Hi folks:

As I'm reading ROTR I'm missing the link that will let the PCs know about the Catacombs of Wrath. I see that Tsuto's journal implies that Nulia wants to release something "from below", but I'm missing how the PCs will realize that the Catacombs exist or where they are or why they would think that this is where the something from below is.

There's a lot of information in ROTR and I'm probably missing something among the vast amount of material (If this is the quality of the rest of the adventure paths then I'm hooked for sure).

So what plot points am I missing? What leads the PCs to the catacombs?

Thanks

Greg

So what plot points am I missing? What leads the PCs to the catacombs?

In the text, it does state that Tsuto attempts to flee from the combat in the Glassworks, down to the Catacombs, should things turn against him. Of course, he could be killed before making it down there. Also, Ameiko is stashed in the basement, and curious PCs may stumble upon the tunnels when they make it downstairs to rescue her.

In my campaign,

Note that the referrence to "releasing something from down below" is talking about Malfeshnikor, who is not in the Catacombs. He's in Thistletop with Nualia.

Pretty much, in finding Ameiko, they find the tunnel, and the tunnel pretty much leads to the CoW and the beach. Any adventures that don't go poking around down there A) will probably be asked to do so by Ameiko and/or Sheriff Hemlock or B) aren't REALLY adventurers in the first place!

Note that the referrence to "releasing something from down below" is talking about Malfeshnikor, who is not in the Catacombs. He's in Thistletop with Nualia.

Pretty much, in finding Ameiko, they find the tunnel, and the tunnel pretty much leads to the CoW and the beach. Any adventures that don't go poking around down there A) will probably be asked to do so by Ameiko and/or Sheriff Hemlock or B) aren't REALLY adventurers in the first place!

The PCs ought to find the tunnel during their adventuring, and a pathway leading off to a new dungeon ought to appeal to the sense of maniacal curiosity in any adventuring party.

Nice catch about "releasing something from down below" being in Thistletop, not the catacombs. I missed that.

I was also thinking that the sin spawns could bring the adventurers down to the catacombs provided I could give the players some sort of direction that the catacombs are where they're coming from. I think I'll have to make sure that Tsuto escapes because he's required to be alive later in the story. If I have him escape towards the catacombs BUT at the same time the party hears Ameiko's painful moans come from her cell then I can have them rescue her AND have a clue towards the catacombs.

Oh, and did anyone else notice:
Page 19 - a note from Ameiko's older brother Tsuto.

Two paragraphs later on page 19 : Tsuto was handed over to the Turandarok Academy to be raise outside of the Kaijitsu family. His older sister Ameiko . . .

I think I'll make Ameiko the older one.

Other than that, this adventure looks amazing. There are so many little story lines and so much information to work with. I know the rest of the adventure paths tend not to be 100 pages long, but what a great way to start out. There are several plot points that don't feel like a typical dungeon delve at all and I like that a lot.

There are a LOT of threads with corrections in them, and in it the author James Jacobs explicitly states that Tsuto is the younger brother. Go look in the stickied Burnt Offerings thread for all this and more!

I don't get where you think Tsuto has to escape, however. There is a big gaping hole in a recently-bricked up wall in the basement where the party has to go exploring anyway to find Ameiko, should have everything short of a big neon sign over it say "Adventure This Way".

I know the rest of the adventure paths tend not to be 100 pages long, but what a great way to start out.

My players missed the tunnels the first time around, or I should say, ignored them, until they read Tsuto's notebook, which detailed invasion plans using the tunnels. This is another method for cueing them in about the significance of the tunnels, especially if you are using the awesome player handout found in the Fan-designed material thread for RotRL.

And yes, my group too was fooled by the "down below" reference to malfeshkenor and are currently searching all the tunnels under the glassworks for his lair, lol.

Dru Lee Parsec wrote:

I know the rest of the adventure paths tend not to be 100 pages long, but what a great way to start out.

Every issue is the same length, in all of the Pathfinder APs... Not sure what you mean by this?

Now that I see the sticky Burnt Offerings thread I'm going to read through the whole thing. You're right, all my questions are answered there.

Evil Lincoln wrote:

Dru Lee Parsec wrote:

I know the rest of the adventure paths tend not to be 100 pages long, but what a great way to start out.

Every issue is the same length, in all of the Pathfinder APs... Not sure what you mean by this?

Really? I thought they were 64 pages? Maybe I'm confusing the adventure paths with the modules. Well that's good to know.

Now that I see the sticky Burnt Offerings thread I'm going to read through the whole thing. You're right, all my questions are answered there.

I really recommend you use some of the GREAT materials done by fans. My players really loved it.

I also recommend you to have as many interactions with NPCs as possible.

You will see that it makes it much more interesting in part 2.

You are both right ... Every issue is the same length. 64 pages. Including the first one. :D

Of course, if you only include the page count up to the end of the adventure, then mine ends at page 57..

Which is, in both cases, approximately the same as all other AP modules.

Chewbacca wrote:

You are both right ... Every issue is the same length. 64 pages. Including the first one. :D

My copy is certainly about 100 pages :)

Of course, if you only include the page count up to the end of the adventure, then mine ends at page 57..

Which is, in both cases, approximately the same as all other AP modules.

Sorry again !

Now that I think again about it, Modules are 32 pages long (If you don't count the covers).

Note that the referrence to "releasing something from down below" is talking about Malfeshnikor, who is not in the Catacombs. He's in Thistletop with Nualia.

For the group who were convinced the thing was below Sandpoint, they spent the better part of one session exploring the Old Light and Chopper's Isle looking for alternate routes below the Catacombs ... they even talked about excavating the collapsed stairways before I gave them a time and cost estimate.