I'm about to start running this AP, but I think my players will want a bit more crunch in levels 1-3. So, I've been looking at different ways to connect the stories between the two.
I want the PCs to have a strong historical connection to Westcrown, but I also like the premise of the Crypt of the Everflame, which works best if the PCs are from Kassen.
The best I've been able to come up with right now is to start the AP with sections 1-3 as per normal, but delay the rescue of Arael (his status is either held up in courts, or he hasn't been taken yet), so his rescue isn't time critical.
Instead, 4 of the Children of Westcrown are not present when the PCs arrive in the hideout. The missing Children were raised in Kassen, and they were given the honor of participating in the annual rite before they leave for the big city of Westcrown. Janiven has decided they hold promise and already recruited them, but they haven't arrived in Westcrown yet.
After the PCs rest and recover, Janiven gets word that there was some recent bandit activity around Kassen. Being concerned for their well-being, she asks the PCs to go to Kassen, secretly follow and observe the 4 Children, and make sure they are able to complete the honorary task safely.
Of course, once they get to the Crypt, things go wrong, and the 4 Children end up being taken instead of (or addition to) Dimira. Then the rest of the adventure plays itself out as written, more or less.
What I like about this it is bonds some of the Children of Westcrown with the PCs, and they will definitely look up to them moving forward. The PCs can also choose if they want to go public with their involvement when the get back to Kassen, or allow the Children to be the focus of attention. Both options have benefits.
Any thoughts or suggestions about improving this, or using a different link? It feels like between the two pieces, it could be a dynamite start to the AP.
I looked to do the same, but couldn't come up with anything that didn't feel contrived. I don't think your idea that they've recruited four villagers to join the Children works real well, personally. But the rescue idea has merit! What if one of the PC's brothers/sisters/children etc were the ones lost?
You play sections 1 - 3 normally, then while the planning for the ambush is just starting, you the PC could get an emergency message from his village (that's only a few hours ride away) crying out for help. The PC would have to convince the other PCs to help him, which would make for good roleplay. And you could put the PCs in a pinch when they have to choose to help either the relative or The Children or (most likely) try to pull off both by racing against the clock, and risk failing at both tasks.
That doesn't feel as contrived, and only needs one PC to be from the village instead of Westcrown. You'd have to change the story a bit, but you could have had the recent looters be some of The Bastards to build that early connection.
Glad I'm not the only one who wrestles with such things! That's why I thought the collective Net wisdom would be better at addressing this than just me.
I like the tie-in of having it be a PC's sibling, and agree on the recruitment thing. The emergency message could work, although my players get a little irked when they are jerked around from one crisis to the next. Another small issue for me is how long it would take before the the village senses something is wrong and thinks to go notify the PC. Could be a up to a week after the fact that the PC learns something is wrong. Not a big deal, but something that would be nice to fix.
How about something like this. One of the PCs comes from a minor noble family from Westcrown that was nearly destroyed after the fall of Aroden. During the civil war, the family separated, fled, and went into hiding for safety. Part of the family went to Kassen, which is where the PC was born.
The PC returns to Westcrown in order to reconnect with lost family members in the hope of restoring the family to its noble status. Janiven learns this, and recruits the PC. The PC is well aware of the annual rite, knows that his sibling will participate this year, and will have the honor of being lantern bearer. This is a huge feather in the family cap in Kassen, and failure would be quite embarrassing. The PC is expected to be present during the ceremony to show support for the younger sibling.
The date of the rite occurs after the rescue of Arael, which means the PCs won't blow off one or the other and throw a wrench into things. Janiven is connected with Cygar the Pathfinder, and he warns her of recent bandit activity in the area. She advises the PC to take some friends along when traveling, since the roads may not be safe.
The group of PCs watch the ceremony and now can do a couple things. They can either shadow the group to watch over them, or stay in Kassen, awaiting the triumphant return.
If they shadow them, when the group gets to the crypt, they are shaken by the signs of the fight, and most want to return to Kassen. With no PC involvement, the sibling decides to go into the crypt alone to fetch the flame, at which point he's taken. If the PCs do get involved at the crypt entrance, the sibling wants to continue the job with the PCs help.
If the PCs just wait in the village, one of the villagers escaped the fight outside the crypt and comes riding into town to raise the alarm (after failing to find the group en route). The PCs can then head out to find/rescue the group, which only makes them a day or so behind.
I like the idea of tying the robbers to the Bastards. They might have been robbing the tombs to get the necklaces (or something else), and the PCs find a wooden coin in Kassen's sarcophagus. Kassen's ghost could also bargain with the PCs to have them retrieve the taken item, which gives the PCs another reason to seek out the Bastards.
How's that sound?
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I'm also looking to entwine the CoT adventure Path with the Everflame one. I have the Crypt of the Everflame on PDF but I am still waiting for my AP issues to ship so I only have a very raw sense of what CoT entails.
I'll keep you posted with what I do when I receive the AP - but at the moment, I think I might take a different path and start with the Crypt of the Everflame, transferring Kassen to a frontier township of Cheliax. This will change the timbre of the town somewhat, but should allow me to invest darker elements into the game.
I like the idea of the custom of the Everflame as a once every four years thing. Many get nominated but it is up to the Mayor (and his council) to choose the best nominees (the PCs) from the many apprentices. With the return of the PCs with the flame, it is customary for the town to have an auction for each of the PCs individual services (effectively their first "paying" job having been initiated into the townships "adult" membership). While the auction will go well, for the PCs - allowing them to see their worth - it will be a huge offer from a mysterious patron (Cygar?)that wins their services. It is here that I would like to prod the group towards Westcrown.
Unfortunately, I don't know how I'm going to do this yet but there you go, they are my thoughts so far.
Best Regards
Herremann the Wise
I'm also looking to entwine the CoT adventure Path with the Everflame one. I have the Crypt of the Everflame on PDF but I am still waiting for my AP issues to ship so I only have a very raw sense of what CoT entails.
I'll keep you posted with what I do when I receive the AP - but at the moment, I think I might take a different path and start with the Crypt of the Everflame, transferring Kassen to a frontier township of Cheliax. This will change the timbre of the town somewhat, but should allow me to invest darker elements into the game.
I like the idea of the custom of the Everflame as a once every four years thing. Many get nominated but it is up to the Mayor (and his council) to choose the best nominees (the PCs) from the many apprentices. With the return of the PCs with the flame, it is customary for the town to have an auction for each of the PCs individual services (effectively their first "paying" job having been initiated into the townships "adult" membership). While the auction will go well, for the PCs - allowing them to see their worth - it will be a huge offer from a mysterious patron (Cygar?)that wins their services. It is here that I would like to prod the group towards Westcrown.
Unfortunately, I don't know how I'm going to do this yet but there you go, they are my thoughts so far.
Best Regards
Herremann the Wise
I'm thinking of doing this with my RotR AP, putting it between Burnt Offerings and The Skinsaw Murders (as any amount of time can go on between them).
I'm using the slow XP progression, so there should be room for an extra adventure or two (I'm running Treasure Chest/Into the Haunted Woods right now as a pre-AP adventure).
First, any notes on how you imcreased the difficulty level of KOTE?
What I'm planning is to have one of the players be from Kassen (or the NPC, they have no PC healer at all, so they recruited a Cleric)who will bring them back for the festival...where they discover that the villagers and adventurers sent to the crypt have not returned...and the people they sent to look for them haven't returned either....)
I also have one player switching to a new character and another who wants to join...might make them both from Kassen...