which is really really cool. Since they already have the Isle of Dread that would only leave the Forbidden City as un-statted but I think that's one I can manage as there are parts of it I would change anyway.

I'm going to look at it in some more detail and then decide which way to go a little later. It doesn't matter until they get close to finishing the keep and I can decide how to plant the seed and I may just drop in links to both options and let them choose.

I also woke up with a vision of a campaign using Desert Nomads, Temple of Death, and the Pharaoh series but I haven't done much with it yet.

It's a little strange having the beginning and the higher levels nailed down but having the middle so up in the air. I'm usually more sequential than that, planning and laying out the options layer by layer, "tier by tier" so to speak. For now the Caves will keep them busy and I will figure out the rest.