First time running Rise of the Runelords, Help wanted I'm new to Golarian

[CannibalKitten]

About a year ago I bought the hardcover collection of all of the rise of the runelords campaign. I haven't been able to give it a good play through, tried twice and never got past the first part(mostly because I couldn't keep a group that didn't end up having scheduling problems). I now have the chance to give it a serious shot and i was wondering if anyone had some tips/ideas to make it a bit smoother for me. This will be the first time ice also actually used pathfinders setting, Golarian, so info on that would be most helpful. I realize there are books on the setting but I cannot afford them as of now. Anything will be appreciated.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Look at the RotRL specific Forums. They have lots of Helpful information there on making it better or seeing errors in the printings. How to make it easier or more challenging as well.

[lucky7]

I second Fruian's suggestion. When I GMed the Adventure Path, the forum was a godsend.

[cannen144]

Also, if you're looking for more info on the pathfinder campaign setting, check out the Pathfinder Wiki, and the free player's guide for the adventure path. Both of them have a good amount of useful info, and the player's guide is especially useful because it can help guide your players towards character builds that are flavorful and useful for the campaign.

[Urath DM]

The advice to visit the forums is the best advice you can get.

Just be aware that the older posts refer to the original version of the AP, and some elements were changed for the hardcover Anniversary Edition. So mentions of a certain TPK-machine encounter in the second volume are no longer as relevant, for example.

The "Community Resources" thread is full of player-created add-ons and such.

As for the setting, if you can afford the Inner Sea Primer, that's a player-friendly condensed version of the (much larger) Inner Sea World Guide. The Pathfinder Wiki is usually helpful, but if you're strapped for the setting books, it can be a real help.

However, while it is nice to have all of the support books, they're not truly necessary other than to provide in-world options for your players. In that case, it may be good to keep them focused on the AP rather than delving into the details of the world setting. The Pathfinder Wiki should be enough to get you past any questions that come up.

[Deadmanwalking]

There's a Pathfinder Wiki for world lore. Other than that, I'd second everyone else's recommendation to seek info on the RotRL board.

[CannibalKitten]

Thanks a bunch everyone! I'm sure this all will help me a ton!

[Mathmuse]

The town of Sandpoint makes a nice base of operations for the adventure path.

Geography of Rise of the Runelords:

The first module, Burnt Offerings, takes place almost entirely in Sandpoint, except for a raid on a goblin camp. The second module, The Skinsaw Murders, starts in Sandpoint and then moves to the nearest big city, Magnimar. The third module, Hook Mountain Massacre, never visits Sandpoint. The fourth module, Fortress of the Stone Giants, starts in Sandpoint (getting the players back to Sandpoint from Hook Mountain takes a little work), before heading off to the Fortress of the Stone Giants. The fifth module, Sins of the Saviors, starts in Sandpoint again, before departing for parts unknown. The sixth module, Spires of Xin-Shalast, goes nowhere near Sandpoint, but stopping there won't be too far out of the way.

The people of Sandpoint are mixed in character: some cruel, some nice, some hurt by cruel family in their youth, some looking toward a better future, etc. If you have the friendly and helpful residents approach the PCs with respect, you can leave the impression that Sandpoint would make a good base. If you have the stories of the cruel and shortsighted people on the forefront, they might decide that the town is barely worth saving.