Ok, sometime in the near future I will be running the SCAP for my gaming group. Anyone care to suggest to me what things I need to read or prep before I run the first session.
I collected and read the original adventures when they first came out so I have a reasonable idea of how the campaign goes. I also have a copy of the compiled hardcover version.
So far I have read all the background information in the book as well as about half of the first chapter. I plan to read all of the first two chapters before the first session.
What about the RPGenius site? Are there any articles there that are must reads?
And would it be beneficial to prep anything to give to the players before we start play? A short player's guide to the campaign or something along those lines?
Thanks in advance,
Olaf the Stout
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Look at everything on RPGenius. I'm not saying you should use it all, but skim the titles, and download what looks interesting. I highly recommend the writeup on better foreshadowing for Adimarchus and the Cagewrights, as well as Seige's editing (tho I might have seen that on the forums here instead of RPGenius). I plan on using bits from each the next time I run the campaign.
A campaign pack would be ideal in getting out a lot of information the characters should know if they grew up in the city. It would also help immensely in generating characters tied to the city. RPGenius has a couple very nice ones you can pilfer from.
I also recommend Skaven's Diary, for it's excellent construction as a handout.
Overall, I recommend using as much of the material from RPGenius that you like, and coming up with your own preparations, however much you can stand. I wish I had found all this before I started running with just the hardcover. There are plenty of excellent ideas to take it from a good game to an excellent one.
What about the RPGenius site? Are there any articles there that are must reads?
And would it be beneficial to prep anything to give to the players before we start play?
As an "guide" for the players, I grabbed the Cauldron Almanac from RPGenius and edited the info as required. Lots of great summaries and pictures in there to provide the social layout of Cauldron.
Consider if you will be using the "additional traits" listed in the back of the hardcover (also known as the HC). These can add a lot to the adventure (traits like Dream Haunted make a great foreshadowing device).
The Players Guide to Sasserine from the Savage Tide is also good if some of the characters are originating from there. This assists with character backgrounds and the feats there are great (I have guys with Merchant's Tongue and Arena Blooded from there due to their histories).
The foreshadowing articles for Celeste, Skylar and Vhalantru are very helpful. I found I used them in the first chapter, so reading up on ideas early is important. Definitely check out the RPGenius file of the Demonskar Ball from Chapter 3 when you get there.
The forums here have quite a bit of information, as some of the writing was posted here before it got to RPGenius.
Read as much as you can about the town and the NPCs. Run a game session or a few before ch1 to get them famililiar with the town.
Pull all the information about the nobles from Foundation of Flame because the players will be looking for enimies as soon as you raise the taxes and you will want to have plenty of suspects.
If you decided to keep Ch2, many people have changed the purpose of Ch2 to relate to the story. Look for writeups here or on theRPGenius.com
Delvesdeep's forshadowing articals a critical. You may or may not do what he did but things need more forshadowing. Most Parties seems to choke on the Test of the Smokeing Eye even when told to go there by dead people and angels.
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Read as many of the chapters in the HC as you can before the first session. You don't need to memorize anything but some important plot details kind of come out of nowhere in some of the chapters (this is a relic of the AP being written as modules were released, so sometimes they added new things that they did not even know they were going to add when they wrote earlier modules).
I highly suggest foreshadowing chapters 2 and 3 during or even before you start chapter 1. Continue this trend throughout the AP. For example, while the kidnappings are going on, make it clear that there is an issue with goblin vandals. Have people prepping for the Flood Festival in chapter 1. Have it actually start near the end of Chapter 2. Old and worn wanted posters for Triel could hang in some parts of the city.
Remove redundant characters, introduce important ones early. There are too many Cagewrights...reduce their numbers and combine the redundant ones. Start introducing some of them to the party as the game progresses (but don't reveal that they are Cagewrights). Another example, Skylar Krewlis might be important later in the AP. Introduce him by having him work the kidnapping case (or goblin case).
Just read these boards and RPGenius.
(this is a relic of the AP being written as modules were released, so sometimes they added new things that they did not even know they were going to add when they wrote earlier modules).
Like the map of Cauldron early on not having a couple important nobles' houses the correct shape, which was changed in later maps. Make sure you check to make sure that the Cauldron map you hand out to the players is correct, because substituting it later on makes it obvious those houses are important.
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Try to bring Maavu, Alek Tercival, Tyro Amberhelm, Skylar Krewis and the group from the Lucky Monkey as early into the campaign as you can.
To help in the preparation of encounters I have prepared item lists and encounter overviews for the first four chapters.
bring the town council into play, make Severen Navalant a self-indulging dull noble who likes to hear his own voice. Make Lord Vhalantru the go-to-guy for anything concerning the council, he will certainly help.
Lookup the articles about the Last Laugh on this board. How are they faring against the Alleybashers?
Other changes i made: Alek and Jenya are good friends (just friends, childhood friends), Skylar was fiancee to Triel Eldurast, Rufus Laro is a fanatic about justice and law, Jenya is very open and tries to further justice in the world (this will get interesting, when Keygan Ghelve will be apprehended, make a big courtroom drama out of it, with Jenya, Vhalantru, Rufus, Alek and Terseon Skellerang, with the group as witnesses...their testimony should determine the fate of him).
Don't make the first dungeon just a big fight fest... the leader of the dark ones should communicate with the group, but he will betray your PC's when it fits into his plan, perhaps he sends them to the factory to retrieve the fallen child.
Read the Article in Dragon about the Dark ones #322 or so...
If you are journeying to Cauldron from Sasserine or elsewhere, let the group meet Sarcem Delasharn on his way to get the wands, he will be accompanied by Alek Tercival on his first leg. Alek will then go off to find his "long lost brother"...Have night's stop at the Lucky Monkey... if you want action on thejourney... insert "Thieves in theForest"(Atlas Games d20 adventure), it fitslike a glove.
Have fun. Cauldron is a memorable place.