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I think that's a great idea, although I'd tweak it slightly:

Thanks - I did include the festival games from these forums, but my players didn't bite on them too much other than the archery contest. They did bite on the Sandpoint Devil target, primarily because they heard a rumor earlier that the Sandpoint Devil had destroyed a farm well outside of town recently. Now they think he/it is connected somehow. :) I'm hoping they do take the side-quest bait so that I can teach them that the world isn't conveniently 1st level... *Evil DM Grin*

If I had to do it over again, I would play up the Sczarni having the lizard races rigged and have it result in a scuffle or arrest or something that led to tension/animosity for later. However, since they played a whole session in Sandpoint before the Festival I think that accomplished the build-up before the goblins.

Quick question:

Intro:I have started running RotRL for the first time and read a lot of threads here first, so I decided to do my own pre-campaign adventure to help set things up. Basically I wanted to inject a little more runelord/Thassilon into the adventure earlier to tie things together sooner. The players like what I've done so far, but the problem is that I've only read Burnt Offerings and a little bit of Skinsaw, so I don't know if I'm screwing things up and would like to get some feedback in that respect.

Here's what I've done so far:

During character creation, I told each player they needed to have one positive and one negative personality trait. This was basically a ruse by me to assign them each their own 'sin'. So there's a Paladin that goes into almost barbarian-like rages (wrath), a warlock that steals stuff (greed), etc.

Session Zero: They are all in Sandpoint for various reasons and some have been there a while (worked out in their backgrounds) and the Swallowtail Festival is starting in a few weeks. They don't know all the details - just what they experienced - but here's what happened to them: during the middle of the night they were pulled backwards in time to the Thassilonian Empire where they were enslaved and forced to participate in a large, elaborate ceremony with many other 'slaves'. They were marched up a giant stone pyramid (think Conan & James Earl Jones), surrounded by RuneMages and at the top were branded with a rune/tattoo on the chest by the High Priest (maybe it was a Runelord?). Each PC got a different brand (according to their character's sin, above) and disappeared in a flash of light. After the branding they woke up in the cathedral courtyard back in modern times, over the 7-pointed symbol that's been there forever. Big Mystery for them, obviously, other than the fact that they know from the AP title that the campaign has something to do with Runelords, whatever those are. :)

So now they are a group through circumstance and they investigate, speculate, get to know each other. A few days later their runes start glowing and they are teleported back in time again, finding themselves in front a one of those strange rune-wizards speaking an unknown language who 'makes' them defend him from some kobolds somehow. Again, they don't know all these details but a Thassilonian RuneMage can now summon them (like a spell or figurines of wondrous power) and compel them to act. They fight, he dismisses them - and they 'come to' back in the courtyard of the cathedral again. That was also their new character practice fight.

I understand this is a stretch from the campaign idea, but it serves a meta-game purpose for me that works really well: no-shows on campaign night. One player doesn't show or has to leave early, and the tattoo on his character starts glowing then *poof* - he's gone. If someone is missing and I don't want the group to miss out on the AP, then *poof* the present players disappear and go on a side quest back in Thassilonian times. Also useful for side-quests if I need them to level. You get the idea.

Session One: Festival and Fire, etc. Played as written, except I added a twist related to the above - while searching a goblin warchanter they discover he has the same rune-tattoo as the Paladin (wrath). They start checking other goblins and find the tattoo on all of them.

So that's it - if you read this far, thanks!

Now my questions:

Given that I haven't read much of the total AP and won't be able to for a while, is there anything important I need to know, consider or be sure to tie in related to the rest of the AP?

Have I totally screwed things up, or will I be able to make this work pretty well? Have I revealed too much, too soon?

Obviously I don't mind adding my own stuff, but I don't want to deviate too far from the adventures as written and while I want more tie-in early, I still don't want to reveal too much too fast.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

I have just discovered the greatness of Paizo Adventure Paths and am about to run my group through Rise of the Runelords... if anyone still has these and can send them to me, it would be incredibly helpful!

Answulf at yahoo dot com

Thanks!!!