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Dungeon / Messageboards / Shackled City Adventure Path / Archives / Shackled City Design Diary Part 1     Recent Posts
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Shackled City Design Diary Part 1

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We’re back from Origins, and the official release of the Shackled City Adventure Path hardcover is less than a month away! With that in mind, now seems like a good time to take a look at how we put together this unprecedented compilation. At 416 full-color pages, it’s the largest official Dungeons & Dragons campaign ever published, but how in the world did we make it happen?

The Shackled City Adventure Path debuted in the March, 2003 issue of Dungeon magazine (#97). The brainchild of then-editor Chris Thomasson, the series of 11 linked adventures appeared irregularly over the course of the next 20 issues. Chris started off the series with pulse-pounding adventures by Christopher Perkins and James Jacobs before departing Paizo Publishing for an editing position at Wizards of the Coast. Enter Dungeon’s new editor-in-chief, me, and my newly hired able assistant, Managing Editor James Jacobs (who knew a thing or two about the Adventure Path after writing its second installment).

Over the next year and a half, we continued Chris Thomasson’s legacy with spectacular installments from Dave Noonan, Tito Leati, and Jesse Decker. Both the Chrisses (Thomasson and Perkins) contributed multiple episodes to the endeavor, and by Dungeon #116, we published “Asylum,” the last in the series.

But the last words of “Asylum” were far from the end of the Shackled City. The Adventure Path proved to be one of the most popular features ever printed in Dungeon magazine, generating more mail and more online discussion than anything we’d ever seen before. Back issues featuring Shackled City adventures sold far in excess of other issues, and we knew we had a hit on our hands.

We also knew that the series was becoming more and more difficult to track down as back issues sold out in game stores across the country and at paizo.com. In order to satisfy this demand, we had an interesting thought. “Hey,” we thought, “why not compile all 11 adventures into a full-color hardcover format?”

“Great,” replied management. “Can you have it done in two weeks?”

Well, no. We couldn’t. There was simply too much to do. In order to make the book a worthwhile pick-up for readers who already owned the issues, we decided to pack in all sorts of new material that bridges the gaps between adventures, improves foreshadowing and continuing subplots, and fleshes out the fantastic city of Cauldron, where merchants and cultists scheme from the terraced streets of a great volcano’s tremulous caldera. A new poster map reveals Cauldron as it has never been seen before, and a 24-page detachable map booklet showcases some of the finest work of superstar cartographer Christopher West’s brilliant career. We even convinced Chris Perkins to write an all-new Shackled City adventure, “Drakthar’s Way,” which now serves as the campaign’s second installment. It took a bit longer than two weeks, but I think you’ll find it’s been well worth the wait.

But what the heck is the campaign about? Good question. This preview PDF, a selection from the book’s enormous introduction that includes a complete table of contents, should give you a pretty good idea. So, please download and enjoy.

And watch out for Lord Vhalantru.

--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon
July 6th, 2005
Shackled City Design Diary Part 1
Robert Head (Former Webmaster), Wed, Jul 6, 2005, 12:04 PM
Avatar V avatar

The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.
Sean Mahoney (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Wed, Jul 6, 2005, 01:16 PM
A 12-Queens-Doctor avatar

Blah!

I was thinking I would get away with out buying this since I had all the magazines, but your little sample PDF hooked me ("come here kid, the first rock of crack is free!"). Now I have no choice but to buy your excellent product... damn you all!

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves!!!

Sean Mahoney
Cheliax Lord Thasmudyan, Wed, Jul 6, 2005, 02:24 PM
Priest Zon Kuthon Final avatar

Sean Mahoney wrote:
Blah!

I was thinking I would get away with out buying this since I had all the magazines, but your little sample PDF hooked me ("come here kid, the first rock of crack is free!"). Now I have no choice but to buy your excellent product... damn you all!

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves!!!

Sean Mahoney


I agree Sean......I was recently thinking I wasn't going to buy it for a few but this preview offers so many juicy bits....I can't wait.
Calvin Roach, Thu, Jul 7, 2005, 09:40 AM
Minotaur avatar

I'm not that hip to Shackled City, but you gather up Incursion, add some more to it like you did here and put it in one volume, and I'd crawl through five miles of field mines on my hands and knees to get it.
Sean Mahoney (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Thu, Jul 7, 2005, 03:47 PM
A 12-Queens-Doctor avatar

Calvin Roach wrote:
I'm not that hip to Shackled City, but you gather up Incursion, add some more to it like you did here and put it in one volume, and I'd crawl through five miles of field mines on my hands and knees to get it.

A campaign in which you used the shackled city as a background and the PCs failed would make an ideal Incursion campaign, albeit with demodands instead of githyanki, but a perfect set up none-the-less.

Sean Mahoney
Byron Zibeck (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Thu, Jul 7, 2005, 04:14 PM
Zon Kuthon Final avatar

So how often can we expect updates? Once a week?
Robert Head (Former Webmaster), Thu, Jul 7, 2005, 05:33 PM
Avatar V avatar

Byron Zibeck wrote:
So how often can we expect updates? Once a week?

yup
Chef's Slaad (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Chronicles Subscriber), Fri, Jul 8, 2005, 01:10 AM
Redslaad avatar

Robert Head wrote:
The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.


what flavour?
Byron Zibeck (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Fri, Jul 8, 2005, 12:09 PM
Zon Kuthon Final avatar

I noticed that there is an appendix dealing with character creation. It would be really nice to have this available in PDF form as well to make it easily distributable to the players. Just a thought.
Robert Head (Former Webmaster), Mon, Jul 11, 2005, 03:36 PM
Avatar V avatar

Chef's Slaad wrote:
Robert Head wrote:
The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.


what flavour?

All of them.

Except for this one
Byron Zibeck (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Mon, Jul 11, 2005, 04:09 PM
Zon Kuthon Final avatar

Another nice Web Enhancment/Design Diary would be a spoiler free "player's" guide to Cauldron.
Chef's Slaad (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Chronicles Subscriber), Tue, Jul 12, 2005, 01:09 PM
Redslaad avatar

Robert Head wrote:
Chef's Slaad wrote:
Robert Head wrote:
The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.


what flavour?

All of them.

Except for this one


Ha you're pretty good. But I have one that can top yours. the Hardcover can't be better than

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! (although (I must say I prefer Baskin & Robins' version of that icecream.)
Sean Mahoney (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Tue, Jul 12, 2005, 02:24 PM
A 12-Queens-Doctor avatar

Chef's Slaad wrote:
Ha you're pretty good. But I have one that can top yours. the Hardcover can't be better than

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! (although (I must say I prefer Baskin & Robins' version of that icecream.)


What?!?! Have you guys never been to a Cold Stone Ice Creamery?!?! (for you Paizo guys I am sure there is one close by as they are popping up all over the sound, but if nothing else there is one in the Crossroads shopping center in Bellevue that is well worth a quest to obtain).

Sean Mahoney
Robert Head (Former Webmaster), Thu, Jul 14, 2005, 08:09 AM
Avatar V avatar

Sean Mahoney wrote:
What?!?! Have you guys never been to a Cold Stone Ice Creamery?!?! (for you Paizo guys I am sure there is one close by as they are popping up all over the sound, but if nothing else there is one in the Crossroads shopping center in Bellevue that is well worth a quest to obtain).

Indeed, there is one in Factoria Mall that tempts us like an evil seductress every time we are leaving Red Robin. However, we've yet to give in (having spent all our lunch money already).

Oh, *and* I prefer my ice cream free of salmonella
Osirion Gavgoyle (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Thu, Jul 14, 2005, 08:22 AM
Thri Kreen avatar

Robert Head wrote:
The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.


I would agree in all cases except possibly the aptly named Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby or the decadently smooth Godiva White Chocolate Raspberry. Those two notwithstanding, I think your thesis is correct.
Rafael, Sat, Jul 23, 2005, 08:48 AM

Sean Mahoney wrote:

What?!?! Have you guys never been to a Cold Stone Ice Creamery?!?! (for you Paizo guys I am sure there is one close by as they are popping up all over the sound, but if nothing else there is one in the Crossroads shopping center in Bellevue that is well worth a quest to obtain).

Sean Mahoney


Ick.. You mean that tasteless junk? :-) Sorry, but to me Cold Stone sucks. To each his own though.
Sean Mahoney (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber), Sat, Jul 23, 2005, 12:07 PM
A 12-Queens-Doctor avatar

Robert Head wrote:
Indeed, there is one in Factoria Mall that tempts us like an evil seductress every time we are leaving Red Robin. However, we've yet to give in (having spent all our lunch money already).

Oh, *and* I prefer my ice cream free of salmonella


Have you had the Cake Batter Ice Cream? That stuff is worth the salmonella (having had both it is actually probably a toss up).

Sean Mahoney
erwin, Sun, Sep 11, 2005, 11:59 PM

this is for sean mahony. I just wanted to know what province/state you live in. thanks.
lizard1978uk, Mon, Sep 26, 2005, 08:04 AM
Lizardguy avatar

Robert Head wrote:
The Shackled City hardcover is better than ice cream.

Discuss.


at the moment we as a group are doing tat adventure.
we are on the 10th installment at the moment, and i must say it is one of the best adventures i have ever took part in (i have been playing D&D for 10 years).
i would rank it alongside missions such as
- the rod of seven parts
- underdark box set missions
- thw wyrmskull throne
- forth from cormyr
- how the mighty are fallen

definately worth buying the whole set and most definately the best 3rd ed mission ive been part of
MountainWolf, Thu, Jul 5, 2007, 02:27 PM
Ancientworgfinal avatar

Sean Mahoney wrote:
Have you had the Cake Batter Ice Cream? That stuff is worth the salmonella (having had both it is actually probably a toss up).

Was that meant to be a pun? Because it was awful.
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