How I ran Night Below session 1: AD&D 2e prep, starting in Waterdeep & reaching Haranshire

 

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Night Below AD&D 2e Session 1: From Waterdeep to Haranshire (DM Prep & First Session Guide)

Preparing for Session 1- Structuring the Opening in Waterdeep

In this post, I’ll first go through how I prepared for this session, and then I’ll take a look at how it actually played out. I won’t retell every detail of what happened—instead, I’ll focus on key takeaways, surprises, and memorable moments.

Session Preparation

Why I Started in Waterdeep "city of splendors"

I chose to start the campaign in Waterdeep for several reasons.

Original Waterdeep map. All rights
reserved Wizards of the coast

First, I wanted to establish a sense of scale. By beginning in one of the largest cities in the Forgotten Realms, the players get a clear picture of what is at stake. If the evil in Night Below is not stopped, it won’t just affect a remote valley—it has the potential to spread and impact major centers like Waterdeep.

Second, I wanted to build a relationship between Beryglus and Nyssa. By starting with a longer journey, I could let that relationship develop naturally through travel, conversation, and shared experiences.

Third, this gave Cedric a strong starting point. Since he is connected to Waterdeep, it allows him to feel both rooted in the world and personally tied to the potential consequences of failure.

My players are experienced and enjoy roleplaying both with each other and the world around them, so this kind of setup came together quite naturally.

Adapting the Module for My Campaign Start

I decided to use Gordrenn as the central hook in Waterdeep.

Cedric’s mentor, a priest named Phenix Lüxbright, plays an important role here. Lüxbright is an elderly man who has begun to show signs of age and mild dementia. He claims to have received a vision from Lathander—warning of a growing evil in Haranshire.

However, because of his condition, the clergy at the Spire of the Morning do not take him seriously.

Lüxbright, convinced that his vision is real, sends his young and promising paladin, Cedric, to investigate. Through Gordrenn, Cedric is given the task of delivering a chest of components to Taster in Haranshire.

This creates a natural reason for the journey.

What Happened at the Table

Bringing the Party Together

I started the campaign with Bilfiis, Beryglus, Nyssa and Elmrin already in Waterdeep, knowing each other from previous work. They had recently served as guards for a caravan transporting copper and lead from the Carman mines, but their funds were starting to run low.

This placed them in a perfect position to take on new work.

Gordrenn, together with Cedric, hires them to escort the shipment back to Haranshire. This ties the entire group together through a shared goal and creates a clear direction for the campaign from the very beginning.

Scope of Preparation

This is as far as I prepared before Session 1.

I focused on:

• Establishing a strong starting point
• Creating clear motivations for the characters
• Building natural connections between the party and the story

I deliberately avoided over-preparing. With experienced players, it’s often better to leave space for the session to develop organically rather than trying to control every outcome.

The Journey from Waterdeep to Milborne

The journey from Waterdeep to Milborne took approximately 23 days.

The first stretch of the road, leading up to Red Larch, is well traveled. Caravans, adventurers, and patrols from the Lords’ Alliance are a common sight, which reduces the overall danger.

To reflect this, I used a simple encounter system:

• I roll 2D10 (one roll for daytime, one for night)
• On a roll of 1, I would check the encounter table

During this part of the journey, I only rolled a single encounter.

The party came across a caravan transporting supplies—mostly potatoes.

Original image from book 1 "Evils of Haranshire". all rights reserved Wizards of the coast

Player Decisions & Surprises

Turning a Simple Encounter into Roleplay

What could have been a quick, forgettable encounter turned into something much more engaging.

The players chose to travel alongside the caravan all the way to Red Larch. This opened the door for extended roleplay, conversations with NPCs, and character interaction within the party.

For groups that enjoy roleplaying, this kind of low-stakes encounter is a perfect opportunity to exercise your improvisation as a Dungeon Master. You don’t need complex plots—just believable people and small details.

The party ended up buying several kilos of sweet potatoes, along with some Berduskan Dark—a heavy, dark, and sweet wine with a slightly burning aftertaste. Known for its high alcohol content, it is widely sought after across the Realms.

Lessons Learned 

Using Small Details to Build a Living World

One thing I consciously try to do is weave established lore into the game—not just through locations and major events, but through everyday details like trade goods, food, and culture.

These small touches make the world feel more real. When players can interact with it on that level—buying goods, talking to merchants, sharing a drink—it becomes more than just a backdrop.

It becomes a living world. 

My notes from the first session

Consequences & Forward Impact

A Shift in Tone: Entering the Dessarin Valley

After Red Larch, the journey changes.

The road into the Dessarin Valley is far less traveled. There are fewer caravans, little to no patrol presence, and a much greater sense of danger.

To reflect this, I increased the encounter frequency:

• I roll 3D10 per day (one roll during the day, two at night)

Despite this increased risk, no random encounters occurred before the party reached the first planned event.

Sometimes, the absence of danger can be just as effective—it builds tension and anticipation for what’s coming next.

The Road to Milborne

On the final stretch toward Milborne, I added a small encounter of my own. The party met two fur hunters one day before reaching the village. It was a short and simple interaction—just a bit of conversation about hunting and where each group was headed.

The purpose of this was subtle but important.

I wanted to normalize encounters on the road so the players wouldn’t immediately become suspicious when they reached the setup for the first planned encounter in Evils of Haranshire: “Capture Them Alive!”

“Capture Them Alive!”

The encounter was run as written in the module.

The party was caught off guard, and the fact that the attack came both from outside and inside created a fresh challenge. In a system where attacks often come from a single direction, this added a nice tactical twist.

Even with four characters and one NPC (Nyssa), the fight was dangerous. One character went down before the group managed to defeat the attackers, and they captured one of them alive.

Overall, I found the encounter clean, well-structured, and easy to run directly from the book.

Readying the ambush! Original art from book 1 "Evils of Haranshire" all rights reserved Wizards of the coast

Player Decisions & Surprises

Consequences of open dice

I roll all dice in the open.

This keeps me honest as a Dungeon Master and ensures that the consequences feel real and shared at the table. But it also means things can turn quickly.

Bilfiis was severely wounded during the encounter and had to be carried into Milborne. The players chose to keep one of the attackers alive, which opens up opportunities for information and future developments.

Lessons Learned

Preparation Gaps in Milborne

When the party arrived in Milborne, I quickly realized that I wasn’t as well prepared as I should have been.

I struggled with NPC names and roles, and I wasn’t fully confident in how the village functioned. This led to some hesitation at the table, which is something I want to avoid.

This is a clear takeaway for me:

• Know your key NPCs
• Understand their roles
• Be ready to present the location smoothly

I took this directly into my preparation for the next session.

What Happened at the Table 

Splitting the Party in Milborne

Once in Milborne, the group split up.

Two of the characters took the captured attacker to Garyld, while Beryglus (the thief) brought the injured Bilfiis to the temple.

Adapting the Temple of Chauntea

I modified the temple to better fit the Forgotten Realms and the Western Heartlands.

The temple of Chauntea is a small but beautiful place, centered around agriculture and growth, with a well-kept garden that reflects the goddess’s portfolio.

There, they met a young priest named Samheis, who helped heal Bilfiis.

Consequences & Forward Impact

Introducing Unease in Haranshire

I made an additional change to the module here.

To establish early that something is wrong in Haranshire, I introduced a small but important detail: the old priest, Wilth, has mysteriously disappeared some time ago.

The current priest—his former acolyte—is now struggling with the responsibility. He is uncertain, overwhelmed, and clearly not comfortable in his role. 

This adds:

• A sense of unease
• A hint that something larger is happening
• Another thread the players can choose to follow

Session End

This is where we ended the session.

The party has reached Milborne, one member is recovering from near death, they have a prisoner to question, and the first signs of deeper trouble in Haranshire are beginning to surface.

The real campaign is about to begin.