This is my first time posting a campaign summery here, but after the first night of running Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition, I think this will be an adventure worth keeping track of for me. Players range from new to pen and paper game to ADnD vets, and from story driven RPers to Min/Max power gamers. Making it a very hard game to keep fun for all.
Characters were created using 4d6 drop and only the base book classes.
Adarius: Elf Mage: Thassilonian scholar in down looking for info on local runes
Bjurn Brown: Human Cleric of Sarenrae: Rural cleric bringing an offering to the Cathedral consecration
Alistar of the Bloodedge: Human Barbarian: Out to prove his worth to his tribe
Rufus: Halfling Rogue: Local scamp caught up in the troubles while having a good time at the festival
Players were given a brief overview of Sandpoint and an intro to some of the city icons and informed about the secret sin points tracking before game start. The festival gave them a chance to talk to some locals meet each other, and get to know the city better.
Started the real fun with the goblin assault. Barb and Cleric rushed into the fight to save the citizens with the Mage in back up. The Rogue, thanks to being a local black sheep, saw no reason to help. The first wave was a fast and funny bought of Goblin antics that left the players wondering if that was it. Just when they thought they could move on the Pyros set a cart aflame. This being the cart the Rogue was looking through for free food, he suddenly gained a new hate for the little guys. Thanks to grease and color spray this second fight was lopsided to the party; the little gobs just couldn’t make a save.
The town sheriff sent the party North to check the gate while he went to raise the guard. Mostly out of spells at this point the party learned the pain of the mounted combat feat. After a few rounds of not being able to hit the mount they took out all the mook Gobs and focused on the commando. A rush at the commando taught a lesson about reach and downed the cleric at 0. Once the commando was flanked though his horse chopper became useless and he and the dog went down to an attack of opportunity and a Barbarian great sword.
The night rounded out with the boar hunt to introduce Foxglove, leading right into the Rusty Dragon exposition, with only the players’ insistence on inappropriate comments about Ameiko being a problem. I had to start the monster in the closet faster than I would have liked, but we ended with a one-shot to Gresgurt and a somber procession back to the cathedral with the body.
I loved the way this all ran taking goblins from jokes to grim threat. It left the players with a sense that even low level monsters could be dangerous and later encounters could be even more so.
Awesome, Randomname! Keep it up!
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Awesome read Randomname. It brings back fond memories from just earlier this year when I started my RotR campaign. (We are now in the third book. But suspended it a while to get the Anniversary Edition and new Miniatures.)
I am curious about the inappropriate comments aimed toward Ameiko. ;)
Look forward to more postings.
Mazra
I can't afford the new miniatures unfortunately, but I can't wait until the pawn get sent. Till then I'm using the Sandpoint paper minis for most of the town. They really help my players get to know everyone in the town better.
As for the inappropriate comments I have a few younger players that are more that willing to ignore plot movement and events if there is a chance they can "roll to get it in." They were warned about the sin points ahead of time so when it comes back to bight them they'll know why.
Second game this afternoon. Hope to get through the glass works and Catacombs of Wrath. I will try to remember to get pics of our map set up so everyone can get a good idea of how we play, and to show off me great dry-eraser skills.
DAY TWO
Second game went great for all. We added a new player who was new to Pathfinder to our group this week, an Elf Ranger named Thor. To give him a feel of Sandpoint I started the day slow with the Sandpoint Market being open and the town trying to pick back up after the attacks. This gave us a very good RP section and introduced some of the more minor NPCs and shop keepers in town. All players were feeling in a jolly mood when they received a summons from the Sheriff.
The "Grim News From Mosswood" section was probably my favorite part of this first book. I added Father Zantus to the meeting to be able to recount "The Desecrated Vault" event without the combat. The sheer amount of information that is available to players about the local goblin tribes and heroes, and the local world presented for the players to ask about was outstanding. A new tactical planning side to my players came out as they all started to take notes and discuss tactics to "smoke out" goblin lairs based off the 10 facts. The hardest part was keeping everyone from rushing off to find the nearest tribe that night.
Luckily the Sheriff gave them an excuse to stay in town for a few more nights. Que great RP'ing sessions of Norah's challange, "The Harpy's Curse" in Sandpoint Theater, the usual group of patrons at The Curious Goblin, and information brokering in the parlor of The Pixie's Kitten. I've never been so grateful to have so much detail about a city as is provided in the appendices 2. A new maturity level was seen when it became evident my players think a brothel's primary function is to gather information, painting the Sheriff's relationship with the owner in a new light to me.
Sorry if this comes off as dry. After almost a decade in the military everything I wright sounds like a after action report. Just facts. I'll try to add more feeling if I can.
After a dinner break in real life, we came back to finish out the night. With the news of the disappearance of their favorite bartender and a solid lead the heroes of Sandpoint wasted no time rushing to the glassworks and breaking in the door, by casually opening it from the inside., the Wizard's ability to look under the seal of the door of the loading dock and shift to the other side is a nice trick. A comedic battle of broken glass and Goblin singing ensued, and soon the players on a mission formed up a marching order and headed down the stairs.
With a fifth player I added a few extra goblins to Tsuto's ambush in the basement. His sneak attacking bow and use of the corners lead the players into closing into melee with him. Only for the surprise of stunning fist to leave them reeling back for cover and the Rogue down and unconscious. They rallied and what seemed an even fight was ended the next round thanks to a combination of enlarge person and a raging Barbarian's greatsword.
We ended the night after stoic Ameiko was freed and the players are standing at the entrance of the smuggler's tunnel. Between their notes and Tsuto's journal they were able to piece together a surprising amount about Nualia and her past, and what has the goblins organised. It was nice to see in action how much foreshadowing this adventure path has for players who pay attention.
Sorry if this comes off as dry. After almost a decade in the military everything I wright sounds like a after action report. Just facts. I'll try to add more feeling if I can.Naw, to each his or her own. I wouldn't argue with more details, but your style makes for easy reading.
Cheers!
Landon
Are you saying something about my verbosity? Or is that just my ego talking? ;-)
For some reason the second half didn't post.
After a dinner break in real life, we came back to finish out the night. With the news of the disappearance of their favorite bartender and a solid lead the heroes of Sandpoint wasted no time rushing to the glassworks and breaking in the door, by casually opening it from the inside., the Wizard's ability to look under the seal of the door of the loading dock and shift to the other side is a nice trick. A comedic battle of broken glass and Goblin singing ensued, and soon the players on a mission formed up a marching order and headed down the stairs.
With a fifth player I added a few extra goblins to Tsuto's ambush in the basement. His sneak attacking bow and use of the corners lead the players into closing into melee with him. Only for the surprise of stunning fist to leave them reeling back for cover and the Rogue down and unconscious. They rallied and what seemed an even fight was ended the next round thanks to a combination of enlarge person and a raging Barbarian's greatsword.
We ended the night after stoic Ameiko was freed and the players are standing at the entrance of the smuggler's tunnel. Between their notes and Tsuto's journal they were able to piece together a surprising amount about Nualia and her past, and what has the goblins organised. It was nice to see in action how much foreshadowing this adventure path has for players who pay attention.
Are you saying something about my verbosity? Or is that just my ego talking? ;-)
Nothing of the kind. The great tails you and others have posted are what make me feel over critical of my own work.
Thanks, but I was joking. I am enjoying your thread, *especially* because it doesn't take 20 minutes to read each post. My thread exists mainly because my players liked my obsessive-compulsive attention to detail so much that I figured I'd post it, but it's a LOOOONG read, so I suspect there are a couple dozen people who'd like to read it, but who can't spare the time to slog through it all.
You and Gluttony are getting the same points across much more quickly.
Keep it up, and don't change your style!
(And Tsuto meeting a raging barbarian with a greatsword = Ouch!)