About a month ago I started a RofRL campaign using PFRPG beta rules. We have been playing every other week, because of real live circumstances. Therefore, we have 2 sessions.
We used 20 point buy and the standard HPs.
We have the following characters…
Hildrathus Gorsedawn or Hild
Elf/Wizard (Abjuration) STR:8, DEX:16, CON:10, INT:19, WIS: 12, CHA:10
Narathor Kinsenditfir
Aasimar/Cleric (Iomedae) STR:14, DEX: 12, CON:12, INT:10, WIS:18, CHA: 13
I house rules that the Aasimar was level adjustmant of 0.
Isa
Human(Vudrani)/Monk (Irori) STR: 12, DEX: 16, CON: 14, INT: 12, WIS: 14, CHA: 11
Daphne
Human(Chelaxian)/Rogue STR:14, DEX: 17, CON:12, INT:13, WIS:10, CHA: 13
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Human(Chelaxian)/Paladin
This payer has not sent me his character sheet.
After ‘The Swallowtail Festival’, my players have figured out that Father Tobyn’s body was stolen by the goblins. Since one of the characters was Father Tobyn friend he is hell bent to ‘go and get the body back before those goblins do something with it.’ He was ready to track them into for wilds.
Therefore, I created a scene with Sheriff Hemlock. He asked the heroes to stay while he sent someone to try and find Shalelu a local elf ranger ‘who know a lot about the local goblins tribes.’ I think I lucked out that no one has survival.
We did role-playing for a couple of days (game time), while they search for the way the goblins got into Sandpoint. I tried to run The Boar Hunt, but no one took the bait, because the PCs are waiting for Shalelu. Hence, I had Aldern invite then PCs to boar dinner the night after the hunt and had the conversation that was in the Boar hunt at dinner.
I also decide that I would run 'Monster in the Closet' the same night as the dinner, since it been three day since the Festival. They captured Gresgurt and tied him up. We stop there for the night.
I am going to play goblin does not know anything.
If I kept the characters around Sandpoint for much longer, the player will start to feel railroaded.
If I do 'Grim News from Mosswood' I am sure the characters will insist on going out with Shalelu, or better yet some of the characters got out with her and some help Sheriff Hemlock and stay in town.
I could do 'The Missing Bartender' and then distract them with 'Glass and Wrath' or I could go let them hunt goblins with Shalelu and finally get to Thistletop.
Which should I do?
Creative Director
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Let the PCs head out to look for the goblins. If theyr'e still first level, or even second level, throw in some encounters on the road or wandering monsters, and feel free to let them retreat; Thistletop is a tough place, and if the PCs DO retreat to Sandpoint, at that point you can use some other encounters, or even get started on the Glassworks. The important thing to remember is that even though events in a pre-published adventure are presented in a specific order... those events don't have to unfold in the same order. You can skip around all you want; you can even run the catacombs of wrath AFTER Thistletop, by having the PCs learn that the last one of Nualia's allies has brought a group of goblins to Sandpoint to do something bad.
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If I kept the characters around Sandpoint for much longer, the player will start to feel railroaded.
If I do 'Grim News from Mosswood' I am sure the characters will insist on going out with Shalelu, or better yet some of the characters got out with her and some help Sheriff Hemlock and stay in town.I could do 'The Missing Bartender' and then distract them with 'Glass and Wrath' or I could go let them hunt goblins with Shalelu and finally get to Thistletop.
Which should I do?
Hit them with them with some other items that reinforce to them how much they are THE heroes of Sandpoint. (Baker giving them the loaf of bread, the Forums had a great comment about Kids following the PCs and pretending to be them,etc...)Then hit them with Grim News... Of course it makes more sense to send the PCs out, or even send the PCs to Mag for "backup" instead of the Sheriff (which almost happened in my game)
"The townspeople will only feel safe if you stay here. You Are the heros of Sandpoint..."Having both Shalelu and Hemlock admit just how much sense it does make for the PCs to leave, but how much safer the Townspeople feel with the PCs there should keep them around and not too sidetracked.
Just my $0.02
Let the PCs head out to look for the goblins. If theyr'e still first level, or even second level, throw in some encounters on the road or wandering monsters, and feel free to let them retreat; Thistletop is a tough place, and if the PCs DO retreat to Sandpoint, at that point you can use some other encounters, or even get started on the Glassworks. The important thing to remember is that even though events in a pre-published adventure are presented in a specific order... those events don't have to unfold in the same order. You can skip around all you want; you can even run the catacombs of wrath AFTER Thistletop, by having the PCs learn that the last one of Nualia's allies has brought a group of goblins to Sandpoint to do something bad.
Thank for the reply. I guess I know of some PCs who are going off to Thistletop.
My Players were ready to ride all the way to Thistletop 5 minutes after the raid on Sandpoint. This was despite the fact that the party cleric was down to 1 hp. And one of the players was a really good tracker, so that wasn't an out for me.
I solved the problem by having them meet Shalelu on the road and "rescue" her from some goblins that had her outnumbered and surrounded. After the party resuced her, I said "it's dark now, better go back to town."
After that, I was able to run Grim News, Missing Bartender, Glass and Wrath, and the Catacombs all in quick succession. This allowed the PCs to level up a bit in town before they actually went to Thistletop.