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Hopefully others can use this thread to clarify questions arising in this adventure. If you happen to see another thread, please link post a link in this one to try and keep things tied together.
Chapter 1: Stolen Land
Chapter 2: Rivers Run Red
Chapter 3: The Varnhold Vanishing
Chapter 4: Blood for Blood
Chapter 5: War of the River Kings
Chapter 6: Sound of a Thousand Screams
Noticed some potential omissions already.
1. It is not mentioned if it is fast, medium or slow for XP advancement.
2. Location 'C' Trapped Glen - there is no mention of the number of traps beside the statement of 'dozens'. An exact amount would be helpful. Also, what is the cost of a 'Bear Trap' because I can see my players wanting to recover these for their own use or to sell?
I am still going through it so there may be additional observations later.
Noticed some potential omissions already.
1. It is not mentioned if it is fast, medium or slow for XP advancement.
2. Location 'C' Trapped Glen - there is no mention of the number of traps beside the statement of 'dozens'. An exact amount would be helpful. Also, what is the cost of a 'Bear Trap' because I can see my players wanting to recover these for their own use or to sell?
I am still going through it so there may be additional observations later.
1. I think all APs assume medium advancement.
2. When I ran the encounter, I think I ended up with one bear trap per PC and left it at that. I'm not sure where the costing info was, but I remember seeing bear traps being listed somewhere for 50 gp each.
And yes, the PCs in my campaign absolutely recovered all the bear traps they could and sold them! :)
Noticed some potential omissions already.
1. It is not mentioned if it is fast, medium or slow for XP advancement.
2. Location 'C' Trapped Glen - there is no mention of the number of traps beside the statement of 'dozens'. An exact amount would be helpful. Also, what is the cost of a 'Bear Trap' because I can see my players wanting to recover these for their own use or to sell?
I am still going through it so there may be additional observations later.
All Paizo adventures assume Medium advancement. We generally put this information into the sidebar at the top of page 7 of an AP.
There's no mention of the exact number of traps because they're spread over a large area. Use as many as you want before the encounter gets boring (Jason's advice of 1 per PC is fine). As for how much they cost, that info was at ONE point in the adventure but it might of ended up being cut or hidden elsewhere. The cost is about 50 gp though; bear traps are also detailed in the upcoming Adventurer's Armory.
If you suspect your PCs will want to recover all the bear traps and sell them, you should use THAT as your guide. In this case, 4 to 6 traps should be more than enough.
All Paizo adventures assume Medium advancement.Really? Is that specific to those built on the Pathfinder RPG, or those in 3.5 as well?
I've been running Rise of the Runelords on fast, and so far they seem to be just keeping pace with the expected levels, and have hit on every major encounter.
The above should say all Pathfinder rules APs assume medium advancement.
3.5 had only one xp progression and was before Pathfinder's Slow/Medium/Fast progression rates. The 3.5 rate equals the fast rate for Pathfinder.
The 3.5 XP progression is actually relatively close to the Fast track in Pathfinder. So it makes sense that Runelords on the Fast track is about right.
For Council of Thieves onward, though, we switched systems but didn't adjust how we design encounters or expand adventure length. As a result, Council of Thieves ended up covering fewer levels overall, because the Medium track is slower than 3.5's progression.
So yeah... to further refine my statement:
Pre-Pathfinder RPG adventures should assume the Fast track or the old 3.5 advancement rates. Current adventure paths assume Medium track.
50 gp/trap seems very expensive? Where did you get that number from? Why is a trap as expensive as a crossbow or a greatsword or masterwork artisan tools?
Or more importantly, why is it = to the cost of 2 guard dogs? Why use traps when you can just buy a bunch of dogs to hunt the animals?
20 gp/trap seems more appropriate- unless the price of the metal is a lot more than I suspect.
In the real world... I don't think that a trap is over 10 times as expensive as a pig: "3 gp One pig" http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services
50 gp/trap seems very expensive? Where did you get that number from? Why is a trap as expensive as a crossbow or a greatsword or masterwork artisan tools?
Or more importantly, why is it = to the cost of 2 guard dogs? Why use traps when you can just buy a bunch of dogs to hunt the animals?
20 gp/trap seems more appropriate- unless the price of the metal is a lot more than I suspect.
In the real world... I don't think that a trap is over 10 times as expensive as a pig: "3 gp One pig" http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services
In my experience with GMing, base cost is always a GM prerogative, if you dont want them at 50g knock em down to 20g. reducing the cost opens the potential for more traps without the group walking away with a fortune.
50 gp/trap seems very expensive? Where did you get that number from? Why is a trap as expensive as a crossbow or a greatsword or masterwork artisan tools?
Or more importantly, why is it = to the cost of 2 guard dogs? Why use traps when you can just buy a bunch of dogs to hunt the animals?
20 gp/trap seems more appropriate- unless the price of the metal is a lot more than I suspect.
In the real world... I don't think that a trap is over 10 times as expensive as a pig: "3 gp One pig" http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services
50 gp/trap may or may not be the actual price. I don't have the Adventurer's Armory handy to confirm.
But the reason a bear trap is more expensive than a sword is that creating a bear trap requires more talent and skill and time than making a sword does. Just like creating a lock or a spyglass does. Bear traps have moving parts and complex stuff in them.
If you want to reduce it to 20 gp, though, that's fine. But you sholdn't compare a bear trap's price to a mere weapon's price. Compare it in price to complex stuff like locks and crossbows.
And comparing things to real world analogues is a dangerous slope when it comes to pricing...
Thank you for the answer.
I am not too certain that making a bear trap takes more time or skill than perfectly balancing a blade or forging a proper sword, from what I understand- blacksmiths are paid quite well for sword-forgery, perhaps moreso than trapsmiths are paid-- but I am neither an expert in bear traps, nor am I an expert in swords.
So thank you again. I appreciate that time was taken in determining the prices and in responding to my question.
But, a perfectly balanced, finely honed blade would be masterwork, and cost an extra 300 gp.
What Lamashan said.
And also... I am POSITIVE I could go out and build a longsword that could stab someone in the heart. There's not much skill involved. But a spring-loaded bear trap? That's an entirely different story.
from what I understand- blacksmiths are paid quite well for sword-forgery
Today, sure. Its more a presentation art for collectors rather than than actual necessity that is not done in every town. Medieval times, no. They were the bottom run on the skilled worker tree. Oh sure, they were paid more than farmers, serfs, your average laborer, but less than a clock maker, seamstress, or shoe repairer. Smiths were a dime a dozen.
A hundred miles! Wow, I'd have thought it was a lot closer...Perhaps I've missed this somewhere, but how far is Oleg's Trading Post from Restov? I'm assuming the South Rostland Road connects them?The South Rostland Road does indeed connect them. Restov is about 100 miles away from Oleg's.
Nope. The Stolen Lands are a pretty large region. About the same area as the state of Maine, after all. That, and Oleg's Trading Post is supposed to be on the cusp of civilization... being within a day or two of a big city is hardly cusping it. ;-)
Whippersnappers used to Sandpoint and it's day's ride from Magnimar....
The charter says that exploration should be limited to 36 miles (3 hexes) east and west from Oleg's Trading Post.
However, the map shows 4 hexes to the left of the Trading Post and only 2 to the right, so if the characters stick to the charter, they'll miss areas B and T on the left and wander off-map to the right. I guess a solution is to move the Trading Post one hex to the left.
Regarding this, it shouldn't be a problem to move the Trading Post one hex to the left to avoid PC's wondering off the edge to the right, correct?
Also it seems that A10 was left off of the map of the trading post. Not really an issue at all aside from one of consistency.
Karui Kage
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion Subscriber)
Whippersnappers used to Sandpoint and it's day's ride from Magnimar....
The charter says that exploration should be limited to 36 miles (3 hexes) east and west from Oleg's Trading Post.
However, the map shows 4 hexes to the left of the Trading Post and only 2 to the right, so if the characters stick to the charter, they'll miss areas B and T on the left and wander off-map to the right. I guess a solution is to move the Trading Post one hex to the left.Regarding this, it shouldn't be a problem to move the Trading Post one hex to the left to avoid PC's wondering off the edge to the right, correct?
Also it seems that A10 was left off of the map of the trading post. Not really an issue at all aside from one of consistency.
I was actually going to bring this up, but if you notice "North" on the map is actually pointing to the upper-left edge of the hexes. So there's barely one hex to the east of Oleg's. Plenty of room on the west though. Not even sure if the mileage has enough room south either, with north oriented as it is. Hm.
The whole point of the charter recommending a radius from Oleg's to explore is to put in a soft barrier for PCs. Since the southern half of the Greenbelt isn't detailed in the first adventure (it's detailed in the second), it'd be unfortunate if the charter in the first adventure gave the impression that the PCs should be able to explore anywhere. And we couldn't really say, "Just explore the top half of the map" really. But then with the weird compass rose direction and a little bit of compass rose dyslexia, we might have managed to confuse things anyway...
I think this is probably one of the few campaigns I've done where there is a significant benefit to being horseback. Being able to Explore every kind of hex in 1 day and travel through 3 hexes a day is very nice. I wonder how long it will take my players to figure that out....they tend to completely forget horses exist.
Player Safe Materials?
I have players who always want to know more and want more to read (and have more time than me and read faster than me!) To give them background, I was going to copy the Stolen Lands pages from the River Kingdoms guide and the Brevoy chapter from the AP. That wouldn't be giving them more information than they should have, would it?
Progressive Paizo or mistake?
DMs eyes only
We don't really spell out the genders of all the bandits. The doomed bandit lovers could both be guys, both be gals, or be a guy and a gal as you prefer for your game.
We've had several gay/lesbian/bisexual NPCs in our adventures though. Sometimes in big roles. Sometimes in minor roles. For the most part, an NPC's sexuality doesn't really matter—they can dig whomever they want.
HOWEVER! If you want the OFFICIAL answer... since I wrote the majority of the non-map supported content of "Stolen Land," the poor bandits in question are indeed both guys.
So, what's the final verdict on the position of Oleg's? Move it or move the compass direction?
Keep Oleg's where it is. Change the words in the charter slightly:
They should limit their exploration to an area no further than 36 miles northwest and south and no further than 60 miles west. I believe the problem was a mixup caused by the tilted compass rose, upon further inspection.
If you don't want to change the charter's words, changing the compass rose direction so that north points straight up is a workable solution too.
The point of the charter is that it should encourage the PCs to stay to the top half of the Greenbelt map. Once folks have the third Kingmaker Adventure, the map to the east gets detailed and you can start having them explore that area too if you wish during this early game... although if they go too FAR east they'll be hit with things like rocs and other high CR monsters. But such is the nature of the Sandbox!
Either I missed this or it's not there but what sort of foot traffic goes through Oleg's? Is there a rough estimate for about how many trappers trap in the Greenbelt? About how frequently do they visit the trading post?
I see that there is a 6% chance for a random encounter to be a hunter. A 5% chance to run into a random encounter when traveling through a hex and a 15% chance per day. This means that for each hex you travel there's a .3% chance of meeting a trapper and a .9% chance each day.
Which would probably make sense for someone trapping in ye old trappin' days. That's basically running into 3 people in a year unless you visit the trading post or a rendezvous.
Either I missed this or it's not there but what sort of foot traffic goes through Oleg's? Is there a rough estimate for about how many trappers trap in the Greenbelt? About how frequently do they visit the trading post?
I see that there is a 6% chance for a random encounter to be a hunter. A 5% chance to run into a random encounter when traveling through a hex and a 15% chance per day. This means that for each hex you travel there's a .3% chance of meeting a trapper and a .9% chance each day.
Which would probably make sense for someone trapping in ye old trappin' days. That's basically running into 3 people in a year unless you visit the trading post or a rendezvous.
There's not a lot of foot traffic through Oleg's. He's sort of a misanthrope. He built his trading post where it is BECAUSE it's isolated. It's also the only place for the trappers and hunters to buy stuff too.
As for how many trappers and hunters operate in the Greenbelt... I would probably ballpark that at about 35. That equates to one hunter/trapper for every other hex, more or less.
35 is probably enough to see one every other day or so show up at Oleg's
I notice that Akiros' Morale is to fight to the death. I'm guessing this should actually be "Fight to the death until it's convenient to not be fighting to the death and instead join the other side?"
On the Stag Lords helmet it gives the ability 3xday for people who worship Erastil. How fervently do they have to worship? Like can they just be the kind to say a prayer occasionally or does this ability only work for full blown cleric/paladins. And if it works for people who only occasionally express worship is the Stag Lord a worshiper? Or does he only get this mean trick once a day.
logic_poet
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules Subscriber)