Im thinking about skippin book 3. Heres why:
We have been rushing along, 5 sessions or so and the players have already defeated the stag lord, and started they're city. But they havent really explored the green belt a lot. They are 5th level do to my tendency to be trigger happy on giving out items and xp (we dont play RAW).
Anyways, I was thinking about taking some of the encounters from book 3 and plopping them into the greenbelt... and sort of skipping the whole go rescue a town to the east story arc. I kind of want them to feel like the greenbelt is their home... so the longer we stay in it the better
Would I lose out on anything by doing this? Anyone who played book 3 have opinions?
Well, the suggestion about Chapter 3 is something to the effect of "when the player kingdom is pushing ~75 hexes in size" (which is actually larger than the entire map of the Greenbelt from Chapters 1 & 2, at least in terms of full hexes).
There are other goodies in the first two Chapters that will come calling for them... especially if they've not been thorough enough in exploration before establishing their colony... Unrest gets ugly fast ...
Im thinking about skippin book 3. Heres why:
We have been rushing along, 5 sessions or so and the players have already defeated the stag lord, and started they're city. But they havent really explored the green belt a lot. They are 5th level do to my tendency to be trigger happy on giving out items and xp (we dont play RAW).
Anyways, I was thinking about taking some of the encounters from book 3 and plopping them into the greenbelt... and sort of skipping the whole go rescue a town to the east story arc. I kind of want them to feel like the greenbelt is their home... so the longer we stay in it the better
Would I lose out on anything by doing this? Anyone who played book 3 have opinions?
My players really enjoyed it so I would not skip it. Let the players decide what to do in the game. There is no time limit so if they want to take the time to build the nation let them do that or something else they desire, but if not let them move on. Asking them what they want, as opposed to deciding for them, will lead to more happiness all around most likely.
If there are hexes/events that they did not come across you could lead them to those before starting book three. Unlike most AP's you can really go anywhere at any time. so they could finish anything that was not done, and then move on.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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My group is semi-skipping VV, mostly because one of the PCs married Baron Maegar Varn, and there was some skullduggery regarding their child and the cult of Gyronna, and I just wanted to give that player a bit of a break from bad news for a while. I have used a few bits and pieces of the exploration parts of VV west of the mountains as the PCs have expanded and solidified their border with Varnhold.
Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west), so they may actually end up doing Rivers Run Red first, and THEN suddenly being called in to to VV when Something Bad Happens (TM). The PCs are already pushing 11th level, so there will obviously be some rewriting involved, but that's okay by me... :)
Oh, come now, Jason...
Tell them the real reason you semi-skipped "The Varnhold Vanishing."
It's because you were so eager to get to "Blood for Blood."
Am I right? Of course, I'm right. ;-)
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Oh, come now, Jason...
Tell them the real reason you semi-skipped "The Varnhold Vanishing."
** spoiler omitted **
I was so excited about it that I messed up the name! I said RRR when of course I really meant skipping VV to get to BfB.
A little alliteration there... :)
P.S. They met the Baroness of Drelev at the wedding, and they already hate both her hat AND her dog... :)
P.S. They met the Baroness of Drelev at the wedding, and they already hate both her hat AND her dog... :)
Hah! Wait'll they meet her brother and his impish friend! ;-)
Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),
Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.
Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.
I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
Turin my players sold a certain powerful magic item on the black market. --> The one that the main villain used to get rid of the townsfolk. I want to use it against them. Would your scenario fit that situation?
Turin my players sold a certain powerful magic item on the black market. --> The one that the main villain used to get rid of the townsfolk. I want to use it against them. Would your scenario fit that situation?Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
O.o heh heh ... I think I could do something with that set up. Your players won't like it...
O.o heh heh ... I think I could do something with that set up. Your players won't like it...Turin my players sold a certain powerful magic item on the black market. --> The one that the main villain used to get rid of the townsfolk. I want to use it against them. Would your scenario fit that situation?Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
I am all ears. If you need an email, w33w33@aol.com, or you can just post it here.
I am all ears. If you need an email, w33w33@aol.com, or you can just post it here.O.o heh heh ... I think I could do something with that set up. Your players won't like it...Turin my players sold a certain powerful magic item on the black market. --> The one that the main villain used to get rid of the townsfolk. I want to use it against them. Would your scenario fit that situation?Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
Consider yourself due for an e-mail/post here in 3-4 days, faster if time permits.
Consider yourself due for an e-mail/post here in 3-4 days, faster if time permits.I am all ears. If you need an email, w33w33@aol.com, or you can just post it here.O.o heh heh ... I think I could do something with that set up. Your players won't like it...Turin my players sold a certain powerful magic item on the black market. --> The one that the main villain used to get rid of the townsfolk. I want to use it against them. Would your scenario fit that situation?Also, they have been drawn into some other things (including a drop of Hook Mountain Massacre into the "lost colony" in Glenebon out west),Okay. I'm curious. I was contemplating replacing VV with HMM, but I've been trying to figure out how to do it.I've done up something quite on the nasty side for that - shoot me an e-mail (saying who you are in Paizoland in the subject + HMM = VV) and I'll send you what I worked up.
It is not for the intended levels though - but it should be down-scalable easily enough.
Two of my players are on vacation for 2-4 weeks so I have time. Thanks. Just send me a message here when you do it. I sometimes find legit email has been redirected by the spam filter.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Would I lose out on anything by doing this? Anyone who played book 3 have opinions?Yeah, you're losing out on the best adventure in the AP. ;-)
It definitely gets my vote for the best cover illo! :)
Srsly, I do plan to run VV, though I'll be boosting the levels of the bad guys. I just needed to give one player (the one whose PC married Varn) a break from Bad Things happening to her character. All in good time dearie, all in good time... :)
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Im thinking about skippin book 3....
Would I lose out on anything by doing this? Anyone who played book 3 have opinions?
I loved book 3 as a DM.
I think it helps frame the adventure's theme to make Book 6 less jarring.
Book 1) The wilderness is dangerous and we must tame the land.
Book 2) We lived through harsh winters and survived. Let's protect what we have. At the end of this book time passes. The pressing conceit of the first two books is over....the wilderness is no longer dangerous. You can survive the cold and you have walled cities with castles. Creatures that breach those walls are defeated.
Book 3) This book reframes KM. You are not safe within your walls. Ancient evil lies in wait and if you let down your guard you are in dire danger. This book really sets the stage in theme for book 6. Nyrissa is a callback to the first three books. She is the ancient evil and the danger of wilderness combined.
Also:
Varn was sort of a fatherly figure to the PCs during the first two books. He was pleasant to them and helpful unlike Drevlev who was an outright a-hole and Irovetti who has treated them politely, but looks down on them. Varn being dead was a surprise and in character a terrifying one. Lately the PCs have managed (long story) to resurrect Varn. It sort of completed the story that began on the road to Oleg's when they first saw Varn and were impressed.
If Varn wasn't really a part of your story, I would be more likely to drop it.
I liked the encounters and murder mystery feel. For my PCs parts of it wove into back stories pretty effortlessly...sometimes you need undead and demons and book 3 brings them.
I loved the blinding swarms of crows....my group of six encountered lots of them. It is a great combat. People are unlikely to die, but they create a great fear and forboding. The sorcerer has blown spell known slots researching spells to kill birds selectively (like Blight does for plants kind of).
Autohitting mooks are also sweet. They really cause the party to brush up on tactics...Book 3 teaches very quickly that running headlong into a room all alone is deadly.
I like the deadly environments rooms filling with water or burning tar are good times. I think the party got to crafting necklaces of adaptation after the mages and the tar room got to them.
I really like TVV
the party are enjoying being in a dungeon
the murder of crows managed to blind 2 party members!!
they have doen of V tomnbs, but had to escape.
Ive seen the party be overconfident in the AP so far
Ive seen them run away with 100% determination
this is the first time in the AP theyve been a bit 'should we, shouldnt we'
plus issues like
-do we annex the empty Varnhold
-do we take the cash we found in the town
some nice areas for debate and thought
Plus which GM cant love
-having a cyclops roll a 20 with its ability
-the stygirans
-good centaur banter
-a daemon, wahoo
-brain eating zombies
its a v good mod, and a nice addition to the AP
its also prettty short mod as well i think , no of sessions-wise