Hello everyone. Recently my group has switched to using the pathfinder RPG system, and I decided to run RotR for them. I usually do not run pre-made adventures, so it's a bit of a learning experience for me and the players, with ups and downs.
Sadly, I did not fully sit and read all of the adventure paths or the advice online first, I just started with module 1. I am having several problems because both mine and my player's expectations for the game are a bit different then we thought it would be.
First off, most of the players made characters that have no real reason to stay in sandpoint (unless the town offers them massive amounts of money. I had sheriff Hemlock offer them 5GP a day to stay in town while he was away, otherwise half the party would tell him to screw himself and just wander Varisia.) Out of character too, I believe the players are too used to the "Town of the week" Formulae of constant traveling and the main goal being their character's backstories.
My one player's character has a father that is an evil necromancer that he is trying to hunt down. I'm already thinking of tryng to work him into the plot, but IDK when and where. Too early and it's too anti-climactic. Too late and they won't find out till it's no use.
Anyway, besides having trouble keeping them motivated to help (Oh BTW they are all NN or CN except one is CG), I am finding it hard to really convey the story to them. Alot of the details about Nualia, or the runelords, or even the catacombs of wrath and what they are are really not explained to the PCS. And while I do understand there is a level of "Wait for big reveals in later levels", It almost hurts my soul seeing the players believe the catacombs are the goblin's base, or how one of the player's took (and actually had some good reasons to have) Thassilonian (Father being necromancer and I wanted to tie into story), and I'm not sure really what to convey from most of the books and runes lying around. Or know how much of the culture he knows.
Here's a cool little story: I gave the player's a print out of Tsuto's journal (Which they easily defeated him, burnt out one of his eyes, put him in jail, and are ready to rip his limbs off if he doesn't talk. Not sure how the town feels about that....especially Ameiko), and they assumed the goblins were going to attack like the next day, and that Nualia was trying to resurrect Lamashtu and send her to the town, and that the "Smuggler's tunnel" under the glassworks is just an empty tunnel. So, we spent like 2 hours with the PC's planning on caving in the tunnel, and yelling at the important people in town (very rudely, and with hemlock still out) to immediately give weapons to every able body, and fortify themselves in the church and be ready for a goblin attack. And they started in depth planning on burning the bridges to town down, setting traps, etc. And when some of the nobles (You may be able to guess who) didn't like these ideas, the PCs threatened to kill them/let them die and leave the town.
I had to make them roll an INt check to hint that the goblins may not attack now that they hold all of their plans and one of their important men. And I had to out of character nudge them a bit to explore the cave to find the dungeon before just sealing it up and forgetting about it. And even now, they are half way through the catacombs, and they think it's actually the secret goblin base and Koruvus was transformed by his sword and that the zombies are new and the sin spawn are Nualia's creations.
I suppose it's perfect in the long run, but its soooo frustrating for now. LOL
So, I suppose, besides sharing the funny mishaps, I would like some advice on how to get the PCs to be interested, when their entire characters only care about money (and ONLY massive amounts), when they want to always be traveling and not stuck somewhere, and when they don't know what's really going on, and when the players are those type that want to go do their own thing and if I give them ANYTHING (like if I take the time to describe a commoner instead of saying "A commoner") they start massive RPing with it and assume it's major plot OR they get upset there is so much unnecessary detail and that it takes so much time.
They are a good bunch of people, but I just suppose RotR has alot more down time, mystery, and backstory then any of them (Or I) are really used to.
Oh and another small thing, one way or another, my players are about a level more then they should be, and are going through with ease. I don't want to just make everything +1 or so (Which I already have to do to convert it to PFRPG), but I don't want to give them less XP then they should be getting either.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Also if you have questions or would like to share your stories I'm cool with that too.
Thank you for taking the time to read all this shtuff!
