DM Dad in FL's page

We are currently between Burnt Offerings and Skinsaw Murders and I need help with a side-quest.

Current party are level 4 and it looks to me like the PCs level way too fast in book 2. So I want to send them on a side-quest.

We are adding a new player who will be a Samurai who is a distant relative of Ameiko's. I was hoping for a backstory of the Samurai proving protection for a group of new workers for the glassworks.

I was thinking the current PC's could be sent by Ameiko to gather the new workers and find them embroiled in some kind of trouble in either Magnimar, Riddleport or the swamp.

Need help fleshing this out.

Please offer any thought and assistance.

Thanks,
Steve

I am looking to start this soon for a group that will include players who will be moving next summer. With this in mind, I need to shorten RotRL to approx 20 to 25 sessions.

I was thinking about only going to book 4 or so and making the giants the ultimate bad guys. Are the encounters in the first few books which can be skipped or rewritten to help achieve this?

Thanks for any and all input.

Any possible pitfalls with the following party:

Paladin
Druid
Rogue
Gunslinger

Give me your thoughts.

Has anyone ever written out the speaches given at the opening of the Swallowtail Festival?

I have really enjoyed reading the wealth of knowledge over the years here and finally have a group to run through this AP. Thus I am finally coming out of lurk mode and posting.

I want to tie the PCs into the story and the festival, but I do not want them to be from Sandpoint. Thus I was going to use the oldest gag in the book and have the character guard a transport that was carrying something of importance to the festival and the rededication ceremony at the church.

I was thinking of having the caravan ambushed by Bruthazmus, Lyrie and the obligatory goblins. The PCs would survive (with possibly Shalelu saving the day), but the item they were bringing to the ceremony gets stolen because Nualia needs it for her offerings to Malfeshnekor.

What kind of item would she need?

Any thoughts or ideas would be of great assistance and appreaciated.

Steve