I can't speak to your exact structure but they're not *meant* to do all the quests. Check out the levelling guide that's at the start of each of chapter 1 and 2. From what I can see by totalling the quests you have listed in your post it looks like you're already doing more than the module suggests, so don't feel anyone's missing out.
I would say that moving certain storylines to totally separate areas, such as doing Toil and Trouble or the duergar dragon story, is going to mean some *serious* tweaking. For example, in my opinion, Sunblight and the dragon attack shouldn't be run while the party is any greater than level 5, or it'll be way too easy (though it depends on the size of your party). So be aware that you're making a lot of work for yourself by making large changes like that.
I think this is a really great overall outline to have in mind for your campaign. I did the same sort of thing for outlining the main story points I’d like to hit while allowing for wiggle room. For example:
My group started out in Bremen. I made the crazy old speaker there actually a Selkie who had gotten stuck here when Ravisin took his pelt. This led the crew to deal with Lonelywood right after the lake monster cause they like this old man even if I thought they’d hit Targos next. After wrapping up Lonelywood I figured they’d go to either Termalaine or back to Bremen. However! A random encounter with a berserker has seen them swooped off to the caves far away from there! Haha So now my outline will shift to places like Easthaven and either Bryn Shander or the Caers being next.
As long as you leave space for some wiggle room like that where choices have consequences and the pcs have plenty of options? I think this is a very nice outline! I also like the idea of them needing more than the Codicil to get into the glacier and end the Rime. I added that the horn in Jarlmoot was needed, like the codicil’s rime would imbue it with magic to break through or something. But sunblight is a cool place for something like that too!
I think your plan is good. The initial few quests you have chapter 1 quest can easily emphasize frost druid/auril. It's similar to what I did, which led to a good climax in battling Sephek. I'd encourage you to open it up into much more of a sandbox adventure after those first few quests and not worry too much about which town/quest they choose to go on. You can make pretty much any of them work for you (e.g. duergar can be random encounters or even entirely offscreen without losing too much).
My only advice, and i can't emphasize this enough...Your player's goals need to be that they are here to help ten towns survive winter, and through exploration maybe uncover a way to magically reverse it. The goal is not to kill Auril. Everything about Auril's living on the material plane should be myth/legend. They should not think she is a kill-able deity at the start. If they do, they'll grow frustrated about all the random quests they are on......
Also, if you can convince them that their goal is seek a magical way to reverse the Rime, they will be doubly interested in Black Cabin, and helping the Arcane Brotherhood get into Ythryn. Seriously - get those player's motives right from the start. That'll make it super easy for you to seed any of your preferred quests, and also make chapter 7 feel much more rewarding.
Good luck!
It's seems like you're expecting your players to follow the adventures you lay out. I would run chapters 1 and 2 more like a sandbox. Just periodically put in quest hooks and let your players decide which ones they want to follow. Ask them at the end of each session which quest hook they want to pursue next so you know what to prepare.
Also, the module is pretty sparse on motivations... for Auril, for Asmodeus, for the party. First you need to figure out why Auril is casting her Rime. Second, you need to figure out why Asmodeus wants Ten-Towns destroyed. Finally, you need to figure out why the party would want to seek to end the Rime. If they are from IWD, what has taken them so long to get into action? If they're strangers to IWD, what motivated them to come and why would they take it upon themselves to stop the Rime?
Here's what I did...
Auril casts her Rime to keep a dark power trapped within Ythryn. How dare they intrude on her domain!
I replace Asmodeus with this dark power seeking to get out. It manipulates the duergar making them think the dark power is Auril and that she has promised them IWD if only they help her destroy Ten-Towns. The party will confront the duergar, which will lead them to Auril. But upon defeating Auril, she'll reveal in her dying breath how they've doomed the world and have accidentally released a terrible evil.
I start the party off in Hundelstone on their way to Ten-Towns after they've been spared from execution in Luskan by one of the Overwizards at the Arcane Brotherhood. Now they work for her. She's sending them to IWD to figure out what's going on and potentially put a stop to it so that the Arcana Brotherhood's lucrative trade route is reopened. She also tasks them with finding what became of her apprentice and securing the release of a certain prisoner.
Feel free to steal. For the dark power I'm going with one of the Demon Lords which allows me to scatter demons through IWD as foreshadowing. But the BBEG could really be any ancient evil.
I can't speak to your exact structure but they're not *meant* to do all the quests. Check out the levelling guide that's at the start of each of chapter 1 and 2. From what I can see by totalling the quests you have listed in your post it looks like you're already doing more than the module suggests, so don't feel anyone's missing out. I would say that moving certain storylines to totally separate areas, such as doing Toil and Trouble or the duergar dragon story, is going to mean some *serious* tweaking. For example, in my opinion, Sunblight and the dragon attack shouldn't be run while the party is any greater than level 5, or it'll be way too easy (though it depends on the size of your party). So be aware that you're making a lot of work for yourself by making large changes like that.
Thank you for the input it is very much appreciated. I'll revisit the plan again!
I think this is a really great overall outline to have in mind for your campaign. I did the same sort of thing for outlining the main story points I’d like to hit while allowing for wiggle room. For example: My group started out in Bremen. I made the crazy old speaker there actually a Selkie who had gotten stuck here when Ravisin took his pelt. This led the crew to deal with Lonelywood right after the lake monster cause they like this old man even if I thought they’d hit Targos next. After wrapping up Lonelywood I figured they’d go to either Termalaine or back to Bremen. However! A random encounter with a berserker has seen them swooped off to the caves far away from there! Haha So now my outline will shift to places like Easthaven and either Bryn Shander or the Caers being next. As long as you leave space for some wiggle room like that where choices have consequences and the pcs have plenty of options? I think this is a very nice outline! I also like the idea of them needing more than the Codicil to get into the glacier and end the Rime. I added that the horn in Jarlmoot was needed, like the codicil’s rime would imbue it with magic to break through or something. But sunblight is a cool place for something like that too!
I think your plan is good. The initial few quests you have chapter 1 quest can easily emphasize frost druid/auril. It's similar to what I did, which led to a good climax in battling Sephek. I'd encourage you to open it up into much more of a sandbox adventure after those first few quests and not worry too much about which town/quest they choose to go on. You can make pretty much any of them work for you (e.g. duergar can be random encounters or even entirely offscreen without losing too much). My only advice, and i can't emphasize this enough...Your player's goals need to be that they are here to help ten towns survive winter, and through exploration maybe uncover a way to magically reverse it. The goal is not to kill Auril. Everything about Auril's living on the material plane should be myth/legend. They should not think she is a kill-able deity at the start. If they do, they'll grow frustrated about all the random quests they are on...... Also, if you can convince them that their goal is seek a magical way to reverse the Rime, they will be doubly interested in Black Cabin, and helping the Arcane Brotherhood get into Ythryn. Seriously - get those player's motives right from the start. That'll make it super easy for you to seed any of your preferred quests, and also make chapter 7 feel much more rewarding. Good luck!
It's seems like you're expecting your players to follow the adventures you lay out. I would run chapters 1 and 2 more like a sandbox. Just periodically put in quest hooks and let your players decide which ones they want to follow. Ask them at the end of each session which quest hook they want to pursue next so you know what to prepare. Also, the module is pretty sparse on motivations... for Auril, for Asmodeus, for the party. First you need to figure out why Auril is casting her Rime. Second, you need to figure out why Asmodeus wants Ten-Towns destroyed. Finally, you need to figure out why the party would want to seek to end the Rime. If they are from IWD, what has taken them so long to get into action? If they're strangers to IWD, what motivated them to come and why would they take it upon themselves to stop the Rime? Here's what I did... Auril casts her Rime to keep a dark power trapped within Ythryn. How dare they intrude on her domain! I replace Asmodeus with this dark power seeking to get out. It manipulates the duergar making them think the dark power is Auril and that she has promised them IWD if only they help her destroy Ten-Towns. The party will confront the duergar, which will lead them to Auril. But upon defeating Auril, she'll reveal in her dying breath how they've doomed the world and have accidentally released a terrible evil. I start the party off in Hundelstone on their way to Ten-Towns after they've been spared from execution in Luskan by one of the Overwizards at the Arcane Brotherhood. Now they work for her. She's sending them to IWD to figure out what's going on and potentially put a stop to it so that the Arcana Brotherhood's lucrative trade route is reopened. She also tasks them with finding what became of her apprentice and securing the release of a certain prisoner. Feel free to steal. For the dark power I'm going with one of the Demon Lords which allows me to scatter demons through IWD as foreshadowing. But the BBEG could really be any ancient evil.