Input: Hickory Branch

What if there was a Hickory Branch and Welkwood Respawn?! Keep the originals the same and add new, higher-level encounters at both (or even just HB if both are deemed too much). Maybe a funny encounter at HB could explain away this high-level content-the adventurers are warned of a menace again at HB and it turns out to be monsters heading to the AoH in Verbobonc from none other than the Temple itself! Perhaps this "gaming" troupe is a smokescreen for a secret raid in Verb.?

 

The to respawn HB or not to Respawn HB dilemma could be solved with an alternate NC pack. That is dump the vanilla (at this stage that seems appropriate) and instead offer an NC that contains the original NC versions integrated as they are now. Or the alternative is a new NC Revamped version that moves all but Welkwood to post Zuggy.

Seriously, anyone wanting Vanilla that bad can use older mods. The new mods are primarily about content not vanilla bug patching anymore. And this would give players the choice of Standard NC or Endgame NC.

I say, 'Why choose when you can have your cake and eat it too?'

 

I think a respawn would be good, perhaps post HB, someone directing you there from Verbo. A welkwood bog respawn is not really necessary because you already do a second quest there if you accept the Hextorites invitation to do so.

A Hickory Branch respawn is a great idea however. Put a few heavy duty minos in the cave this time, and perhaps a few very dangerous clerics and fighters of human or other type heritage.

Hell, even better, an evil party of humans (similar in size and scale to the slavers) is being reported to be in the area. They are of particular interest to one group or another. I don't think Wilfrik should offer this quest. He offers several already. Maybe the Cleric of Pelor or perhaps the Gnome Prince or someone else. Perhaps one of the Captains can give you the quest.
These guys are holed up somewhere and conducting raids on caravans. You might have to have already completed the wanted quests to do these, maybe working up a bit of a reputation.
Wow, a thought just popped into my head. Use the raided caravan map for this. That way, it's not so much a map, but you go as part of a caravan to act as bait, and only spring the trap after they've attacked, etc. You have this epic fight with a level 12-15 evil party, ranging from a magic great mace wielding barbarian of Erythnul, a cleric of Hextor, an evil bard/rogue, an evil fighter/rogue, and an evil ranger.
Classes/races could be as follows:

Barbarian - Level 15, Half Orc, Great Mace +1 of Fire, Adamantium Plate +1, Gloves of Ogre Strength, Amulet of Constitution +2

Cleric of Hextor - Level 15, Human, Flail +2 of Law, Dwarf Armor +2, Tower Shield +1, Gloves of Ogre Strength, Amulet of Wisdom +2

Fighter/Rogue - Level 8 Fighter/Level 7 Rogue, Human, Great Axe +1 of Ice, Mithril Plate +1, Mithril Buckler +2, Gloves of Ogre Strength, Amulet of Constitution +2

Bard/Rogue - Level 10 Bard/Level 5 Rogue, Gnome, Short Sword +2 of Fire, Mithril Shield +2, Mithril Chain +1, Gloves of Dexterity +2, Cloak of Charisma +2

Evil Dual Wield Fighter/Ranger - Level8 Fighter/Level 7 Ranger, Half-Orc, Bastard Sword +2 of Thunder, Kukri+2 of Thunder, Marauder Armor +2, Gloves of Ogre Strength, Amulet of Consitution +2

Improved Criticals abound, Greater Weapon Focus for Fighters, all in all, makes for a vicious fight. Party leader is Cleric of Hextor, with his number two being the Gnome. The rest are all muscle.

 

What high level parties really need is extra planar adventurers, a trip to Hades, using some of the Fire and Air Nodes maps. recolor some trolls blue and call them Slaads.

 

I would vote for Hickory Branch respawn, and the formentioned evil group sounds great.

Although I would make them a bunch of bounty hunters who are looking for your group and begun their search from the last place you were seen, i.e HB. The bounty is of course promised by the great grand uncle of Krunch (or whichever Orc was the one who mentioned war crimes?), who wants your group killed or captured for your war crimes, including the murder of his favorite great grand nephew. You could choose to fight them or surrender. In latter case there would be nice cut scene ala Verbo of your trial and subsequent execution.

 

Since it's going to be moved after the temple's demise it can probably be slipped in as a lareth post mortem affair : the temple's demise has caused the region to be considered suitable settling grounds and as such lolth sees it as the perfect oportunity to dispatch a veteran cleric in the region(naturally hes got a decent sized group of loyal retainers to do the heavy lifting' but prefers to rely on cheap mercenaries (orks,bugbears etc) to
do the dirty work and avoid raising unnecesary suspicion(for an outsider it all looks like old temple forces left without leadership are starting to tear each other up over scraps/resort to marauding activity)
The vetern cleric's agenda should be smth along these lines :
1)discreetly finish off reamaining potential temple problem figures'
2)cripple the regional economy/trade(thus silently finishing of anyone with enough coin to employ mercenaries/send distress calls) by setting up ambushes on wealthy merchants/nobles and pin it all on 'remaining temple forces switching to banditry as means to survive'
3)silently gather enough coin/troops to overrun a region that is now both eco crippled and poorly defended
Yr adventuring group gets puled in to all off this by perhaps a merchants/nobles relative witch desires justice(in the form of a capable group willing to track&kill the offenders in exchange for ... (depending on party align :a hand shake/cash/loot/etc). Clues leading to hb could come in the form of an experienced mage/warior witch doesn't exactly seem to fit well with a marauding party (triggered random encounter of some sort) and upon further interrogation spills the little he knows in exchange for hes life and yr group suddenly begins to realize the marauder ataks share a common pattern and seem to be happening in rather close proximity to hb.
This should all qualify for both as good excuse for a massive force to remain undetected and as justification to having a bunch of decent wariors(mercenarys) and some rly though opponents(cleric's retainers).

 

Since Zuggy and her forces are defeated....Iuz looses some personel but he sends a group to reclaim the temple. Lolth also see a oppertunity

Party goes to hickory branch and finds one of those two forces encamped. The other would already be occupying the respwn of the the Temple.

Lolth- Forces
Drow
Bugbears
Intelligent Spiders (to simulate driders)
Enlarged Kolbolds for Troglodites
Undead controlled by Drow Clerics.
demons
Dueragar Mercs
Drow Wizzards w/ summons.

Iuz-
Evil Humans
Humaniods
Giants
Undead.
demons
Random Beasts- trolls, minotuars, ect...

Party goes to Hickory after killing leaders finds out they were there to retake the temple from the other forces. Party goes back to temple to clear out other forces.

 

If you could, I think using some gorgons to fight would be awesome. Of the many exotic monsters in the nodes, Gorgons have one of the coolest looking models and are actually tough if they can paralyze a good number of you.