SPOILERS: Deathhead Vault timing?

[JD Niemand]

OK, so, looking ahead to "A History of Ashes" in my campaign (we just started "Seven Days to the Grave"), I like the fact that Paizo have put in more content - but Deathhead Vault seems to really break the flow of the campaign. It's like, "go and find the long-lost magical sword that is the only thing that can stop Ileosa! But wait, there's a detour you have to take all the way back to Korvosa first".

I was considering just shunting it wholesale to the beginning of "Crown of Fangs" (XP won't be a problem, considering I use milestones rather than counting it). Yes, the party will have Serithtial at that point, and they will be a couple levels higher than recommended, so they may end up tearing through the Mantis and the Maidens like Laori's chain through her impractical outfit, but maybe after the horrors of Scarwall it'll boost their morale to strike such an easy, crushing blow against the Queen's tyranny? Before I go hurling the rest of the chapter at them, anyway.

What do you guys think?

[Helel13]

I was thinking about placing this sojourn like somewhere in the middle or middle-end of the book, ie before they learn their final goal of obtaining Serithtial because I agree with the flow being a lil weird. During the PC's trials of trying to gain favor from the Shoanti it wouldn't be very difficult to insert a resistance member, dead or alive that would indicate to the party that Cressida is looking for you all for some help. Could even be like a secret meeting in a smaller hamlet on the way to Korvosa at which point the party can decide whether they wanna hoof it all the way back to the city and do the dungeon.

[JD Niemand]

That's one option, but it still seems weird to have to drop everything while you're trying to win the Shoanti's respect, and run all the way back to the city you JUST fled from...

[James Jacobs]

Despite the fact that Deathhead Vault appears at the end of part 4 of the campaign... the PCs should feel free to explore it whenever they (or the GM) wants. This could happen earlier or later. If you want to adjust encounters a bit to provide more or less challenge, that's fine. And of course if your group DOES want to keep going on to Scarwall... they can even skip Deathhead Vault entirely. The whole point of this addition was to give GMs and groups who want to do more in Korvosa something to do... and to answer concerns that "A History of Ashes" broke the flow of the campaign.

If you feel the opposite, then consider reverting things to the way the AP was originally presented, with no side trek back to Korvosa at all.

That all said... the PCs are high level at this time. It's not expected that they "run back" to Korvosa, but use any number of spells like teleport or wind walk or word of recall or transport via plants or shadow walk, etc.